Magnetic crash sensor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
- a. a plurality of coil elements, wherein said plurality of coil elements comprise at least first and second coil elements, and said first and second coil elements are either separated from one another or overlapping one another;
b. at least one time-varying signal source of at least one time-varying signal operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein said first and second coil elements are electrically in series with one another and are driven by said at least one time-varying signal source, said first coil element is adapted to generate a first magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, at least said second coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate at least a second magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, and said first coil element and said at least said second coil element are adapted so that said first magnetic field component and said at least said second magnetic field component interact with different first and at least second portions of a first vehicle when said plurality of coil elements are in a cooperative relationship with said first vehicle; and
c. at least one detection circuit operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein said at least one detection circuit generates a detected signal responsive to a first sensed signal component from said first coil element responsive to said first magnetic field component and responsive to at least a second sensed signal component from said at least said second coil element responsive to said at least said second magnetic field component, and said detected signal provides for detecting a change in a magnetic condition of or associated with said first vehicle.
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Abstract
At least one time-varying signal is applied to a plurality of coil elements in cooperative relationship with and spanning different portions of a vehicle. The coil elements generate an associated plurality of magnetic field components that interact with the vehicle. At least one detection circuit generates a detected signal responsive to signal components from the coil elements so as to provide for detecting a change in a magnetic condition of the vehicle.
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Citations
60 Claims
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1. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
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a. a plurality of coil elements, wherein said plurality of coil elements comprise at least first and second coil elements, and said first and second coil elements are either separated from one another or overlapping one another; b. at least one time-varying signal source of at least one time-varying signal operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein said first and second coil elements are electrically in series with one another and are driven by said at least one time-varying signal source, said first coil element is adapted to generate a first magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, at least said second coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate at least a second magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, and said first coil element and said at least said second coil element are adapted so that said first magnetic field component and said at least said second magnetic field component interact with different first and at least second portions of a first vehicle when said plurality of coil elements are in a cooperative relationship with said first vehicle; and c. at least one detection circuit operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein said at least one detection circuit generates a detected signal responsive to a first sensed signal component from said first coil element responsive to said first magnetic field component and responsive to at least a second sensed signal component from said at least said second coil element responsive to said at least said second magnetic field component, and said detected signal provides for detecting a change in a magnetic condition of or associated with said first vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
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a. a plurality of coil elements, wherein said plurality of coil elements are operatively coupled to a substrate, and said plurality of coil elements comprise a two-dimensional array of said plurality of coil elements on said substrate; b. at least one time-varying signal source of at least one time-varying signal operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein a first coil element or said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate a first magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, at least a second coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate at least a second magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, and said first coil element and said at least said second coil element are adapted so that said first magnetic field component and said at least said second magnetic field component interact with different first and at least second portions of a vehicle when said plurality of coil elements are in a cooperative relationship with said vehicle; and c. at least one detection circuit operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein said at least one detection circuit generates a detected signal responsive to a first sensed signal component from said first coil element responsive to said first magnetic field component and responsive to at least a second sensed signal component from said at least said second coil element responsive to said at least said second magnetic field component, and said detected signal provides for detecting a change in a magnetic condition of or associated with said vehicle.
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45. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
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a. a plurality of coil elements; b. a conductive element adapted to cooperate with at least one of said plurality of coil elements so as to provide for shaping, controlling or limiting at least one of said first magnetic field component and said at least said second magnetic field component, wherein said plurality of coil elements are operatively coupled to a first side of a substrate, and said conductive element comprises a conductive layer on a second side of said substrate, wherein said second side of said substrate is opposite to said first side of said substrate; c. at least one time-varying signal source of at least one time-varying signal operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein a first coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate a first magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, at least a second coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate at least a second magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, and said first coil element and said at least said second coil element are adapted so that said first magnetic field component and said at least said second magnetic field component interact with different first and at least second portions of a vehicle when said plurality of coil elements are in a cooperative relationship with said vehicle; and d. at least one detection circuit operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein said at least one detection circuit generates a detected signal responsive to a first sensed signal component from said first coil element responsive to said first magnetic field component and responsive to at least a second sensed signal component from said at least said second coil element responsive to said at least said second magnetic field component, and said detected signal provides for detecting a change in a magnetic condition of or associated with said vehicle.
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46. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
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a. a plurality of coil elements; b. at least one time-varying signal source of at least one time-varying signal operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein a first coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate a first magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, at least a second coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate at least a second magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, and said first coil element and said at least said second coil element are adapted so that said first magnetic field component and said at least said second magnetic field component interact with different first and at least second portions of a vehicle when said plurality of coil elements are in a cooperative relationship with said vehicle; c. at least one detection circuit operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein said at least one detection circuit generates a detected signal responsive to a first sensed signal component from said first coil element responsive to said first magnetic field component and responsive to at least a second sensed signal component from said at least said second coil element responsive to said at least said second magnetic field component, and said detected signal provides for detecting a change in a magnetic condition of or associated with said vehicle; and d. a conductive element adapted to cooperate with at least one of said plurality of coil elements so as to provide for shaping, controlling or limiting at least one of said first magnetic field component and said at least said second magnetic field component, wherein said conductive element comprises a plurality of conductive portions that are electrically isolated from one another.
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47. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
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a. a plurality of coil elements; b. at least one time-varying signal source of at least one time-varying signal operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein a first coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate a first magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, at least a second coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate at least a second magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, and said first coil element and said at least said second coil element are adapted so that said first magnetic field component and said at least said second magnetic field component interact with different first and at least second portions of a vehicle when said plurality of coil elements are in a cooperative relationship with said vehicle; and c. at least one detection circuit operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein said at least one detection circuit generates a detected signal responsive to a first sensed signal component from said first coil element responsive to said first magnetic field component and responsive to at least a second sensed signal component from said at least said second coil element responsive to said at least said second magnetic field component, said detected signal provides for detecting a change in a magnetic condition of or associated with said vehicle, said at least one detection circuit provides for detecting different signals from different subsets of said plurality of coil elements, and at least two of said different subsets of said plurality of coil elements associated with at least two of said different signals are connected in series.
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48. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
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a. a plurality of coil elements; b. at least one time-varying signal source of at least one time-varying signal operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein a first coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate a first magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, at least a second coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate at least a second magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, and said first coil element and said at least said second coil element are adapted so that said first magnetic field component and said at least said second magnetic field component interact with different first and at least second portions of a first vehicle when said plurality of coil elements are in a cooperative relationship with said first vehicle; and c. at least one detection circuit operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein said at least one detection circuit generates a detected signal responsive to a first sensed signal component from said first coil element responsive to said first magnetic field component and responsive to at least a second sensed signal component from said at least said second coil element responsive to said at least said second magnetic field component, and said detected signal provides for detecting a change in a magnetic condition of or associated with said first vehicle; d. wherein at least one of at least one geometry of said plurality of coil elements, said at least one time-varying signal, and at least one detection process is adapted so that at least one of a first condition, a second condition and a third condition is satisfied so as to provide that a first response of said at least one detection circuit to said first sensed signal component is substantially normalized with respect to at least a second response of said at least one detection circuit to said at least said second sensed signal component for a comparably significant crash or proximity stimulus or stimuli affecting said first and at least second portions of said first vehicle, wherein said first condition is satisfied if a first geometry of a said first coil element is different from at least a second geometry of said at least said second coil element, said second condition is satisfied if a first time-varying signal operatively coupled to said first coil element is different from at least a second time-varying signal operatively coupled to said at least said second coil element, and said third condition is satisfied if a first detection process of said at least one detection circuit operative on said first sensed signal component is different from at least a second detection process of said at least one detection circuit operative on said at least said second sensed signal component. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50)
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51. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
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a. a plurality of coil elements, wherein at least two coil elements of said plurality of coil elements comprise different numbers of turns; b. at least one time-varying signal source of at least one time-varying signal operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein a first coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate a first magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, at least a second coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate at least a second magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, and said first coil element and said at least said second coil element are adapted so that said first magnetic field component and said at least said second magnetic field component interact with different first and at least second portions of a vehicle when said plurality of coil elements are in a cooperative relationship with said vehicle; and c. at least one detection circuit operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein said at least one detection circuit generates a detected signal responsive to a first sensed signal component from said first coil element responsive to said first magnetic field component and responsive to at least a second sensed signal component from said at least said second coil element responsive to said at least said second magnetic field component, and said detected signal provides for detecting a change in a magnetic condition of or associated with said vehicle.
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52. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
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a. a plurality of coil elements, wherein said plurality of coil elements comprise at least first and second coil elements, said first and second coil elements are either separated from one another or overlapping one another, said first and second coil elements are of different sizes, said first coil element surrounds said second coil element, and said first and second coil elements are not concentric with one another; b. at least one time-varying signal source of at least one time-varying signal operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein said first coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate a first magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, at least said second coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate at least a second magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, and said first coil element and said at least said second coil element are adapted so that said first magnetic field component and said at least said second magnetic field component interact with different first and at least second portions of a vehicle when said plurality of coil elements are in a cooperative relationship with said vehicle; and c. at least one detection circuit operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein said at least one detection circuit generates a detected signal responsive to a first sensed signal component from said first coil element responsive to said first magnetic field component and responsive to at least a second sensed signal component from said at least said second coil element responsive to said at least said second magnetic field component, and said detected signal provides for detecting a change in a magnetic condition of or associated with said vehicle.
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53. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
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a. a plurality of coil elements; b. at least one time-varying signal source of at least one time-varying signal operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein a first coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate a first magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, at least a second coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate at least a second magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, said first coil element and said at least said second coil element are adapted so that said first magnetic field component and said at least said second magnetic field component interact with different first and at least second portions of a first vehicle when said plurality of coil elements are in a cooperative relationship with said first vehicle, and at least one of said first and at least second portions of said first vehicle is adapted to cooperate with said at least one of said plurality of coil elements; c. at least one detection circuit operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein said at least one detection circuit generates a detected signal responsive to a first sensed signal component from said first coil element responsive to said first magnetic field component and responsive to at least a second sensed signal component from said at least said second coil element responsive to said at least said second magnetic field component, and said detected signal provides for detecting a change in a magnetic condition of or associated with said first vehicle; and d. a conductive element operatively associated with or a part of at least one of said first and at least second portions of said first vehicle so as to cooperate with said at least one of said plurality of coil elements, wherein said conductive element comprises a pattern adapted to control associated eddy currents therein, said conductive element is adapted by either etching, forming or coating said pattern in or on a surface of said conductive element so as to control said eddy currents, and said pattern is adapted to a frequency of said at least one time-varying signal.
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54. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
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a. a plurality of coil elements; b. at least one time-varying signal source of at least one time-varying signal operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein a first coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate a first magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, at least a second coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate at least a second magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, said first coil element and said at least said second coil element are adapted so that said first magnetic field component and said at least said second magnetic field component interact with different first and at least second portions of a first vehicle when said plurality of coil elements are in a cooperative relationship with said first vehicle, at least one of said first and at least second portions of said first vehicle is adapted to cooperate with said at least one of said plurality of coil elements, a conductive portion of at least one of said first and at least second portions of said first vehicle is adapted to control associated eddy currents therein, said conductive portion comprises a pattern adapted to control said eddy currents, at least a portion of said conductive portion is adapted by either etching, forming or coating said pattern in or on a surface of said conductive portion so as to control said eddy currents, and said pattern is adapted to a frequency of said at least one time-varying signal; and c. at least one detection circuit operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein said at least one detection circuit generates a detected signal responsive to a first sensed signal component from said first coil element responsive to said first magnetic field component and responsive to at least a second sensed signal component from said at least said second coil element responsive to said at least said second magnetic field component, and said detected signal provides for detecting a change in a magnetic condition of or associated with said first vehicle.
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55. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
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a. a plurality of coil elements; b. at least one time-varying signal source of at least one time-varying signal operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein a first coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate a first magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, at least a second coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate at least a second magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, said first coil element and said at least said second coil element are adapted so that said first magnetic field component and said at least said second magnetic field component interact with different first and at least second portions of a first vehicle when said plurality of coil elements are in a cooperative relationship with said first vehicle, and said plurality of coil elements are integrated into a trim or gasket portion of said first vehicle; and c. at least one detection circuit operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein said at least one detection circuit generates a detected signal responsive to a first sensed signal component from said first coil element responsive to said first magnetic field component and responsive to at least a second sensed signal component from said at least said second coil element responsive to said at least said second magnetic field component, and said detected signal provides for detecting a change in a magnetic condition of or associated with said first vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (56)
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57. A magnetic sensor, comprising:
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a. a plurality of coil elements; b. at least one time-varying signal source of at least one time-varying signal operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein a first coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate a first magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, at least a second coil element of said plurality of coil elements is adapted to generate at least a second magnetic field component responsive to said at least one time-varying signal, said first coil element and said at least said second coil element are adapted so that said first magnetic field component and said at least said second magnetic field component interact with different first and at least second portions of a vehicle when said plurality of coil elements are in a cooperative relationship with said vehicle;
said first coil element and said at least said second coil element are incorporated in a sensor assembly adapted mount on a edge of a door of said vehicle, and when said sensor assembly is mounted on said edge of said door, said first coil element faces an exterior of said door, and said second coil element faces an interior of said door; andc. at least one detection circuit operatively coupled to said plurality of coil elements, wherein said at least one detection circuit generates a detected signal responsive to a first sensed signal component from said first coil element responsive to said first magnetic field component and responsive to at least a second sensed signal component from said at least said second coil element responsive to said at least said second magnetic field component, and said detected signal provides for detecting a change in a magnetic condition of or associated with said vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59)
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60. A method of detecting a change in a magnetic condition of a vehicle, comprising:
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a. generating a first time-varying magnetic field component proximate to a first portion of the vehicle at a first location, wherein said first time-varying magnetic field component is responsive to a current through a first coil element; b. generating at least a second time-varying magnetic field component proximate to at least one second portion of said vehicle at at least one corresponding second location, wherein said second time-varying magnetic field component is responsive to said current through a second coil element, said at least one second location is separated from said first location, and said first portion of said vehicle and said at least one second portion of said vehicle are at least partially conductive so that said first time-varying magnetic field component generates a corresponding first eddy current component in said first portion of said vehicle, and said at least one second time-varying magnetic field component generates a corresponding at least one second eddy current component in said at least one second portion of said vehicle; and c. detecting a change in the magnetic condition of said vehicle responsive to a first signal responsive to said first eddy current component, and responsive to at least one second signal responsive to said corresponding at least one second eddy current component.
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Specification