Abstract: An apparatus is provided an includes a measuring device that measures a physical quantity representative of a movement of a panel between a closed position and an open position. A processing device: measures the physical quantity when the panel is moved towards the open position; measures the physical quantity in a reference position when the panel is moved towards the closed position; determines, for the reference position, an offset value between the physical quantity measured when the panel is moved towards the closed position and another value of the physical quantity measured when the panel was moved towards the open position; determines a second profile by shifting the first profile based on the offset value; repeatedly measures the physical quantity when the panel is moved towards the closed position to obtain a third profile; and detects a potential pinch if the third profile crosses the second profile.

Abstract: A method for detecting potential pinches caused by at least one powered movable panel between a closed position and an open position, by: measuring a physical quantity at a plurality of panel positions when the panel is moved towards the open position so as to get a first profile, measuring said physical quantity in a reference position, when the panel is moved towards the closed position, and determining an offset value, determining a second profile by shifting the first profile of a shifting value, measuring said physical quantity in a repetitive manner when the panel is moved towards the closed position so as to get a third profile, and detecting a potential pinch if the third profile crosses the second profile.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for estimating a position of an object by determining a distance from the object to a sensor module and determining a starting reference space indicative of a position estimate of the object. The method also includes performing a plurality of successive division operations of the starting reference space for improving the position estimate of the object until a predetermined criterion is met. A division operation includes dividing the current reference space into subspaces. Further, the method includes assigning, on each of the subspaces, a confidence factor indicating a confidence that the object is positioned in the respective subspace, and selecting a new reference space from the subspaces based on the confidence factors. The method further comprises determining the position of the object based on the new reference space according to the last division operation.

Abstract: A method for determining a movement of a rotor of an electric motor, comprises supplying a drive signal to a drive coil of the electric motor, sensing a coil current of the drive coil, detecting current ripples of the sensed coil current caused by the rotor of the electric motor crossing ripple generating positions, inferring the movement of the rotor from the detected ripples, braking the motor by reducing the drive signal supplied to the drive coil from an initial signal value to zero according to a braking curve specifying a non-zero fall time during which the drive signal is reduced from the initial signal value to zero. The braking curve is adapted so that the rotor does not cross a ripple generating position after the drive signal has been reduced to zero.

Abstract: The pinch detector includes a first portion that, in a first situation in which the member is being closed in a first closing movement but is stopped in an intermediate position not completely closed, obtains a reference value of a measured physical quantity of the motor, when braking the motor is ordered to stop the member, said reference value representing the physical quantity of the motor just before motor braking; a second portion that, in a second situation following the first situation and in which the member is moved in a second closing movement from said intermediate position not completely closed, compares current values of the measured physical quantity of the motor to a threshold value depending on said reference value in order to detect a pinch at closing member based on a comparison result.

Abstract: A method for detecting potential pinches caused by at least one powered movable panel between a closed position and an open position, using a round including measuring a physical quantity, representative of a panel movement, when the panel is moved towards the closed position, determining if there is a lack of steadiness in said physical quantity relative to a previous round and, if not, starting a new round, determining if said lack of steadiness was already present during the previous round and, if not, storing at least one current parameter specific to the panel movement as a reference value, and starting a new round, and detecting a potential pinch if a second difference between the current parameter and the reference value is greater than or equal to a pinching threshold value, otherwise starting a new round.

Abstract: The pinch detector includes a torque estimator that estimates a motor torque from current values of physical quantities of the motor including a motor voltage, a motor current and a motor speed, using coefficients of an approximation function that calculates an energy conversion efficiency of the motor as a function of the motor torque; a converter that calculates a first estimation of a pinch force exerted by the opening and closing member on a pinched object by converting the estimated motor torque into an estimated pinch force using a torque to force conversion coefficient; a comparator that compares the estimated pinch force with a predetermined force limit in order to detect a pinch based on the comparison result.

Abstract: The pinch detector is suitable to detect a pinch at a closing member actuated by a motor equipped with a measuring circuit to measure a motor current. It includes a first portion that, when the motor starts closing the member, obtains a reference value of the motor current measured at the end of a blind time period having a predetermined duration from the moment the motor starts to close the member; a second portion that compares current values of the measured motor current to a threshold value depending on said reference value, during a detection time period, following the blind time period and preceding a steady state time period of the motor, in order to detect a pinch at the closing member based on a comparison result.

Abstract: A method for determining a movement of a rotor of an electric motor, comprises supplying a drive signal to a drive coil of the electric motor, sensing a coil current of the drive coil, detecting current ripples of the sensed coil current caused by the rotor of the electric motor crossing ripple generating positions, inferring the movement of the rotor from the detected ripples, braking the motor by reducing the drive signal supplied to the drive coil from an initial signal value to zero according to a braking curve specifying a non-zero fall time during which the drive signal is reduced from the initial signal value to zero. The braking curve is adapted so that the rotor does not cross a ripple generating position after the drive signal has been reduced to zero.

Abstract: A method for determining a movement of a rotor of an electric motor, comprises supplying a drive signal to a drive coil of the electric motor, sensing a coil current of the drive coil, detecting current ripples of the sensed coil current caused by the rotor of the electric motor crossing ripple generating positions, inferring the movement of the rotor from the detected ripples, braking the motor by reducing the drive signal supplied to the drive coil from an initial signal value to zero according to a braking curve specifying a non-zero fall time during which the drive signal is reduced from the initial signal value to zero. The braking curve is adapted so that the rotor does not cross a ripple generating position after the drive signal has been reduced to zero.

Abstract: A method for detecting potential pinches caused by at least one powered movable panel between a closed position and an open position, by: measuring a physical quantity at a plurality of panel positions when the panel is moved towards the open position so as to get a first profile, measuring said physical quantity in a reference position, when the panel is moved towards the closed position, and determining an offset value, determining a second profile by shifting the first profile of a shifting value, measuring said physical quantity in a repetitive manner when the panel is moved towards the closed position so as to get a third profile, and detecting a potential pinch if the third profile crosses the second profile.

Abstract: A method for detecting potential pinches caused by at least one powered movable panel between a closed position and an open position, using a round including measuring a physical quantity, representative of a panel movement, when the panel is moved towards the closed position, determining if there is a lack of steadiness in said physical quantity relative to a previous round and, if not, starting a new round, determining if said lack of steadiness was already present during the previous round and, if not, storing at least one current parameter specific to the panel movement as a reference value, and starting a new round, and detecting a potential pinch if a second difference between the current parameter and the reference value is greater than or equal to a pinching threshold value, otherwise starting a new round.

Abstract: The pinch detector includes a torque estimator that estimates a motor torque from current values of physical quantities of the motor including a motor voltage, a motor current and a motor speed, using coefficients of an approximation function that calculates an energy conversion efficiency of the motor as a function of the motor torque; a converter that calculates a first estimation of a pinch force exerted by the opening and closing member on a pinched object by converting the estimated motor torque into an estimated pinch force using a torque to force conversion coefficient; a comparator that compares the estimated pinch force with a predetermined force limit in order to detect a pinch based on the comparison result.

Abstract: The pinch detector is suitable to detect a pinch at a closing member actuated by a motor equipped with a measuring circuit to measure a motor current. It includes a first portion that, when the motor starts closing the member, obtains a reference value of the motor current measured at the end of a blind time period having a predetermined duration from the moment the motor starts to close the member; a second portion that compares current values of the measured motor current to a threshold value depending on said reference value, during a detection time period, following the blind time period and preceding a steady state time period of the motor, in order to detect a pinch at the closing member based on a comparison result.

Abstract: The pinch detector includes a first portion that, in a first situation in which the member is being closed in a first closing movement but is stopped in an intermediate position not completely closed, obtains a reference value of a measured physical quantity of the motor, when braking the motor is ordered to stop the member, said reference value representing the physical quantity of the motor just before motor braking; a second portion that, in a second situation following the first situation and in which the member is moved in a second closing movement from said intermediate position not completely closed, compares current values of the measured physical quantity of the motor to a threshold value depending on said reference value in order to detect a pinch at closing member based on a comparison result.

Abstract: A powered tailgate opening system having object collision protection is disclosed for reducing the risk of collision with an object during opening of the tailgate. The opening system has an object distance sensor to sense a distance to an object during movement of the tailgate and an opening angle sensor for sensing an angle of opening of the tailgate. A memory stores limit distance values which vary according to different angles of opening of the tailgate and a controller controls a tailgate movement drive mechanism according to a determination of whether a sensed distance at a sensed angle of opening is less than the stored limit distance value for that sensed angle of opening.

Abstract: A method for checking program execution of a microcontroller relating to a peripheral device in data communication with a microcontroller via a communication bus includes monitoring the microcontroller by an external device, identifying a failure status of the microcontroller by the external device based on the monitoring, disconnecting data communication between the peripheral device and the microcontroller by the external device, establishing a supplementary data communication between the external device and the peripheral device, and sending configuration information to the peripheral device by the external device via the supplementary data communication.

Abstract: A method for checking program execution of a microcontroller relating to a peripheral device in data communication with a microcontroller via a communication bus includes monitoring the microcontroller by an external device, identifying a failure status of the microcontroller by the external device based on the monitoring, disconnecting data communication between the peripheral device and the microcontroller by the external device, establishing a supplementary data communication between the external device and the peripheral device, and sending configuration information to the peripheral device by the external device via the supplementary data communication.

Abstract: A method for determining a movement of a rotor of an electric motor, comprises supplying a drive signal to a drive coil of the electric motor, sensing a coil current of the drive coil, detecting current ripples of the sensed coil current caused by the rotor of the electric motor crossing ripple generating positions, inferring the movement of the rotor from the detected ripples, braking the motor by reducing the drive signal supplied to the drive coil from an initial signal value to zero according to a braking curve specifying a non-zero fall time during which the drive signal is reduced from the initial signal value to zero. The braking curve is adapted so that the rotor does not cross a ripple generating position after the drive signal has been reduced to zero.