# US 11,512,674 B2 · Programmable non-contact switch and method of emulating high-reliability switch > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,512,674 B2 - Document ID: US11512674B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/750,313 - Filed: 2020-01-23 - Published: 2021-07-29 - Granted: 2022-11-29 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-23 - Assignees: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation - Applicants: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation - Inventors: James E. Rouleau - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11512674B2 ## CPC - F02N 11/087: {Details of the switching means in starting circuits, e.g. relays or electronic switches} - H03K 17/965: Switches controlled by moving an element forming part of the switch - F02N 11/101: {for preventing engine starter actuation or engagement} - H03K 17/08116: {in composite switches (H03K17/0812, H03K17/0814 take precedence)} - H03K 17/97: using a magnetic movable element - H03K 17/975: using a capacitive movable element - F02N 11/0803: {characterised by means for initiating engine start or stop (F02N11/0814 takes precedence)} - F02N 2011/0874: {characterised by said switch being an electronic switch} - H03K 2217/94015: Mechanical, e.g. by displacement of a body, a shielding element, or a magnet, in or out of the sensing area - H03K 2217/94021: with human activation, e.g. processes requiring or being triggered by human intervention, user-input of digital word or analog voltage - H03K 2217/96066: Thumbwheel, potentiometer, scrollbar or slider simulation by touch switch - F02N: STARTING OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; STARTING AIDS FOR SUCH ENGINES, 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 programmable or configurable non-contact solid state switch device and method are provided for emulating a high reliability switch. The switch device senses position information related to a switch and is calibrated using a learning operation to learn position information of mechanical features of the switch and to map the positions of these features. Electrical outputs or functions are assigned to the mapped positions and stored such that the switch device generates the outputs when their corresponding positions are sensed. A switch device is uniquely configured to the mechanical system in which it operates. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A high reliability switch, comprising a sensor configured to sense position information for one or more features of the switch along a range of mechanical travel associated with operating the switch; and a controller configured to store in a memory device the position information and a corresponding output for each of the one or more features, and to generate the corresponding output when the sensor detects the position information for that output during operation of the switch; wherein the position information is generated by the sensor during a learning operation during which the switch is moved to each feature among the one or more features along the range of mechanical travel, and the sensor generates position information for that feature, and the position information is stored by the controller with a corresponding output designated for that feature; and wherein the switch is operated using the corresponding output designated for each of the features. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The high reliability switch of claim 1, wherein the switch has at least one action chosen from a rotary action and a linear action, and the range of mechanical travel is about an axis of rotation for the rotary action and along a longitudinal axis for the linear action. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The high reliability switch of claim 1, wherein the one or more features of the switch are chosen from a detent position, an interlock engagement position, a position corresponding to a beginning of a momentary switch operation zone, and an end of travel position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The high reliability switch of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a non-contact solid state sensor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The high reliability switch of claim 1, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a Hall effect sensor, a magneto reluctance sensor, and capacitance sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The high reliability switch of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises two angle position on-axis Hall effect elements configured to detect the rotation of a pair of two pole magnets rotated in unison but at differing rates of rotation to generate sinusoidal phase difference between the two magnets to sense the position information of the switch. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The high reliability switch of claim 1, further comprising a second sensor to sense the position information for the one or more features of the switch to provide redundant position information to the controller. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The high reliability switch of claim 1, wherein the switch is selected from the group consisting of an automotive ignition switch, an automotive windshield wiper switch, an automotive turn signal switch, an automotive headlamp switch, an automotive transmission control switch, and an air bag deployment operation switch. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The high reliability switch of claim 1, wherein the output is selected from the group consisting of a discrete logic output, a signal communicated over a communication media, a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus signal, a device message, and a switch contact operation command. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The high reliability switch of claim 9, wherein the communication media is selected from the group consisting of a radio frequency link, a wired link, a serial bus link, and an optical link. ### Claim 11 A method of operating a high reliability switch comprising: deploying a sensing device with respect to a switch to generate position information related to the switch, the sensing device being configured to sense position information for one or more features of the switch along a range of mechanical travel associated with operating the switch; mapping the position information corresponding to the one or more features of the switch to generate a learned profile of the switch; defining an output for respective ones of the one or more features of the switch and storing the output and the corresponding position information for the respective ones of the one or more features of the switch; and operating the switch using the defined output for the respective ones of the one or more features of the switch. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising defining a range of position information values with respect to the corresponding position information for the respective ones of the one or more features of the switch. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising operating the switch and, when position information is sensed that is in the range of position values defined for a respective one of the one or more features of the switch, generating the stored output that corresponds to the sensed position information during operation of the switch. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the mapping comprises obtaining position information for one or more features of the switch chosen from a detent position, an interlock engagement position, a position corresponding to a beginning of a momentary switch operation zone, and an end of travel position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein deploying the sensing device comprises using a non-contact solid state sensor to sense the switch, the non-contact solid state sensor selected from the group consisting of a Hall effect sensor, a magneto reluctance sensor, and capacitance sensor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the sensing device is a Hall effect sensor comprising two angle position on-axis Hall effect elements configured to detect the rotation of a pair of two pole magnets rotated in unison but at differing rates of rotation to generate sinusoidal phase difference between the two magnets to sense the position information of the switch. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the switch is selected from the group consisting of an automotive ignition switch, an automotive windshield wiper switch, an automotive turn signal switch, an automotive headlamp switch, an automotive transmission control switch, and an air bag deployment operation switch. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein defining the output comprises designating an output with respect to position information that is selected from the group consisting of a discrete logic output, a signal communicated over a communication media, a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus signal, a device message, and a switch contact operation command. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the communication media is selected from the group consisting of a radio frequency link, a wired link, a serial bus link, and an optical link.