Method and apparatus for adaptive control of a vehicle power window

• US 5,982,124 A
• Filed: 07/01/1997
• Issued: 11/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Wang, John Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): MARTIN, DAVID S
• Application Number:
  US08/886,372
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 318/445-487, 318/280-300, 49/139-140
• US Class Current: 318/466
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/024 in which a parameter or coefficient is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4061 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/0851 for motors actuating a movable member between two end positions, e.g. detecting an end position or obstruction by overload signal

Abstract

An adaptive vehicle power window control apparatus (20) includes an electric motor (28) for moving a member (34) between a first position and a second position. The space between the first position and the second position is divided into a plurality of trap zones and each zone has an associated sensitivity value. A controller 24 determines (40) a value functionally related to the present motor speed and determines (44) a value functionally related to a reference motor speed. The sensitivity value is adjusted as a function of the two determined values. A window zone determining function (62) determines which of the plurality zones the member (34) is located. The value functionally related to present motor speed is adjusted (52) as a function of the sensitivity value for the zone that the member is located. A comparing function (48) compares the adjusted value with the value functionally related to reference motor speed. The motor direction and movement is controlled as a function of the comparison. Zone locations are adjustable with a calibration procedure.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling an electric motor for moving a member between a first location and a second location, a plurality of locations for the member being between the first and second locations and being divided into a plurality of member location zones, said apparatus comprising:

means for sensing operation of the motor and for providing a signal indicative thereof;

means for determining an actual value of an operating parameter utilizing the signal from said means for sensing;

means for generating an expected value of the operating parameter utilizing the actual value of the operating parameter;

storage means for storing zone dependent values, each zone dependent value being associated with a respective member location zone;

means for generating a zone dependent value associated with the member location zone within which the member is located utilizing the expected value of the operating parameter, and for supplying the generated zone dependent value to said storage means for storage therein;

means for generating an adjusted value of the operating parameter using the associated zone dependent value from said storage means for the member location zone within which the member is located;

means for comparing the expected value of the operating parameter against the adjusted value of the operating parameter; and

means for controlling motor operation in response to said comparison.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for generating a zone dependent value includes means for utilizing the actual value of the operating parameter for the generation of the zone dependent value.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the operating parameter is motor speed and said means for determining an actual value includes means for determining actual motor speed.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said means for generating an expected value includes means for determining an average motor speed, and the expected value of the operating parameter is the average motor speed.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said means for comparing includes means for determining the relative magnitudes of the adjusted value of the operating parameter and the expected value of the operating parameter, and said means for controlling motor operation includes means for moving the member to the first position in response to at least a determination that the magnitude of the adjusted value of the operating parameter is greater than or equal to the magnitude of the expected value of the operating parameter.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further including means for detecting a stall condition of the motor, and wherein said means for controlling is further responsive to said means for detecting a stall condition.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the member location zones defines a distance range of movement of the member, and all of the distance ranges are substantially equal.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for generating an adjusted value includes means for utilizing the actual value of the operating parameter for the generation of the adjusted value, and includes means for multiplying the actual value by the associated zone dependent value to provide the adjusted value.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further including means for determining the current position of the member, and including means for determining the current zone within which the member is located.

10. An apparatus for controlling an electric motor for moving a member between a first location and a second location, a plurality of locations for the member being between the first and second locations and being divided into a plurality of member location zones, said apparatus comprising:

means for sensing operation of the motor and for providing a signal indicative thereof;

means for determining a first value using the signal from said means for sensing;

means for determining a second value using the first value;

storage means for storing zone dependent values, each zone dependent value being associated with a respective member location zone;

means for determining the present zone within which the member is located;

means for adjusting the first value dependent upon the determined zone and using an associated zone dependent value from said storage means;

means for comparing the adjusted first value against the second value; and

means for controlling motor operation in response to said comparison.

11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10, further including means for adjusting at least one of the stored zone dependent values utilizing the first value.

12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein the first value is actual motor speed and the second value is average motor speed.

13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10, further including means for detecting a stall condition of the motor, and wherein said means for controlling motor operation is further responsive to said means for detecting a stall condition.

14. A method for controlling an electric motor for moving a member between a first location and a second location, a plurality of locations for the member being between the first and second locations and being divided into a plurality of member location zones, said method comprising:

sensing operation of the motor and providing a signal indicative thereof;

determining an actual value of an operating parameter utilizing the signal indicative of the sensed operation;

generating an expected value of the operating parameter utilizing the actual value of the operating parameter;

storing zone dependent values in storage means, each zone dependent value being associated with a respective member location zone;

generating a zone dependent value associated with the member location zone within which the member is located utilizing the expected value of the operating parameter;

supplying the generated zone dependent value to the storage means for storage therein;

generating an adjusted value of the operating parameter using the associated zone dependent value from the storage means for the member location zone within which the member is located;

comparing the expected value of the operating parameter against the adjusted value of the operating parameter; and

controlling motor operation in response to the comparison.

15. A method as set forth in claim 14, wherein said step of generating a zone dependent value includes utilizing the actual value of the operating parameter for the generation of the zone dependent value.

16. A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein the operating parameter is motor speed and said step of determining an actual value includes determining actual motor speed.

17. A method as set forth in claim 14, wherein said step of comparing includes determining the relative magnitudes of the adjusted value of the operating parameter and the expected value of the operating parameter, said step of controlling motor operation includes controlling the member to move to the first position in response to at least a determination that the magnitude of the adjusted value of the operating parameter is greater than or equal to the magnitude of the expected value of the operating parameter.

18. A method as set forth in claim 14, further including detecting a stall condition of the motor, and wherein said step of controlling further includes controlling the motor responsive to a detected stall condition.

19. A method for controlling an electric motor for moving a member between a first location and a second location, a plurality of locations for the member being between the first and second locations and being divided into a plurality of member location zones, said method comprising:

sensing operation of the motor and providing a signal indicative thereof;

determining a first value using the signal indicative of motor operation;

determining a second value using the first value;

storing zone dependent values in storage means, each zone dependent value being associated with a respective member location zone;

determining the present zone within which the member is located;

adjusting the first value dependent upon the determined zone and using an associated zone dependent value from the storage means;

comparing the adjusted first value against the second value; and

controlling motor operation in response to the comparison.

20. A method as set forth in claim 19, further including adjusting at least one of the stored zone dependent values utilizing the first value.

21. A method as set forth in claim 19, wherein the first value is actual motor speed and the second value is average motor speed.

22. A method as set forth in claim 19, further including detecting a stall condition of the motor, and wherein said step of controlling further includes controlling the motor responsive to a detected stall condition.