Patent Application
20080074067
An anti-pinch control system for a powered vehicle member having a pinching area is shown generally at 10 in
The vehicle door 14 defines an opening 18 with a plurality of edges. The opening includes at least a top edge 20, a bottom edge 22, a front edge 24, and rear edge 26. In the example shown in the figures, the pinching area is defined as being at least along the top edge 20 and the front edge 24. It should be understood that this is just one example location of a pinching area, and that the location could vary depending on the type of component involved and the mounting configuration of that component in the vehicle.
The anti-pinch control system 10 includes a camera 30 that is mounted to a vehicle structure. In the example shown, the camera 30 is mounted to the vehicle door 14 at the window frame 16; however, the camera 30 could be mounted to vehicle structures other than the door 14 or window frame 16.
An indicium or indicator is mounted to a vehicle structure to be in view of the camera 30 and includes zones that identify/specify vehicle component operational functions. The at least one indicium could comprise a plurality of discrete elements that are mounted to the vehicle structure, or can be an integrated element including a plurality features for performing multiple vehicle operational functions. This will be discussed in greater detail below.
In the examples shown, the indicia comprises at least one strip 32 that is mounted to the door 14 at a location remote from the camera 30 such that the strip 32 is in view of the camera 30. The strip 32 is mounted to at least one of the edges 20, 22, 24, 26 and is positioned such that an object cannot pass into the pinching area without also passing between the camera 30 and at least a portion of the strip 32.
In the example of
In any of the configurations discussed above, at least the primary strip 32 comprises a command strip and includes at least one predefined zone 40 that is associated with a component operational function/command. The additional strip 34, sometimes referred to as a pinch strip, may or may not also include such a zone or zones. In the example shown, the primary strip 32 includes a plurality of predefined zones 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d, with each zone 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d being associated with one component operational function. These operational functions/commands could include upward window movement, downward window movement, door locking, side mirror movement, etc., for example. The incorporation of these types of zones 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d into the strip 32 eliminates the need for separate switches in a vehicle door assembly to perform each of these functions. This significantly reduces cost for a vehicle door system.
As shown in
A controller 44 receives input from the camera 30 and identifies an obstruction when any portion of the strips 32 and/or 34 associated with an anti-pinch function is obscured while the window 12 is moving in a manner that could cause pinching, generally this movement would be towards a closed position. If an obstruction is detected, the controller 44 generates a command to a powered window regulator assembly 48 to slow, halt, or reverse movement of the window 12. The window regulator assembly 48 is powered to move the window 12 between open and closed positions as known. Any type of window regulator assembly 48 can be used with the subject anti-pinch control system 10. As well as providing simple anti-pinch protection, an obstruction detection where the window 12 does not even touch an obstacle could be used as a separate command, notably as a principal stop command for window motion.
If the window 12 is stationary or moving in a manner that could not cause pinching (generally such movement would be toward the open position), and a first zone 40a is touched, i.e. the first zone 40a is obscured from view of the camera 30 as shown in at 50
If the window 12 is stationary and more than one zone 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d is obscured, or if one zone and part of portion 46 are both obscured as indicated at 52 in
The strip 32 can be made from any material suitable for mounting within a vehicle and which would be easily distinguished by the camera 30. The controller 44 receives input from the camera 30 and cooperates with various control systems to move the window 12 upward, move the window 12 downward, lock the door 14, move a mirror, etc., as each zone 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d is selected. One of ordinary skill in the art would be able to provide software for the controller 44 to accomplish these control functions.
In one example configuration, the controller 44 delays initiation of the component operational function for a predetermined amount of time when the associated predefined zone is obscured while the window 12 is stationary. For example, assume a vehicle ignition is activated, i.e. the camera 30 is on, and the window 12 is stationary in a partially or fully open position. The user selects a desired function by placing a finger over a desired zone, such as the first zone 40a (window up) or the second zone 40b (window down), for example. The camera 30 registers the selection but the controller 44 does not immediately activate the desired command. The user removes the finger from the desired zone and the controller 44 ignores any signal from the camera 30 indicating an obstruction of multiple zones or the portion 46 of the strip 32 for a brief period of time because this occurs directly following a registered command. Thus, the controller 44 waits for a brief amount of time to allow the user to fully withdraw from the selected zone. This amount of time could be approximately one second or less. Once the delay has passed, the controller 44 activates the registered command and the window 12 begins to move. Any subsequent obstruction of the strip 32 will stop or slow the window 12 as discussed above. The time lapse prevents the erroneous detection of an obstruction as the user withdraws from the controlled zone.
In one example configuration, the controller 44 utilizes the camera information with window positional information to identify an obstruction that would be outside an instantaneous pinch risk zone. The instantaneous pinch risk zone is where pinching could occur at a given instant and would depend on a position of the window, thus certain zones within the opening may change from being inside the instantaneous pinch risk zone to outside the instantaneous pinch risk zone depending on where the window is during travel. For example, if the window 12 is not close to this zone and an obstruction is identified by the camera, the controller can determine that it is not currently necessary to stop moving the window.
It should be understood that the controller 44 could be incorporated into the system as part of the camera 30 or could be a separated, dedicated controller mounted anywhere within the vehicle. Optionally, the controller 44 could be part of a vehicle centralized control unit that controls multiple vehicle systems.
The subject camera based anti-pinch control system utilizes a multi-function control strip that is used to identify control commands traditional activated by individual switches. The cost saving resulting from the elimination of these switches increases the economic viability of using a camera based anti-pinch control system. Further, removal of these individual switches from an inner trim panel of the door provides increased styling freedom.
All previous references to obscuring the strip 32 should also be interpreted to include any readily identifiable modification to the strip. Examples would be thickening, thinning or locally deforming or deviating the strip 32.
In an additional embodiment, the obscuring or identifiably modifying the strip 32 in the functional zones could be accomplished by using an intermediate member or system. As shown in
Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.
