Adaptive signal threshold for triggering kick detection
First Claim
1. A method of operating a sensor system with regard to generating a trigger signal indicative of an occurrence of an operator-actuated event in the presence of noise, the sensor system including at least one proximity sensor that generates a sensor signal indicative of a sensed physical quantity and a control unit having an evaluation unit, the method comprising steps of:
- acquiring, via the evaluation unit, sample values of the sensor signal at a predetermined sampling interval,comparing, via the evaluation unit, a presently sampled value acquired as a presently sampled sensor signal with a first threshold value stored in a memory of the evaluation unit,generating, via the evaluation unit, the trigger signal for controlling a motor-driven vehicle door member when the value obtained as the presently sampled sensor signal is as large as or exceeds the first threshold value,omitting to generate, via the evaluation unit, the trigger signal when the value obtained as the presently sampled sensor signal is less than the first threshold value,forming, via the evaluation unit, a subset out of the sampled values of the sensor signals, wherein a predetermined number of consecutively acquired sensor signals immediately preceding the presently sampled value are excluded from forming the subset,based on the formed subset of sampled sensor signals, determining, via the evaluation unit, an update value for the first threshold value, andadapting the first threshold value to the presence of noise, via the evaluation unit, by setting the first threshold value stored in the memory of the evaluation unit equal to the update value.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of operating a sensor system having at least one proximity sensor, with regard to generating a trigger signal indicative of an occurrence of an operator-intended event in the presence of noise. The method includes repetitive steps of: acquiring the sensor signal at specified sampling times, comparing a value obtained as a presently sampled sensor signal with a presently valid first threshold value, generating a trigger signal if the value obtained as the presently sampled sensor signal is as large as or exceeds the presently valid first threshold value, omitting to generate a trigger signal if the value obtained as the presently sampled sensor signal is less than or equal to the presently valid first threshold value, forming a subset out of the sampled sensor signals, determining an update value for the first threshold value, and replacing the presently valid first threshold value by the update value.
10 Citations
10 Claims
-
1. A method of operating a sensor system with regard to generating a trigger signal indicative of an occurrence of an operator-actuated event in the presence of noise, the sensor system including at least one proximity sensor that generates a sensor signal indicative of a sensed physical quantity and a control unit having an evaluation unit, the method comprising steps of:
-
acquiring, via the evaluation unit, sample values of the sensor signal at a predetermined sampling interval, comparing, via the evaluation unit, a presently sampled value acquired as a presently sampled sensor signal with a first threshold value stored in a memory of the evaluation unit, generating, via the evaluation unit, the trigger signal for controlling a motor-driven vehicle door member when the value obtained as the presently sampled sensor signal is as large as or exceeds the first threshold value, omitting to generate, via the evaluation unit, the trigger signal when the value obtained as the presently sampled sensor signal is less than the first threshold value, forming, via the evaluation unit, a subset out of the sampled values of the sensor signals, wherein a predetermined number of consecutively acquired sensor signals immediately preceding the presently sampled value are excluded from forming the subset, based on the formed subset of sampled sensor signals, determining, via the evaluation unit, an update value for the first threshold value, and adapting the first threshold value to the presence of noise, via the evaluation unit, by setting the first threshold value stored in the memory of the evaluation unit equal to the update value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A control unit for generating a trigger signal for controlling activation of a motor-driven vehicle door member, the control unit comprising:
-
at least one processor unit and at least one digital data memory unit, wherein the at least one processor unit has data access to the at least one digital data memory unit, a sensor driving unit that is electrically connectable to at least one proximity sensor that is configured to generate a sensor signal indicative of a distance to an object, for providing a driving voltage to the at least one proximity sensor, a sensor signal evaluation unit that is connectable to the at least one proximity sensor and is configured for receiving the sensor signal as a signal input indicative of an operator-actuated event, and is configured for evaluating the received sensor signal by; sampling values of the sensor signal at a predetermined sampling interval, comparing a presently sampled value acquired as a presently sampled sensor signal with a threshold value stored in a memory of the sensor signal evaluation unit, generating the trigger signal when the value obtained as the presently sampled sensor signal is as large as or exceeds the threshold value, omitting to generate the trigger signal when the value obtained as the presently sampled sensor signal is less than the threshold value, forming a subset out of the sampled sensor signals, wherein a predetermined number of consecutively acquired sensor signals immediately preceding the presently sampled sensor signal are excluded from forming the subset, based on the formed subset of sampled sensor signals, determining an update value for the threshold value, and adapting the threshold value to the presence of noise by setting the threshold value stored in the memory of the evaluation unit equal to the update value, wherein the at least one processor unit is configured to generate an output signal upon and as long as the trigger signal is being received from the sensor signal evaluation unit, wherein the output signal controls the motor-driven vehicle door member based on predetermined sensor signal validation criteria.
-
-
10. A non-transitory digital data memory on which is stored a software module comprising computer-readable program code that is executable by a processor unit and configured to:
-
receive a sensor signal indicative of an operator actuated event from at least one proximity sensor; sample the sensor signal at specified sampling times, compare a value obtained as a presently sampled sensor signal with a stored threshold value, generating a trigger signal controlling a motor-driven vehicle door member when the value obtained as the presently sampled sensor signal is as large as or exceeds the stored threshold value, omitting to generate the trigger signal if the value obtained as the presently sampled sensor signal is less than the stored threshold value, forming a subset out of the sampled sensor signals, wherein a predetermined number of consecutively acquired sensor signals immediately preceding the presently sampled sensor signal is excluded from forming the subset, based on the formed subset of sampled sensor signals, determining an update value for the stored threshold value, and adapting the threshold value to the presence of noise by setting the stored threshold value equal to the update value.
-
Specification