Method and apparatus for preventing entrapment by a vehicle closure
First Claim
1. A method of preventing undesired operation of a vehicular portal closure member comprising the steps of:
- receiving, at an entrapment prevention controller, at least one sensor signal relating to the presence of a vehicle operator;
determining, from said at least one sensor signal, an operator presence state indicative of the presence of an operator at an operating position in said vehicle;
preventing, if said operator presence state is negative, operation of said vehicle portal closure member;
allowing, if said operator presence state is positive, operation of said vehicle portal closure member.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Motorized operating mechanisms for vehicle portal closure members, such as windows, sunroofs, sliding doors, hatches, or convertible tops are common in modern automobiles. Inadvertent operation of such closure members, however, has been known to cause injury and entrapment when such a member is directed to close at an inappropriate moment. A vehicle entrapment prevention system is provided which prevents undesired and possibly injurious operation of such a vehicle portal closure member. Undesired operation often occurs when younger occupants, such as small children, accidentally trigger the operating mechanism, which can cause the closure member to entrap an unsuspecting victim. Such an entrapment prevention system ensures safe operation by determining the presence of a responsible operator through the use of various sensors, and permits operation of a portal closure member only in the presence of such a responsible operator.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of preventing undesired operation of a vehicular portal closure member comprising the steps of:
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receiving, at an entrapment prevention controller, at least one sensor signal relating to the presence of a vehicle operator; determining, from said at least one sensor signal, an operator presence state indicative of the presence of an operator at an operating position in said vehicle; preventing, if said operator presence state is negative, operation of said vehicle portal closure member; allowing, if said operator presence state is positive, operation of said vehicle portal closure member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for preventing entrapment by vehicular portal closure members comprising:
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an entrapment prevention controller operable to disallow operation of a vehicular portal closure member; at least one sensor connected to said entrapment prevention controller and adapted to provide a signal indicative of operator presence; and control logic in said entrapment prevention controller for determining an operator presence state from said signal from said at least one sensor. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification