KEYLESS ENTRY ASSEMBLY HAVING CAPACITANCE SENSOR OPERATIVE FOR DETECTING OBJECTS

• US 20110043325A1
• Filed: 05/20/2010
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nartron Corporation, Uusi LLC (Nartron Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nartron Corporation
• Inventors: Newman, Todd R., Washeleski, John M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,017,977 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2045 by hand gestures
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/00 Power-operated mechanisms for wings motor-operated accessories in locks for completing closing or initiating opening of a wing E05B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/46 responsive to changes in electrical capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/616 operated by push-pull mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/73 responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/852 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/86 by hand
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/46 in or on the wing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/546 Tailgates
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/548 Trunk lids

Abstract

A keyless entry assembly includes a vehicle opening movable between locked and unlocked positions, an electrical conductor (i.e., a capacitance sensor) mounted to the vehicle opening, and a controller. The conductor capacitively couples to an electrically conductive object proximal to (or touching) 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 conductor is in the shape of an emblem identifying a vehicle associated with the vehicle opening. The controller is operable for driving the conductor with the electrical charge and measuring the capacitance of the conductor to determine whether an electrically conductive object is proximal to the conductor. The controller is further operable for controlling the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening between the positions upon determining that the object is proximal to (or touching) the conductor.

Claims

1. A keyless entry assembly comprising:

a vehicle opening movable between a locked position and an unlocked position;

an electrical conductor mounted to an exterior surface of the vehicle opening, wherein 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, wherein the conductor is in the shape of an emblem identifying a vehicle to be associated with the vehicle opening; and

a controller operable for driving the conductor with the electrical charge and measuring the capacitance of the conductor to determine whether an electrically conductive object is proximal to the conductor, the controller further operable for controlling the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening from one of the positions to the other of the positions upon determining that an electrically conductive object is proximal to the conductor.

2. The keyless entry assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the controller is further operable for key fob querying, wherein the controller controls the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening from one of the positions to the other of the positions upon determining that an electrically conductive object is proximal to the conductor and that an authorized key fob is in range of the controller.

3. The keyless entry assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the controller is further operable for illuminating the conductor.

4. The keyless entry assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the vehicle opening is one of a vehicle door, a vehicle hatch, and a vehicle trunk lid.

5. The keyless entry assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the one of the positions is the locked position and the other of the positions is the unlocked position.

6. The keyless entry assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the one of the positions is the unlocked position and the other of the positions is the locked position.

7. The keyless entry assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the vehicle opening is of a metal construction;

the conductor is flexible such that the conductor displaces toward the vehicle opening upon an object touching the conductor in a direction toward the vehicle opening;

wherein the conductor is capacitively coupled to the vehicle opening while the conductor is driven with the electrical charge such that the capacitance of the conductor changes due to the conductor being displaced toward the vehicle opening upon an object touching the conductor.

8. The keyless entry assembly of claim 7 wherein:

the controller is further operable for measuring the capacitance of the conductor to determine whether an object is touching the conductor and is further operable for controlling the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening from one of the positions to the other of the positions upon determining that an object is touching the conductor.

9. The keyless entry assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

an electrically non-conductive compressible spacer, wherein the spacer is between the conductor and the exterior surface of the vehicle opening, wherein the vehicle opening is of a metal construction;

wherein the spacer compresses toward the vehicle opening in response to an object touching the conductor such that the conductor displaces toward the vehicle opening, wherein the conductor is capacitively coupled to the vehicle opening while the conductor is driven with the electrical charge such that the capacitance of the conductor changes due to conductor being displaced toward the vehicle opening upon the object touching the conductor.

10. The keyless entry assembly of claim 9 wherein:

the controller is operable with the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening from one of the positions to the other of the positions as a function of either an electrically conductive object being proximal to the conductor or an object touching the conductor.

11. A keyless entry assembly comprising:

an electrical conductor mountable to an exterior surface of a vehicle opening movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein 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, wherein the conductor is in the shape of an emblem identifying a vehicle to be associated with the vehicle opening; and

a controller operable for driving the conductor with the electrical charge and measuring the capacitance of the conductor to determine whether an electrically conductive object is proximal to the conductor, the controller further operable for controlling the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening from one of the positions to the other of the positions upon determining that an electrically conductive object is proximal to the conductor.

12. The keyless entry assembly of claim 11 wherein:

the controller is further operable for key fob querying, wherein the controller controls the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening from one of the positions to the other of the positions upon determining that an electrically conductive object is proximal to the conductor and that an authorized key fob is in range of the controller.

13. The keyless entry assembly of claim 11 wherein:

the controller is further operable for illuminating at least one of the conductor and the area around the conductor.

14. The keyless entry assembly of claim 11 wherein:

the vehicle opening is one of a vehicle door, a vehicle hatch, and a vehicle trunk lid.

15. The keyless entry assembly of claim 11 wherein:

the one of the positions is the locked position and the other of the positions is the unlocked position.

16. The keyless entry assembly of claim 11 wherein:

the one of the positions is the unlocked position and the other of the positions is the locked position.

17. The keyless entry assembly of claim 11 wherein:

the conductor is flexible such that the conductor displaces upon an object touching the conductor;

wherein the capacitance of the conductor changes due to the conductor being displaced upon an object touching the conductor.

18. The keyless entry assembly of claim 17 wherein:

the controller is further operable for measuring the capacitance of the conductor to determine whether an object is touching the conductor and is further operable for controlling the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening from one of the positions to the other of the positions upon determining that an object is touching the conductor.

19. The keyless entry assembly of claim 11 further comprising:

an electrically non-conductive compressible spacer associated with the conductor;

wherein the spacer compresses in response to an object touching the conductor such that the conductor displaces, wherein the conductor the capacitance of the conductor changes due to conductor being displaced toward the vehicle opening upon the object touching the conductor.

20. The keyless entry assembly of claim 19 wherein:

the controller is operable with the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening from one of the positions to the other of the positions as a function of either an electrically conductive object being proximal to the conductor or an object touching the conductor.

21. A keyless entry assembly comprising:

an electrical conductor mountable to an exterior surface of a vehicle opening movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein 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, wherein the conductor is in the shape of an emblem identifying a vehicle associated with the vehicle opening; and

a controller operable for driving the conductor with the electrical charge and measuring the capacitance of the conductor to determine whether an electrically conductive object is proximal to the conductor, the controller further operable for controlling the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening from one of the positions to the other of the positions upon determining that an electrically conductive object is proximal to the conductor and is moving relative to the conductor in accordance with an expected sequence of movements.

22. The assembly of claim 21 wherein an electrically conductive object is a human user, wherein:

the controller is further operable for controlling the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening from one of the positions to the other of the positions upon determining that the user is proximal to the conductor and is moving relative to the conductor in accordance with an expected sequence of movements;

wherein the expected sequence of movements are an expected sequence of user body gestures.