HANDS-FREE TRUNK DOOR OPENING APPARATUS AND METHOD BASED ON THE SOUND

• US 20140169139A1
• Filed: 05/15/2013
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: LEE, Seunghwan
• Application Number:
  US13/895,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20140169139A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 367/197
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/31 Voice input

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a system and a method for automatically controlling opening/closing of a trunk door of a vehicle, and more particularly, to a technology for user with load in both hands to easily open the trunk door of a vehicle, by mounting a microphone at the rear of the vehicle such that the trunk door of the vehicle can be opened/closed in response to a sound inputted through the microphone.

Claims

1. An apparatus for opening/closing a hands-free trunk door based on a sound which uses a smart key, the apparatus comprising:

a microphone that is disposed at the rear of a vehicle and generates and outputs a sound signal, when a sound is inputted;

a controller that generates and outputs a control signal, when receiving the sound signal from the microphone; and

an actuator that is connected with a lock of the trunk door of a vehicle and opens the lock of the trunk door in response to the control signal received from the controller.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a smart key controller that generates and outputs a smart key signal by recognizing a smart key,

wherein the controller generates and outputs the control signal, only when the smart key signal is inputted from the smart key controller.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller generates and outputs the control signal, only when the received sound signals correspond to single sounds and sound signals with the same frequency are inputted within a predetermined interval.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller generates and outputs the control signal, only when the received sound signals are sounds with a magnitude larger than a predetermined magnitude.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the microphone includes a directional microphone.

6. A method of opening/closing a hands-free trunk door based on a sound, the trunk door including the apparatus for opening/closing a trunk door of any one of claim 1, the method comprising:

determining whether a smart key signal is inputted from a smart key controller with a sensor controller in a standby status;

standing by an input of a microphone signal from a microphone by means of the sensor controller;

determining whether the microphone signal corresponds to a single sound by means of the sensor controller;

determining whether another sound with the same frequency is inputted within a predetermined time through the microphone by means of the sensor controller;

operating an actuator that operates with a lock of the trunk door, when the microphone signal corresponds to a single sound and another sound with the same frequency is inputted within a predetermined time, by means of the sensor controller; and

cutting power applied to the microphone and/or the sensor controller by means of the sensor controller.