Autonomous vehicle window clearing

• US 9,409,549 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2013
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yopp, Wilford Trent, Lippman, Mark Allan
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Application Number:
  US14/036,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20150088374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00764 the input being a vehicle driving condition, e.g. speed B60H1/00828, B60H1/00864 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00785 by the detection of humidity or frost
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00878 the components being temperature regulating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/023 including defroster or demisting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/04 Wipers or the like, e.g. scrapers
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0818 including control systems responsive to external conditions, e.g. by detection of moisture, dirt or the like

Abstract

At least one datum is received relating to a condition of a window in the vehicle. A determination is made to change a parameter based on the at least one datum, the parameter governing clearing the window. An instruction is provided to initiate or change operation of a vehicle component based on the change of the parameter.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a laser sensor arranged to provide at least one first datum obtained based on a laser beam directed at a window in a vehicle;

one or more rain sensors, including at least one of a camera and a moisture sensor, arranged to provide at least one second datum based on a condition of the window in the vehicle; and

a computer, the computer comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the computer is configured to;

receive from the laser sensor the at least one first datum, and determine that the at least one first datum relates to a condition of at least an interior surface of the window;

receive from the one or more rain sensors the at least one second datum;

determine to change a parameter based on the at least one first datum and the at least one second datum, the parameter governing clearing the window; and

provide an instruction to initiate or change operation of a vehicle component based on the change of the parameter.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one first datum includes an electrical signal intensity based on a received laser beam.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first parameter is one of a windshield wiper on/off setting, a windshield wiper interval setting, a defroster on/off setting, a defroster intensity setting, and a vehicle target temperature setting, and the vehicle component is one of a defroster, a windshield wiper, and a vehicle thermostat.

4. The system of claim 1, the computer being further configured to:

receive at least one third datum relating to a condition of the window in the vehicle;

determine to change a parameter based on the at least one further datum, the parameter governing clearing the window; and

providing an instruction initiate or change operation of the vehicle component based on the change of the parameter based on the at least one third datum.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the parameter based on the at least one first datum, and the at least one second datum, and the parameter based on the at least one third datum are a same parameter related to a same component in the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1, the computer being further configured to provide instructions for autonomously driving the vehicle.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein, in addition to the at least one first datum, whether to change the parameter is based on is at least one of a vehicle humidity, a vehicle temperature, an intensity of a reflection of a light beam, and an indication from a rain sensor.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one first datum includes a position of a laser beam received by a charge coupled device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the computer is configured to identify a type of precipitation on the window according to the position of the laser beam identified by the charge coupled device.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one first datum relating to the interior surface of the vehicle window indicates at least one of moisture and dirt.

7. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a laser sensor arranged to provide at least one first datum obtained based on a laser beam directed at a window in a vehicle, and determining that the at least one first datum relates to a condition of at least an interior surface of the window in the vehicle;

receiving, from one or more rain sensors, including at least one of a camera and a moisture sensor, arranged to provide at least one second datum based on a condition of the window in the vehicle;

determining to change a parameter based on the at least one first datum and the at least one second datum, the parameter governing clearing the window; and

providing an instruction to initiate or change operation of a vehicle component based on the change of the parameter.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one first datum includes an electrical signal intensity based on a received laser beam.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first parameter is one of a windshield wiper on/off setting, a windshield wiper interval setting, a defroster on/off setting, a defroster intensity setting, and a vehicle target temperature setting, and the vehicle component is one of a defroster, a windshield wiper, and a vehicle thermostat.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving at least further datum relating to a condition of the window in the vehicle;

determining to change a parameter based on the at least one further datum, the parameter governing clearing the window; and

providing an instruction initiate or change operation of a vehicle component based on the change of the parameter based on the at least one further datum.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the parameter based on the at least one first datum and the parameter based on the at least one further datum are a same parameter related to a same component in the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein, in addition to the at least one datum, determining to change the parameter is based on at least one of a vehicle humidity, a vehicle temperature, an intensity of a reflection of a light beam, and an indication from a rain sensor.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one datum includes a position of a laser beam received by a charge coupled device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising identifying a type of precipitation on the window according to the position of the laser beam identified by the charge coupled device.

19. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one first datum relating to the interior surface of the vehicle window indicates at least one of moisture and dirt.