Patent ID: 7622878

Claim:
A wiper unit controller for controlling a wiper unit including a wiper and a variable resistor for setting an intermittent wipe cycle of the wiper, wherein the variable resistor has a variable resistance value, and the intermittent wipe cycle of the wiper is set in accordance with the resistance value of the variable resistor, the wiper unit controller comprising: a computer for determining the intermittent wipe cycle of the wiper from the resistance value of the variable resistor, the computer including: a storing means for storing a maximum resistance value of the variable resistor; a detecting means for detecting the resistance value of the variable resistor; a renewing means for renewing the maximum resistance value stored in the storing means with a new maximum resistance value when the detecting means detects a resistance value that is greater than the maximum resistance value of the variable resistor stored in the storing means; a recognizing means for recognizing the intermittent wipe cycle of the wiper from the ratio of the resistance value detected by the detecting means relative to the maximum resistance value of the variable resistor; and a setting means for setting the intermittent wipe cycle recognized by the recognizing means; wherein the renewing means renews the maximum resistance value with a detected new maximum resistance value if a predetermined reference time elapses from when the detecting means detects a resistance value that is greater than the maximum resistance value of the variable resistor stored in the storing means.