Device that generates salt-state information of a road

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10739258-B2
Application number	US-201715718985-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2017
Priority date	Sep 30, 2016
Publication date	Aug 11, 2020
Grant date	Aug 11, 2020

Abstract

In order to obtain information about a salt-state of a road independently of drivers, a method that generates information about the salt-state of a road is specified that includes a determination of salt-state-dependent measurement values, processing of the measurement values into information about the salt-state of the road and outputting of the information about the salt-state of the road. A corresponding device that generates information about the salt-state of a road comprises sensors that determine of salt-state-dependent measurement values, a processing unit that is configured to process determined measurement values into information about the salt-state of the road, and output the information about the salt-state of the road.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method that generates information about the salt-state of a road including:
determining salt-state-dependent measurement values through road water spray;
processing the measurement values into information about a salt-state of the road using hidden Markov models, Kalman filters and expectation maximization algorithms; and
outputting the information.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising associating the measurement values with salt-state values and deriving information about the salt-state of the road from the salt-state values.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein determining salt-state-dependent measurement values is through optical method, acoustic methods, electrical conductivity measurements, acceleration capability and electrical force feedback measurements.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the optical method is Lidar.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the road water spray produces a Schlieren image on a windscreen in determining salt-state measurement values.

6. A road salt-state information generating device, comprising:
a camera configured to determine salt-state-dependent measurement values through recordation of a Schlieren image on a windscreen produced by vehicle water spray;
a processor configured to translate the measurement values into salt-state information about the road; and
an output device configured to display the salt-state information.

7. A method that generates information about the salt-state of a road including:
determining salt-state-dependent measurement values;
processing the measurement values into information about a salt-state of the road; and
outputting the information,
wherein the determining of salt-state-dependent measurement values is through optical method, acoustic methods, electrical conductivity measurements, acceleration capability and electrical force feedback measurements.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the optical method is Lidar.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Stefan Frederic
• Gussen Uwe
• Arndt Christoph
• Petri Frank

Classifications

• B60K35/80

  Arrangements for controlling instruments · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B60K35/21

  using visual output, e.g. blinking lights or matrix displays · CPC title

• B60K35/28

  characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver · CPC title

• G06V20/56

  exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle · CPC title