A method and an apparatus for supporting a camera-based environment recognition by a means of transport using road wetness information from a first ultrasonic sensor. The method includes: recording a first signal representing an environment of the means of transport by the first ultrasonic sensor of the means of transport; recording a second signal representing the environment of the means of transport by a camera of the means of transport; obtaining road wetness information on the basis of the first signal; selecting a predefined set of parameters from a plurality of predefined sets of parameters as a function of the road wetness information; and performing an environment recognition on the basis of the second signal in conjunction with the predefined set of parameters.

A method for measuring precipitation. The method includes a read-in step, a detection step and a determination step. In the read-in step, data packets of at least one ultrasonic sensor are read in. Excitations detected by the ultrasonic sensor within a measuring time window are mapped in a data packet. The excitations are mapped as time values and intensity values. The time value represents a detection point in time of an excitation. The intensity value represents an amplitude of the excitation. In the detection step, excitations are detected as drop events. An excitation is detected as a drop event induced by a pulse of an impacting drop if the time value and/or the intensity value of the excitation satisfies at least one characteristic of a drop event. In the determination step, a precipitation intensity is determined, using a number of drop events detected per time unit.

A method and an apparatus for supporting a camera-based environment recognition by a means of transport using road wetness information from a first ultrasonic sensor. The method includes: recording a first signal representing an environment of the means of transport by the first ultrasonic sensor of the means of transport; recording a second signal representing the environment of the means of transport by a camera of the means of transport; obtaining road wetness information on the basis of the first signal; selecting a predefined set of parameters from a plurality of predefined sets of parameters as a function of the road wetness information; and performing an environment recognition on the basis of the second signal in conjunction with the predefined set of parameters.

A method for measuring precipitation. The method includes a read-in step, a detection step and a determination step. In the read-in step, data packets of at least one ultrasonic sensor are read in. Excitations detected by the ultrasonic sensor within a measuring time window are mapped in a data packet. The excitations are mapped as time values and intensity values. The time value represents a detection point in time of an excitation. The intensity value represents an amplitude of the excitation. In the detection step, excitations are detected as drop events. An excitation is detected as a drop event induced by a pulse of an impacting drop if the time value and/or the intensity value of the excitation satisfies at least one characteristic of a drop event. In the determination step, a precipitation intensity is determined, using a number of drop events detected per time unit.

The present invention relates to a windshield monitoring system. The windshield monitoring system comprises; a windshield (114) and an emitter (122) arranged to emit a sound pulse to induce a surface acoustic wave (SAW) to a surface of the windshield (114). The windshield monitoring system also comprises a sensor (124) arranged to receive the surface acoustic wave from the windshield (114) and a detection module (130) arranged to detect the presence of surface contamination (120) by attenuation in intensity of the received wave compared to an expected wave.