Light obstruction sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11092480-B2
Application number	US-201816144284-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2018
Priority date	Sep 27, 2018
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

Light obstruction can be detected using a light obstruction sensor. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method includes receiving, by a light obstruction sensor, light being emitted by a light source, a light level being associated with the light, and the light source and the light obstruction sensor being disposed in a light assembly. The method further includes determining, by a processing device, whether the light level exceeds a first threshold. The method further includes, responsive to determining that the light level exceeds the first threshold, determining that the light being emitted by the light source is at least partially impaired by an object. The method further includes validating, by the processing device, the determination that the light source is at least partially impaired by the object to confirm whether the light source is at least partially impaired by the object.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, by a light obstruction sensor, light being emitted by a light source, a light level being associated with the light received by the light obstruction sensor, and the light source and the light obstruction sensor being disposed in a light assembly of a vehicle, the light assembly comprising a body portion and a surface portion, the light source and the light obstruction sensor being disposed in the body portion;
receiving, by a reference light obstruction sensor, the light being emitted by the light source, a reference light level being associated with the light received by the reference light obstruction sensor, wherein the reference light obstruction sensor is disposed in the vehicle other than in the light assembly;
determining, by a processing device, whether an object is on the surface portion of the light assembly by:
determining, by the processing device, whether the light level exceeds a first threshold; and
responsive to determining that the light level exceeds the first threshold, determining that the light being emitted by the light source is at least partially impaired by the object on the surface portion of the light assembly; and

validating, by the processing device, the determination that the light source is at least partially impaired by the object to confirm whether the light source is at least partially impaired by the object on the surface portion of the light assembly by comparing the light level to the reference light level.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by the processing device, whether the light level is less than a second threshold, the second threshold being less than the first threshold.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising:
responsive to determining that the light level is less than the second threshold, determining that the light source is inoperable.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , further comprising:
responsive to determining that the light source is inoperable, implementing a corrective action.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the light assembly is a headlight assembly disposed in the vehicle.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein it is confirmed that the light source is at least partially impaired by the object when the light level is not substantially equivalent to the reference light level.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein it is not confirmed that the light source is at least partially impaired by the object when the light level is substantially equivalent to the reference light level.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein it is confirmed that the light source is at least partially impaired by the object when the light level is not substantially equivalent to the reference light level, and wherein it is not confirmed that the light source is at least partially impaired by the object when the light level is substantially equivalent to the reference light level.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the validating is based at least in part on historical light data.

10. A system comprising:
a vehicle comprising a headlight assembly, the headlight assembly comprising a light source, a light obstruction sensor, a body portion, and a surface portion, the light source and the light obstruction sensor being disposed in the body portion;
a memory comprising computer readable instructions; and
a processing device for executing the computer readable instructions for performing a method comprising:
receiving, by the light obstruction sensor, light being emitted by the light source, a light level being associated with the light received by the light obstruction sensor;
receiving, by a reference light obstruction sensor, the light being emitted by the light source, a reference light level being associated with the light received by the reference light obstruction sensor;
determining whether an object is on the surface portion of the light assembly by:
determining whether the light level exceeds a threshold; and
responsive to determining that the light level exceeds the threshold, determining that the light being emitted by the light source is at least partially impaired by the object on the surface portion of the light assembly; and

validating the determination that the light source is at least partially impaired by the object to confirm whether the light source is at least partially impaired by the object on the surface portion of the light assembly by comparing the light level to the reference light level.

11. A computer program product comprising:
a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processing device to cause the processing device to perform a method comprising:
receiving, by a light obstruction sensor, light being emitted by a light source, a light level being associated with the light received by the light obstruction sensor, and the light source and the light obstruction sensor being disposed in a light assembly of a vehicle, the light assembly comprising a body portion and a surface portion, the light source and the light obstruction sensor being disposed in the body portion;
receiving, by a reference light obstruction sensor, the light being emitted by the light source, a reference light level being associated with the light received by the reference light obstruction sensor, wherein the reference light obstruction sensor is disposed in the vehicle other than in the light assembly;

determining, by the processing device, whether an object is on the surface portion of the light assembly by:
determining, by the processing device, whether the light level exceeds a first threshold; and
responsive to determining that the light level exceeds the first threshold, determining that the light being emitted by the light source is at least partially impaired by the object on the surface portion of the light assembly; and
validating, by the processing device, the determination that the light source is at least partially impaired by the object to confirm whether the light source is at least partially impaired by the object on the surface portion of the light assembly by comparing the light level to the reference light level.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises:
determining, by the processing device, whether the light level is less than a second threshold, the second threshold being less than the first threshold.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:
responsive to determining that the light level is less than the second threshold, determining that the light source is inoperable.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises:
responsive to determining that the light source is inoperable, implementing a corrective action.

15. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the light assembly is a headlight assembly disposed in the vehicle.

16. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein it is confirmed that the light source is at least partially impaired by the object when the light level is not substantially equivalent to the reference light level.

17. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein it is not confirmed that the light source is at least partially impaired by the object when the light level is substantially equivalen

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Garrett Tynan J
• Hicks Andrew
• Lyons Michael P
• Pedrone Miles C
• Tang Yunli

Classifications

• B60Q1/0023 Primary

  the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera · CPC title

• G01J1/18 Primary

  using comparison with a reference electric value · CPC title

• B60Q11/00

  Arrangement of monitoring devices for devices provided for in groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q9/00 · CPC title

• B60Q2300/45

  Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers · CPC title

• B60S1/08

  electrically driven {(conjoint control of windscreen wiper motor and liquid supply of windscreen washer B60S1/482; conjoint control of windscreen wiper motor and means for cleaning parts o parts other than windscreens or front windows B60S1/56, B60S1/58, B60S1/606)} · CPC title