Vehicle with automatic snow removal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10065602-B2
Application number	US-201615214127-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2016
Priority date	Jul 19, 2016
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

A vehicle configured to automatically clear snow from windows of the vehicle includes: a prime mover, a first window with a first vibration sensor, processor(s) configured to: control speed or load of the prime mover to increase vibration detected by the first vibration sensor, control the speed or the load of the prime mover, within certain predetermined limits, to maximize vibration detected by the first vibration sensor; accept a user prioritization of the windows; control speed or load of the prime mover based on the user prioritization.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a prime mover, a first window with a first vibration sensor, processor(s) configured to:
control speed or load of the prime mover to increase vibration detected by the first vibration sensor.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor(s) are configured to: control the speed or the load of the prime mover, within certain predetermined limits, to maximize vibration detected by the first vibration sensor.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , comprising a second window with a second vibration sensor, wherein the processor(s) are configured to:
accept a user prioritization of the windows;
control speed or load of the prime mover based on the user prioritization.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor(s) are configured to:
search through a plurality of speeds or loads of the prime mover to find an optimized speed or load that maximizes vibration detected by the first vibration sensor.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , including a prime mover vibration sensor and wherein the processor(s) are configured to:
control the speed or the load of the prime mover such that vibration detected by the prime mover vibration sensor remains below a predetermined limit.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , comprising a second window with a heater strip extending therethough, wherein the heater strip is located directly above an interface between a body of the vehicle and the window, and wherein the window is vertically adjustable via a motor.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a vibrative motor is mounted to the window, the processor(s) are configured to activate the vibrative motor, and the vibration motor is configured to induce vibration by oscillating a mass.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor(s) are configured to: (a) query a schedule, (b) determine available energy, (c) determine a presence of snow, (d) activate the prime mover based on (a), (b), and (c).

9. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the processor(s) are configured to determine the available energy by subtracting a predetermined reserve energy amount from a total amount of energy stored in the vehicle.

10. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the processor(s) are configured to determine the presence of snow based on weather information downloaded from an external server.

11. A method of clearing snow via processor(s) of a vehicle including a prime mover, a first window with a first vibration sensor, the method comprising:
controlling speed or load of the prime mover to increase vibration detected by the first vibration sensor.

12. The method of claim 11 , comprising: controlling the speed or the load of the prime mover, within certain predetermined limits, to maximize vibration detected by the first vibration sensor.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the vehicle includes a second window with a second vibration sensor, and the method comprises:
accepting a user prioritization of the windows via a user interface;
controlling speed or load of the prime mover based on the user prioritization.

14. The method of claim 11 , comprising:
searching through a plurality of speeds or loads of the prime mover to find an optimized speed or load that maximizes vibration detected by the first vibration sensor.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the vehicle includes a prime mover vibration sensor the method comprises:
controlling the speed or the load of the prime mover such that vibration detected by the prime mover vibration sensor remains below a predetermined limit.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the vehicle includes a second window with a heater strip extending therethough, wherein the heater strip is located directly above an interface between a body of the vehicle and the window, and wherein the window is vertically adjustable via a motor.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein a vibrative motor is mounted to the window, the method comprises activating the vibrative motor, and the vibrative motor is configured to induce vibration by oscillating a mass.

18. The method of claim 11 , comprising: (a) querying a user-input schedule, (b) determining available vehicle energy, (c) determining a presence of snow, (d) activating the prime mover based on (a), (b), and (c).

19. The method of claim 18 , comprising determining the available energy by subtracting a predetermined reserve energy amount from a total amount of energy stored in the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 18 , comprising determining the presence of snow based on weather information downloaded from an external server.

Assignees

• Ford Global Techonologies Llc
• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Hakeem Mohannad
• Khalid Umer
• Mattar Mohamed

Classifications

• B60S1/66

  for cleaning vehicle exterior · CPC title

• B60S1/023 Primary

  including defroster or demisting means · CPC title

• B60S1/0862

  including additional sensors (vehicle speed sensors B60S1/0896) · CPC title

• B60W10/04

  including control of propulsion units · CPC title

• B60S1/0818

  including control systems responsive to external conditions, e.g. by detection of moisture, dirt or the like · CPC title