Example methods and systems for detecting weather conditions using vehicle onboard sensors are provided. An example method includes receiving laser data collected for an environment of a vehicle, and the laser data includes a plurality of laser data points. The method also includes associating, by a computing device, laser data points of the plurality of laser data points with one or more objects in the environment, and determining given laser data points of the plurality of laser data points that are unassociated with the one or more objects in the environment as being representative of an untracked object. The method also includes based on one or more untracked objects being determined, identifying by the computing device an indication of a weather condition of the environment.

A system and method of automatically activating a windshield wiper system of a vehicle having a front windshield with a front wiper and a rear windshield with a rear wiper are provided. The method comprises assessing at least one windshield classification of road conditions based on original information and capturing a front image of the front windshield, a rear image of the rear windshield, and an environment image of the environment. The method further comprises classifying the images to define a first windshield class. The method further comprises determining a front windshield perception, a rear windshield perception, and an environment perception of the first windshield class to define a first combination of detection sources. The method further comprises fusing the front windshield perception, the rear windshield perception and the environment perception, defining a first front probability of the first windshield class. The method further comprises activating the front wiper when the first front probability is greater than a front threshold.

A water content sensor includes: a light emitter that emits detection light having a first wavelength band and reference light a second wavelength band toward a road surface; a first light receiver that converts the detection light reflected by the road surface to a first electric signal; a second light receiver that converts the reference light reflected by the road surface to a second electric signal; and a computation processor that detects the amount of water based on a signal ratio between the first electric signal and the second electric signal. The computation processor detects the amount of water based on the signal ratio obtained when the signal intensity of at least one of the first electric signal and the second electric signal is within a predetermined range defined relative to a reference value.

An estimation apparatus performs non-contact estimation of a friction coefficient of a road surface. The estimation apparatus includes at least one processor. The processor determines a state of the road surface and determine which of preset road-surface states the state of the road surface belongs to. The processor performs primary identification of a first range of a friction coefficient corresponding to the determined road-surface state on the basis of friction coefficient information and the determined state of the road surface. The friction coefficient information is sectioned for each of the road-surface states. The processor narrows down a range of the friction coefficient from the first range to a second range on the basis of the identified first range of the friction coefficient, and thereby perform secondary identification of the friction coefficient of the road surface. The second range is narrower than the first range.

An estimation apparatus performs non-contact estimation of a friction coefficient of a road surface. The estimation apparatus includes at least one processor. The processor determines a state of the road surface and determine which of preset road-surface states the state of the road surface belongs to. The processor performs primary identification of a first range of a friction coefficient corresponding to the determined road-surface state on the basis of friction coefficient information and the determined state of the road surface. The friction coefficient information is sectioned for each of the road-surface states. The processor narrows down a range of the friction coefficient from the first range to a second range on the basis of the identified first range of the friction coefficient, and thereby perform secondary identification of the friction coefficient of the road surface. The second range is narrower than the first range.

A method for sending environmental data to a vehicle in transit is disclosed. The method is performed by a ground system. The method includes receiving new environmental data from a plurality of environmental data providers. The method also includes synthesizing an update template that identifies recommended portions of relevant data that are available to be uploaded for at least one of a plurality of environmental data services. The method also includes sending the update template to the vehicle using a low-bandwidth connection, wherein the update template is sent by the ground system without first receiving a request for the update template. The method also includes receiving, from the vehicle, a request for the recommended portions of relevant data. The method also includes sending the recommended portions of relevant data to the vehicle in an update package using a high-bandwidth connection.

Techniques are described herein for displacing liquid away from a signal path of sonic signals in a signal anemometer. A sonic anemometer may include a membrane positioned between a sonic transducer and the open environment. The membrane may be formed of a hydrophobic material that repels the liquid. The membrane may also include a plurality of pores that impede the flow of liquid through the membrane but enables sonic signals to pass through the membrane. The sonic anemometer may also include a reflector that displaces liquid away from the signal path of the sonic anemometer. The reflector may include one or more pores that wick liquid away from the signal path.

Techniques are described herein for displacing liquid away from a signal path of sonic signals in a signal anemometer. A sonic anemometer may include a membrane positioned between a sonic transducer and the open environment. The membrane may be formed of a hydrophobic material that repels the liquid. The membrane may also include a plurality of pores that impede the flow of liquid through the membrane but enables sonic signals to pass through the membrane. The sonic anemometer may also include a reflector that displaces liquid away from the signal path of the sonic anemometer. The reflector may include one or more pores that wick liquid away from the signal path.

It is desirable to provide an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, a program, and a monitoring system capable of monitoring a condition of a measured surface highly accurately and using the monitoring result effectively. To attain the aforementioned object, according to a mode of the present invention, an information processing apparatus includes an obtaining module and a generating module. The obtaining module obtains measuring data about a measured surface. The generating module generates covering material information about a covering material that covers the measured surface based on a feature of the obtained measuring data.

Improved mechanisms for collecting information from a diverse suite of sensors and systems, calculating the current precipitation, atmospheric water vapor, atmospheric liquid water content, or precipitable water and other atmospheric-based phenomena, for example presence and intensity of fog, based upon these sensor readings, predicting future precipitation and atmospheric-based phenomena, and estimating effects of the atmospheric-based phenomena on visibility, for example by calculating runway visible range (RVR) estimates and forecasts based on the atmospheric-based phenomena.