Systems and methods to indicate clearance for vehicle door

• US 9,266,472 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2014
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Freitas, Renato De Almeida, Miguel, Flavio R. H., Schmidt, Gerald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US14/185,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20150232027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/436, 340/438, 340/686.1, 340/686.2, 340/903, 340/904, 340/932.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes

Abstract

In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, a vehicle warning system is provided. The system includes a vehicle having a door movable between a closed position and a fully open position, and an outer zone associated with the door. The outer zone defines an area providing a sufficient clearance to move the door to the fully open position. The system further includes an active safety system that monitors the outer zone and generates a warning signal if an object is located within the outer zone such that the door does not have sufficient clearance to move to the fully open position.

Claims

1. A vehicle warning system comprising:

a vehicle having a trunk access door movable between a closed position and a fully open position; and

a park assist system that monitors an area within a full park assist range zone, the full park assist range zone including a tailgate access zone that defines a space providing a sufficient clearance to move the trunk access door to the fully open position, wherein the park assist system generates a first warning signal when an object is detected within the full park assist range zone but outside the tailgate access zone, and a second warning signal when the object is detected within the tailgate access zone, and wherein the second warning signal is different from the first warning signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the full park assist range zone further includes a full warning zone separate from the tailgate access zone, wherein the park assist system generates a third warning signal when the object is detected within the full warning zone, and wherein the third signal is different from the first and second warning signals.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first warning signal is a first audio signal, the second warning signal is a second audio signal, and the third warning signal is a third audio signal, wherein the first, second, and third audio signals are different from each other.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first, second, and third audio signals are different from each other in at least one of tone, frequency, and period.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the first warning signal is a first visual signal displayed on a display of the vehicle, the second warning signal is a second visual signal displayed on the display of the vehicle, the third warning signal is a third visual signal displayed on the display of the vehicle, and wherein the first, second, and third visual signals are different from each other.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a camera configured to display a camera view of the area behind the vehicle on the vehicle display, wherein the full warning zone, the tailgate access zone, and the full park assist range zone are displayed on the camera view on the vehicle display.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the full warning zone is displayed in red, the tailgate access zone is displayed in yellow, and the full park assist range zone is displayed in green.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first warning signal is a first audio signal and the second warning signal is a second audio signal, and wherein the second audio signal is different from the first audio signal.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first warning signal is a first visual signal displayed on a display of the vehicle and the second warning signal is a second visual signal displayed on the display of the vehicle, and wherein the first visual signal is different from the second visual signal.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the vehicle display is at least one of an instrument panel cluster, a dashboard display monitor, and a rear-view mirror.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the park assist system comprises a rear collision warning system.

12. A method of operating a vehicle warning system for a vehicle having a trunk movable between a closed position and a fully open position, and a tailgate zone associated with the trunk, where the tailgate zone includes a tailgate access zone defining an area providing sufficient clearance to move the trunk to the fully open position, the method comprising:

monitoring the tailgate zone with an active safety system; and

generating a first alarm signal when an object is sensed within the tailgate zone and a second alarm signal, distinct from the first alarm signal, when the object is detected within the tailgate access zone.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising at least one of:

outputting the warning signal as an audio signal from at least one speaker of the vehicle; and

outputting the warning signal as a visual signal on a display of the vehicle.