Systems and methods for preventing motor vehicle side doors from coming into contact with obstacles

• US 8,442,755 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Kollar, Craig A., Wilson, Thomas A., Jones, Nigel G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cuong H
• Application Number:
  US12/239,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20100082206A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,688 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/41, 701 48- 49, 701/53, 701/46, 701/301, 318/264, 49/26, 494/67, 296/146.4, 296/146.1, 296/187.03, 296/155, 348/143, 348/148, 348/153, 250/216, 280/735, 362/487, 362/494, 345/156, 340/13.24, 340/5.72, 340435-436
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/43 responsive to disruption of energy beams, e.g. light or sound
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/433 using reflection from the obstruction
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/434 with cameras or optical sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/483 for detection during opening
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/04 Systems determining presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S15/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/04 Systems determining the presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/08 for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles

Abstract

Systems and methods for preventing a motor vehicle side door from coming into contact with an obstacle are provided. One system includes an outside rear view mirror, a camera coupled to the outside rear view mirror, and a controller coupled to the camera. The camera is configured to detect the obstacle and determine the distance between the side door and the obstacle, and the controller is configured to disable the side door if the obstacle is within a threshold distance of the side door. Another system replaces the camera with an ultrasonic sensor to detect the obstacle and determine the distance between the side door and the obstacle. A method includes determining the distance between a plurality of motor vehicle side doors and the obstacle, and automatically disabling each motor vehicle side door that is within a threshold distance of the obstacle.

Claims

1. A system for a motor vehicle including a motor vehicle side door and an outside rear view mirror, the system comprising:

a door motor coupled to the motor vehicle side door and configured to selectively prevent movement of the motor vehicle side door toward a fully open position;

a camera coupled to the outside rear view mirror and positioned to monitor an area external to the vehicle and adjacent the motor vehicle side door, the camera configured to determine a first distance between the motor vehicle side door and an obstacle detected within the monitored area;

a motor controller operatively coupled to the door motor and configured to selectively disable the motor vehicle side door by commanding the door motor to prevent movement of the motor vehicle side door toward the fully open position; and

a processor operatively coupled to the camera and to the motor controller, the processor configured to transmit a signal to the motor controller to disable the motor vehicle side door if the first distance is within a first threshold distance of the motor vehicle side door.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera is a 3D time-of-flight (TOF) imager.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera is coupled to a bottom portion of the outside rear view mirror.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera is coupled behind a glass portion of the outside rear view mirror.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a signal to the motor controller to disable the motor vehicle side door if the obstacle is detected within an opening/closing path of the motor vehicle side door.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle side door is a front-side door and the motor vehicle further includes a rear-side door adjacent to the front-side door, wherein:

the camera is further configured to determine a second distance between the rear-side door and the obstacle; and

the processor is configured to transmit a signal to the motor controller to disable the rear-side door if the second distance is within a second threshold distance of the rear-side door.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle side door is a front-side door and the motor vehicle further includes a rear-side door adjacent to the front-side door, the system further comprising:

a near-field sensor mounted to the motor vehicle adjacent the rear-side door, the near-field sensor operatively coupled to the processor and

configured to detect conductive obstacles within the opening path of the rear-side door;

wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a signal to the motor controller to disable the rear-side door if a conductive obstacle is detected within the opening path of the rear-side door.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the near-field sensor is configured to operate when the front-side door is open.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle side door is a front-side door and the motor vehicle further includes a rear-side door adjacent to the front-side door, the system further comprising:

an ultrasonic sensor mounted to the motor vehicle adjacent the rear-side door, the ultrasonic sensor operatively coupled to the processor and

configured to detect obstacles within the opening path of the rear-side door;

wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a signal to the motor controller to disable the rear-side door if an obstacle is detected within the opening path of the rear-side door.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the ultrasonic sensor is configured to operate when the front-side door is open.

11. A system for a motor vehicle including a motor vehicle side door and an outside rear view mirror, the system comprising:

a door motor coupled to the motor vehicle side door and configured to selectively prevent movement of the motor vehicle side door toward a fully open position;

a first ultrasonic sensor coupled to the outside rear view mirror and positioned to monitor an area external to the vehicle and adjacent the motor vehicle side door, the first ultrasonic sensor configured to determine a first distance between the motor vehicle side door and an obstacle detected within the monitored area;

a motor controller operatively coupled to the door motor and configured to disable the motor vehicle side door by commanding the door motor to prevent movement of the motor vehicle side door toward the fully open position; and

a processor operatively coupled to the ultrasonic sensor and to the motor controller, the processor configured to transmit a signal to the motor controller to disable the motor vehicle side door if the first distance is within a first threshold distance of the motor vehicle side door.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first ultrasonic sensor is coupled to a bottom portion of the outside rear view mirror.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a signal to the motor controller to disable the motor vehicle side door if the obstacle is within an opening/closing path of the motor vehicle side door.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the motor vehicle side door is a front-side door and the motor vehicle further includes a rear-side door adjacent to the front-side door, the system further comprising:

a near-field sensor mounted to the motor vehicle adjacent the rear-side door, the near-field sensor operatively coupled to the processor and

configured to detect conductive obstacles with the opening path of the rear-side door, and the processor is further configured to transmit a signal to the motor controller to disable the rear-side door if a conductive obstacle is detected within the opening path of the rear-side door.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the near-field sensor is configured to operate when a front-side door is open.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the motor vehicle side door is a front-side door and the motor vehicle further includes a rear-side door adjacent to the front-side door, the system further comprising:

a second ultrasonic sensor coupled to the rear-side door and in communication with the processor, wherein;

the second ultrasonic sensor is configured to detect the obstacle within a second threshold distance of the rear-side door when the front-side door is open, and the processor is further configured to transmit a signal to the motor controller to disable the rear-side door if the obstacle is detected.

17. A method carried-out by a vehicular system onboard a vehicle including a plurality of motor vehicle side doors and a door motor coupled to the plurality of motor vehicle side doors and configured to selectively prevent movement of each of motor vehicle side doors toward a fully open position, the vehicular system including a motor controller operatively coupled to the door motor, a processor operatively coupled to the motor controller, and at least one obstacle detection device operatively coupled to the processor, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring via the obstacle detection device an area external to the vehicle and adjacent the plurality of vehicle side doors to detect obstacles in the opening paths of the vehicle side doors;

determining in the obstacle detection device the distance between at least one of the plurality of motor vehicle side doors and an obstacle detected within the monitored area; and

supplying a signal generated by the processor to the motor controller to command the door motor to automatically disable each motor vehicle side door that is within a threshold distance of the obstacle.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one obstacle detection device comprises a camera, and wherein the step of determining comprises determining in the camera the distance between the plurality of motor vehicle side doors and the obstacle based at least partially upon 3-dimensional imaging data.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one obstacle detection device further comprises a capacitive sensor, and wherein the step of determining comprises utilizing the capacitive sensor to detect if the obstacle is within the threshold distance of a rear-side door when a front-side door is open.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one obstacle detection device comprises a sensor selected of the group consisting of a sound wave sensor and a radio wave sensor, and wherein the step of determining comprises utilizing the sensor to determine if the obstacle is within the threshold distance.