Camera and washer spray diagnostic

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10399106-B2
Application number	US-201715409646-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 19, 2017
Priority date	Jan 19, 2017
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

A system including a computer programmed to actuate a spray device on a first vehicle and to receive an image, from a second vehicle, of the actuated spray device. The computer determines whether a spray device fault exists based at least on the image of the actuated spray device, and transmits the spray device fault via a first vehicle communications network.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising a computer, programmed to:
actuate a spray device on a first vehicle;
receive a first image of the actuated spray device captured by a camera of a second vehicle and transmitted from the second vehicle to the first vehicle;
determine whether a spray device fault exists or does not exist based at least on the first image; and
upon determining the spray device fault exists, transmit the spray device fault via a first vehicle communications network of the first vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 , the computer further programmed to:
navigate the first vehicle to a service facility in response to determining the spray device fault exists.

3. The system of claim 1 , the computer further programmed to:
receive a second image of the spray device prior to actuation from the second vehicle;
wherein the determination of whether the spray device fault exists or does not exist is further based at least on the second image of the spray device prior to actuation.

4. The system of claim 1 , the computer further programmed to:
determine whether a second image from a camera on the first vehicle is below a predetermined quality threshold; and
transmit an image request to the second vehicle in response to determining the second image from the camera on the first vehicle is below the predetermined quality threshold.

5. The system of claim 4 , the computer further programmed to:
transmit a camera fault via the first vehicle communications network in response to determining that the second image from the camera on the first vehicle is below the predetermined quality threshold and upon determining that the spray device fault does not exist.

6. The system of claim 5 , the computer further programmed to:
navigate the first vehicle to a service facility in response to determining the second image from the camera on the first vehicle is below the predetermined quality threshold and upon determining that the spray device fault does not exist.

7. The system of claim 1 , the computer further programmed to:
transmit an image request to the second vehicle, the image request including a position of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1 , the computer further programmed to:
actuate a navigation sensor in response to determining the spray device fault exists.

9. The system of claim 1 , the computer further programmed to:
actuate a camera of the first vehicle to capture a second image of the second vehicle; and
transmit the second image from the first vehicle to the second vehicle.

10. The system of claim 9 , the computer further programmed to:
actuate the camera of the first vehicle in response to receiving an image request from the second vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first image is an infrared image.

12. A method comprising:
actuating a spray device on a first vehicle;
receiving a first image of the actuated spray device captured by a camera of a second vehicle and transmitted from the second vehicle to the first vehicle;
determining whether a spray device fault exists or does not exist based at least on the first image; and
upon determining the spray device fault exists, transmitting the spray device fault via a first vehicle communications network.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
navigating the first vehicle to a service facility in response to determining the spray device fault exists.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
receiving a second image of the spray device prior to actuation from the second vehicle;
wherein the determination of whether the spray device fault exists or does not exist is further based at least on the second image of the spray device prior to actuation.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining whether a second image from a camera on the first vehicle is below a predetermined quality threshold; and
transmitting an image request to the second vehicle in response to determining the second image from the camera on the first vehicle is below the predetermined quality threshold.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
transmitting a camera fault via the first vehicle communications network in response to determining that the second image from the camera on the first vehicle is below a predetermined quality threshold and upon determining that the spray device fault does not exist.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
navigating the first vehicle to a service facility in response to determining that the second image from the camera on the first vehicle is below a predetermined quality threshold and that no spray device fault exists.

18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
transmitting an image request to the second vehicle, the image request including a position of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle.

19. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
actuating a navigation sensor in response to determining the spray device fault exists.

20. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
actuating a camera of the first vehicle to capture a second image of the second vehicle; and
transmitting the second image from the first vehicle to the second vehicle.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Dudar Aed M

Classifications

• B60W2556/65

  Data transmitted between vehicles · CPC title

• G06T7/001

  using an image reference approach · CPC title

• G01C21/3602

  Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera · CPC title

• G01C21/3415

  Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents · CPC title

• B05B9/0403

  with pumps for liquids or other fluent material (B05B9/043 takes precedence) · CPC title