# US 11,306,519 B2 · Metal traces for hall-effect sensor activation in a vehicle latch > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,306,519 B2 - Document ID: US11306519B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/852,451 - Filed: 2020-04-18 - Published: 2020-10-22 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2019-04-19 - Assignees: Inteva Products, LLC - Applicants: Inteva Products, LLC - Inventors: Daniel Alexander Ney - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11306519B2 ## CPC - E05B 81/64: Monitoring or sensing, e.g. by using switches or sensors - G01D 5/145: {influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields (see G01R33/06)} - H03K 17/97: using a magnetic movable element - H03K 2017/9713: {Multiposition, e.g. involving comparison with different thresholds} - E05B: LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS - G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract A latch assembly, including: at least one moveable component rotationally mounted to the latch assembly; a magnet secured to the at least one moveable component; a hall effect sensor remote from the magnet; and a metal trace operably coupled to the hall effect sensor and configured to be magnetized by the magnet as the at least one moveable component rotates. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An assembly for detecting the position of a moveable component of a latch assembly, comprising: a magnet secured to the moveable component, the moveable component being rotationally mounted to the latch assembly; and a hall effect sensor mounted on a printed circuit board remote from the magnet; and a metal trace mounted on the latch assembly, the metal trace in communication with the hall effect sensor, the metal trace being configured to define at least two separate portions that are separately magnetized by the magnet as the moveable movable component rotates in a first direction from a first position to a second position, wherein the at least two separate portions are configured such that the magnet can be located between the at least two separate portions wherein the at least two separate portions are not magnetized by the magnet. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly as in claim 1, wherein the metal trace defines multiple activation points to be separately magnetized by the magnet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The assembly as in claim 1, further comprising a connector secured to the printed circuit board. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The latch assembly as in claim 1, wherein a pole of the magnet is horizontal to the metal trace. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The latch assembly as in claim 1, wherein a pole of the magnet is perpendicular to the metal trace. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The latch assembly as in claim 1, wherein the metal trace is curved. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The latch assembly as in claim 1, wherein the magnet is a single magnet and the metal trace is configured to be magnetized at multiple discrete activation points by the single magnet. ### Claim 8 An assembly for detecting the position of a moveable component of a latch assembly, comprising: a magnet secured to the moveable component, the moveable component being rotationally mounted to the latch assembly; a first hall effect sensor mounted on a printed circuit board and in communication with a first metal trace in a position remote from the magnet; a second hall effect sensor mounted on the printed circuit board and in communication with a second metal trace in a position remote from the magnet; wherein the first metal trace is magnetized by the magnet when the moveable movable component is in a first position and the second metal trace is magnetized by the magnet as the moveable movable component rotates in a first direction from the first position to a second position, wherein the first metal trace and the second metal trace are not magnetized by the magnet when moveable movable component is located between the first position and the second position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The latch assembly as in claim 8, further comprising a connector secured to the printed circuit board. ### Claim 10 A method for detecting movement of moveable component of a latch assembly, comprising: rotationally mounting the moveable component to the latch assembly; securing a magnet to the moveable component; locating a first hall effect sensor remote from the magnet, the first hall effect sensor being operably coupled to a latch controller; operably coupling a first metal trace to the first hall effect sensor; locating a second hall effect sensor remote from the magnet, the second hall effect sensor being operably coupled to the latch controller; operably coupling a second metal trace to the second hall effect sensor; wherein the first metal trace is magnetized by the magnet when the moveable component rotates is in a first position and the second metal trace is magnetized by the magnet when the moveable movable component rotates in a first direction from the first position to a second position, wherein the first metal trace and the second metal trace are not magnetized by the magnet when the moveable component is located between the first position and the second position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method as in claim 10, further comprising a connector secured to the controller. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method as in claim 10, wherein a pole of the magnet is horizontal to the first metal trace and the second metal trace. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method as in claim 10, wherein a pole of the magnet is perpendicular to the first metal trace and the second metal trace.