(12) United States Patent
`Lamm
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 6,437,530 B1
`Aug. 20, 2002
`
`III 1111uuunuuRmn1)111umniun
`
`(54) METHOD FOR ELECTRONIC
`SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL OF THE
`OPENING AND CLOSING PROCEDURE FOR
`ELECTRICALLY OPERATED UNITS
`
`(75)
`
`Inventor: Hubert Lamm, Kappelrodeck (DE)
`
`(73)
`
`Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart (DE)
`
`( *)
`
`Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.:
`
`09/582,061
`
`(22) PCT Filed:
`
`Oct. 2, 1999
`
`(86) PCT No.:
`
`PCT /DE99/03199
`
`§ 371 (c)(1),
`(2), (4) Date:
`
`Jun. 21, 2000
`(87) PCT Pub. No.: W000/24106
`
`PCT Pub. Date: Apr. 27, 2000
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`(30)
`
`Oct. 21, 1998
`
`(DE)
`
`198 48 468
`
`Int. Cl.7
`GO5B 5/00
`(51)
`318/445; 318/256; 318/461;
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`318/463; 318/466; 318/469; 318/465; 318/476;
`388/815; 388/833; 388/903
`(58) Field of Search
`318/256, 461,
`318/463, 466, 469, 445, 465, 476; 388/815,
`833, 903
`
`motor speed at t1
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`5,764,008 A * 6/1998 Hahn et al.
`5,979,114 A * 11/1999 Clark et al.
`6,064,165 A * 5/2000 Boisvert et al.
`6,081,654 A * 6/2000 Morman et al.
`
`318/256
`318/461
`318/465
`318/465
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Primary Examiner -Karen Masih
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm -Kenyon & Kenyon
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A method for the electronic monitoring and control of the
`opening and closing operation of electrically operated
`aggregates, particularly of window lifters and sunroofs in
`motor vehicles, is described. A regulating unit of the aggre-
`gate is connected to a vehicle electrical system. The regu-
`lating unit is directly influenceable via electrical operating
`control elements, i.e., via a control -electronics interfacing
`circuitry connected to the aggregate. The control electronics
`interfacing circuitry is supplied with a signal that is a
`function of an accelerative force acting on a motor -vehicle
`body.
`
`The signal which is a function of the accelerative force, is
`determined from a motor speed of the regulating unit.
`
`11 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
`
`comparison of
`motor speed
`at t 1 to motor speed
`at t2 = derivation
`
`value of
`derivation
`
`24
`
`additive method
`
`30
`
`32
`
`method
`
`:::'::
`
`maximum
`value
`
`minimum
`value
`
`)ration
`actor
`
`subsequent
`routine
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 20, 2002
`
`Sheet 1 of 2
`
`US 6,437,530 131
`
`motor speed at t1
`
`value of
`derivation
`
`24
`
`comparison of
`motor speed
`at t1 to motor speed
`at t2 = derivation
`
`additive method
`
`new value
`
`rmaximum
`
`value
`
`degressive method
`
`new value
`
`36
`
`minimum
`value
`
`vibration
`factor
`
`subsequent
`routine
`
`Fig. 2
`
`0° 180° 360°
`
`I
`
`I
`I
`
`I
`
`I
`
`1
`
`I
`
`I
`
`I
`
`I
`
`I
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`16
`
`10
`
`Fig.
`
`1
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`UUSI, LLC
`Exhibit 2024
`2/6
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 20, 2002
`
`Sheet 2 of 2
`
`US 6,437,530 Bl
`
`Fig. 3
`
`UUSI, LLC
`Exhibit 2024
`3/6
`
`

`

`US 6,437,530 Bl
`
`1
`METHOD FOR ELECTRONIC
`SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL OF THE
`OPENING AND CLOSING PROCEDURE FOR
`ELECTRICALLY OPERATED UNITS
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`The present invention relates to a method for the elec-
`tronic monitoring and control of the opening and closing
`operation of electrically operated aggregates.
`
`BACKGROUND INFORMATION
`Methods of this type are familiar. In these methods,
`measured values, which are causally linked to the aggregate,
`are transmitted via a sensor device to control electronics. For
`example, measurable quantities represent the rotational
`speed of electromotors arranged in an aggregate and the
`opening and closing speed of an associated regulating unit.
`In this context, the opening and closing operation of, for
`example, a window or a sunroof is controllable by electrical
`operating control elements and influenceable via a safety
`shutdown. Such a safety shutdown is intended to prevent
`objects or extremities from getting caught. The control is
`usually effected as a function of forces acting on the
`aggregate, that is to say, if a basic limiting value for the case
`of getting caught is exceeded for the movement of the
`associated regulating unit, then there is a shutdown, or the
`movement of the window lifter or the sunroof is reversed.
`In certain driving situations, particularly when traveling
`on routes that are badly damaged, additional accelerative
`forces occur because of the movement of the vehicle body.
`To prevent misrepresentation of the forces acting on the
`aggregate, these accelerative forces must be detected and
`their influence on the safety shutdown eliminated To do so,
`in German Published Patent Application No. 40 20 351, the
`aggregate is assigned an additional sensor element detecting
`the accelerative forces. However, the additional space
`requirements due to the installation of the sensor element
`and the cost of such a sensor element are disadvantageous.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`The method of the present invention makes it possible to
`detect and eliminate the interfering accelerative forces act-
`ing on the aggregate without mounting an additional sensor
`element. In doing this, a signal which is a function of the
`accelerative force is determined from a motor speed of the
`electrical regulating unit.
`The advantage of such an embodiment is that a sensor
`element, which is used to detect the motor speed of the
`electrical regulating unit and which is generally already
`provided in conventional control electronics, is also used to
`detect the interfering accelerative forces. This makes it
`possible to implement such an aggregate more cost -
`effectively.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`In the following, the method is described more precisely
`with reference to the associated drawing, in which:
`FIG. 1 shows a schematic arrangement of a sensor ele-
`ment for detecting a motor speed;
`FIG. 2 shows a schematic block diagram for determining
`a vibration factor; and
`FIG. 3 shows a schematic of a motor vehicle with a
`window lifter and a sunroof.
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`FIG. 1 schematically shows the detection of a motor speed
`20 with the aid of a ring magnet 10 that is usually arranged
`
`5
`
`2
`on an armature shaft of an electromotor. Due to the rotation
`of the armature shaft, ring magnet 10 induces a signal 16 in
`at least one Hall -effect element 12. The signal 10 is being
`evaluated in a subsequent processing unit 14.
`Such a signal 16 is schematically show in FIG. 1, the
`profile of signal 16 having negative and positive edges.
`Thus, starting from an angle of 0 °, signal 16 initially falls off
`(negative edge). Signal 16 subsequently rises again at a
`to rotational angle of 180° (positive edge). The positive and
`negative edges are determined by the rotation of polarized
`ring magnet 10. Thus, the rotational speed of the electro-
`motor armature shaft is derivable via signal 16 supplied by
`Hall -effect element 12. A complete revolution of the arma-
`15 ture shaft results in two negative edges of signal 16. The
`frequency of the negative edges is changed by interfering
`accelerative forces from the outside which affect the motor
`speed via a mechanical coupling of the aggregate to be
`actuated to the armature shaft.
`
`20
`
`FIG. 2 shows a block diagram for determining a vibration
`factor 40, starting from motor speed 20 at point of time t1.
`First, a change of motor speed 20 over time is calculated. To
`that end, motor speed 20 at a point of time ti is compared to
`25 motor speed 20 at a point of time t2. This derivation 22 is
`then subsequently analyzed with respect to its magnitude
`and its preceding sign. In cases in which value 24 of
`derivation 22 is greater than 0 and exceeds a limiting value,
`a vibration factor 40 is set according to an additive method
`30 26. In all other cases, vibration factor 40 is set by a
`degressive method 28. An additive method 26 is used when
`value 24 of derivation 22 is greater than 0, that is to say, that
`motor speed 20 is increased in this case. In addition, the
`setting of the limiting value permits damping of the signals,
`and the system noise is minimized.
`
`35
`
`50
`
`Additive method 26 is carried out as follows:
`An additional factor, corresponding to value 24 of deft-
`40 vation 22, is added onto a vibration factor 40 given from
`point of time tl. A resulting new value 30 of vibration factor
`40 is subsequently evaluated with respect to a limiting value
`(maximum value 34), which can be freely set, of vibration
`factor 40. If value 30 exceeds the limiting value, then value
`45 30 is treated as equivalent to maximum value 34. If value 30
`is less than the limiting value, then it represents the mag-
`nitude of vibration factor 40 at point of time t2 and is used
`in a subsequent routine 38 for controlling an aggregate.
`In degressive method 28, value 24 of vibration factor 40
`is reduced according to a predefined correction value, and a
`new value 32 results for vibration factor 40. This new value
`32 is in turn evaluated. In the cases in which value 32 is less
`than 0, value 32 is set to a minimum value 36, e.g., O. If
`value 32 is greater than or equal to 0, then it represents the
`magnitude of vibration factor 40 at point of time t2, and is
`subsequently used in routine 38 for controlling the aggre-
`gate.
`Thus, an altered vibration factor 40 results in response to
`60 a change for a time of motor speed 20. Since the change of
`motor speed 20 is directly dependent on the accelerative
`forces acting on the aggregate which occur because of a
`movement of the vehicle body, the aggregate can be con-
`trolled with due consideration of such operating conditions.
`65 Vibration factor 40 is then used as a correction factor with
`regard to the safety shutdown of a control element of the
`aggregate taken into account in routine 38.
`
`55
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`UUSI, LLC
`Exhibit 2024
`4/6
`
`

`

`US 6,437,530 Bl
`
`5
`
`15
`
`3
`According to further exemplary embodiments, the rota-
`tional speed of the armature shaft can also be determined by
`rotational -speed sensors other than sensors operating
`according to the Hall principle. Decisive is that an
`acceleration- contingent change of the rotational speed of the
`armature shaft be detectable and evaluable.
`The control of the control element is not influenced by the
`method during normal operation of the motor vehicle. The
`method starts up only when the accelerative forces have an
`effect as a result of poor road conditions. As soon as the
`accelerative force becomes less or ceases, vibration factor 40
`formed is again reduced with the aid of degressive method
`28.
`FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a motor vehicle. The
`motor vehicle has a window 101 with a window lifter 100.
`The window lifter 100 is connected to a control -electronics
`interfacing circuitry 104. Furthermore, there is a sunroof
`103.
`What is claimed is:
`1. A method for electronic monitoring and control of an
`opening operation and a closing operation of at least one
`electrically operated aggregate, comprising the steps of:
`controlling an electrical regulating unit of the at least one
`electrically operated aggregate via electrical operating
`control elements;
`determining a signal representative of a motor speed of
`the electrical regulating unit, the signal being a function
`of an accelerative force acting on the at least one
`electrically operated aggregate; and
`supplying the signal to the electrical operating control
`elements.
`2. The method according to claim 1, wherein:
`the at least one electrically operated aggregate includes
`one of a window lifter and a sunroof in a motor vehicle. 35
`3. The method according to claim 1, wherein:
`the electrical operating control elements include control -
`electronics interfacing circuitry connected to the at
`least one electrically operated aggregate.
`
`4
`4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising
`the step of:
`calculating a vibration factor as a function of the signal.
`5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising
`the step of:
`controlling a safety shutdown of the electrical regulating
`unit as function of the vibration factor.
`6. The method according to claim 4, further comprising
`to the step of:
`reducing the vibration factor when the acceleration factor
`is smaller than a threshold;
`increasing the vibration factor when the acceleration
`factor is greater than the threshold; and
`employing the vibration factor as a correction factor for a
`security shut -off of the electrical regulating unit.
`7. The method according to claim 4, further comprising
`the step of:
`increasing the vibration factor using an additive operation
`when the accelerative force increases.
`8. The method according to claim 4, wherein:
`the vibration factor is between a maximum value and a
`minimum value.
`9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising
`the step of:
`calculating a vibration factor as a function of the signal
`only if the signal is greater than a limiting value.
`10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising
`30 the step of:
`determining the motor speed using a rotational -speed
`sensor.
`11. The method according to claim 10, wherein:
`the rotational -speed sensor includes:
`a ring magnet arranged on an armature shaft of a motor;
`and
`at least one Hall -effect element.
`
`25
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`UUSI, LLC
`Exhibit 2024
`5/6
`
`

`

`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION
`
`PATENT NO.
`DATED
`INVENTOR(S)
`
`: 6,437,530 B1
`: August 20, 2002
`: Hubert Lamm
`
`Page 1 of 1
`
`It is certified that error appears in the above -identified patent and that said Letters Patent is
`hereby corrected as shown below:
`
`Column 2,
`Line 3, change "signal 10" to -- signal 16 - -.
`Line 6, change "show" to -- shown - -.
`
`Signed and Sealed this
`
`Sixteenth Day of September, 2003
`
`JAMES E. ROGAN
`Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
`
`UUSI, LLC
`Exhibit 2024
`6/6
`
`