Electronic controller for vehicular wheelchair access

A method of providing wheelchair access to a vehicle having a door and a ramp, comprising:

• sending door operation commands via a communication pathway;
• suspending operation of the door operation commands of a door control system to selectively delay execution of the door operation commands operable to control movement of the door of the vehicle in order to prevent operational interference between the door and the ramp;
• and
• moving the ramp of the vehicle by operating a ramp motor coupled to the ramp after said suspending operation of the door control system.

A method of providing wheelchair access to a vehicle having a door and a ramp, comprising:

• suspending operation of a door control system that is operable to control movement of the door of the vehicle in order to prevent operational interference between the door and the ramp;
• moving the ramp of the vehicle by operating a ramp motor coupled to the ramp after said suspending operation of the door control system;
• providing a door latch motor for a door latch of the door of the vehicle;
• detecting the door of the vehicle is ajar before said suspending;
• resetting the door control system in response to said detecting by sending a service mode command to the door control system to actuate the door latch;
• and
• opening the door to a fully opened position with the door control system after said resetting.

A method of providing wheelchair access to a vehicle having a door and a ramp, comprising:

• suspending operation of a door control system that is operable to control movement of the door of the vehicle in order to prevent operational interference between the door and the ramp;
• moving the ramp of the vehicle by operating a ramp motor coupled to the ramp after said suspending operation of the door control system,
• wherein said moving the ramp includes deploying the ramp;
• kneeling the vehicle;
• and
• detecting a ramp obstruction during said deploying by monitoring current drawn by the ramp motor.

A wheelchair access system for a vehicle having a door and a ramp that provides wheelchair access to the vehicle, comprising:

• a ramp motor operable to move the ramp;
• a controller operatively coupled to said ramp motor;
• a door control system operatively coupled to said controller, said door control system being operable to monitor and control operation of the door;
• and
• said controller being operable to selectively delay execution of said door operation commands by said door control system while operating said ramp motor to move the ramp.

A method of providing wheelchair access to a vehicle having a door and a ramp, comprising:

• sending door operation commands;
• suspending operation of the door operation commands of a door control system to selectively delay execution of the door operation commands operable to control movement of the door of the vehicle in order to prevent operational interference between the door and the ramp;
• and
• moving the ramp of the vehicle by operating a ramp motor coupled to the ramp after said suspending operation of the door control system.