Patent Application
20230382351
Not applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
This invention relates to the field of motor vehicles. More specifically, the invention comprises a system for remotely activating a vehicle's windshield wipers and washer system so that a user can employ them while manually cleaning the windshield.
Nearly all modern vehicles include a supplemental spray system that is used to remove bugs and other contaminants from the windshield. In the example depicted in
The windshield washer and wiper functions are controlled by switches within the motor vehicle. These are now commonly located on a “stalk” near the steering wheel. The switches allow the windshield wipers to be operated at various speeds and modes. Some vehicles now feature rain sensors that automatically actuate the wipers when rain falls on the windshield as well. A separate wash actuation feature is ordinarily provided. When the user actuates this feature, the nozzles 26 spray washer fluid onto the windshield and the wipers operate through a set number of cycles.
The actuating switches come in many different forms. However, all prior art types are located inside the vehicle. This arrangement makes sense because the spray nozzles and wipers are actuated while driving. However, there are circumstances where the prior art arrangement is disadvantageous. A good example is a situation here the vehicle has driven through a cloud of insects. The resulting splatter is difficult to remove from the windshield. A user often has to find a service station with a suitable scrub brush and squeegee. The user then manually scrubs the windshield to remove the contamination.
Unfortunately, a user facing such contamination does not always have access to a cleaning fluid such as provided by a service station. It would be advantageous to provide access to the vehicle's own washer fluid so that it could be used in a manual scrub cycle. The present invention provides this advantage, along with other advantages.
The present invention comprises a vehicle windshield wiper and washer activation system that allows the control of these devices from outside the vehicle. A remote switch or switches is provided at a convenient location, such as the side of the fender or in front of the grill. An optional wireless connection may also be provided. In the wireless embodiment, a separate actuating device such as a dedicated transmitter or smartphone is used to control the wipers and the delivery of washer fluid.
This description pertains to a few selected embodiments of the invention. Many more embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art and the scope of the invention is by no means limited to the examples provided. Thus, the reader should refer to the claims to ascertain the scope of the invention.
Nearly all vehicles now include some type of windshield washer system. In the example of
As described previously, the windshield wipers and windshield washer system are activated by controls inside the vehicle. Switches controlling these functions are often placed on a stalk extending from the steering column. Unfortunately, the windshield washer system may not be able to satisfactorily remove all windshield contamination. Insect remains spattered on the windshield present a common challenge.
A vehicle user may wish to manually assist in the removal of windshield contamination using a cloth, scrub brush, or squeegee. In order to do this the user has traditionally needed a separate supply of cleaning liquid. However, the action often needs to be taken when that separate supply in unavailable. The present invention allows the user to access the windshield washer fluid stored in the vehicle.
The controls provided will be described first, along with the actions of the wipers and spray nozzles that the controls produce. Thereafter, some exemplary details of the control circuitry will be described.
Once windshield 12 is wetted with the washing fluid, the user can manually apply a scrub brush or other device to scrub the windshield. When the user is finished, pressing wipe button 32 activates the windshield wipers. The wipers can be set to wipe for a fixed duration of time, or they can continue for as long as wipe button 32 is pressed.
Optionally, a delay can be added between the pressing of wipe button 32 and the start of windshield wiper motion. This is because the windshield wipers may sling both fluid and debris near the position the user occupies when actuating the wipe button. A delay allows the user to press the wipe button and move a few feet away before the wiper motion begins. A delay function can be added to the wash button as well.
Of course, the buttons can be placed in many different locations around the exterior of the vehicle.
The exterior wash and wipe buttons are only intended to be used by an authorized operator. Thus, it is advantageous to prevent their operation by unauthorized persons. This goal can be achieved in a variety of ways. In a first way, radio detection is used to ensure that the exterior buttons only function when in close proximity to the vehicle's key fob. This technology is used for keyless start/stop systems and keyless entry systems. A transceiver and antenna is provided proximate the location of the exterior buttons. When a button is pressed, the transceiver transmits an encoded signal. The signal is received by the key fob and the key fob then sends a reply signal. When the transceiver receives the reply signal from the key fob the software assumes that the key fob is proximate the external buttons and that the operation is therefore one desired by an authorized operator. The wash and wipe operations are therefore allowed. Conversely, if no reply signal is received from a key fob, then the system does not actuate the wash or wipe functions.
The wash and wipe buttons do not have to be mounted to the vehicle.
The actuating devices for the wash and wipe functions do not have to be physical buttons.
The use of virtual buttons allows many more options. In this example, the “WASH 1” button activates the spray nozzles for 1 second. The “WIPE 1” button activates the wipers for 1 cycle. The “WASH 3” button activated the spray nozzles for 3 seconds. The “WIPE 3” button activates the wipers for 3 cycles. Additional virtual buttons can be provided for other options. Sliders or dials allowing more variations can also be provided.
The control circuitry needed to actuate the spray nozzles and the wipers can assume many forms. This is particularly true where the invention is included in the vehicle by the original equipment manufacturer (“OEM”). The examples described hereafter could be part of an OEM system or an aftermarket system.
Until recent times the control of component with a vehicle was implemented using discrete circuits. For example, a seat control switch simply “made” the power circuit to a motor driving the relevant portion of the seat for as long as the switch was closed. Other switches controlled the low-current side of a relay, but the principle of operation was essentially the same. More complex switches were used for such devices as power mirrors, but the principle of operation was again the same for these devices as well. This is no longer the case, however, as the control of automotive components is rapidly shifting to the digital domain.
The general implementation of digital control uses a data bus distributed throughout the vehicle. The data bus sends digital messages (such as the state of a controlling switch) that may be received by any component connected to the bus. The data bus does not provide electrical power to the actuating components such as a seat motor (though it may supply some low-level power to other devices). Power is supplied separately to the actuating components through a power distribution harness.
As far as the user is concerned, the new digital paradigm often appears to function just like the old analog paradigm. As an example, if the user wishes to roll down a window, he or she still presses a designated button, and the window rolls down. However, the button is not “making” an analog circuit and is not serving as part of the path for the electrical current driving the window motor. Instead, both the button and the motor are hooked up to a data bus, and the data bus is likely hooked up to a controlling microprocessor (sometimes called a “Body Control Unit”). The switch sends a digital message specifying its identity and the fact that the switch is in an “ON” state. The Body Control Unit receives and interprets this message, then makes an appropriate response. In response to the window control button being placed in the “ON” position, the body control unit sends a digital message to the appropriate window motor instructing it to move the window. The window motor has an associated controller that receives and decodes this digital instruction. Power electronics within the window controller then activate a driving motor to move the window.
While the digital approach sounds complicated, it is in many instances much more efficient to install and run than a traditional system. Rather than routing dedicated wiring harnesses from switches to the components they control, the digital approach allows the vehicle manufacturer to provide a single data harness and only a few power harnesses. New components may also be added without the need to add additional wiring.
The first widely-used system implementing the digital paradigm was developed by Robert Bosch, GmbH in the early 1980's. Bosch called its system the “CAN bus,” where “CAN” stands for “Controller Area Network.” Bosch actually released its protocol to the Society of Automotive Engineers with the initial hope of creating a unified communication platform across all vehicles makes and models, though Bosch did not propose to offer the standard free of licensing fees.
The goal of a uniform standard has largely gone unrealized, with the various vehicle manufacturers adopting proprietary systems instead. Even so, the general characteristics of the original CAN standard are found in most vehicle operating protocols. In general, a CAN network is a “masterless” system in which various microcontrollers communicate without the need for one defined “host” computer. This is a significant feature, as a modern vehicle may contain as many as 70 separate electronic control units. The two most significant control units are typically the Engine Control Unit (“ECU”) and the aforementioned Body Control Unit (“BCU”). However, as discussed in the preceding example, each individual window motor is likely to have a separate controller. Other controllers may be provided for the windshield wipers, the washer fluid spray system, a blower fan, an air conditioning compressor, power mirrors, air bags, air-inflated suspension “springs,” an automatic transmission, and even small things like the dimming functions of a rear-view mirror.
Many items connected to the CAN bus include a controller and internal digital signal processing. Wiper motor/resistor pack 52—as an example—includes an internal processor and switching circuitry. The processor decodes CAN bus messages to determine when the wiper motor is to be engaged. The internal switching circuitry switches in one or more resistors in a resistor pack in order to set the speed of operation. Additional data messages may set the mode of operation for the wiper motor (such as s single sweep or intermittent operation).
Washer pump 54 is typically just a simple on/off device. Even so, it still includes a digital decoder that can decode a digital message commanding its operation. Wiper switch assembly 50 includes all the normal OEM controls for operating the windshield wipers and the wash system. In this example the switch assembly includes an on-board controller that interprets the closure of one or more switches and creates a digital data signal reflecting that fact.
The system shown is a peer-to-peer or “masterless” system (other types exist). In this implementation wiper switch assembly 50 places a digital signal on the CAN bus and wiper motor 52 and/or washer pump 54 responds to that digital signal. There is no need for separate processing through a Body Control Unit. In other systems a BCU acts as a “master”, and it generates commands in response to messages sent by other controllers.
Once connected, when a user pressed washer button 30, a controller within the module continuing washer button 30 generates a digital signal and places it on body data bus. That signal commands the washer pump to run. Washer pump 54 receives this signal and operates. The controller within washer pump 54 does not distinguish between such a signal coming from wiper switch assembly 50 and one coming from washer button 30. They are the same digital signal. In most systems, a command is sent to turn a component on, and a second command is later sent to turn it off. Thus, the controller within washer button 30 will generate two digital commands.
Wiper button 32 also contains a controller that generates a digital command when it is pressed. Of course, if the washer button 30 and the wiper button 32 are located close together, using a single controller for both is advantageous.
Control module 56 also has inputs for a hardwired embodiment of switches 30, 32. Thus, control module 56 allows for dual inputs—the user can for instance press a button on the fender or tap a GUI icon on a smartphone.
A second I/O port provides an interface for the optional attached switches 30, 32. In this example, the switch interface allows a switch actuation to pull a designated processor pin to ground—thereby indicating to the processor that the user has pressed one of the buttons 30 or 32.
A third I/O port provides access to R/F module 64. This module receives external radio signals (such as from the fob, the smartphone, or some other device) and decodes them. It then generates a command signal for the processor. R/F module 64 can operate in any suitable format, such as ZIGBEE or BLUETOOTH. BLUETOOTH is preferred for interaction with external computing devices like smartphone 34.
Finally, power supply 68 takes in power from the 12V bus and conditions it for use in powering the other components within the control module. The connections from the power supply to the various components are not shown for purposes of visual simplicity.
The term “portable computing device” in this disclosure is intended to mean a cellular phone, a smart phone, a tablet, or other device capable of sending wireless transmissions. The term “dedicated radio transmission device” is intended to mean a device such as a remote-control fob.
The preceding descriptions contain significant detail regarding the novel aspects of the present invention. They should not be construed, however, as limiting the scope of the invention but rather as providing illustrations of the preferred embodiments of the invention. Many other embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. Thus, the scope of the invention should be fixed by the claims ultimately drafted, rather than by the examples given.
