Sunload sensor for automotive vehicles
First Claim
1. A dual sunload sensor to sense the intensity and directionality of solar radiative power entering the cabin of a vehicle through a windshield, said sensor comprising:
- a housing;
a substrate bearing only two light sensitive semiconductor elements thereon housed in said housing;
two optical lenses, one lens being located above one of said only two light sensitive semiconductor elements, the other lens being located over the other one of said only two light sensitive semiconductor elements, each of said optical lenses refracting light towards a the respective corresponding light sensitive semiconductor element; and
an optically opaque wall separating said two optical lenses lying in a vertical plane along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A dual-channel sunload sensor capable of sensing the intensity and directionality of the solar radiative power entering the cabin of a car through the windshield, for the purpose of providing information to the data processing system of the car that enables a control of the air conditioning system that optimizes the comfort of the driver and of the front passenger. Signals from the sensor offer reliable indications of the solar load power and directionality for a wide range of angular positions of the sun. The sensor includes two convex transparent parts collecting light each toward a respective photodiode, the transparent parts being separated by an opaque portion.
49 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A dual sunload sensor to sense the intensity and directionality of solar radiative power entering the cabin of a vehicle through a windshield, said sensor comprising:
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a housing;
a substrate bearing only two light sensitive semiconductor elements thereon housed in said housing;
two optical lenses, one lens being located above one of said only two light sensitive semiconductor elements, the other lens being located over the other one of said only two light sensitive semiconductor elements, each of said optical lenses refracting light towards a the respective corresponding light sensitive semiconductor element; and
an optically opaque wall separating said two optical lenses lying in a vertical plane along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification