Systems and methods for shielding a hand sensor system in a steering wheel
First Claim
1. A system for shielding a hand sensor system in a steering wheel comprising:
- a power source in communication with the hand sensor system;
a sensor mat comprising one or more capacitive sensing loops having respectively separate connections to the power source wherein each of the sensing loops receives, from the power source, a respective sensing voltage signal that defines a respective sensing zone in the sensor mat, and wherein the sensor mat transmits at least one presence signal from at least one of the sensor loops back to the power source to indicate a presence of an input in at least one of the sensing zones;
a heater mat disposed between a steering wheel frame and the sensor mat, the heater mat comprising one or more heating conductive loops connected to the power source, wherein the power source transmits a heating current to at least one of the heating conductive loops upon receiving the presence signal;
a shielding mat positioned between the heater mat and the sensor mat, the shielding mat comprising one or more shielding conductive loops having respectively separate connections to the power source wherein each of the shielding conductive loops receives a discrete shielding voltage signal from the power source, wherein the shielding conductive loops define respective shielding zones in the shielding mat,wherein at least one of the sensing zones and at least one of the shielding zones occupy corresponding positions along the steering wheel, and the shielding zones shield the sensing zones from interference.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods of shielding a hand sensor system in a steering wheel are disclosed herein. An exemplary hand sensor system includes a sensor mat and a heater mat that is disposed between the sensor mat and a frame of the steering wheel. A power source selectively provides a heating current to the heater mat to provide heat to the steering wheel and a shielding voltage signal to the heater mat to provide electrical shielding for the sensor mat when heating is not needed or when sensing takes priority over heating. Alternatively, the system may include a shield mat that is separate from the heater mat and is disposed between the sensor mat and the heater mat. In addition, to isolate the signal carried by individual sensor return wires, a metallic or insulating covering or conduit may be provided around the wires or portions thereof.
179 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A system for shielding a hand sensor system in a steering wheel comprising:
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a power source in communication with the hand sensor system; a sensor mat comprising one or more capacitive sensing loops having respectively separate connections to the power source wherein each of the sensing loops receives, from the power source, a respective sensing voltage signal that defines a respective sensing zone in the sensor mat, and wherein the sensor mat transmits at least one presence signal from at least one of the sensor loops back to the power source to indicate a presence of an input in at least one of the sensing zones; a heater mat disposed between a steering wheel frame and the sensor mat, the heater mat comprising one or more heating conductive loops connected to the power source, wherein the power source transmits a heating current to at least one of the heating conductive loops upon receiving the presence signal; a shielding mat positioned between the heater mat and the sensor mat, the shielding mat comprising one or more shielding conductive loops having respectively separate connections to the power source wherein each of the shielding conductive loops receives a discrete shielding voltage signal from the power source, wherein the shielding conductive loops define respective shielding zones in the shielding mat, wherein at least one of the sensing zones and at least one of the shielding zones occupy corresponding positions along the steering wheel, and the shielding zones shield the sensing zones from interference. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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10. A system for shielding a hand sensor system in a steering wheel comprising:
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an electronic control unit comprising a processor and a power source, wherein the electronic control unit accesses previously input shielding current values and heating current values for use by the processor in controlling the power source; a sensor mat comprising one or more capacitive sensing loops connected to the electronic control unit with respectively separate sensor return wires and each of the sensing loops defining a sensing zone of the steering wheel upon receiving a sensing voltage signal from the power source; a heater mat disposed between a steering wheel frame and the sensor mat, the heater mat comprising one or more heating conductive loops connected to the electronic control unit, wherein the processor instructs the power source to transmit a heating current, corresponding to the previously input heating current values, to at least one of the heating conductive loops upon receiving the presence signal; and a shielding mat positioned between the heater mat and the sensor mat, the shielding mat comprising one or more shielding conductive loops connected to the electronic control unit by respectively separate conductive feed shielding wires, wherein the processor instructs the power source to transmit a shielding current, corresponding to the previously input shielding current values, to at least one of the shielding conductive loops such that the at least one of the shielding conductive loops defines a respective shielding zone in the shielding mat, wherein the sensing zones and the shielding zones occupy corresponding positions along the steering wheel, and the shielding zones shield the sensing zones from interference. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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20. A system for shielding a hand sensor system in a steering wheel comprising:
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an electronic control unit comprising a power source and a processor accessing instructions in the electronic control unit, wherein the instructions allow the processor to determine an output from the power source; a sensor mat comprising one or more capacitive sensing loops connected to the electronic control unit, wherein each of the sensing loops defines a respective sensing zone in the sensor mat, wherein each sensing loop is separately controlled by the power source; a heater mat disposed between a steering wheel frame and the sensor mat, the heater mat comprising one or more heating conductive loops connected to the electronic control unit; a shielding mat positioned between the heater mat and the sensor mat, the shielding mat comprising one or more shielding conductive loops connected to the electronic control unit by respective insulated shielding return wires extending from the shielding mat, wherein the shielding conductive loops define respective shielding zones in the shielding mat, wherein at least one of the sensing zones and at least one of the shielding zones occupy corresponding positions along the steering wheel, and the shielding zones shield the sensing zones from interference; wherein the power source is configured by the instructions in the electronic control unit for selectively generating the output for an electrical heating current on the heating conductive loops, and to apply respective sensor voltage signals and shielding voltage signals on the sensor loops and the shielding conductive loops; wherein the sensor loops transmit a generated signal from the sensor loops to the electronic control unit to indicate a presence of an input in the sensing zone. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification