A system for detecting and mitigating window condensation for a vehicle includes an interior camera and a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. The system also includes a controller in electrical communication with the interior camera and the HVAC system. The controller is programmed to determine an opacity of a first window of the vehicle using the interior camera, compare the opacity of the first window to an opacity threshold, and adjust the HVAC system to decrease the opacity of the first window of the vehicle in response to determining that the opacity of the first window is greater than or equal to the opacity threshold.

A self-cleaning sensor system of a motor vehicle includes an object sensor having a lens surface facing a region located external to the motor vehicle. The object sensor generates a signal associated with an image or a video of the region. The system further includes multiple lens treatment devices for applying remedies for removing an obscurity formed on the lens surface. The system further includes a computer having one or more processors and a computer readable medium storing instructions. The processor is programmed to determine a classification of the obscurity, in response to the processor receiving the signal from the object sensor. The processor is further programmed to generate an actuation signal, and the associated lens treatment device applies the remedy, in response to the associated lens treatment device receiving the actuation signal from the processor.

A system for initiating a de-icing or de-fogging action on which ice has formed on a substrate material. The system includes (a) a substrate on which ice or fog has formed; and, (b) irradiation producing devices operative to emit irradiation that passes through at least some portion of the substrate so that a first portion of the ice or fog that is impacted by the irradiation is an interfacial portion nearest a surface of the substrate, the devices being proximate the substrate material, and selectively activated to effect irradiation, causing melting of at least some ice nearest the surface of the substrate. The substrate has an absorption coefficient lower than 15 m.sup.1 in the wavelength range from 750 to 1650 nm.

A system comprises a plate (235) and one or more transducers (200) coupled to the plate (235). Each of the one or more transducers (200) is operable to generate ultrasonic waves which propagate through the plate (235) in a propagation direction (240), for ultrasonically clearing droplets (250) of fluid from the plate (235). The plate (235) comprises one or more structures disposed in the path of ultrasonic waves and configured to control the propagation of ultrasonic waves in the plate (235) to achieve a predetermined amount of ultrasonic wave energy propagating in a direction opposite to the propagation direction (240). The value of one or more parameters of the shape of each of the one or more structures is predetermined to achieve a predetermined effect on ultrasonic waves incident on the structure.

A system comprises a plate (235) and one or more transducers (200) coupled to the plate (235). Each of the one or more transducers (200) is operable to generate ultrasonic waves which propagate through the plate (235) in a propagation direction (240), for ultrasonically clearing droplets (250) of fluid from the plate (235). The plate (235) comprises one or more structures disposed in the path of ultrasonic waves and configured to control the propagation of ultrasonic waves in the plate (235) to achieve a predetermined amount of ultrasonic wave energy propagating in a direction opposite to the propagation direction (240). The value of one or more parameters of the shape of each of the one or more structures is predetermined to achieve a predetermined effect on ultrasonic waves incident on the structure.

A method for providing electrical connection to a heater grid outside of a sealing area of a vehicular rear liftgate window assembly includes providing a glass window panel configured to be pivotally mounted at a vehicle and (i) establishing a heater grid at a central region of an inner surface of the glass window panel, (ii) establishing busbars at the inner surface inboard of a perimeter region and at terminal ends of the electrically conductive traces, and (iii) establishing busbar connecting portions at the inner surface that electrically connect to and extend from the respective busbars across the perimeter region to an outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel. The perimeter region includes a sealing region that contacts a seal at the vehicle when the glass window panel is pivotally mounted at the vehicle and when the glass window panel is in the closed position.

Vehicle glazing, which once served just to provide for vision and protect from the elements, has been taking on new functions as the complexity and functionality of modern automobiles has evolved. Performance films and interlayers are often used to add to and enhance the functionality of laminates. These functions include solar control, sound dampening, head up display and variable light transmittance. Recent advances have made it possible to produce electronic circuits on thin transparent substrates that are essentially invisible under normal lighting conditions. While these circuits can be inserted into the laminate and successfully laminated, the edges of the circuit insert are prone to objectionable aesthetics due to mismatch between the substrate and the interlayer index of refraction, thickness and color. The present invention compensates the edge of the solid insert by providing a sheet of a compatible compensation material that the substrate of the insert and which extends to at least the black band or the edge of glass of the laminate making the insert edge essentially invisible.

A sheet heater comprises a sheet form heating unit configured from a wire heater. The heating unit comprises a first heating unit positioned along a peripheral edge of the area subject to heating, and a second heating unit positioned at an area surrounded by the first heating unit. The second heating unit comprises a plurality of meandering parts, with mutually adjacent meandering parts overlapping each other in the meandering direction. In the heating unit, the width (WL) of the wire heater is greater than the width (WP) between mutually adjacent wire heaters.

Provided is a fog removing device including a sensor configured to detect fog to generate sensing data, a heater configured to generate heat to remove the fog, and a control unit configured to supply a power to the heater by using the sensing data. The sensor includes a substrate, a first electrode and a second electrode, which are provided on the substrate and electrically disconnected from each other, and a recess region defined between the first and second electrodes.

The present invention relates to glass for vehicles including a glass plate; an information transmitting/receiving area, defined in the glass, via which a device mounted in a vehicle transmits or receives information; and a film that heats the information transmitting/receiving area, the film being attached to an area overlapping the information transmitting/receiving area in an interior side of the glass plate in a vehicle in a planar view; wherein the film includes a substrate, a heating element formed on the substrate, and a busbar connected to the heating element; the film has a heating zone divided into two or more heating areas; and the two or more of the heating areas share at least one busbar and are connected in series.