Windshield wiper auto-delay control interface
AssigneeITT Automotive Electrical Systems, Inc.
InventorDonald L. Mueller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle window wiper interfacing arrangement for interconnecting a window wiper function switch, a wiper motor controller, and an auto-delay controller to permit a water drop sensor to control a window wiper delay time when a window wiper system is operated in an AUTO-DELAY mode. The auto-delay controller outputs three wiper function signals, namely OFF, LOW speed and WASH to the wiper motor controller via a single bi-directional multiplexed line. The wiper motor controller outputs a wiper position signal to the auto-delay controller via the same bi-directional multiplexed line for use by a control program to determine a proper wiper delay time period.
Claims5
An interface circuit for a windshield wiper auto-delay controller comprising:
- (a) a node;
- (b) means for applying a first reference voltage to said node;
- (c) a first resistor in communication with said node;
- (d) a second resistor in communication with said node;
- (e) a transistor responsive to a driving signal for causing a current flow through said first resistor to produce a second reference voltage at said node;
- (f) a switch responsive to a predetermined positioning of a wiper arm for causing a current flow through said second resistor to produce a third reference voltage at said node;
- and
- (g) an analog to digital converter for producing digitized representations of voltage levels at said node and supplying said digitized representations to said auto-delay controller.
Control apparatus for a windshield wiper comprising:
- (a) a multi position wiper function switch for generating a selected one of a plurality of different wiper function signals;
- (b) a wiper motor;
- (c) a wiper motor controller responsive to said wiper function switch for variably operating said wiper motor;
- (d) a moisture sensor;
- (e) an auto-delay controller responsive to said moisture sensor and said wiper function switch for generating automatically timed wipe signals;
- and
- (f) an interface circuit for applying said wipe signals to said wiper motor controller and monitoring the response of said wiper motor thereto, said interface circuit comprising a node, means for applying said wipe signals to said node, means connecting said motor controller to said node, means for setting said node at a predetermined one of a plurality of different voltage levels corresponding to different operating conditions of said apparatus, and an analog to digital converter connected for delivering digital signals to said auto-delay controller in correspondence with said voltage levels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.