Splash detection using radar

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12429578-B2
Application number	US-202418408032-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2024
Priority date	Jan 9, 2024
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

A detection system for a target vehicle includes a camera capturing images of a region external to the target vehicle, a RADAR module that scans the region to detect a depth of a splash event in the region, an actuator configured to operate in response to a response signal and control circuitry configured to determine a distance between the target vehicle and a front of the splash event based on the images, compare the front of the splash event to the depth to determine an intensity of the splash event, and communicate the response signal based on the intensity of the splash event.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A detection system for a target vehicle, comprising:
a camera capturing images of a region external to the target vehicle;
a RADAR module that scans the region to detect a depth of a splash event in the region;
an actuator configured to operate in response to a response signal; and
control circuitry configured to:
determine a distance between the target vehicle and a front of the splash event based on the images;
compare the front of the splash event to the depth to determine an intensity of the splash event; and
communicate the response signal based on the intensity of the splash event.

2. The detection system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
classify a splash source of the splash event as vehicular or non-vehicular based on the image.

3. The detection system of claim 2 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
estimate a speed of the splash source; and
determine a passing availability condition based on the speed of the splash source and the depth of the splash event.

4. The detection system of claim 3 , wherein the response signal includes an indication of the passing availability condition.

5. The detection system of claim 3 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to
compare the distance to a threshold following distance; and
communicate the response signal when the distance exceeds the threshold following distance.

6. The detection system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
determine a target lane of a plurality of lanes for the target vehicle based on the intensity.

7. The detection system of claim 6 , further comprising:
a display in communication with the control circuitry and configured to indicate the target lane in response to the response signal.

8. The detection system of claim 6 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine a source lane of the plurality of lanes where the splash event is present.

9. The detection system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a window;
a wiper selectively moveable along the window; and
a window clearing system in communication with the control circuitry and including the actuator configured to operate the wiper in response to the intensity.

10. The detection system of claim 9 , wherein the control circuitry includes a machine learning model trained to determine the response signal based on manual feedback.

11. The detection system of claim 10 , wherein the manual feedback includes at least one of manual operation of the wiper and maneuvering the vehicle to one of the plurality of lanes.

12. The detection system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a motion control system including the actuator that adjusts the distance in response to the response signal.

13. The detection system of claim 12 , wherein the motion control includes an automatic speed control system configured to control the speed of the vehicle based on the response signal.

14. The detection system of claim 1 , wherein the RADAR module further detects a density of the splash event, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to classify the intensity based further on the density.

15. A detection system for a target vehicle, comprising:
a camera capturing images of a region external to the target vehicle;
a RADAR module that scans the region to detect a depth of a splash event in the region;
a notification device configured to indicate a passing availability condition in response to a response signal; and
control circuitry configured to:
determine a distance between the target vehicle and a front of the splash event based on the images;
compare the front of the splash event to the depth to determine an intensity of the splash event;
estimate a speed of a passing vehicle causing the splash event;
determine a passing availability condition based on the speed of the passing vehicle and the intensity; and
communicate the response signal based on the passing availability condition.

16. The detection system of claim 15 , further comprising:
a motion control system that adjusts the distance in response to the response signal.

17. The detection system of claim 16 , wherein the motion control system includes an automatic speed control system configured to control the speed of the target vehicle based on the response signal.

18. The detection system of claim 15 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine a source lane of a plurality of lanes where the splash event is present.

19. The detection system of claim 15 , further comprising:
a window;
a wiper selectively moveable along the window; and
a window clearing system in communication with the control circuitry and including the actuator configured to operate the wiper in response to the distance.

20. A detection system for a vehicle, comprising:
a camera capturing images of a region external to the vehicle;
a RADAR module that scans the region to detect a depth and a density of a splash event in the region;
an actuator configured to operate in response to a response signal; and
control circuitry configured to:
determine a distance between the vehicle and a front of the splash event based on the images;
compare the front of the splash event to the depth to determine a size of the splash event;
determine an intensity of the splash event based on the size and density of the splash event; and
communicate the response signal based on the intensity of the splash event.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Ghannam Mahmoud Yousef
• Schroeter Robert
• Schwartz Jake
• Mills Aaron L

Classifications

• G01S2013/93271

  in the front of the vehicles · CPC title

• G01S13/50

  Systems of measurement based on relative movement of target · CPC title

• G01S13/867 Primary

  Combination of radar systems with cameras · CPC title

• G01S7/4043

  including means to prevent or remove the obstruction · CPC title

• G01S13/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title