IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,092,480
Granted Patent B2
US 11,092,480 · App. 16/144,284 · Granted Aug 17, 2021

Light obstruction sensor

Inventors: Tynan J. Garrett (Poughkeepsie, NY); Andrew Hicks (Wappingers Falls, NY); Michael P. Lyons (Poughkeepsie, NY); Miles C. Pedrone (Wappingers Falls, NY); Yunli Tang (Cambridge, MA)
Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
G01J1/18B60Q1/0023B60S1/08B60Q2300/45G01J2001/186
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,092,480
App. No.
16/144,284
Granted
Aug 17, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Light obstruction can be detected using a light obstruction sensor. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method includes receiving, by a light obstruction sensor, light being emitted by a light source, a light level being associated with the light, and the light source and the light obstruction sensor being disposed in a light assembly. The method further includes determining, by a processing device, whether the light level exceeds a first threshold. The method further includes, responsive to determining that the light level exceeds the first threshold, determining that the light being emitted by the light source is at least partially impaired by an object. The method further includes validating, by the processing device, the determination that the light source is at least partially impaired by the object to confirm whether the light source is at least partially impaired by the object.

Claims (45)

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a light obstruction sensor, light being emitted by a light source, a light level being associated with the light received by the light obstruction sensor, and the light source and the light obstruction sensor being disposed in a light assembly of a vehicle, the light assembly comprising a body portion and a surface portion, the light source and the light obstruction sensor being disposed in the body portion;

receiving, by a reference light obstruction sensor, the light being emitted by the light source, a reference light level being associated with the light received by the reference light obstruction sensor, wherein the reference light obstruction sensor is disposed in the vehicle other than in the light assembly;

determining, by a processing device, whether an object is on the surface portion of the light assembly by:

determining, by the processing device, whether the light level exceeds a first threshold; and

responsive to determining that the light level exceeds the first threshold, determining that the light being emitted by the light source is at least partially impaired by the object on the surface portion of the light assembly; and

validating, by the processing device, the determination that the light source is at least partially impaired by the object to confirm whether the light source is at least partially impaired by the object on the surface portion of the light assembly by comparing the light level to the reference light level.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by the processing device, whether the light level is less than a second threshold, the second threshold being less than the first threshold.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising:

responsive to determining that the light level is less than the second threshold, determining that the light source is inoperable.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , further comprising:

responsive to determining that the light source is inoperable, implementing a corrective action.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the light assembly is a headlight assembly disposed in the vehicle.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein it is confirmed that the light source is at least partially impaired by the object when the light level is not substantially equivalent to the reference light level.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein it is not confirmed that the light source is at least partially impaired by the object when the light level is substantially equivalent to the reference light level.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein it is confirmed that the light source is at least partially impaired by the object when the light level is not substantially equivalent to the reference light level, and wherein it is not confirmed that the light source is at least partially impaired by the object when the light level is substantially equivalent to the reference light level.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the validating is based at least in part on historical light data.

10. A system comprising:

a vehicle comprising a headlight assembly, the headlight assembly comprising a light source, a light obstruction sensor, a body portion, and a surface portion, the light source and the light obstruction sensor being disposed in the body portion;

a memory comprising computer readable instructions; and

a processing device for executing the computer readable instructions for performing a method comprising:

receiving, by the light obstruction sensor, light being emitted by the light source, a light level being associated with the light received by the light obstruction sensor;

receiving, by a reference light obstruction sensor, the light being emitted by the light source, a reference light level being associated with the light received by the reference light obstruction sensor;

determining whether an object is on the surface portion of the light assembly by:

determining whether the light level exceeds a threshold; and

responsive to determining that the light level exceeds the threshold, determining that the light being emitted by the light source is at least partially impaired by the object on the surface portion of the light assembly; and

validating the determination that the light source is at least partially impaired by the object to confirm whether the light source is at least partially impaired by the object on the surface portion of the light assembly by comparing the light level to the reference light level.

11. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processing device to cause the processing device to perform a method comprising:

receiving, by a light obstruction sensor, light being emitted by a light source, a light level being associated with the light received by the light obstruction sensor, and the light source and the light obstruction sensor being disposed in a light assembly of a vehicle, the light assembly comprising a body portion and a surface portion, the light source and the light obstruction sensor being disposed in the body portion;

receiving, by a reference light obstruction sensor, the light being emitted by the light source, a reference light level being associated with the light received by the reference light obstruction sensor, wherein the reference light obstruction sensor is disposed in the vehicle other than in the light assembly;

determining, by the processing device, whether an object is on the surface portion of the light assembly by:

determining, by the processing device, whether the light level exceeds a first threshold; and

responsive to determining that the light level exceeds the first threshold, determining that the light being emitted by the light source is at least partially impaired by the object on the surface portion of the light assembly; and

validating, by the processing device, the determination that the light source is at least partially impaired by the object to confirm whether the light source is at least partially impaired by the object on the surface portion of the light assembly by comparing the light level to the reference light level.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises:

determining, by the processing device, whether the light level is less than a second threshold, the second threshold being less than the first threshold.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:

responsive to determining that the light level is less than the second threshold, determining that the light source is inoperable.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises:

responsive to determining that the light source is inoperable, implementing a corrective action.

15. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the light assembly is a headlight assembly disposed in the vehicle.

16. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein it is confirmed that the light source is at least partially impaired by the object when the light level is not substantially equivalent to the reference light level.

17. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein it is not confirmed that the light source is at least partially impaired by the object when the light level is substantially equivalent to the reference light level.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 27, 2018
From: GARRETT, TYNAN J.; HICKS, ANDREW; LYONS, MICHAEL P.; PEDRONE, MILES C.; TANG, YUNLI
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 046996/0784 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200103274A1 · Apr 2, 2020
Cited By (1)
US 12,320,642