METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A LOCKING ELEMENT OF A VEHICLE

• US 20200130644A1
• Filed: 03/12/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: HEINRICH, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 11,518,341 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/003 locking of control actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2045 by hand gestures
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/241 whereby access privileges are related to the identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/257 Voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/302 using recording means, e.g. black box
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/305 using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/64 Monitoring or sensing, e.g. by using switches or sensors

Abstract

A method for controlling at least one locking element of a vehicle is disclosed. A mobile identification transmitter is detected at a position in a certain access region around the vehicle. Furthermore, a user signal is output to a user carrying the mobile identification transmitter after the mobile identification transmitter has stayed at the position for a first predetermined duration. In addition, the at least one locking element is unlocked/opened after the mobile identification transmitter further stays at the position for a second predetermined duration after the user signal is output. For the targeted control of the automatic unlocking or opening of the vehicle door, the process of unlocking or opening is terminated if a termination signal from the user is detected within the second predetermined duration.

Claims

1. A method for controlling at least one locking element of a vehicle, comprising:

a) detecting a mobile identification transmitter at a position in a certain access region around the vehicle;

b) outputting a user signal to a user carrying the mobile identification transmitter after the mobile identification transmitter has stayed at the position (POS2) for a first predetermined duration;

c) unlocking and/or opening the at least one locking element after the mobile identification transmitter further stays at the position for a second predetermined duration after the user signal is output;

d) terminating the process of unlocking or opening if a termination signal from the user is detected within the second predetermined duration.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location of the mobile identification transmitter with respect to the vehicle is determined after a termination of the process of unlocking or opening.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein, in the event that the location of the mobile identification transmitter is furthermore determined in the certain access region at a position, after the termination of the process of unlocking or opening, the method is continued again with step b).

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the method is continued again with step b) after the location of the mobile identification transmitter was detected initially outside and then inside the certain access region.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the termination signal of the user is a movement away from the position inside the certain access region.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the termination signal of the user comprises a predetermined movement of a body part, such as a hand movement, arm movement or head movement of the user.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the termination signal of the user is an acoustic signal of the user.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein an authentication of the mobile identification transmitter is carried out at the vehicle, in order to check that the mobile identification transmitter belongs to the vehicle.

9. A method for controlling at least one locking element of a vehicle, as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

A) detecting a mobile identification transmitter at a position in a certain access region around the vehicle;

B) outputting a user signal to a user carrying the mobile identification transmitter after the mobile identification transmitter has stayed at the position for a first predetermined duration;

C) closing or locking the at least one locking element after the mobile identification transmitter further stays at the position for a second predetermined duration after the user signal is output;

D) terminating the process of unlocking or opening if a termination signal from the user is detected within the second predetermined duration.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein, prior to the step of closing or locking the at least one locking element, a user further performs an adjustment at the vehicle, thus enabling the closing or locking.

11. An access arrangement for a vehicle, comprising:

i) a location device for detecting a mobile identification transmitter at a position in a certain access region around the vehicle;

ii) an output device for outputting a user signal to a user carrying the mobile identification transmitter after the mobile identification transmitter has stayed at the position for a first predetermined duration;

iii) a control device for unlocking and/or opening the at least one locking element after the mobile identification transmitter further stays at the position for a second predetermined duration after the user signal is output;

iv) a detection device for detecting a termination signal of a user;

v) wherein the control device is further set up to terminate the process of unlocking or opening if a termination signal from the user is detected within the second duration.

12. The access arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein the detection device has a movement detection device for detecting a movement away of the user from the position or for detecting a certain movement of a body part of the user as a termination signal.

13. The access arrangement as claimed in claim 12, wherein the movement detection device comprises a camera.

14. The access arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein the detection device comprises a microphone for detecting an acoustic signal of the user as a termination signal.

15. A vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle, comprising an access arrangement as claimed in claim 11.