Collision monitoring system
First Claim
1. Apparatus for controlling activation of a motor for moving a window or panel along a travel path and de-activating the motor if an obstacle is encountered by the window or panel comprising:
- a) a current sensor for sensing the motor current as the motor moves the window or panel along a travel path;
b) an optical sensor for monitoring a region through which the window or panel moves and sensing an obstacle in the region;
c) a switch means for controlling energization of the motor with an energization signal; and
d) a controller coupled to the switch means for controllably energizing the motor and having interfaces coupling the controller to both the current sensor and the optical sensor;
said controller comprising;
i) means for monitoring motor current from the current sensor;
ii) means for calculating an obstacle detect threshold based on motor current detected during at least one prior period of motor operation;
iii) a comparator for comparing a value based on currently sensed motor current with the obstacle detect threshold; and
iv) output means coupled to said switch means for stopping the motor if the comparison based on currently sensed motor current indicates the panel has contacted an obstacle or if the optical sensor senses an obstacle in the region through which the window or panel moves.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is an improved system and method for sensing both hard and soft obstructions for a movable panel such as a sunroof. A dual detection scheme is employing that includes an optical sensing as the primary means and electronic sensing of motor current as a secondary means. The secondary means utilizes system empirical precharacterization, fast processing algorithms, motor parameter monitoring including both current sensing and sensorless electronic motor current commutation pulse sensing, and controller memory, to adaptively modify electronic obstacle detection thresholds in real time without the use of templates and cycle averaging techniques.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. Apparatus for controlling activation of a motor for moving a window or panel along a travel path and de-activating the motor if an obstacle is encountered by the window or panel comprising:
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a) a current sensor for sensing the motor current as the motor moves the window or panel along a travel path;
b) an optical sensor for monitoring a region through which the window or panel moves and sensing an obstacle in the region;
c) a switch means for controlling energization of the motor with an energization signal; and
d) a controller coupled to the switch means for controllably energizing the motor and having interfaces coupling the controller to both the current sensor and the optical sensor;
said controller comprising;
i) means for monitoring motor current from the current sensor;
ii) means for calculating an obstacle detect threshold based on motor current detected during at least one prior period of motor operation;
iii) a comparator for comparing a value based on currently sensed motor current with the obstacle detect threshold; and
iv) output means coupled to said switch means for stopping the motor if the comparison based on currently sensed motor current indicates the panel has contacted an obstacle or if the optical sensor senses an obstacle in the region through which the window or panel moves. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for controlling activation of a motor for moving a window or panel along a travel path and deactivating the motor if an obstacle is encountered by the window or panel comprising:
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a) initiating movement of the window or panel along a traversal of a travel path by activating the motor;
b) sensing an initial motor current as the motor moves the window or panel along said travel path and storing a value related to the motor current;
c) positioning an optical sensor to optically monitor a region through which the window or panel moves to sense an obstacle in said region;
d) controlling energization of the motor with an energization signal thereby causing the window or panel to traverse the travel path;
e) again monitoring motor current sensed at a later time during movement of the window or panel and storing a value related to the later motor currents f) determining a threshold factor based on an initial and a later sensed motor current; and
g) stopping the motor if the threshold factor when compared with sensed—
motor current indicates an obstacle has been detected or if an output from the optical sensor indicates an obstacle is in the region through which the window or panel moves. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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24. Apparatus for controlling activation of a motor for moving a motor vehicle window or panel along a travel path and de-activating the motor if an obstacle is encountered by the window or panel comprising:
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a) a current sensor for sensing the motor current as the motor moves the window or panel along a travel path;
b) an optical sensor for monitoring a region through which the window or panel moves and sensing an obstacle in the region;
c) a switch means for controlling energization of the motor with an energization signal; and
d) a programmable controller having an interface coupled to the current sensor, the optical sensor and the switch means for controllably energizing the motor;
said programmable controller including a stored program which executes when power is applied to the programmable controller by a motor vehicle battery for detecting either an imminent or actual collision with an obstruction as the motor moves the window or panel, said stored program when executing defining;
i) means for monitoring motor current from the current sensor;
ii) means for calculating an obstacle detect threshold based on motor current detected during at least one prior period of motor operation;
iii) a comparator for comparing a value based on currently sensed motor current with the obstacle detect threshold and stopping the motor if the comparison based on currently sensed motor current indicates the panel has contacted an obstacle or if the optical sensor senses an obstacle in the region through which the window or panel moves.
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28. Apparatus for controlling activation of a motor for moving an object along a travel path and de-activating the motor if an obstacle is encountered by the object comprising:
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a) a movement sensor for monitoring movement of the object as the motor moves said object along a travel path;
b) a switch means for controlling energization of the motor with an energization signal; and
c) a controller coupled to the switch means for controllably energizing the motor and having an interface coupling the controller to the movement sensor;
said controller comprising;
i) means for determining motor speed from an output signal from the movement sensor;
ii) means for calculating an obstacle detect threshold based on motor speed of movement detected during at least one prior period of motor operation;
iii) a comparator for comparing a value based on currently sensed motor movement with the obstacle detect threshold; and
iv) output means coupled to said switch means for stopping the motor if the comparison based on currently sensed motor movement indicates the object has contacted an obstacle.
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42. Apparatus for controlling activation of a motor for moving a window or panel along a travel path and de-activating the motor if an obstacle is encountered by the window or panel comprising:
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a) a current sensor for sensing the motor current as the motor moves the window or panel along a travel path;
b) a switch means for controlling energization of the motor with an energization signal; and
c) a controller coupled to the switch means for controllably energizing the motor and having an interface coupling the controller to both the current sensor;
said controller comprising;
i) means for monitoring motor current from the current sensor;
ii) means for calculating an obstacle detect threshold based on motor current detected during at least one prior period of motor operation;
iii) a comparator for comparing a value based on currently sensed motor current with the obstacle detect threshold; and
iv) output means coupled to said switch means for stopping the motor if the comparison based on currently sensed motor current indicates the window or panel has contacted an obstacle.
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Specification