VEHICLE LIFTGATE CONTROL FOR CARGO MANAGEMENT

• US 20190323281A1
• Filed: 04/19/2018
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ghannam, Mahmoud Yousef, Bennie, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 10,914,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/00 Doors B60J10/00 takes precedence; window aspects B60J1/00 ; side board or tailgate structures for open load compartments B62D33/023
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/101 for non-load transporting vehicles, i.e. family cars including vans
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/102 comprising door or part of door being pivotable downwards about horizontal axis to open position
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/103 where lower door part moves independently from other door structures, e.g. by being hinged on the vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/104 where lower door part optionally moves independently, or follows as component the movement of the entire door structure, e.g. by being hinged in a door frame or releasably connected to upper door part
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/105 comprising door or part of door being pivotable about vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/106 comprising door or part of door being moveable by a linkage system to open/close position
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/73 responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/356 Predefined intermediate positions
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/44 Sensors therefore E05Y2400/322, E05Y2400/33, E05Y2400/55, E05Y2400/56, E05Y2400/852 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/85 User input means
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/546 Tailgates

Abstract

Method and apparatus are disclosed for vehicle liftgate control for cargo management. An example vehicle includes a liftgate with a sensor on an inner surface and a processor. The liftgate provides access to a cargo area. The processor, when an object is in the cargo area, detect when the object is banked against the liftgate using measurements from the sensor, and when the object is banked and a command to open the liftgate is received, autonomously opens the liftgate to an intermediate position between fully open and fully closed.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a liftgate with a sensor on an inner surface, the liftgate providing access to a cargo area; and

a processor to, when an object is in the cargo area;

detect when the object is banked against the liftgate using measurements from the sensor; and

when the object is banked and a command to open the liftgate is received, autonomously open the liftgate to an intermediate position between fully open and fully closed.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein before autonomously open the liftgate to the intermediate position, the processor is to produce an alert.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein before autonomously open the liftgate to the intermediate position, the processor is to prompt a user to repeat an input to confirm the command to open the liftgate.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein when opening the liftgate to the intermediate position, the processor is to open the liftgate at a first speed.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein when the object is not banked against the liftgate and in response to the command to open the liftgate, the processor is to open the liftgate at a second speed, the second speed being faster than the first speed.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein when the object is not banked against the liftgate, the processor is to determine whether the object is likely to fall out of the vehicle when the liftgate is open.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein when the object is likely to fall out of the vehicle, autonomously open the liftgate to the intermediate position when the command to open the liftgate is received.

8. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the determination of whether the object is likely to fall out of the vehicle is based on an orientation of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the determination of whether the object is likely to fall out of the vehicle is based on a surface shape of the object.

10. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the determination of whether the object is likely to fall out of the vehicle is based on movement of the object when the vehicle is in motion.

11. A method comprising:

determining, with a liftgate sensor, whether an object is in a cargo area of a vehicle;

determining, with a vehicle processor, whether the object is likely to fall out of the vehicle from the cargo area; and

when the object is likely to fall out of the vehicle and a command to open a liftgate is received, autonomously opening the liftgate to an intermediate position between fully open and fully closed.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether the object is likely to fall out of the vehicle includes detecting, with the liftgate sensor, whether the object is banked against the liftgate.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether the object is likely to fall out of the vehicle includes determining an orientation of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether the object is likely to fall out of the vehicle includes determining a detected surface shape of the object.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether the object is likely to fall out of the vehicle includes determining movement of the object when the vehicle is in motion.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining movement of the object when the vehicle is in motion includes determining whether the object contacts the liftgate when the vehicle is in motion.

17. The method of claim 11, including before autonomously opening the liftgate to the intermediate position:

providing an alert to a user; and

prompting the user to repeat an input to confirm the command to open the liftgate.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein when opening the liftgate to the intermediate position includes opening the liftgate at a first speed.

19. The method of claim 18, including, when the object is not likely to fall out of the vehicle and in response to the command to open the liftgate, opening the liftgate at a second speed, the second speed being faster than the first speed.