Control device and method

• US 8,405,515 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2008
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Automotive Electronics Company Limited (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Ishihara, Naoyuki, Nishiguchi, Tadao, Mafune, Shoji, Tomita, Yosuke, Hirobe, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ganesh, Vishak
• Application Number:
  US12/670,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20100214112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 340/686.1, 340/5.61, 340/5.62, 340/5.63, 340/5.64, 340/5.72, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/10.1, 307/10.2, 307/10.4, 49/14
• US Class Current: 340/686.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/246 characterised by the challenge triggering
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/77 comprising sensors detecting the presence of the hand of a user
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/78 as part of a hands-free locking or unlocking operation
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00373 whereby the wake-up circuit is situated in the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5973 Remote control

Abstract

A control device has a first sensor set with a first detection region, a second sensor set with a second detection region, and a control unit for controlling a predetermined operation based on a detection result by the first sensor and a detection result by the second sensor.

Claims

1. A control device comprising:

an electric wave sensor set with a first detection region;

an electrostatic capacity sensor set with a second detection region; and

a control unit for controlling locking and unlocking of a door of a vehicle based on a detection result by the electric wave sensor and a detection result by the electrostatic capacity sensor, wherein the electric wave sensor is variably set with the detection region, wherein a first distance with respect to the door of the vehicle is set as the first detection region in the electric wave sensor, wherein a second distance shorter than the first distance is set as the second detection region in the electrostatic capacity sensor, wherein when a state of the door of the vehicle is a locked state, the control unit performs a control to unlock the door when the object is detected by the electric wave sensor, and wherein when the state of the door of the vehicle is an unlocked state;

if the object is detected by both the electrostatic capacity sensor and the electric wave sensor, the control unit performs a control to lock the door, and if the object is detected by the electrostatic capacity sensor but is not detected by the electric wave sensor, the control unit decides not to perform the control to lock the door.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein when the object is detected by the electric wave sensor, the control unit further performs an authentication process of a portable electronic key.

3. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit further performs a control to prohibit the locking of the door of the vehicle for a predetermined period when the object is detected by the electric wave sensor.

4. The control device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit performs a control to stop the detecting operation by the electrostatic capacity sensor for a predetermined period as the control to prohibit the locking of the door for a predetermined period.

5. The control device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit performs a control to prohibit the locking of the door of the vehicle for a predetermined period based on the detection result by the electrostatic capacity sensor as the control to prohibit the locking of the door for a predetermined period.

6. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit further performs a control to prohibit the unlocking of the door of the vehicle for a predetermined period when the object is detected by the electrostatic capacity sensor.

7. The control device according to claim 6, wherein the control unit performs a control to stop the detecting operation by the electric wave sensor for a predetermined period as the control to prohibit the unlocking of the door for a predetermined period.

8. The control device according to claim 6, wherein the control unit performs a control to prohibit the unlocking of the door of the vehicle for a predetermined period based on the detection result by the electric wave sensor as the control to prohibit the unlocking of the door for a predetermined period.

9. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs a control to supply power only to the electric wave sensor when the state of the door of the vehicle is the locked state, and performs a control to supply power only to the electrostatic capacity sensor when the state of the door of the vehicle is the unlocked state.

10. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the electrostatic capacity sensor changes a detection sensitivity of the electrostatic capacity sensor according to a presence of detection of the object by the other type sensor.

11. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the electrostatic capacity sensor enhances a detection sensitivity of the electrostatic capacity sensor based on the detection of the object by the other type sensor.

12. A control method of a control device including an electric wave sensor set with a first detection region and an electrostatic capacity sensor set with a second detection region, comprising:

controlling locking and unlocking of a door of a vehicle based on a detection result by the electric wave sensor and a detection result by the electrostatic capacity sensor;

variably setting the electric wave sensor with the detection region;

setting a first distance with respect to the door of the vehicle as the first detection region in the electric wave sensor; and

setting a second distance shorter than the first distance as the second detection region in the electrostatic capacity sensor;

wherein when a state of the door of the vehicle is a locked state, the control unit performs a control to unlock the door when the object is detected by the electric wave sensor, and wherein when the state of the door of the vehicle is an unlocked state;

if the object is detected by both the electrostatic capacity sensor and the electric wave sensor, the control unit performs a control to lock the door, and if the object is detected by the electrostatic capacity sensor but is not detected by the electric wave sensor, the control unit decides not to perform the control to lock the door.

13. The control method according to claim 12, wherein a first operation is controlled based on the detection result of the electric wave sensor set with the first detection region, and a second operation is controlled based on the detection result of the electrostatic capacity sensor set with the second detection region in the control of the predetermined operation.

14. A control device comprising:

a first sensor set with a first detection region;

a second sensor set with a second detection region; and

a control unit for controlling a predetermined operation based on a detection result by the first sensor and a detection result by the second sensor, wherein the control device is a device for controlling locking and unlocking of a door of a vehicle;

wherein when a state of the door of the vehicle is a locked state, the first sensor detects an object when the object enters a first detection distance, and the control unit performs a control to unlock the door when the object is detected by the first sensor;

wherein when the state of the door of the vehicle is an unlocked state, the second sensor detects an object when the object enters a second detection distance, and the control unit performs a control to lock the door when the object is detected by the second sensor; and

wherein the control unit performs a control to supply power only to the first sensor when the state of the door of the vehicle is the locked state, and performs a control to supply power only to the second sensor when the state of the door of the vehicle is the unlocked state.