Noncontact obstacle detection system using RFID technology

A vehicle window assembly with obstacle detection comprising:

• a door frame defining a window opening and having a weather seal secured around at least a portion of the window opening;
• a window secured to the door frame and movable toward the weather seal;
• a power source;
• a motor operatively connected to the window and to the power source;
• wherein the motor is configured to move the window toward the weather seal when the motor is powered by the power source to close the window opening;
• a plurality of radio frequency identification tags (RFIDs) connected to the weather seal;
• a controller operatively connected to the motor and having
• a transmitter including a conductor operatively connected to a periphery of the window and operable to create a magnetic field between the window and the weather seal;
• wherein each of the RFIDs is operable to provide a respective signal in response to the magnetic field;
• and
• a receiver configured to receive the respective signals;
• wherein the controller is configured to cause the power source to modify power to the motor when the number of the respective signals received by the receiver changes due to at least a portion of the magnetic field being blocked or attenuated by an obstacle in the window opening, thereby preventing the window from contacting the obstacle;
• wherein the RFIDs are configured such that the respective signals provided by the RFIDs are digitally encoded with a predetermined characteristic;
• wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the respective signals received by the receiver have the predetermined characteristic;
• and wherein the controller is configured to disregard any signals received by the receiver that do not have the predetermined characteristic when determining whether the number of respective signals received by the receiver has changed.

An obstacle detection system comprising:

• a first component;
• a second component;
• a power source;
• a motor operatively connected to the second component and the power source;
• wherein the motor is configured to move the second component toward the first component when the motor is powered by the power source;
• a plurality of radio frequency identification tags (RFIDs) connected to one of the first component and the second component;
• a controller operatively connected to the motor and having:
• a transmitter operatively connected to the other of the first component and the second component;
• wherein the transmitter is operable to create a magnetic field between the first component and the second component;
• wherein each of the RFIDs is operable to provide a respective signal in response to the magnetic field;
• and
• a receiver configured to receive the respective signals;
• wherein the controller is configured to cause the power source to modify power to the motor when the respective signals received by the receiver change due to at least a portion of the magnetic field being at least partially blocked or attenuated;
• wherein the RFIDs are configured such that the respective signals provided by the RFIDs are digitally encoded with a predetermined characteristic;
• wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the respective signals received by the receiver have the predetermined characteristic;
• and wherein the controller is configured to disregard any signals received by the receiver that do not have the predetermined characteristic when determining whether the respective signals received by the receiver have changed.