Keyless Entry Assembly Having Capacitance Sensor Operative for Detecting Objects

• US 20110057773A1
• Filed: 11/09/2010
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uusi LLC (Nartron Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Uusi LLC (Nartron Corporation)
• Inventors: Shank, David W., Newman, Todd R., Blank, Andrew E., Washeleski, John M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,199,608 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.72
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2027 with data signals passing through the human body
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2045 by hand gestures
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/23 using manual input of alphanumerical codes
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/00 Power-operated mechanisms for wings motor-operated accessories in locks for completing closing or initiating opening of a wing E05B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/86 by hand
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/546 Tailgates
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96078 Sensor being a wire or a strip, e.g. used in automobile door handles or bumpers
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96079 using a single or more light guides

Abstract

A keyless entry assembly includes a carrier with an electrical conductor thereon, a light pipe having an indicator, and a controller. The light pipe is connected to the carrier such that the indicator and conductor are in alignment. The light pipe is operable for receiving light to illuminate the indicator. The carrier with the light pipe connected thereto is mountable to a user accessible portion of a vehicle. The conductor capacitively couples to an electrically conductive object proximal to the conductor while the conductor is driven with an electrical charge such that capacitance of the conductor changes due to the conductor capacitively coupling with the object. The controller is operable for driving the conductor with the electrical charge, measuring the conductor capacitance to determine whether an electrically conductive object is proximal to the conductor, and controlling a vehicle operation as a function of the object being proximal to the conductor.

Claims

1. A keyless entry assembly comprising:

a carrier with an electrical conductor thereon, wherein the carrier is mountable to a user accessible portion of a vehicle, wherein the conductor capacitively couples to an electrically conductive object proximal to the conductor while the conductor is driven with an electrical charge such that capacitance of the conductor changes due to the conductor capacitively coupling with the object; and

a controller operable for driving the conductor with the electrical charge, measuring the capacitance of the conductor to determine whether an electrically conductive object is proximal to the conductor, and controlling a vehicle operation as a function of an electrically conductive object being proximal to the conductor.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the conductor is formed of Indium Tin Oxide (ITO).

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the conductor is a transparent conductive material.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the conductor is translucent such that light illuminating the indicator passes through the conductor.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the carrier is a plastic film.

6. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a light pipe having an indicator, the light pipe connected to the carrier such that the indicator is in alignment with the conductor, the light pipe being operable for receiving light to thereby illuminate the indicator.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein:

the carrier has a plurality of electrical conductors thereon;

wherein the light pipe has a plurality of indicators, the light pipe connected to the carrier such that the indicators are in alignment with respective ones of the conductors, the light pipe being operable for receiving light to thereby illuminate the indicators;

wherein the controller is operable for driving the conductors with the electrical charge, measuring the capacitance of the conductors to determine whether an electrically conductive object is proximal to the conductors, and controlling a vehicle operation as a function of an electrically conductive object being proximal to the conductors.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the user accessible portion of the vehicle is one of a window, a mirror, a handle, an emblem of the vehicle.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the vehicle operation includes at least one of moving a window of the vehicle, locking a door of the vehicle, unlocking a door of the vehicle, and opening a trunk lid of the vehicle.

10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the conductor is in the shape of an emblem identifying the vehicle.

11. The assembly of claim 6 wherein:

the light pipe has a thickened section where the light pipe is to receive the light such as to accommodate the light into the light pipe.

12. The assembly of claim 6 wherein:

the indicator is etched into the light pipe.

13. The assembly of claim 6 wherein:

the indicator is etched into the light pipe at an angle with respect to the direction of the light received by the light pipe such that indicator is uniformly illuminated by the light.

14. The assembly of claim 6 wherein:

the indicator includes a graphic marking.

15. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the controller includes a printed circuit board;

wherein the carrier includes an electrical trace electrically connected to the sensor;

the assembly further comprising a connection strip having a conductive pad thereon;

wherein the connection strip is electrically connected to the electrical trace of the carrier and the conductive pad is electrically connected to the PCB in order to electrically connect the sensor and the PCB.

16. The assembly of claim 15 further comprising:

a compressible electrically conductive material between the conductive pad of the connection strip and the PCB.

17. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the controller includes a printed circuit board;

wherein the carrier includes an electrical trace electronically connected to the sensor;

wherein the electrical trace of the carrier is electronically connected to the sensor and is electrically connected to the PCB in order to electrically connect the sensor and the PCB.

18. The assembly of claim 17 further comprising:

an electrically conductive material between the electrical trace of the carrier and the PCB.

19. The assembly of claim 6 wherein:

the light pipe is configured with a slot to enable a light emitting device to be inserted therein for the light emitting device to illuminate the indicator with light.

20. A keyless entry assembly comprising:

a carrier with an electrical conductor thereon;

a light pipe having an indicator, the light pipe connected to the carrier such that the indicator is in alignment with the conductor, the light pipe being operable for receiving light to thereby illuminate the indicator;

wherein the carrier with the light pipe connected thereto is mountable to a user accessible portion of a vehicle, wherein the conductor capacitively couples to an electrically conductive object proximal to the conductor while the conductor is driven with an electrical charge such that capacitance of the conductor changes due to the conductor capacitively coupling with the object; and

a controller operable for driving the conductor with the electrical charge, measuring the capacitance of the conductor to determine whether an electrically conductive object is proximal to the conductor, and controlling a vehicle operation as a function of an electrically conductive object being proximal to the conductor.

21. A keyless entry assembly comprising:

a light pipe having an electrical conductor and an indicator in alignment with one another, the light pipe being operable for receiving light to thereby illuminate the indicator;

wherein the light pipe is mountable to a user accessible portion of a vehicle, wherein the conductor capacitively couples to an electrically conductive object proximal to the conductor while the conductor is driven with an electrical charge such that capacitance of the conductor changes due to the conductor capacitively coupling with the object; and

a controller operable for driving the conductor with the electrical charge, measuring the capacitance of the conductor to determine whether an electrically conductive object is proximal to the conductor, and controlling a vehicle operation as a function of an electrically conductive object being proximal to the conductor.

22. The assembly of claim 21 wherein:

the conductor is translucent such that light illuminating the indicator passes through the conductor.

23. The assembly of claim 21 wherein:

the light pipe contains an integrated housing allowing a fully customized light pipe.

24. A keyless entry assembly comprising:

a sealed housing having a conductor and a controller, the sealed housing attachable to a window of a vehicle door, the controller for driving the conductor with an electrical charge; and

a harness within a protective covering attachable between the controller within the sealed housing and a frame of the vehicle door.