Wiper control device for vehicle

• US 7,576,658 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Junichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Application Number:
  US11/589,747
• Publication Number:
  US 20070096560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• Field of Search: 340/602, 340/441, 340/466, 152/500.01, 152/201, 151/03, 152/14, 152/32, 152/563.6, 296/190.1, 307/9.1, 318/DIG.2
• US Class Current: 340/602
• 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

Abstract

A wiper control device for a vehicle with a wiper includes a day/night detecting device for detecting whether the vehicle is in day-like or night-like conditions. The device also includes a moisture detection device that detects a quantity of moisture on the vehicle and a controlling device that controls the wiping action of the wiper based on a wiping sensitivity to the quantity of moisture detected. The controlling device adjusts the wiping sensitivity between night-like wiping sensitivity and day-like wiping sensitivity. The controlling device adjusts wiping sensitivity to night-like wiping sensitivity when the day/night detecting device detects night-like conditions and to day-like wiping sensitivity when the day/night detecting device detects day-like conditions. Additionally, when the day/night detecting device detects a change between day-like and night-like conditions, the controlling device delays switching between night-like and day-like wiping sensitivity for a predetermined delay time.

Claims

1. A wiper control device for a vehicle with a wiper, said wiper control device comprising:

a day/night detecting device for detecting whether the vehicle is in day-like conditions or night-like conditions;

a moisture detection device that detects a quantity of moisture on the vehicle; and

a controlling device that controls the wiping action of the wiper based on wiping sensitivity to the quantity of moisture detected by the moisture detection device,

wherein the controlling device adjusts the wiping sensitivity between night-like wiping sensitivity and day-like wiping sensitivity,

wherein the controlling device adjusts wiping sensitivity to night-like wiping sensitivity when the day/night detecting device detects night-like conditions,

wherein the controlling device adjusts wiping sensitivity to day-like wiping sensitivity when the day/night detecting device detects day-like conditions,

wherein the day-like wiping sensitivity is lower than the night-like wiping sensitivity,

wherein wiping frequency increases with a rise in wiping sensitivity and decreases with a fall in wiping sensitivity, and

wherein, when the day/night detecting device detects a change between day-like and night-like conditions, under at least some predetermined condition, the controlling device delays switching between night-like and day-like wiping sensitivity for a predetermined delay time.

2. The wiper control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a speed detecting device that detects running speed of the vehicle, and

wherein the controlling device delays switching between night-like and day-like wiping sensitivity except when the running speed of the vehicle is below a predetermined amount.

3. The wiper control device according to claim 1, wherein, when the day/night detecting device detects a change from day-like conditions to night-like conditions, the controlling device delays switching from day-like wiping sensitivity to night-like wiping sensitivity for a first delay time.

4. The wiper control device according to claim 1, wherein, when the day/night detecting device detects a change from night-like conditions to day-like conditions, the controlling device delays switching from night-like wiping sensitivity to day-like wiping sensitivity for a second delay time.

5. The wiper control device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined delay time is in a range equal to or between five to ten seconds.

6. The wiper control device according to claim 1, wherein:

the day/night detecting device detects whether the vehicle is in day-like conditions and whether the vehicle is in night-like conditions according to a light switch,

the day/night detecting device detects that the vehicle is in day-like conditions when the light switch is off, and

the day/night detecting device detects that the vehicle is in night-like conditions when the light switch is on.

7. The wiper control device according to claim 1, wherein the wiping frequency is a number of times of wiping per unit time.

8. A method for controlling a vehicular windshield wiper, said method comprising:

detecting whether the vehicle is in day-like conditions or night-like conditions;

detecting a quantity of moisture on the vehicle; and

controlling the wiping action of the wiper based on wiping sensitivity to the quantity of detected moisture,

wherein the controlling step adjusts the wiping sensitivity between night-like wiping sensitivity and day-like wiping sensitivity,

wherein the controlling step adjusts wiping sensitivity to night-like wiping sensitivity when the day/night detecting device detects night-like conditions,

wherein the controlling step adjusts wiping sensitivity to day-like wiping sensitivity when the day/night detecting device detects day-like conditions;

wherein the day-like wiping sensitivity is lower than the night-like wiping sensitivity,

wherein wiping frequency increases with a rise in wiping sensitivity and decreases with a fall in wiping sensitivity, and

wherein when the detecting step detects a change between day-like and night-like conditions, under at least some predetermined condition, the controlling step delays switching between night-like and day-like wiping sensitivity for a predetermined delay time.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting running speed of the vehicle; and

wherein the controlling step delays switching between night-like and day-like wiping sensitivity except when the running speed of the vehicle is below a predetermined amount.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein, when the detecting step detects a change from day-like conditions to night-like conditions, the controlling step delays switching from day-like wiping sensitivity to night-like wiping sensitivity for a first delay time.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein, when the detecting step detects a change from night-like conditions to day-like conditions, the controlling step delays switching from night-like wiping sensitivity to day-like wiping sensitivity for a second delay time.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined delay time is in a range equal to or between five to ten seconds.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the detecting step detects whether the vehicle is in day-like conditions and whether the vehicle is in night-like conditions according to a light switch,

the detecting step detects that the vehicle is in day-like conditions when the light switch is off, and

the detecting step detects that the vehicle is in night-like conditions when the light switch is on.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the wiping frequency is a number of times of wiping per unit time.