WIPER MOVEMENT DETECTING DEVICE

• US 20180178761A1
• Filed: 12/22/2017
• Published: 06/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Japan Co., Ltd. (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Japan Co., Ltd. (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Uno, Koji, Yagihara, Toaki
• Granted Patent: US 10,351,106 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• 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 1/0833 Optical rain sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/087 including an ambient light sensor control of vehicle lights B60Q

Abstract

A wiper movement detecting device may include an optical sensor that may be installed to face a glass surface in a vehicle and detect illuminance in an area of the glass surface where the wiper that reciprocates along the glass surface passes through. The detecting device may also include a movement detecting unit configured to detect a reduction time in which the illuminance detected by the optical sensor may temporarily reduce due to the passing of the wiper and determine a movement of the wiper from an interval cycle based upon an interval between the reduction times.

Claims

1. A wiper movement detecting device comprising:

an optical sensor that is installed to face a glass surface in a vehicle and detect illuminance in an area of the glass surface where the wiper that reciprocates along the glass surface passes through; and

a movement detecting unit configured to detect a reduction time in which the illuminance detected by the optical sensor temporarily reduces due to the passing of the wiper and determine a movement of the wiper from an interval cycle based upon an interval between the reduction times.

2. The wiper movement detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the movement detecting unit performs determination of the movement of the wiper in response to a movement start notice of the wiper that is input from a control device that controls the movement of the wiper, further comprising:

a warning unit configured to communicate abnormality of the wiper in a case where the movement of the wiper is not determined by the movement detecting unit.

3. The wiper movement detecting device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a warning unit configured to communicate abnormality of the wiper in a case where the movement of the wiper is determined by the movement detecting unit after a movement stop notice of the wiper is input from a control device that controls the movement of the wiper.

4. The wiper movement detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the movement detecting unit determines the movement of the wiper based upon an interval cycle between the reduction time and a reduction time ahead of two reduction times from the reduction time.

5. The wiper movement detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the movement detecting unit determines that the wiper is moving in a case where a difference between the interval cycle and a reference movement cycle is equal to or less than a threshold, the wiper movement detecting device further comprising:

a warning unit configured to communicate abnormality of the wiper in a case where the difference between the interval cycle and the reference movement cycle goes beyond the threshold.

6. The wiper movement detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the movement detecting unit determines that the wiper is moving in a case where a difference between the interval cycle and a reference movement cycle is equal to or less than a threshold, the wiper movement detecting device further comprising:

a movement change determining unit configured to determine necessity of a change in the movement of the wiper based upon the difference between the interval cycle and the reference movement cycle.

7. The wiper movement detecting device according to claim 5, wherein:

the reference movement cycle is preliminarily determined in accordance with a plurality of movement modes each differing in a movement speed and an intermittent time of the wiper,

a movement start notice of the wiper that is input from a control device that controls the movement of the wiper includes a notice of a movement mode for moving the wiper, and

the movement detecting unit calculates a difference between a reference movement cycle in accordance with the movement mode indicated by the movement start notice of the wiper and the interval cycle.

8. The wiper movement detecting device according to claim 6, wherein the movement change determining unit determines a stop of the movement of the wiper in a case where the difference between the interval cycle and the reference movement cycle is longer than a predetermined time.

9. The wiper movement detecting device according to claim 1, wherein:

the optical sensor includes a front light receiving element that detects illuminance in front of a vehicle, and an upper light receiving element that detects illuminance above the vehicle, and

the movement detecting unit determines the movement of the wiper using the illuminance detected by any of the front light receiving element and the upper light receiving element.

10. The wiper movement detecting device according to claim 1, wherein:

the optical sensor includes a front light receiving element that detects illuminance in front of a vehicle, and an upper light receiving element that detects illuminance above the vehicle, and

the movement detecting unit determines the movement of the wiper using illuminances detected by both of the front light receiving element and the upper light receiving element.

11. The wiper movement detecting device according to claim 2, wherein the movement detecting unit determines the movement of the wiper based upon an interval cycle between the reduction time and a reduction time ahead of two reduction times from the reduction time.

12. The wiper movement detecting device according to claim 2, wherein the movement detecting unit determines that the wiper is moving in a case where a difference between the interval cycle and a reference movement cycle is equal to or less than a threshold, the wiper movement detecting device further comprising:

a warning unit configured to communicate abnormality of the wiper in a case where the difference between the interval cycle and the reference movement cycle goes beyond the threshold.

13. The wiper movement detecting device according to claim 2, wherein the movement detecting unit determines that the wiper is moving in a case where a difference between the interval cycle and a reference movement cycle is equal to or less than a threshold, the wiper movement detecting device further comprising:

a movement change determining unit configured to determine necessity of a change in the movement of the wiper based upon the difference between the interval cycle and the reference movement cycle.

14. The wiper movement detecting device according to claim 3, wherein the movement detecting unit determines the movement of the wiper based upon an interval cycle between the reduction time and a reduction time ahead of two reduction times from the reduction time.

15. The wiper movement detecting device according to claim 3, wherein the movement detecting unit determines that the wiper is moving in a case where a difference between the interval cycle and a reference movement cycle is equal to or less than a threshold, the wiper movement detecting device further comprising:

a warning unit configured to communicate abnormality of the wiper in a case where the difference between the interval cycle and the reference movement cycle goes beyond the threshold.

16. The wiper movement detecting device according to claim 3, wherein the movement detecting unit determines that the wiper is moving in a case where a difference between the interval cycle and a reference movement cycle is equal to or less than a threshold, the wiper movement detecting device further comprising:

a movement change determining unit configured to determine necessity of a change in the movement of the wiper based upon the difference between the interval cycle and the reference movement cycle.

17. The wiper movement detecting device according to claim 6, wherein:

the reference movement cycle is preliminarily determined in accordance with a plurality of movement modes each differing in a movement speed and an intermittent time of the wiper,

a movement start notice of the wiper that is input from a control device that controls the movement of the wiper includes a notice of a movement mode for moving the wiper, and

the movement detecting unit calculates a difference between a reference movement cycle in accordance with the movement mode indicated by the movement start notice of the wiper and the interval cycle.

18. The wiper movement detecting device according to claim 17, wherein the movement change determining unit determines a stop of the movement of the wiper in a case where the difference between the interval cycle and the reference movement cycle is longer than a predetermined time.

19. The wiper movement detecting device according to claim 8, wherein:

the optical sensor includes a front light receiving element that detects illuminance in front of a vehicle, and an upper light receiving element that detects illuminance above the vehicle, and

the movement detecting unit determines the movement of the wiper using the illuminance detected by any of the front light receiving element and the upper light receiving element.

20. A wiper movement detecting device comprising:

an optical sensor that is installed to face a glass surface in a vehicle and detect illuminance in an area of the glass surface where the wiper that reciprocates along the glass surface passes through;

a movement detecting unit configured to detect a reduction time in which the illuminance detected by the optical sensor temporarily reduces due to the passing of the wiper and determine a movement of the wiper from an interval cycle based upon an interval between the reduction times; and

a warning unit configured to communicate abnormality of the wiper in a case where the movement of the wiper is not determined by the movement detecting unit, and in a case where the movement of the wiper is determined by the movement detecting unit after a movement stop notice of the wiper is input from a control device that controls the movement of the wiper.