US5453670A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of controlling a windshield wiper system
Assignee: Leopold Kostal GmbH and Co KG
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Filing: 1994-01-03
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Granted: 1995-09-26
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Expires: 2014-01-03
Abstract
Abstract A method of automatically controlling the operating speed of a vehicular windshield wiping system based on an average rate of change in the value of a sensor signal indicative of the moisture on the windshield. The wiping system includes a motor for driving at least one wiper blade at a high speed and a low speed, and a sensor mounted to the windshield for monitoring a portion of the windshield wiped by the at least one wiper blade. The method includes determining an average rate of change in the sensor signal value over a predetermined period of time and operating the wiper system with the motor at the high speed based on the average rate of change in the sensor signal value. In one embodiment, the method includes wiper system is operated with the motor at the high speed based on the frequency with which the average rate of change in the sensor signal value drops below a first predetermined threshold.
Inventors
- 👤 Eric G. Schaefer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 13:24
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60S; B60S1/00; B60S1/02; B60S1/04; B60S1/06; B60S1/08; B60S1/0818; B60S1/0822; B60S1/0833; B60S1/0862; B60S1/0866; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S318/00; Y10S318/02; Y10S388/00; Y10S388/907; Y10S388/916
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
A method of controlling a vehicular windshield wiping system, the wiping system including at least one wiper blade, a motor for driving the at least one wiper blade at a high speed and a low speed, and a sensor mounted to the windshield for monitoring a portion of the windshield wiped by the at least one wiper blade, the sensor generating a sensor signal having a value indicative of the moisture on the portion of the windshield, the system also including an electronic control unit for controlling the motor based on the sensor signal, the method comprising the steps of: determining an average rate of change in the sensor signal value over a predetermined period of time; operating the wiper system with the motor at the high speed based on the average rate of change in the sensor signal value; determining a rolling sum of the number of times the average rate of change drops below a first threshold over a second predetermined period of time; comparing the rolling sum to a second predetermined threshold; and operating the wiper system with the motor at the high speed based on the comparison.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
191 words
A method of controlling a vehicular windshield wiping system, the wiping system including at least one wiper blade, a motor for driving the at least one wiper blade at a high speed and a low speed, and a sensor mounted to the windshield for monitoring a portion of the windshield wiped by the at least one wiper blade, the sensor generating a sensor signal having a value indicative of the moisture on the portion of the windshield, the system also including an electronic control unit for controlling the motor based on the sensor signal, the method comprising the steps of: determining an average rate of change in the sensor signal value over a predetermined period of time; operating the wiper system with the motor at the high speed based on the average rate of change in the sensor signal value; determining a rolling sum of the number of times the average rate of change drops below a first threshold over a second predetermined period of time; comparing the rolling sum to a second predetermined threshold; and operating the wiper system with the motor at the high speed based on the comparison.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the wiper system is operated with the motor at the high speed when the rolling sum has a value which is at least equal to the second predetermined threshold.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the rolling sum (HSSUM) is determined according to the following: ##EQU3## wherein NUMDROP represents the number of times the average rate of change in the sensor signal value drops below the first threshold.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 3 further comprising operating the wiping system with the motor at the low speed when the rolling sum has a zero value for a predetermined period.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
161 words
A method of controlling a vehicular windshield wiping system, the wiping system including at least one wiper blade, a motor for driving the at least one wiper blade at a high speed and a low speed, and a sensor mounted to the windshield for monitoring a portion of the windshield wiped by the at least one wiper blade, the sensor generating a sensor signal having a value indicative of the moisture on the portion of the windshield, the system also including an electronic control unit for controlling the motor based on the sensor signal, the method comprising the steps of: determining an average rate of change in the sensor signal value over a first predetermined period of time; determining a rolling sum of the number of times the average rate of change drops below a first threshold over a second predetermined period of time; and operating the wiper system with the motor at the high speed based on the rolling sum.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
161 words
A method of controlling a vehicular windshield wiping system, the wiping system including at least one wiper blade, a motor for driving the at least one wiper blade at a high speed and a low speed, and a sensor mounted to the windshield for monitoring a portion of the windshield wiped by the at least one wiper blade, the sensor generating a sensor signal having a value indicative of the moisture on the portion of the windshield, the system also including an electronic control unit for controlling the motor based on the sensor signal, the method comprising the steps of: determining an average rate of change in the sensor signal value over a first predetermined period of time; determining a rolling sum of the number of times the average rate of change drops below a first threshold over a second predetermined period of time; and operating the wiper system with the motor at the high speed based on the rolling sum.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 5 further comprising: comparing the rolling sum to a second predetermined threshold; and operating the wiper system with the motor at the high speed based on the comparison.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the wiper system is operated with the motor at the high speed when the rolling sum has a value which is at least equal to the second predetermined threshold.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the rolling sum (HSSUM) is determined according to the following: ##EQU4## wherein NUMDROP represents the number of times the average rate of change in the sensor signal value drops below the first threshold.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 8 further comprising operating the wiping system with the motor at the low speed when the rolling sum has a zero value for a predetermined period.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
154 words
A control system for controlling a vehicular windshield wiping system, the wiping system including at least one wiper blade, a motor for driving the at least one wiper blade at a high speed and a low speed, the control system including a sensor mounted to the windshield for monitoring a portion of the windshield wiped by the at least one wiper blade, the sensor generating a sensor signal having a value indicative of the moisture on the portion of the windshield, the control system further comprising: means for determining an average rate of change in the sensor signal value over a first predetermined period of time; and means for determining a rolling sum of the number of times the average rate of change drops below a first threshold over a second predetermined period of time, the control system operating the wiper system with the motor at the high speed based on the rolling sum.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
154 words
A control system for controlling a vehicular windshield wiping system, the wiping system including at least one wiper blade, a motor for driving the at least one wiper blade at a high speed and a low speed, the control system including a sensor mounted to the windshield for monitoring a portion of the windshield wiped by the at least one wiper blade, the sensor generating a sensor signal having a value indicative of the moisture on the portion of the windshield, the control system further comprising: means for determining an average rate of change in the sensor signal value over a first predetermined period of time; and means for determining a rolling sum of the number of times the average rate of change drops below a first threshold over a second predetermined period of time, the control system operating the wiper system with the motor at the high speed based on the rolling sum.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 10 further comprising: means for comparing the rolling sum to a second predetermined threshold, the control system operating the wiper system with the motor at the high speed based on the comparison.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 11 wherein the wiper system is operated with the motor at the high speed when the rolling sum has a value which is at least equal to the second predetermined threshold.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
45 words
The system of claim 12 wherein the means for determining a rolling sum (HSSUM) determines the rolling sum according to the following: ##EQU5## wherein NUMDROP represents the number of times the average rate of change in the sensor signal value drops below the first threshold.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 13 further comprising means for operating the wiping system with the motor at the low speed when the rolling sum has a zero value for a predetermined period.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-09-25 | 1999-03-27 | 1999-09-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-09-25 | 2003-03-27 | 2003-09-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-09-25 | 2007-03-27 | 2007-09-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |