Locking system for a motor vehicle and method for controlling such a locking system

• US 20060044124A1
• Filed: 08/30/2005
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Wagner, Roland, Stielow, Arnd, Hofbeck, Klaus, Rosel, Birgit, Pfau, Lorenz
• Granted Patent: US 7,434,650 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01512 Passenger detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01534 using electromagneticwaves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01536 using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/20 Means to switch the anti-theft system on or off

Abstract

A classifying seat occupancy detection device is used to classify whether a particular seat is occupied by an adult, an infant or not at all. Depending on the classification the door lock assigned to the seat is automatically switched either to a childproof mode or to a non-childproof mode, without the vehicle driver having to do anything.

Claims

1. A locking system for a motor vehicle, the locking system comprising:

at least one door lock disposed on a vehicle door and associated with at least one seat, said at least one door lock being switchable between different operating modes;

at least one classifying seat occupancy detection device for detecting a seat occupancy of the at least one seat and for classifying a person sitting on the at least one seat; and

a central control device having a data link connected to said at least one classifying seat occupancy detection device and said at least one door lock, and in dependence on a classification of the person sitting on the at least one seat automatically switches said at least one door lock to a predetermined operating mode.

2. The locking system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one door lock can be switched at least between a childproof mode and a non-childproof mode.

3. The locking system according to claim 1, wherein said classifying seat occupancy detection device classifies whether the person sitting on said at least one seat is an adult or an infant.

4. The locking system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one door lock is assigned to a rear vehicle door.

5. The locking system according to claim 1, wherein said central control device switches said at least one door lock of the vehicle door assigned to the at least one seat to a non-childproof mode only if said classifying seat occupancy detection device classifies an adult on the at least one seat.

6. The locking system according to claim 1, wherein said central control device switches all door locks of rear vehicle doors to a childproof mode if said classifying seat occupancy detection device classifies an infant on the at least one seat.

7. The locking system according to claim 1, wherein said central control device switches said at least one door lock of the vehicle door assigned to the at least one seat to a childproof mode if said classifying seat occupancy detection device detects no seat occupancy of the at least one seat.

8. The locking system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one classifying seat occupancy detection device is configured as a HOBBIT system.

9. A method for controlling a locking system of a motor vehicle, which comprises the steps of:

detecting a seat occupancy of at least one seat and classifying a person sitting on the at least one seat using at least one classifying seat occupancy detection device; and

switching at least one door lock, provided on a vehicle door associated to the at least one seat and can be switched between different operating modes, to a predetermined operating mode in dependence on a classification of the person sitting on the at least one seat using a central control device having a data link connected to the classifying seat occupancy detection device and the at least one door lock.

10. The method according to claim 9, which further comprises switching the at least one door lock at least between a childproof mode and a non-childproof mode.

11. The method according to claim 9, which further comprises classifying, via the classifying seat occupancy detection device, whether the person sitting on the at least one seat is an adult or an infant.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the central control device performs the step of switching the at least one door lock of the vehicle door assigned to the at least one seat to a non-childproof mode only if the classifying seat occupancy detection device classifies an adult on the at least one seat.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the central control device performs the step of switching all door locks of rear vehicle doors to a childproof mode if the classifying seat occupancy detection device classifies an infant on the at least one seat.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the central control device performs the step of switching the at least one door lock of the vehicle door assigned to the at least one seat to a childproof mode if the classifying seat occupancy detection device does not detect any seat occupancy of the at least one seat.