Adaptive actuation vehicle locking system and method
First Claim
1. An adaptive vehicle locking system comprising:
- a plurality of vehicle door locks, each configured to lock and unlock in response to a first type of signal;
a plurality of sensors, each configured to sense opening and closing of an associated vehicle door and to send second signals indicating an opening and the delay between the opening and a closing of the associated vehicle door;
a lock requester configured to send a third signal; and
a control module configured to receive the second signals from the plurality of sensors and the third signal from the lock requester, the control module comprising;
a memory for storing a history of the second signals, anda timer configured to count down from a time limit set in response to the history of the second signals, wherein the control module is configured to send the first type signal to the plurality of vehicle door locks to cause the vehicle door locks to lock in response to timing out of the timer following receipt of the third signal.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and system are provided for an adaptive vehicle locking system. The system includes a plurality of vehicle door locks, each configured to lock and unlock in response to a first signal, a plurality of sensors each configured to sense opening and closing of an associated vehicle door and to send second signals in response to opening and closing of the associated vehicle door, and a lock requester configured to send a third signal. A control module that includes a memory for storing a history of the second signals and a timer adaptively settable in response to the history of the second signals is configured to receive the second signals from the plurality of sensors and the third signal from the lock requester. The control module is also configured to send a first signal to the plurality of vehicle door locks causing the vehicle door locks to lock in response to timing out of the timer following receipt of the third signal.
15 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An adaptive vehicle locking system comprising:
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a plurality of vehicle door locks, each configured to lock and unlock in response to a first type of signal; a plurality of sensors, each configured to sense opening and closing of an associated vehicle door and to send second signals indicating an opening and the delay between the opening and a closing of the associated vehicle door; a lock requester configured to send a third signal; and a control module configured to receive the second signals from the plurality of sensors and the third signal from the lock requester, the control module comprising; a memory for storing a history of the second signals, and a timer configured to count down from a time limit set in response to the history of the second signals, wherein the control module is configured to send the first type signal to the plurality of vehicle door locks to cause the vehicle door locks to lock in response to timing out of the timer following receipt of the third signal. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method for adaptively actuating a vehicle locking system for locking the doors of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing a history of vehicle door openings and closings including a pattern of door openings and a delay between an opening and a closing of each door opened; setting a timer to an adaptive door lock delay time in response to the history of vehicle door openings and closings; initiating a door lock request; starting the timer in response to the door lock request; locking the doors of the vehicle at the expiration of the delay time; and updating the stored history. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for adaptively actuating a vehicle locking system for locking the doors of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing a history of vehicle door openings and closings including a pattern of door openings and a delay between opening and closing of each door opened; setting a timer to a delay time; initiating a door lock request; modifying the delay time in response to a pattern of vehicle door openings and closings following the door lock request; starting the timer in response to the door lock request; locking the doom of the vehicle at the expiration of the delay time; and further modifying the time delay in response to a change in the stored history. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A method for adaptively actuating a vehicle locking system for locking the doors of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
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activating a lock request while at least one door of the vehicle is open; closing all doors of the vehicle; starting countdown of a delay timer from a first predetermined time stored in memory in response to the step of closing all doors; delaying locking of doors of the vehicle for at least the first predetermined time; resetting the delay timer to a second delay time greater than the first predetermined time by a first incremental time in response to a door being opened when the amount of time left on the delay timer is less than a predetermined fraction of the first predetermined time but is greater than zero; resetting the delay timer to a third delay time less than the first predetermined time by a second incremental time in response to a door being opened when the amount of time left on the delay timer is greater than a predetermined fraction of the first predetermined time; thereafter delaying locking of doors of the vehicle for at least the second delay time or the third delay time; and locking all doors if a door is not opened before the second delay time or the third delay time expires. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for adaptively actuating a vehicle locking system for locking the doors of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a control module comprising a delay timer and a memory, the memory configured to store door opening/closing history, including sequence of door openings, times taken for door openings and time delays associated with door openings; activating a lock request while at least one door of the vehicle is open; closing all doors of the vehicle; accessing the memory to determine whether a door opening/closing history exists; setting the delay timer to a first predetermined delay time comprising a time retrieved from the memory if a door opening/closing history exists or to a preset time if no door opening/closing history exists; starting countdown of the delay timer from the first predetermined delay time; delaying locking of doors of the vehicle for at least a time equal to the first predetermined delay time; opening a first door after the step of starting countdown; resetting the delay timer to a second delay time stored in the memory if the door opening/closing history includes a history beginning with opening the first door or to a third delay rime if there is no door opening/closing history beginning with opening the first door, the second or third delay time calculated in response to the fraction of the first predetermined delay time remaining when the first door is opened; closing the first door and modifying the door opening/closing history to reflect the reset delay time; and locking all doors if a door is not opened before the delay counter counts to zero. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An adaptive vehicle locking system comprising:
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a control module comprising; a memory configured to store a history of door opening and closing sequences including door opening durations; and an adaptive delay timer configured to count down from an adaptive delay time in response to the stored history; a plurality of sensors configured to sense door openings and closings and to send signals responsive to door openings and closings to the control module to update the history stored in the memory; a plurality of door locks coupled to the control module and lockable in response to a signal from the control module following a lock request and completion of count down by the delay timer. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification