Method and monitoring system for closing covers

• US 8,558,558 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2007
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microchip Technology Germany GmbH (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: IDENT Technology AG (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Richter, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Vazquez, Arleen M
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, SON T
• Application Number:
  US12/160,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20110012621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,468 Days
• Field of Search: 324/679, 324/675, 324/658, 324/686
• US Class Current: 324/675
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/015 including means for detecting the presence or position of passengers, passenger seats or child seats , and the related safety parameters therefor, e.g. speed or timing of airbag inflation in relation to occupant position or seat belt use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01532 using electric or capacitive field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/548 Trunk lids

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a monitoring system for automatically actuated, in particular power-driven closing covers, for example boot lids of motor vehicles. The invention also relates to a method and a detection system for detecting the presence of objects per se. The aim of the invention is to provide solutions for the implementation of a reliable safety system. According to the invention, this is achieved by a detection system comprising a modulation unit for generating an alternating voltage, which is applied between a first output and a second output on the modulation device, a field generation structure that is coupled to one of the outputs in order to generate an extensive excitation field and a detection device comprising a detection electrode structure for detecting a field-electric effect in a detection area that extends along the electrode structure, the field generation structure and the detection electrode structure being located in the vicinity of one another and the detection electrode structure and the field generation structure being shielded from one another, in such a way that when the excitation field and the detection area are bridged by an object to be detected, a voltage event that can be classified as indicating a presence is induced in the detection electrode structure.

Claims

1. A detection system comprising:

a modulator for generating an alternating voltage;

a field-forming electrode structure that is coupled with an output of the modulator for the purpose of generating a spatially extended excitation field;

a detector having a detection electrode structure to detect a field-electrical effect within a detection area extending along the detection electrode structure;

a first shield electrode arranged in proximity to said field forming , electrode structure;

a second shield electrode arranged in proximity to said detection electrode structure;

wherein said first and second shield electrodes are coupled with said output of the modulator and wherein a signal fed to said second shield electrode is configured to be attenuated with respect to a signal fed to said first shield electrode;

wherein the field-forming structure and the detection electrode structure are provided near each other, and the detection electrode structure and field-forming structure are shielded by said first and second shield electrode from each other such that when the excitation field and the detection area are bridged by an object to be detected, a voltage event that can be classified as indicating a presence is induced in the detection electrode structure.

2. The detection system according to claim 1, wherein the field-forming electrode structure and the detection electrode structure are provided in the closing gap area of a trunk lid.

3. The detection system according to claim 1 wherein the field-forming electrode structure and the detection electrode structure are incorporated in a seal.

4. The detection system according to claim 1 wherein the field-forming electrode structure and the detection electrode structure are made of a conductive synthetic material.

5. The detection system according to claim 1 wherein the shielding structure is connected to the modulator in such a way that a voltage is able to be applied that is modulated in terms of the phase position and voltage level relative to the detection electrode structure and/or the field-forming structure.

6. The detection system according to claim 1 wherein the spatial form of the detection area and/or of the excitation field is shaped or varied through different voltage levels applied to these electrode systems.

7. The detection system according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of detection electrodes connected with a multiplexer.

8. A trunk-lid assembly for a motor vehicle, comprising a trunk lid movable within a trunk-lid track region, a movement mechanism to guide the trunk lid in that trunk-lid track region, and a detection system according to claim 1, wherein given a state of presence of an object that is detected by the detection system and classified as hazard-relevant, the movement mechanism is placed in an operational state in which the risk of injury from the motion of the trunk lid is prevented or reduced.

9. A system for detecting the approach of vital objects toward moved components that are movable as such within a control range, comprising:

a transmission electrode structure for transmitting a spatially extended excitation field,

a LC network connected to the transmission electrode,

a first oscillator and a reference oscillator;

a mixer coupled with the reference oscillator;

a first switch for coupling the first oscillator with the LC network or with the mixer;

a receiving electrode structure to receive a field-electrical effect within a receiving area extending along the receiving electrode structure which is configured to be coupled with the first oscillator to determine the frequency of the first oscillator;

first and second shield electrodes coupled with the LC network; and

an evaluation circuit coupled with an output of the mixer for evaluating the operation of first oscillator and for generating an evaluation result based thereon;

wherein the transmission electrode structure and the a receiving electrode structure are provided near each other, and the receiving electrode structure and the transmission electrode structure are shielded by said first and second shield electrode from each other such that when the excitation field and the receiving area are bridged by an object to be detected, a voltage event that can be classified as indicating a presence is induced in the receiving electrode structure.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein the evaluation circuit comprises a low pass filter.

11. The system according to claim 10 wherein the receiving electrode is coupled with said LC network through a potentiometer.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein a signal fed to said second shield electrode is attenuated with respect to a signal fed to the first shield electrode.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein the first oscillator and the reference oscillator oscillate with the same frequency if no object is near the receiving electrode.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein the LC network operates as a level shifter.

15. The system according to claim 9, further comprising first and second buffers coupled between the LC network and the first and second shield electrode, respectively.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the first and second buffers are configurable buffers.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein the potentiometer is a digital potentiometer.