Method and apparatus for positioning a motor actuated vehicle accessory

• US 20080302014A1
• Filed: 06/05/2007
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Szczerba, Joseph F., Lenneman, John K., Seder, Thomas A., Mathieu, Roy J., Repa, Brian S.
• Application Number:
  US11/758,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20080302014A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 49/31
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/00 Power-operated mechanisms for wings motor-operated accessories in locks for completing closing or initiating opening of a wing E05B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/689 specially adapted for vehicle windows
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/35 related to specific positions
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/852 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/86 by hand
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/46 in or on the wing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/00 Details, accessories and auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/424 against unintended use, e.g. protection against vandalism or sabotage
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/73 Multiple functions
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for positioning a motor actuated vehicle accessory. A vehicle window having a touch receptive field is used to detect touch events of a touch command applied by a vehicle occupant. A control unit, which is coupled to the touch receptive field and the motor actuated vehicle accessory, operates to position the motor actuated vehicle accessory in accordance with the touch command applied by the vehicle occupant. Exemplary embodiments are presented where the principles of the invention are applied to the positioning of a power window, a power mirror, and a power sunroof window of a vehicle.

Claims

1. An apparatus for positioning a motor actuated vehicle accessory, the apparatus comprising:

a vehicle window having a touch receptive field for receiving a touch command applied by a vehicle occupant; and

a control unit coupled to the touch receptive field and the motor actuated vehicle accessory, the control unit being operable to position the motor actuated vehicle accessory in accordance with the touch command applied by the vehicle occupant.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch command comprises an initial touch event, and at least one of a hold event, a release event, and a drag event.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch command comprises a multi-touch event, wherein the touch receptive field is concurrently touched at two different locations.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch receptive field is disposed on a vehicle side window glass.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motor actuated vehicle accessory is a vehicle power window having a window glass movable between a fully open position and a fully closed position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the touch receptive field is disposed on the window glass of the vehicle power window.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the touch command comprises a double tap touch command, and the control unit operates to position the window glass of the vehicle power window to the fully open position in response to the double tap touch command.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the touch command comprises a double tap touch command, and the control unit operates to position the window glass of the vehicle power window to the fully closed position in response to the double tap touch command.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the touch command comprises touch, hold, and release events, whereby a location on the touch receptive field is touched and held by the vehicle occupant, and the control unit operates to move the window glass of the vehicle power window until the vehicle occupant releases the location touched on the touch receptive field.

11. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the touch command comprises touch and drag events, whereby the vehicle occupant touches the touch receptive field with a finger, and slides the finger a drag distance along the touch receptive field, and the control unit operates to move the window glass of the vehicle power window a distance proportional to the drag distance.

12. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the touch command comprises multi-touch events, whereby the vehicle occupant touches the touch receptive field with two fingers at two respective locations separated by a touch distance, and the control unit operates to move the window glass of the vehicle power window a distance proportional to the touch distance.

13. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the touch command comprises multi-touch and drag events, whereby the vehicle occupant touches the touch receptive field with two fingers at two respective touch locations separated by touch distance, and drags the fingers along the touch receptive field to cause a change in the touch distance, and the control unit operates to move the window glass of the vehicle power window in accordance with the change in the touch distance.

14. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the window glass of the power window is covered by a vehicle side molding when the window glass in moved to the fully closed position, and the vehicle side molding has an opening to allow touching of the touch receptive field when the window glass is in the fully open position.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motor actuated vehicle accessory is a power mirror having a mirror member positioned by rotation about a vertical axis and a horizontal axis.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the touch receptive field comprises a plurality of defined regions, each defined region corresponding to a different direction of rotation of the mirror element about one of the vertical axis and horizontal axis, and the control unit operates to position the power mirror by determining which of the defined regions receives the touch command.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the touch receptive field contains a graphic symbol indicative of the different directions of rotation of the mirror element about the vertical and horizontal axes.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motor actuated vehicle accessory is a vehicle power sunroof window having a window glass movable between a fully open position and fully closed position.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the touch receptive field is disposed on the window glass of the vehicle power sunroof window.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the vehicle power sunroof window has a trim molding with an opening to allow touching of the touch receptive field when the window glass is in the fully open position.

21. A method for positioning a motor actuated vehicle accessory, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a touch command applied by a vehicle occupant to a touch receptive field disposed on a vehicle window glass; and

positioning the motor actuated vehicle accessory in accordance with the detected touch command