Sensor system and method for a vehicle

• US 9,475,464 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2009
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2009
• 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, Joh, Peter Gyumyeong, Luo, Wangdong
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIE, WAE LENNY
• Application Number:
  US12/500,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20110010045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,665 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/0862 including additional sensors vehicle speed sensors B60S1/0896

Abstract

A system and method is provided for determining if a windshield wiper of a vehicle should be automatically activated. The system and method may include a sensor system that receives at least one distance signal indicative of a distance between an object and a front windshield of the vehicle. The sensor system may further receive a relative velocity of the object using the at least one distance signal, the relative velocity being indicative of a velocity between the object and the front windshield of the vehicle. The sensor system may determine whether a windshield wiper should be automatically activated in response to the distance signal being within a distance activation range and the relative velocity being within a velocity activation range or the relative velocity exceeding a maximum velocity threshold.

Claims

1. A method for determining that a windshield wiper of a vehicle should be automatically activated for removing an aqueous material from a front windshield, the method comprising:

receiving at least one distance signal indicative of a distance between the aqueous material and the front windshield of the vehicle;

determining a relative velocity of the aqueous material using the at least one distance signal, the relative velocity being indicative of a velocity between the aqueous material and the front windshield of the vehicle; and

automatically activating a front windshield wiper prior to the aqueous material contacting the windshield in response to the distance signal being within a distance activation range and the relative velocity being within a velocity activation range.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically deactivating the front windshield wiper after a predetermined wiper sequence is complete.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining that a windshield wiper should be automatically activated in response to the relative velocity exceeding a maximum velocity threshold.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

automatically activating the front windshield wiper in response to the relative velocity exceeding the maximum velocity threshold; and

automatically deactivating the front windshield wiper after a predetermined wiper sequence is complete.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

determining if the front windshield wiper is activated; and

determining if the front windshield wiper is erroneously causing the relative velocity to exceed the maximum velocity threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one distance signal is generated using a closing velocity sensor.

7. A method for determining that a windshield wiper of a vehicle should be automatically activated for removing an aqueous material from a front windshield, the method comprising:

receiving at least one distance signal indicative of a distance between the aqueous material and the front windshield of the vehicle;

receiving at least one velocity signal indicative of a relative velocity between the aqueous material and the front windshield of the vehicle;

automatically activating a front windshield wiper prior to the aqueous material contacting the windshield in response to the velocity signal exceeding a maximum velocity threshold.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

automatically deactivating the front windshield wiper after a predetermined wiper sequence is complete.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

determining if the front windshield wiper is activated; and

determining if the front windshield wiper is erroneously causing the velocity signal to exceed the maximum velocity threshold.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

determining that a windshield wiper should be automatically activated in response to the distance signal being within a distance activation range and the velocity signal being within a velocity activation range.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

automatically activating the front windshield wiper in response to the distance signal being within the distance activation range and the velocity signal being within a velocity activation range; and

automatically deactivating the front windshield wiper after a predetermined wiper sequence is complete.

12. A system for determining that a windshield wiper of a vehicle should be automatically activated to remove an aqueous material from a front windshield, the system comprising:

at least one sensor configured to receive at least one distance signal indicative of a distance between the aqueous material and the front windshield of the vehicle; and

a controller in electrical communication with the at least one sensor, the controller configured to;

determine a relative velocity of the aqueous material using the at least one distance signal, the relative velocity being indicative of a velocity between the aqueous material and the front windshield of the vehicle; and

automatically activate a front windshield wiper prior to the aqueous material contacting the windshield in response to the distance signal being within a distance activation range and the relative velocity being within a velocity activation range.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to:

automatically deactivate the front windshield wiper after a predetermined wiper sequence is complete.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine that a windshield wiper should be automatically activated in response to the relative velocity exceeding a maximum velocity threshold.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to:

automatically activate the front windshield wiper in response to the relative velocity exceeding the maximum velocity threshold; and

automatically deactivate the front windshield wiper after a predetermined wiper sequence is complete.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine if the front windshield wiper is activated; and

determine if the front windshield wiper is erroneously causing the relative velocity to exceed the maximum velocity threshold.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one sensor is a closing velocity sensor, and the at least one closing velocity sensor being configured to generate a distance and relative velocity of the aqueous material.