The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 21, 2004
Filed:
May. 31, 2002
Joseph P. Whinnery, Auburn Hills, MI (US);
Jon C. Everhart, Jr., Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Thierry Caussat, West Bloomfield, MI (US);
David M. Wenrick, Waterford, MI (US);
Valeo Electrical Systems, Inc., Auburn Hills, MI (US);
Abstract
A control apparatus and method for a panel movable between at least two positions by an electric motor having a rotatable armature. The control generates time periods for the rotation of the armature over a constant angular distance. An average time period is computed over a predetermined number of time periods and compared with a threshold time period to determine if an obstacle is present in the path of movement of the closure. Transient counts are accumulated for increasing average time periods over a number of time period samples to detect an obstacle. A compensation factor is used to adjust a threshold upon detecting a start-up transient during an initial movement of the motor armature coupled to the panel to delay activation of obstacle detection until the start-up transient diminishes.