The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 11, 2000
Filed:
Aug. 20, 1998
Manfred Griesinger, Leonberg, DE;
DaimlerChrysler AG, , US;
Abstract
In a process and apparatus for determining the condition of a road surface, light backscattered from a road surface is divided into spectral components and the spectral intensity distribution of the backscattered light is analyzed. The wavelength-dependent backscattered light spectrum of a dry road surface is arranged with a mathematical function with free parameters. This function is multiplied by an exponential absorption term which describes the light transmission of a water layer of a defined thickness in order to obtain a mathematical function for the wavelength-dependent distribution of the backscatter intensity (as it impinges on the receiver). Using the actual measured values, the free parameters of the function can then be calculated to obtain a best possible approximation. This among other things, results in a determination of the thickness of the water layer. In order to implement the process, the system is a spectrometer which uses an absorbing element applied directly to a CCD sensor line in place of a dispersive element.