Movable barrier monitoring apparatus and methods are provided for rapidly responding to barrier travel obstructions and other abnormal occurrences to cause the movable barrier operator to halt barrier travel or stop and reverse barrier travel, while ignoring typical and normal impediments to barrier travel. Alternate methods are described for programming the barrier operator controller to compare characteristics of the monitored barrier run over the defined travel path with the characteristics of a good barrier run without interruption to barrier travel, with the degree of differentiation of such characteristics determinative of whether the operator controller is to interrupt barrier travel or not.

An open roof assembly for use in a vehicle roof of a vehicle comprises a moveably arranged closure member for selectively covering or at least partially exposing an opening in the vehicle roof, an electric motor operatively coupled to the closure member through a mechanical drive assembly for moving the closure member, an electric driving unit for providing a supply signal to the electric motor and a control unit operatively coupled to the electric driving unit for controlling operation of the electric motor. The electric driving unit comprises four switching devices in a bridged configuration and the control unit is configured to control a motion of the closure member by controlling operation of the switching devices, and to incur a safety stop during a motion of the closure member by an immediate reversal of a polarity of the supply signal.

An open roof assembly for use in a vehicle roof comprises a moveably arranged closure member and a drive system operatively coupled to the closure member for moving the closure member along a motion trajectory. The drive system comprises an electric motor and a control unit for controlling operation of the electric motor. The control unit comprises a mathematical model describing at least a part of the drive system; model parameters and a motion reference field. The control unit is configured to update the model parameters based on a received value of a first drive system variable; determine a value of a second drive system variable using the mathematical model; determine a comparison value by comparing the value of the second drive system value and a corresponding reference value of the motion reference field; and detect presence of an obstruction if the comparison value lies outside a predetermined value range.

Movable barrier monitoring apparatus and methods are provided for rapidly responding to barrier travel obstructions and other abnormal occurrences to cause the movable barrier operator to halt barrier travel or stop and reverse barrier travel, while ignoring typical and normal impediments to barrier travel. Alternate methods are described for programming the barrier operator controller to compare characteristics of the monitored barrier run over the defined travel path with the characteristics of a good barrier run without interruption to barrier travel, with the degree of differentiation of such characteristics determinative of whether the operator controller is to interrupt barrier travel or not.

A device for configuring a jamming detection system having an adjusting device comprising an electric motor for closing at least one opening in a vehicle, such as a sliding roof. The device is provided with means for measuring parameters of the electric motor and parameters of the jamming detection system, means for calculating individual correlation variables from the measured parameters of the electric motor and of the jamming detection system, and means for storing the calculated individual correlation variables in a motor controller of the adjusting device, wherein the calculated individual correlation variables are used to configure the jamming detection system.

An apparatus for automatic movement of sliding windows in a motor vehicle, comprising a d.c. electric motor that moves a window (F) so that it slides along guides, including an electronic control module for controlling the d.c. electric motor, in particular a microprocessor. The electronic control module measures a current (I) of the motor and a position (X) of the window (F), and drives reversal of operation of the electric motor if it is verified that the current (I) is higher than a threshold current (I.sub.th) and the position (X) of the window (F) falls within a given zone (APZ) of a path (P) of movement of the window (F). The anti-pinch circuit device measures a back electromotive force (E; E.sub.m) of the motor, and the electronic control module calculates the position of the window (F) as a function of the back electromotive force (E; E.sub.m) of the motor.

An opening/closing member driving device includes a motor that opens and closes an opening/closing member and a controller configured to perform an abnormality determination process and a masking process. The abnormality determination process determines occurrence of a foreign object being entrapped or caught by comparing driving information corresponding to a driving status of the motor to a predetermined threshold value. The masking process invalidates the abnormality determination process over a predetermined masking period when the motor is activated. The controller includes a correction unit. The correction unit corrects at least one of the masking period or the threshold value when the motor is activated in a direction opposite to that of a preceding operation in a state in which the opening/closing member is in a high-load range.

An opening/closing drive device drives an upwardly and downwardly movable opening/closing member. The opening/closing drive device includes a motor, a position detection sensor configured to detect a position of the opening/closing member, and a controller. The controller is configured to drive the motor in order to upwardly move the opening/closing member when determining in a state in which the motor is not driven that the opening/closing member has moved downward to a position corresponding to a predetermined threshold or lower based on a signal from the position detection sensor.

A method and an apparatus for identifying a force and/or torque exerted by a part, in particular a seat or closing part , such as, a window winding system or sunroof or trunk lid or sliding door of a motor vehicle, that can be electrically adjusted by way of an electric motor on a body resting on said part, having an actuation system, which is configured to apply a voltage to the motor, which voltage causes a force of the part on a body, if present, resting on the part, having a measurement device, which is configured, while the motor is stationary, to measure a variable of the motor representing a movement of the motor, having a comparison device, which is configured to identify, based on the measured variable, a force that is exerted by the part on a body resting on the part.

A system includes a permanent magnet (PM) machine including a first phase winding and a second phase winding and a permanent magnet configured to rotate relative to the first and second phase windings. The first phase winding has a main leg and a return leg extending from the first phase winding. The second phase winding has a main leg and a return leg extending from the second phase winding. A return switch unit is operatively connected to the return legs of the first phase winding and the second phase winding. The return switch unit includes a switch configured to connect the return legs of the first phase and second phase to a neutral node in the return switch unit in a normal state, and to disconnect the return legs of the first and second phase windings from the neutral node in a fault protection state.