Method and device for detecting water, ice and / or snow on vehicles

Abstract

A device (2) for detecting water (10), ice (14) and / or snow (12) on vehicles (1), in particular on utility vehicles, comprises at least one infrared sensor (4, 5), in particular a thermal imaging camera (4, 5), which is designed to capture at least one thermal image (15, 15a, 15b) of at least one surface (3) of a vehicle (1), and an evaluation device (6) which is designed to evaluate the at least one thermal image (15, 15a, 15b) in order to identify deposits of water (10), ice (14) and / or snow (12) on the at least one surface (3) of the vehicle (1).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] title

[0003] The invention relates to a method and a device for detecting accumulations of water, ice and / or snow on vehicles, in particular on commercial vehicles.

[0004] State of the art

[0005] Motor vehicles, especially trucks (HGVs), are exposed to the risk of accumulations of water, ice and / or snow on surfaces such as the roof of the towing vehicle and the trailers or semi-trailers.

[0006] Large amounts of liquid can accumulate, especially on trailers equipped with plastic tarpaulins, and can freeze into sheets of ice in cold weather. In winter or transitional periods, it's also not uncommon for large amounts of snow to accumulate on the trailer and also freeze into a layer of ice.

[0007] The danger of these accumulations dislodging uncontrollably while driving poses a significant road safety risk. Other vehicles may be struck by the falling accumulations and / or drivers' visibility may be impaired.

[0008] In addition, large amounts of snow and ice can destabilize the trailer and increase fuel consumption. For commercial vehicles in particular, it is therefore mandatory to thoroughly check the vehicle for any accumulation of water, ice, and / or snow before setting off.

[0009] For automated vehicles, too, daily departure checks and additional condition monitoring will remain in place or even be increased in scope, both from a legal perspective and in the operator's own interest.

[0010] Until now, the vehicle has been checked manually or visually by the driver.

[0011] This is time-consuming and error-prone, as the driver may overlook accumulations of water, ice, and / or snow on the vehicle, especially on the roof.

[0012] It is therefore an object of the invention to improve the detection of accumulations of water, ice and / or snow on vehicles; in particular, to simplify and make it more reliable.

[0013] Disclosure of the invention

[0014] The invention comprises a method for detecting water, ice, and / or snow on vehicles, in particular commercial vehicles. The method comprises recording at least one thermal image of at least one surface of a vehicle and mechanically evaluating the at least one thermal image to identify deposits of water, ice, and / or snow on the at least one surface of the vehicle.

[0015] The invention also encompasses a device for detecting water, ice, and / or snow on vehicles, in particular commercial vehicles. A device according to the invention comprises at least one infrared sensor, for example a thermal imaging camera. The infrared sensor is designed to record at least one thermal image of at least one surface of a vehicle. A device according to the invention also encompasses an evaluation device designed to evaluate the at least one thermal image in order to identify deposits of water, ice, and / or snow on the at least one surface of the vehicle.

[0016] A method and device according to the invention enable the automated detection of accumulations of water, ice, and / or snow on motor vehicles. Detection can thus be carried out reliably and quickly, i.e., without any noticeable loss of time. Human errors or negligence during detection can be avoided, and the results can be documented and stored electronically.

[0017] In one embodiment, the method comprises capturing at least one thermal image while the vehicle passes by. The method can thus be carried out particularly quickly and conveniently.

[0018] In one embodiment, the method comprises machine-specific recognition of patterns in the at least one thermal image in order to identify deposits of water, ice, and / or snow in the at least one thermal image. Accordingly, in this embodiment, a device according to the invention is designed to recognize specific patterns in the at least one thermal image in order to identify deposits of water, ice, and / or snow in the at least one thermal image. In this way, the method according to the invention can be carried out without requiring additional information about the vehicle being examined.

[0019] In one embodiment, the method comprises additionally using reference information about the at least one surface when evaluating the at least one thermal image. In this way, the reliability of the method can be further improved.

[0020] In one embodiment, the reference information includes information from thermal images of the at least one surface taken during the current pass of the vehicle. Such reference information can be generated and used currently without the vehicle being known. In one embodiment, the reference information includes information from thermal images of the at least one surface taken during at least one previous pass of the vehicle. By using information from previous pass of the vehicle, the reliability of the method can be further improved.

[0021] In one embodiment, the reference information includes information from thermal images of the at least one surface acquired during at least one pass-by of another vehicle. By using information from previous pass-bys of an identical or similar vehicle, the reliability of the method can be improved, even if no information from previous pass-bys of the same vehicle is available.

[0022] In one embodiment, the reference information includes information describing the vehicle, in particular its structure. Using such information can improve the reliability of the method, especially if no information from previous vehicle passages is available.

[0023] In one embodiment, the method comprises applying thermal energy to the at least one surface of the vehicle. In one embodiment, a device according to the invention comprises at least one energy source configured to apply thermal energy to the at least one surface.

[0024] By applying thermal energy to at least one surface of the vehicle, accumulations of water, ice, and / or snow can be made to stand out even better from the surroundings in a thermal image of the vehicle, particularly when the vehicle has cooled down significantly after a cold night. This can further improve the reliability of the method, particularly in extremely cold vehicles. In one embodiment, the thermal energy is applied to the at least one surface by means of at least one air jet and / or at least one water jet.

[0025] In one embodiment, the thermal energy is applied to the at least one surface by means of at least one electromagnetic radiation source. The electromagnetic radiation source can in particular be an infrared radiation source and / or a laser light source.

[0026] In one embodiment, the thermal energy is applied to the at least one surface at a constant rate over time. Applying thermal energy to the at least one surface of the vehicle at a constant rate over time can be implemented particularly simply and cost-effectively.

[0027] In one embodiment, the thermal energy is applied to the at least one surface in a time-varying manner, particularly in a time-varying or periodic manner. A time-varying application of thermal energy to the at least one surface of the vehicle makes it possible to distinguish between solid accumulations, e.g., ice, and liquid accumulations, e.g., water, on the surface of the vehicle.

[0028] In one embodiment, the method comprises applying electromagnetic radiation, in particular infrared radiation, with at least two different frequency spectra to the at least one surface and evaluating the electromagnetic radiation reflected from the surface. For this purpose, a device according to the invention has at least two radiation sources designed to apply electromagnetic radiation, in particular infrared radiation, with at least two different frequency spectra to the at least one surface.

[0029] Water, ice, snow, and non-water-based materials, such as the material from which the vehicle's roof is made, can be reliably distinguished from one another in this way, as they have different absorption behaviors toward infrared radiation. In one embodiment, the method comprises storing the results of the inspection of each vehicle for documentation purposes, in particular storing them electronically.

[0030] In one embodiment, a device according to the invention comprises a storage device which makes it possible to store, in particular electronically, the results of the inspection of each vehicle for documentation purposes.

[0031] Alternatively or additionally, the results of the review can be transferred to a central server, to a virtual cloud and / or to a fleet management system and stored and / or evaluated there.

[0032] Short description of the characters

[0033] Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of a vehicle and a device for detecting water, ice and / or snow, which is designed according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0034] Figure 2 shows the roof of the vehicle with accumulations of water, ice and snow in a schematic view from above.

[0035] Figure 3A shows a schematic representation of the roof of a vehicle with an accumulation of snow on it.

[0036] Figure 3B shows a schematic representation of a thermal image of a portion of the roof of the vehicle shown in Figure 3A, as provided by a thermal imaging camera.

[0037] Figure 4A shows a schematic representation of the roof of a vehicle with an accumulation of ice on it.

[0038] Figure 4B shows a schematic representation of a thermal image of a portion of the vehicle roof shown in Figure 4A, as provided by a thermal imaging camera. Figure 4C illustrates how two thermal images provided by a thermal imaging camera of the device are evaluated.

[0039] Figure 5 shows a schematic side view of a vehicle and a device according to the invention according to a modified embodiment of the invention.

[0040] Figure 6A shows a schematic representation of the roof of a vehicle with an accumulation of ice on it.

[0041] Figure 6B shows a thermal image of a portion of the vehicle roof shown in Figure 6A.

[0042] Figure 6C shows a thermal image of a portion of the roof of the vehicle shown in Figure 6A, as provided by a thermal imaging camera after a temporally constant application of thermal energy to the roof of the vehicle.

[0043] Figure 6D shows a thermal image of a portion of the roof of the vehicle shown in Figure 6A, as provided by a thermal imaging camera after a time-varying application of thermal energy to the roof of the vehicle.

[0044] Figure 7A shows a schematic representation of the roof of a vehicle on which there is an accumulation of water.

[0045] Figure 7B shows a thermal image of the roof of the vehicle shown in Figure 7A, as provided by a thermal imaging camera after a temporally constant imprinting of thermal energy into the surface as the vehicle passes by.

[0046] Figure 7C shows a thermal image of the vehicle roof shown in Figure 7A, as provided by a thermal imaging camera after a time-varying imprint of thermal energy on the surface as the vehicle passes by. Figure 8 shows a schematic side view of a vehicle and device for detecting water, ice, and / or snow according to another embodiment of the invention.

[0047] Character description

[0048] Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of a vehicle 1 and a device 2 according to the invention for detecting accumulations of water 10, ice 14 and / or snow 12 on the vehicle 1.

[0049] Vehicle 1 can, for example, be a truck with a tractor unit 1a, with or without a trailer or semi-trailer 1b, as shown in Figure 1. Vehicle 1 can also be a car, a bus, or another commercial vehicle. Vehicle 1 can also be a rail-bound vehicle or an aircraft.

[0050] The roof 3 of the vehicle 1 is an example of a surface 3 of the vehicle 1 on which accumulations of water 10, ice 14, and snow 12 are located. Figure 2 shows the roof 3 of the vehicle 1 with the accumulations of water 10, ice 14, and snow 12 in a schematic view from above.

[0051] The device 2 for detecting accumulations of water 10, ice 14, and / or snow 12 comprises at least one infrared sensor 4 for detecting infrared radiation. The at least one infrared sensor 4 can, in particular, be a thermal imaging camera 4, which is provided and configured to capture thermal images of the vehicle 1.

[0052] In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the at least one infrared sensor 4 or the thermal imaging camera 4 is arranged above the vehicle 1 in order to record thermal images of the top or roof 3 of the vehicle 1 while the vehicle 1 passes under the thermal imaging camera 4 in a direction of travel F.

[0053] The thermal imaging camera 4 can be mounted on a tripod or column 8, as shown in Figure 1. The thermal imaging camera 4 can also be mounted on a portal, on a ceiling, or on a wall of a measuring station or vehicle hall, which are not shown in the figures.

[0054] The device 2 further comprises an evaluation device 6, which is provided and designed to evaluate the thermal images provided by the thermal imaging camera 4 in order to mechanically detect accumulations of water 10, ice 14 and / or snow 12 on the roof 3 of the vehicle 1.

[0055] Optionally, the evaluation device 6 may comprise a storage device 7 which is designed to store, in particular electronically, the results of the inspection of each vehicle for documentation purposes.

[0056] The automatic detection of accumulations of water 10, ice 14, and / or snow 12 on the roof 3 of the vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the invention is described below using snow 12 as an example. The described method is also analogously applicable to the detection of accumulations of water 10 and / or ice 14 on the vehicle 1.

[0057] Figure 3A shows a schematic view of the roof 3 of the vehicle 1 from above. On the roof 3 is an accumulation of snow 12.

[0058] Figure 3B shows a schematic representation of a thermal image 15 of a region of the roof 3 of the vehicle 1 shown in Figure 3A, as provided by the thermal imaging camera 4.

[0059] The accumulation of snow 12 is clearly visible in the thermal image 15 as a cold area 12a, which has a significantly lower temperature than the area of ​​the roof 3 surrounding the accumulation of snow 12, for example, a plastic sheet 17. The accumulation of snow 12 stands out clearly from the surrounding area of ​​the roof 3, so that the pattern or contour of the accumulation of snow 12 is clearly visible and identifiable in the thermal image 15.

[0060] If the roof 3 of the vehicle 1 is formed by a plastic tarpaulin 17 which is supported by a metallic support structure 16, the contours of the cold metallic support structure 16 are also clearly visible in the thermal image 15.

[0061] The evaluation device 6 detects, using a suitable algorithm for pattern recognition, which may, for example, also include the use of a neural network, patterns that indicate the presence of accumulations of water 10, ice 14 and / or snow 12 on the roof 3 of the vehicle 1.

[0062] An essential feature of this embodiment of the invention, in which no additional information about the vehicle 1 is present or used, is the recognition of characteristic patterns in the thermal image 15, which are characteristic of the presence of accumulations of water 10, ice 14 and / or snow 12 and allow these to be recognized.

[0063] A further embodiment of the invention, which includes the use of additional information about the vehicle 1, is described below with reference to Figures 4A to 4C using the example of the detection of an accumulation of ice 14.

[0064] Figure 4A shows a schematic view of the roof 3 of the vehicle 1 from above. On the roof 3 there is an accumulation of ice 14, for example, an ice sheet.

[0065] Figure 4B shows a schematic representation of a thermal image 15 of a region of the roof 3 of the vehicle 1 shown in Figure 4A, as provided by the thermal imaging camera 4.

[0066] The accumulation of ice 14 formed on the roof 3 of the vehicle 1 is partially captured by the thermal image 15. However, the contour of the accumulation of ice 14 does not stand out from the equally cold metallic support structure 16 of the roof 3. The plastic sheet 17 of the roof 3 has a slightly elevated temperature, but the accumulation of ice 14 does not stand out clearly from the surroundings in the thermal image 15. In this exemplary embodiment of the invention, additional information, also referred to as "reference information," is therefore used to identify the accumulation of ice 14 in the thermal image 15. Such reference information may, for example, include the following information:

[0067] - Thermal images 15 created shortly before, which were created and stored during the current passage of the vehicle 1 under the thermal imaging camera 4; and / or

[0068] - Image data from thermal images 15 and / or their evaluation, which were generated and stored during a previous passage of the same vehicle 1 under the thermal imaging camera 4. The thermal images 15 can show the vehicle 1 either as a combination of tractor 1a and trailer or semi-trailer

[0069] 1 b, only the tractor 1 a or only the trailer or semi-trailer 1 b, depending on which part of the image is relevant; and / or

[0070] - image data from thermal images 15 and their evaluation, which were recorded during a previous passage of another, similar vehicle 1, in particular a vehicle of the same construction, under the thermal imaging camera 4; and / or

[0071] - Data describing the vehicle 1. The data describing the vehicle 1 can, for example, contain information about whether the vehicle 1 has cross struts in the roof area, if applicable, information about their width, the heat capacity and / or an expected temperature profile, in particular an expected temperature pattern on the roof 3 of the vehicle 1.

[0072] With reference to Figure 4C, it will now be described how two thermal images 15a, 15b, which have been provided by the thermal imaging camera 4 of the device 2, are evaluated in a method according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0073] In this embodiment, a first thermal image 15a is used as a reference or

[0074] Auxiliary information is used. Additionally or alternatively, by comparing the current thermal images 15a, 15b with the results of previous measurements and / or by utilizing the knowledge that the semitrailer 1b has only continuous, long metal planks in the roof area, it can be determined that the contour of the ice accumulation 14, which is clearly visible in the second thermal image 15b, does not belong to the normal thermal pattern behavior of the roof 3 of the vehicle 1.

[0075] In this way, it can also be reliably detected in this case that there is a cold, abnormal occurrence on the roof 3 of the vehicle 1, caused, for example, by an accumulation of snow 12 or, as in this case, ice 14. This evaluation is performed by the evaluation device 6.

[0076] A further embodiment of the invention, which comprises actively applying heat energy to the roof 3 of the vehicle 1, is described below with reference to Figures 5 and 6A to 6D.

[0077] Figure 5 shows, like Figure 1, a schematic side view of a vehicle 1 and a device 2 according to the invention for detecting water 10, ice 14 and / or snow 12 on the vehicle 1.

[0078] Those features shown in Figure 5 that correspond to the features shown in Figure 1 are provided with the same reference numerals and will not be described again here. The statements regarding Figure 1 apply accordingly to these features.

[0079] The device shown in Figure 5 for detecting water 10, ice 14 and / or snow 12 on the vehicle 1 additionally has an energy source 18 which is designed to apply thermal energy to the roof 3 of the vehicle 1.

[0080] The energy source 18 is particularly intended and designed to apply thermal energy via an energy transmission channel 20 to the affected surface 3, in particular the roof 3, of the vehicle 1 or to the objects located on the surface 3, in particular accumulations of water 10, ice 14 and / or snow 12. This causes a change in the temperature of the relevant surface 3, and the thermal image 15 of the

[0081] Surface 3 has better contrast

[0082] The energy source 18 can, for example, be implemented according to one of the following options:

[0083] - The energy source 18 can emit an air jet 20 which has a temperature which differs from the ambient temperature, e.g. hot air or cold air, so that a heat flow is created and the surface 3 in question is noticeably heated or cooled;

[0084] - the energy source 18 can emit a water jet 20 which, similar to the previously mentioned air jet, leads to a temperature change of the relevant surface 3; and / or

[0085] - the energy source 18 can be an electromagnetic radiation source 18 which is designed to emit a light beam 20, in particular an infrared light beam and / or a laser light beam, which is generated, for example, by a light bulb, an LED, a laser or a heating element and which heats the surface 3 in question.

[0086] Due to the energy input from the energy source 18, the surface 3 heats up according to the amount of energy input and the heat capacity of the material absorbing the energy input. Since the heat capacity varies depending on the vehicle area and the presence of water 10, ice 14, and snow 12, this can increase the contrast and thus segment the presence of water 10, ice 14, and snow 12 in the thermal image 15.

[0087] The energy input generated by the energy source 18 can be a temporally constant energy input, i.e. an energy input which is designed such that the entire observed surface 3, for example the roof 3, of the vehicle 1, in the direction of the vehicle's longitudinal axis of the vehicle 1, experiences essentially the same energy input per area when passing through. Alternatively, the energy input generated by the energy source 18 can be a temporally varying energy input. The temporally varying energy input can in particular be controlled such that an energy input pattern is imprinted on the relevant surface 3 of the vehicle 1. A temporally varying energy input makes it possible to draw conclusions about the occurrence, for example the shape and / or the material, of the relevant surface 3 and of accumulations on this surface from a measured temperature change, taking into account the temporally varying energy input.

[0088] An embodiment of a method according to the invention with varying energy input is described below with reference to Figures 6A to 6D.

[0089] Figure 6A shows a schematic view of the roof 3 of the vehicle 1 from above. On the roof 3 there is an accumulation of ice 14, for example, an ice sheet.

[0090] Figure 6B shows a thermal image 15 of a region of the roof 3 of the vehicle 1 shown in Figure 6A, which was acquired at night immediately after the vehicle 1 was started using a passive method as described above. In this thermal image 15, the entire image area has a homogeneous temperature, so that the contour of the accumulation of ice 14 located on the roof 3 is not visible in the thermal image 15.

[0091] Figure 6C shows a thermal image 15 as provided by the thermal imaging camera 4 after a temporally constant application of thermal energy to the roof 3 of the vehicle 1. Since the plastic tarpaulin 17 of the roof 3 of the trailer 1b heats up faster than the metallic support structure 16 and the ice 14 upon application of heat, the contour of the accumulation of ice 14 is clearly visible in the thermal image 15.

[0092] Figure 6D shows a thermal image 15 as provided by the thermal imaging camera 4 after a timed application of thermal energy to the roof 3 of the vehicle 1. Figure 6D also shows that the areas of the plastic tarpaulin 17 into which the energy is applied heat up more quickly than the areas where the metallic support structure 16 of the trailer 1b is formed. The ice 14 of the ice sheet also heats up more slowly than the plastic tarpaulin 17.

[0093] The two methods illustrated in Figures 6C and 6D, with constant and time-based heat input, respectively, provide comparable information about the shape and location of the ice accumulation 14 on the roof 3 of the trailer 1b. In both thermal images 15, there is a central area that has warmed more slowly than its surroundings. This area indicates the presence of an accumulation of water 10, ice 14, and / or snow 12.

[0094] Figure 6D, which illustrates a process with time-based heat input, also shows that the different regions do not blend together, but rather their geometric shape is very well preserved. This is clearly evident, for example, in the contours of the lines that delimit the accumulation of ice 14.

[0095] By means of a time-varying application of energy or a short-term heating of the surface in question, it can be determined mechanically whether the surface in question is the surface of a liquid, in particular water 10, or the surface of a solid structure, such as ice 14.

[0096] For this purpose, it is evaluated whether the contour of the imprint of energy remains constant over time, or whether the contour of the imprint changes or dissolves quickly due to the movement of the fluid and / or convection.

[0097] An example of this effect is illustrated in Figures 7A to 7C.

[0098] Figure 7A shows a schematic view of the roof 3 of the vehicle 1 from above. On the roof 3, there is a collection of water 10.

[0099] Figure 7B shows a thermal image 15 of the roof 3 shown in Figure 7A, as provided by the thermal imaging camera 4 after a temporally constant application of thermal energy while the vehicle 1 passes by.

[0100] In the thermal image 15 shown in Figure 7B, the rapidly heating plastic sheet 17 is clearly distinguishable from the metallic support structure 16 and the accumulation of water 10 on the roof 3, which heat up less quickly. The geometric shape of the accumulation of water 10 is clearly visible. However, it is not clear whether the detected accumulation is an accumulation of snow 12 or an accumulation of water 10.

[0101] Figure 7C shows the thermal image 15 of the thermal imaging camera 4 after a time-varying or clocked application of thermal energy while the vehicle 1 passes by.

[0102] In the thermal image 15, the plastic tarpaulin 17 and the metallic supporting structure 16 of the vehicle 1 show a similar line pattern as in Figure 6D.

[0103] In the accumulation of water 10, however, the imprinted heat is rapidly distributed by convection and / or movement of the water 10. Therefore, no line pattern is visible in the thermal image 15 in the area of ​​the accumulation of water 10; rather, the area of ​​the accumulation of water 10 appears in the thermal image 15 as an area with (essentially) constant temperature.

[0104] From the absence of the line pattern, it can be concluded that the accumulation is the accumulation of a liquid, in particular an accumulation of water 10.

[0105] A further embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to Figures 8 and 9.

[0106] Figure 8, like Figures 1 and 5, shows a schematic side view of a vehicle 1 and a device 2 according to the invention for detecting water 10, ice 14, and / or snow 12 on the vehicle 1. Those features shown in Figure 8 that correspond to the features shown in Figures 1 and 5 are provided with the same reference numerals and will not be described again here. The previous statements regarding Figures 1 and 5 apply accordingly to these features.

[0107] The device 2 shown in Figure 8 has two energy sources 18, 19 and two infrared light sensors, e.g. two thermal imaging cameras 4, 5.

[0108] The two energy sources 18, 19 are intended and designed to radiate electromagnetic radiation, in particular infrared light, of different wavelengths, ie electromagnetic radiation with different frequency spectra, onto the roof 3 of the vehicle 1.

[0109] The infrared light sensors / thermal imaging cameras 4, 5 are designed to detect the radiation reflected by the roof 3 of the vehicle 1 or by the accumulations of water 10, ice 14 and / or snow 12 formed on the roof 3 of the vehicle 1.

[0110] The evaluation device 6 determines the absorption behavior of the surface 3 of the vehicle 1 as a function of the wavelength or frequency f of the electromagnetic radiation from the sensor signals provided by the infrared light sensors 4, 5 and information about the control of the two energy sources 18, 19.

[0111] Since water 10, ice 14, snow 12 and non-water-based materials, such as the material from which the roof 3 is made, have different absorption behaviors towards infrared radiation, they can be reliably distinguished from each other in this way.

Claims

1. A method for detecting water (10), ice (14) and / or snow (12) on vehicles (1), in particular on commercial vehicles, the method comprising: recording at least one thermal image (15, 15a, 15b) of at least one surface (3) of a vehicle (1); and mechanically evaluating the at least one thermal image (15, 15a, 15b) in order to identify deposits of water (10), ice (14) and / or snow (12) on the at least one surface (3) of the vehicle (1).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises taking the at least one thermal image (15, 15a, 15b) while the vehicle (1) passes by.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the method comprises detecting machine-specific patterns in the at least one thermal image (15, 15a, 15b) in order to detect deposits of water (10), ice (14) and / or snow (12) in the at least one thermal image (15, 15a, 15b).

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises using reference information about the at least one surface (3) when evaluating the at least one thermal image (15, 15a, 15b); wherein the reference information in particular comprises: Information from thermal images of the at least one surface (3) taken during the current passage of the vehicle (1); and / or Information from thermal images of the at least one surface (3) taken during at least one previous pass of the vehicle (1); and / or Information from thermal images of the at least one surface (3) taken during at least one passing of another vehicle (1); and / or Information describing the vehicle (1).

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises applying thermal energy to the at least one surface (3).

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the method comprises applying the thermal energy to the at least one surface (3) by means of at least one air jet (20) and / or by means of at least one water jet (20) and / or by means of at least one electromagnetic radiation source (18); wherein the electromagnetic radiation source (18) comprises, in particular, an infrared radiation source and / or a laser light source.

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the method comprises applying the thermal energy to the at least one surface (3) in a time-constant or time-varying manner.

8. Method according to one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the method comprises applying electromagnetic radiation (20), in particular infrared radiation, with at least two different frequency spectra to the at least one surface (3) and evaluating the electromagnetic radiation reflected by the surface (3).

9. Device (2) for detecting water (10), ice (14) and / or snow (12) on vehicles (1), in particular on commercial vehicles, the device (2) comprising: at least one infrared sensor (4, 5), in particular a thermal imaging camera (4, 5), which is designed to record at least one thermal image (15, 15a, 15b) of at least one surface (3) of a vehicle (1); and an evaluation device (6) which is designed to evaluate the at least one thermal image (15, 15a, 15b) in order to identify deposits of water (10), ice (14) and / or snow (12) on the at least one surface (3) of the vehicle (1).

10. Device (2) according to claim 9, wherein the device (2) is designed to detect specific patterns in the at least one thermal image (15, 15a, 15b) in order to detect deposits of water (10), ice (14) and / or snow (12) in the at least one thermal image (15, 15a, 15b).

11. Device (2) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the device (2) is designed to use reference information about the at least one surface (3) when evaluating the at least one thermal image (15, 15a, 15b); wherein the reference information in particular comprises: Information from thermal images (15, 15a, 15b) of the at least one surface (3) recorded during the current passage of the vehicle (1); and / or Information from thermal images (15, 15a, 15b) of the at least one surface (3) recorded during at least one previous passage of the vehicle (1); and / or Information from thermal images (15, 15a, 15b) of the at least one surface (3) recorded during at least one passing of another vehicle (1); and / or Information describing the vehicle (1).

12. Device (2) according to one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the device has at least one energy source (18) which is designed to apply thermal energy to the at least one surface (3).

13. Device (2) according to claim 12, wherein the at least one energy source (18) is designed to apply the thermal energy to the at least one surface (3) by means of at least one air jet (20), by means of at least one water jet (20), and / or by means of an electromagnetic radiation source (18); wherein the electromagnetic radiation source (18) comprises in particular an infrared radiation source and / or a laser light source.

14. Device (2) according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the at least one The energy source (18) is designed to apply the thermal energy to the at least one surface (3) in a temporally constant or temporally varying manner.

15. The device (2) according to one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the device comprises at least two electromagnetic radiation sources (18, 19) designed to apply electromagnetic radiation, in particular infrared radiation, with at least two different frequency spectra to the at least one surface (3).

Images