Patent Application
20160062513
The present disclosure generally relates to a proximity sensor for a vehicle, and more specifically relates to an electronics module for a vehicle including proximity sensor.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an electronics module proximate an exterior surface of a vehicle is disclosed. The module comprises a housing configured for mounting to an interior surface of the vehicle. An electronic circuit is enclosed in the housing. The electronic circuit comprises a proximity sensor and a sensor guard. The proximity sensor is configured to detect an object proximate the housing. The sensor guard is disposed between the interior surface and the proximity sensor and configured to limit a detection by the proximity sensor of an input originating from the exterior surface of a vehicle.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic circuit for mounting to an inside surface of a windshield of a vehicle is disclosed. The electronic circuit is configured to control a vehicle accessory and comprises a capacitive sensor, a sensor guard, and a processor. The capacitive sensor is configured to detect an object in proximity thereto. The sensor guard is disposed between the windshield and the capacitive sensor, and the processor is in communication with the capacitive sensor. The sensor guard is configured to limit a false detection by the processor due to an input originating from an outside surface of the windshield.
According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a trainable transmitter module for a vehicle is disclosed. The housing is configured to enclose an electronic circuit and is configured for mounting to an inside surface of a windshield of the vehicle. The electronic circuit comprises a user interface including a capacitive touch switch having a touch electrode for sensing a proximity of a user's finger or hand. A guard electrode is positioned between the windshield and at least a portion of the touch electrode. The guard electrode is configured to reduce a possibility that the touch electrode is falsely triggered by an input originating from an outside surface of the windshield.
The electronic circuit further comprises a backlight for illuminating indicia on the user interface. A processor is coupled to the touch electrode, the guard electrode, and the backlight. The processor is configured to detect a voltage change on the touch electrode caused by the user's finger or hand to activate the backlight. The processor may activate the backlight in response to the voltage change on the touch electrode. A trainable transmitter circuitry is coupled to the processor and the processor is configured to control the trainable transmitter circuitry in response to user activation through the user interface.
These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present disclosure will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon studying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings. It will also be understood that features of each embodiment disclosed herein may be used in conjunction with, or as a replacement for, features of the other embodiments.
In the drawings:
For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the disclosure as oriented in
Electronics modules of vehicles sometimes include one or more proximity sensors as user actuated buttons in a user interface. One electronics module that may include such proximity sensors is a trainable transmitter, such as the HOMELINK® trainable transmitter available from Gentex Corporation of Zeeland, Mich. Such trainable transmitters have been previously available as factory-installed, in-vehicle components. Such trainable transmitters are integrated into a vehicle, such as by being generally permanently mounted on the headliner, a windshield visor, a rearview mirror, or the like. Further, the trainable transmitters can communicate directly with a garage door opener and can be in the form of a trainable remote garage door opener that can learn the signal protocols of a remote transmitter that comes with such a garage door opener and later transmit a signal having those protocols. As such, they can accommodate many different garage door opener protocols using multiple codes and signaling frequencies to provide integrated vehicle door access. In addition, the HOMELINK® trainable transmitters are capable of remotely controlling various electrical appliances, such as lights, gates, and security systems.
An electronics module is herein described that may be mounted to the inside of the vehicle windshield such that a proximity sensor included in the electronics module is located in close proximity to the windshield. The inventor has recognized a problem with such an installation insofar as the proximity sensor may be inadvertently triggered in response to an input originating from an outside surface of the windshield. For example, the proximity sensor may correspond to a capacitive touch switch having a capacitive touch electrode. The capacitive touch electrode may be falsely triggered by an input originating outside the windshield.
The object may correspond to any object, body, or matter proximate an exterior surface of the windshield particularly in a region proximate the proximity sensor. The object may correspond to various objects or substances that may be in proximity with or contact the windshield. For example, contaminants (e.g. biological material), rain, or snow on the outside of the windshield may cause the proximity sensor to falsely trigger a proximity detection. Additionally, the windshield wipers when passing in proximity of the proximity sensor may trigger the proximity detection. The false detection may be particularly problematic when using a proximity sensor comprising a capacitive touch switch. This may be due to a high level of sensitivity of some capacitive touch switches to various detections that may not correspond to the detection of a user's hand or finger.
Referring to
Referring now to
Though discussed in reference to the capacitive sensor, the proximity sensor may correspond to various forms of sensors that may be utilized to detect the proximity of an object. For example, the proximity sensor may correspond to a resistive, inductive, capacitive or a variety of sensors or combinations thereof that may be utilized to detect an object proximate the housing 14. Each of the sensors may be utilized to accomplish different sensory functions and may be incorporated in the housing to provide various functions. In an exemplary embodiment, the proximity sensor is configured to detect the object in the form of a hand or arm of a passenger of the vehicle proximate the user interface 22 of the housing 14.
The user interface 22 may further include a backlight 38 for illuminating an indicia 24 (
Electronic circuit 30 may further include a processor 32 communicatively coupled to the touch electrode 34, the guard electrode 36, and the backlight 38. The processor 32 may be configured to detect a voltage change on the touch electrode 34 in response to a detection of a proximity of a finger or hand. In response to the detection of the voltage change from the touch electrode 34, the processor 32 may activate the backlight 38.
The guard electrode 36 may be implemented in a relatively simple form as a ground plane beneath the touch electrode 34. While this implementation may be effective in reducing signals on the outside of the windshield 16 it may also add capacitance between the ground plane and the touch electrode 34. This may reduce the sensitivity of the touch electrode 34 in the desired direction. While this may be acceptable in some situations, in other cases the sensitivity loss may be too great. By perforating the ground plane a compromise between sensitivity in the desired and undesired directions may be affected. Increasing the surface area of the perforations or the effective cutout in the ground plane may reduce the shielding effect in the undesired direction but will also increase sensitivity in the desired direction.
In some embodiments, the guard electrode may correspond to an actively driven guard electrode 36 as shown in
Electronic circuit 30 may include a vehicle accessory circuit, for example trainable transmitter circuitry 40 coupled to processor 32. The processor 32 may be configured to control the trainable transmitter circuitry 40 in response to a user activation of one or more of the buttons 26A, 26B, 26C through user interface 22. Although the vehicle accessory circuit is described herein as a trainable transmitter circuit, it will be appreciated that the vehicle accessory circuit may be any other form of vehicle accessory, such as a navigation accessory, a radar detector, a tollbooth transceiver, etc.
As shown in
The electronics module 10 may receive power from the vehicle's power system or may include a battery and, optionally, a solar cell. In the various configurations described herein, the disclosure provides for an electronics module disposed on a windshield of a vehicle. The electronics module comprises a proximity sensor that is resistant to inputs or noise corresponding to objects located outside the windshield and proximate the proximity sensor. In this configuration, the proximity sensor may limit the unwanted detection of objects outside the vehicle. In this way, the disclosure may provide for a touch electrode configured to prevent false triggers and/or activations related to undesired detections.
It will be understood by one having ordinary skill in the art that construction of the described disclosure and other components is not limited to any specific material. Other exemplary embodiments of the disclosure disclosed herein may be formed from a wide variety of materials, unless described otherwise herein.
For purposes of this disclosure, the term “coupled” (in all of its forms, couple, coupling, coupled, etc.) generally means the joining of two components (electrical or mechanical) directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary in nature or movable in nature. Such joining may be achieved with the two components (electrical or mechanical) and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two components. Such joining may be permanent in nature or may be removable or releasable in nature unless otherwise stated.
It is also important to note that the construction and arrangement of the elements of the disclosure as shown in the exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments of the present innovations have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited. For example, the bezel of the module disclosed herein may take on a variety of shapes and could be flat, curved, bent, etc. Further, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts, elements shown as multiple parts may be integrally formed, the operation of the interfaces may be reversed or otherwise varied, the length or width of the structures and/or members or connector or other elements of the system may be varied, or the nature or numeral of adjustment positions provided between the elements may be varied. It should be noted that the elements and/or assemblies of the system may be constructed from any of a wide variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability, in any of a wide variety of colors, textures, and combinations. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present innovations. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions, and arrangement of the desired and other exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present innovations.
It will be understood that any described processes or steps within described processes may be combined with other disclosed processes or steps to form structures within the scope of the present disclosure. The exemplary structures and processes disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes and are not to be construed as limiting.
It is also to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structures and methods without departing from the concepts of the present disclosure, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.
This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/043,568, filed Aug. 29, 2014, and the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62043568 | Aug 2014 | US |
