IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,780,861
Granted Patent B2
US 10,780,861 · App. 16/242,225 · Granted Sep 22, 2020

Liquid droplet path prediction

Inventors: David Michael Herman (Oak Park, MI); Ashwin Arunmozhi (Canton, MI); Venkatesh Krishnan (Canton, MI); Sunil Patil (Troy, MI)
Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
B60S1/0844G05D1/0088G06K9/00805G06T7/20G06T7/70
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,780,861
App. No.
16/242,225
Granted
Sep 22, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to predict a path of a liquid droplet on a surface, and then, actuate one or more vehicle components based on the path.

Claims (29)

1. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:

predict a path of a liquid droplet on a surface; and

then, actuate one or more vehicle components based on the path.

2. The system of claim 1 , the instructions further including instructions to determine that the path is from a low priority area on the surface to a high priority area on the surface, wherein the high priority area has a higher probability of containing detectable objects that may interfere with operation of a vehicle as compared to the low priority area.

3. The system of claim 1 , the instructions further including instructions to predict the path based on at least one of a vehicle velocity, a wind velocity, an incline angle of the surface, a vehicle acceleration, a size of the liquid droplet, and a hydrophobicity of the surface.

4. The system of claim 1 , the instructions further including instructions to predict the path based on stored data indicating one or more previous positions of the liquid droplet.

5. The system of claim 1 , the instructions further including instructions to actuate the one or more vehicle components by actuating a cleaning system.

6. The system of claim 5 , the instructions further including instructions to predict a second path of the liquid droplet after actuating the cleaning system.

7. The system of claim 1 , the instructions further including instructions to actuate the one or more vehicle components by actuating at least one of a steering system, a braking system, and a propulsion system.

8. The system of claim 1 , the instructions further including instructions to wait an amount of time after predicting the path, and then update one or more parameters of the prediction based on a comparison of a position of the liquid droplet with the path.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an optical sensor defining a field of view and in communication with the processor, wherein the surface is in the field of view.

10. The system of claim 1 , the instructions further including instructions to identify an amount of time for the liquid droplet to reach a future position, and to determine the amount of time to reach the future position is greater than a threshold amount of time.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the surface is on one of a lens and a windshield.

12. A method, comprising:

predicting a path of a liquid droplet on a surface; and

then, actuating one or more vehicle components based on the path.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the path is predicted based on at least one of a vehicle velocity, a wind velocity, an incline angle of the surface, a vehicle acceleration, a size of the liquid droplet, and a hydrophobicity of the surface.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising waiting an amount of time after predicting the path, and then updating one or more parameters of the prediction based on a comparison of a position of the liquid droplet with the path.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising identifying an amount of time for the liquid droplet to reach a future position, and to determine the amount of time to reach the future position is greater than a threshold amount of time.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein actuating one or more vehicle components includes actuating a cleaning system, and further comprising predicting a second path of the liquid droplet after actuating the cleaning system.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the path is predicted based on stored data indicating one or more previous positions of the liquid droplet.

18. A system, comprising:

means for detecting a liquid droplet on a surface;

means for predicting a path of the liquid droplet on the surface; and

means for moving the liquid droplet relative to the surface based on the path.

19. The system of claim 18 , further comprising means for navigating a vehicle based on the path.

20. The system of claim 18 , further comprising means for determining that the path is from a low priority area on the surface to a high priority area on the surface, wherein the high priority area has a higher probability of containing detectable objects that may interfere with operation of a vehicle as compared to the low priority area.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 8, 2019
From: HERMAN, DAVID MICHAEL; ARUNMOZHI, ASHWIN; KRISHNAN, VENKATESH; PATIL, SUNIL
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 047929/0110 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200216033A1 · Jul 9, 2020
Cited By (2)
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