Vehicle door control apparatus and vehicle door control method

• US 9,193,331 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2012
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alpha Corporation
• Inventors: Endo, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): SYED, NABIL H
• Application Number:
  US13/825,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20130169408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.61, 340/5.72, 340/426.16, 340/426.17, 340/426.22, 340/426.23, 340/426.24, 340/426.28, 340/426.29, 340/426.36
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/01 operating on vehicle systems or fittings, e.g. on doors, seats or windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2045 by hand gestures
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/73 responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/79 using time control
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/326 of the angular type
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/46 in or on the wing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/546 Tailgates
• 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 2209/64 using a proximity sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A vehicle door control apparatus is provided with an authentication unit, a detection unit and a control unit. The authentication unit authenticates an ID information outputted from a mobile device carried by a user. The detection unit detects an object around a door. The control unit performs an opening operation of the door at least when both a first condition and a second condition are satisfied. In the first condition, the authentication unit authenticates the ID information. In the second condition, the detection unit detects that the object is separated from a predetermined determination area after the object is continuously located in the determination area over a predetermined time.

Claims

1. A vehicle door control apparatus comprising:

an authentication unit configured to authenticate an ID information outputted from a mobile device carried by a user;

a detection unit configured to detect an object located in a predetermined determination area adjacent to a door of a vehicle; and

a control unit configured to perform the following operations;

(1) determining that the object has been continuously located in the determination area over a first predetermined time duration;

(2) determining that the ID information has been authenticated;

(3) determining that the object has been removed from the determination area; and

initiating an opening operation of the door when conditions at least (1)-(3) have been satisfied, wherein the control unit outputs a signal to instruct the user to remove the object from the determination area when the detection unit detects that the object has been continuously located in the determination area continuously over the first predetermined time duration.

2. The vehicle door control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination area is set in an area belonging to a rotation area of the door.

3. The vehicle door control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a driving motor that drives the door,

wherein the detection unit is fixed to the door, and

wherein the control unit stops a driving of the driving motor when the detection unit detects that the object approaches the door at a predetermined interval during the opening operation of the door.

4. The vehicle door control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the authentication unit is configured to start an authentication operation when the detection unit detects that the object has been located in the determination area over the first predetermined time duration.

5. The vehicle door control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the authentication unit further comprises a signal generating unit that outputs a signal to inform the user of an authentication validation, and

wherein the control unit does not initiate the opening operation when the detection unit detects that the object is separated from the determination area within a second predetermined time after the authentication validation signal is outputted by the authentication unit.

6. The vehicle door control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs the opening operation of the door when a further condition (4) is satisfied, in addition to conditions (1)-(3),

wherein the further condition comprises

(4) determining that an operation unit of the vehicle is in a predetermined state.

7. A vehicle door control apparatus comprising:

an authentication unit configured to authenticate an ID information outputted from a mobile device carried by a user;

a detection unit configured to detect a location of an object located adjacent to a door of a vehicle; and

a control unit configured to perform the following operations,

(1) determining that the object has been continuously located in a first determination area over a first predetermined time duration;

(2) determining that the ID information has been authenticated;

(3) determining that the object has been removed from the first determination area and is located in a second determination area that is farther away from the door than the first determination area, after the step of (1) determining has been performed; and

(4) instructing an opening of the door after the step (3) determining has been performed,

wherein the first determination area is set in an area belonging to a rotation area of the door.

8. The vehicle door control apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a driving motor that drives the door,

wherein the detection unit is fixed to the door, and

wherein the control unit stops a driving of the driving motor when the detection unit detects that the object approaches the door at a predetermined interval during the opening operation of the door.

9. The vehicle door control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control unit outputs a signal to instruct the user to remove the object from the first determination area when step (1) of determining and step (2) of determining have been performed by the control unit.

10. The vehicle door control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the authentication unit is configured to start an authentication operation when step (1) of determining has been performed by the control unit.

11. The vehicle door control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the authentication unit further comprises a signal generating unit that outputs a signal to inform the user of an authentication validation, and

wherein the control unit does not initiate the opening operation when the detection unit detects that the object is separated from the determination area within a second predetermined time after the authentication validation signal is outputted by the authentication unit.

12. The vehicle door control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control unit performs the step of (4) instructing the opening the door only after a step of (5) determining that an operation of the vehicle is in a predetermined state is performed.

13. The vehicle door control apparatus according to claim 7, the control unit further configured to perform the operation:

(6) detecting whether the object approaches the door while the door is being opened, and (7) instructing a closing of the door when the step of (6) detecting has determined that the object approaches the door.