Method for stabilizing output of rain sensor and protection method therefor

• US 6,397,161 B1
• Filed: 12/16/1998
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Niles Company Limited (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Company Limited (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Shuhei, Koyama, Tadashi, Tsunetomo, Keiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Grimley, Arthur T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, JOHN H
• Application Number:
  US09/211,318
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: 702/134,130,132 318/483 307/651 62/65,97,122
• US Class Current: 702/134
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0818 including control systems responsive to external conditions, e.g. by detection of moisture, dirt or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0833 Optical rain sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0866 including a temperature sensor heating devices for windshield B60H

Abstract

A rain sensor including light emitting means 7 for guiding light into a window glass so as to undergo total internal reflection within the window glass, light receiving means 8 for receiving the light which has undergone total internal reflection within the window glass, and means for detecting the amount of water drops adhered to or present upon the window glass so as to output a driving signal to a wiper driver apparatus 20, a difference signal corresponding to a difference between a preset reference value and an output signal of an amplifier circuit 17 of the light receiving means is fed back to the amplifier 17, and an amplification factor of the amplifier circuit 17 is adjusted so as to maintain the output signal thereof at a constant value irrespective of the operation condition of the wiper, when electrical power is applied to the rain sensor 2. Furthermore, in a protecting method for the rain sensor 2, a driving current fed to light emitting element 10 is measured and converted into an ambient temperature, and a driving current supplied to the light emitting element 10 by the driver circuit 12 is stopped when the converted value is outside a preset temperature range, by turning a switch circuit 14 to OFF.

Claims

1. A protection method for a rain sensor comprising light emitting means for guiding light into a window glass so as to undergo total internal reflection within said window glass;

light receiving means for receiving the light which has undergone total internal reflection within said window glass; and

means for detecting the amount of water drops adhered or present upon an outside surface of said window glass based on an output signal of said light receiving means, wherein said method comprises;

measuring a driving current supplied to said light emitting means;

converting the driving current into a value corresponding to the ambient temperature; and

stopping supply of the driving current to said light emitting means when said value exceeds a preset higher temperature.

2. A protection method for a rain sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said higher preset temperature can be freely adjusted in advance.

3. A protection method for a rain sensor comprising light emitting means for guiding light into a window glass so as to undergo total internal reflection within said window glass;

light receiving means for receiving the light which has undergone total internal reflection within said window glass; and

means for detecting the amount of water drops adhered or present upon an outside surface of said window glass based on an output signal of said light receiving means, wherein said method comprises;

measuring a driving current supplied to said light emitting means;

converting the driving current into a value corresponding to the ambient temperature; and

stopping supply of the driving current to said light emitting means when said value is less than a preset lower temperature.

4. A protection method for a rain sensor as claimed in claim 3, wherein said lower preset value temperature can be freely adjusted in advance.