IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,519,840
Granted Patent B2
US 11,519,840 · App. 16/253,851 · Granted Dec 6, 2022

Hydrophobic coating characterization

Inventors: David Michael Herman (Oak Park, MI); Ashwin Arunmozhi (Canton, MI); Venkatesh Krishnan (Canton, MI); Sunil Reddy Patil (Troy, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
G01N13/02B60S1/0822G02B1/18C03C2217/76G01N2013/0208G01N2015/1406G06N3/04G06N3/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,519,840
App. No.
16/253,851
Granted
Dec 6, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to actuate a component upon determining that a hydrophobic coating of a surface is degraded based on a comparison of a characteristic of a liquid droplet with a threshold value.

Claims (27)

1. A system, comprising:

a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to actuate a component upon determining that a hydrophobic coating of a surface is degraded based on a comparison of a characteristic of a liquid droplet with a threshold value,

wherein the instructions further include instructions to actuate a cleaning system to provide a specified amount of liquid to the surface before the comparison of the characteristic of the liquid droplet with the threshold value.

2. The system of claim 1 , the instructions further including instructions to compare an amount of distortion of an image reflected by the liquid droplet with a threshold distortion value.

3. The system of claim 1 , the instructions further including instructions to determine an object on the surface is the liquid droplet before the comparison of the characteristic of the liquid droplet with the threshold value.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to actuate the cleaning system further include instructions to clean the surface before the comparison of the characteristic of the liquid droplet with the threshold value.

5. The system of claim 1 , the instructions further including instructions to at least one of transmit a fault code and store the fault code upon determining that the hydrophobic coating of the surface is degraded.

6. The system of claim 1 , the instructions further including instructions to increase an interval of actuation for a cleaning system upon determining that the hydrophobic coating of the surface is degraded.

7. The system of claim 1 , the instructions further including instructions to compare a contact angle of the liquid droplet with a threshold contact angle.

8. The system of claim 1 , the instructions further including instructions to compare a distribution of the liquid droplet and one or more other liquid droplets with a threshold distribution.

9. The system of claim 1 , the instructions further including instructions to compare a size of the liquid droplet with a threshold size.

10. The system of claim 9 , the instructions further including instructions to identify the threshold size based on a focal length of an optical sensor.

11. 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.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a lens, the surface on the lens.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a windshield, the surface on the windshield.

14. A method, comprising:

actuating a cleaning system to provide a specified amount of liquid to a surface;

determining that a hydrophobic coating of the surface is degraded based on a comparison of a measurement a liquid droplet with a threshold value; and

then, actuating a component.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the comparison of the measurement of the liquid droplet with the threshold value includes comparing a contact angle of the liquid droplet with a threshold contact angle.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the comparison of the measurement of the liquid droplet with the threshold value includes comparing an amount of distortion of an image reflected by the liquid droplet with a threshold distortion.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising determining an object on the surface is the liquid droplet before determining that the hydrophobic coating of the surface is degraded.

18. A system, comprising:

means for providing a specified amount of liquid to a surface by actuation of a cleaning system;

means for detecting a liquid droplet on the surface; and

means for actuating a component upon determining that a hydrophobic coating of the surface is degraded based on a comparison of a measurement of the liquid droplet with a threshold value.

19. The system of claim 18 , further comprising means for comparing a contact angle of the liquid droplet with a threshold contact angle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 22, 2019
From: HERMAN, DAVID MICHAEL; ARUNMOZHI, ASHWIN; KRISHNAN, VENKATESH; PATIL, SUNIL REDDY
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 048092/0449 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200232895A1 · Jul 23, 2020
Cited By (1)
US 12,228,685