Vehicle hatch control system
First Claim
1. A vehicle hatch control system, said vehicle hatch control system comprising:
- a camera disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle equipped with said vehicle hatch control system, said camera having a rearward field of view that encompasses a region at the rear of the equipped vehicle that is swept by a hatch of the equipped vehicle as the hatch is opened and closed via a powered hatch opening/closing system of the equipped vehicle;
an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera to determine if an object is present in the region that is swept by the hatch to determine if the hatch may collide with the detected object when the hatch is being opened or closed;
wherein said hatch comprises one of a liftgate of the equipped vehicle, a deck lid of the equipped vehicle and a rear door of the equipped vehicle;
wherein, during opening or closing of the hatch and responsive to determination, via said image processing, of a potential collision of the opening or closing hatch with a detected object, said vehicle hatch control system is operable to position the hatch at a partially open position whereby a gap is established between the hatch and the detected object; and
wherein said vehicle hatch control system is operable to adjust the degree of opening or closing of the hatch to generally maintain the gap between the hatch and the detected object when the vehicle'"'"'s body height changes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hatch control system for a vehicle includes a camera disposed at a rear portion of the vehicle and having a rearward field of view that encompasses a region at the rear of the vehicle that is swept by a hatch or liftgate or deck lid or door of the vehicle as the hatch is opened and closed, such as via a powered hatch opening/closing system. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the camera to determine if an object is present in the region that is swept by the hatch to determine if the hatch may collide with the detected object when the hatch is being opened/closed. Responsive to determination of a potential collision of the hatch with a detected object, the vehicle hatch control system may stop movement of the hatch and/or may move the hatch to a holding position.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A vehicle hatch control system, said vehicle hatch control system comprising:
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a camera disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle equipped with said vehicle hatch control system, said camera having a rearward field of view that encompasses a region at the rear of the equipped vehicle that is swept by a hatch of the equipped vehicle as the hatch is opened and closed via a powered hatch opening/closing system of the equipped vehicle; an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera to determine if an object is present in the region that is swept by the hatch to determine if the hatch may collide with the detected object when the hatch is being opened or closed; wherein said hatch comprises one of a liftgate of the equipped vehicle, a deck lid of the equipped vehicle and a rear door of the equipped vehicle; wherein, during opening or closing of the hatch and responsive to determination, via said image processing, of a potential collision of the opening or closing hatch with a detected object, said vehicle hatch control system is operable to position the hatch at a partially open position whereby a gap is established between the hatch and the detected object; and wherein said vehicle hatch control system is operable to adjust the degree of opening or closing of the hatch to generally maintain the gap between the hatch and the detected object when the vehicle'"'"'s body height changes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A vehicle hatch control system, said vehicle hatch control system comprising:
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a camera disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle equipped with said vehicle hatch control system, said camera having a field of view that encompasses a region that is swept by a hatch of the equipped vehicle as the hatch is opened and closed via a powered hatch opening/closing system of the equipped vehicle; an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera to determine if an object is present in the region that is swept by the hatch to determine if the hatch may collide with the detected object when the hatch is being opened and/or closed; wherein said hatch comprises one of a liftgate of the equipped vehicle, a deck lid of the equipped vehicle and a rear door of the equipped vehicle; wherein, during closing of the hatch and responsive to determination, via said image processing, of a potential collision of the hatch with a detected object in the path of travel of the hatch when the hatch is closing, said vehicle hatch control system is operable to position the hatch at a partially open position; and wherein said vehicle hatch control system is operable to generally maintain the hatch at the partially open position, and wherein said vehicle hatch control system is operable to generally maintain the hatch at the partially open position when the equipped vehicle is being driven. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A vehicle hatch control system, said vehicle hatch control system comprising:
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a camera disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle equipped with said vehicle hatch control system, said camera having a field of view that encompasses a rear storage region of the equipped vehicle that is enclosed by a hatch of the equipped vehicle when the hatch is closed; wherein said hatch comprises one of a liftgate of the equipped vehicle, a deck lid of the equipped vehicle and a rear door of the equipped vehicle; an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera to determine if an object is present in the rear storage region and to determine if the detected object would contact the hatch as the hatch is moved from an opened position to a fully closed position; wherein, during closing of the hatch and responsive to the determination, via said image processing, of the detected object in the rear storage region and the potential contact of the hatch with the detected object, said vehicle hatch control system is operable to move the hatch to a partially open position where a gap is established between the hatch and the detected object; and wherein said vehicle hatch control system is operable to control the hatch to generally maintain the gap between the hatch and the detected object when the equipped vehicle is being driven. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification