# US 5,765,119 A · Method and device for estimating hydroplaning-occuring vehicle speed and method and device for detecting possibility of occurence of hydroplaning > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,765,119 A - Document ID: US5765119A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/579,274 - Filed: 1995-12-27 - Granted: 1998-06-09 - Earliest claimed: 1994-12-29 - Assignees: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Makoto Otabe; Ichiro Harada; Yuuichi Okada; Atsushi Itagaki; Yorihisa Yamamoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5765119A ## CPC - G01N 29/4481: {Neural networks} - B60T 8/172: Determining control parameters used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters {(B60T8/17551 takes precedence)} - G01N 29/14: using acoustic emission techniques {(echo of particles G01N29/046; measuring mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in solids in general G01H1/00)} - B60G 2400/8222: Hydroplaning - B60G 2400/91: Frequency - B60G 2800/702: Improving accuracy of a sensor signal - B60T 2210/13: Aquaplaning, hydroplaning - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES - B60G: VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS (air-cushion vehicles B60V; {cycle suspensions B62K25/00}) ## Abstract The hydroplaning-occurring speed of a vehicle is estimated by detecting an amount of water on a wet road surface on which the vehicle is traveling, and estimating a speed of the vehicle at and above which a hydroplaning phenomenon can occur, based on the detected amount of water. The possibility of occurrence of a hydroplaning phenomenon of a vehicle is detected by detecting an amount of water on a wet road surface on which the vehicle is traveling, detecting the speed of the vehicle, and determining whether there is a possibility that a hydroplaning phenomenon can occur, based on the detected amount of water and the detected speed of the vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of estimating a hydroplaning-occurring speed of a vehicle, comprising the steps of: (1) detecting an amount of water on a wet road surface on which said vehicle is traveling; and (2) estimating a speed of said vehicle at and above which a hydroplaning phenomenon can occur, based on the detected amount of water. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vehicle has wheels, said step (1) comprising detecting road noise generated by at least one of said wheels of said vehicle during traveling of said vehicle, and detecting said amount of water on said wet road surface, base on the detected road noise. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said road noise analyzed using a neural network. ### Claim 4 A method of detecting a possibility of occurrence of a hydroplaning phenomenon of a vehicle, comprising the steps of: (1) detecting an amount of water on a wet road surface on which said vehicle is traveling; (2) detecting a speed of said vehicle; and (3) determining whether there is a possibility that a hydroplaning phenomenon can occur, based on the detected amount of water and the detected speed of said vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said vehicle has wheels, said step (1) comprising detecting road noise generated by at least one of said wheels of said vehicle during traveling of said vehicle, and detecting said amount of water on said wet road surface, base on the detected road noise. ### Claim 6 A device for estimating a hydroplaning-occurring speed of a vehicle having wheels, comprising: road noise-detecting means arranged in the vicinity of at least one of said wheels of said vehicle for detecting road noise generated by said at least one of said wheels; means for extracting data of a parameter indicative of frequency components of said road noise, from said road noise detected by said road noise-detecting means; water amount-detecting means for detecting an amount of water on a road surface on which said vehicle is traveling, based on said data of said parameter indicative of said frequency components of said road noise, by means of a neural network; and vehicle speed-estimating means for estimating a speed of said vehicle at and above which a hydroplaning phenomenon of said vehicle can occur, based on the detected amount of water. ### Claim 7 A device for detecting a possibility of occurrence of a hydroplaning phenomenon of a vehicle having wheels, comprising: road noise-detecting means arranged in the vicinity of at least one of said wheels of said vehicle for detecting road noise generated by said at least one of said wheels; means for extracting data of a parameter indicative of frequency components of said road noise, from said road noise detected by said road noise-detecting means; water amount-detecting means for detecting an amount of water on a road surface on which said vehicle is traveling, based on said data of said parameter indicative of said frequency components of said road noise, by means of a neural network; and hydroplaning-determining means for determining a possibility of occurrence of said hydroplaning phenomenon of said vehicle, based on the detected amount of water and the detected speed of said vehicle.