Precipitation sensor
First Claim
1. A vehicular precipitation sensor which senses precipitation consisting of at least one of rain and fog on a vehicle window, said vehicular precipitation sensor comprising:
- an imaging array sensor directed at the vehicle window from inside the vehicle, said imaging array sensor comprising a plurality of pixels, said pixels sensing a light value of incident radiation, said imaging array sensor comprising one of a CMOS and a CCD sensor. said imaging array sensor being responsive at least to incident visible light, said imaging array sensor capturing images of precipitation on the window, said imaging array sensor generating an output indicative of said captured images; and
a control operable to process said output to detect precipitation at a surface of the vehicle window in response to said output of said imaging array sensor, said control controlling an accessory of the vehicle in response to the precipitation detected reaching a threshold level of detected precipitation, said threshold level of detected precipitation being adjustable in response to at least a level of ambient visible light present at the window.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicular precipitation sensor which detects precipitation on a vehicle window includes an imaging array sensor directed at the vehicle window from inside the vehicle, and a control operable to detect precipitation at a surface of the vehicle window in response to an output of the imaging array sensor. The imaging array sensor includes a plurality of pixels which sense a light value of incident radiation. The control controls an accessory of the vehicle in response to the precipitation detected reaching a threshold level of precipitation. The threshold level of detected precipitation is preferably adjustable in response to a level of ambient light present at the window. The rain sensor may include an illumination device which is preferably operable in a pulse mode, whereby the control is operable to reduce noise of the output of the imaging array sensor as a function of the pulse mode.
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Citations
75 Claims
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1. A vehicular precipitation sensor which senses precipitation consisting of at least one of rain and fog on a vehicle window, said vehicular precipitation sensor comprising:
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an imaging array sensor directed at the vehicle window from inside the vehicle, said imaging array sensor comprising a plurality of pixels, said pixels sensing a light value of incident radiation, said imaging array sensor comprising one of a CMOS and a CCD sensor. said imaging array sensor being responsive at least to incident visible light, said imaging array sensor capturing images of precipitation on the window, said imaging array sensor generating an output indicative of said captured images; and
a control operable to process said output to detect precipitation at a surface of the vehicle window in response to said output of said imaging array sensor, said control controlling an accessory of the vehicle in response to the precipitation detected reaching a threshold level of detected precipitation, said threshold level of detected precipitation being adjustable in response to at least a level of ambient visible light present at the window. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A vehicular precipitation sensor which senses at least one of rain and fog on a vehicle window, said vehicular precipitation sensor comprising:
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an imaging array sensor directed at the vehicle window from inside the vehicle, said imaging array sensor comprising a plurality of pixels, said pixels sensing a light value of incident radiation, said imaging array sensor being responsive at least to incident visible light, said imaging array sensor capturing images of precipitation on the window, said imaging array sensor generating an output indicative of said captured images;
an illumination device for providing illumination at least occasionally at the vehicle window, said illumination device being operable in a pulse mode to pulse said illumination device on and off at least two times; and
a control operable to process said output to detect precipitation at a surface of the vehicle window in response to said output of said imaging array sensor, said output of said imaging array sensor including a signal indicative of precipitation at said surface of the vehicle window and said output of said imaging array sensor further including noise, said control being operable to reduce said noise of said output of said imaging array sensor as a function of said pulse mode of said illumination device, said control controlling an accessory of the vehicle in response to the precipitation detected. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A vehicular precipitation sensor which senses precipitation consisting of at least one of rain and fog on a vehicle window, said vehicular precipitation sensor comprising:
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an imaging array sensor directed at the vehicle window from inside the vehicle, said imaging array sensor comprising a plurality of pixels, said pixels sensing a light value of incident radiation, said imaging array sensor capturing images of precipitation on the window, said imaging array sensor generating an output indicative of said captured images; and
a control operable to process said output to detect precipitation at a surface of the vehicle window in response to said output of said imaging array sensor, said control controlling an accessory of the vehicle in response to the precipitation detected reaching a threshold level of detected precipitation, said control being operable to control at least one other accessory of the vehicle in response to said output of said imaging array sensor, said at least one other accessory comprising at least one of a headlamp, a cruise control, and a lane departure warning. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75)
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Specification