METHOD AND MONITORING SYSTEM FOR CLOSING COVERS

• US 20110012621A1
• Filed: 01/12/2007
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microchip Technology Germany GmbH (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Microchip Technology Germany GmbH (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Richter, Wolfgang
• Granted Patent: US 8,558,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/675
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/015 including means for detecting the presence or position of passengers, passenger seats or child seats , and the related safety parameters therefor, e.g. speed or timing of airbag inflation in relation to occupant position or seat belt use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01532 using electric or capacitive field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/548 Trunk lids

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a monitoring system for automatically actuated, in particular power-driven closing covers, for example boot lids of motor vehicles. The invention also relates to a method and a detection system for detecting the presence of objects per se. The aim of the invention is to provide solutions for the implementation of a reliable safety system. According to the invention, this is achieved by a detection system comprising a modulation unit for generating an alternating voltage, which is applied between a first output and a second output on the modulation device, a field generation structure that is coupled to one of the outputs in order to generate an extensive excitation field and a detection device comprising a detection electrode structure for detecting a field-electric effect in a detection area that extends along the electrode structure, the field generation structure and the detection electrode structure being located in the vicinity of one another and the detection electrode structure and the field generation structure being shielded from one another, in such a way that when the excitation field and the detection area are bridged by an object to be detected, a voltage event that can be classified as indicating a presence is induced in the detection electrode structure.

Claims

1. A detection system comprising:

a modulator for generating an alternating voltage that is applied as such between a first output and a second output of the modulator;

a field-forming structure that is coupled to one of the outputs for the purpose of generating a spatially extended excitation field; and

a detector having a detection electrode structure to detect a field-electrical effect within a detection area extending along the electrode structure;

wherein the field-forming structure and the detection electrode structure are provided near each other, and the detection electrode structure and field-forming structure are largely shielded from each other such that when the excitation field and the detection area are bridged by an object to be detected, a voltage event that can be classified as indicating a presence is induced in the detection electrode structure.

2. The detection system according to claim 1, wherein the field-forming electrode structure and the detection electrode structure are provided in the closing gap area of a trunk lid.

3. The detection system according to claim 1 wherein the field-forming electrode structure and the detection electrode structure are incorporated in a seal.

4. The detection system according to claim 1 wherein the field-forming electrode structure and the detection electrode structure are made of a conductive synthetic material.

5. The detection system according to claim 1 wherein the shielding structure is connected to the modulator in such a way that a voltage is able to be applied that is modulated in terms of the phase position and voltage distance relative to the detection electrode structure and/or the field-forming structure.

6. The detection system according to claim 1 wherein the spatial form of the detection area and/or of the excitation field is shaped, in particular, varied over the distance of the voltages applied to these electrode systems.

7. The detection system according to claim 1 wherein multiple shield electrodes are associated with the detection electrode structure and/or field-forming electrode structure, and that by matching the distance of the voltages to the given shield electrode the shape and/or the orientation of the excitation or detection area is varied.

8. A trunk-lid assembly for a motor vehicle, comprising

a trunk lid movable within a trunk-lid track region,

a movement mechanism to guide the trunk lid in that trunk-lid track region, and

a detection system of the above-mentioned type, wherein given a state of presence of an object that is detected by the detection system and classified as hazard-relevant, the movement mechanism is placed in an operational state in which the risk of injury from the motion of the trunk lid is prevented or reduced.

9. A method of detecting the approach of a vital object toward moved components, in which continuously, or at sufficiently small intervals, proximity states characterized by an approach of the vital object to the moved are detected based on field-electrical interaction effects, wherein the dynamic response of the change in the proximity state is determined based on sequentially detected proximity states, and the proximity state is classified based on a correlation of that of the dynamic response of the proximity state change with a reference dynamic characterized by the motion of the moved component.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the reference dynamic is used to compensate nonlinear relationships in the change of the sensor signals and in the motion of the moved components.

11. The method according to claim 9 wherein the reference dynamic is used to compensate those of the changes allowable in the sensor signals caused by interaction with stationary adjacent systems.

12. A system for detecting the approach of vital objects toward moved components that are movable as such within a control range, comprising:

an electrode,

an LC network connected to the electrode,

a reference system correlating relationships between the capacitance of the electrode and different system control states,

a controller for influencing the LC network as a function of the reference system such that application of the electrode is adequately matched to the instantaneous system control state, and

an evaluation circuit for evaluating the operation of the LC network and for generating an evaluation result based thereon.

13. The system according to claim 12 wherein the evaluation circuit comprises a mixer that mixes the frequency applied to the LC network with the frequency of a mixing oscillator.

14. The system according to claim 13 wherein the mixed frequency is varied as a function of the dynamic response of the moved components, and the evaluation circuit can be designed such that the circuit effects an extraction of signals that are not triggered as such by the system control state after admixture of the mixed frequency.