Vehicle door control system and method

• US 8,253,534 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2009
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Nakazawa, Atsushi, Takasaki, Kazuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAMERT, JOHN J
• Application Number:
  US12/397,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20090224879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.13, 340/426.28, 340/426.36, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/5.72, 340/426.14, 340/426.16, 340/426.17, 340/430, 340/5.61, 340/5.62, 340/5.63
• US Class Current: 340/5.72
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00507 keyless data carrier having more than one function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

In a vehicle door control system, a portable unit stores registration of an instruction of automatic door-opening to a vehicle unit, when predetermined registration processing is made on the portable unit. In response to a request signal from the vehicle unit, the portable unit transmits a response signal including an ID code and the instruction of the registered automatic door-opening operation. The vehicle unit unlocks a vehicle door without any manual door-unlocking operation by a user and automatically opens the vehicle door, when the response signal includes the instruction and the ID code matches a predetermined ID code.

Claims

1. A vehicle door control system comprising:

a portable unit configured to receive a request signal and transmit a response signal including an ID code thereof in response to the received request signal by way of bilateral communications;

a vehicle unit configured to acquire the ID code included in the response signal, compare the acquired ID code with a registered ID code, and control a vehicle door when the ID codes match;

the portable unit having a registration memory section that stores an instruction of an automatic door-opening operation when predetermined registration processing is made, and being configured to transmit an instruction signal for instructing the automatic door-opening operation to the vehicle unit by way of the bilateral communications if the instruction of an automatic door-opening operation is stored;

the vehicle unit having a lock condition control section that controls a lock/unlock condition of the vehicle door, and an automatic door-opening section that automatically performs a door-opening operation;

the vehicle unit being configured to drive the lock condition control section and the automatic door-opening section to unlock the vehicle door and automatically open the vehicle door, respectively, when the instruction signal is received from the portable unit and the ID codes match under a condition that the vehicle is kept parked with the vehicle door being locked;

the portable unit further having a switch that is manipulated to perform the predetermined registration processing; and

the portable unit being configured to invalidate registration of the instruction of an automatic door-opening operation if a predetermined time from the instruction being stored in the registration memory section elapses without the portable unit performing the bilateral communications during the predetermined time.

2. The vehicle door control system according to claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle unit has a plurality of automatic door-opening sections that automatically open a plurality of vehicle doors, respectively, and a specifying section that specifies one of the plurality of vehicle doors, which is closest to the portable unit; and

the vehicle unit is configured to drive the lock condition control section to unlock the vehicle doors and automatically open the specified one of a plurality of vehicle doors, when the instruction signal is received from the portable unit and the ID codes match.

3. The vehicle door control system according to claim 2, wherein:

the vehicle unit includes a plurality of transmitters provided at different locations to perform the bilateral communications with the portable unit; and

the specifying section is configured to specify the door, which is closest to the portable unit, based on a location of the transmitter that successfully performed the bilateral communications with the portable unit.

4. The vehicle door control system according to claim 2, wherein:

the automatic door-opening section is configured to be capable of automatically closing the door; and

the vehicle unit has a detecting section that detects entering of the portable unit into the vehicle, and is configured to automatically close the door, which has been automatically opened by the automatic door-opening section, when the detecting section detects the entering of the portable unit into the vehicle.

5. The vehicle door control system according to claim 4, wherein:

the detecting section is configured to detect the entering of the portable unit into the vehicle based on opening and closing of a vehicle door, which is for access to a passenger seat in the vehicle and other than the vehicle door automatically opened by the automatic door-opening section, is opened and closed by a holder of the portable unit.

6. The vehicle door control system according to claim 2, wherein:

the vehicle unit has a detecting section that detects entering of the portable unit into the vehicle, and a memory section that stores a vehicle door that has been automatically opened by the automatic door-opening section when the detecting section detects the entering of the portable unit into the vehicle through a vehicle door, which is for access to a passenger seat in the vehicle and other than the vehicle door automatically opened by the automatic door-opening section; and

the vehicle unit is configured to automatically open the vehicle door stored in the memory section, when the portable unit is taken out from the vehicle and the ID codes are confirmed to match each other by way of the bilateral communications with the portable unit.

7. The vehicle door control system according to claim 6, wherein:

the automatic door-opening section is configured to automatically close the vehicle door; and

the vehicle unit drives the automatic door-opening section and the lock condition control section to automatically close the vehicle door automatically opened by the automatic door-opening section and lock the vehicle door, respectively, when the bilateral communications with the portable unit is interrupted.

8. The vehicle door control system according to claim 7, wherein:

the vehicle unit is configured to automatically close, after a predetermined time from interruption of the bilateral communications with the portable unit, the vehicle door automatically opened.

9. A door control method for a vehicle having a plurality of doors, a vehicle unit for controlling the doors and a portable unit for bilateral communications with the vehicle unit, the door control method comprising:

storing, in the portable unit, an instruction of an automatic door-opening operation to be performed by the vehicle unit, when predetermined manipulation processing is made to a switch of the portable unit;

transmitting, from the portable unit, a response signal including the stored instruction in response to a request signal transmitted from the vehicle unit, when the portable unit is brought into an area of the bilateral communications;

checking, by the vehicle unit, whether the stored instruction is included in the received response signal, when the response signal is received;

opening, by the vehicle unit, a specified one of the plurality of doors automatically before the portable unit is taken into a vehicle compartment, when the stored instruction is included in the received response signal;

storing, in the vehicle unit, the specified door which is automatically opened;

checking, by the vehicle unit, whether the specified door is stored, when the portable unit is taken out of the vehicle;

opening, by the vehicle unit, the specified door automatically, when the specified door is stored; and

closing, by the vehicle unit, the opened specified door automatically again, when the portable unit is taken out of the area of the bilateral communications,

wherein the stored instruction of an automatic door-opening operation is cancelled from the portable unit, if a predetermined time from performing the predetermined manipulation processing elapses without the portable unit performing the bilateral communications during the predetermined time.

10. The door control method according to claim 9, wherein:

the closing closes the opened specified door automatically a predetermined time after the specified door has been opened again.