System and method to defrost a windshield
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsNicholas W. Pinto, Kuo-huey Chen, Todd J. Gordon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
One general aspect includes a system having one or more heat pads installed at a vehicle, the one or more heat pads configured to provide infrared energy transmissions to a vehicle component to defrost, defog, or both defrost and defog a surface of the vehicle component. The system may also carry out the following steps: (a) determining that ice or fog or both ice and fog has accumulated on the surface of the vehicle component; and (b) based on the determination made in step (a), activating the one or more heat pads to defrost, defog, or both defrost and defog a surface of the vehicle component.
Claims14
A system comprising:
- one or more heat pads installed in a vehicle and impregnated as part of at least one of an A-pillar and a rearview mirror of the vehicle, the one or more heat pads configured to provide infrared energy transmissions to a vehicle component to defrost, defog, or both defrost and defog a surface of the vehicle component.
A method comprising:
- activating one or more heat pads installed at a vehicle to provide infrared energy transmissions to a vehicle component so as to defrost, defog, or both defrost and defog a surface of the vehicle component;
- determining, via a processor, that ice or fog or both ice and fog has accumulated on the surface of the vehicle component;
- providing at least one of a primary defroster and a secondary defroster installed at the vehicle;
- and
- based on determining that ice or fog or both ice and fog has accumulated on the surface, via the processor, activating the at least one of the primary defroster and the secondary defroster in conjunction with the one or more heat pads to defrost, defog, or both defrost and defog a surface of the vehicle component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.