CONTROL STRUCTURE OF VEHICLE

• US 20150006029A1
• Filed: 03/27/2013
• Published: 01/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alpha Corporation, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Alpha Corporation
• Inventors: Ono, Takashi, Tanaka, Kazuya, Endo, Jun, Rai, Shun, Hirai, Wataru
• Application Number:
  US14/377,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20150006029A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/101 for non-load transporting vehicles, i.e. family cars including vans
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/77 comprising sensors detecting the presence of the hand of a user
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/73 responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/74 using photoelectric cells
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/68 Handles, cranks
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/852 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/86 by hand
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/546 Tailboards, tailgates or sideboards opening upwards
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/65 using means for sensing the user's hand

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a control structure of a vehicle capable of reliably responding to an operation intention of a user outside the vehicle. The structure includes: a reflective optical sensor 5 configured to detect an entry of a detection target 4 into a recessed hollow section 1 formed in a vehicle outer wall according to a change in an amount of reflected beams of detection light 3 emitted from a light emitting opening 2 provided in one wall surface of the recessed hollow section 1 toward another wall surface of the recessed hollow section 1; and a controller 6 configured to operate a certain control target 7 when the reflective optical sensor 5 detects the entry of the detection target 4 into the recessed hollow section 1.

Claims

1-7. -7. (canceled)

8. A control structure of a vehicle in which a controller operates a certain control target when a sensor detects an entry of a detection target into a recessed hollow section formed in a vehicle outer wall, wherein

the sensor is a reflective optical sensor configured to emit detection light from a light emitting opening provided in one wall surface of the recessed hollow section toward another wall surface of the recessed hollow section, and to detect the entry of the detection target into the recessed hollow section when a received beam level of an amount of reflected beams of the detection light exceeds a certain determination threshold.

9. The control structure of a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein an optical axis of the reflective optical sensor is directed to an inner side of the vehicle.

10. The control structure of a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the reflective optical sensor is positioned with the light emitting opening being directed downward.

11. The control structure of a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the control target is an opening and closing operation controller for a door of the vehicle.

12. The control structure of a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the reflective optical sensor is an infrared sensor.

13. The control structure of a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein a determination threshold for the detection target used in the reflective optical sensor is determined according to a received beam level at a light receiving portion for a certain time before the determination.

14. The control structure of a vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that

the structure further comprises detection means for detecting whether or not an electronic key is present within a certain area from the vehicle, and

the controller operates the certain control target when the detection means detects the presence of the electronic key within the certain area from the vehicle and the reflective optical sensor detects the entry of the detection target into the recessed hollow section.