Granted Patent B2

US 7,064,506 · App. 10/876,129 · Granted Jun 20, 2006

Abstract

Claims (31)

1. A method for controlling a vehicle power seat motor, the method comprising:

generating at least one control signal using a controller; and

adjusting the speed of a motor coupled to a vehicle seat mechanism in response to the at least one control signal such that the speed of the motor is maintained to a predetermined curve, the predetermined curve comprising a ramp up segment, a steady state segment, and a ramp down segment, the ramp up segment substantially following an S-curve described by an equation SP=(T/(T+exp(B−C*T)))*(SS), wherein B and C are predetermined constants, SP is speed of the motor at a particular point in time during the ramp up segment, SS is the speed of the motor during the steady state segment, and T is time referenced to start of the ramp up segment and wherein maintaining the speed of the motor to the predetermined curve reduces at least one of mechanical wear, erratic motion, and noise of the respective seat mechanism.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the controller generates the at least one control signal in response to a user demand.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one control signal is at least one of a pulse width modulated signal, a voltage amplitude modulated signal, and a current amplitude modulated signal.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one control signal is modified in response to a feedback signal received by the controller and wherein the feedback signal is generated by at least one of a Hall effect sensor, a magnetic pickup sensor, a photodiode, an encoder, and a resolver.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the steady state segment has a substantially constant rate of speed, and the substantially constant rate of speed is maintained within a predetermined tolerance in response to a feedback signal.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the ramp down segment substantially follows an S-curve, wherein the S-curve is described by an equation SP=(−T/(T+exp(D−E*T)))+F, wherein D and E are predetermined constants, SP is speed of the motor at a particular point in time during the ramp down segment, F is the speed of the motor immediately preceding the ramp down segment, and T is time is referenced to start of the ramp down segment.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the S-curve of the ramp down segment substantially mirrors the S-curve of the ramp up segment.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the S-curve of the ramp down segment approaches zero speed at a faster rate than the ramp up curve approaches steady state speed.

9. A system for controlling a vehicle power seat motor, the system comprising:

a controller configured to present at least one control signal;

a control circuit configured to present at least one motor speed control signal in response to a respective at least one of the control signals; and

a motor coupled to a vehicle seat mechanism, the motor configured to have motion in at least one direction in response to a respective at least one of the motor speed control signals,

wherein speed of the motor is maintained to a predetermined curve having a ramp up segment, a steady state segment, and a ramp down segment, the ramp up segment substantially following an S-curve described by an equation SPu=(T 1 /(T 1 +exp(B−C*T 1 )))*(SS) and the ramp down segment substantially following an S-curve described by an equation SPd=(−T 3 /(T 3 +exp(D−E*T 3 )))+F,

wherein B, C, D and E are predetermined constants, SPu is speed of the motor at a particular point in time during the ramp up segment, SPd is speed of the motor at a particular point in time during the ramp down segment, SS is the speed of the motor during the steady state segment, T 1 is time referenced to start of the ramp up segment, F is the speed of the motor immediately preceding the ramp down segment, and T 3 is time referenced to start of the ramp down segment, and

wherein maintaining the speed of the motor reduces at least one of mechanical wear, erratic motion and noise of the respective seat mechanism.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the steady state segment has a constant rate of speed, and the constant rate of speed is maintained within a predetermined tolerance in response to a feedback signal.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the S-curve of the ramp down segment substantially mirrors the S-curve of the ramp up segment.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the S-curve of the ramp down segment approaches zero speed at a faster rate than the ramp up curve approaches steady state speed.

13. The system of claim 9 further comprising a feedback sensor configured to present at least one feedback signal in response to motion of the motor, wherein the at least one feedback signal is received by the controller and adjusts the at least one control signal.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the controller is configured to present the at least one control signal in response to a user demand.

15. A system for controlling a vehicle power seat motor, the system comprising:

a controller configured to present at least one control signal;

a control circuit configured to present at least one motor speed control signal in response to a respective at least one of the control signals; and

a motor configured to have motion in at least one direction in response to a respective at least one of the motor speed control signals,

wherein speed of the motor is maintained to a predetermined curve having:

a steady state segment,

a ramp up segment substantially following a S-curve, the S-curve described by an equation SPu=(T 1 /(T 1 +exp(B−C*T 1 )))*(SS), wherein B and C are predetermined constants, SPu is speed of the motor at a particular point in time during the ramp up segment, SS is the speed of the motor during the steady state segment, and T 1 is time referenced to start of the ramp up segment, and

a ramp down segment,

wherein maintaining the speed of the motor reduces at least one of mechanical wear, erratic motion and noise of a respective seat mechanism.

Assignments (7)