SENSOR UNIT AND METHOD FOR CONTACTLESSLY ACTUATING A VEHICLE DOOR

• US 20130291439A1
• Filed: 07/11/2013
• Published: 11/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Company KG Hallstadt (Brose)
• Original Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Company KG Hallstadt (Brose)
• Inventors: WUERSTLEIN, HOLGER, GUNREBEN, ANDRE
• Application Number:
  US13/939,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20130291439A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 49/357
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2054 by foot gestures
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/73 responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/546 Tailgates
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/12 operating with electromagnetic waves operating with millimetre waves G01V8/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00746 by knocking on a surface for inputting the code, e.g. detecting a series of taps on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/64 using a proximity sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/65 using means for sensing the user's hand
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A capacitive sensor unit is disposed for contactlessly actuating a vehicle door. The sensor unit has an electrode assembly with at least three electrodes that are disposed in a spaced relationship. The electrodes include a first transmitting electrode, a second transmitting electrode, and a receiving electrode arranged between the two transmitting electrodes.

Claims

1. A capacitive sensor unit for contactlessly actuating a vehicle door of a vehicle, comprising:

an electrode configuration mounted to the vehicle and disposed for contactless actuation of the vehicle door;

said electrode configuration having at least three, mutually spaced-apart electrodes, said electrodes including a first transmitting electrode, a second transmitting electrode, and a receiving electrode disposed between said first and second transmitting electrodes.

2. The sensor unit according to claim 1, wherein said first transmitting electrode and said receiving electrode are flat conductors and said second transmitting electrode is a round conductor.

3. The sensor unit according to claim 1, wherein said first transmitting electrode and said receiving electrode are integrated in a common flat conductor strip.

4. The sensor unit according to claim 1, wherein said at least three electrodes are formed from loop-shaped individual lines, and wherein a loop winding of said first and second transmitting electrodes is oriented in an opposite direction of a loop winding of said receiving electrode.

5. The sensor unit according to claim 4, which further comprises a control unit connected to said at least three electrodes and arranged between said first and second transmitting electrodes, said control unit being configured for generating a transmission signal for said first and second transmitting electrodes and for evaluating a reception signal received from said reception electrode.

6. The sensor unit according to claim 5, wherein said control unit is configured to transmit the transmission signal in a chronologically alternating fashion to said first transmitting electrode and to said second transmitting electrode.

7. The sensor unit according to claim 1, which further comprises a control unit for generating a transmission signal for said first and second transmitting electrodes and for evaluating a reception signal received by said receiving electrode;

and

wherein said control unit is configured to;

generate the transmission signal from two component signals that are phase shifted with respect to one another;

decompose the reception signal into two corresponding component signals;

form a difference signal from the component signals of the reception signal; and

output a triggering signal bringing about the actuation of the vehicle door when the difference signal meets a predefined triggering criterion.

8. The sensor unit according to claim 7, wherein said control unit is configured to transmit the transmission signal in a chronologically alternating fashion to said first transmitting electrode and to said second transmitting electrode.

9. A vehicle, comprising a vehicle door and a sensor unit according to claim 1 for contactlessly actuating said vehicle door.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein said vehicle door is a tailgate of a motor vehicle.

11. The vehicle according to claim 9, which further comprises a vehicle bumper and wherein said sensor unit is arranged on or inside said vehicle bumper.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein said at least three electrodes of said electrode configuration extend substantially over a entire width of said bumper parallel to a bumper longitudinal direction.

13. A method of contactlessly actuating a vehicle door of a vehicle, which comprises:

providing the vehicle with a sensor unit according to claim 1;

generating a transmission signal composed of two component signals that are phase-shifted with respect to one another, and transmitting the transmission signal to the transmitting electrodes;

decomposing a reception signal that is received by the receiving electrode into two corresponding component signals;

forming a difference signal from the component signals of the reception signal; and

if the difference signal meets a predefined triggering criterion, outputting a triggering signal to bring about an actuation of the vehicle door.