Method and motor control system for use in a roof assembly

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to methods and motor control systems for use in a roof assembly. A roof assembly includes electronic control circuitry and at least one sensor operably coupled to the electronic control circuitry. The output of the sensor exhibits hysteresis. A method of operating a roof assembly includes performing a sensor power down sequence. The sensor power down sequence of steps includes turning off the sensor; turning on the sensor; detecting the output of the sensor; storing the output of the sensor in a memory; and turning off the sensor. The method prevents unintended position drift due to hysteresis effects during power switching.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for operating a roof assembly and a motor control system used in a roof assembly. Background Technology

[0002] Motor control systems used in vehicle roofs and their operating methods are well known. For example, a roof assembly may provide a glass-like closure member movably arranged within the roof assembly. Such a closure member can be positioned above an opening in the roof. The closure member can be tilted to provide, for example, a tilted position suitable for ventilation purposes, wherein the rear edge portion of the closure member tilts outward from the plane of the roof. From the tilted position, the closure member can slide on another portion of the roof, thereby exposing the opening in the roof.

[0003] In another known roof assembly, a fixed, transparent enclosure (such as a glass panel) can be fitted with a movable sunshade, such as a flexible screen or panel, to allow or block external light, such as sunlight, from entering the vehicle's interior passenger compartment through the glass panel. It is also known that such a movable sunshade or panel is combined with a movable enclosure.

[0004] In known roof assemblies, the movable part can be driven by a drive assembly, which includes a motor and an electronic control circuitry system for controlling the motor. Furthermore, the drive assembly may include mechanical coupling between the motor and the movable part (i.e., the enclosure member and / or the sunshade member), enabling and configuring the motor to move the movable part.

[0005] To control the corresponding position and speed of the motor and movable parts, it is known to arrange two magnetic sensors (e.g., two Hall effect sensors) near the motor, such that the magnetic sensors are positioned relative to the motor to detect the rotation of the magnetic motor components. An electronic control circuit system is operatively coupled to the magnetic sensors and configured to detect the rotational speed and number of rotations of the motor. Based on the number of rotations and a predetermined ratio between the motor rotation and the distance traveled by the movable part, the control circuit system can derive the amount of movement and position of the movable part.

[0006] Magnetic sensors, particularly Hall effect sensors, can advantageously possess hysteresis to prevent signal jitter, for example, when the motor stops the magnetic component within the detection range of one of the magnetic sensors. Hysteresis provides a range in which the output of the magnetic sensor can have one of two values, where a particular value depends, for example, on the previous direction of rotation. However, when the motor control system is started, there is no known prior rotation for the magnetic sensor, and the output is unreliable because it may have changed compared to the output at the moment the motor control system is turned off, even if the movable component has not moved during this period. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a more reliable, simple, and cost-effective motor control system and a corresponding operating method.

[0008] In a first aspect, this objective is achieved in a roof assembly including an electronic control circuitry system and at least one sensor operatively coupled to the electronic control circuitry system, wherein the sensor output exhibits hysteresis. When the electronic control circuitry system is de-energized, the electronic control circuitry system is configured to execute a sensor de-energization sequence. The sensor de-energization sequence includes the following steps: turning off the sensor; turning on the sensor; detecting the sensor output; storing the sensor output in a memory; and turning off the sensor.

[0009] As described above, the hysteresis of the sensor's output means that the output depends on the previous state. Since the sensor has no known history when powered on, the steps according to the invention, performed in the above sequence, begin by resetting the sensor. By turning the sensor off and then on again, the sensor is reset, i.e., its historical record is removed. Meanwhile, the electronic control circuitry remains on and does not change any state related to the sensor output.

[0010] After a reset via power switching, the electronic control circuitry detects the sensor output. This output may be the same as or different from the output before the power switch, depending on hysteresis. However, as long as the relevant state of the roof assembly remains unchanged, the sensor output after the power switch is reliable and hysteresis-independent, since no historical state is available. Therefore, the sensor output detected after subsequent power-on to the electronic control circuitry will correspond to the sensor output detected after the power switch.

[0011] At this stage, the electronic control circuit has not yet changed its relevant state, and the sensor outputs after the power switch, whether the outputs are the same as or different from those before the power switch, can be stored in memory, and thus can be stored in conjunction with the state of the roof assembly when the electronic control circuit is powered off. Then, the sensors can be turned off and the electronic control circuit can be powered off.

[0012] It is important to note that the sensor can be shut down or de-energized by the electronic control circuitry even when the electronic control circuitry itself is not de-energized. For example, the electronic control circuitry can be configured to have a low-power mode, in which the sensor can be de-energized when the state of the roof assembly associated with the sensor does not change, for example, when the roof assembly is not in operation, thereby reducing power usage.

[0013] In an embodiment, the roof assembly includes a movable component, and an electronic control circuitry is included in a drive assembly for moving the movable component. Specifically, the drive assembly may include an electric motor, and the sensor is a magnetic sensor for detecting the rotation of the rotor of the electric motor. For example, the magnetic sensor may be a Hall sensor. As mentioned above, it is known that roof assemblies include movable components such as movably arranged glass closure members and / or movable sunshade members such as sun visors. Such movable components may be electrically operable, wherein an electric motor is disposed in a drive assembly for moving such movable components. Electric motors typically have rotors with magnetic poles, enabling magnetic sensors, such as Hall sensors, to detect the rotation of such rotors. Based on the detected rotation, the position of the movable component is derived. To prevent uncontrolled fluctuations in the output of the magnetic sensor, the magnetic sensor is typically provided with hysteresis. However, as mentioned above, power switching of the magnetic sensor can result in different outputs. Therefore, the derived position may be affected without actual change, resulting in position drift, i.e., the difference between the actual position of the movable component and the derived position used by the electronic control circuitry. Therefore, in this embodiment, position drift is prevented or at least reduced, thereby eliminating the need to recalibrate the position of the movable part.

[0014] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the electronic circuitry is also configured to execute a sensor power-on sequence, including: activating the sensor; detecting the sensor's output; comparing the sensor's output with an output stored in a memory; and if the sensor's output and the output stored in the memory differ, then determining that a change has occurred. For example, the sensor power-on sequence can be executed when the electronic control circuitry is powered on. Therefore, the sensor's output state stored during the sensor's power-off period is compared with the sensor's output state during the sensor's power-on period. Any deviation between the power-off state and the power-on state can be considered an undefined change in the relevant state of the roof assembly (e.g., the position of a movable component). Such an undefined change in the relevant state is, of course, undesirable and can be used as a trigger, for example, to initiate a calibration sequence.

[0015] In one aspect, the present invention also provides a method for operating a roof assembly including an electronic control circuit system and at least one sensor operatively coupled to the electronic control circuit system, the sensor output exhibiting hysteresis, wherein the method includes performing a sequence of sensor power-off steps, including: turning off the sensor; turning on the sensor; detecting the sensor output; storing the sensor output in a memory; and turning off the sensor.

[0016] In one embodiment, the method further includes performing a sensor power-on sequence, including: turning on the sensor; detecting the sensor's output; comparing the sensor's output with an output stored in a memory; and if the sensor's output and the output stored in the memory differ, then determining that a change has occurred. In a particular embodiment, after determining the change, the sensor power-on sequence includes subsequent steps to determine the relevant state of the roof assembly. For example, the actual position of a movable component may be determined to match the derived position used in the electronic control circuitry with the actual position.

[0017] In another aspect, the present invention also provides a computer software product comprising computer-readable and executable instructions for instructing a computer processor to perform method steps based on one of the methods described above according to the present invention, wherein the computer processor is included in the electronic control circuit system. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The further scope of the invention will become clear from the detailed description given below. However, it should be understood that while the detailed description and specific examples indicate embodiments of the invention, they are given for illustrative purposes only, as various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description with reference to the accompanying schematic diagrams, wherein:

[0019] Figure 1A A perspective view of the roof with an open roof assembly is shown;

[0020] Figure 1B It shows Figure 1A Exploded view of the open roof assembly;

[0021] Figure 2A A top view of an embodiment of a roof assembly having a movable closing member and a corresponding drive assembly is shown;

[0022] Figure 2B A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the electronic control circuit system according to the present invention is shown;

[0023] Figure 3 A graph showing the hysteresis in the sensor output is displayed;

[0024] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the sensor power-off sequence according to the present invention is shown; and

[0025] Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the sensor power-up sequence according to the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals are used to identify the same or similar elements in several views.

[0027] Figure 1A The diagram shows a vehicle roof 1 in which an open roof assembly is arranged. This open roof assembly includes a movable panel 2a and a fixed panel 2b. The movable panel 2a is also referred to as a closing member because it is movable above a first roof opening 3a, thereby enabling the opening and closing of the first roof opening 3a. A vent 4 is arranged in front of the first roof opening 3a.

[0028] In the illustrated embodiment, the movable panel 2a can be in a closed position, in which it is positioned above and closes the first roof opening 3a, and is therefore typically positioned within the plane of the vehicle roof 1. Alternatively, the movable panel 2a can be in an inclined position, in which its rear end RE is raised compared to the closed position, while its front end FE remains closed. Furthermore, the movable panel 2a can be in an open position, in which it is slid open and the first roof opening 3a is partially or completely exposed.

[0029] Note that the vehicle roof 1 shown corresponds to a passenger car. However, the invention is not limited to passenger cars. Any other type of vehicle that may be equipped with a movable panel is also contemplated.

[0030] Figure 1B The diagram illustrates the relationship between... Figure 1A The vehicle roof shown has the same panels 2a and 2b. Specifically, although... Figure 1A The open roof assembly in the open position is shown, but Figure 1B This is an exploded view of the open roof assembly in the closed position. Additionally, in Figure 1B This exploded view shows the presence of a second roof opening 3b. The first and second roof openings 3a and 3b are disposed within the frame 5 of the open roof assembly. The edge 5a of the frame 5 defines the first roof opening 3a.

[0031] The second roof opening 3b is arranged below the fixed panel 2b, allowing light to enter the vehicle interior space through the fixed panel 2b. It is assumed that the fixed panel 2b is a glass panel or a similar transparent panel, for example, made of plastic or any other suitable material. The second roof opening 3b with a transparent or translucent fixed panel 2b is optional and may be omitted in another embodiment of the open roof assembly.

[0032] The air guide plate 4 is typically made of a flexible material, such as a woven or nonwoven fabric, a web, or a net with through-holes. The flexible material is supported by a support structure 4a (e.g., a rod-like or tubular structure) that is directly or indirectly hinged to the frame 5 at a hinge 4b.

[0033] The air deflector 4 is positioned in front of the first roof opening 3a and regulates airflow when the movable panel 2a is in the open position. In its raised position, the air deflector 4 reduces uncomfortable noise caused by airflow during driving. When the movable panel 2a is in the closed or tilted position, the air deflector 4 is pressed under the front end FE of the movable panel 2a.

[0034] Generally, when the movable panel 2a slides to the open position, the air guide plate 4 rises due to elasticity, and when the movable panel 2a slides back to its closed position, the air guide plate 4 is pushed downward by the movable panel 2a. Figure 1A In the image, the movable panel 2a is shown in the open position, and the air guide plate 4 is shown in the raised position. Figure 1B In the diagram, the movable panel 2a is shown in the closed position, and the air guide plate 4 is correspondingly shown in the depressed position.

[0035] Figure 1B The diagram further illustrates a drive assembly having a first guide component 6a, a second guide component 6b, a first drive cable 7, and a second drive cable 8. The first guide component 6a and the second guide component 6b are arranged on corresponding side ends SE of the movable panel 2a, and each may include a guide and a mechanism. The guide is coupled to the frame 5, while the mechanism includes movable parts and is slidably movable within the guide. The first drive cable 7 and the second drive cable 8 are disposed between the mechanism of each guide component 6a, 6b and the drive motor 9.

[0036] Drive cables 7 and 8 couple the drive motor 9 to the mechanisms of the corresponding guide components 6a and 6b, such that these mechanisms begin to move when the drive motor 9 is operated. Specifically, the cores of the drive cables 7 and 8 move via the drive motor 9 to push or pull the mechanisms of the respective guides 6a and 6b. Such drive components are well known in the art and will not be described further herein. Furthermore, any other suitable drive components may be used without departing from the scope of the invention. Moreover, in certain embodiments, the drive motor may be operably arranged between the respective mechanisms of the guide components 6a and 6b and the respective guides, and in such embodiments, the drive component may be completely omitted.

[0037] In the illustrated embodiment, guide components 6a, 6b can begin to move by raising the rear end RE of the movable panel 2a, thereby placing the movable panel 2a in a tilted position. Then, from the tilted position, guide components 6a, 6b can begin to slide to place the movable panel 2a in an open position. However, the invention is not limited to such embodiments. For example, in another embodiment, the movable panel 2a may be moved to the tilted position by raising the rear end RE, and then reach the open position by first lowering the rear end RE and then sliding the movable panel 2a under the fixed panel 2b or any other structure or element disposed behind the rear end RE of the movable panel 2a. In another exemplary embodiment, the movable panel 2a may be movable only between a closed position and a tilted position, or between a closed position and an open position.

[0038] In the illustrated embodiment, the drive motor 9 is mounted at the recess 10 near or below the front end FE of the movable panel 2a. In another embodiment, the drive motor 9 can be positioned at any other suitable location or place. For example, the drive motor 9 can be arranged near or below the rear end RE of the movable panel 2a or below the fixed panel 2b.

[0039] Control unit 11 is schematically illustrated and operatively coupled to drive motor 9. Control unit 11 can be any type of processing unit, either a software-controlled processing unit or a dedicated processing unit such as an ASIC, as are well known to those skilled in the art. Control unit 11 can be a standalone control unit, or it can be operatively connected to another control unit, such as a multi-purpose vehicle control unit. In yet another embodiment, control unit 11 can be embedded in or as part of such a multi-purpose vehicle control unit. Essentially, control unit 11 can be implemented by any control unit suitable for, capable of, and configured to perform operation of drive motor 9 and thus movable roof assembly.

[0040] Figure 2AA movable roof assembly with a drive component is schematically illustrated. The movable roof assembly includes a movable closure member 2a for closing a first roof opening 3a, a fixed panel 2b, and a support frame 12. The support frame 12 is arranged and configured to mount and support the movable roof assembly onto the vehicle's body frame. Figure 2A In the diagram, the movable enclosure 2a is schematically coupled to the drive cable 16 via the coupling element 14. In practice, and as... Figure 1A and 1B As shown, the movable enclosure member 2a is arranged on the support frame 12 via guide assemblies 6a, 6b, and each guide assembly 6a, 6b is operated via an associated drive cable 16. In the illustrated embodiment, the drive cable 16 can be moved by operatively mechanically coupling to a suitable gear 18.

[0041] refer to Figure 2A and 2B Gear 18 is mechanically coupled to drive motor 9, which is operatively coupled to control unit 11. Control unit 11 includes electronic control circuitry system 110. According to the invention, electronic control circuitry system 110 is coupled to sensor 113, particularly a magnetic sensor, which in this application is typically a Hall sensor. Sensor 113 is arranged adjacent to motor device 9, which in this embodiment is an electric motor with a rotor having magnetic poles. When motor device 9 is energized, the rotor rotates and the magnetic poles pass along sensor 113. Therefore, a pulse signal is generated and the rotation of motor device 9 is detectable.

[0042] Rotation, particularly the amount and speed of rotation, can be determined by analyzing the pulse signals. The direction of rotation can be detected by applying two Hall effect sensors 113. The phase shift between the first and second pulse signals can be used to detect the direction of rotation.

[0043] To analyze the pulse signals, the electronic control circuit system 110 may include a computer processor 111, which may be a software-controlled processor or a hardware processor, such as an ASIC. The electronic control circuit system 110 may also include a memory device for storing software instructions used to control the operation of the software-controlled processor. The memory device 112 may also be used to store, for example, parameters of the roof assembly required to control the movement of the movable closure member 2a, for example, to reliably and timely detect object encroachment between the movable closure member 2a and the frame 12.

[0044] The rotation of the motor device 9 is directly related to the displacement of the movable enclosure member 2a, and therefore to the position of the movable enclosure member 2a. Therefore, it is well known that a Hall sensor 113 is used alongside the motor device 9 to monitor and control the position of the movable enclosure member 2a.

[0045] To prevent unintended fluctuations in the pulse signal output by sensor 113, sensor 113 may have hysteresis properties. (Reference) Figure 3 Hysteresis is explained. As is well known to those skilled in the art, sensor outputs that resemble pulse signals and exhibit hysteresis are dependent on historical outputs. Figure 3 The sensor output signal, with branches A and B, and two possible output values ​​(high H and low L) as shown on the vertical axis, is illustrated. The horizontal axis represents the position of the magnetic poles on the rotor of motor device 9.

[0046] At the switching position P0, with the magnetic pole in place and without hysteresis, the sensor output signal will switch its value between high H and low L. Inevitably, if the magnetic pole is fixed at the switching position P0, the output signal may begin to fluctuate between high H and low L, for example, due to slight vibrations of the magnetic pole.

[0047] To prevent this jitter, hysteresis has been introduced. For example, the magnetic pole can move from the first position P1 to the fourth position P4, thus passing through the switching position P0. As indicated by the arrow, along the trajectory from the first position P1 to the fourth position P4, the output signal will follow the magnetic pole along the first branch A, remaining low L beyond the second position P2, the switching position P0, and the third position P3. Therefore, although the switching position P0 has been passed, the sensor output remains low L. Only beyond the third position P3 does the sensor output switch to high H to reach the fourth position P4 with a high value H. Therefore, when traveling from the first position P1 to the fourth position P4, the sensor output value is low L at the second position, the switching position, and the third positions P2, P0, and P3.

[0048] As the magnetic poles travel in opposite directions (i.e., from the fourth position P4 to the first position P1), the sensor output signal proceeds along the second branch B. This means that the sensor output value starts at a high value H and remains high H along the trajectory along the third position P3, the switching position P0, and the second position P2. Only between the second position P2 and the first position P1 does the sensor output drop to a low value L. Therefore, depending on the direction of travel, the sensor output value is either high H or low L at the second position P2, the switching position P0, and the third position P3. The nature of the hysteresis and how it prevents undesirable jumps are considered well known to those skilled in the art and will not be elaborated further.

[0049] As described above, the sensor output value at the third position P3 depends, for example, on the initial state of the magnetic pole. For instance, if the magnetic pole is from the first position P1, then the sensor output value will be low L. However, if sensor 113 is turned on, then when it is positioned at the third position P3, the history is unknown, and given the third position P3 relative to the switching position P0, it can be assumed that without a known history, the sensor output value will initially be high H.

[0050] refer to Figure 2A , 2B When sensor 113 is turned off at the third position P3 and the sensor output is low L, the position of the movable enclosure member 2a is determined and recorded by the electronic control circuit system 110 with respect to the sensor output value 110 being low L. When the electronic control circuit system 110 and sensor 113 are restarted, the sensor output value will be high H as described above. This results in a deviation in the sensor output value between power-off and power-on, leading to position drift, i.e., the deviation between the position assumed by the electronic control circuit system and the actual position of the movable enclosure member 2a.

[0051] Figure 4 The illustration shows a power-off sequence according to the invention to prevent position drift caused by hysteresis in the output of sensor 113. Essentially, before final shutdown, the sensor output value at power-on is first determined and stored in a suitable memory. Thus, sensor 113 is first shut down in step S11 and then restarted in step S12. After the power switching in steps S11 and S12, the sensor output value will be the same as the sensor output value when the sensor is subsequently turned on. Therefore, after the power switching, the sensor output value is detected in step S13, which may be the same as or opposite to the sensor output value before the power switching.

[0052] The detected sensor output value is stored as the last value before the power is cut off, and is therefore related to the position of the closed component 2a at the time of power failure. Then, as the fifth and final step S15, the sensor is finally turned off and the power is cut off.

[0053] like Figure 4 The power-off sequence shown can be executed when the vehicle is powered off, but there may be other reasons to shut down sensor 113, electronic control circuitry 110, or control unit 11. For example, for low power consumption, unused components such as control unit 11, electronic control circuitry 110, or only sensor 113 may be shut down, for example, when movable enclosure 2a is not in operation.

[0054] When sensor 113 is activated, the following can be performed: Figure 5The power-on sequence is shown. In the power-on sequence, after sensor 113 is turned on in the first step S21, the actual sensor output is detected in the second step S22. Before, simultaneously with, or after the second step S22, the third step S23 is performed, in which the sensor output stored in the memory is retrieved. Assuming that the closing member 2a does not move during the time between turning off and turning on sensor 113, the two sensor outputs obtained in the second step S22 and the third step S23 should be the same. Therefore, in the fourth step S24, the outputs of the two sensors are compared, and in the fifth step S25, based on the result of the fourth step S24, it is determined whether a change has occurred.

[0055] If a change is detected, other sequential steps can be initiated. For example, a recalibration of the position of the enclosure member 2a can be initiated, an error signal can be given to the operator, one or more functions can be disabled, or any other appropriate or necessary measures can be activated. For example, such measures may be related to personal safety or may be designed to prevent damage to the roof assembly.

[0056] The invention has been described above with an example of a Hall sensor for measuring the position of the magnetic poles of a motor rotor. It should be noted that the methods and sequences of the invention can be used equally well in combination with any other sensors exhibiting hysteresis.

[0057] In addition, it should be noted that, as regarding Figure 4 and Figure 5 The methods and sequences of the present invention shown and described can be embedded in Figure 2A and 2B In the embodiment of the electronic control circuit system 110. Such embedding can be in software or hardware or any other suitable form. In this regard, it should also be noted that the invention can be embodied in a computer-readable format on a computer-readable medium, wherein computer-readable and executable instructions are provided to instruct a computer processor (such as processor 111) to perform the method or sequence according to the invention.

[0058] Detailed embodiments of the invention have been disclosed herein; however, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the invention, which may be implemented in various forms. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be construed as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to utilize the invention differently with any suitable detailed structure contemplated. In particular, features set forth and described in the individual dependent claims may be applied in combination, and thus any advantageous combinations of these claims are disclosed.

[0059] Furthermore, it is anticipated that structural elements can be generated by applying three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. Therefore, any reference to a structural element is intended to cover any computer-executable instructions that instruct a computer to generate such a structural element using 3D printing technology or similar computer-controlled manufacturing techniques. Additionally, any such reference to a structural element is also intended to include computer-readable media carrying such computer-executable instructions.

[0060] Furthermore, the terminology and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting, but rather to provide an understandable description of the invention. As used herein, the term "a" or "an" is defined as one or more. As used herein, the term "a plurality" is defined as two or more. As used herein, the term "another" is defined as at least a second or more. As used herein, the terms "comprising" and / or "having" are defined as including (i.e., open language). As used herein, the term "coupled" is defined as a connection, but not necessarily a direct connection.

[0061] The invention thus described can obviously be varied in many ways. Such variations should not be considered as departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it will be clear to those skilled in the art that all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A roof assembly including an electronic control circuit system and at least one sensor operatively coupled to the electronic control circuit system, said at least one sensor having an energized state and an de-energized state, the sensor's output exhibiting hysteresis and depending on the hysteresis. The electronic control circuit system is configured to execute a sequence of sensor power-off steps from a power-on state to a power-off state in order to de-energize the sensor, including: Turn off the sensor to disconnect the power; and Before turning off the sensor: The sensor is reset by switching the power supply to the sensor so that the output is independent of hysteresis; The sensor's output is independent of hysteresis; as well as The hysteresis-independent output of the sensor is stored in memory for comparison with a later hysteresis-independent output of the sensor detected when the sensor is powered on again after a power outage, thereby determining whether the state of the roof assembly has changed between storing the hysteresis-independent output and the later hysteresis-independent output.

2. The roof assembly of claim 1, wherein the roof assembly includes a movable part, and the electronic control circuitry is included in a drive assembly for moving the movable part.

3. The roof assembly of claim 2, wherein the drive assembly includes an electric motor, and the sensor is a magnetic sensor for detecting rotation of the rotor of the electric motor.

4. The roof assembly according to claim 3, wherein the magnetic sensor is a Hall sensor.

5. The roof assembly according to claim 2, wherein the movable component is one of a sealing component and a sunshade component.

6. The roof assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor power-off sequence is executed when the electronic control circuit system is powered off.

7. The roof assembly of claim 1, wherein the electronic control circuitry is configured to execute a sequence of sensor power-up steps, including: a) Turn on the sensor; b) Detect the output of the sensor; c) Compare the sensor's output with the output stored in the memory; as well as d) If the sensor’s output differs from the output stored in memory, then determine that a change has occurred.

8. The roof assembly of claim 7, wherein the sensor power-on sequence is executed when the electronic control circuit system is powered on.

9. A method of operating a roof assembly, the roof assembly including an electronic control circuit system and at least one sensor operatively coupled to the electronic control circuit system, the at least one sensor having an energized state and an de-energized state, the sensor's output exhibiting hysteresis and depending on the hysteresis. The method includes performing a sequence of sensor power-off steps from a power-on state to a power-off state to de-energize the sensor, including: Turn off the sensor to disconnect the power; and Before turning off the sensor: The sensor is reset by switching the power supply to the sensor so that the output is independent of hysteresis; The sensor's output is independent of hysteresis; as well as The hysteresis-independent output of the sensor is stored in memory for comparison with a later hysteresis-independent output of the sensor detected when the sensor is powered on again after a power outage, thereby determining whether the state of the roof assembly has changed between storing the hysteresis-independent output and the later hysteresis-independent output.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises performing a sequence of sensor power-on steps, including: e) Turn on the sensor; f) Detect the output of the sensor; g) Compare the sensor's output with the output stored in the memory; as well as h) If the sensor output differs from the output stored in the memory, then determine that a change has occurred.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein, When a change is detected, the sensor power-on sequence includes the following subsequent steps: i) Determine the state of the roof assembly.

12. A computer software product comprising computer-readable and executable instructions for instructing a computer processor to perform method steps based on any one of the methods according to claims 9-11, wherein the computer processor is included in the electronic control circuitry system.

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