Vehicle rain sensor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A moisture sensor for detecting moisture on a vehicle windshield, said sensor comprising:
- a housing;
microprocessor circuitry dispensed within said housing; and
an optical image detector connected to said microprocessor circuitry, said optical image detector capable of digitizing and transferring video frames of the windshield and a background scene viewed through the windshield to said microprocessor circuitry, wherein said microprocessor circuitry processes said video frames to select a portion of the video frame, corresponding to a predetermined portion of the background for moisture detection processing.
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Abstract
An apparatus and a method for detecting moisture, such as rain on a vehicle, wherein a sensor acquires an optical image from a region of interest and produces the data to a microprocessor, the microprocessor processes the acquired optical image and selects an algorithm to evaluate the acquired optical image in order to determine whether sufficient moisture exists on the vehicle to warrant action such as activating windshield wipers.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A moisture sensor for detecting moisture on a vehicle windshield, said sensor comprising:
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a housing;
microprocessor circuitry dispensed within said housing; and
an optical image detector connected to said microprocessor circuitry, said optical image detector capable of digitizing and transferring video frames of the windshield and a background scene viewed through the windshield to said microprocessor circuitry, wherein said microprocessor circuitry processes said video frames to select a portion of the video frame, corresponding to a predetermined portion of the background for moisture detection processing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A moisture sensor for detecting moisture on a vehicle windshield, said sensor comprising:
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an optical image detector, said optical image detector capable of digitizing and transferring video frames of the vehicle windshield and a background scene viewed through the windshield; and
circuitry connected to said optical image detector, comprising;
means for acquiring an optical image from a region of interest;
means for determining the brightness of ambient lighting surrounding the vehicle;
means for selecting a daylight processing algorithm based on an ambient lighting corresponding to daylight or a nighttime processing algorithm based on an ambient lighting corresponding to nighttime;
means for processing the acquired optical image using the selected algorithm to determine the presence of moisture on the vehicle windshield.
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9. A method of detecting moisture on a vehicle windshield, said method comprising:
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acquiring an optical image from a region of interest including an image of the vehicle windshield;
determining the brightness of ambient lighting surrounding the vehicle;
selecting a daylight processing algorithm based on an ambient lighting corresponding to daylight or a nighttime processing algorithm based on an ambient lighting corresponding to nighttime; and
processing the acquired optical image using the selected algorithm to determine the presence of moisture on the vehicle windshield. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of detecting moisture on a vehicle windshield, said method comprising:
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acquiring an optical image from a region of interest including at least a portion of the windshield and a portion of a background image viewed through the windshield;
measuring the brightness values of pixels of said optical image;
calculating the average difference of brightness between adjacent pixels of said optical image; and
calculating the average image complexity of pixels of said optical image. - View Dependent Claims (13, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of detecting moisture on a vehicle windshield, said method comprising:
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acquiring an optical image including the windshield and an image viewed through the windshield, including a background image and a region of interest;
removing the background image of said optical image; and
performing image processing to detect moisture on the windshield using the image with the background removed. - View Dependent Claims (23)
measuring an edge contrast of said optical image; and
separating a moving background image from stationary images.
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24. A method of detecting moisture on a vehicle windshield, said method comprising:
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acquiring an optical image from a region of interest including at least a portion of the windshield and a background image viewed through the windshield;
measuring the brightness values of pixels of said optical image;
calculating the average image complexity of pixels of said optical image;
calculating an additional image feature; and
determining if moisture is present on the vehicle windshield employing the image complexity and said additional feature. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A method of detecting moisture on a vehicle windshield, said method comprising:
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acquiring an optical image from a region of interest including at least a portion of the windshield and a background image viewed through the windshield;
measuring the brightness values of pixels of said optical image;
calculating the run length statistics of brightness of pixels of said optical image;
calculating an additional image feature; and
determining if moisture is present on the vehicle windshield employing the run length statistics of pixel brightness and said additional feature. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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Specification