Predictive windshield wiper system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019047518-A1
Application number	US-201715674205-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 10, 2017
Priority date	Aug 10, 2017
Publication date	Feb 14, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A windshield-wiper system includes a precipitation-detector, a windshield-wiper actuator, an object-detector, and a controller. The precipitation-detector detects precipitation proximate to a host-vehicle. The windshield-wiper actuator clears the precipitation from a windshield of the host-vehicle. The object-detector detects a distance of an object to the host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the precipitation-detector, the windshield-wiper actuator, and the object-detector. The controller determines when the precipitation is present based on the precipitation-detector, determines the distance from the object to the host-vehicle based on the object-detector, and adjusts a speed of the windshield-wiper actuator when the precipitation is detected and the object is less than a distance-threshold away from the host-vehicle.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A windshield-wiper system, for use on an automated vehicle, said system comprising:
a precipitation-detector that detects precipitation proximate to a host-vehicle; a windshield-wiper actuator that clears the precipitation from a windshield of the host-vehicle; an object-detector that detects a distance of an object to the host-vehicle; and a controller in communication with the precipitation-detector, the windshield-wiper actuator, and the object-detector, said controller determines when the precipitation is present based on the precipitation-detector, determines the distance from the object to the host-vehicle based on the object-detector, and adjusts a speed of the windshield-wiper actuator when the precipitation is detected and the object is less than a distance-threshold away from the host-vehicle.

2 . The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the object is an other-vehicle that is traveling toward the host-vehicle in an adjacent-lane, wherein the controller increases the speed of the windshield-wiper actuator when the other-vehicle is less than the distance-threshold away from the host-vehicle.

3 . The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the object is a lead-vehicle that is traveling ahead of the host-vehicle, wherein the controller increases the speed of the windshield-wiper actuator when the lead-vehicle is less than the distance-threshold away from the host-vehicle.

4 . The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the object is an overpass, wherein the controller reduces the speed of the windshield-wiper actuator when a leading-edge of the overpass is less than the distance-threshold away from the host-vehicle.

5 . The system in accordance with claim 4 , wherein the controller further determines when the host-vehicle will emerge from beneath the overpass and increases the speed of the windshield-wiper actuator when the distance of a trailing-edge of the overpass is less than the distance-threshold away from the host-vehicle.

6 . The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the precipitation-detector is a camera.

7 . The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the precipitation-detector is an optical-device mounted to an inside-surface of the windshield that detects the precipitation on the windshield of the host-vehicle.

8 . A method of operating a windshield-wiper system, for use on an automated vehicle, said method comprising:
detecting, with a precipitation-detector, precipitation proximate to a host-vehicle; clearing, with a windshield-wiper actuator, the precipitation from a windshield of the host-vehicle; detecting, with an object-detector, a distance of an object to the host-vehicle; and determining, with a controller in communication with the precipitation-detector, the windshield-wiper actuator, and the object-detector, when the precipitation is present based on the precipitation-detector, determining the distance from the object to the host-vehicle based on the object-detector, and adjusting a speed of the windshield-wiper actuator when precipitation is detected and the object is less than a distance-threshold away from the host-vehicle.

9 . The method in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the object is an other-vehicle that is traveling toward the host-vehicle in an adjacent-lane, further including the step of increasing, with the controller, the speed of the windshield-wiper actuator when the other-vehicle is less than the distance-threshold away from the host-vehicle.

10 . The method in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the object is a lead-vehicle that is traveling ahead of the host-vehicle, further including the step of increasing, with the controller, the speed of the windshield-wiper actuator when the lead-vehicle is less than the distance-threshold away from the host-vehicle.

11 . The method in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the object is an overpass, further including the step of reducing, with the controller, the speed of the windshield-wiper actuator when a leading-edge of the overpass is less than the distance-threshold away from the host-vehicle.

12 . The method in accordance with claim 11 , further including the steps of determining, with the controller, when the host-vehicle will emerge from beneath the overpass and increasing the speed of the windshield-wiper actuator when the distance of a trailing-edge of the overpass is less than the distance-threshold away from the host-vehicle.

13 . An automated vehicular windshield-wiper system, comprising:
a precipitation-detector; a windshield-wiper; and a controller in communication with the precipitation-detector and the windshield-wiper, said controller determines when a change in a rate of precipitation on a windshield will occur and adjusts a speed of the windshield-wiper to correspond to the rate of precipitation.

14 . A windshield-wiper system, for use on an automated vehicle, said system comprising:
a precipitation-detector that detects precipitation proximate to a host-vehicle; a windshield-wiper actuator that clears the precipitation from a windshield of the host-vehicle; an object-detector that detects an object proximate to the host-vehicle; and a controller in communication with the precipitation-detector, the windshield-wiper actuator, and the object-detector, said controller determines when the precipitation is present based on the precipitation-detector, determines a time-to-contact of the precipitation from the object to the host-vehicle based on the object-detector, and adjusts a speed of the windshield-wiper actuator when the precipitation is detected and the time-to-contact is less than a time-threshold.

Assignees

• Aptiv Tech Ltd

Inventors

• Kosiak Walter K

Classifications

• B60W10/30

  including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps · CPC title

• B60S1/0862

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

• B60S1/0844 Primary

  including a camera · CPC title

• B60S1/0818

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

• B60W2555/20

  Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain · CPC title