Switch system capable of automatic configuration

• US 20040217649A1
• Filed: 05/02/2003
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust), Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation (Nexteer Automotive Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rouleau, James E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,119,456 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/027 between relatively movable parts of the vehicle, e.g. between steering wheel and column devices for measuring, signalling or controlling tyre pressure or temperature specially adapted for mounting on vehicles B60C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/955 including electronic identifier or coding means

Abstract

A switch system capable of being automatically configured and used with any electrical system, particularly vehicle electrical systems, having an operator-activated control and an electrical device. This switch system generally includes an electro-mechanical switch and a switch module. Upon activation of an operator-activated control, such as a turn signal lever, the electro-mechanical switch sends an electrical activation signal to the switch module. The switch module uses an electrical identification signal, also obtained from the electro-mechanical switch, and a look-up table to convert the activation signal into an electronic control message. The electronic control message is then used to control a corresponding electrical device, such as a turn signal lamp. A particular electro-mechanical switch embodiment providing error detecting capabilities is also shown.

Claims

1. A switch system for use with an operator-activated control and an electrical device, comprising:

an electro-mechanical switch operably coupled to the operator-activated control and being capable of providing an activation signal and an identification signal, and;

a switch module electrically coupled to said electro-mechanical switch and the electrical device, said switch module being capable of receiving said activation signal and said identification signal and being capable of providing an electronic control message to the electrical device, wherein engagement of the operator-activated control causes said electro-mechanical switch to send said activation signal to said switch module, said switch module utilizes said identification signal to convert said activation signal into said electronic control message, and said switch module sends said electronic control message to the electrical device for controlling its operation.

2. The switch system of claim 1, wherein said electro-mechanical switch further includes a switching element operably coupled to the operator-activated control and electrically coupled to said switch module, such that engagement of the operator-activated control causes said switching element to provide said activation signal to said switch module.

3. The switch system of claim 2, wherein said switching element is a digital switching element.

4. The switch system of claim 2, wherein said switching element is an analog switching element.

5. The switch system of claim 1, wherein said electro-mechanical switch further includes an identification element electrically coupled to said switch module, said identification element is capable of generating said identification signal.

6. The switch system of claim 5, wherein said identification element includes one or more hard-wired connections to either a power signal or a ground signal.

7. The switch system of claim 5, wherein said identification element includes one or more resistive elements.

8. The switch system of claim 5, wherein said identification element includes one or more capacitive elements.

9. The switch system of claim 1, wherein said switch module further includes an electronic processing device and one or more electronic memory devices, such that said electronic processing device is capable of writing said identification signal to said electronic memory device(s) and is capable of reading said electronic control message from said memory device(s) in response to said activation signal.

10. The switch system of claim 9, wherein said switch module uses said identification signal to identify a data structure that provides for the conversion of said activation signal into said electronic control message.

11. The switch system of claim 10, wherein said data structure is a look-up table.

12. The switch system of claim 1, wherein said electronic control message is provided directly to the electrical device.

13. The switch system of claim 1, wherein said electronic control message is provided to the electrical device via an electronic control unit used for controlling the operation of the device.

14. The switch system of claim 1, wherein said system is capable of employing an error-sensing technique when reading said activation signal.

15. The switch system of claim 14, where said error-sensing technique is a grey-code type technique such that movement of the operator-activated control between adjacent positions causes said activation signal to only change by one bit of data.

16. The switch system of claim 1, wherein a single said switch modules may be electrically coupled to a plurality of said electro-mechanical switches.

17. The switch system of claim 1, wherein a single said switch module is electrically coupled to a variety of different types of said electro-mechanical switches, each type of said switch providing a unique electrical identification signal.

18. The switch system of claim 1, wherein said switch system is mounted to a vehicle steering column assembly.

19. A method for automatically configuring and operating a switch system for use with an operator-activated control and an electrical device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an electro-mechanical switch,

(b) providing a switch module electrically coupled to said electro-mechanical switch,

(c) said electro-mechanical switch providing an electrical identification signal to said switch module,

(d) said electro-mechanical switch providing an electrical activation signal to said switch module in response to an engagement of the operator-activated control,

(e) said switch module utilizing said identification signal to convert said activation signal into an electronic control message, and;

(f) said switch module providing said electronic control message to the electrical device for controlling the operation of the electrical device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein step (e) further includes the steps of utilizing said identification signal to identify a corresponding data structure such that said data structure provides for the conversion of said activation signal to said electronic control message.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein step (d) further includes utilizing an error detecting technique that detects errors by looking for a change in said activation signal of more than a predetermined number of bits.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said error detecting technique is a grey-code type technique.

23. An electrical switch system for use in a vehicle, comprising:

an operator-activated control,

an electro-mechanical switch having a switching element operably coupled to said operator-activated control and being capable of generating an electrical activation signal, and an identification element being capable of generating an electrical identification signal,

a switch module having an electronic processing device coupled to said switching element and said identification element for receiving said activation signal and said identification signal, respectively, said switch module also capable of generating an electronic control message, and;

an electrical device capable of being controlled in response to said electronic control message, wherein engagement of said operator-activated control causes said switching element to send said activation signal to said electronic processing device, said electronic processing device utilizes said identification signal to convert said activation signal into said electronic control message, and said electronic processing device sends said electronic control message to said electrical device for controlling its operation.