GLASS OPERATION BASED ON TEMPERATURE INPUT/VEHICLE SPEED, FINAL LOGIC DECIDED BY CUSTOMER

• US 20150048764A1
• Filed: 08/15/2013
• Published: 02/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Binfet, Michael T., Peterson, David G., Borland, Jason S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,174,514 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/283
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/17 vertically
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/90 specially adapted for non-fixed roofs, e.g. foldable roofs or removable hard-tops
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/695 Control circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/71 responsive to temperature changes, rain, wind or noise
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/414 against high or low temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/508 for convertibles
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/542 Roof panels
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows

Abstract

A system and method for operating a window of an automotive vehicle having a convertible top includes at least one powered window selectively driven by a motor. A controller is operatively connected to the motor and sends a signal for positioning the powered window to one of a raised or lowered position in response to lowering of the convertible top. An input or selector is operatively associated with the controller that allows a user to select one of the raised and lowered positions of the at least one powered window in response to lowering the convertible top. Further, a temperature sensor provides a signal indicative of the external temperature and/or a vehicle speed sensor provides a signal indicative of the vehicle speed so that positioning of the window can be temperature dependent and/or vehicle speed dependent.

Claims

1. A system for operating a window of an automotive vehicle having a convertible top, the system comprising:

at least one powered window selectively driven by a motor;

a controller operatively connected to the motor that sends a signal for positioning the powered window to one of a raised or lowered position in response to lowering of the convertible top; and

an input operatively associated with the controller that allows a user to select one of the raised and lowered positions of the at least one powered window in response to lowering the convertible top.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one of a first sensor and a second sensor operatively connected to the controller, the first sensor monitoring a temperature outside of the automotive vehicle and the second sensor monitoring a vehicle speed.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the controller is configured to default operation of the at least one powered window in response to at least one of a predetermined temperature outside of the automotive vehicle and a predetermined vehicle speed.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the lowered position is a fully lowered position of the at least one powered window.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the raised position is a fully raised position of the at least one powered window.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller signals the motor to at least partially lower the at least one powered window during lowering of the convertible top.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one of a first sensor operatively connected to the controller for monitoring a temperature outside of the automotive vehicle, and a second sensor operatively connected to the controller for monitoring a vehicle speed, the controller being configured to a default operation of the at least one powered window in response to at least one of a predetermined temperature outside of the automotive vehicle and vehicle speed unless the user selects to operate the motor in a user-selected manner.

8. A system for automatically positioning power-operated windows of a convertible automotive vehicle in an initial position after a convertible top is lowered, the system comprising:

a convertible top operated by a first motor for movement between a raised and a lowered position;

at least one window operated by at least one second motor for movement between the raised and lowered positions;

a controller operatively interconnected with the first motor and the second motors and configured to operate the at least one second motor to position the at least one window in a desired one of the raised and lowered positions after the convertible top has reached the lowered position;

at least one of a first sensor that monitors a temperature outside of the automotive vehicle and provides temperature data to the controller and a second sensor that monitors a vehicle speed and provides vehicle speed data to the controller; and

a user input to the controller that allows a user to choose operation of the at least one second motor to position the at least one window after the convertible top has been lowered among one of;

(i) at least one of a temperature-based operation of the at least one second motor relative to a predetermined temperature, and a vehicle speed-based operation of the at least one second motor relative to a predetermined vehicle speed,

(ii) the raised position, and

(iii) the lowered position.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the user input includes at least one of a temperature selector for choosing the predetermined temperature for the temperature-based operation of the at least one second motor and a vehicle speed selector for choosing the predetermined vehicle speed for operation of the at least one second motor.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the lowered position is a fully lowered position of the at least one window.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the raised position is a fully raised position of the at least one window.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the controller signals the at least one second motor to partially lower the at least one window during lowering of the convertible top.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the temperature sensor is overridden by the user selection of positioning the at least one window after the convertible top lowering step.

14. A method of positioning powered windows in an automotive vehicle that includes a convertible top, the method comprising:

positioning at least one powered window in either a raised or a lowered position after the convertible top has been lowered; and

selecting one of the raised and lowered positions of the at least one powered window in response to lowering the convertible top.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the selecting step includes overriding a default selection and instead positions the at least one powered window based on at least one of a predetermined temperature and predetermined vehicle speed.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the selecting step includes changing a default selection of the at least one powered window.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the selecting step includes raising the at least one powered window to a fully raised position or lowering the at least one powered window to a fully lowered position.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising lowering the convertible top and partially lowering at least one powered window during the convertible top lowering step.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising sensing at least one of a temperature outside of the automotive vehicle and a vehicle speed.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of selecting the raised or lowered position of the powered window after lowering of the convertible top is based on at least one of the sensed temperature and sensed vehicle speed.