Control method and device for a vehicle wiper

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of vehicle control, and discloses a control method and device for a vehicle wiper, the method comprising: in response to a wiper starting instruction, triggering a sensor to detect the real-time distance between a wiper blade and a first obstacle, the first obstacle being a structural component that has a critical interference risk along the swing track of the wiper when the wiper is performing a maximum-angle reciprocating wiping motion; using the real-time distance to correct the current wiping angle of the wiper to obtain a target wiping angle; and controlling the wiper to wipe according to the target wiping angle, so that no collision interference occurs between the wiper blade and the first obstacle. This solves the problem that the glass near the A-pillar area cannot be effectively wiped clean due to the fixed working angle of the wiper, the large safety gap reserved to accommodate fluctuations in different working conditions, and maximizes the wiping area, improves the driving field of view and driving safety in snowy weather, on the premise of ensuring no interference.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle control technology, specifically to a control method and device for vehicle windshield wipers. Background Technology

[0002] In existing vehicles, the front windshield wiper system typically has a fixed wiping angle during operation. However, the coefficient of friction on the windshield surface varies under different conditions, such as heavy rain, light rain, low-speed wiping, and high-speed wiping. Different wiping speeds also lead to variations in the wiper system's moment of inertia. Furthermore, the wiper system itself has limited rigidity, causing significant fluctuations in the actual wiping angle under different conditions. To accommodate these fluctuations and prevent interference or collisions between the wiper blades and the vehicle's fixed structural components during operation, current technology necessitates incorporating a large safety clearance during the design phase.

[0003] However, due to the need to reserve a large safety clearance to accommodate angle fluctuations under various working conditions, the transparent area of ​​the glass near the driver's side A-pillar cannot be effectively wiped clean by the wiper blades. In rainy or snowy weather or other conditions that require clear visibility, this unwiped area will obstruct the driver's view, sacrificing the customer's effective clear vision and affecting driving safety. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for controlling a vehicle windshield wiper to solve the problem that the glass near the A-pillar area on the driver's side cannot be effectively wiped clean because a large safety gap needs to be reserved to accommodate angle fluctuations under different working conditions.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a method for controlling a vehicle windshield wiper, the method comprising: In response to the wiper activation command, the sensor is triggered to detect the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle, wherein the first obstacle is a structural component that poses a critical interference risk along the swing trajectory of the wiper when it is making the maximum angle reciprocating wiping motion; The current wiping angle of the windshield wiper is corrected using the real-time distance to obtain the target wiping angle; The wipers are controlled to wipe at the target wiping angle so that there is no collision or interference between the wiper blades and the first obstacle.

[0006] This invention addresses the problem of traditional windshield wipers, which, due to their fixed operating angle and large safety clearances for varying operating conditions, fail to effectively clear the glass near the A-pillar, thus sacrificing visibility in rainy or snowy weather. This solution utilizes a sensor triggered by a wiper activation command to detect the real-time distance between the wiper blade and a first obstacle. The wiper angle is then corrected to obtain a target wiping angle, and the wiper is controlled to wipe at the target angle, preventing collisions and interference between the wiper blade and the first obstacle. This closed-loop dynamic correction control based on real-time distance feedback ensures that the distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle remains within a safe range during wiping, maximizing the wiping area and effectively improving visibility and driving safety in rainy or snowy weather while ensuring no interference.

[0007] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one embodiment, the sensor includes a main sensor disposed on the first obstacle and a slave sensor disposed at the location where the wiper blade is parked.

[0008] The present invention addresses the technical problem that a single sensor's failure in harsh environments can cause the entire wiper control system to malfunction, thus affecting driving safety, by configuring the sensor to include a main sensor mounted on a first obstacle and a slave sensor mounted at the wiper blade's resting position.

[0009] In conjunction with the first aspect or its corresponding implementation, in one implementation, the step of triggering the sensor to detect the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle in response to the wiper activation command includes: In response to the wiper activation command, the main sensor is triggered to detect the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle; If the sensing area of ​​the main sensor fails to stably capture the metal sensing end of the wiper blade and has no effective trigger level signal within multiple consecutive wiping cycles, the main sensor is deemed to have failed to detect, and the main sensor is switched to the slave sensor, which is then used to detect the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle.

[0010] This invention addresses the technical problem of the wiper system losing its dynamic adjustment function when the main sensor fails to detect the real-time distance in response to a wiper start command. This is achieved by triggering the main sensor to detect the real-time distance in response to a wiper start command. If the main sensor fails to stably capture the metal sensing end of the wiper blade within its sensing area for multiple consecutive wiping cycles and there is no valid trigger level signal, the detection is deemed a failure. The main sensor is then switched to a backup sensor to continue detecting the real-time distance. This intelligent sensor switching automatically identifies the fault and seamlessly switches to the backup sensor when the main sensor fails, ensuring uninterrupted operation of the dynamic closed-loop control of the wiping angle. This effectively improves the reliability and fault tolerance of the wiper system in harsh environments, guaranteeing continuous clear visibility and driving safety.

[0011] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one embodiment, the step of correcting the current wiping angle of the windshield wiper using the real-time distance to obtain a target wiping angle includes: Obtain the first angle correction amount corresponding to the real-time distance; The first angle correction amount is superimposed on the initial wiping angle value currently configured for the windshield wiper to obtain the target wiping angle.

[0012] This invention addresses the problem of traditional windshield wipers, which use a fixed wiping angle and cannot dynamically adjust based on actual positional deviations, resulting in low wiping accuracy and poor adaptability. The initial wiping angle value provides a basic wiping range, while the first angle correction is used for refined compensation based on real-time distance deviations. The combination of these two values ​​ensures that the final target wiping angle possesses both the rationality of the basic setting and the accuracy of real-time feedback, thus improving the precision of wiping control.

[0013] In conjunction with the first aspect or its corresponding implementation, in one implementation, the first angle correction amount includes a first adjustment amount and a second adjustment amount; the target brush angle includes a first target brush angle and a second target brush angle; The step of superimposing the first angle correction amount with the initial wiping angle value currently configured for the windshield wiper to obtain the target wiping angle includes: If the real-time distance is within the first distance interval, the first angle adjustment step size corresponding to the first distance interval is determined as the first adjustment amount, and the first adjustment amount and the initial wiping angle value are superimposed to obtain the first target wiping angle of the wiper. If the real-time distance is within the second distance interval, the second angle adjustment step size corresponding to the second distance interval is determined as the second adjustment amount, and the second adjustment amount and the initial wiping angle value are superimposed to obtain the second target wiping angle of the wiper. Wherein, the first distance interval is greater than the second distance interval, and the first angle adjustment step size is greater than the second angle adjustment step size.

[0014] This invention solves the technical problems of low correction efficiency, easy angle overshoot or oscillation, and poor system convergence stability caused by using a single fixed adjustment step size in the wiping angle correction process. When the real-time distance is far, a larger step size is used to quickly reduce the deviation. When the real-time distance is close to the target range, a smaller step size is used for fine adjustment. This achieves the technical effect of improving the system convergence stability and control accuracy while ensuring the control response speed. It enables the distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle to be quickly and smoothly stabilized within the target distance range.

[0015] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one embodiment, the wiper blade is located at the end of the wiper arm of the wiper, and controlling the wiper to wipe according to the target wiping angle includes: The wiper blade is controlled to maintain a real-time distance from the first obstacle within the target distance range that will not cause collision or interference during the full stroke of the wiper blade at the target wiping angle.

[0016] This invention addresses the problem of large blind spots and limited visibility caused by excessively large safety clearances in traditional windshield wipers by controlling the real-time distance between the wiper blade and a first obstacle throughout the entire wiping stroke at the target wiping angle, ensuring that the wiper blade will never collide with or interfere with the first obstacle at any swiping position. This achieves a balance between safety and wiping area, significantly improving the wiping performance and driving visibility.

[0017] In conjunction with the first aspect or its corresponding implementation, in one implementation, the method further includes: If both the main sensor and the slave sensor fail, the wiper is controlled to enter the first working mode. After entering the first working mode, the pose parameters before failure are obtained when the main sensor and / or the slave sensor last detected the wiper blade and the first obstacle. The pre-failure pose parameters are narrowed, and the wipers are controlled to wipe according to the narrowed pre-failure pose parameters, so that the distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle is stably maintained within the target distance range where no collision interference occurs.

[0018] This invention addresses the technical problem of the wiper system losing dynamic adjustment function and wiping angle control, potentially leading to collision interference between the wiper blade and a first obstacle, when both the main and slave sensors fail. This is achieved by actively limiting the pose parameters before the failure, thus ensuring the wiper blade's basic wiping function is maintained within the target distance range even in the extreme case of complete sensor signal loss. This solution addresses the technical issue of the wiper system failing to obtain position feedback after both sensors fail completely, acquiring and limiting the pose parameters before failure, and then controlling the wiper blade according to the limited pose parameters. It also implements a degraded safety operation mechanism in dual-sensor failure scenarios. By actively limiting the pose parameters before failure, it ensures that the distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle remains stably within the target distance range even in the extreme case of complete sensor signal loss. This achieves the technical effect of maintaining the wiper's basic wiping function while ensuring safety, significantly improving the wiper system's fault tolerance and safety redundancy under extreme conditions.

[0019] In conjunction with the first aspect or its corresponding implementation, in one implementation, the pre-failure pose parameters include the pre-failure starting position and the pre-failure brush angle; the limitation of the pre-failure pose parameters includes: The starting position before failure is narrowed down by using the mechanical wear condition of the windshield wiper to obtain the narrowed starting position before failure. The brush angle before failure is limited by the rainfall intensity to obtain the limited brush angle before failure.

[0020] This invention addresses the technical problem of insufficient wiping effect or interference risk when using fixed limiting values ​​for degraded operation after dual sensor failure. This is achieved by using the mechanical wear of the wiper to limit the starting position before failure and the rainfall intensity to limit the wiping angle before failure. This is because the wear condition of the wiper itself and the difference in the external rainfall environment are ignored. The invention implements a differentiated adaptive limiting strategy based on mechanical wear and rainfall intensity. This allows the limited starting position to compensate for the structural looseness and gap changes of the wiper after long-term use, and the limited wiping angle to adapt to the wiping force and range required by the current rainfall. This achieves the technical effect of safe wiping that can still adapt to the working conditions even in the degraded mode after sensor failure.

[0021] In conjunction with the first aspect or its corresponding implementation, in one implementation, the windshield wiper further includes a wiper motor, and the method further includes: If the main sensor fails to receive the trigger signal of the wiper blade stably within a preset number of consecutive times, and / or the trigger signal does not match the position angle data inside the wiper motor, then the relationship curve between the operating current of the wiper motor and the operating position of the wiper is obtained. The relationship curve is compared with the snow accumulation condition characteristic curve to determine whether to activate the second working mode of the windshield wipers. If so, then determine the second wiping angle value corresponding to the second working mode, and control the wiper to adjust the wiping angle according to the second wiping angle value, so that the distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle is maintained within the target distance range where no collision or interference will occur.

[0022] This invention addresses the technical problems of windshield wiper systems failing to accurately determine snow conditions due to sensor failure, excessive wiping resistance, motor stalling, or blade damage caused by conventional control strategies when using snow-covered conditions. It achieves intelligent identification of snow conditions based on the motor current-position characteristic curve, distinguishing between sensor failure caused by snow cover and other faults, and automatically switching to an appropriate wiping control mode after confirming snow conditions. This significantly improves the windshield wiper system's adaptability in adverse weather conditions by protecting the wiper system, preventing component damage, and maintaining effective wiping function in snowy environments.

[0023] In conjunction with the first aspect or its corresponding implementation, in one implementation, comparing the relationship curve with the snow accumulation condition characteristic curve to determine whether to activate the second operating mode of the windshield wipers includes: The relationship curve is compared with the snow accumulation condition characteristic curve. The second working mode is activated when the relationship curve meets one of the following conditions: The operating current of the wiper motor is higher than the standard current threshold at the preset stroke point, and the operating current remains higher than the standard current threshold for multiple consecutive wiping cycles without falling back to the normal range. And / or, the actual change in the operating position of the windshield wiper within a unit time is less than a preset stroke change threshold, and the deviation between the actual change and the preset stroke change threshold exceeds a preset deviation range; And / or, when the wiper is in the downward return stroke, the operating current of the wiper motor is higher than the operating current threshold during the standard return stroke, and the deviation between the actual parking position of the wiper blade after it stops and the preset parking position is greater than the preset position deviation threshold.

[0024] This invention provides a technical solution that compares the relationship curve with the characteristic curve of snow accumulation conditions and determines to activate the second working mode when one of the following three conditions is met: high current at the same position without dropping, actual travel change per unit time less than a preset threshold and deviation exceeding the standard, and high down-travel return current with continuously expanding stop position deviation. This solves the technical problem of existing technologies that make it difficult to accurately distinguish snow accumulation conditions from other faults, leading to misjudgment or missed judgment and inability to accurately trigger snow load protection. It eliminates the risk of false triggering that may be caused by a single judgment indicator and achieves the technical effect of timely activation of the snow load protection mode while ensuring high recognition accuracy, significantly improving the self-protection capability of the wiper system in snowy environments.

[0025] In a second aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a vehicle, the vehicle including: a controller and a windshield wiper, the controller including: a memory and a processor, the memory and the processor being communicatively connected to each other, the memory storing computer instructions, the processor executing the computer instructions to perform the method described in the first aspect or any of its corresponding embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a vehicle windshield wiper according to some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a first operating mode in a vehicle windshield wiper control method according to some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a structural block diagram of a vehicle windshield wiper control device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a computer device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] In existing vehicles, the front windshield wiper system typically has a fixed wiping angle during operation. However, the coefficient of friction on the windshield surface varies under different conditions, such as heavy rain, light rain, low-speed wiping, and high-speed wiping. Different wiping speeds also lead to variations in the wiper system's moment of inertia. Furthermore, the wiper system itself has limited rigidity, causing significant fluctuations in the actual wiping angle under different conditions. To accommodate these fluctuations and prevent interference or collisions between the wiper blades and the vehicle's fixed structural components during operation, current technology necessitates incorporating a large safety clearance during the design phase.

[0030] However, due to the need to reserve a large safety clearance to accommodate angle fluctuations under various working conditions, the transparent area of ​​the glass near the driver's side A-pillar cannot be effectively wiped clean by the wiper blades. In rainy or snowy weather or other conditions that require clear visibility, this unwiped area will obstruct the driver's view, sacrificing the customer's effective clear vision and affecting driving safety.

[0031] Based on this, the present invention provides an embodiment of a control method for a vehicle windshield wiper. It should be noted that the steps shown in the flowchart in the accompanying drawings can be executed in a computer system such as a set of computer-executable instructions. Furthermore, although a logical order is shown in the flowchart, in some cases, the steps shown or described may be executed in a different order than that shown here.

[0032] This embodiment provides a method for controlling a vehicle windshield wiper. Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a vehicle windshield wiper control method according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the process includes the following steps: Step S101: In response to the wiper start command, the sensor is triggered to detect the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle, wherein the first obstacle is a structural component that has a critical interference risk along its swing trajectory when the wiper is making the maximum angle reciprocating wiping motion.

[0033] Step S102: Correct the current wiping angle of the windshield wiper using the real-time distance to obtain the target wiping angle.

[0034] Step S103: Control the windshield wipers to wipe at the target wiping angle so that there is no collision or interference between the wiper blades and the first obstacle.

[0035] The vehicle windshield wiper control method provided in this embodiment triggers a sensor to detect the real-time distance between the wiper blade and a first obstacle in response to a wiper start command. This real-time distance is used to correct the current wiping angle to obtain a target wiping angle, and the wiper is controlled to wipe according to the target wiping angle. This ensures that there is no collision or interference between the wiper blade and the first obstacle. This solves the technical problem of traditional wipers, where the fixed working angle and large safety clearance to accommodate different operating conditions result in the glass near the A-pillar not being effectively wiped clean, thus sacrificing driving visibility in rainy or snowy weather. The method achieves closed-loop dynamic correction control based on real-time distance feedback, continuously locking the distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle within a safe range during wiping. This maximizes the wiping area while ensuring no interference, effectively improving driving visibility and safety in rainy or snowy weather.

[0036] The steps described above will be explained in detail below.

[0037] In step S101, in response to the wiper start command, the sensor is triggered to detect the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle. The wiper blade is installed at the end of the wiper arm of the wiper, and the first obstacle is a structural component that has a critical interference risk along its swing trajectory when the wiper is making its maximum angle reciprocating wiping motion.

[0038] The sensor includes a master sensor mounted on a first obstacle and a slave sensor positioned at the wiper blade's resting location. In one embodiment, in response to a wiper activation command, the sensor is triggered to detect the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle, specifically including the following steps: In response to the wiper activation command, the main sensor is triggered to detect the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle; If the sensing area of ​​the main sensor fails to stably capture the metal sensing end of the wiper blade within multiple consecutive wiping cycles and there is no effective trigger level signal, the main sensor is deemed to have failed to detect, and the main sensor is switched to the slave sensor, which is then used to detect the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle.

[0039] Specifically, when the vehicle's control system receives a command from the driver to activate the windshield wipers via the wiper lever, it immediately activates the sensors to measure the current actual distance between the wiper blade tip and the first obstacle. The wiper activation command refers to the electrical signal generated by the driver moving the wiper control lever inside the vehicle or touching the wiper control icon on the central control screen. This signal notifies the vehicle control system that the wipers need to start operating.

[0040] Wiper blades are installed at the end of the wiper arm. The first obstacle is a structural component that poses a critical risk of interference along the oscillation trajectory of the wiper when it makes its maximum reciprocating wiping motion. Specifically, a wiper blade refers to a rubber strip assembly that directly contacts the surface of the vehicle's windshield and performs the wiping action. It is used to remove rainwater, snowflakes, or dust from the glass surface. After the wipers are activated, the wiper blade is fixed to the front end of the wiper arm through a connecting structure such as clips. The wiper arm is driven by a motor to swing back and forth.

[0041] A wiper arm is a metal rod connected at one end to the output shaft of the wiper motor and at the other end to the wiper blade. It transmits the motor's rotational power and supports the wiper blade's oscillation on the windshield. Maximum angle reciprocating wiping motion refers to the periodic movement of the wiper arm driven by the wiper motor, causing the wiper blade to oscillate back and forth between a pre-set maximum upward position and a minimum downward position. Critical interference risk refers to a situation where the wiper blade and a first obstacle are very close; if the wiper blade moves even a small distance towards the obstacle, or if the wiper blade oscillates due to inertia at high speed, direct physical contact and collision will occur.

[0042] The first obstacle refers to the structural component fixed to the vehicle body that is most likely to come into contact with the wiper blade along its movement trajectory when the wiper moves it to its maximum angle. Specifically, in this embodiment, the first obstacle refers to the fixed rigid structure of the vehicle body located at the lower end of the A-pillar on the driver's side, near the edge of the windshield, close to the extreme trajectory of the upward wiper stroke, and most likely to collide with the wiper blade. This includes key limiting structures near the upward path of the wiper blade, such as the A-pillar sheet metal flange, the A-pillar perimeter sealing strip, and the windshield edge limiting protrusion. When the wiper moves the wiper blade to the maximum angle range set in the program, this component poses a risk of colliding with the wiper blade along its back-and-forth movement path.

[0043] A structural component refers to the part that first contacts the wiper blade, is closest to it, and is most likely to cause hard collision interference when the wiper blade moves back and forth at its maximum angle. In this embodiment, the structural component can be a fixed body structure component that comes with the vehicle at the factory, or it can be various components with limiting functions that are added or modified during the use of the vehicle.

[0044] For example, structural components can include the following types. The first type is the A-pillar sheet metal flange, which refers to the bent part of the metal sheet where the inner side of the A-pillar meets the edge of the windshield. This part is located near the end of the wiper blade's upward trajectory and is the rigid structure most easily touched by the wiper blade at its maximum wiping angle. The second type is the A-pillar perimeter sealing strip, which refers to the sealing strip installed between the A-pillar sheet metal and the windshield. Although this strip has a certain degree of elasticity, the sheet metal support structure behind it is rigid, and excessive pressure from the wiper blade can still cause interference. The third type is the windshield edge limiting protrusion, which refers to the micro-protrusion structure on some models located at the edge of the windshield to position the wiper blade at its limit. This structure is usually a one-piece molded glass or bonded rigid material. The fourth type of structural component is the wiper limiter, which is an auxiliary component that is added by the user or maintenance personnel in the A-pillar area to limit the maximum swing angle of the wiper blade. Such components include rubber buffer blocks, metal baffles, or adjustable limit brackets.

[0045] Real-time distance refers to the spatial distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle measured by the sensor at each instant during the dynamic process of the wiper blades working continuously.

[0046] In this embodiment, the sensor includes a main sensor mounted on the first obstacle and a slave sensor mounted at the wiper blade's resting position. Specifically, the main sensor is mounted on the surface of the first obstacle and is an inductive proximity sensor used as the primary detection element under normal operating conditions, responsible for continuously monitoring whether the wiper blade is approaching the first obstacle. The resting position refers to the fixed area where the wiper blade finally rests and retracts after the wipers stop wiping; this area is typically located at the bottom edge of the windshield near the hood. The slave sensor is mounted at the retracted position where the wiper blade rests when not in operation. It is an inductive proximity sensor activated as a backup detection element when the main sensor malfunctions due to external factors, and is used to take over the distance detection task from the main sensor.

[0047] In practice, after the vehicle's control system confirms receipt of the wiper activation command, it immediately activates the main sensor, which is responsible for measuring the current actual distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle. If, during several complete wiper blade swing cycles, the sensing area in front of the main sensor fails to continuously and reliably detect the metal component at the front of the wiper blade, and the main sensor is therefore unable to output a valid voltage signal that meets the requirements for judgment, then the control system determines that the main sensor is currently unable to complete the detection task, i.e., the detection has failed.

[0048] The sensing area refers to the spatial range in front of the inductive proximity sensor that can effectively detect the approach of a metal object. The sensor will only respond when a metal object enters this range. The wiping cycle refers to one complete reciprocating motion of the wiper blade, from its starting position upwards to its furthest point and back to its starting position. The metal sensing end refers to the metal component specifically located at the front of the wiper blade structure, which is used by the inductive proximity sensor to detect the target object. The effective trigger level signal refers to the electrical signal with a specific voltage amplitude and stable waveform output by the inductive proximity sensor according to a preset standard after successfully detecting a metal target. This signal can be accurately identified and interpreted by the controller.

[0049] Next, the control system transfers the currently active detection path from the failed master sensor to the slave sensor, and then activates the slave sensor, which takes over the work of the master sensor to continue measuring the current actual distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle.

[0050] This embodiment solves the technical problem of the wiper system losing its dynamic adjustment function when the main sensor fails to detect the real-time distance in response to the wiper start command. This is because the main sensor cannot stably capture the metal sensing end of the wiper blade in the sensing area for several consecutive wiping cycles and there is no effective trigger level signal. The main sensor is then switched to the slave sensor to continue detecting the real-time distance. This solution enables intelligent sensor switching. When the main sensor fails due to ice, snow, mud, or debris, the wiper system cannot obtain position feedback. It can automatically identify the fault and seamlessly switch to the backup sensor, ensuring uninterrupted operation of the dynamic closed-loop control of the wiping angle. This effectively improves the reliability and fault tolerance of the wiper system in harsh environments, ensuring continuous clear driving visibility and driving safety.

[0051] In step S102, the current wiping angle of the windshield wiper is corrected using the real-time distance to obtain the target wiping angle.

[0052] In one embodiment, the current wiping angle of the windshield wiper is corrected using real-time distance to obtain a target wiping angle, specifically including the following steps: Obtain the first angle correction value corresponding to the real-time distance; The target wiping angle is obtained by superimposing the first angle correction amount with the initial wiping angle value currently configured for the wiper.

[0053] First, based on the current actual distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle measured by the main sensor, the controller calculates the specific value that needs to be changed in order to reduce or eliminate the deviation between the current distance and the ideal target distance through preset calculation rules or mapping relationships. This value is the first angle correction amount.

[0054] The first angle correction refers to the angle change value that needs to be added or subtracted from the current wiping angle to adjust the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle to within a preset target distance range. The preset calculation rule refers to a pre-stored data processing logic used to convert the input real-time distance value into a corresponding angle output value through a specific algorithm or lookup table. The mapping relationship refers to the one-to-one correspondence established between the range of real-time distance values ​​and the range of angle correction values; different real-time distance values ​​correspond to different angle correction value values.

[0055] In one implementation, the initial wiping angle value corresponding to the current wiping condition of the vehicle can be obtained by identifying the current wiping condition. Then, a first angle correction amount is superimposed on the currently configured initial wiping angle value of the wipers to obtain the target wiping angle. Specifically, it is determined which predefined operating scenario the wipers are currently in, such as low-speed wiping on dry glass, high-speed wiping on dry glass, low-speed wiping on wet glass, or high-speed wiping on wet glass. After determining the current operating scenario, a base wiping angle value matching this operating scenario is retrieved from pre-stored data as the initial wiping angle value.

[0056] The current wiping condition refers to the specific working scenario of the windshield wipers during operation, which is determined by two factors: the wetness of the windshield surface and the wiping speed of the wipers. The initial wiping angle value refers to the basic wiping angle value preset for each specific wiping condition by the vehicle through a calibration program before leaving the factory. This value serves as the starting reference for dynamic adjustment under that condition.

[0057] Next, the initial wiping angle value obtained in the previous step is algebraically added to the first angle correction value, that is, the base value and the correction value are combined into a final wiping angle value, which is the target wiping angle. The target wiping angle integrates the basic operating conditions and real-time distance feedback correction, and is the angle that the wiper needs to execute in the next step.

[0058] Among them, algebraic addition refers to addition calculation that takes into account the positive and negative signs of the values. The first angle correction can be a positive value indicating an increase in angle or a negative value indicating a decrease in angle. The target wiping angle refers to the final wiping angle value obtained after comprehensively calculating the initial wiping angle value and the correction amount based on the real-time distance feedback. The wipers will adjust their swing range according to this angle value.

[0059] This embodiment solves the technical problem that existing wipers, due to variations in friction coefficient and moment of inertia under different operating conditions, cause fluctuations in the actual wiping angle, while fixed-angle solutions cannot meet the maximum visibility requirements under all operating conditions. It achieves a deep integration of adaptive reference angle calling and real-time distance feedback correction, so that the target wiping angle can not only match the basic wiping requirements of the current operating condition, but also be finely adjusted according to the real-time distance. This achieves the technical effect of balancing safety and optimal visibility under various operating conditions, significantly improving the intelligence level and all-weather adaptability of the wiper system.

[0060] In another embodiment, the initial wiping angle can be calibrated online through self-learning after the vehicle rolls off the production line. Specifically, after the vehicle completes final assembly and rolls off the production line, the wipers are triggered into calibration mode while the vehicle is powered on. In calibration mode, the wipers are controlled to slowly swing upwards from the parking position at the lowest speed, while the main sensor monitors the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle. When the sensor detects that the real-time distance has decreased to a preset calibration trigger threshold, such as 5 mm, the controller records the current wiping angle value and subtracts a preset safety margin, such as 3°, from this angle value as the initial wiping angle value for that condition. The above calibration process is repeated sequentially under four conditions: dry low speed, dry high speed, wet low speed, and wet high speed, recording the initial wiping angle value for each condition and storing it in the controller's non-volatile memory. This eliminates the error between bench calibration and actual vehicle assembly, enabling personalized compensation for assembly tolerances of each specific vehicle.

[0061] In another implementation, the user can manually calibrate the initial wiping angle. Specifically, when the user notices an abnormal distance between the wiper blade and the A-pillar area during wiping—for example, too large a distance resulting in incomplete wiping or too small a distance causing abnormal noise—the user can access the wiper calibration interface via the vehicle's central control screen or a mobile application. Following the on-screen instructions, the user controls the wiper blade to move upwards by toggling the wiper lever, while simultaneously observing the relative position of the wiper blade and the A-pillar. When the user deems the wiper blade to have reached the ideal position—one that is neither too obstructive nor too close to the A-pillar—they click the confirmation button. The controller records the current wiping angle value and stores it as the initial wiping angle value. This manual calibration method allows users to adjust the wiping angle according to their driving habits and actual driving experience, thereby improving the user experience.

[0062] In another implementation, the initial squeegee angle can also be obtained via cloud data push. Specifically, the vehicle controller connects to a cloud server via an onboard communication module. The cloud server collects the optimal squeegee angle values ​​obtained by closed-loop control from a large number of vehicles of the same model and configuration during actual use. After statistical analysis of this data, the recommended initial squeegee angle values ​​for that model under various operating conditions are obtained. When the controller of a vehicle is missing its initial squeegee angle value due to memory failure, data loss, or parts replacement, the controller sends a request to the cloud server. The cloud server pushes the recommended initial squeegee angle value obtained from the statistical analysis to the vehicle, and the controller receives and stores this pushed value as the initial squeegee angle value. This implementation method obtains the initial wiping angle value through cloud data push. This solution leverages the data accumulation advantage of swarm intelligence. The cloud server collects the optimal wiping angle values ​​converged from a large number of vehicles of the same model in actual use and performs statistical analysis. It provides reliable recommended initial values ​​for vehicles with missing data, realizing the leap from individual experience of a single vehicle to group data sharing for the initial wiping angle. It can quickly restore the normal control function of the wiper system without relying on factory calibration or online self-learning, significantly improving fault tolerance and data recovery efficiency, and reducing after-sales maintenance costs.

[0063] In one specific embodiment, the first angle correction amount includes a first adjustment amount and a second adjustment amount; the target wiping angle includes a first target wiping angle and a second target wiping angle; the target wiping angle is obtained by superimposing the first angle correction amount with the initial wiping angle value currently configured for the wiper, specifically including the following steps: If the real-time distance is within the first distance range, the first angle adjustment step size corresponding to the first distance range is determined as the first adjustment amount, and the first adjustment amount and the initial wiping angle value are superimposed to obtain the first target wiping angle of the wiper. If the real-time distance is within the second distance interval, the second angle adjustment step size corresponding to the second distance interval is determined as the second adjustment amount, and the second adjustment amount and the initial wiping angle value are superimposed to obtain the second target wiping angle of the wiper; wherein, the first distance interval is greater than the second distance interval, and the first angle adjustment step size is greater than the second angle adjustment step size.

[0064] To achieve fine-grained control over different distance ranges, in one specific implementation of the present invention, the first angle correction amount is further subdivided into two different adjustment amounts: a first adjustment amount and a second adjustment amount. The first adjustment amount refers to a larger angle change value used when the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle is in a relatively long distance range, used to quickly reduce the gap between the wiper blade and the target distance range. The second adjustment amount refers to a smaller angle change value used when the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle is in a relatively short distance range, used for fine-tuning the wiping angle.

[0065] Simultaneously, the final wiper angle obtained after correction is also divided into two cases: the first target wiper angle and the second target wiper angle, corresponding to the correction results when the wiper blade is in different distance ranges. The first target wiper angle refers to the final wiper angle value obtained by superimposing the initial wiper angle value with the first adjustment amount when the real-time distance is in a relatively far range. The second target wiper angle refers to the final wiper angle value obtained by superimposing the initial wiper angle value with the second adjustment amount when the real-time distance is in a relatively close range.

[0066] In this embodiment, the first distance interval refers to a range of values ​​within which the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle is relatively far. Within this interval, the wiper blade is relatively far from the first obstacle, requiring a larger adjustment step size to quickly reduce the distance. The first angle adjustment step size refers to a pre-set fixed angle change range value, which corresponds to the first distance interval and is used to adjust the angle each time when the real-time distance is within this interval. When the current actual distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle detected by the main sensor falls within this large distance range of the first distance interval, the first angle adjustment step size bound to the first distance interval is retrieved from the pre-stored data. This step size value is used as the first adjustment amount, and then the first adjustment amount is algebraically added to the initial wiping angle value. The calculated result is the first target wiping angle that the wiper needs to execute.

[0067] The second distance range refers to a numerical range within which the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle is relatively close. Within this range, the wiper blade is already quite close to the first obstacle, requiring fine adjustments using smaller adjustment steps to avoid overshoot. The second angle adjustment step size refers to a pre-set fixed angle change range value. This value corresponds to the second distance range and is smaller than the first angle adjustment step size. It is used to determine the angle adjustment size each time the real-time distance is within this range.

[0068] When the current actual distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle detected by the main sensor falls within the relatively close distance range of the second distance interval, the second angle adjustment step size bound to the second distance interval is retrieved from the pre-stored data. The value of this step size is used as the second adjustment amount. Then, the second adjustment amount is algebraically added to the initial wiping angle value. The result is the second target wiping angle that the wiper needs to execute.

[0069] There is a clear relationship between the two distance intervals and the two adjustment step sizes involved in the above steps. The numerical range covered by the first distance interval is generally larger than that covered by the second distance interval; that is, the first distance interval corresponds to farther distances, and the second distance interval corresponds to closer distances. Correspondingly, the value of the first angle adjustment step size bound to the first distance interval is also larger than the value of the second angle adjustment step size bound to the second distance interval. In other words, the greater the distance, the larger the angle adjusted each time, and the smaller the angle adjusted each time, the closer the distance. This relationship ensures the speed and smoothness of the successive approximation process.

[0070] For example, assume that vehicle A has completed the initial squeegee angle values ​​for four operating conditions during the factory calibration phase and stored them in the controller. The four operating conditions and their calibrated initial squeegee angle values ​​are as follows: initial squeegee angle value for dry low-speed condition is 82°, initial squeegee angle value for dry high-speed condition is 80°, initial squeegee angle value for wet low-speed condition is 85°, and initial squeegee angle value for wet high-speed condition is 83°.

[0071] On a rainy day, the driver activated the windshield wipers and selected the high-speed wiping mode, leaving the windshield wet. The vehicle's controller recognized this as a wet, high-speed wiping condition and retrieved the corresponding initial wiping angle value of 83° from memory as the reference angle for this wiping control. After the wipers started working, the main sensor mounted on a first obstacle continuously monitored the distance between the wiper blades and the obstacle. Assuming a preset target distance range of 8mm ± 3mm (ideally between 5mm and 11mm), the sensor detected that the current real-time distance between the wiper blades and the first obstacle was 18mm, exceeding the upper limit of the target distance range of 11mm.

[0072] The real-time distance of 18mm is obtained. Based on the controller's internal successive approximation algorithm, the corresponding first angle correction is calculated. Since 18mm falls within the second distance range of 15mm to 27mm, the second angle adjustment step size of 0.1° corresponding to this range is determined as the first angle correction. Because the real-time distance is greater than the target distance limit, this correction is positive, meaning the wiper angle needs to be increased to bring the wiper blades closer to the first obstacle. Therefore, the initial wiper angle value of 83° is superimposed with the first angle correction of 0.1° to obtain the target wiper angle of 83.1°. An angle adjustment command is generated based on this target wiper angle, controlling the wipers to adjust the wiper angle from 83° to 83.1°.

[0073] After the wipers operate at the adjusted 83.1° angle, the main sensor detects the real-time distance again, finding that the distance has decreased from 18mm to 15mm. This correction process is repeated, with the correction amount recalculated and added to gradually approach the target distance range. Once the real-time distance enters the range of 8mm ± 3mm, the output of the correction amount stops, allowing the wipers to maintain the current wiping angle for steady-state operation.

[0074] This embodiment solves the technical problems of low correction efficiency, easy angle overshoot or oscillation, and poor system convergence stability caused by using a single fixed adjustment step size in the process of correcting the wiper angle. When the real-time distance is far, a larger step size is used to quickly reduce the deviation. When the real-time distance is close to the target range, a smaller step size is used for fine adjustment. This achieves the technical effect of improving the system convergence stability and control accuracy while ensuring the control response speed. It enables the distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle to be quickly and smoothly stabilized within the target distance range.

[0075] In step S103, the wipers are controlled to wipe at the target wiping angle so that there is no collision or interference between the wiper blades and the first obstacle.

[0076] In one embodiment, the wiper blade is located at the end of the wiper arm, and controlling the wiper to wipe according to a target wiping angle includes: Under the full stroke of the wiper blade at the target wiping angle, the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle is always maintained within the target distance range that will not cause collision or interference.

[0077] In this embodiment, after determining the target wiping angle, a corresponding control command is sent to the wiper motor to drive the wiper arm to swing the wiper blade, thereby adjusting the actual wiping angle performed by the wiper blade to match the target wiping angle. The control command refers to the electrical signal generated by the controller and sent to the wiper motor, which contains information such as the target position, rotation direction, and rotation speed that the wiper motor needs to execute.

[0078] When the wipers operate at the target wiping angle, during the entire complete motion of the wiper blade swinging from the starting position to the farthest upward position and then back, the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle will not exceed the target distance range, that is, this distance will always remain within the preset acceptable range.

[0079] The full-stroke wiping condition refers to the complete wiping motion of the wiper blade from its initial parking position near the vehicle's ventilation cover, swinging upwards to its maximum upward limit, and then returning downwards to the initial parking position.

[0080] The target distance range refers to a pre-defined range of distance values. When the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle is within this range, the wiper blade will not make any physical contact or collision with the first obstacle during its movement. The lower limit of the target distance range ensures that the wiper blade can get as close to the first obstacle as possible to obtain the maximum wiping area, while the upper limit ensures that the wiper blade will not interfere with the first obstacle due to excessive distance. Collision interference refers to physical contact between the wiper blade and the first obstacle during the oscillation process. Such contact may lead to adverse consequences such as wiper blade damage, wiper arm deformation, motor stalling, or scratches on the surface of the first obstacle. The lower limit is the minimum boundary value in the target distance range. The real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle cannot be less than this value; otherwise, the distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle will be too close. The upper limit is the maximum boundary value in the target distance range. The real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle cannot be greater than this value; otherwise, the distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle will be too far.

[0081] For example, on the windshield of vehicle B, the target distance range between the first obstacle on the A-pillar side and the wiper blade is preset to 5mm to 11mm. This target distance range was determined based on a large number of real-vehicle tests, ensuring that the wiper blade will not collide with or interfere with the first obstacle during its swing, while also allowing the wiper blade to be as close as possible to the A-pillar area to wipe more of the glass.

[0082] Vehicle B was calibrated before leaving the factory, and the initial wiping angle values ​​corresponding to the four operating conditions were stored in the controller. On a rainy day, the driver activated the windshield wipers and selected the wet high-speed condition, using the initial wiping angle value of 83° as the reference angle. After the wipers started working, the main sensor detected a real-time distance of 18mm between the wiper blade and the first obstacle, exceeding the upper limit of the target distance range of 11mm. Based on the real-time distance of 18mm, a first angle correction of 0.1° was calculated. The reference angle of 83° was then added to the correction of 0.1° to obtain the first target wiping angle of 83.1°. A control command was sent to the wiper motor, and the wipers adjusted the wiping angle from 83° to 83.1°.

[0083] After adjustment, the main sensor detected the real-time distance again and found that the distance had decreased from 18mm to 15mm, but was still greater than 11mm. The correction amount of 0.1° was calculated again, and the current wiping angle of 83.1° was superimposed with 0.1° to obtain the second target wiping angle of 83.2°. The wipers were then adjusted to 83.2°. After several successive adjustments, the main sensor detected a real-time distance of 9mm, which fell within the target distance range of 5mm to 11mm. It was determined that the current wiping angle met the requirements, the correction amount was stopped, and the wipers maintained the current wiping angle for steady-state operation.

[0084] During the subsequent continuous wiping process, the main sensor monitors the distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle in real time at a sampling frequency of once per millisecond. When the real-time distance fluctuates to 12mm due to changes in vehicle speed or the coefficient of friction of the glass surface, a correction of 0.1° is immediately calculated, and the wiping angle is increased by 0.1° to reduce the distance to within 11mm. When the real-time distance fluctuates to 6mm, a correction of -0.1° is calculated, and the wiping angle is decreased by 0.1° to increase the distance to 7mm.

[0085] Through the aforementioned real-time monitoring and dynamic correction, the wiper blades maintain a distance of 5mm to 11mm from the first obstacle throughout the entire wiping stroke. This prevents the wiper blades from colliding with or interfering with the first obstacle due to excessive distance, and also ensures effective wiping of the A-pillar area of ​​the glass when the driver is in the rain. This results in a significantly improved field of vision and enhanced driving safety, as the driver's side glass area near the A-pillar is kept clear.

[0086] In one embodiment, the method provided by the present invention further includes an emergency handling mechanism for the complete failure of both sensors, specifically including the following steps: If both the main sensor and the slave sensor fail, the wipers will be controlled to enter the first working mode. After entering the first working mode, the pose parameters before failure are obtained by acquiring the main sensor and / or the sensor when it most recently detected the wiper blade and the first obstacle; The system limits the pose parameters before failure and controls the wipers to wipe according to the limited pose parameters before failure, so that the distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle is stably maintained within the target distance range where no collision interference will occur.

[0087] Among them, the pose parameters before failure include the starting position before failure and the wiping angle before failure; when limiting the pose parameters before failure, the starting position before failure is limited by the mechanical wear of the wiper, and the limited starting position before failure is obtained by using the rainfall intensity to limit the wiping angle before failure.

[0088] Specifically, when both the main sensor located on the first obstacle and the slave sensor located at the wiper blade's resting position fail to function properly, it is determined that the wiper blade's position information cannot be obtained through the normal sensor feedback loop. At this point, the wiper is controlled to enter the first operating mode. For ease of understanding, the key terms involved in this embodiment are briefly explained below. The pre-failure pose parameters refer to the wiper blade's state data relative to the first obstacle recorded during the last successful detection before both the main and slave sensors lost their detection capabilities. This includes the pre-failure starting position and the pre-failure wiping angle. The pre-failure starting position refers to the spatial coordinates of the wiper blade during the most recent successful detection, and the pre-failure wiping angle refers to the angle at which the wiper arm swings around its axis at that moment. The first operating mode refers to a degraded safety operating state that the wiper enters after both sensors completely fail. In this mode, the wiper no longer relies on real-time sensor feedback for dynamic adjustment but instead uses open-loop control based on historical data stored before the failure. This allows the vehicle to travel at a lower speed to the nearest repair shop for maintenance, while maintaining basic wiping functionality and ensuring that the wiper blade does not collide or interfere with the first obstacle. Restriction refers to the active contraction or reduction of various values ​​in the pose parameters before failure. Specifically, it involves moving the starting position before failure a certain distance in a safe direction and reducing the scraping angle before failure by a certain angle value. This active reduction method reserves an additional safety margin for the uncertain operating state after the failure of the dual sensors.

[0089] Based on the above definition, the specific implementation process of this embodiment is as follows: When the sensing area of ​​the main sensor is covered and blocked by ice, snow, thick mud, or debris, and it cannot stably capture the metal sensing end of the wiper blade for several consecutive wiping cycles, and there is no effective trigger level signal, the slave sensor is switched. If the sensing area of ​​the slave sensor is also covered and blocked by ice, snow, thick mud, or debris, and it cannot stably capture the metal sensing end of the wiper blade for several consecutive wiping cycles, and there is no effective trigger level signal, it is determined that both the main sensor and the slave sensor have failed. At this time, the wiper is controlled to exit the normal closed-loop dynamic adjustment mode and enter the first working mode.

[0090] After entering the first working mode, the system reads the data record saved during the most recent successful detection from the memory. This data record contains the pose parameters obtained before the failure of the wiper blade and the first obstacle during the last detection before both the main sensor and / or the slave sensor failed. Specifically, the system obtains the starting position before failure, which records the spatial coordinates of the wiper blade during the last successful detection before failure. At the same time, the system obtains the wiping angle before failure, which records the angle value of the wiper arm swinging around the axis at that moment.

[0091] After obtaining the pre-failure pose parameters, both parameters are subjected to constraint processing. At the constrained pre-failure starting position, a pre-stored mechanical wear calibration data table of the wiper is read to determine the current mechanical wear compensation value. This mechanical wear compensation value is an offset determined based on parameters such as the cumulative usage time of the wiper, the number of wiping cycles, and the fatigue level of the wiper arm spring. The pre-failure starting position coordinates are moved away from the first obstacle by the distance corresponding to this mechanical wear compensation value to obtain the constrained pre-failure starting position. This compensates for pose drift caused by factors such as loose mechanical structure and increased hinge clearance after long-term use of the wiper, ensuring that the constrained starting position remains within a safe range.

[0092] In one specific embodiment, a mechanical wear calibration data table for the entire lifecycle of the windshield wiper is constructed, using the cumulative usage time, number of wiping cycles, and operating load of the wiper as independent variables, and the changes in clearance and positional drift of each moving part of the wiper as dependent variables. This is achieved through a database established by conducting extensive durability bench tests and real-vehicle aging tests. The mechanical wear calibration data table records the wear and degradation patterns of the mechanical structure of the wiper throughout its entire lifecycle, from its new state to the end of its service life. Specifically, the mechanical wear calibration data table may include the increase in linkage joint clearance corresponding to different cumulative start-stop cycles, the fatigue coefficient of the wiper arm spring corresponding to different cumulative running durations, and the elastic deformation of the swing arm corresponding to different wiping load conditions. These data are obtained by conducting hundreds of thousands of cyclic wiping tests on multiple test vehicles, measuring the clearance values ​​and positional drift of each moving part after a certain number of cycles.

[0093] During actual vehicle use, the number of start-stop cycles, runtime, and linkage arm clearance changes of the wiper mechanism are accumulated in real time. The number of start-stop cycles refers to the complete number of times the wiper switches from a stopped state to an operating state and vice versa; each start and stop is counted as one event. Runtime refers to the cumulative time the wiper motor is actually powered on and running, in hours or minutes, excluding time spent in standby or dormant mode. Linkage arm clearance change refers to the gradual increase in the clearance between the hinge points in the wiper's linkage mechanism as usage time increases. This clearance change cannot be directly measured but can be indirectly estimated through the positional drift of the wiper blade in a stopped state or the positional offset of the reversing point during wiping.

[0094] Based on the cumulative number of start-stop cycles, runtime, and changes in linkage and swing arm clearance, the current mechanical wear status of the entire wiper is identified. Specifically, the real-time accumulated operating parameters are matched with corresponding intervals in a pre-built mechanical wear calibration data table. Through table lookup or interpolation calculations, the current wear stage and corresponding wear degree of the wiper are estimated. For example, when the cumulative number of start-stop cycles is below 5000, it is identified as a light wear stage; when the cumulative number of start-stop cycles is between 5000 and 20000, it is identified as a moderate wear stage; and when the cumulative number of start-stop cycles exceeds 20000, it is identified as a heavy wear stage. Different wear stages correspond to different positional drift amounts and compensation requirements.

[0095] After identifying the current mechanical wear condition, a mechanical wear compensation value matching that wear level is retrieved. The mechanical wear compensation value refers to the offset that needs to be actively reduced or adjusted to compensate for positional drift caused by mechanical wear. In the mechanical wear calibration data table, each wear stage or each set of wear parameters corresponds to a pre-calibrated mechanical wear compensation value. For example, the mechanical wear compensation value corresponding to the light wear stage is 1 mm, the medium wear stage is 2.5 mm, and the heavy wear stage is 4 mm. The specific value of this mechanical wear compensation value is derived by reverse engineering from the actual positional drift measured during durability testing.

[0096] The retrieved mechanical wear compensation value is added to the reference offset of the starting position before failure. The reference offset of the starting position before failure can refer to the wiper blade starting position coordinates recorded during the last successful detection before both the master and slave sensors failed. These coordinates are used as the reference point for open-loop control after sensor failure. The specific operation of adding the mechanical wear compensation value to this reference offset can be to subtract the mechanical wear compensation value from the coordinate value of the direction closer to the first obstacle in the reference offset, thereby moving the reference offset a corresponding distance away from the first obstacle.

[0097] The original pre-failure starting position was adjusted by inward limiting and tightening, and static deviation correction, to obtain the reduced pre-failure starting position. Inward limiting and tightening refers to moving the wiper blade's starting position away from the first obstacle, i.e., tightening it towards the center of the windshield or downwards, making the wiper blade's starting point more conservative. Static deviation correction eliminates positional drift caused by static factors such as loose mechanical structures and increased hinge clearance due to long-term use, restoring the reduced starting position to a near-new baseline position.

[0098] The above process is illustrated below with a specific numerical example. Assume that vehicle C's factory-calibrated pre-failure start position was 0 mm from the edge of the ventilator cover. After two years of use, the wiper mechanism recorded 12,000 start-stop cycles and 450 hours of operation. Consulting the mechanical wear calibration data table, it was identified as currently in a moderate wear stage, corresponding to a mechanical wear compensation value of 2.5 mm. The last recorded pre-failure start position before sensor failure was obtained. Due to mechanical wear, this position had shifted positively, and the actual distance from the ventilator cover edge had become +2 mm. The mechanical wear compensation value of 2.5 mm was added to this baseline offset, tightening the original pre-failure start position by +2 mm inwards. Subtracting 2.5 mm yields a -0.5 mm restricted pre-failure start position. In other words, in limp mode after dual sensor failure, the wiper activation position is actively set at -0.5 mm from the edge of the vent cover, which is closer to the bottom than the original calibration position and 2.5 mm further in a safe direction than the current actual drift position. Through this adaptive limiting processing based on mechanical wear, even if the wiper drifts due to long-term use, the activation position in the first working mode is still controlled within a safe range, effectively avoiding collision and interference between the wiper blades and the first obstacle due to positional deviation caused by wear.

[0099] On the other hand, when limiting the wiper angle before failure, the current rainfall intensity level is read. The rainfall intensity level can be obtained in real-time by a rain sensor or indirectly estimated by the wiper setting selected by the driver. The corresponding angle reduction factor is determined based on the rainfall intensity level. When the rainfall is light, the lubrication between the wiper blade and the windshield is low, resulting in higher frictional resistance. The wiper blade is more prone to significant elastic deformation due to inertia at the end of its swing, thus requiring a larger angle reduction factor—reducing the wiper angle before failure by a greater amount. When the rainfall is heavy, the windshield surface is sufficiently lubricated, resulting in lower frictional resistance and smoother wiper blade movement. Therefore, a smaller angle reduction factor can be used, reducing the wiper angle before failure by only a smaller amount. Multiplying or subtracting the angle reduction factor from the wiper angle before failure yields the limited wiper angle before failure.

[0100] After the compression process is completed, a degraded operation control command is generated based on the reduced pre-failure starting position and the reduced pre-failure wiping angle. This command does not contain any sensor feedback and is an open-loop control command. The degraded operation control command is sent to the wiper motor, which uses the reduced starting position as the wiping reference point and the reduced wiping angle as the swing amplitude range for reciprocating wiping. Because the reduced pre-failure starting position is offset away from the first obstacle compared to the original starting position, and the reduced pre-failure wiping angle is reduced compared to the original wiping angle, the farthest upward position of the wiper blade during the entire wiping stroke is actively controlled at a more conservative position than before failure. Even if the wiper experiences some positional fluctuations due to mechanical wear or external resistance, the wiper blade will not touch the first obstacle. Simultaneously, the compression process considers the differences in mechanical wear and rainfall intensity, ensuring that the wiping parameters in the degraded operation state can adapt to the current vehicle hardware and environmental conditions, maintaining an effective wiping area as much as possible while ensuring safety.

[0101] This embodiment solves the technical problem of insufficient wiping effect or still having interference risk when using fixed limiting values ​​for degraded operation after dual sensor failure, which ignores the wear condition of the wiper itself and the difference in the external rainfall environment. It achieves a differentiated adaptive limiting strategy based on mechanical wear and rainfall intensity. This allows the limited starting position to compensate for the structural looseness and gap changes of the wiper after long-term use, and the limited wiping angle to adapt to the wiping force and range required by the current rainfall.

[0102] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a first operating mode in a vehicle windshield wiper control method according to some embodiments of the present invention. Figure 2 The diagram schematically illustrates the placement of key components in a vehicle's windshield wiper system and the wiping range divisions under different operating modes. The diagram clearly indicates the placement of the main proximity sensor (i.e., the main sensor in this embodiment), the auxiliary proximity sensor (i.e., the slave sensor in this embodiment), the intelligent adjustment range of the closed-loop system, and the operating range of the limp mode (i.e., the first operating mode in this embodiment).

[0103] The main proximity sensor is located at the lower end of the A-pillar on the driver's side, near the edge of the windshield. Specifically, the main proximity sensor is fixedly mounted on a first obstacle, which is a rigid structure of the vehicle body located next to the extreme trajectory of the wiper blades, closest to the wiper blades, and most prone to collision interference. The main proximity sensor uses an inductive proximity sensing principle, with its sensing area facing the upward path of the wiper blades. It is used to detect the real-time distance between the metal sensing end of the wiper blades and the sensor itself under normal operating conditions. When the wiper blades swing to a position close to the A-pillar, the main proximity sensor can reliably capture the magnetic field change signal returned by the metal sensing end of the wiper blades and output a valid trigger level signal to the controller.

[0104] The auxiliary proximity sensor is located at the wiper blade's resting position. This position is typically above the ventilation cover at the bottom of the windshield, and is the designated area where the wiper blades rest and retract after the wipers have stopped working. The auxiliary proximity sensor is the same type as the main proximity sensor, being an inductive proximity sensor. When the main sensor fails due to external factors such as ice, snow, or mud, the auxiliary proximity sensor is activated and takes over the distance detection task, serving as a backup detection element for the system.

[0105] The closed-loop intelligent adjustment range indicates the wiping area that the wiper blades can reach under normal operating conditions through closed-loop dynamic adjustment. Within this range, the main proximity sensor detects the real-time distance between the wiper blades and the first obstacle. Based on the deviation between this real-time distance and the target distance threshold, the wiping angle is dynamically adjusted according to a successive approximation algorithm to maintain the distance between the wiper blades and the first obstacle within the target distance range. The upper limit of the closed-loop intelligent adjustment range is the maximum upward position that the wiper blades can safely reach. This position maintains a preset target distance range from the first obstacle, such as a safety gap of 8 mm ± 3 mm. Within this range, the wiper blades will not collide or interfere with the first obstacle, while maximizing the wiping of the glass surface near the A-pillar area, effectively improving the driver's visibility.

[0106] The limp mode operating range indicates the wiping area after the wipers enter the first operating mode, limp mode, when both the primary and auxiliary proximity sensors fail. The limp mode operating range is actively reduced compared to the intelligent adjustment range of the closed-loop system. For example... Figure 2As shown, the upper limit of the limp mode's operating range is significantly lower than the upper limit of the closed-loop system's intelligent adjustment range, meaning it retracts away from the first obstacle. This retraction is determined by a preset safety reduction angle value, for example, reducing the wiping angle before failure by 2°. The lower limit of the limp mode's operating range may also be adjusted symmetrically accordingly. Through this active reduction, even if both sensors completely fail and cannot obtain real-time position feedback, the wiper blades will not touch the first obstacle when performing open-loop wiping based on the pre-failure pose parameters, thus avoiding collision interference that could damage the wiper system and vehicle structure.

[0107] from Figure 2 It can also be seen that the limp mode operating range is completely contained within the closed-loop system's intelligent adjustment range, forming a clear safety boundary between the two. This inclusion relationship ensures that when the wiper switches from normal closed-loop control mode to limp mode, the wiping range contracts inward rather than expands outward, and the switching process does not introduce additional interference risks. Simultaneously, the upper limit position of the closed-loop system's intelligent adjustment range maintains a target distance range from the first obstacle, while the upper limit position of the limp mode operating range has an additional safety buffer distance between it and the lower limit of this target distance range, providing sufficient safety margin for potential pose drift after dual sensor failure.

[0108] This embodiment achieves optimal field of vision control when the sensors are functioning normally and safe degraded operation when the sensors fail by using redundant arrangement of main and auxiliary proximity sensors, combined with hierarchical design of the closed-loop system's intelligent adjustment range and limp mode operating range. This ensures both driving visibility in rainy and snowy weather and system safety under extreme fault conditions.

[0109] In one embodiment, the windshield wiper further includes a wiper motor, and the method provided by the present invention also includes an intelligent identification and adaptive control mechanism for snow accumulation conditions, specifically including the following steps: If the main sensor fails to receive the wiper blade trigger signal stably within a preset number of consecutive times, and / or the trigger signal does not match the position angle data inside the wiper motor, then obtain the relationship curve between the working current of the wiper motor and the operating position of the wiper. The relationship curve is compared with the snow accumulation condition characteristic curve to determine whether to activate the second working mode of the windshield wipers. If so, determine the second wiping angle value corresponding to the second working mode, and control the wiper to adjust the wiping angle according to the second wiping angle value, so that the distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle is maintained within the target distance range where no collision or interference will occur.

[0110] In a specific embodiment, the relationship curve is compared with the snow accumulation condition characteristic curve. When the relationship curve meets one of the following conditions, it is determined that the second working mode will be activated: The operating current of the wiper motor is higher than the standard current threshold at the preset stroke point, and the operating current remains higher than the standard current threshold for multiple consecutive wiping cycles without falling back to the normal range. And / or, the actual change in the operating position of the windshield wiper within a unit of time is less than a preset stroke change threshold, and the deviation between the actual change and the preset stroke change threshold exceeds a preset deviation range; And / or, when the wiper is in the downward return stroke, the operating current of the wiper motor is higher than the operating current threshold during the standard return stroke, and the actual parking position after the wiper blade stops deviates from the preset parking position greater than the preset position deviation threshold.

[0111] Specifically, the windshield wiper also includes a wiper motor for driving the wiper arm to reciprocate. When the main sensor located on the first obstacle fails to reliably receive the trigger level signal returned from the metal sensing end of the wiper blade within a preset number of consecutive cycles, or when there is an inconsistency between the trigger level signal received by the main sensor and the motor rotor angle data measured by the position angle sensor inside the wiper motor, it is determined that the current issue is likely not a simple sensor hardware failure, but rather a detection anomaly caused by snow accumulation on the windshield surface, indicating that the vehicle is currently in a snow-covered condition. At this time, the relationship curve between the wiper motor's operating current and the wiper's operating position is obtained. For ease of understanding, the key terms involved in this embodiment are briefly explained below. The relationship curve refers to a continuous curve plotted with the wiper's operating position as the abscissa and the wiper motor's operating current as the ordinate. This curve reflects the magnitude of the resistance experienced by the wiper blade at different swing positions, because the motor drive current is positively correlated with the load resistance. The snow cover condition characteristic curve refers to the standard relationship curve obtained in advance through a large number of real vehicle snow cover environment tests. This curve characterizes the typical law of the change of wiper motor operating current with the wiper operating position when there is snow cover on the windshield surface.

[0112] The second operating mode refers to the operating state the wipers enter when the current condition is determined to be snowy. In this mode, the wiping angle, wiping speed, and reversing strategy of the wipers are adjusted to adapt to the snowy environment, clearing snow while protecting the wiper system from overload damage. The preset travel points refer to one or more pre-selected fixed positions along the entire path of the wiper blade from its starting position to its upper limit position. These positions are used for comparative analysis of current values ​​under different operating conditions. The standard current threshold refers to the normal upper limit of the current consumed by the wiper motor at the preset travel points under normal, snow-free conditions. This threshold is obtained through statistical analysis of numerous real-vehicle tests under both sunny and rainy conditions. The preset travel variation threshold refers to the standard lower limit of the amount of change in the sway angle that the wiper blade should complete per unit time under normal operating conditions. This threshold reflects the normal operating speed of the wiper system in unobstructed conditions. The standard return stroke operating current threshold refers to the normal upper limit of the current consumed by the wiper motor during the downward return stroke of the wiper blade under normal operating conditions. Since the wiper blade relies on gravity for assistance during the downward return stroke, this threshold is usually lower than the current threshold for the upward stroke. The preset parking position refers to the standard retracted position coordinates that the wiper blade should remain in under normal operating conditions after the wiper stops working. This position is determined by the initial zero-position calibration of the wiper motor.

[0113] Based on the above definition, the specific implementation process of this embodiment is as follows: The trigger level signal returned by the main sensor is monitored in real time, and the position angle data of the motor rotor is acquired in real time through the angle sensor integrated inside the wiper motor. Under normal operating conditions, the trigger level signal detected by the main sensor and the motor position angle data should maintain a synchronous correspondence. That is, when the motor angle indicates that the wiper blade has moved to a specific position, the main sensor should simultaneously receive the trigger level signal corresponding to that position. It is determined whether at least one of the following two abnormal situations occurs: The first abnormal situation is that the main sensor cannot stably output a valid trigger level signal within a preset number of consecutive times, such as three consecutive complete wiping cycles, i.e., the signal remains at a low level or fluctuates irregularly; the second abnormal situation is that the main sensor can output a trigger level signal, but there is a time difference exceeding the allowable deviation range between the time point of the signal occurrence and the theoretical time point indicated by the motor position angle data. For example, the motor angle data shows that the wiper blade has reached a position close to the first obstacle, but the main sensor receives the trigger signal only after a delay of several hundred milliseconds, or the received signal strength is significantly lower than the normal value.

[0114] When any of the above-mentioned abnormal situations occur, the main sensor hardware is not immediately deemed damaged. Instead, the current sampling circuit continuously collects the operating current value of the wiper motor over multiple complete wiping cycles at a high-frequency sampling rate, such as once per millisecond. Simultaneously, the operating position of the wiper is recorded at each sampling moment using an angle sensor or position sensor. The collected current and position values ​​are fused, and a continuous relationship curve is plotted with the wiper's oscillation range as the x-axis and the corresponding motor operating current value as the y-axis. This curve comprehensively records the detailed changes in motor current with position throughout the entire stroke of the wiper blade, from the start of the last oscillation point to the end of the next oscillation point.

[0115] After plotting the relationship curve, it is compared and analyzed with the snow-covered condition characteristic curve pre-stored in the controller's memory. The snow-covered condition characteristic curve is a standard curve calibrated in a snow-covered environment at a professional test site. This curve has the following typical characteristics: The first characteristic is high current at the same position, that is, at the same travel point, the current value under snow conditions is significantly higher than the current value under sunny or rainy conditions, and this high current state continues throughout the entire travel without returning to the normal range. The second characteristic is travel pause and position lag, that is, due to the resistance of snow, the wiper blade movement speed decreases, and the amount of angle change completed per unit time is less than the normal value, and the relationship curve will show a distorted shape with the position axis stretched. The third characteristic is weak return offset, that is, during the downward return, because snow is still attached to the glass surface, the motor current cannot return to the low value of the normal return, and the wiper blade cannot accurately return to the preset parking position after stopping.

[0116] This embodiment solves the technical problems of the wiper system failing to accurately determine the snow condition due to sensor failure, excessive wiping resistance, motor stalling, or wiper blade damage caused by conventional control strategies under snow cover conditions. It achieves intelligent identification of snow conditions based on the motor current-position characteristic curve, distinguishing whether sensor failure is caused by snow cover or other faults, and automatically switching to the appropriate wiping control mode after confirming the snow condition. This achieves the technical effect of protecting the wiper system in snowy conditions, preventing component damage, and maintaining effective wiping function, significantly improving the wiper system's adaptability in adverse weather conditions.

[0117] To more accurately determine snow accumulation conditions, the relationship curve was further examined item by item under three specific conditions. First, the motor operating current values ​​at preset travel points, such as when the wiper blades reach 30°, 60°, and 90°, were extracted from the relationship curve. These three current values ​​were then compared with the standard current thresholds for their respective positions. If the current value at one or more of these points exceeded the standard current threshold, and after extracting data from multiple consecutive wiping cycles (e.g., five consecutive wiping cycles), it was found that these high current values ​​did not gradually decrease to the normal range with increasing wiping frequency, but instead remained consistently high. This indicated that the snow accumulation was not effectively cleared by the wiper blades, and the wiper blades still needed to overcome the same snow resistance with each wipe.

[0118] Next, the actual angle change of the wiper blade per unit time is calculated from the relationship curve. For example, it takes milliseconds for the wiper blade to swing from a 30° position to a 60° position. This actual angle change is compared with a preset stroke change threshold, which represents the standard time required to complete the same angle change under normal operating conditions. If the actual angle change is significantly less than the preset stroke change threshold, meaning the actual time taken is much longer than the standard time, and the deviation between the actual change and the preset threshold exceeds a preset deviation range (e.g., more than 40%), it indicates that the additional resistance from snow accumulation causes significant sluggishness in the wiper blade movement, and the position advancement speed is much lower than normal.

[0119] Furthermore, the motor operating current value during the wiper blade's downward return phase is extracted from the relationship curve and compared with a standard return current threshold. The standard return current threshold is the normal upper limit of motor current consumption when the wiper blade returns with gravity assistance under normal operating conditions. If the current value during the downward return phase consistently exceeds this threshold, it indicates that the snow accumulation still presents significant sliding resistance on the return path. Simultaneously, the actual parking position coordinates after the wiper blade comes to a complete stop are detected using a position sensor, and the deviation between this actual parking position and the preset parking position is calculated. If this deviation exceeds the preset position deviation threshold (e.g., greater than 3mm), and this deviation shows a continuously increasing trend across multiple wiping cycles (e.g., 2mm in the first cycle, 4mm in the third, and 7mm in the fifth), it indicates that the snow accumulation not only hinders the normal movement of the wiper blade but also prevents the wiper system from establishing an accurate zero-position reference, and the position drift is gradually intensifying.

[0120] When any one of the three specific conditions mentioned above is met, it is determined that there is indeed snow covering the current windshield surface, and the second working mode, namely the snow load protection mode, needs to be activated. The second wiper angle value, pre-calibrated for snow conditions, is read from memory. This second wiper angle value is actively reduced compared to the wiper angle value under normal conditions; for example, the upward limit position is reduced by 3° to 5° away from the first obstacle to avoid snow accumulation causing the wiper blades to collide at the upward endpoint. An angle adjustment command is generated based on the second wiper angle value, controlling the wipers to adjust the wiper angle to the reduced value. Simultaneously, the output torque of the wiper motor is adjusted, increasing it to a level higher than normal to provide sufficient power to overcome snow resistance. In the second working mode, the trend of the relationship curve continues to be monitored in real time. If it is found that with repeated wiping, the current value gradually decreases, the stroke speed gradually recovers, and the parking position deviation gradually reduces, it indicates that the snow is being effectively cleared, and the wiper angle can be gradually restored to the normal value. If abnormal characteristics of the relationship curve are found to persist or even worsen, the second working mode will be maintained and a prompt message will be sent to the driver via the vehicle network, suggesting that the windshield be manually cleared of snow.

[0121] This embodiment compares the relationship curve with the characteristic curve of snow accumulation and determines to activate the second working mode when one of the following three conditions is met: high current at the same position without dropping, actual travel change per unit time is less than a preset threshold and deviation exceeds the standard, and down-travel return current is high and stop position deviation continues to expand. This eliminates the risk of false triggering that may be caused by a single judgment indicator and achieves the technical effect of timely activation of snow load protection mode while ensuring high recognition accuracy. It significantly improves the self-protection capability of the wiper system in snowy environments.

[0122] This embodiment also provides a vehicle, which includes a controller and a windshield wiper. The controller includes a memory and a processor, which are communicatively connected to each other. The memory stores computer instructions, and the processor executes the computer instructions to perform the vehicle windshield wiper control method of any of the above embodiments.

[0123] This embodiment also provides a control device for a vehicle windshield wiper, which is used to implement the above embodiments and preferred embodiments; details already described will not be repeated. As used below, the term "module" can refer to a combination of software and / or hardware that performs a predetermined function. Although the device described in the following embodiments is preferably implemented in software, hardware implementation, or a combination of software and hardware, is also possible and contemplated.

[0124] This embodiment provides a control device for a vehicle windshield wiper, such as... Figure 3 As shown, it includes: The detection module 301 is used to trigger the sensor to detect the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle in response to the wiper start command. The first obstacle is a structural component that has a critical interference risk along its swing trajectory when the wiper is making the maximum angle reciprocating wiping motion. The correction module 302 is used to correct the current wiping angle of the windshield wiper using real-time distance to obtain the target wiping angle; The control module 303 is used to control the windshield wipers to wipe at the target wiping angle so that there is no collision or interference between the wiper blades and the first obstacle.

[0125] In one embodiment, the sensor includes a master sensor disposed on a first obstacle and a slave sensor disposed at the location where the wiper blade is parked.

[0126] In one embodiment, the detection module 301 includes: The detection unit is used to respond to the wiper start command and trigger the main sensor to detect the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle. If the sensing area of ​​the main sensor cannot stably capture the metal sensing end of the wiper blade in multiple consecutive wiping cycles and there is no effective trigger level signal, the main sensor is determined to have failed to detect, and the main sensor is switched to the slave sensor, which is then used to detect the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle.

[0127] In one embodiment, the correction module 302 includes: The correction amount acquisition unit is used to acquire the first angle correction amount corresponding to the real-time distance.

[0128] An angle superposition unit is used to superimpose the first angle correction amount with the initial wiping angle value currently configured for the windshield wiper to obtain the target wiping angle.

[0129] In one embodiment, the first angle correction amount includes a first adjustment amount and a second adjustment amount; the target scraping angle includes a first target scraping angle and a second target scraping angle; the angle superposition unit includes: The first angle superposition subunit is used to determine the first angle adjustment step size corresponding to the first distance interval as the first adjustment amount if the real-time distance is within the first distance interval, and superimpose the first adjustment amount and the initial wiping angle value to obtain the first target wiping angle of the wiper.

[0130] The second angle superposition subunit is used to determine the second angle adjustment step size corresponding to the second distance interval as the second adjustment amount if the real-time distance is within the second distance interval, and superimpose the second adjustment amount and the initial wiping angle value to obtain the second target wiping angle of the wiper; wherein, the first distance interval is greater than the second distance interval, and the first angle adjustment step size is greater than the second angle adjustment step size.

[0131] In one embodiment, the wiper blade is located at the end of the wiper arm of the wiper, and the control module 303 includes: The control unit is used to control the wiper blade to maintain the real-time distance between itself and the first obstacle within the target distance range that will not cause collision or interference during the full stroke of the wiper blade at the target wiping angle.

[0132] In one embodiment, the apparatus further includes: The first working module is used to control the wiper to enter a first working mode if both the main sensor and the slave sensor detect failure; after entering the first working mode, it obtains the pose parameters before failure when the main sensor and / or the slave sensor most recently detected the wiper blade and the first obstacle; it limits the pose parameters before failure and controls the wiper to wipe according to the limited pose parameters before failure, so that the distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle is stably maintained within the target distance range where no collision interference will occur.

[0133] In one embodiment, the pose parameters before failure include the starting position before failure and the brush angle before failure; the first working module further includes: The limiting unit is used to limit the starting position before failure by utilizing the mechanical wear of the windshield wiper, and to obtain the limited starting position before failure; it also uses the rainfall intensity to limit the wiping angle before failure, and to obtain the limited wiping angle before failure.

[0134] In one embodiment, the wiper further includes a wiper motor, and the device further includes: The second working module is used to obtain the relationship curve between the operating current of the wiper motor and the operating position of the wiper if the main sensor fails to receive the trigger signal of the wiper blade stably within a preset number of consecutive times, and / or the trigger signal does not match the position angle data inside the wiper motor; compare the relationship curve with the snow accumulation condition characteristic curve to determine whether to activate the second working mode of the wiper; if so, determine the second wiping angle value corresponding to the second working mode, and control the wiper to adjust the wiping angle according to the second wiping angle value so that the distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle is maintained within the target distance range where no collision interference will occur.

[0135] In one embodiment, the second working module further includes: The condition judgment unit is used to compare the relationship curve with the snow accumulation condition characteristic curve. When the relationship curve meets one of the following conditions, the second working mode is activated: The operating current of the wiper motor is higher than the standard current threshold at the preset stroke point, and the operating current remains higher than the standard current threshold for multiple consecutive wiping cycles without falling back to the normal range. And / or, the actual change in the operating position of the windshield wiper within a unit of time is less than a preset stroke change threshold, and the deviation between the actual change and the preset stroke change threshold exceeds a preset deviation range; And / or, when the wiper is in the downward return stroke, the operating current of the wiper motor is higher than the operating current threshold during the standard return stroke, and the actual parking position after the wiper blade stops deviates from the preset parking position greater than the preset position deviation threshold.

[0136] In this embodiment, the control device for the vehicle windshield wiper is presented in the form of a functional unit. Here, a unit refers to an ASIC circuit, a processor and memory that execute one or more software or fixed programs, and / or other devices that can provide the above-mentioned functions.

[0137] Further functional descriptions of the above modules and units are the same as those in the corresponding embodiments described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0138] This invention also provides a computer device having the above-described features. Figure 3 The control device for the vehicle's windshield wipers is shown.

[0139] Please see Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a computer device provided in an optional embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the computer device may include a processor (e.g., a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, etc.) 401, which can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to a program stored in read-only memory (i.e., ROM 402) or a program loaded from memory 408 into random access memory (i.e., RAM 403). The RAM 403 also stores various programs and data required for the operation of the computer device. The processor 401, ROM 402, and RAM 403 are interconnected via a bus 404. Input / output (i.e., I / O interface 405) is also connected to the bus 404.

[0140] Typically, the following devices can be connected to I / O interface 405: input devices 406 including, for example, touchscreens, touchpads, keyboards, mice, cameras, microphones, accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc.; output devices 407 including, for example, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), speakers, vibrators, etc.; memory devices 408 including, for example, magnetic tapes, hard disks, etc.; and communication devices 409. Communication device 409 allows the computer device to communicate wirelessly or wiredly with other devices to exchange data. Although Figure 4 Computer equipment with various devices is shown, but it should be understood that it is not required to implement or have all of the devices shown, and more or fewer devices may be implemented or have instead.

[0141] In particular, according to embodiments of the present invention, the processes described above with reference to the flowcharts can be implemented as computer software programs. For example, embodiments of the present invention include a computer program product comprising a computer program carried on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the computer program containing program code for performing the methods shown in the flowcharts. In such embodiments, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network via a communication device 409, or installed from a memory 408, or installed from a ROM 402. When the computer program is executed by the processor 401, it performs the functions defined in the vehicle windshield wiper control method of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0142] Figure 4 The computer device shown is merely an example and should not be construed as limiting the functionality and scope of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0143] This invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium. The methods described above according to embodiments of the invention can be implemented in hardware or firmware, or implemented as computer code that can be recorded on a storage medium, or implemented as computer code downloaded via a network and originally stored on a remote storage medium or a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and then stored on a local storage medium. Thus, the methods described herein can be processed by software stored on a storage medium using a general-purpose computer, a dedicated processor, or programmable or dedicated hardware. The storage medium can be a magnetic disk, optical disk, read-only memory, random access memory, flash memory, hard disk, or solid-state drive, etc.; further, the storage medium can also include combinations of the above types of memory. It is understood that computers, processors, microprocessor controllers, or programmable hardware include storage components capable of storing or receiving software or computer code. When the software or computer code is accessed and executed by the computer, processor, or hardware, the vehicle windshield wiper control method shown in the above embodiments is implemented.

[0144] A portion of this invention can be applied as a computer program product, such as computer program instructions, which, when executed by a computer, can invoke or provide the methods and / or technical solutions according to the invention through the operation of the computer. Those skilled in the art will understand that the forms in which computer program instructions exist in a computer-readable medium include, but are not limited to, source files, executable files, installation package files, etc. Correspondingly, the ways in which computer program instructions are executed by a computer include, but are not limited to: the computer directly executing the instructions, or the computer compiling the instructions and then executing the corresponding compiled program, or the computer reading and executing the instructions, or the computer reading and installing the instructions and then executing the corresponding installed program. Here, the computer-readable medium can be any available computer-readable storage medium or communication medium accessible to a computer.

[0145] Although embodiments of the invention have been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and such modifications and variations all fall within the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a vehicle windshield wiper, characterized in that, The method includes: In response to the wiper activation command, the sensor is triggered to detect the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle, wherein the first obstacle is a structural component that poses a critical interference risk along the swing trajectory of the wiper when it is making the maximum angle reciprocating wiping motion; The current wiping angle of the windshield wiper is corrected using the real-time distance to obtain the target wiping angle; The wipers are controlled to wipe at the target wiping angle so that there is no collision or interference between the wiper blades and the first obstacle.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sensor includes a main sensor disposed on the first obstacle and a slave sensor disposed at the location where the wiper blade is parked.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of responding to a wiper activation command and triggering a sensor to detect the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle includes: In response to the wiper activation command, the main sensor is triggered to detect the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle; If the sensing area of ​​the main sensor fails to stably capture the metal sensing end of the wiper blade and has no effective trigger level signal within multiple consecutive wiping cycles, the main sensor is deemed to have failed to detect, and the main sensor is switched to the slave sensor, which is then used to detect the real-time distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of correcting the current wiping angle of the windshield wiper using the real-time distance to obtain the target wiping angle includes: Obtain the first angle correction amount corresponding to the real-time distance; The first angle correction amount is superimposed on the initial wiping angle value currently configured for the windshield wiper to obtain the target wiping angle.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first angle correction amount includes a first adjustment amount and a second adjustment amount; the target brush angle includes a first target brush angle and a second target brush angle; The step of superimposing the first angle correction amount with the initial wiping angle value currently configured for the windshield wiper to obtain the target wiping angle includes: If the real-time distance is within the first distance interval, the first angle adjustment step size corresponding to the first distance interval is determined as the first adjustment amount, and the first adjustment amount and the initial wiping angle value are superimposed to obtain the first target wiping angle of the wiper. If the real-time distance is within the second distance interval, the second angle adjustment step size corresponding to the second distance interval is determined as the second adjustment amount, and the second adjustment amount and the initial wiping angle value are superimposed to obtain the second target wiping angle of the wiper. Wherein, the first distance interval is greater than the second distance interval, and the first angle adjustment step size is greater than the second angle adjustment step size.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wiper blade is located at the end of the wiper arm of the wiper. Controlling the wiper to wipe at the target wiping angle so that there is no collision or interference between the wiper blade and the first obstacle includes: The wiper blade is controlled to maintain a real-time distance from the first obstacle within the target distance range that will not cause collision or interference during the full stroke of the wiper blade at the target wiping angle.

7. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: If both the main sensor and the slave sensor fail, the wiper is controlled to enter the first working mode. After entering the first working mode, the pose parameters before failure are obtained when the main sensor and / or the slave sensor last detected the wiper blade and the first obstacle. The pre-failure pose parameters are narrowed, and the wipers are controlled to wipe according to the narrowed pre-failure pose parameters, so that the distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle is stably maintained within the target distance range where no collision interference occurs.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The pose parameters prior to failure include the starting position and the brush angle prior to failure; the limitation of the pose parameters prior to failure includes: The starting position before failure is narrowed down by using the mechanical wear condition of the windshield wiper to obtain the narrowed starting position before failure. The brush angle before failure is limited by the rainfall intensity to obtain the limited brush angle before failure.

9. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The wiper also includes a wiper motor, and the method further includes: If the main sensor fails to receive the trigger signal of the wiper blade stably within a preset number of consecutive times, and / or the trigger signal does not match the position angle data inside the wiper motor, then the relationship curve between the operating current of the wiper motor and the operating position of the wiper is obtained. The relationship curve is compared with the snow accumulation condition characteristic curve to determine whether to activate the second working mode of the windshield wipers. If so, then determine the second wiping angle value corresponding to the second working mode, and control the wiper to adjust the wiping angle according to the second wiping angle value, so that the distance between the wiper blade and the first obstacle is maintained within the target distance range where no collision or interference will occur.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The step of comparing the relationship curve with the snow accumulation condition characteristic curve to determine whether to activate the second working mode of the windshield wipers includes: The relationship curve is compared with the snow accumulation condition characteristic curve. The second working mode is activated when the relationship curve meets one of the following conditions: The operating current of the wiper motor is higher than the standard current threshold at the preset stroke point, and the operating current remains higher than the standard current threshold for multiple consecutive wiping cycles without falling back to the normal range. And / or, the actual change in the operating position of the windshield wiper within a unit time is less than a preset stroke change threshold, and the deviation between the actual change and the preset stroke change threshold exceeds a preset deviation range; And / or, when the wiper is in the downward return stroke, the operating current of the wiper motor is higher than the operating current threshold during the standard return stroke, and the deviation between the actual parking position of the wiper blade after it stops and the preset parking position is greater than the preset position deviation threshold.

11. A vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicle includes a controller and a windshield wiper. The controller includes a memory and a processor, which are communicatively connected. The memory stores computer instructions, and the processor executes the computer instructions to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 10.

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