Patent ID: 7342373

Claim:
A control system for a vehicle, the system comprising: a motor operable to receive power from a power source upon receiving a panel control signal, wherein the motor moves a movable panel of a vehicle along a path between opened and closed positions when the motor receives power from the power source; an object sensor operable for detecting objects in the path of the panel without monitoring the motor, wherein the object sensor generates an object signal indicative of an object being detected in the path of the panel; a controller operable for transmitting a panel control signal to the motor to move the panel, wherein when the panel is moving in a closing direction the controller transmits a panel control signal to the motor to reverse movement of the panel to an opening direction upon receiving the object signal in order to prevent the panel from entrapping an object; and an in-vehicle local area network (LAN), wherein the controller communicates with vehicle modules over the LAN, wherein the LAN is either a wired LAN or a wireless LAN.