Proximity interface development system having replicator and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9311204-B2
Application number	US-201313799413-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2013
Priority date	Mar 13, 2013
Publication date	Apr 12, 2016
Grant date	Apr 12, 2016

Abstract

A development system and method are provided for testing proximity sensor interfaces, such as a capacitive switch assembly which may be employed in an automotive vehicle. The system includes software routines stored in memory for operating a proximity sensor interface having a plurality of sensors, and a data log including user outputs of the proximity sensors. The development system includes a replicator for replicating the proximity sensor interface based on the software routines and the data log and generating outputs of the proximity sensor interface to determine performance. The system further includes an analyzer for processing the test data for proper activation of the proximity sensor interface and generating an output indicative of the test results.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A proximity interface development system comprising:
one or more software routines developed are stored in a memory to operate a proximity sensor interface having a plurality of proximity sensors;
a data logger acquiring proximity sensor data while operating the proximity sensor interface; and
a processor configured as a replicator for replicating the proximity sensor interface based on the one or more software routines and generating outputs of the replicated proximity sensor interface based on the proximity sensor data, said processor further generating performance data and further comprising an analyzer for analyzing the outputs of the replicator and generating a report indicative of the performance data of the proximity sensor interface with the one or more software routines.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising an input for receiving at least one setting to adjust one or more parameters of the proximity sensor interface, wherein the processor processes the at least one setting in combination with the software routines and the proximity sensor data to generate the outputs.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one setting comprises a scaling factor for setting sensor sensitivity.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one setting comprises a threshold value.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the proximity sensor interface comprises a capacitive switch.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the capacitive switch comprises a proximity sensor, wherein a signal associated with an activation field is processed to determine activation of the proximity sensor.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the proximity sensor interface is developed for use on a vehicle by a passenger in the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the proximity sensor interface comprises a capacitive switch comprising one or more capacitive sensors.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the development system comprises a computer having the processor separate from the proximity sensor interface, wherein the computer comprises the memory.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Buttolo Pietro
• Salter Stuart C
• Majkowski Matthew
• Surman James J
• Rankin James Stewart

Classifications

• G06F2203/04108

  Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction · CPC title

• G06F3/044 Primary

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• G06F11/30 Primary

  Monitoring · CPC title

• H03K17/955

  using a capacitive detector · CPC title

• H03K2217/94031

  Calibration involving digital processing · CPC title