# US 9,752,897 B2 · System for detecting a readiness of a closure element of a motor vehicle to lock > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,752,897 B2 - Document ID: US9752897B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/596,345 - Filed: 2015-01-14 - Published: 2015-07-23 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2014-01-17 - Assignees: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft; Magna Car Top Systems GmbH - Applicants: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft; Magna Car Top Systems GmbH - Inventors: Reiner Armbruster; Gunnar Wilke - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9752897B2 ## CPC - G01D 5/12: using electric or magnetic means (G01D5/06 takes precedence) - H03K 17/9517: {using galvanomagnetic devices} - B60J 7/185: Locking arrangements (locks in general E05B) - 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) - B60J: WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES (fastening, suspending, closing, or opening of such devices E05) ## Abstract A system (1) for detecting a readiness of a closure element (10) of a motor vehicle to lock has a first sensor (12) for detecting a position signal of the closure element (10) and a second magnetic sensor (14) for detecting a magnetic field signal (18). The first sensors (12, 14) are connected by a data link to an electronic unit (20), and the magnetic field signal (18) and the position signal are passed by a data link to the electronic unit (20). The electronic unit (20) has a memory (22) with at least one stored magnetic field signal value (24). The electronic unit (20) generates a change in the output signal when there is a positive comparison of the magnetic field signal value (24) with the detected magnetic field signal (18), and when an end position of the closure element (10) is detected. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for detecting readiness of a closeable element of a motor vehicle to be locked, comprising: a first sensor for detecting a position signal related to a position of the closeable element; a second sensor for detecting a magnetic field signal related to a distance from the second sensor to a magnet, the magnet being arranged on the closeable element; a first electronic unit connected by at least one data link to the first and second sensors, the at least one data link being configured to communicate both the position signal and the magnetic field signal to the first electronic unit; and an electromechanical component configured to transfer the closeable element to a locked state; wherein the first electronic unit comprises a memory configured to store at least a magnetic field signal value; wherein the first electronic unit is configured for generating a change in an output signal at an output of the first electronic unit to indicate readiness of the closeable element to be locked when two conditions are met, a first condition being met when the position signal indicates that a closed position of the closeable element has been reached, and a second condition being met when there is a positive comparison of the magnetic field signal value with respect to the magnetic field signal detected by the second sensor; and wherein, in response to the change in the output signal indicating readiness of the closeable element to be locked, the electromechanical component initiates a locking operation to lock the closeable element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the second sensor is configured to detect a measurement of the field strength of the magnetic field signal and/or is configured to identify the presence or absence of the magnetic field signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the first sensor is a Hall sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a second electronic unit arranged electrically at the output of the first electronic unit, the second electronic unit configured to provide an amplified signal to the electromechanical component. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the first electronic unit and second electronic unit are connected to a field bus by at least a second data link. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor is connected wirelessly to the first electronic unit by at least one wireless data link. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the magnet is arranged on or inside the closeable element. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the magnet is an electromagnet. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the magnet is a permanent magnet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the second sensor is a Hall sensor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the second sensor is a magneto-resistive sensor. ### Claim 12 A method for detecting readiness of a closure element of a motor vehicle to be locked, comprising: detecting a position signal indicative of a position of the closure element; detecting a magnetic field signal indicative of a distance between a sensing element and a magnet, the magnet being attached to the closure element; generating a change in an output signal at an output of an electronic unit to indicate readiness of the closure element to be locked when first and second conditions are met, the first condition being met when an end position of the closure element is detected, and the second condition being met when there is a positive comparison of the magnetic field signal with a predetermined magnetic field signal value stored in the electronic unit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising detecting upward transgression of a threshold value of the magnetic field signal value to determine the positive comparison. ### Claim 14 A locking system of a motor vehicle, the locking system comprising: a first sensor for detecting a position signal related to a position of a closeable element; a second sensor for detecting a magnetic field signal related to a distance between the second sensor and a magnet, the magnet being arranged on the closeable element; and a first electronic unit configured to detect readiness of the closeable element to be locked when first and second conditions are met, the first condition being met when a closed position of the closeable element is detected, and the second condition being met when a positive comparison of the magnetic field signal with respect to a predetermined magnetic field reference value is detected. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The locking system of claim 14, wherein the first condition is met when the closeable element contacts the first sensor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The locking system of claim 14, wherein the first sensor includes an on-off switch. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The locking system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the first sensor and second sensor is a Hall sensor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The locking system of claim 14, wherein the second sensor is a magneto-resistive sensor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The locking system of claim 18, wherein the magneto-resistive sensor is further configured to identify the presence or absence of the magnetic field signal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The locking system of claim 14, wherein the closeable element is part of a system including one of a convertible top, door, and trunk of the motor vehicle.