Vehicle power door control with passive entry

• US 8,022,808 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2007
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Wakamatsu, Toshihiro, McBride, Justin, Keeling, Thomas, Kurpinski, Christopher, Wiegand, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Terrell; Emily C
• Application Number:
  US11/906,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20090085720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,450 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.61, 340/5.72, 340/5.6, 340/425, 340/438, 340/825
• US Class Current: 340/5.61
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/246 characterised by the challenge triggering

Abstract

A vehicle equipped with a passive key entry system may employ a method of controlling a vehicle power sliding door(s) or other door(s), to accomplish locking, unlocking, opening and closing of such doors. A switch on a door handle may be activated by a physical touch or touches of a user, after which, the method may proceed with inquiring and confirming if all vehicle doors are closed; inquiring and confirming if all vehicle doors are locked; inquiring and confirming if a valid passive entry key is exterior to and within range of the vehicle; unlocking a power sliding door with a lock motor; and opening the power sliding door with a door motor. Before actually performing a door opening, closing or locking, a passive entry key system on the vehicle may verify the presence of a passive entry key fob.

Claims

1. A method of controlling power sliding doors of a vehicle equipped with a passive key entry system, the method comprising:

activating a switch on a door handle by physical touch of a user, the door handle switch being attached to the exterior of one of the doors of the vehicle;

inquiring whether all vehicle doors are closed after activating the switch on the door handle;

confirming that all the vehicle doors are closed immediately after inquiring whether all the vehicle doors are closed;

inquiring whether all the vehicle doors are locked after activating the switch on the door handle;

confirming that all the vehicle doors are locked immediately after inquiring whether all the vehicle doors are locked;

inquiring if a valid passive entry key is exterior to and within range of the vehicle after confirming that all the vehicle doors are closed and after confirming that all the vehicle doors are locked;

confirming that the valid passive entry key is exterior to and within the range of the vehicle immediately after inquiring if the valid passive entry key is exterior to and within the range of the vehicle;

unlocking a power sliding door with a lock motor immediately after confirming that the valid passive entry key is exterior to and within the range of the vehicle; and

opening the power sliding door with a door motor immediately after unlocking the power sliding door.

2. The method of controlling power sliding doors according to claim 1, the method further comprising the following steps in the order named:

confirming that not all the vehicle doors are closed;

inquiring if a power sliding door is open;

confirming that the power sliding door is open;

inquiring whether the power sliding door is undergoing a closing process;

confirming that the power sliding door is in a closing process; and

opening the power sliding door that is in a closing process.

3. The method of controlling power sliding doors according to claim 1, the method further comprising the following steps in the order named:

confirming that not all the vehicle doors are closed;

inquiring whether a power sliding door is open;

confirming that the power sliding door is open;

inquiring whether the power sliding door is in a closing process;

confirming that the power sliding door is not in a closing process; and

closing the power sliding door.

4. The method of controlling power sliding doors of a vehicle according to claim 1, the method further comprising the following steps in the order named:

confirming that all the vehicle doors are closed;

inquiring whether all the vehicle doors are locked;

confirming that not all the vehicle doors are locked;

confirming that a valid passive entry key is exterior to and within range of the vehicle; and

locking all the vehicle doors.

5. A method of controlling a power sliding door of a vehicle equipped with a passive key entry system, the method comprising:

inquiring whether an exterior door handle switch has been activated a first time by a first human touch, the exterior door handle switch being attached to the door of the vehicle;

confirming that the exterior door handle switch has been activated the first time by the first human touch immediately after inquiring whether an exterior door handle switch has been activated the first time;

inquiring whether the exterior door handle switch has been activated a second time by a second human touch immediately after confirming that the exterior door handle has been activated the first time;

confirming that the exterior door handle switch has not been activated the second time by the second human touch immediately after inquiring whether the exterior door handle switch has been activated the second time;

inquiring whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed since confirming that the exterior door handle switch has not been activated the second time;

confirming that the predetermined period of time has elapsed;

inquiring whether a valid passive entry key is within range and exterior to the vehicle immediately after confirming that the predetermined time has elapsed;

identifying the valid passive entry key immediately after inquiring whether a valid passive entry key is within the range and exterior to the vehicle; and

locking all vehicle doors immediately after identifying the valid passive entry key.

6. The method of controlling a power sliding door according to claim 5, the method further comprising:

confirming that the valid passive entry key is not within range and exterior to the vehicle after inquiring whether a valid passive entry key is within the range and exterior to the vehicle.

7. The method of controlling a power sliding door according to claim 5, the method further comprising:

unlocking all the vehicle doors after identifying the valid passive entry key.

8. The method of controlling a power sliding door according to claim 5, the method further comprising:

confirming that the exterior door handle switch has been activated the second time by the second human touch;

inquiring whether all the vehicle doors are closed;

confirming that all the vehicle doors are closed;

inquiring whether all the vehicle doors are locked;

confirming that not all the vehicle doors are locked; and

opening a power sliding door.

9. The method of controlling a power sliding door according to claim 5, the method further comprising:

confirming that the exterior door handle switch has been activated the second time by the second human touch;

inquiring whether all the vehicle doors are closed;

confirming that all the vehicle doors are closed;

inquiring whether all the vehicle doors are locked;

confirming that all the vehicle doors are locked;

inquiring whether the valid passive entry key is within range and exterior to the vehicle;

confirming that the valid passive entry key is within the range and exterior to the vehicle;

unlocking a power sliding door with a lock motor; and

opening the power sliding door with an opening power sliding door motor.

10. The method of controlling a power sliding door according to claim 5, the method further comprising:

confirming that the exterior door handle switch has been activated the second time by the second human touch;

inquiring whether all the vehicle doors are closed;

confirming that not all the vehicle doors have been closed;

inquiring whether a power sliding door is open;

confirming that the power sliding door is open;

inquiring whether the power sliding door is closing;

confirming that the power sliding door is not closing; and

closing the power sliding door that is open.

11. The method of controlling a power sliding door according to claim 5, the method further comprising:

confirming that the exterior door handle switch has been activated the second time by the second human touch;

inquiring whether all the vehicle doors are closed;

confirming that not all the vehicle doors have been closed;

inquiring whether a power sliding door is open;

confirming that the power sliding door is open;

inquiring whether the power sliding door is closing;

confirming that the power sliding door is closing; and

opening the power sliding door that is closing.

12. A method of controlling a power sliding door of a vehicle equipped with a passive key entry system, the method comprising the following steps in the order named:

establishing a short predetermined time period for which an exterior door handle switch may be activated by a touch, the exterior door handle switch being attached to the door of the vehicle;

establishing a long predetermined time period for which the exterior door handle switch may be activated by the touch;

inquiring whether the exterior door handle switch has been activated during the short predetermined time period by the touch;

confirming that the exterior door handle switch has been activated for the short predetermined time period by the touch;

inquiring whether a valid passive entry key is within range and exterior to the vehicle immediately after confirming that the exterior door handle switch has been activated;

identifying the valid passive entry key immediately after inquiring whether the valid passive entry key is within the range and exterior to the vehicle; and

locking all vehicle doors immediately after identifying the passive entry key.

13. A method of controlling a power sliding door according to claim 12, the method further comprising:

confirming that the valid passive entry key is not within the range and exterior to the vehicle immediately after inquiring whether the valid passive entry key is within the range and exterior to the vehicle; and

sounding an alert from the vehicle immediately after confirming that the valid passive entry key is not within the range and exterior to the vehicle.

14. The method of controlling a power sliding door according to claim 12, the method further comprising:

unlocking all vehicle doors after identifying the valid passive entry key.

15. The method of controlling a power sliding door according to claim 12, the method further comprising the following steps in the order named:

inquiring whether the exterior door handle switch has been activated for the long predetermined time period by the touch;

confirming that the exterior door handle switch has been activated for the long predetermined time;

inquiring whether all the vehicle doors are closed;

confirming that all the vehicle doors are closed;

inquiring whether all the vehicle doors are locked;

confirming that not all the vehicle doors are locked; and

opening a power sliding door.

16. The method of controlling a power sliding door according to claim 12, the method further comprising the following steps in the order named:

inquiring whether the exterior door handle switch has been activated for the long predetermined time period by the touch;

confirming that the exterior door handle switch has been activated for the long predetermined time;

inquiring whether all the vehicle doors are closed;

confirming that all the vehicle doors are closed;

inquiring whether all the vehicle doors are locked;

confirming that all the vehicle doors are locked;

inquiring whether the valid passive entry key is within the range and exterior to the vehicle;

confirming that the valid passive entry key is within the range and exterior to the vehicle;

unlocking a power sliding door with a lock motor; and

opening the power sliding door with an opening power sliding door motor.

17. The method of controlling a power sliding door according to claim 12, the method further comprising the following steps in the order named:

inquiring whether an exterior door handle switch has been activated for the long predetermined time period by the touch;

confirming that the exterior door handle switch has been activated for the long predetermined time;

inquiring whether all the vehicle doors are closed;

confirming that not all the vehicle doors are closed;

inquiring whether a power sliding door is open;

confirming that the power sliding door is open;

inquiring whether the power sliding door is closing;

confirming that the power sliding door is closing; and

opening the power sliding door that is closing by reversing a direction of the power sliding door with a power sliding door motor.

18. A method of controlling a power sliding door of a vehicle equipped with a passive key entry system, the method comprising the following steps in the order named:

inquiring whether an exterior door handle switch has been activated a first time by a first human touch, the exterior door handle switch being attached to a door of the vehicle;

confirming that the exterior door handle switch has been activated the first time by the first human touch;

inquiring whether the exterior door handle switch has been activated a second time by a second human touch immediately after confirming that the exterior door handle switch has been activated the first time;

confirming that the exterior door handle switch has been activated the second time by the second human touch;

inquiring whether all vehicle doors are closed immediately after confirming that the exterior door handle switch has been activated the second time;

confirming that all the vehicle doors are closed;

inquiring whether all the vehicle doors are locked;

confirming that all the vehicle doors are locked;

inquiring whether the valid passive entry key is within the range and exterior to the vehicle immediately after confirming that all the vehicle doors are locked;

confirming that the valid passive entry key is within the range and exterior to the vehicle;

unlocking a power sliding door with a lock motor; and

opening the power sliding door with an opening power sliding door motor.

19. A method of controlling a power sliding door of a vehicle equipped with a passive key entry system, the method comprising the following steps in the order named:

establishing a short predetermined time period for which an exterior door handle switch may be activated by a touch the exterior door handle switch being attached to a door of the vehicle;

establishing a long predetermined time period for which the exterior door handle switch may be activated by the touch;

inquiring whether the exterior door handle switch has been activated for the long predetermined time period by the touch;

confirming that the exterior door handle switch has been activated for the long predetermined time;

inquiring whether all vehicle doors are closed;

confirming that all the vehicle doors are closed;

inquiring whether all the vehicle doors are locked;

confirming that all the vehicle doors are locked;

inquiring whether a valid passive entry key is within range and exterior to the vehicle immediately after confirming that all the vehicle doors are locked;

confirming that the valid passive entry key is within the range and exterior to the vehicle;

unlocking a power sliding door with a lock motor immediately after confirming the valid passive entry key is within the range and exterior to the vehicle; and

opening the power sliding door with an opening power sliding door motor after unlocking the power sliding door.