Non-contact freezing temperature determination
First Claim
1. A method for determining the freezing temperature of an ice-water mixture on a road surface, comprising:
- providing reference measurements of ice-to-water ratios in dependence on road temperatures for different salt contents of reference ice-water mixtures;
determining an ice-to-water ratio of the ice-water mixture using a second sensor;
detecting a temperature of the road surface using a first sensor;
determining, by a computing unit, a salt content of the ice-water mixture from the determined ice-to-water ratio and the detected temperature by means of the provided reference measurements; and
determining, by the computing unit, the freezing temperature of the ice-water mixture from the determined salt content and the provided reference measurements.
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Abstract
A method and device for determining the freezing temperature of an ice-water mixture on a road surface. Reference measurements of ice-to-water ratios in dependence on road temperatures for different salt contents of reference ice-water mixtures are provided to the device. The thickness of a water layer on the road surface is detected and the thickness of an ice layer of the road surface is detected by the device and method. From the detected thickness of the water layer and the detected thickness of the ice layer, an ice-to-water ratio of the ice-water mixture is determined. The temperature of the road surface is also detected. The freezing temperature of the ice-water mixture is determined by the device and method from the determined ice-to-water ratio and the detected temperature by means of the provided reference measurements.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for determining the freezing temperature of an ice-water mixture on a road surface, comprising:
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providing reference measurements of ice-to-water ratios in dependence on road temperatures for different salt contents of reference ice-water mixtures; determining an ice-to-water ratio of the ice-water mixture using a second sensor; detecting a temperature of the road surface using a first sensor; determining, by a computing unit, a salt content of the ice-water mixture from the determined ice-to-water ratio and the detected temperature by means of the provided reference measurements; and determining, by the computing unit, the freezing temperature of the ice-water mixture from the determined salt content and the provided reference measurements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A device for determining the freezing temperature of an ice-water mixture on a road surface, comprising:
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a storage unit adapted to store reference measurement values of ice-to-water ratios in dependence on road temperatures for different salt contents of reference ice-water mixtures; a first sensor adapted to detect a temperature of the road surface; and a computing unit adapted to determine an ice-to-water ratio of the ice-water mixture, to determine a salt content of the ice-water mixture from the determined ice-to-water ratio and the detected temperature by means of the stored reference measurement values, and to determine the freezing temperature from the determined salt content and the stored reference measurement values. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for determining the freezing temperature of an ice-water mixture on a road surface, comprising:
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providing reference measurements of ice-to-water ratios in dependence on road temperatures for different salt contents of reference ice-water mixtures, the reference measurements including data representing a plurality of measurement curves; detecting a temperature of the road surface using a first sensor; detecting a thickness of a water layer on the road surface using a second sensor; and detecting a thickness of an ice layer on the road surface using the second sensor; determining an ice-to-water ratio of the ice-water mixture from the detected thickness of the water layer and the detected thickness of the ice layer; identifying one of the measurement curves corresponding to the determined ice-to-water ratio and the detected temperature; determining, by a computing unit, a salt content of the ice-water mixture associated with the identified measurement curve; and determining, by the computing unit, the freezing temperature of the ice-water mixture from the identified measurement curve. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification