Rain onset detection glazing auto-close

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9512661-B2
Application number	US-201514623834-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 17, 2015
Priority date	Mar 19, 2013
Publication date	Dec 6, 2016
Grant date	Dec 6, 2016

Abstract

A vehicle system may include a plurality of exterior capacitive sensors, such as door handles, and a controller in communication with the plurality of capacitive sensors. The controller may be configured to identify a rain condition based on sensor data received from at least one of the exterior capacitive sensors of the vehicle; ensure an absence of a key fob in proximity of the at least one locked handle and an absence of a subsequent door opening occurrence when unlocked to confirm the rain condition; and initiate a closure action to a power actuator associated with an open vehicle window for a confirmed rain condition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rain-onset detection method, comprising:
identifying, by a vehicle controller, a rain condition based on sensor data received from at least one keyless-entry capacitive sensor located on an exterior of a vehicle;
sending a rain alert to user contact information associated with the controller to obtain user confirmation to close an open vehicle window;
initiating a closure action to a power actuator associated with the open vehicle window responsive to receipt of the confirmation;
recording an open window position of the open vehicle window or an amount of time taken to close the open vehicle window;
determining that the rain condition has ceased; and
returning the window to the open window position as recorded, or returning the window by providing a reopen command to the window for the recorded amount of time.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising ensuring an absence of a key fob in proximity of the vehicle and an absence of a door-opening occurrence to confirm the rain condition.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the open vehicle window is one of a front door window, a rear door window, a window side vent, a sunroof, a moon-roof, and a convertible roof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the rain condition includes an identification of a consistent change in capacitance across sensor data received from a plurality of capacitive sensors of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the change in capacitance across the sensor data includes identifying sensor data indicative of a capacitive charge beyond a capacitive sensor detection threshold.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the capacitive sensor detection threshold is a threshold set to identify potential presence of a user by the at least one keyless-entry capacitive sensor before initiating a door unlock sequence.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying that the open vehicle window is open greater than a predefined window threshold and that vehicle doors are locked; and
changing a lock state of at least one of the vehicle doors to an unlock state to maintain access to the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
performing a second-stage assessment of a rain condition to confirm the rain condition; and
sending the rain alert when the second-stage assessment confirms the rain condition.

9. A rain-onset detection method comprising:
identifying, by a vehicle controller, a rain condition based on sensor data received from at least one keyless-entry capacitive sensor located on an exterior of a vehicle;
performing a second-stage assessment to confirm the rain condition, including at least one of: receiving an indication of wet conditions from a windshield rain sensor, receiving an indication of precipitation from a local weather information source, receiving information from an on-board humidity sensor indicative of high humidity, comparing readings from lock and unlock capacitive sensors on a given door handle for sensor data confirming the rain condition, comparing readings from other capacitive sensor locations of the vehicle for sensor data confirming the rain condition, or receiving information from a vehicle sun load sensor indicative of low sun load;
when the second-stage assessment confirms the rain condition, sending a rain alert to user contact information associated with the controller to obtain user confirmation to close an open vehicle window; and
initiating a closure action to a power actuator associated with the open vehicle window responsive to receipt of the confirmation.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
determining that the rain condition has ceased; and
returning the open vehicle window that was closed to an open window position.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising at least one of:
recording the open window position of the open vehicle window before closure, and returning the open vehicle window to the open window position as recorded; and
recording an amount of time taken to close the open vehicle window, and returning the open vehicle window to the recorded position by providing a reopen command to the open vehicle window for the recorded amount of time.

12. A rain-onset detection system, comprising:
a plurality of keyless-entry capacitive sensors on an exterior of a vehicle; and
a controller of the vehicle in communication with the plurality of keyless-entry capacitive sensors and configured to:
identify a rain condition based on sensor data received from at least one capacitive sensor of the plurality of keyless-entry capacitive sensors,
send a rain alert to user contact information associated with the controller to obtain user confirmation to close an open vehicle window,
initiate a closure action to a power actuator associated with an open vehicle window in response receipt of the confirmation to close the open vehicle window,
record the open window position of the open vehicle window or an amount of time taken to close the open vehicle window,
determine that the rain condition has ceased, and
return the window to the open window position as recorded, or return the window by providing a reopen command to the window for the recorded amount of time.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to ensure an absence of a key fob in proximity of the vehicle and an absence of a door-opening occurrence to confirm the rain condition.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to identify the rain condition according to at least one of to:
identify sensor data indicative of a consistent change in capacitance across sensor data received from the at least one capacitive sensor of the vehicle; and
identify the rain condition according to measuring a capacitive charge beyond a capacitive sensor detection threshold.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the controller is further configured to utilize, as the capacitive sensor detection threshold, a threshold set to identify potential presence of a user by the at least one capacitive sensor before initiating a door unlock sequence.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
identify that the open vehicle window is open greater than a predefined window threshold and that vehicle doors are locked; and
change a lock state of at least one of the vehicle doors to an unlock state to maintain access to the vehicle.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
perform a second-stage assessment of a rain condition to confirm the rain condition; and
initiate the closure action when the second-stage assessment confirms the rain condition.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine that the rain condition has ceased; and
return the open vehicle window that was closed to an open window position.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a software program executable by a processor of a controller to provide rain-onset detection operations comprising:
identifying, by a vehicle controller, a possible rain condition based on sensor data received from at least one keyless-entry capacitive sensor of a vehicle;
sending a rain alert to user contact information associated with the vehicle controller to obtain user confirmation to close an open vehicle window;
initiating a closure action to a power actuator associated with an open vehicle window in response receipt of the confirmation to close the open ve

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Van Wiemeersch John Robert
• Holub Patrick Kevin

Classifications

• E05Y2400/447

  Moisture or submergence sensors · CPC title

• E05F15/77

  using wireless control · CPC title

• E05F15/71 Primary

  responsive to temperature changes, rain, wind or noise · CPC title

• E05Y2400/44

  Sensors not directly associated with the wing movement · CPC title

• E05Y2900/55

  Windows · CPC title