Patent ID: 6586927
Filing Date: 2003-07-01
Classification: B60T,G01B,G01D

Abstract:
A method of determining a linear position of an actuator in a parking brake system using a plurality of Hall effect transducers mounted proximate to a magnet coupled for linear movement with the actuator, each Hall effect transducer being longitudinally spaced from each other such that not more than one transducer produces output signals having increasing amplitude at a particular time during movement of the actuator, the method comprising:sensing a first plurality of output signals respectively from the plurality of Hall effect transducers; a second plurality of output signals respectively from the plurality of Hall effect transducers in response to movement of the actuator; and determining a coarse linear position of the actuator by comparing each first with the corresponding second output signal of the respective plurality of Hall effect transducers, and setting the coarse position of the actuator to a position value associated with the one Hall effect transducer that produces output signals having increasing amplitude during movement of the actuator.