Vehicle sliding closure non-contact obstacle detection system
First Claim
1. A non-contact obstacle detection system for an opening in a vehicle comprising:
- a cover panel slidable in a sliding direction from an open position to a closed position;
a frame defining an opening including a first side edge generally parallel to the sliding direction, and a terminal edge generally transverse to the sliding direction;
wherein the cover panel includes a leading edge abutting the terminal edge with the cover panel in the closed position to completely enclose the opening in the frame, and wherein the leading edge is spaced apart from the terminal edge in the open position;
a first IR-TOF sensor disposed adjacent the terminal edge of the frame and providing a first beam within the opening along and adjacent to the first side edge and reflecting from the leading edge of the cover panel for detecting an obstacle within the opening between the first IR-TOF sensor and the cover panel as the cover panel is moved toward the closed position;
a first controller in communication with the first IR-TOF sensor and configured to detect the obstacle within the opening by sensing an actual length of the first beam.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A non-contact obstacle detection (NCOD) system for an opening in a vehicle includes a cover panel, such as a glass pane, slidable between opened and closed positions within the opening. The system includes one or more infrared time-of-flight (IR-TOF) sensors which measure the length of a beam of infrared light by measuring the time that the infrared light in the beam takes to travel the length of the beam and to reflect back to the sensor. The IR-TOF sensors may be configured to provide a beam of light along either the side edge of the frame parallel to the sliding direction or a terminal edge generally transverse to the sliding direction. Methods are provided for detecting obstacles within the opening of the frame by controllers using the lengths of beams from each of those different beam configurations, and for self-calibrating the system.
11 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A non-contact obstacle detection system for an opening in a vehicle comprising:
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a cover panel slidable in a sliding direction from an open position to a closed position; a frame defining an opening including a first side edge generally parallel to the sliding direction, and a terminal edge generally transverse to the sliding direction; wherein the cover panel includes a leading edge abutting the terminal edge with the cover panel in the closed position to completely enclose the opening in the frame, and wherein the leading edge is spaced apart from the terminal edge in the open position; a first IR-TOF sensor disposed adjacent the terminal edge of the frame and providing a first beam within the opening along and adjacent to the first side edge and reflecting from the leading edge of the cover panel for detecting an obstacle within the opening between the first IR-TOF sensor and the cover panel as the cover panel is moved toward the closed position; a first controller in communication with the first IR-TOF sensor and configured to detect the obstacle within the opening by sensing an actual length of the first beam. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for a non-contact obstacle detection system for a cover panel slidable in a sliding direction between an open position and a closed position within a frame of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting the cover panel closing; generating a first beam parallel to the sliding direction along and adjacent to a first side edge of the frame by a first IR-TOF sensor; reflecting the first beam off a leading edge of the cover panel and back to the first IR-TOF sensor; measuring a length of the first beam across the first side edge between the first IR-TOF sensor and the cover panel by the first IR-TOF sensor; detecting an obstacle within the opening by a first controller using the actual length of the first beam as measured by the first IR-TOF sensor; and signaling by the first controller for an actuator to stop closing the cover panel in response to the detection of an obstacle within the opening. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification