Back to results
US 9,950,695 B2Granted
Vehicle rear wiper and washer activation
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsDaniel P. Carlesimo, Marcelo V. Lazarini
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods, systems, and vehicles are provided for controlling rear wiper units and rear washer units for a rear windshield of a vehicle. In accordance with one embodiment, the vehicle includes, in addition to the rear windshield, the rear washer unit, and the rear windshield, a control system. The control system includes a detection unit and a processor. The detection unit is coupled to a single input device onboard the vehicle. The detection unit is configured to detect a user's engagement of the single input device. The processor is coupled to the detection unit. The processor is configured to at least facilitate automatically controlling the rear wiper unit and the rear washer unit based on the detecting of the user's engagement of the single input device.
Claims19
A method comprising:
- detecting, via a detection unit comprising a sensor disposed onboard a vehicle having a rear windshield, a user's engagement of a single input device onboard the vehicle, wherein the step of detecting the user's engagement of the single input device comprises measuring a first duration of engagement of the single input device by the user;
- and
- automatically controlling a rear wiper unit for the rear windshield and a rear washer unit for the rear windshield, via a processor, based on the detecting of the user's engagement of the single input device;
- wherein the step of automatically controlling the rear wiper unit for the rear windshield and the rear washer unit for the rear windshield comprises:
- when the first duration of the user's engagement of the single input device is greater than a predetermined threshold amount of time, then:
- activating the rear washer unit and maintaining the rear wiper unit in a drip mode, so long at the user remains engaging the single input device;
- and
- turning off the rear wiper unit and the rear washer unit, when the user stops engaging the single input device following the first duration;
- and
- when the first duration of the user's engagement of the single input device is less than the predetermined threshold amount of time, then:
- activating the rear wiper unit but not the rear washer unit and maintaining the rear wiper unit activated;
- and
- when the user next engages the single input device again for a second duration of engagement following the first duration of engagement, then:
- turning off the rear wiper unit, and maintaining the rear washer unit off, when the second duration is less than the predetermined threshold;
- and
- changing the rear wiper unit to the drip mode, and activating the rear washer unit, when the second duration is greater than the predetermined threshold;
- wherein when the rear wiper unit is in the drip mode, there is a delay from a spraying of fluid by the rear washer unit to movement of the rear wiper unit.
14 more elements
A system comprising:
- a detection unit comprising a sensor coupled to a single input device onboard a vehicle having a rear windshield, a rear washer unit for the rear windshield, and a rear wiper unit for the rear windshield, the detection unit configured to detect a user's engagement of the single input device, wherein the sensor is configured to measure a first duration of engagement of the single input device by the user;
- and
- a processor coupled to the detection unit, the processor configured to at least facilitate automatically controlling the rear wiper unit and the rear washer unit based on the detecting of the user's engagement of the single input device, wherein the processor is configured to control the rear wiper unit and the rear washer unit at least in part by:
- when the first duration of the user's engagement of the single input device is greater than a predetermined threshold amount of time, then:
- activating the rear washer unit and maintaining the rear wiper unit in a drip mode, so long at the user remains engaging the single input device;
- and
- turning off the rear wiper unit and the rear washer unit, when the user stops engaging the single input device following the first duration;
- and
- when the first duration of the user's engagement of the single input device is less than the predetermined threshold amount of time, then:
- activating the rear wiper unit but not the rear washer unit and maintaining the rear wiper unit activated;
- and
- when the user next engages the single input device again for a second duration of engagement following the first duration of engagement, then:
- turning off the rear wiper unit, and maintaining the rear washer unit off, when the second duration is less than the predetermined threshold;
- and
- changing the rear wiper unit to the drip mode, and activating the rear washer unit, when the second duration is greater than the predetermined threshold;
- wherein when the rear wiper unit is in the drip mode, there is a delay from a spraying of fluid by the rear washer unit to movement of the rear wiper unit.
13 more elements
A vehicle comprising:
- a rear windshield;
- a rear washer unit for the rear windshield;
- a rear wiper unit for the rear windshield;
- and
- a control system comprising:
- a detection unit comprising a sensor coupled to a single input device onboard the vehicle, the detection unit configured to detect a user's engagement of the single input device, wherein the sensor is configured to measure a first duration of engagement of the single input device by the user;
- and
- a processor coupled to the detection unit, the processor configured to at least facilitate automatically controlling the rear wiper unit and the rear washer unit based on the detecting of the user's engagement of the single input device, wherein the processor is configured to control the rear wiper unit and the rear washer unit at least in part by:
- when the first duration of the user's engagement of the single input device is greater than a predetermined threshold amount of time, then:
- activating the rear washer unit and maintaining the rear wiper unit in a drip mode, so long at the user remains engaging the single input device;
- and
- turning off the rear wiper unit and the rear washer unit, when the user stops engaging the single input device following the first duration;
- and
- when the first duration of the user's engagement of the single input device is less than the predetermined threshold amount of time, then:
- activating the rear wiper unit but not the rear washer unit and maintaining the rear wiper unit activated;
- and
- when the user next engages the single input device again for a second duration of engagement following the first duration of engagement, then:
- turning off the rear wiper unit, and maintaining the rear washer unit off, when the second duration is less than the predetermined threshold;
- and
- changing the rear wiper unit to the drip mode, and activating the rear washer unit, when the second duration is greater than the predetermined threshold;
- wherein when the rear wiper unit is in the drip mode, there is a delay from a spraying of fluid by the rear washer unit to movement of the rear wiper unit.
18 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.