Method for operating a vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a vehicle (1), wherein: when the vehicle (1) is parked, temperature and weather behaviours are monitored; at least one windscreen wiper (3) of the vehicle (1) is automatically activated in order to remove condensation from a windscreen (2) and / or another window of the vehicle (1); the temperature and weather conditions and the temporal progression thereof to be expected at the current location are measured by means of a sensor system (5) and / or using information from a cloud (6) that is available via a wireless communication interface (7); this information is used to determine whether and when it is to be expected that condensation water will form and this condensation water will freeze on the windscreen (2) and / or the other window; in this case, a point in time is determined at which a wiping motion of the windscreen wiper (3) can easily remove the condensation water before it can freeze; a wiping motion is carried out at the determined point in time.

Description

[0001] Method for operating a vehicle

[0002] The invention relates to a method for operating a vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0003] After a cold night, a vehicle's windshield may be covered with ice, caused by condensed water or residual precipitation freezing. The driver must defrost the windshield or scrape off the ice. Some drivers start the engine or another windshield heat source without driving off, resulting in unnecessary emissions or energy consumption. Such a cold night could, for example, be a scenario where the vehicle was left warm in the evening during winter, and the ambient temperature dropped below 0°C overnight.

[0004] US 2017 / 253201 A1 describes the detection of an environmental condition outside a vehicle using a camera or sensor. A message about the environmental condition can be sent to a remote device via a telematics system. In response to the message, a command can be received from the remote device via the telematics system, the command relating to a vehicle system of the vehicle. The command can be transmitted to the vehicle system to cause preconditioning of the vehicle.

[0005] The invention is based on the object of providing a novel method for operating a vehicle with which ice scraping can be avoided.

[0006] The object is achieved according to the invention by a method for operating a vehicle having the features of claim 1.

[0007] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims. A method for operating a vehicle is proposed, wherein temperature and weather conditions are monitored while the vehicle is parked, and at least one windshield wiper of the vehicle is automatically activated to remove condensate or residual moisture from a windshield and / or another window of the vehicle after precipitation.According to the invention, the temperature and weather conditions and their expected temporal progression at the current location are determined by means of a sensor system and / or via information from a cloud available via a wireless communication interface, wherein this information is used to determine whether and when condensation is expected to form and freeze on the windshield and / or the other pane, wherein in this case a point in time is determined at which a wiping movement of the windshield wiper can easily remove the condensation before it can freeze, wherein a wiping movement is carried out at the determined point in time.

[0008] Multiple wiper activation within one night or parking period is conceivable.

[0009] The solution according to the invention prevents ice scraping from the windshield and / or other panes and damage to the wiper blades, improving driver comfort and optimizing vehicle availability. Water, especially on the windshield (and / or another pane, such as a rear window), is removed before it freezes, but has already condensed from the environment or reached the pane via precipitation.

[0010] In particular, the invention avoids the need for direct measurement of water or observation of the vehicle condition on the relevant windows and a targeted activation of the wiper based solely on this.

[0011] The invention overcomes limitations of current technology of vehicle-limited rain sensing (locality, measuring principle, learning).

[0012] Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing.

[0013] Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a vehicle with a windshield, at least one windshield wiper and a control unit.

[0014] The sole figure 1 is a schematic view of a vehicle 1 with a windshield 2, at least one windshield wiper 3 and a control unit 4.

[0015] The control unit 4 of the vehicle 1, in particular a parked vehicle, monitors the temperature and weather conditions and their expected temporal progression at the current location using suitable sensors 5 and / or information from a cloud 6 available via a wireless communication interface 7 and determines whether and when condensation is expected to form and / or whether and when the condensation on the windshield 2 is expected to freeze. Based on this determined information, the control unit 4 and / or the cloud 6 identifies a time, typically (but not exclusively) at night, at which a wiping movement of the windshield wiper 3 can easily remove the condensation before it can freeze. This time can be determined, for example, using trained artificial intelligence or another type of estimation of the optimal time. The calculation can be performed in the control unit 4 and / or in the cloud 6.

[0016] This process can, for example, be carried out several times in succession if new condensation has formed. The observation is not limited to one night, but can, if necessary, be coordinated with the operational planning of vehicle 1. It can be provided that a driver of vehicle 1 is informed wirelessly on a mobile device, e.g. a smartphone, about the planned wiping process and is asked for consent, whereby the wiping process only takes place if the driver has given their consent by entering a value on the mobile device. It can be provided that consent is given for the currently planned wiping process for a longer period of time or for an entire night and / or parking phase. A preselection and / or confirmation can also be made in vehicle 1 as to whether the function should be carried out.

[0017] This function may be active in particular under certain expected weather conditions, for example, when temperatures are below 10 °C when the vehicle is parked and subsequently below 0 °C. The information and / or confirmation request from the driver at the beginning of the parking process may be specifically dependent on the expected weather conditions at the location or location-specific information.

[0018] It can be provided that the control unit 4 receives information about current and / or expected precipitation, in particular rain or snow, via the sensor system 5 and / or information from the cloud 6, and is configured not to wipe during continuous precipitation. Instead, wiping should occur, particularly in the case of condensation from natural air humidity or residual moisture after the precipitation has ended.

[0019] The method can be applied alternatively or additionally to another windscreen equipped with a windscreen wiper.

[0020] The vehicle can be, for example, a commercial vehicle or a passenger car.

[0021] List of reference symbols Vehicle Windshield Windscreen wiper Control unit Sensors Cloud Wireless communication interface

Claims

Patent claims 1. A method for operating a vehicle (1), wherein, when the vehicle (1) is parked, temperature and weather conditions are monitored, wherein at least one windshield wiper (3) of the vehicle (1) is automatically operated to remove condensate or residual precipitation from a windshield (2) and / or another window of the vehicle (1), characterized in that the temperature and weather conditions and their expected temporal progression at the current location are determined by means of a sensor system (5) and / or via information from a cloud (6) available via a wireless communication interface (7), wherein, based on this information, it is determined whether and when condensation is expected to form and freeze on the windshield (2) and / or the other window, wherein, in this case, a time is determined at which a wiping movement of the windshield wiper (3) can easily remove the condensate,before it can freeze, whereby a wiping motion is carried out at the determined time.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the time is determined by means of a trained artificial intelligence or another type of estimation of the optimal time, wherein in particular the direct detection of moisture on the pane can be dispensed with and no human interaction is required at this time.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a request for consent for the planned wiping process is sent via a user interaction directly in the vehicle (1) and / or to a mobile device, wherein the wiping process only takes place if the consent was given by input during user interaction in the vehicle (1) or on the mobile device.

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the consent is requested and / or granted for the currently planned wiping process, for a longer period or for an entire night and / or parking phase, wherein in particular monitoring or supervision of the specific wiping process is not required.

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that wiping operations are carried out at temperatures of less than 10 °C after the vehicle has been parked (1) and when temperatures are subsequently expected to be below 0 °C.

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that no wiping operations are carried out during continuous precipitation.

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