Patent ID: 6627910
Filing Date: 2003-09-30
Classification: B60S,G01N

Abstract:
A precipitation sensor that is constructed to be attached to the inner surface of a windshield, the sensor comprising:a light beam transmitter; a light beam receiver; a prism, the prism including: an entry-side lens surface, wherein the entry-side lens surface is concave in a plane that is parallel to the plane of the windshield and convex in a plane that is normal to the plane of the windshield, and the entry-side lens surface faces the light beam transmitter and the light beam receiver; and an exit-side lens surface, wherein the exit-side lens surface is concave in a plane that is parallel to the plane of the windshield and convex in a plane that is normal to the plane of the windshield, and the exit-side lens surface faces the light beam transmitter and the light beam receiver, wherein light is transmitted from the light beam transmitter to the light beam receiver through the prism, and water droplets on the outer surface of the windshield are detected based light received by the light beam receiver.