Patent · US Expired

Method and device for detecting objects on a windshield

US6555804B1 · kind B1 · utility

71Cited by
3References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 18, 2000
Grant dateApr 29, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 18, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06V20/56
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and device for detecting objects (3) on a windshield (2). The method comprises the following steps: Placing an optical sensor array (4) on the inner side of a section of the windshield (2), said array having a plurality of individual pixels and being focused on the outer side (7) of the windshield (2); determining the local frequency spectrum S(f) of the intensity fluctuations of pixels of the sensor array (4), said pixels being combined in one or more blocks, and afterwards; evaluating the local frequency spectrum, whereby the detected local frequency spectrum S(f) is compared to one or more reference frequency distributions, and whereby a control signal for triggering one or more actuators is generated when the determined local frequency spectrum S(f) sufficiently conforms to a reference frequency distribution. The device comprises a detecting unit (4) connected to a data processing unit (5). The detecting unit is a sensor array (4) which is provided with an aperture (9) and is arranged at a certain distance behind the windshield (2).

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.