Time, space, and/or wavelength multiplexed capacitive light sensor, and related methods
First Claim
1. A method of operating vehicle lights, the method comprising:
- providing a capacitive light sensor configured to sense a presence and intensity of light over at least one wavelength, each said wavelength being associated with a respective output channel of the light sensor;
filling a buffer with data from the at least one output channel, the buffer being filled with a predetermined number of data points at a predetermined frequency;
detecting an edge change in the data in the buffer;
maintaining an on/off state of the vehicle lights when an edge change is not detected; and
when an edge change is detected;
when the data passes from a high value to a low value through a first predefined threshold and remains lower than the first predefined threshold for a persistence interval, turning on the vehicle lights, andwhen the data passes from a low value to a high value through a second predefined threshold and remains higher than the second predefined threshold value for the persistence interval, turning off the vehicle lights,wherein the second threshold is equal to the first threshold plus a hysteresis factor.
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Abstract
In certain example embodiments, techniques for operating vehicle lights are provided. A capacitive light sensor is configured to sense a presence and intensity of light over at least one wavelength, with each said wavelength being associated with a respective output channel of the light sensor. A buffer is filled with data from the at least one output channel, with the buffer being filled with a predetermined number of data points at a predetermined frequency. An edge change is detected in the data in the buffer. An on/off state of the vehicle lights is maintained when an edge change is not detected. When an edge change is detected, when the data passes from a high value to a low value through a first predefined threshhold and remains lower than the first predefined threshold for a persistence interval, the vehicle lights are turned on, and when the data passes from a low value to a high value through a second predefined threshold and remains higher than the second predefined threshold value for the persistence interval, the vehicle lights are turned off. The second threshold is equal to the first threshold plus a hysteresis factor. The capacitive light sensing approaches of certain example embodiments may be time, space, and/or wavelength multiplexed.
68 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of operating vehicle lights, the method comprising:
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providing a capacitive light sensor configured to sense a presence and intensity of light over at least one wavelength, each said wavelength being associated with a respective output channel of the light sensor; filling a buffer with data from the at least one output channel, the buffer being filled with a predetermined number of data points at a predetermined frequency; detecting an edge change in the data in the buffer; maintaining an on/off state of the vehicle lights when an edge change is not detected; and when an edge change is detected; when the data passes from a high value to a low value through a first predefined threshold and remains lower than the first predefined threshold for a persistence interval, turning on the vehicle lights, and when the data passes from a low value to a high value through a second predefined threshold and remains higher than the second predefined threshold value for the persistence interval, turning off the vehicle lights, wherein the second threshold is equal to the first threshold plus a hysteresis factor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of operating vehicle lights, the method comprising:
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providing a capacitive light sensor configured to sense a presence and intensity of light over three wavelengths, each said wavelength being respectively associated with first, second, and third output channels of the light sensor; filling a buffer with data from the output channels, the buffer being filled with a predetermined number of data points at a predetermined frequency; detecting an edge change in the data in the buffer; maintaining an on/off state of the vehicle lights when an edge change is not detected; determining a speed of the vehicle; when the vehicle speed exceeds a first speed threshold, adding a predefined speed hysteresis factor to the first and second thresholds until the vehicle speed drops below a second speed threshold; correlating edge changes in at least two of the first, second, and third channels; and changing the on/off state of the vehicle lights in dependence on the correlation, wherein the second threshold is equal to the first threshold plus a hysteresis factor. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A light sensor for a vehicle, comprising:
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at least one capacitive light sensor array configured to sense a presence and intensity of light over at least one wavelength, each said wavelength being associated with a respective output channel of the light sensor array; a buffer configured to store data from the at least one output channel, the buffer being filled with a predetermined number of data points at a predetermined frequency; and light sensing programmed logic circuitry configured to;
(a) detect an edge change in the data in the buffer, (b) maintain an on/off state of the vehicle lights when an edge change is not detected, and (c) when an edge change is detected;
when the data passes from a high value to a low value through a first predefined threshold and remains lower than the first predefined threshold for a persistence interval, generate a signal indicating that the vehicle lights are to be turned on, and when the data passes from a low value to a high value through a second predefined threshold and remains higher than the second predefined threshold value for the persistence interval, generate a signal indicate that the vehicle lights are to be turned off,wherein the second threshold is equal to the first threshold plus a hysteresis factor.
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20. A light sensor for a vehicle, comprising:
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at least one capacitive light sensor array configured to sense a presence and intensity of light over a plurality of wavelengths, each said wavelength being associated with a respective output channel of the light sensor array; a buffer configured to store data from the output channels, the buffer being filled with a predetermined number of data points at a predetermined frequency; light sensing programmed logic circuitry configured to detect an edge change in the data in the buffer; and speed determining programmed logic circuitry configured to determine a speed of the vehicle, wherein the light sensing programmed logic circuitry is further configured to add a predefined speed hysteresis factor to the first and second thresholds when the vehicle speed exceeds a first speed threshold until the vehicle speed drops below a second speed threshold, correlate edge changes in at least some of the plurality of channels, and change the on/off state of the vehicle lights in dependence on the correlation, and wherein the second threshold is equal to the first threshold plus a hysteresis factor.
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Specification