Vehicular lock detection systems and methods
AssigneeContinental Automotive Systems, Inc.
InventorMalek Jaradi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lock system for a vehicle includes an electronic control module, an actuator in communication with the electronic control module, a lock member movable between an unlocked position and a locked position by the actuator, a sensor for sensing at least one of a current and a voltage supplied from the electronic control module to the actuator, and a processor configured to execute lock verification logic to determine whether the lock member moved from the unlocked position to the locked position based on the at least one of the current and the voltage sensed by the sensor.
Claims16
A lock system for a vehicle comprising:
- an electronic control module;
- an actuator in communication with the electronic control module;
- a lock member movable between an unlocked position and a locked position by the actuator;
- a sensor configured to sense at least one of a current and a voltage supplied from the electronic control module to the actuator;
- a processor configured to execute lock verification logic to determine whether the lock member moved from the unlocked position to the locked position based on the at least one of the current and the voltage sensed by the sensor;
- and
- wherein the sensor is configured to sense the time between a start point and a stall condition, and the processor is configured to determine whether the lock member moved from the unlocked position to the locked position based on the sensed time between the start point and the stall condition.
A method for signaling the success of a locking function, the method comprising:
- monitoring current supplied to an actuator for a stall condition after a start point of a plot of current against time for the locking function;
- sensing time between the start point and the stall condition;
- determining whether the locking function was successful based on a length of the sensed time between the start point and occurrence of the stall condition;
- and
- signaling whether the locking function was successful.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.