United States Patent
`Terashima et al.
`
`[19]
`
`[54] POWER WINDOW CONTROL DEVICE
`
`[75]
`
`Inventors: Norlaki Terashima, Okazaki;
`Yoshihisa Sato, Nagoya; Makihiro
`Ishikawa, Okazaki, all of Japan
`
`[73] Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.. Kariya. Japan
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 570,083
`
`Dec. 11, 1995
`[22] Filed:
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`[30]
`
`[JP]
`
`Japan
`
`6- 308701
`
`Dec. 13, 1994
`[51] hit. 0.6
`[52] U.S. Cl.
`
`liii 1111111 liii 1111111111111111111111 liii liii rio r ir ii
`US005734245A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`5,734,245
`Mar. 31, 1998
`
`5,334,876
`5,399,950
`5,483,135
`5,539,290
`
`8/1994 Washeleski et al.
`3/1995 Lu et al.
`1/1996 Parks
`7/1996 Lu et al.
`
`318/469 X
`3181469 X
`318/469
`318/469 X
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`60- 185625
`64- 039278
`
`9/1985
`2/1989
`
`Japan .
`Japan .
`
`Primary Examiner- -Brian Sircus
`Attome' Agent, or Finn-Cushman Darby & Cushman IP
`Group of Pillsbury Madison & Sutro LLP
`
`ABSTRACT
`[57]
`GO5D 3120
`318/453; 314/455; 314/466;
`314/434 When a window glass catches an obstacle and driving
`current of a driving motor increases to a set maximum value,
`318/280, 291,
`[58] Field of Search
`the driving current is controlled within the maximum set
`318/293, 447, 453, 455, 466, 468. 469,
`value to limit the obstacle catebing force. Because the motor
`470, 432 -434
`is controlled by a duty ratio of PWM signal, the motor speed
`can be controlled with ease and stable control of the motor
`is ensured.
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`4,870,333
`
`9/1989 Itoh et al .
`
`............................... 3181286
`
`21 Claims, 5 Drawing Sheets
`
`1
`
`39
`
`3
`
`UP
`
`MPU
`
`20
`
`DOWN
`
`2
`
`40
`
`4
`
`21
`
`10
`
`PWM
`
`D/
`
`22
`_4,
`
`COM
`
`23
`
`t2
`
`4
`
`25
`
`7
`
`6 :MEMORY
`
`i
`
`8:000NTER
`
`14
`
`SW
`
`15
`
`16
`
`17
`
`19-'-0
`
`I
`SENSOR
`7,1
`
`13
`
`2827
`
`29
`11
`18 ---- -
`
`12
`
`V
`SENSOR
`
`38
`J
`
`

`

`Ü.S. Patent
`
`Mar. 31, 1998
`
`Sheet 1 of 5
`
`5,734,245
`
`14
`
`SW
`
`15
`
`16
`
`FIG. 7
`
`1
`
`39
`
`3
`
`UP
`
`MPU
`
`20
`
`DOWN
`
`2
`
`40
`
`4 21
`
`10
`
`PWM
`
`D4
`
`22
`
`-4 COM
`
`A
`
`6 : MEMORY
`
`i
`
`/,- \_
`
`8:COUNTER
`
`23
`
`24
`
`25
`
`2827
`
`29
`11
`
`18 ---
`
`..0
`
`L_
`
`12
`
`rV
`
`SENSOR
`
`7
`
`38
`J
`
`I
`SENSOR
`
`13
`
`UUSI, LLC
`Exhibit 2029
`2/12
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Mar. 31, 1998
`
`Sheet 2 of 5
`
`5,734,245
`
`iNaNno oN i n Pia è10i01A1
`
`UUSI, LLC
`Exhibit 2029
`3/12
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Mar. 31, 1998
`
`Sheet 3 of 5
`
`5,734,245
`
`FIG.3
`
`DOWN SW
`
`S110
`
`UP SW
`DOWN SW ON?
`S120
`
`o
`
`130
`
`Yes /LOWÉ
`S240
`
`T?
`No
`
`S140
`
`S150
`
`RETURN
`
`UP SW
`
`No
`
`WINDOW
`LOCK?
`Yes
`
`STORE
`CURRENT AND
`VOLTAGE
`
`20, 23 =L
`
`RETURN
`
`S220
`
`D= D SEIGEN
`
`S2
`
`S260
`
`J FULLMBER -Yes
`S170J
`
`S160
`
`COUNTED
`
`No
`STORE COUNT
`NUMBER AND
`CURRENT
`
`S180
`SET ISEIGEN hi
`S190
`
`CALCULATE
`DR .VOLTAGE
`
`(CALCULATE
`DSEIGEN
`
`S200
`
`S210
`
`Yes
`
`SET D
`
`S230
`k-)
`
`RETURN
`
`RETURN
`
`UUSI, LLC
`Exhibit 2029
`4/12
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Mar. 31, 1998
`
`Sheet 4 of 5
`
`5,734,245
`
`FIG. 4
`
`Yes
`
`r S38°
`
`S390
`
`No
`
`S400f
`
`S410
`
`1
`20 =H
`
`wwoow
`LOCK?
`Yes
`
`STORE
`CURRENT
`
`VOLTAGE
`
`20,21,23 =
`
`RETURN
`
`S 270
`
`S280
`
`S290
`
`S 300
`
`S 310\
`
`S320
`
`S330
`
`S340
`
`S350
`
`S360
`
`20,23=L,24=H
`
`I S W.G .
`UPPERMOST ?
`No
`SIGNAL 22
`
`SIGNAL 21
`
`COUNTER
`INCREMENTS
`
`CALCULATE
`SPEED
`
`CATC
`OBSTACLE ?
`
`Yes
`20,23=H,24= L
`
`COUNTER
`DECREMENTS
`
`S 370
`
`Yes
`
`FULL NUMBER-,
`
`No
`
`UUSI, LLC
`Exhibit 2029
`5/12
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Mar. 31, 1998
`
`Sheet 5 of 5
`
`5,734,245
`
`FIG. 5
`
`n
`
`,
`
`CATCH
`OBSTACLE
`
`"r "' "-
`
`,
`
`..,--7-',
`
`UNLIMITED
`CURRENT
`
`LIMITED
`CURRENT
`
`NORMAL CURRENT
`- -WITHOUT
`OBSTACLE
`
`TIME
`
`UUSI, LLC
`Exhibit 2029
`6/12
`
`

`

`5,734,245
`
`1
`POWER WINDOW CONTROL DEVICE
`
`CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATION
`The present application is based on and claims priority
`from Japanese Patent Application Hei 6- 308701 filed on
`Dec. 13. 1994, the contents of which are incorporated herein
`by reference.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`2
`FIG. 1 is an overall circuit diagram of a power window
`control device according to the embodiment of the present
`invention;
`FIG. 2 is a chart showing relationship between driving
`5 current of a window driving motor and the position of a
`window glass;
`FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a part of the operation program
`of the power window control device according to the
`embodiment;
`FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a part the of operation program
`of the power window control device according to the
`embodiment; and
`FIG. 5 is a schematic time chart of the driving current of
`15 the window driving motor.
`
`10
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`The present invention relates to a power window control
`device for a vehicle and, more particularly, to a power
`window control device having a unit for preventing an
`obstacle from being caught by a door window of a vehicle.
`2. Description of Related Art
`U.S. Pat. No. 4.870333 (which corresponds to Japanese
`Patent Unexamined publication Sho 63- 165682) discloses a
`power window control having a unit for preventing an
`obstacle from being caught by a vehicle window glass. in
`which such obstacle -catch is detected by the rotational speed
`change of a window driving motor. When the change in the
`rotational speed becomes a fixed value, the motor stops and
`rotates in the opposite direction.
`However, in the above structure, since the rotational speed
`of the window driving motor varies with the voltage of an
`electric driving source, the window is driven to ascend or
`descend faster when the voltage is high, and slower when the
`voltage is low. When the voltage of the driving source is
`high, the kinetic energy of the window increases so that the
`window applies an increased impact to the obstacle if it is
`caught by the window. In addition, the driving current of the
`motor increases rapidly after the window catches the 35
`obstacle, thereby increasing a catching force of the obstacle
`before the motor rotates in the opposite direction to open the
`window.
`
`30
`
`A preferred embodiment will be described with reference
`20 to appended drawings hereafter.
`In FIG. 1, a window -up switch 1 and a window -down
`switch 2 send an ascent signal 39 and a descent signal 40 to
`a micro processor unit (hereinafter referred to as MPU) 3 in
`response to operation of the switches 1 and 2. respectively.
`25 Rotating direction of a window driving motor 17 is switched
`by a relay 16 to open or close the window. The window
`driving motor 17 provides pulse rotation signals related to
`the rotating direction. A rotation detector 19 is composed of,
`for example. a Hall element, which detects the rotation pulse
`signal of the motor 17 and provides a counter 8 of the MPU
`3 with a pulse signal 38.
`A switching element 15 supplies or cuts electric current
`from a battery terminal 14 to the relay 16 in response to an
`output signal 28 of an OR gate 9. When the signal 28 is a
`high level voltage (hereinafter referred to as H), the switch
`element 15 is turned on or brought into the on -state to supply
`the electric current to the relay 16 from the battery 14.
`A voltage sensor 12 detects terminal voltage of the motor
`40 17 (which is almost equal to battery voltage) and provides an
`A/D converter 7 of the MPU 3 with a signal 25 representing
`the driving voltage. A current sensor 13 detects driving
`current of the motor 17 and provides the A/D converter 7 and
`a comparator 11 with a signal 26 representing the driving
`45 current. A flywheel diode 18 releases energy accumulated in
`the motor 17 when the switching element 15 is turned off.
`The MPU 3 includes a microcomputer, a PMW (pulse
`width modulation) circuit 4, a D/A converter 5, a memory 6,
`the A/D converter 7 and a counter 8. The A/D converter 7
`so converts the signal 25 representing the motor driving voltage
`applied by the voltage sensor 12 and the signal 26 repre-
`senting the motor driving current applied by the current
`sensor 13 into digital signals. The counter 8 counts the
`number of pulses of the pulse signal 38 of the rotation
`55 detector 19 to detect the position of the window glass. Since
`the rotating direction and the rotational speed of the motor
`are calculated from the counted number of the pulses, the
`direction (opening or closing). the position, and the speed N
`of the window glass can be calculated. The relationship
`60 between the position of the window glass and the motor
`driving current and voltage is stored into the memory 6.
`Incidentally. the counter is reset when the window grass
`comes to the lowest position or the highest position. (The
`counter increments as the window glass rises and decre-
`ments as the window glass lowers if the counter is reset at
`the lowest position, and vice versa if the counter is reset at
`the uppermost position). The MPU 3 receives the ascent
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`The present invention is made in view of the above
`problems, and a primary object of the present invention is to
`provide a power window control device which limits
`increase of the rush current after obstacle -catch so as to
`reduce the catching force.
`Another object of the present invention is to provide a
`power window control device which reduces kinetic energy
`of the window when it closes.
`According to the present invention, a power window
`control device for controlling opening and closing operation
`of a window glass includes a window glass driving motor, a
`drive control unit having a circuit generating PWM (pulse,
`width modulation) signal to control the motor, a current
`sensor detecting motor driving current, means for setting
`maximum driving current according to the position of the
`window glass, means for detecting an obstacle caught by the
`window glass and means for commanding the drive control
`unit to limit driving current within the maximum driving
`current.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`Other objects. features and characteristics of the present
`invention as well as the functions of related parts of the
`present invention will become clear from a study of the 65
`following detailed description, the appended claims and the
`drawings. In the drawings:
`
`UUSI, LLC
`Exhibit 2029
`7/12
`
`

`

`5,734,245
`
`3
`signal 39 and the descent signal 40 in addition to the input
`signals mentioned before and executes programs, which are
`installed previously, according to all the signals it receives.
`The MPU 3 sets a maximum driving cu rent (hereinafter
`, ). which is converted by
`referred to as limited current I,,
`the DIA converter 5 into an analog signal 22 and is applied
`is set to
`to the comparator 11. The limited current
`correspond to the position of the window glass and to
`generate catching force to such a degree that the obstacle
`which is caught between the window glass and the window
`frame may not get injured.
`FIG. 2 shows how to set the limited current I,.;.
`The position x of the window glass is plotted on the
`horizontal axis and the driving current of the motor is plotted
`on the vertical axis. A solid -line curve U(x) indicates the
`driving current (hereinafter referred to the ascent anent)
`when the window glass ascends. a broken -line curve D(x)
`indicates the driving current (hereinafter referred to as the
`descent current) when the window glass descends and a
`chain -line curve L8.. indicates the limited driving current
`which is given by adding a fixed value to the descent current
`D(x).
`It is clear from FIG. 2 that the driving current supplied to
`the motor 17 changes significantly with difference in the
`gear efficiency of the window regulator disposed between
`the motor 17 and the window glass. For example, the decent
`current D(x) changes from 2 A to 6 A and the ascent current
`changes from 3 A to 8 A. The curves of the descent current
`D(x) and the ascent current U(x) are very similar to each
`other, however the current level is different from each other
`because conditions such as the weight of the window glass
`and friction of various parts are different between descend-
`ing and ascending of the window glass. However, as under-
`stood from FIG. 2. the ascent current U(x) relative to the
`window glass position can be readily estimated from the
`descent current D(x), if no obstacle is present between the
`window glass and the window frame. In the power window
`control device according to the present embodiment, the
`curve of the descent current D(x)(which is very similar to the
`ascent current except the current level) is detected and stored
`into the memory 6 every time the window glass is opened so
`that the ascent current U(x) can be estimated from the latest
`curve of the descent current D(x), thereby setting the limited
`driving current In.
`This relation may be written as the following equation
`Eq.1:
`
`where
`
`n is a current value which is a difference between
`the ascent current U(x) and the descent current D(x), and is
`determined according to experiment results or calculated
`from the weight of the window glass, the type of the window
`regulator and etc, and
`rn is a current value corresponding to a current when an
`obstacle is caught between the window glass and the win-
`dow frame, and is determined according to experiment
`results or calculated from the number of turns of an armature
`winding, magnetic flux of the magnetic field. output effi-
`ciency of the motor and the like.
`at the starting position is set com-
`The current of
`paratively large since the current to start the motor becomes
`greater than the current to keep the motor running.
`If a difference between the signal 26 of the current sensor
`13 at a certain position of the window glass and the signal
`representing the descent current D(x) stored in the memory
`
`4
`6 at the same position of the window glass is less than a fixed
`value, the current value 14 _d0» of the equation Eq. 1 can be
`replaced with the above difference (the signal 26 - a signal
`representing D(x)). However, when the pulse signal 21 is
`sent from the PWM circuit 4 and the switching element 15
`is turned on, the difference is calculated according to the
`signal 26 at a certain position of the window glass and a
`signal representing the descent current D(x) stored in the
`memory 6 at the same window glass position.
`The MPU 3 generates signals 20. 23 and 24 which
`correspond to ascending or descending of the window glass
`when the window -up switch 1 or the window -down switch
`is turned on down. In more detail. when the window -up
`switch 1 is turned on, the signals 20 and 23 become L and
`the signal 24 becomes H. On the other hand when the
`window -down switch 2 is turned on, the signals 20 and 23
`become H and the signal 24 becomes L. The signals 23 and
`24 are applied to the relay 16 and the signal 20 is applied to
`the OR gate 9. When the MPU 3 detects that the window
`glass is located at the uppermost or the lowest position
`according to the number of pulses of the signal 38, MPU 3
`changes the signal 20 to H to lock the window glass. When
`the MPU 3 detects. thereafter, that the motor and the window
`glass are locked according to the rotational speed signal, the
`MPU 3 renews data of the driving voltage signal 25 and the
`driving current signal 26 stored in the memory 6. The
`x and lock
`renewed data are used as lock voltage E
`x. The data are initially set according to the
`current I
`armature resistance of the motor so that the power window
`control device can be used at the beginning.
`The PWM circuit 4 of the MPU 3 provides an AND gate
`10 with the pulse signal 21 having a duty ratio D (which is
`the product of the H(on) -period and the frequency of the
`signal 21) according to the rotational speed (which is
`counted by the counter 8) when the window glass is
`ascending, so that the motor can rotate at an optimum speed.
`The basic frequency of the pulse signal 21 is set higher than
`the human audible frequency or higher than 20 KHz, which
`is sufficiently greater than the natural frequency decided by
`the time constant of the motor.
`The setting of the pulse signal 21 and the operation of the
`motor 17 are described next. When the motor 17 is driven by
`the pulse signal 21 having a duty ratio D. the driving voltage
`of the motor 17 becomes D times (D <l) as high as the
`voltage of the battery 14 due to switching operation of the
`switching element 15, and the rotational speed of the motor
`17 decreases to a speed corresponding to the duty ratio D. In
`other words, the ascending speed of the window glass can be
`changed by changing the duty ratio, for instance, from 30%
`to 100%. However, when the voltage becomes D times as
`high as it was (lower than the battery voltage), the lock
`current of the motor in the locked condition becomes D
`times (less than 1) as much as it was. and, therefore,
`sufficient driving current may not be supplied to drive the
`window glass.
`In the power window control device according to the
`present embodiment, the duty ratio D is controlled to be not
`which makes the lock
`less than a limited duty ratio D,
`current ILoc.x not less than the ascent current U(x) ( -D(x)
`
`Since the lock current Ix is proportional to the driving
`voltage of the motor 17, the following equation is given:
`
`EkD,.u.,rD(x
`where E is battery voltage and r is a resistance of the
`armature windings of the motor 17.
`
`s
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`5o
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`UUSI, LLC
`Exhibit 2029
`8/12
`
`

`

`5,734,245
`
`5
`Since the resistance r= ELocx/ILOCK, the limited duty ratio
`is expressed as the following equation Eq.2:
`
`s
`
`to
`
`Dy,4U(x)1l,,)x(E,,,crE)
`The duty ratio D is set according to the armature windings
`and the field magnetic flux of the motor 17 or given from
`experimental results. An ascending speed ND of the window
`glass which corresponds to the duty ratio D is set beforehand
`according to the weight of the window glass, the rotational
`inertia of the motor 17 and so forth, or experimental result.
`In order to restrict the kinetic energy of the motor and the
`window glass while the window glass is ascending, limited
`motor speeds N;
`are set according to the weight of the
`window glass and the rotational inertia of the motor 17. The is
`MPU 3 controls the ascending speed N of the window glass
`within a speed ND so that the motor speed is controlled
`within
`.
`If a difference (N -ND) between the current speed N of the
`window glass counted by the counter 8 while the window 20
`glass is ascending and the set speed ND thereof when the
`duty ratio is D is within a fixed value, the MPU 3 can change
`the duty ratio corresponding to the difference (N -ND).
`The relay 16 receives the signals 23 and 24 from the MPU
`3 and changes the rotational direction of the motor 17 from 25
`opening direction to closing direction of the window and
`vice versa. The comparator 11 compares the signal 26 from
`the current sensor 13 and the signal 22 from the MPU 3, and
`provides the AND gate 10 with an output signal 29. That is.
`the limited current I;8 and the motor driving current are 30
`compared by the comparator 11. The signal 29 becomes H
`when the signal 22 (corresponding to I,C,,) is higher than
`the signal 26 (corresponding to the motor driving current).
`The AND gate 10 receives the signal 21 from the PWM
`circuit of the MPU 3 and the signal 29 from the comparator 35
`11 and provides the OR gate 9 with an output signal 27. The
`OR gate 9 receives the signal 20 from the MPU 3 and the
`signal 27 from the AND gate 10 and provides the switching
`element 5 with the signal 28.
`The operation of the above embodiment is described next. 40
`When the window -up switch 1 is turned on in the
`window -full -open state, the ascent signal 39 changes to
`render the signals 20 and 23 to become L and the signal 24
`to become H. At the same time, the pulse signal 21 having
`the duty ratio D is applied to the AND gate 10 and the signal as
`22 which corresponds to the limited current I ;g. is applied
`to the comparator 11. Since motor driving current is not
`supplied to the motor 17 at this moment. the level of the
`signal 22 is higher than that of the driving current signal 26
`and the output signal 29 of the comparator 11 becomes H. so
`Since the AND gate 10 receives signal 29 which is H and the
`pulse signal 21, the signal 27 from the AND gate corre-
`sponds to the duty ratio D, and the signal 28 from the OR
`gate also corresponds the duty ratio D. The switching
`element 15, therefore, is controlled in a way of the pulse 55
`width modulation (PWM- control) and supplies the motor 17
`with current from the battery terminal 14 through the
`switching element 15 and the relay 16 to lift up the window
`glass. Since response time of the switching element 15
`(which switches large amount of current) is not as short as 60
`that of the AND gate 10, the OR gate 9, the current sensor
`13 or the comparator 11, the driving current supplied to the
`motor 17 is comparatively stable although the signals 27 and
`28 change between H and L. That is, when the switching
`element 15 is PWM- controlled, the driving current is sup- 65
`plied to the motor 17 continuously, thereby ensuring stable
`rotation of the motor 17. Since the driving current supplied
`
`6
`to the motor 17 is PWM- controlled, the rotational speed can
`be changed easily.
`When an obstacle is caught by the window glass, the
`motor driving current increases and becomes greater than
`the limited current I,;8e, the current sensor 13 sends the
`comparator 11 the signal 26 which is higher than the signal
`22. Accordingly, the comparator 11 provides the AND gate
`10 with the L signal 29, thereby to make the signal 27 and
`the signal 28 become L (signal 20 is L). Thus the switching
`element 15 is turned off for an instant until the current
`detected by the current sensor 13 (which flows through the
`flywheel diode 18) becomes less than I.,g. However, the
`motor keeps running because of the current through the fly
`wheel diode 18 and the inertia of itself. It is possible for the
`comparator 11 to have a timer, which allows the motor to
`drive the window glass with the maximum driving current
`for a fixed time period such as a period between 10
`miñiiseconds and 700 milliseconds before providing the
`AND gate 10 with the L signal 29. It is also possible to
`provide the comparator 11 with a counter which holds the H
`signal 29 when the current sensor sends the signal 26 which
`is higher than the signal 22 until it counts a fixed number of
`on -off operation of the switching element 15.
`Since the motor 17 is PWM- controlled by the MPU 3 and
`the duty ratio of the control signal is set suitably, the driving
`force of the motor 17 can be changed easily so that the
`window glass will not injure the obstacle.
`It is possible to change the duty ratio when the window
`glass approaches the uppermost position or full- closing
`position in order to reduce the closing speed.
`The operation of the embodiment is further described with
`reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5.
`When the MPU 3 is started in a flow chart shown in FIG.
`3, the operation of the window -up switch 1 or the window -
`down switch 2 is detected in a step S110. When none of the
`switches i and 2 is turned on, the signals 20, 21, 23, and 24
`are all L which turn on the switching element 15 and the
`relay 16, and the step of the program returns. When the
`window -down switch 2 is turned on in the step 110, the
`signals 20 and 22 are changed to H and the signal 24
`maintains L in a step 130 to turn on the switching element
`15 and change the relay 16 to the descent position. Whether
`or not the window glass is located at the lowest position is
`detected according to a number counted by the counter 8
`which counts pulses of the pulse signal 38 (which corre-
`sponds to the window glass position) in a step 140. If it is
`found NO, the counter 8 decrements each time one of the
`pulse signal 38 is applied to the counter 8. When it is
`detected in a step 160 that the counter 8 decrements by a
`fixed number of pulses, the step returns. If detected NO in
`the step 160, it is decided that the window glass is
`descending. and the current number of the counter and
`amount of the driving current are stored into the memory 6.
`The limited current 1,,i4,,, relative to the window glass
`position x is calculated according to the equation Eq.l and
`is set in a step 180. The motor driving voltage E is calculated
`according to the signal 25 from the voltage sensor in a step
`according to
`S 190 to calculate the limited duty ratio D;
`the equation Eq.2 in a step 200. If the duty ratio D which is
`set previously is detected not greater than the limited duty
`in a step S 210, the window glass may not be
`ratio
`driven to close the window. Therefore, the duty ratio D is
`in a step S 220. and the renewed duty
`renewed as
`ratio D is set in a step S 230. On the other hand, if the duty
`ratio D is greater than the limited duty ratio D ,s, and YES
`is decided in the step S 210. the duty ratio D is set as it has
`been in the step S 230. After the setting in the step S 230, the
`program returns.
`
`UUSI, LLC
`Exhibit 2029
`9/12
`
`

`

`5,734,245
`
`7
`When the window glass descends and it is detected that
`the window glass is located at the lowest position (full open
`position) in the step S 140, whether or not the window glass
`stops (or the motor is locked) is detected according to the
`rotational speed of the motor in a step S 240. If the result is s
`YES, the signal 25 of the driving voltage and the signal 26
`of the driving current are stored into the memory 6 (renew
`the stored data) to be used as the lock voltage E.,r and the
`lock current Icoc.K in a step S 250. The signals 20 and 23 are
`changed to L to turn off the switching element 15 and the to
`relay 16 in a step S 260, and the program returns thereafter.
`On the other hand, if the result in the step S 240 is NO, the
`program returns without proceeding to the steps S250 and
`S260.
`If the window -up switch i is pushed down in the step 15
`S110, the program proceeds to a step S 270 (shown in FIG.
`4) and renders the signal 20 to be L, the signal 23 to be L to
`change the relay 16 to the ascent direction, and changes the
`signal 24 to H. Whether or not the window glass is located
`at the uppermost position is detected according to the count 20
`number of the counter which counts the pulse signal 38 in a
`step S 280. If the result is NO, the signal 22 which
`corresponds to the limited current I,g, is applied to the
`comparator 11 in a step S 290. the signal 21 which corre-
`sponds to the duty ratio D set in the step S 230 (shown in 25
`FIG. 3) is applied to the AND gate 10. so that the window
`glass ascends at a speed ND related to the duty ratio D. The
`counter 8 increments each time one of the pulse signal 38 of
`the rotation detector 19 is applied thereto in a step S 310. and
`the ascending speed of the window glass is calculated 30
`according to the count number of the counter S in a step S
`320.
`While the window glass is ascending, the obstacle -catch
`is detected in a step 330. The obstacle -catch is decided, for
`instance, when the signal 26 (which corresponds to the 35
`motor driving current) becomes higher than the signal 24
`(which corresponds to the limited current I,,,s,B ,) and main-
`tains such a high level for a fixed time period.
`When the driving current of the motor 17 becomes greater
`, the signal 29 of the corn- ao
`than the limited current I
`parator 11 becomes L and, accordingly, the signal 27 of the
`AND gate and the signal 28 of the OR gate 10 become L to
`turn off the switching element 15. Therefore, the motor
`driving current will not become greater than the limited
`current even though the window glass catches the obstacle. 45
`When the obstacle-catch is detected in the step 330, the
`signals 20 and 23 are changed to H and the signal 24 is
`changed to L to turn on the switching element and change
`the relay 16 to the descent direction in a step 340. The
`counter 8 decrements each time a pulse of the pulse signal 50
`38 of the rotation detector 19 is applied thereto in a step 350.
`When the counter number (which corresponds to the win-
`dow glass position) becomes a fixed number, YES is decided
`in a step 360 and the signals 20. 21, 23 and 24 are rendered
`to be L to stop the motor running in a step S 370. and the 55
`program returns thereafter. On the other hand, when No is
`decided in the step S 360. the program returns thereafter.
`If YES is decided in the step 280, the signal 20 is forcibly
`rendered to be H to render the signal 28 to be H in a step S
`380. and whether or not the window glass is stopped from to
`the motion thereof (whether or not the motor is locked) is
`detected in a step S 390. When YES is decided in the step
`S 390, the signal 25 (which corresponds to the motor driving
`voltage) and the signal 26 (which corresponds to the motor
`driving current) are stored into the memory 6 in a step 400. 65
`Subsequently, the signals 20, 21, and 23 are rendered to be
`L to turn off the switching element 15 and the relay 16 in a
`
`8
`step S 410, and the program returns thereafter. On the other
`hand, when NO is decided in the step S 390, the program
`returns without proceeding to the step 400.
`In a time chart shown in FIG. 5, the limited current
`is given an initial amount for a time Tl. When the window -
`up switch is pushed down at the full open position or the
`lowest position of the window glass, the limited current
`becomes an amount indicated by a chain line which is
`given by the equation Eq.l (time period T2). When the
`window glass catches an obstacle, the motor driving current
`increases up to the limited current I,,, as indicated by a
`broken line. However, since the motor driving current will
`not become greater than the limited current Limn, the
`catching force is limited so that the obstacle may not get
`injured.
`Since the motor 17 is driven by PWM- controlled current
`which is schematically indicated by hatching in FIG. 5.
`highly responsive and highly efficient motor control can be
`provided.
`Since the rotational speed control of the motor 17 is
`carried out by changing the duty ratio of the signal 21 easily.
`the catching force of the motor 17 can be adjusted easily
`according to various conditions such as external
`disturbances, variations between motors, difference in the
`window position, change in the battery voltage and/or the
`like. Such conditions can be detected by the signal 38 of the
`rotation detector 19 and the signal 25 of the voltage sensor
`12.
`Further, ascending or descending speed of the window
`glass. slow or quick starting of the window glass or other
`control of the window glass can be changed to meet user's
`preference.
`Incidentally, since the motor driving current increases
`when an obstacle is caught by the window glass, the MPU
`3 calculates the rate of change in the motor driving current
`according to the signal 26 of the current sensor 13 and
`decides the existence of the obstacle if the rate of change is
`higher than a fixed threshold value in the step S 330. The
`MPU 3 can decide the obstacle -catch when the rotational
`speed of the motor 17 or the rate of change in the rotational
`speed (which it calculates according to the pulse signal 38 of
`the rotation detector 19) exceeds a fixed threshold value.
`The MPU 3 can be provided with an extra switch to
`supply the driving current whenever a driver pushes it down
`intentionally, irrespective of the obstacle catch.
`The motor can have various selections of the armature
`windings (different turn of the armature winding), magnetic
`flux of the magnetic field, reduction gears or window
`regulators in order to change the operation speed of the
`window glass.
`Although the present invention has been fully described in
`connection with the preferred embodiment thereof with
`reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted
`that various changes and modifications will become appar-
`ent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifica-
`tions are to be understood as being included within the scope
`of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
`What is claimed is:
`1. Apower window control device having a window glass
`driving unit driven by an electric power source for opening
`and closing a window glass, said power window control
`device comprising:
`a switching element, connected between said electric
`power source and said window glass driving unit;
`a first means for controlling said switch element to supply
`said window glass driving unit with modulated driving
`current, thereby controlling window -closing -speed of
`said window glass driving unit;
`
`UUSI, LLC
`Exhibit 2029
`10/12
`
`

`

`5,734,245
`
`5
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`9
`a current sensor for detecting current supplied to said
`window glass driving unit;
`a position sensor for detecting operating position of said
`window glass driving unit which corresponds to posi-
`tion of the window glass;
`second means for setting maximum driving current with
`respect to window glass position according to the
`current detected by said current supply sensor and the
`operating position of said window glass driving unit
`detected by said position sensor; and
`third means, connected to said current sensor, for con-
`trolling said modulated driving current not to exceed
`said maximum driving current.
`2. Apower window control device having a window glass
`driving unit for opening and closing a window glass, said
`power window control device comprising:
`a switching element connected to an electric power source
`for su