# US 2017/0254136 A1 · Vehicle window lift control system and control method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0254136 A1 - Document ID: US20170254136A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/446,292 - Filed: 2017-03-01 - Published: 2017-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-01 - Assignees: Johnson Electric S.A. - Applicants: Johnson Electric S.A. - Inventors: Yue LI; Jing Xin SHI; Rui Feng QIN; Yong Gang LI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170254136A1 ## CPC - E05F 15/75: responsive to the weight or other physical contact of a person or object - E05F 15/40: Safety devices, e.g. detection of obstructions or end positions - E05F 15/695: Control circuits therefor - E05F 15/697: Motor units therefor, e.g. geared motors - E05Y 2201/434: Electromotors; Details thereof - E05Y 2400/32: Position control, detection or monitoring - E05Y 2400/334: by using pulse generators - E05Y 2900/55: Windows - E05F: DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION; CHECKS FOR WINGS; WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WING - E05Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF ## Abstract A vehicle window lift control system includes a window lift motor, a motor drive/control module, an inverter, a rotor position sensing unit, and an anti-pinch module. The window lift motor is a brushless direct current motor. The anti-pinch module detennines whether or not the vehicle window is in an anti-pinch area based on position feedback signals generated by a rotor position sensing unit that is inherently included in the brushless direct current motor. When the vehicle window is in the anti-pinch area, an obstacle judgment unit is initiated. When there is an obstacle, an anti-pinch instruction unit sends an anti-pinch instruction to the motor drive/control module, and the motor drive/control module drives the inverter according to the anti-pinch instruction to make the motor rotate reversely. The present vehicle window lift control system has the advantages of small size, low failure rate and low cost. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle window lift control system for controlling lifting up or lowering down of a vehicle window, the vehicle window lift control system comprising: a window lift motor which is a brushless direct current motor; an inverter; a rotor position sensing unit; a motor drive/control module configured to drive the inverter to enable an operation of the window lift motor based on a rotor position feedback signal obtained by the rotor position sensing unit; and an anti-pinch module comprising: a pulse counter configured to record the number of pulses generated by the rotor position sensing unit during lifting up of the vehicle window; a count comparator configured to compare the recorded number of the pulses against a preset threshold to deteimine whether or not the vehicle window is in an anti-pinch area; an obstacle judgment unit configured to be initiated when it is determined that the vehicle window is in the anti-pinch area; and an anti-pinch instruction unit configured to send an anti-pinch instruction to the motor drive/control module when the obstacle judgment unit determines that there is an obstacle, and the motor drive/control module configured to drive the inverter according to the anti-pinch instruction to make the motor rotate reversely. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle window lift control system of claim 1, wherein the obstacle judgment unit is configured to determine whether or not there is an obstacle by measuring one of the at least one of parameters selected from a motor speed, a current of motor windings, and a motor output torque and comparing the measured parameter against a corresponding threshold. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle window lift control system of claim 1, wherein the obstacle judgment unit further comprises a pulse width recorder and a pulse width comparator, the pulse width recorder is configured to detect a width of the pulses generated by the rotor position sensing unit, the pulse width comparator is configured to compare the detected pulse width against a preset pulse width threshold, and the obstacle judgment unit determines that there is an obstacle when the detected pulse width is greater than the preset pulse width threshold. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle window lift control system of claim 1, wherein he motor drive/control module comprises: a command receiving unit configured to receives an external command; a data processing unit performing data processing according to the received command to obtain a corresponding motor control signal; and a driving unit generating a regular driving instruction according to the motor control signal to drives the inverter, thereby driving the window lift motor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle window lift control system of claim 1, wherein the window lift motor is a three-phase brushless direct current motor, the rotor position sensing unit comprises three switch-type Hall sensors, and the pulse counter is configured to record the number of the pulses generated by the three switch-type Hall sensors. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle window lift control system of claim 1, wherein the window lift motor is a single-phase brushless direct current motor, the rotor position sensing unit comprises one switch-type Hall sensor, and the pulse counter is configured to record the number of the pulses generated by the switch-type Hall sensor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The vehicle window lift control system of claim 4, wherein the motor drive/control module further comprises a rotation direction judgment unit configured to detect a motor actual rotating direction, determine whether or not the motor actual rotating direction is consistent with a control command received by the command receiving unit, and generate a failure signal when the motor actual rotating direction is inconsistent with the control command. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The vehicle window lift control system of claim 7, wherein the rotor position sensing unit comprises at least two switch-type Hall sensors, and the rotation direction judgment unit is configured to determine the motor actual rotating direction according to a relationship between sequences of detected square wave signals that are generated by the two switch-type Hall sensors. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vehicle window lift control system of claim 8, wherein the window lift motor is a single-phase brushless direct current motor, the pulse counter is configured to record the number of the pulses generated by one of said at least two Hall sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vehicle window lift control system of claim 1, wherein the inverter comprises a bridge switch circuit. ### Claim 11 A vehicle window lift control method comprising the steps of: providing a brushless direct current motor for driving a vehicle window to lift up or lower down; operating the brushless direct current motor according to an external command and a motor position feedback signal; determining whether or not the vehicle window is in an anti-pinch area according to the rotor position feedback signal; determining whether or not the lifting vehicle window meets an obstacle according to a motor operating parameter when it is determined that the vehicle window is in the anti-pinch area; and executing an anti-pinch operation when it is determined that the lifting vehicle window meets an obstacle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vehicle window lift control method of claim 11, wherein operating the brushless direct current motor according to an external command and a motor position feedback signal comprises starting the motor in a desired direction or stopped the motor according to an external command and ensure continuous running of the motor according to rotor positon feedback signals. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vehicle window lift control method of claim 12, wherein operating the brushless direct current motor according to an external command and a motor position feedback signal comprises determining a motor actual rotating direction according to a sequence of the position feedback signals, and comparing the actual rotating direction against a rotating direction controlled by a control signal, and if the two rotating directions are inconsistent, a failure signal is generated. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The vehicle window lift control method of claim 11, wherein determining whether or not the vehicle window is in an anti-pinch area comprises: recording the number of the rotor position feedback signals; and comparing the recorded number of the position feedback signals against a preset threshold, and determining whether or not the vehicle window is in the anti-pinch area according to the relationship between the number of the position feedback signals and the preset threshold. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The vehicle window lift control method of claim 11, wherein determining whether or not the lifting vehicle window meets an obstacle comprises: detecting an operational parameter of the brushless direct current motor; and comparing the detected operational parameter of the brushless direct current motor against a preset threshold, and determining whether or not the lifting vehicle window meets an obstacle according to the relationship between the detected operational parameter of the brushless direct current motor and its corresponding threshold. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The vehicle window lift control method of claim 15, wherein the feedback signals generated by the position sensing unit are square wave pulse signals, and the detected operating parameter is a width of the pulses generated by the position sensing unit.