Vehicle door opening/closing apparatus and method for controlling a vehicle door to open/close

• US 8,149,083 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2006
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Shintaro, Honma, Chiaki, Yamaguchi, Junji, Nishikibe, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, VERNAL U
• Application Number:
  US11/598,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20070115096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,967 Days
• Field of Search: 340/3.1, 340/10.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.72, 340/5.6
• US Class Current: 340/3.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2036 by using the door logic and door and engine unlock means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00261 the keyless data carrier having more than one function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/65 using means for sensing the user's hand
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A vehicle door opening/closing apparatus includes a mobile apparatus carried by a user, a recognizing apparatus for recognizing the mobile apparatus within a predetermined area relative to a vehicle, a commanding apparatus provided at the mobile apparatus for commanding an opening/closing operation of a door on the basis of an intention of the user and a controlling apparatus for controlling the door on the basis of a recognition of the recognizing apparatus and the opening/closing operation command of the commanding apparatus. The controlling apparatus opens the door when the recognizing apparatus recognizes the mobile apparatus within the predetermined area and in a situation where the commanding apparatus has commanded to open the door. The controlling apparatus closes the door when the recognizing apparatus recognizes that the mobile apparatus is out of the predetermined area and in a situation where the commanding apparatus has commanded to close the door.

Claims

1. A vehicle door opening/closing apparatus, comprising:

a mobile apparatus carried by a vehicle user and adapted to be operated by the vehicle user to effect opening/closing operation of the vehicle door;

recognizing means for recognizing a presence of the mobile apparatus within a predetermined area relative to a vehicle;

commanding means provided at the mobile apparatus for commanding an opening/closing operation of a vehicle door on the basis of the operation of the mobile apparatus by the vehicle user;

a motor connected to the vehicle door to move the vehicle door from a closed position to an open position and from the open position to the closed position; and

controlling means for controlling the motor to open/close the vehicle door on the basis of a recognition of the recognizing means and the open/close operation command of the commanding means, the controlling means initiating operation of the motor to begin closing the vehicle door at the time when, following the vehicle user'"'"'s operation of the mobile apparatus while the mobile apparatus is located in the predetermined area, the recognizing means recognizes that the mobile apparatus is no longer located inside the predetermined area.

2. The vehicle door opening/closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mobile apparatus cancels the opening/closing operation command after the vehicle door has been opened/closed on the basis of the opening/closing operation command to the vehicle door from the commanding means.

3. The vehicle door opening/closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controlling means further controls a locking/unlocking operation of a vehicle door locking device whereby the controlling means unlocks the vehicle door locking device and operates the motor to open the vehicle door, or locks the vehicle door locking device and operates the motor to close the vehicle door on the basis of recognized results of the recognizing means.

4. The vehicle door opening/closing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controlling means further controls a locking/unlocking operation of a vehicle door locking device whereby the controlling means unlocks the vehicle door locking device and operates the motor to open the vehicle door, or locks the vehicle door locking device and operates the motor to close the vehicle door on the basis of recognized results of the recognizing means.

5. The vehicle door opening/closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the commanding means is provided in a remote control portion of the mobile apparatus for remotely controlling the vehicle door to unlock/lock or open/close the vehicle door.

6. The vehicle door opening/closing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the commanding means is provided in a remote control portion of the mobile apparatus for remotely controlling the vehicle door to unlock/lock or open/close the vehicle door.

7. The vehicle door opening/closing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the commanding means is provided in a remote control portion of the mobile apparatus for remotely controlling the vehicle door to unlock/lock or open/close the vehicle door.

8. The vehicle door opening/closing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the commanding means is provided in a remote control portion of the mobile apparatus for remotely controlling the vehicle door to unlock/lock or open/close the vehicle door.

9. A method for controlling an open vehicle door to close in cooperation with a mobile apparatus carried by a vehicle user, comprising:

commanding a closing operation of the open vehicle door while the mobile apparatus is within a predetermined area;

recognizing that the mobile apparatus is no longer in the predetermined area; and

initiating closing of the open vehicle door based on the closing operation command only after recognizing that the mobile apparatus is no longer in the predetermined area.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the commanding of the closing operation of the open vehicle door comprises the vehicle user pushing a button on the mobile apparatus.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the initiating closing of the open vehicle door includes operating a motor to move the vehicle door from an open position toward a closed position.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising locking the vehicle door.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the recognizing that the mobile apparatus is no longer in the predetermined area comprises recognizing communication between the mobile apparatus and the recognizing means, and subsequently recognizing that the communication between the mobile apparatus and the recognizing means is disrupted.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the commanding of the closing operation of the open vehicle door comprises the vehicle user operating the mobile apparatus.