Method for controlling a door of a vehicle

• US 8,935,052 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2011
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Hermann, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Dager, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US13/034,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20110218709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/20 Means to switch the anti-theft system on or off
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/76 responsive to devices carried by persons or objects, e.g. magnets or reflectors E05F15/77 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors
• 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 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

In a method for controlling at least one door of a vehicle, a movement of a mobile identification signal generator, assigned to the vehicle, relative to the vehicle is sensed as a function of time. A future position of the mobile identification signal generator is estimated at a future time based on the position, the speed of movement and the direction of movement of the mobile identification signal generator at the current time, and furthermore an unlocking condition is detected if the future position of the mobile identification signal generator is within a predetermined range. Finally, the at least one door is unlocked and/or opened based on the unlocking condition. As a result of the estimation of the position of an identification signal generator with respect to a next position measuring point, the reaction time and the susceptibility to faults of an access arrangement can be improved.

Claims

1. A method for controlling at least one door of a vehicle, having the following steps:

sensing a position of a mobile identification signal generator, assigned to the vehicle, relative to the vehicle at multiple different points in time;

comparing the sensed position of the mobile identification signal generator at two or more different points in time to calculate (a) a current direction of movement and (b) a current speed of movement of the mobile identification signal generator at a current time,

calculating a future position of the mobile identification signal generator at a predetermined future time relative to the current time based at least on the calculated speed of movement and the calculated direction of movement of the mobile identification signal generator at the current time;

comparing the calculated future position of the mobile identification signal generator with a predetermined range relative to the vehicle,

determining a door status activation condition if the future position of the mobile identification signal generator is within the predetermined range; and

automatically changing at least one of a door locked status and a door open status of the at least one door in response to the determined door status activation condition.

2. The method according to claim 1, in which authentication of the mobile identification signal generator is carried out at the vehicle in order to check the association of the mobile identification signal generator with the vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1, in which the position of the mobile identification signal generator is measured at predetermined time intervals.

4. The method according to claim 1, in which the speed of movement of the mobile identification signal generator at the current time is determined on the basis of the change in the position of the mobile identification signal generator at a preceding time with respect to the position of the mobile identification signal generator at the current time in the time interval from the preceding time to the current time, and the current direction of movement is determined as a direction from the position of the mobile identification signal generator at a preceding time with respect to the position of the mobile identification signal generator at the current time.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

determining the door status activation condition comprises determining an unlocking condition; and

automatically changing at least one of a door locked status and a door open status of the at least one door in response to the determined door status activation condition comprises at least one of unlocking and opening the at least one door in response to determining the unlocking condition.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

determining the door status activation condition comprises determining a locking condition; and

automatically changing at least one of a door locked status and a door open status of the at least one door in response to the determined door status activation condition comprises at least one of locking and closing the at least one door in response to determining the locking condition.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein an unlocking veto condition is detected if the direction of movement of the mobile identification signal generator at the current time is not in the direction of the vehicle, with the result that when the unlocking veto condition applies, the at least one door is not at least one of unlocked and opened.

8. The method according to claim 7, in which the unlocking veto condition is rescinded if the identification signal generator is located within the predetermined range and its speed of movement is lower than a predetermined speed threshold value.

9. A method for unlocking a vehicle having the following steps:

sensing a position of a mobile identification signal generator relative to the vehicle at multiple different points in time;

comparing the sensed position of the mobile identification signal generator at two or more different points in time to calculate a speed of movement of the mobile identification signal generator relative to the vehicle; and

unlocking at least one door of the vehicle if the identification signal generator is located within a predetermined range and the calculated speed of movement of the mobile identification signal generator relative to the vehicle within the predetermined range is lower than a predetermined speed threshold value.

10. An access arrangement for a vehicle comprising:

a vehicle-side movement sensing device for sensing a position of a mobile identification signal generator, assigned to the vehicle, relative to the vehicle at multiple different points in time; and

an evaluation device configured;

to compare the sensed position of the mobile identification signal generator at two or more different points in time to calculate (a) a current direction of movement and (b) a current speed of movement of the mobile identification signal generator at a current time,

to calculate a future position of the mobile identification signal generator at a predetermined future time relative to the current time based at least on the calculated speed of movement and the calculated direction of movement of the mobile identification signal generator at the current time,

to compare the calculated future position of the mobile identification signal generator with a predetermined range relative to the vehicle,

to determine a door status activation condition if the future position of the mobile identification signal generator is within the predetermined range; and

to output a signal to change at least one of a door locked status and a door open status of the at least one door in response to the determined door status activation condition.

11. The access arrangement according to claim 10, in which the movement sensing device comprises a vehicle-side transceiver device which, in order to sense the movement of the mobile identification signal generator, is configured:

to emit a multiplicity of interrogation signals with a predetermined intensity at predetermined time intervals, and

to receive a response signal, assigned to an interrogation signal, from the mobile identification signal generator, which respond signal contains information relating to the intensity of the interrogation signal which is measured at the location of the mobile identification signal generator.

12. The access arrangement according to claim 10, which also has a vehicle-side transceiver device for carrying out authentication with a mobile identification signal generator.

13. The access arrangement according to claim 10, wherein:

determining the door status activation condition comprises determining an unlocking condition; and

outputting a signal to change at least one of a door locked status and a door open status of the at least one door in response to the determined door status activation condition comprises outputting at least one of a signal to unlock the at least one door and a signal to open the at least one door in response to determining the unlocking condition.

14. The access arrangement according to claim 10, wherein:

determining the door status activation condition comprises determining a locking condition; and

outputting a signal to change at least one of a door locked status and a door open status of the at least one door in response to the determined door status activation condition comprises outputting at least one of a signal to lock the at least one door and a signal to close the at least one door in response to determining the locking condition.

15. The access arrangement according to claim 13, in which the evaluation device is also configured to detect an unlocking veto condition if the direction of movement at the current time is not in the direction of the vehicle, and not to output a signal if the unlocking veto condition applies.