APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AUTOMATIC OPENING OF TRUNK

• US 20140022052A1
• Filed: 04/16/2013
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: LIM, Jong Chul, JANG, Young Jun
• Granted Patent: US 9,214,083 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.61
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/61 Signal comprising different frequencies, e.g. frequency hopping
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/64 using a proximity sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

Provided are an apparatus and method for controlling automatic opening of a vehicle'"'"'s trunk through wireless communication between a fob key for the vehicle and a bumper LF antenna disposed in the rear of the vehicle. The apparatus controls the trunk so as to be automatically opened through communication with the bumper LF antenna on the basis of the position of the fob key and the number of receptions of an RF signal, when a fob key holder approaches the trunk for opening the trunk. Alternatively, a sensor module is attached near the trunk (particularly, a lower end center of a rear bumper) and determines whether there is the fob key, thereby allowing the trunk to be automatically opened when a sensing signal is inputted by simple movement.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling automatic opening of a trunk, comprising:

a sensor module attached near a trunk of a vehicle, and sensing movement;

a bumper LF antenna disposed in a rear of the vehicle, and transmitting an LF signal at certain intervals;

an RF antenna receiving an RF signal that a fob key for the vehicle transmits in response to reception of the LF signal; and

a controller determining whether the fob key is within a predetermined distance from the LF antenna on the basis of the RF signal and, when the fob key is within the predetermined distance and the sensor module senses movement, outputting an opening command for the trunk.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller outputs the opening command for the trunk of the vehicle when the fob key is within the predetermined distance from the LF antenna, number of times the RF antenna receives the RF signal for a predetermined time is more than or equal to number of predetermined times, and the sensor module senses movement.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein while the bumper LF antenna does not transmit the LF signal at certain intervals, when the sensor module senses movement, the controller outputs a transmission command for the LF signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor module operates when the RF antenna receives the RF signal from the fob key.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor module is disposed in at least one of a lower end portion of a rear bumper of the vehicle and a knob portion of the trunk of the vehicle.

6. A method of controlling automatic opening of a trunk, the method comprising:

commanding a bumper LF antenna of a vehicle to transmit an LF signal;

receiving an RF signal that a fob key of the vehicle receiving the LF signal transmits in response to reception of the LF signal;

determining whether a distance between the fob key and the bumper RF antenna is within a predetermined distance;

operating a sensor when the fob key is within the predetermined distance, the sensor being attached near the trunk of the vehicle; and

outputting an opening command for the trunk of the vehicle when the sensor senses movement of an object.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the determining of whether a distance between the fob key and the bumper RF antenna is within a predetermined distance comprises:

calculating, by the fob key, a distance between the bumper LF antenna and the fob key on the basis of intensity of the received LF signal;

transmitting, by the fob key, an RF signal comprising the distance information; and

determining whether the fob key is within the predetermined distance, on the basis of the distance information.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the operating of a sensor comprises:

determining whether number of times the RF signal is received from the fob key for a predetermined time is more than or equal to number of predetermined times, when the fob key is within the predetermined distance; and

operating the sensor attached near the trunk of the vehicle, when the number of times the RF signal is received for the predetermined time is more than or equal to the number of predetermined times.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising changing and setting at least one of the predetermined distance, the predetermined time, and the number of predetermined times.

10. A method of controlling automatic opening of a trunk, the method comprising:

sensing, by a sensor attached near a trunk of a vehicle, movement;

commanding a bumper LF antenna of the vehicle to transmit an LF signal when the sensor senses the movement;

receiving an RF signal that the fob key transmits in response to the LF signal; and

outputting an opening command for the trunk of the vehicle when number of receptions of the RF signal is more than or equal to number of predetermined times for a predetermined time.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the outputting of an opening command comprises:

determining a distance between the bumper LF antenna and the fob key, on the basis of information comprised in the RF signal; and

outputting an opening command for the trunk of the vehicle when a distance to the fob key is within a predetermined distance.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the outputting of an opening command comprises:

comparing a first distance and a second distance, the first distance being determined with the RF signal, and the second distance being determined with a previous RF signal; and

outputting the opening command for the trunk, when the number of receptions of the RF signal is more than or equal to the number of predetermined times continuously in a case in which the first distance is shorter than the second distance.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising stopping, by the bumper LF antenna, transmission of the LF signal, and stopping operation of the sensor attached near the trunk, when the opening command for the trunk of the vehicle is outputted.