Keyless entry assembly having capacitance sensor operative for detecting objects

摘要

A keyless entry assembly includes a carrier with an electrical conductor thereon, a light pipe having an indicator, and a controller. The light pipe is connected to the carrier such that the indicator and conductor are in alignment. The light pipe is operable for receiving light to illuminate the indicator. The carrier with the light pipe connected thereto is mountable to a user accessible portion of a vehicle. The conductor capacitively couples to an electrically conductive object proximal to the conductor while the conductor is driven with an electrical charge such that capacitance of the conductor changes due to the conductor capacitively coupling with the object. The controller is operable for driving the conductor with the electrical charge, measuring the conductor capacitance to determine whether an electrically conductive object is proximal to the conductor, and controlling a vehicle operation as a function of the object being proximal to the conductor.

主权项

1. A keyless entry assembly, comprising:
a sensor assembly including an electrically non-conductive carrier comprising a clear film adapted to be applied to a window and a plurality of sensors electrically isolated from each other and applied to the carrier; an illumination assembly attached to the sensor assembly, the illumination assembly including a body portion capable of conducting light and a plurality of indicators on the body portion including graphic markings that corresponds with the sensors to locate a position of the sensors and to identify a function assigned therewith; each of the sensors being configured to capacitively couple to an electrically conductive object proximal to one of the indicators associated with one of the sensors while the one of the sensors is driven with an electrical charge such that capacitance of the one of the sensors changes due to the one of the sensors capacitively coupling with the object, the indicators being visible on the window; and a controller operable for
driving the sensors with the electrical charge,measuring the capacitance of the sensors,determining which one of the sensors is capacitively coupled to an electrically conductive object based on the measured capacitance, andcontrolling an operation as a function of an electrically conductive object being proximal to the determined one of the sensors.