US 12,142,093 B2
Automated windshield damage detection and mitigation for autonomous vehicles
Ulrich C. Michelfeit, Freiberg (DE); and Rameez Ahmad, Canton, MI (US)
Assigned to Robert Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart (DE)
Filed by Robert Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart (DE)
Filed on Jun. 3, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/831,864.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/210,277, filed on Jun. 14, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0398878 A1, Dec. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. G07C 5/08 (2006.01); G01N 29/14 (2006.01); G01N 29/44 (2006.01); H04R 1/08 (2006.01)
CPC G07C 5/0808 (2013.01) [G01N 29/14 (2013.01); G01N 29/4445 (2013.01); G07C 5/0816 (2013.01); H04R 1/08 (2013.01); H04R 2499/13 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for detecting and classifying damage to a vehicle, the system comprising:
a microphone positioned to detect sound waves inside the vehicle;
one or more sensors positioned on the vehicle and configured to sense a characteristic of a windshield of the vehicle; and
an electronic processor communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors and the microphone and configured to
receive sensor information from the one or more sensors;
receive an electrical signal from the microphone;
determine, based on the sensor information, whether a crack event has occurred, wherein the crack event is caused by an impact of an object with the windshield;
in response to determining that the crack event has occurred, determine a cause of the crack event based on the electrical signal received from the microphone, wherein determining the cause includes determining a particular type for the object; and
execute a mitigation action based on the cause of the crack event.