Sensor arrangement for a motor-vehicle locking device and an associated method
First Claim
1. Sensor arrangement for detecting the application of an operator'"'"'s body part to an actuating point of a locking device of a motor vehicle,with a proximity sensor which is disposed in such a way that the proximity sensor can detect the proximity of the operator'"'"'s body part to the actuating point,with a mechanical sensor which is disposed on the actuating point and can detect a change in the pressing force exerted on the actuating point by the operator'"'"'s body part,and with an evaluation circuit which as a function of the sensor output signals from the proximity sensor and the mechanical sensor can generate an output signal which indicates the application of the operator'"'"'s body part,characterised in thatwhen the sensor output signal from the mechanical sensor indicates the start of the application of the operator'"'"'s body part the evaluation circuit uses a sensor output signal value which is output at approximately the same time by the proximity sensor for evaluation of the subsequent changes in the sensor output signal of the proximity sensor in order to be able to detect more reliably that the operator'"'"'s body part has been withdrawn from the actuating point.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for detecting the application of an operator'"'"'s body part to an operating point of a locking device for a motor vehicle is performed by first detecting the proximity of the operator'"'"'s body part to the operating point via a proximity sensor. A change in the pressure exerted on the operating point by the operator'"'"'s body part is detected using a mechanical sensor which is arranged on the operating point. An output signal, which indicates the application of the operator'"'"'s body part, is generated by an evaluation circuit as a function of the sensor output signals from the proximity sensor and the mechanical sensor. When the evaluation circuit detects the beginning of the application of the operator'"'"'s body part on the basis of the sensor output signal from the mechanical sensor, a sensor output signal value which is output at approximately the same time by the proximity sensor is detected. This is used to evaluate the subsequent changes in the sensor output signal in order to be able to detect in a more reliable manner that the operator'"'"'s body part has been withdrawn from the operating point. Also disclosed is an associated sensor arrangement.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. Sensor arrangement for detecting the application of an operator'"'"'s body part to an actuating point of a locking device of a motor vehicle,
with a proximity sensor which is disposed in such a way that the proximity sensor can detect the proximity of the operator'"'"'s body part to the actuating point, with a mechanical sensor which is disposed on the actuating point and can detect a change in the pressing force exerted on the actuating point by the operator'"'"'s body part, and with an evaluation circuit which as a function of the sensor output signals from the proximity sensor and the mechanical sensor can generate an output signal which indicates the application of the operator'"'"'s body part, characterised in that when the sensor output signal from the mechanical sensor indicates the start of the application of the operator'"'"'s body part the evaluation circuit uses a sensor output signal value which is output at approximately the same time by the proximity sensor for evaluation of the subsequent changes in the sensor output signal of the proximity sensor in order to be able to detect more reliably that the operator'"'"'s body part has been withdrawn from the actuating point.
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10. Method of detecting the application of an operator'"'"'s body part to an actuating point of a locking device of a motor vehicle, in which:
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the proximity of an operator'"'"'s body part to the actuating point is detected by a proximity sensor, a change to a pressing force exerted by the operator'"'"'s body part on the actuating point is detected by a mechanical sensor disposed on the actuating point, and an output signal which indicates the application of the operator'"'"'s body part is generated by an evaluation circuit as a function of the sensor output signals from the proximity sensor and the mechanical sensor, characterised in that when the start of the application of the operator'"'"'s body part is detected by the evaluation circuit on the basis of the sensor output signal from the mechanical sensor, a sensor output signal value which is output at approximately the same time by the proximity sensor is detected and is used for evaluation of the subsequent changes in the sensor output signal of the proximity sensor in order to be able to detect more reliably that the operator'"'"'s body part has been withdrawn from the actuating point. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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Specification