Vehicle Imager Blocked Detection via Temperature Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing exterior vehicle light control systems face challenges in effectively detecting and responding to blocked imagers due to obstructions like snow, fog, or condensation, which can impede the accurate control of high beam lighting patterns.
Innovation Solution
The system incorporates an imager and a controller that analyze image data and operational temperature information to generate control signals for exterior lights, activating a heating element to defog or defrost the windshield when the imager's temperature falls below a threshold, indicating a blocked condition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the imager operates in cold environmental conditions, then the exterior light control system can function, but the imager becomes blocked by obstructions such as snow, fog, dirt, frost, or condensation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by monitoring imager temperature and proactively activating the heating element before obstructions like frost or condensation can form on the imager. When the controller detects that the imager temperature is below a threshold temperature, it activates the heating element in advance to prevent blockage, rather than waiting for obstructions to occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temperature parameter of the imager by activating the heating element when the imager temperature falls below a threshold. This parameter change (increasing temperature) prevents the formation of frost, condensation, and other temperature-dependent obstructions, thereby maintaining imager clarity and detection accuracy.
2Reliability
If the system activates the heating element to clear obstructions, then the imager becomes unblocked, but additional energy is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback by continuously monitoring the imager temperature and the operational state of the heating element. The controller receives temperature information and activates or deactivates the heating element based on whether the imager temperature is below or above the threshold, creating a closed-loop control system that optimizes energy usage while maintaining imager clarity.
Solution Approach 2:
The imager essentially serves itself by having its temperature monitored and regulated automatically. When the imager temperature drops below the threshold, the system automatically activates the heating element to warm the imager, and when the temperature rises above the threshold, the system automatically deactivates the heating element, eliminating the need for manual intervention and optimizing energy consumption.
3Measurement precision
If the system continuously monitors imager temperature to detect blocked conditions, then detection accuracy improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller performs multiple functions: it controls the exterior lights based on image data, monitors the imager temperature, determines whether the imager is blocked, and controls the heating element. By making the controller multi-functional, the system avoids adding separate dedicated components for each function, thereby limiting the increase in system complexity while maintaining precise blocked condition detection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the flexibility of exterior light control by providing a blocked imager indication, allowing vehicle manufacturers to adjust lighting states based on temperature and obstruction conditions, improving the reliability of high beam operation and reducing glare for other drivers.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element provided proximate the vehicle windshield and operable to perform at least one of a defogging and a defrosting function on a viewing area of the vehicle windshield
Data Source
AI summary
An exterior light control system for controlling exterior lights of a controlled vehicle is provided, which includes an imager configured to image a scene external and forward of the controlled vehicle and to generate image data corresponding to the acquired images. A controller is configured to receive and analyze the image data and generate a control signal for controlling the exterior lights of the controlled vehicle. The controller is further configured to receive temperature information relating to an operational temperature of the imager, wherein when the controller determines that the operational temperature of the imager is below a temperature threshold, the control signal includes an indication that the imager is blocked.