Vehicle system for ascertaining availability of cleaning device of vehicle at any time

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle system for ascertaining the availability of a cleaning device (10) of a vehicle at any time, comprising an evaluation unit (20), a cleaning device (10) and a user interface (30), the evaluation unit (20) being configured to determine the availability of the cleaning device (10) in the state of a non-activated ignition device of the vehicle, a functional test of the cleaning device (10) is activated in response to the occurrence of a predefined event, the cleaning device (10) is designed to carry out the functional test in response to the activation and to communicate the result of the functional test to the evaluation unit (20), and wherein the evaluation unit (20) is further designed to detect the result of the functional test in response to the activation. The availability at any time of the cleaning device (10) is ascertained on the basis of the result of the functional test, and information corresponding thereto is output to a user of the vehicle via the user interface (30) at least in the event of a compromised availability at any time of the cleaning device (10).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle system for determining the availability of a cleaning device of a vehicle at any time. Background Art

[0002] Cleaning devices for vehicles are known from the prior art, which are designed, for example, as windshield wipers and / or cleaning nozzles in order to clean windshields and / or headlights or the like of the vehicle.

[0003] Furthermore, cleaning nozzles are known which are arranged on automatically movable telescopic arms in order to be able to sink them, for example, into a part of the vehicle body when not in use, in order to reduce the air resistance of the vehicle and / or to prevent damage to the cleaning nozzles when not in use.

[0004] In the prior art, such cleaning devices are coupled to an operating state of the vehicle in which the ignition system (also referred to as “terminal 15”) or a state of the vehicle corresponding thereto is active. Summary of the invention

[0005] The invention proposes a vehicle system for determining the ready availability of a cleaning device of a vehicle, wherein such a vehicle is, for example, a road vehicle (eg, motorcycle, car, transporter, truck) or a rail vehicle or an aircraft / plane and / or a water vehicle.

[0006] The vehicle system has an evaluation unit, a cleaning device and a user interface, wherein the evaluation unit is designed, for example, as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a processor, a digital signal processor, a microcontroller, etc. and can be a component of an existing controller and / or an independent controller of the vehicle. For example, it is possible that the evaluation unit is constructed as a component of the cleaning device. The functionality according to the invention to be implemented by the evaluation unit can be implemented accordingly based on a computer program product that can be implemented by the evaluation unit and / or based on an electronic circuit.

[0007] The field of application of the cleaning device is not in principle limited to the cleaning of specific vehicle components; however, vehicle surfaces which are preferably to be cleaned by means of the cleaning device are specified further below in the description of advantageous embodiments of the invention.

[0008] The evaluation unit is configured to activate a functional test of the cleaning device in response to the occurrence of a predetermined event when the ignition of the vehicle is in an inactive state. A "state of inactive ignition" is generally understood to be an operating state of the vehicle in which the connected positive pole of a battery of the vehicle supplying the vehicle electrical system is switched off (also referred to as a "15 terminal off" state) and / or in which there is no active motor operation of the vehicle and / or in which the vehicle is locked.

[0009] For this purpose, the components of the vehicle system according to the invention are advantageously permanently connected to the electrodes of a battery supplying the onboard electrical system and / or are designed to be supplied at least temporarily with electrical energy from the battery when the ignition of the vehicle is not activated. The latter can be achieved, for example, by a central control unit of the vehicle that is continuously powered and is designed to connect the vehicle system according to the invention to the battery on an event-based basis and preferably at regular time intervals. Therefore, when the ignition is not activated, the continuous powering of the vehicle system according to the invention is not absolutely necessary.

[0010] Furthermore, it is conceivable that the vehicle system according to the invention or at least a part of the vehicle system (preferably at least the evaluation unit) is supplied via a subsystem of the onboard electrical system which is designed to provide electrical energy independently of an activated ignition of the vehicle.

[0011] For communication with the cleaning unit and the user interface, the evaluation unit is preferably connected to these two components in an information technology manner via the vehicle's onboard power supply. The information technology connection can be established wirelessly and / or preferably wired and further preferably based on a bus system of the vehicle (e.g. CAN, LIN, MOST, Ethernet, etc.).

[0012] The occurrence of a corresponding predefined event, which is in principle not restricted and can be a vehicle-internal and / or vehicle-external event, causes the evaluation unit to activate a functional test in the cleaning device, as will be explained in more detail below in the course of the description of advantageous embodiments of the invention.

[0013] The cleaning appliance is designed to carry out a functional test in response to the activation and to communicate the result of the functional test to the evaluation unit.

[0014] The evaluation unit is further configured to determine the availability of the cleaning device at any time based on the result of the functional test and, at least in the case of impaired availability of the cleaning device at any time, output information corresponding thereto to the user of the vehicle via the user interface. This does not explicitly exclude that information about the unlimited availability at any time and / or other corresponding information can also be output via the user interface. Such other corresponding information is, for example, information about the extent and / or type of the impairment.

[0015] The vehicle system according to the invention offers the particular advantage that information about possible damage to the cleaning device can be output to the user of the vehicle, in particular the driver, before the start of the journey, so that, for example, damage to the cleaning device and / or delays caused to the user can be avoided and / or suitable countermeasures can be planned and taken by the user in advance. This can primarily increase the availability of the cleaning device and / or the comfort for the user and / or save maintenance costs, etc.

[0016] In particular, in cases where the vehicle system according to the invention can be supplied with electrical energy when the ignition of the vehicle is switched off by purely software adaptation of vehicle components, the functionality according to the invention can also be implemented particularly cost-effectively by adapting existing vehicle software.

[0017] The dependent claims reveal preferred developments of the invention.

[0018] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the cleaning device has a wiper system for a vehicle and in particular a wiper system for windshields and / or headlights and / or environmental sensors (i.e. sensors directed into the environment of the vehicle for environmental detection, for example for autonomous and / or semi-autonomous driving) of the vehicle, wherein the wiper system preferably has at least one wiper arm with a wiper blade, which wiper arm can be moved by means of an actuator (e.g. a wiper motor) on the windshields and / or headlights and / or environmental sensors of the vehicle, in particular on the measurement signal input surface of the environmental sensors. The windshield is, for example, a front windshield, a rear windshield or a side windshield of the vehicle. The environmental sensors are, for example, lidar sensors and / or radar sensors and / or ultrasonic sensors and / or cameras. The wiper system is designed to detect a blockage and / or a restricted mobility of the motor of the wiper system (e.g. when the wiper arm cannot be moved through the full range of angles set for the wiper arm) and / or a restricted speed and / or an increased current consumption during the performance of a functional test. For this purpose, for example, at least one sensor (for example a current sensor and / or a rotation angle sensor etc.) is used, whose sensor signal is evaluated, for example, by the cleaning device and / or the evaluation unit.

[0019] In another advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning device has a flushing water output unit for a vehicle, in particular for a window and / or headlight of a vehicle and / or an environmental sensor, in particular a flushing water output unit on a measurement signal input surface of the environmental sensor. As mentioned above, the window of the vehicle to be cleaned by means of the flushing water output unit is, for example, a front window, a rear window or a side window of the vehicle. As mentioned above, the environmental sensor is, for example, a lidar sensor and / or a radar sensor and / or an ultrasonic sensor and / or a camera. The flushing water output unit is set up to detect a blockage of the cleaning nozzle and / or a telescopic arm of the cleaning nozzle and / or a defect of an actuator (such as a pump and / or an air compressor, etc.) for the flushing water output during the implementation of the functional test. When the cleaning nozzle and / or the input line of the cleaning nozzle has ice and / or dirt, the blockage of the cleaning nozzle can exist, for example. For example, the blockage can be detected according to the flow of the flushing liquid through the cleaning nozzle and / or according to the current consumption of the pump that conveys the flushing liquid. In a similar manner, a blockage of a telescopic arm which delivers the cleaning nozzle during the cleaning process to a predefined cleaning position (e.g. in front of the headlight and / or in front of the ambient sensor) can be detected by determining the current consumption of an actuator which controls the telescopic arm and / or the movement speed of the telescopic arm and / or the movement range of the telescopic arm and comparing them with corresponding target values. It goes without saying that such a washing water outlet unit can be used in combination with the above-described windshield wiper system of a vehicle.

[0020] The cleaning device is particularly preferably designed to control the actuators to be tested (e.g. electric motors etc.) of the cleaning device differently during the functional test than in normal operation of the cleaning device, in order to reduce the range of motion and / or the power of the actuators during the functional test. This makes it possible, for example, to prevent damage to the actuators and / or the wiper arms and / or other components of the cleaning device in the event of a blockage of the cleaning device. Furthermore, by such a "gentle" start of the cleaning device, the functional test can be carried out essentially unnoticeably by pedestrians in the vicinity of the vehicle, in order not to irritate the pedestrians by the unexpected automatic activation of the actuators of the vehicle components when the vehicle is parked.

[0021] Further advantageously, the evaluation unit is set up to ascertain the cause of the impairment of the availability at any time based on the result of the functional test and to communicate this cause via a user interface. For this purpose, it is conceivable that the evaluation unit receives corresponding additional information from the cleaning device, which itself ascertains this additional information based on sensor signals or the like. As an alternative or in addition, it is also conceivable that the cleaning device and / or sensors arranged in the area of ​​the cleaning device transmit measurement signals to the evaluation unit, so that the evaluation unit itself can ascertain the cause of the impairment of the availability at any time based on these measurement signals. By ascertaining the specific cause, the user of the transport means can be provided with corresponding further information, which can assist the user when eliminating the cause of the impairment, so as to advantageously restore the availability of the transport means system according to the invention as quickly as possible.

[0022] Preferably, the user interface is a display and / or a loudspeaker and / or a lighting system of a vehicle. The lighting system can be, for example, an internal lighting device and / or a headlight of a vehicle, which is, for example, set up to output a predetermined lighting sequence (e.g., flashing and / or color change, etc.), so that preferably before getting on the vehicle, the user of the vehicle is notified with a signal that there is a problem with the cleaning device of the vehicle, so that the user can perform corresponding inspections and / or implementation measures before getting on the vehicle. Particularly preferably, the user interface is a portable mobile terminal device of the user, such as a smart phone and / or a tablet computer and / or a smart watch, etc., so that even away from the vehicle, the user of the vehicle can also be provided with corresponding information about the potential damage of the availability of the cleaning device at any time. For this purpose, the vehicle is preferably connected to the portable mobile terminal device (e.g., via an Internet connection) by means of a wireless communication connection (e.g., a mobile radio connection, a wireless network connection, etc.). Further preferably, a dedicated application (application software for mobile devices) is provided on the portable mobile terminal device for this purpose, and information is output, for example, by push notification, through the dedicated application. Alternatively or additionally, it is also possible to output information about the impairment of the function of the cleaning appliance via the home automation system of the user of the vehicle, for example by outputting the information on a wall display, etc. In this way, it is possible to inform the user about potential functional limitations of the cleaning appliance in advance.

[0023] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the evaluation unit is designed to activate and deactivate at least a part of the onboard power supply of the vehicle that is relevant to the cleaning device and / or the user interface in response to the occurrence of a predetermined event. For this purpose, it is possible that only a part of the cleaning device according to the invention, i.e. at least the evaluation unit, is permanently connected to the electrodes of the battery, so that the evaluation unit is permanently energized and in this way is designed to activate the cleaning device and / or the user interface when necessary.

[0024] Particularly advantageously, the evaluation unit is configured to output an operating suggestion corresponding to the result to the user of the vehicle based on the result of the functional test. In the exemplary case of an iced cleaning nozzle and / or an iced wiper arm, it is conceivable to output an operating suggestion for deicing the cleaning device to the user of the vehicle, so that the user can plan the time required for this before the start of the journey and bring suitable deicing devices on board the vehicle. As an alternative or in addition, the evaluation unit is configured to automatically activate the parking heater and / or the window heating and / or the headlight heating and / or the ambient sensor heating of the vehicle based on the result of the functional test when the impaired availability of the cleaning device is caused by ice and / or by a layer of snow. In this way, the availability of the cleaning device can be restored completely without any auxiliary operation by the user of the vehicle or by a slightly auxiliary operation, if necessary.

[0025] Further advantageously, the predetermined event represents: the outside temperature reaches and / or falls below a predetermined temperature threshold value (e.g. reaches and / or falls below the freezing point of water), and / or an upcoming historically determined and / or predetermined time of use of the vehicle. The historically determined and thus inferred time of use and / or the predetermined time of use can be determined, for example, from an electronic calendar of a portable mobile terminal of the user and / or from a memory unit of the vehicle, etc., so that based on these times of use, a suitable, early time for determining the ready availability of the cleaning device can be determined by the evaluation unit (e.g. within a predetermined time interval before the corresponding time of use, for example 30 minutes, 10 minutes or 5 minutes before the corresponding time of use). In this way, it is possible to inform the user of the vehicle about possible damage to the cleaning device in good time before the start of the journey. It is also conceivable to derive the predetermined time from the predetermined time interval, so that the ready availability of the cleaning device can be regularly checked based on the corresponding expiration of the time interval. As an alternative or additional solution, the predetermined event represents a user input (e.g., performed by an application), which can be performed, for example, by a user interface of a vehicle system and / or by another user interface different from this. As another user interface, the touch display of the vehicle and / or the voice input system of the vehicle and / or a portable mobile terminal device, etc. are mainly considered. The user input can not only be used to directly trigger the ascertainment of the availability of the cleaning device at any time, but also to determine the future ascertainment moment of the availability of the cleaning device at any time. Further as an alternative or additional solution, it can be conceivable that the predetermined event represents: the user approaches the vehicle, and / or the vehicle is unlocked and / or opened by the user. For example, these feasible solutions can be realized based on the recognition of the existence of a radio key near the vehicle, and / or based on the manipulation of the key of the vehicle, and / or based on the positioning function of the portable mobile terminal device of the user, and / or based on proximity sensors, etc.

[0026] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the evaluation unit is designed to prevent or limit normal use of the cleaning device in the event of a detected impairment of the ready availability of the cleaning device. To this end, the evaluation unit is designed, for example, to interrupt the power supply to the cleaning device and / or to prevent the activation of the cleaning device based on a signal and / or to limit the functionality of the cleaning device to non-critical functions. In this way, it can be advantageously ensured that in such an impaired state, the cleaning device cannot be intentionally or unintentionally activated in normal operation, which could damage the cleaning device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is shown here:

[0028] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a vehicle system according to the invention for determining the availability of a cleaning device of a vehicle at any time is shown; and

[0029] Figure 2 An exemplary integration of a vehicle system according to the invention into the onboard electrical system architecture of a vehicle is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Figure 1 Detailed description of a vehicle system according to the invention for determining the availability of a cleaning device 10 of a vehicle at any time is shown.

[0031] The vehicle system comprises an evaluation unit 20 designed as a microcontroller which is connected in an information technology manner to the cleaning device 10 , to a user interface 30 designed as a display, to a mobile radio-based wireless communication unit 90 and to a parking heater 50 of the vehicle.

[0032] The cleaning device 10 is formed here by a wiper system 12 for a windshield 40 of a vehicle and a washing water dispensing unit 16 , wherein the wiper system 12 is operated by means of a corresponding wiper motor 14 and the washing water dispensing unit 16 is operated by means of a corresponding pump (not shown).

[0033] The evaluation unit 20 is configured to activate a functional test of the cleaning device 10 in response to the occurrence of a predetermined event when the ignition of the vehicle is not activated, wherein the predetermined event is triggered by actuating a predetermined virtual operating surface in an application of the smartphone 100 of the user of the vehicle in that the smartphone transmits the actuation in the form of an activation signal via a mobile radio connection to the wireless communication unit 90 of the vehicle. The wireless communication unit 90 is in turn configured to forward the activation signal to the evaluation unit 20.

[0034] The cleaning device 10 is designed to carry out a functional test in response to the activation, wherein during the functional test a wiper motor 14 of the wiper system and a pump of the washer water outlet unit 16 are actuated at a reduced power compared to normal operation of the cleaning device 10 in order to prevent damage to the cleaning device 10 in the event of a possible blockage of the wiper system 12 and / or a washer nozzle 18 of the washer water outlet unit 16 .

[0035] The cleaning device 10 has sensors (not shown) for detecting the wiper system 12 and the washing water outlet unit 16 , based on which the result of the functional test is ascertained and then communicated by the cleaning device 10 to the evaluation unit 20 .

[0036] The evaluation unit 20 is further configured to determine the ready availability of the cleaning appliance 10 based on the result of the functional test and to transmit the information about the ready availability together with an operating suggestion to the smartphone 100 of the user via the wireless communication unit 90 .

[0037] In parallel therewith, the evaluation unit 20 is designed to determine the cause of a potentially existing impairment of the ready availability of the cleaning device 10, wherein in particular a temperature measurement is performed here in order to determine whether ice and / or snow is the cause of a possible blockage of the wiper system 12 and / or the washer water outlet 16 by comparing the current outside temperature with the freezing point temperature of water by the evaluation unit 20. In the case in which ice and / or snow is identified as the cause of the blockage, the evaluation unit 20 can automatically activate the parking heater 50 of the vehicle in order to remedy the blockage by increasing the interior temperature of the vehicle.

[0038] The evaluation unit 20 is furthermore designed to prevent normal use of the cleaning device 10 in the event of a detected impairment of the ready availability of the cleaning device 10 .

[0039] Figure 2 An exemplary integration of a vehicle system according to the invention into an onboard electrical system architecture of a vehicle (not shown) is shown.

[0040] The central vehicle computer 60 performs the central control of the vehicle and is designed to be connected to a wireless communication unit 90 of the vehicle in terms of information technology in order to receive, when the ignition of the vehicle is not activated, a signal generated away from the vehicle via the wireless communication unit 90, which signal represents a signal for identifying the cleaning device 10 of the vehicle (see Figure 1 )’s ready availability.

[0041] The evaluation unit 20 according to the invention is here a component of a vehicle computer 60 and is designed to activate a zone controller 70 of the vehicle in response to receiving a signal, which in turn is designed to activate a drive controller 80 which is provided for operating a wiper motor 14 of a cleaning device 10 of the vehicle.

[0042] The driver controller 80 can also carry out a functional test of the wiper motor 14 in response to a request made by the evaluation unit 20 and can transmit the result of the functional test to the evaluation unit 20 .

Claims

1. A vehicle system for determining the availability of a cleaning device (10) of a vehicle at any time, the vehicle system comprising: ·Assessment unit (20); The cleaning device (10); and User interface (30), in, the evaluation unit (20) is designed, when the ignition of the vehicle is not activated, to activate a functional test of the cleaning device (10) in response to the occurrence of a predetermined event, The cleaning device (10) is configured to: o performing said functional test in response to said activation, and o communicate the results of the functional test to the evaluation unit (20), and The evaluation unit (20) is further configured to: o determining the ready availability of the cleaning device (10) based on the result of the functional test, and o At least in the event of impaired availability of the cleaning device (10) at any time, information corresponding thereto is output to a user of the vehicle via the user interface (30).

2. The transportation vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein: The cleaning device (10) has a wiper system (12) for the vehicle and in particular a wiper system (12) for a windshield (40) and / or a headlight and / or an ambient sensor of the vehicle, and The wiper system (12) is designed to detect a blockage and / or a restricted mobility and / or a restricted speed and / or an increased current consumption of a motor (14) of the wiper system (12) during the performance of the functional test.

3. A transport system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The cleaning device (10) has a flushing water outlet unit (16) for the vehicle, in particular for a windshield (40) and / or a headlight and / or an ambient sensor of the vehicle, and The flushing water dispensing unit (16) is designed to detect a blockage of the cleaning nozzle (18) and / or of a telescopic arm of the cleaning nozzle (18) during the performance of the functional test.

4. A transport system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The cleaning device (10) is designed to actuate an actuator (14) of the cleaning device (10) to be tested differently during the functional test than during normal operation of the cleaning device (10) in order to reduce the range of motion and / or the power of the actuator (14) during the functional test.

5. A transport system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The evaluation unit (20) is designed to determine the cause of the impairment of the immediate availability based on the result of the functional test and to communicate the cause via the user interface (30).

6. A transport system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The user interface (30) is the display and / or speaker and / or lighting system of the vehicle, and / or is a portable mobile terminal device (100) of the user, and / or It is a home automation system.

7. A transport system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The evaluation unit (20) is designed to activate and deactivate at least a part of the onboard electrical system of the vehicle that is relevant to the cleaning device (10) and the user interface (30) in response to the occurrence of the predetermined event.

8. A transport system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The evaluation unit (20) is configured to, based on the result of the functional test Outputting an operation suggestion corresponding to the result to the user of the transportation means, and / or If the impaired availability of the cleaning device (10) at any time is caused by ice formation and / or a layer of snow, the parking heater (50) and / or the windshield heater and / or the headlight heater and / or the ambient sensor heater of the vehicle are automatically activated.

9. A transport system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The pre-defined events represent: The external temperature reaches and / or falls below a pre-defined temperature threshold; and / or an upcoming historically determined and / or predefined time of use of the means of transport; and / or User input and / or · a user approaches the transport vehicle; and / or Unlocking and / or opening of the vehicle by a user.

10. A transport system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The evaluation unit (20) is designed to prevent or restrict normal use of the cleaning device (10) in the event of a detected impairment of the ready availability of the cleaning device (10).

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