Moisture sensor

• US 20060076478A1
• Filed: 09/29/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Stam, Joseph S., Bechtel, Jon H., Johnson, Ryan D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,718,943 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/227.250
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0822 characterized by the arrangement or type of detection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0833 Optical rain sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0844 including a camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0885 the sensor being integrated in a rear-view mirror module
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle

Abstract

The present invention provides various improvements in components for optical based moisture sensing systems and to moisture sensing systems incorporating the components.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a target generating means for projecting a predetermined pattern of illumination toward a substantially transparent substrate comprising an interior surface and an exterior surface;

an optical sensing means configured to detect reflection of said illumination of said target generating means from said interior surface and to detect reflection of said illumination of said target generating means from said exterior surface such that said interior reflection is separate from said exterior reflection.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said target generating means projects a series of lines.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said optical sensing means comprises a single row of light sensors.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a means for analyzing at least said exterior reflection to detect the presents of moisture on said exterior surface.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a means for analyzing at least said interior reflection to detect the presents of moisture on said interior surface.

6. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a means for analyzing said interior and said exterior reflection to detect the presents of moisture on at least one surface of said substantially transparent substrate.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a means for analyzing said exterior reflection to detect the absence of at least a portion of said exterior reflection, wherein an absence of at least a portion of said exterior reflection is indicative of the presence of moisture on said exterior surface.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a detection screen positioned between said optical sensing means and said substantially transparent substrate.

9. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a means for compensating for individual laminates of a vehicle windshield.

10. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a controller configured to control at least one vehicle equipment.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

an image sensor comprising a plurality of pixel sensors configured such that a first portion of said pixel sensors are utilized to detect moisture on an interior surface of a substantially transparent substrate and a second portion of said pixel sensors are utilized to detect moisture on an exterior surface of said substantially transparent substrate.

12. An apparatus as in claim 11 further comprising at least one supplemental illumination source.

13. An apparatus as in claim 11 further comprising a detection screen.

14. An apparatus as in claim 11 further comprising a means for compensating for individual laminates of a vehicle windshield.

15. An apparatus as in claim 11 further comprising a first lens configured to project a desired scene upon said first portion of said pixel sensors and a second lens configured to project a desired scene upon said second portion of said pixel sensors.

16. An apparatus as in claim 11 further comprising a detection means for detecting both a size and a shape of at least one contiguous moisture presence on at least one surface of said substantially transparent substrate.

17. An apparatus as in claim 11 further comprising a controller configured to control at least one vehicle equipment.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one supplemental light source for projecting illumination toward a substantially transparent substrate, said substantially transparent substrate comprising an interior surface and an exterior surface;

a detection screen configured such that reflection of illumination from said at least one supplemental light source off of at least one surface of said substantially transparent substrate at least partially impacts upon said detection screen; and

an image sensor configured to detect illumination that impacts said detection screen such that moisture is detected on at least one surface of said substantially transparent substrate.

19. An apparatus as in claim 18 further comprising a means for compensating for individual laminates of a vehicle windshield.

20. An apparatus as in claim 18 further comprising a detection means for detecting both a size and a shape of at least one contiguous moisture presence on at least one surface of said substantially transparent substrate.

21. An apparatus as in claim 18 wherein said at least one supplemental light source is configured as a target generating means for projecting a predetermined pattern of illumination toward a substantially transparent substrate.

22. An apparatus as in claim 18 further comprising a controller configured to control at least one vehicle equipment.

24. An apparatus as in claim 20 further comprising a means for compensating for individual laminates of a vehicle windshield.

25. An apparatus as in claim 20 further comprising a detection screen.

23. An apparatus, comprising:

at least two supplemental light sources for projecting illumination toward a substantially transparent substrate, said substantially transparent substrate comprising an interior surface and an exterior surface; and

an image sensor configured to detect illumination projected by said at least two supplemental light sources reflected from at least one surface of said substantially transparent substrate, wherein both a size and shape of at least one contiguous moisture presence on at least one surface of said substantially transparent substrate are detected.

26. An apparatus, comprising:

a two dimensional array of pixels optically coupled to an interior surface of a vehicle windshield such that a primary optical axis associated with said two dimensional array of pixels forms an angle with respect to said interior surface resulting in at least a portion of a field of view of said two dimensional array of pixels is within the windshield.

27. An apparatus as in claim 26 further comprising a means for compensating for individual laminates of a vehicle windshield.

28. An apparatus as in claim 26 further comprising a detection screen.

29. An apparatus as in claim 26 further comprising a detection means for detecting both a size and a shape of at least one contiguous moisture presence on at least one surface of said substantially transparent substrate.

30. An apparatus as in claim 26 further comprising at least one supplemental light source for projecting illumination toward the windshield.

31. An apparatus as in claim 26 further comprising a target generating means for projecting a predetermined pattern of illumination toward the windshield.

32. An apparatus as in claim 26 configured to sense the presence of moisture on at least one surface of the windshield.

33. An apparatus as in claim 26 further comprising a controller configured to control at least one vehicle equipment.