Automotive door latch control by motor current monitoring

• US 20060022630A1
• Filed: 09/14/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Spurr, Nigel V., Johnson, Curtis B., Gibson, Hugh D., Murchie, Duncan S., Kilker, Daniel D., Vorwald, Scott A., Vaidhyanathan, Ajaykumar, Bechtold, Kenneth V., Hayes, Richard T., Crawford, Alex, Eaton, William F., Maxwell, Abanni B., Shelley, Michael J., Shannon, Patrick H., Madden, Gillian J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,170,253 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/650
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/06 using rotary motors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/54 Electrical circuits for locking several wings simultaneously E05B77/48
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/64 Monitoring or sensing, e.g. by using switches or sensors

Abstract

Latch control methods and systems are disclosed, including a latch that receives power from a motor associated with a latch. A sensor can be provided for monitoring the current consumption of the motor. A microcontroller can control the latch and/or the motor, based on the current consumption data received from the sensor concerning the current consumption of the motor. Monitoring of the current waveform of the motor therefore provides speed and direction feedback data for control of the latch. Additionally, a microprocessor can process instructions for controlling the interaction of the motor, the latch, the sensor and/or the microcontroller. Such a current monitoring control system is made possible by variation in current consumption of the motor during rotation as a result of commutation, which can be interrogated by measuring the voltage drop across the motor or a shunt resistor, or through the use of other current sensors, such as, for example, a Hall-effect type current sensor.

Claims

1. A latch control system, comprising:

a latch associated with a motor for driving said latch; and

a sensor for monitoring said motor, wherein said sensor monitors a current waveform that is derived from a measurement of a voltage drop across said motor, in order to provide a position control of said motor based on said current waveform and achieve a latch functionality thereof.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said motor comprises a Direct Current (DC) motor.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a controller, which controls said motor and communicates with said latch, wherein said motor controls said motor based on said current waveform monitored by said sensor.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said sensor provides data to said controller, which is indicative of said current waveform associated with said motor.

5. The system of claim 3 further comprising a microprocessor, which communicates with said sensor and said motor and which processes data provided by said sensor, wherein said data is indicative of said current waveform associated with said motor.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said current waveform is derived by measuring said voltage drop across a shunt resistor associated with said motor.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said sensor comprises a current sensor.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said sensor comprises a Hall-effect current sensor.

6. (canceled)

10. A latch control system, comprising:

a latch associated with a Direct Current (DC) motor for driving said latch; and

a current sensor for monitoring said DC motor,

a controller, which controls said motor and communicates with said latch, wherein said motor controls said motor based on a current waveform monitored by said current sensor, wherein said current waveform is derived by measuring a voltage drop across said motor; and

a microprocessor, which communicates with said sensor and said motor and which processes data provided by said current sensor, wherein said data is indicative of said current waveform associated with said motor, wherein said current sensor monitors a current waveform in order to provide position control of said DC motor based on said current waveform and achieve a latch functionality thereof.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said current waveform is derived by measuring said a voltage drop across a shunt resistor associated with said motor.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein said current sensor comprises a Hall-effect current sensor.

11. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

15. A latch control method, comprising the steps of:

associating a latch with a motor for driving said latch;

measuring a current waveform utilizing a sensor by measuring a voltage drop across said motor; and

monitoring said motor with said sensor, wherein said sensor monitors said current waveform in order to provide position control of said motor based on said current waveform and achieve a latch functionality thereof.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said motor comprises a Direct Current (DC) motor.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of providing a controller, which controls said motor and communicates with said latch, wherein said motor controls said motor based on said current waveform monitored by said sensor.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of providing a microprocessor, which communicates with said sensor and said motor and which processes data provided by said sensor, wherein said data is indicative of said current waveform associated with said motor.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of deriving said current waveform associated with said motor by measuring said voltage drop across a shunt resistor associated with said motor.

19. (canceled)