Method of counting drive motor rotations, and memory modules, storage media, and motor and vehicle apparatuses utilizing same

• US 7,750,588 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Faurecia Automotive Seating Canada Ltd. (Forvia SE)
• Original Assignee: Faurecia Automotive Seating Canada Ltd. (Forvia SE)
• Inventors: Zhang, Xuyang
• Primary Examiner(s): Benson; Walter
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chan; Kawing
• Application Number:
  US11/771,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20080000957A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 318264-266, 318/272, 318/275, 318/286, 318466-468, 235/203
• US Class Current: 318/466
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/21 using an incremental digital measuring device
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37094 Hall sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37151 Handling encoder signal, compensation for light variation, stray light

Abstract

A method of accurately maintaining, in position registers of memory modules, a net count of rotor signals received from a motor equipped with a rotor position sensor. A vehicle apparatus includes the memory modules and motor, as well as a driven component and processors that: (a) adjust the net count while the motor is driven; (b) monitor for, and terminate power upon encounter of, a mechanical stop; and (c) correct the net count for rotor signals received thereafter. Storage media and memory modules are encoded with processor instructions and processor-readable code that, when executed by processors, cause them to perform the method.

Claims

1. A method of accurately maintaining, in one or more position registers of one or more memory modules, a stored net count of rotor position signals received from a motor equipped with a rotor position sensor, with the motor being operable to move a driven component, the method comprising the steps of:

a first power-supplying step of operatively providing a first supply of power to the motor;

a first counting step of adjusting the net count, stored in the position registers, by a first adjustment directly related to a first quantity of rotor position signals received after the first power-supplying step;

a monitoring step of monitoring at least one motor-related parameter for presence of a trip value indicative of one or more of the motor and the driven component having encountered a mechanical stop;

a first power-cutting step, after the first power-supplying step, of terminating the first supply of power in presence of the trip value; and

a second counting step of adjusting the net count, stored in the position registers, by a second adjustment directly related to a second quantity of rotor position signals received after the first power-cutting step;

wherein the first adjustment is a first one selected from an adjustment group consisting of an incremental adjustment and a decremental adjustment; and

wherein the second adjustment is the respective other one selected from the adjustment group.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a component-return step, after the second counting step, of returning the driven component to a memory position stored in one or more memory registers of the memory modules using the net count stored in the position registers of the memory modules.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the motor-related parameter comprises a current draw of the motor, and wherein in the monitoring step, an ammeter monitors the current draw of the motor.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the trip value is in excess of about 10 amps.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the motor-related parameter comprises a speed of the motor.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein in the monitoring step, a tachometer monitors the speed of the motor.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the motor-related parameter comprises a load on the motor, and wherein in the monitoring step, a force transducer monitors the load on the motor.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second power-supplying step, after the second counting step, of providing a second supply of power to the motor; and

a third counting step of adjusting the net count, stored in the position registers, by a third adjustment directly related to a third quantity of rotor position signals received after the second power-supplying step;

wherein;

(i) when the first supply and the second supply have identical polarities, the third adjustment is the first one selected from the adjustment group; and

(ii) when the first supply and the second supply have opposing polarities, the third adjustment is the respective other one selected from the adjustment group.

9. A method according to claim 8, further comprising:

a second power-cutting step, after the second power-supplying step, of terminating the second supply of power in presence of the trip value; and

a fourth counting step of adjusting the net count, stored in the position registers, by a fourth adjustment directly related to a fourth quantity of rotor position signals received after the second power-cutting step;

wherein;

(i) when the first supply and the second supply have opposing polarities, the fourth adjustment is the first one selected from the adjustment group; and

(ii) when the first supply and the second supply have identical polarities, the fourth adjustment is the respective other one selected from the adjustment group.

10. One or more non-transitory processor-readable memory modules for use with one or more processors, a motor equipped with a rotor position sensor, and a driven component that is operatively moved by the motor;

with the memory modules comprising one or more position registers, and wherein the memory modules are encoded with processor-readable code that is executable by the processors to perform a method of accurately maintaining, in the position registers, a stored net count of rotor position signals received from the motor, the method comprising the steps of;

a first power-supplying step of operatively providing a first supply of power to the motor;

a first counting step of adjusting the net count, stored in the position registers, by a first adjustment directly related to a first quantity of rotor position signals received after the first power-supplying step;

a monitoring step of monitoring at least one motor-related parameter for presence of a trip value indicative of one or more of the motor and the driven component having encountered a mechanical stop;

a first power-cutting step, after the first power-supplying step, of terminating the first supply of power in presence of the trip value; and

a second counting step of adjusting the net count, stored in the position registers, by a second adjustment directly related to a second quantity of rotor position signals received after the first power-cutting step;

wherein the first adjustment is a first one selected from an adjustment group consisting of an incremental adjustment and a decremental adjustment; and

wherein the second adjustment is the respective other one selected from the adjustment group.

11. One or more memory modules according to claim 10, further comprising one or more memory registers adapted to store a memory position for the driven component, and wherein the method further comprises a component-return step, after the second counting step, of returning the driven component to the memory position using the net count stored in the position registers of the memory modules.

12. One or more memory modules according to claim 10, wherein the motor-related parameter comprises a current draw of the motor, and wherein in the monitoring step of the method, the processors use ammeter signals received from an ammeter to monitor the current draw of the motor.

13. One or more memory modules according to claim 12, wherein the trip value is in excess of about 10 amps.

14. One or more memory modules according to claim 10, wherein the motor-related parameter comprises a speed of the motor.

15. One or more memory modules according to claim 14, wherein in the monitoring step, the processors use tachometer signals received from a tachometer to monitor the speed of the motor.

16. One or more memory modules according to claim 10, wherein the motor-related parameter comprises a load on the motor, and wherein in the monitoring step, the processors use force-transducer signals received from a force transducer to monitor the load on the motor.

17. One or more memory modules according to claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

a second power-supplying step, after the second counting step, of providing a second supply of power to the motor; and

a third counting step of adjusting the net count, stored in the position registers, by a third adjustment directly related to a third quantity of rotor position signals received after the second power-supplying step;

wherein;

(i) when the first supply and the second supply have identical polarities, the third adjustment is the first one selected from the adjustment group; and

(ii) when the first supply and the second supply have opposing polarities, the third adjustment is the respective other one selected from the adjustment group.

18. One or more memory modules according to claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

a second power-cutting step, after the second power-supplying step, of terminating the second supply of power in presence of the trip value; and

a fourth counting step of adjusting the net count, stored in the position registers, by a fourth adjustment directly related to a fourth quantity of rotor position signals received after the second power-cutting step;

wherein;

(i) when the first supply and the second supply have opposing polarities, the fourth adjustment is the first one selected from the adjustment group; and

(ii) when the first supply and the second supply have identical polarities, the fourth adjustment is the respective other one selected from the adjustment group.

19. One or more non-transitory processor-readable storage media for use with one or more processors, a motor equipped with a rotor position sensor, a driven component that is operatively moved by the motor, and one or more processor-readable memory modules that contain one or more position registers;

with the storage media being encoded with processor instructions that, when executed by the processors, cause the processors to perform a method of accurately maintaining, in the position registers, a stored net count of rotor position signals received from the motor, the method comprising the steps of;

a first power-supplying step of operatively providing a first supply of power to the motor;

a first counting step of adjusting the net count, stored in the position registers, by a first adjustment directly related to a first quantity of rotor position signals received after the first power-supplying step;

a monitoring step of monitoring at least one motor-related parameter for presence of a trip value indicative of one or more of the motor and the driven component having encountered a mechanical stop;

a first power-cutting step, after the first power-supplying step, of terminating the first supply of power in presence of the trip value; and

a second counting step of adjusting the net count, stored in the position registers, by a second adjustment directly related to a second quantity of rotor position signals received after the first power-cutting step;

wherein the first adjustment is a first one selected from an adjustment group consisting of an incremental adjustment and a decremental adjustment; and

wherein the second adjustment is the respective other one selected from the adjustment group.

20. One or more storage media according to claim 19, wherein the method further comprises a component-return step, after the second counting step, of returning the driven component to a memory position stored in one or more memory registers of the memory modules using the net count stored in the position registers of the memory modules.

21. One or more storage media according to claim 19, wherein the motor-related parameter comprises a current draw of the motor, and wherein in the monitoring step of the method, the processors use ammeter signals received from an ammeter to monitor the current draw of the motor.

22. One or more storage media according to claim 21, wherein the trip value is in excess of about 10 amps.

23. One or more storage media according to claim 19, wherein the motor-related parameter comprises a speed of the motor.

24. One or more storage media according to claim 23, wherein in the monitoring step, the processors use tachometer signals received from a tachometer to monitor the speed of the motor.

25. One or more storage media according to claim 19, wherein the motor-related parameter comprises a load on the motor, and wherein in the monitoring step, the processors use force-transducer signals received from a force transducer to monitor the load on the motor.

26. One or more storage media according to claim 19, wherein the method further comprises:

a second power-supplying step, after the second counting step, of providing a second supply of power to the motor; and

a third counting step of adjusting the net count, stored in the position registers, by a third adjustment directly related to a third quantity of rotor position signals received after the second power-supplying step;

wherein;

(i) when the first supply and the second supply have identical polarities, the third adjustment is the first one selected from the adjustment group; and

(ii) when the first supply and the second supply have opposing polarities, the third adjustment is the respective other one selected from the adjustment group.

27. One or more storage media according to claim 26, wherein the method further comprises:

a second power-cutting step, after the second power-supplying step, of terminating the second supply of power in presence of the trip value; and

a fourth counting step of adjusting the net count, stored in the position registers, by a fourth adjustment directly related to a fourth quantity of rotor position signals received after the second power-cutting step;

wherein;

(i) when the first supply and the second supply have opposing polarities, the fourth adjustment is the first one selected from the adjustment group; and

(ii) when the first supply and the second supply have identical polarities, the fourth adjustment is the respective other one selected from the adjustment group.

28. A motor apparatus, for use in operatively moving a driven component between first and second positions, comprising:

a) a motor equipped with a rotor position sensor;

b) one or more processor-readable memory modules that contain one or more position registers adapted to store a net count of rotor position signals received from the motor; and

c) one or more processors operatively adapted to;

i) provide a first supply of power to the motor;

ii) adjust the net count, stored in the position registers, by a first adjustment directly related to a first quantity of rotor position signals received after providing the first supply of power to the motor;

iii) monitor at least one motor-related parameter for presence of a trip value indicative of one or more of the motor and the driven component having encountered a mechanical stop;

iv) terminate the first supply of power in presence of the trip value; and

v) adjust the net count, stored in the position registers, by a second adjustment directly related to a second quantity of rotor position signals received after terminating the first supply of power;

wherein the first adjustment is a first one selected from an adjustment group consisting of an incremental adjustment and a decremental adjustment; and

wherein the second adjustment is the respective other one selected from the adjustment group; and

whereby the net count stored in the position registers of the memory modules accurately corresponds to an actual position of the driven component between the first and second positions.

29. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the memory modules further comprise one or more memory registers adapted to store a memory position for the driven component, and wherein the processors are operatively adapted to selectively return the driven component to the memory position, using the net count stored in the position registers of the memory modules.

30. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the motor comprises a direct current motor.

31. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the rotor position sensor comprises a Hall-effect sensor.

32. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the rotor position sensor comprises a ripple counting sensor that operatively counts current modulations during commutation of the motor.

33. A vehicle apparatus comprising:

a) a motor equipped with a rotor position sensor;

b) a driven vehicle component operatively movable by the motor between first and second positions;

c) one or more processor-readable memory modules that contain one or more position registers adapted to store a net count of rotor position signals received from the motor; and

d) one or more processors operatively adapted to;

i) provide a first supply of power to the motor;

ii) adjust the net count, stored in the position registers, by a first adjustment directly related to a first quantity of rotor position signals received after providing the first supply of power to the motor;

iii) monitor at least one motor-related parameter for presence of a trip value indicative of one or more of the motor and the driven component having encountered a mechanical stop;

iv) terminate the first supply of power in presence of the trip value; and

v) adjust the net count, stored in the position registers, by a second adjustment directly related to a second quantity of rotor position signals received after terminating the first supply of power;

wherein the first adjustment is a first one selected from an adjustment group consisting of an incremental adjustment and a decremental adjustment; and

wherein the second adjustment is the respective other one selected from the adjustment group; and

whereby the net count stored in the position registers accurately corresponds to an actual position of the vehicle component between the first and second positions.

34. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the memory modules further comprise one or more memory registers adapted to store a memory position for the vehicle component, and wherein the processors are operatively adapted to selectively return the vehicle component to the memory position, using the net count stored in the position registers of the memory modules.

35. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the vehicle component comprises a vehicle seat.

36. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the vehicle component comprises a vehicle steering column.

37. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the vehicle component comprises one or more vehicle side-view mirrors.

38. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the vehicle component comprises one or more vehicle pedals.