Movable partition monitoring systems and methods
First Claim
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1. A system for monitoring a movable partition of a vehicle, the system comprising:
- a drive system, located within a door of the vehicle, and configured to move the movable partition;
a sensor, located within the door, and mechanically linked to the partition, but decoupled from the drive system and configured to transmit a signal indicative of the motion of the partition; and
a controller configured to receive the transmitted signal, to calculate at least one of a speed, acceleration, position, and direction of movement of the movable partition based upon the transmitted signal, and to generate a signal indicative of an obstruction in a path of the movable partition based on the at least one of a speed, acceleration, position, and direction of movement of the movable partition calculated by the controller based upon the transmitted signal.
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Abstract
A method and system for monitoring a movable partition. In one embodiment, the system includes a sensor linked to a movable partition, a drive system, and a controller. The drive system is configured to move the movable partition. The sensor, which in one embodiment includes a drum connected to the partition by a cable, is independent of the drive system. The sensor transmits a signal indicative of the rotational motion of the drum to the controller, which receives the transmitted signal and calculates at least one of a speed, acceleration, position, and direction of movement of the movable partition.
56 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring a movable partition of a vehicle, the system comprising:
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a drive system, located within a door of the vehicle, and configured to move the movable partition; a sensor, located within the door, and mechanically linked to the partition, but decoupled from the drive system and configured to transmit a signal indicative of the motion of the partition; and a controller configured to receive the transmitted signal, to calculate at least one of a speed, acceleration, position, and direction of movement of the movable partition based upon the transmitted signal, and to generate a signal indicative of an obstruction in a path of the movable partition based on the at least one of a speed, acceleration, position, and direction of movement of the movable partition calculated by the controller based upon the transmitted signal.
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2. A system for monitoring a movable partition in a vehicle door, the system comprising:
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a cable, located within the door, and having a first end and a second end; a movable partition configured to be coupled to the first end of the cable; a drive system configured to move the movable partition along a path, and to be located within the vehicle door; a drum configured to be coupled to the second end of the cable, wherein the drum is independent of the drive system, and to be located within the vehicle door; a sensor configured to transmit a signal indicative of the rotational motion of the drum and to be located within the vehicle door; and a controller configured to receive the transmitted signal, to calculate at least one of a speed, acceleration, position, and direction of movement of the movable partition based on the transmitted signal, and to generate an obstruction signal indicative of an obstruction in the path based on the at least one of a speed, acceleration, position, and direction of movement of the movable partition calculated by the controller based upon the transmitted signal. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of monitoring a movable partition in a vehicle door, the method comprising:
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providing a sensor configured to be independent of a drive system for the movable partition within the vehicle door; linking the sensor and the movable partition via an attachment element within the vehicle door; generating, with the sensor within the vehicle door, a first signal indicative of motion of the partition; receiving, by a controller, the first signal; generating, via the controller, a second signal using data from the first signal, the second signal indicative of at least one of a speed, a position, a direction of travel, and an acceleration of the movable partition; and generating a third signal indicative of an obstruction in a path of the movable partition using the second signal. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A vehicle comprising:
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a door; a movable partition within the door; a drive system, located within the door, and configured to move the movable partition; a sensor, located within the door, and mechanically linked to the partition, but decoupled from the drive system and configured to transmit a signal indicative of the motion of the partition; and a controller configured to receive the transmitted signal, to calculate at least one of a speed, acceleration, position, and direction of movement of the movable partition based upon the transmitted signal, and to generate an obstruction signal indicative of an obstruction in a path of the movable partition based on the at least one of a speed, acceleration, position, and direction of movement of the movable partition calculated by the controller based upon the transmitted signal. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification