Error avoidance in the gesture-controlled opening of a motor vehicle door and trunk

• US 9,283,905 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2014
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Company KG Hallstadt (Brose)
• Original Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Company KG Hallstadt (Brose)
• Inventors: Herthan, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Application Number:
  US14/156,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20140136024A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2045 by hand gestures
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2054 by foot gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

For error-proof, gesture-controlled opening of an actuating element in a motor vehicle, provision is made to detect a vehicle user'"'"'s gesture, which conveys an opening command, by means of a sensor, to check a control behavior for activating at least one further gesture-controlled actuating element of the motor vehicle for plausibility in accordance with at least one predetermined criterion and, upon identification of the opening command, to refuse the opening of the actuating element if, in a temporal relationship with the identification of the opening command, the control behavior for activating the further actuating element is identified as being implausible.

Claims

1. A method for gesture-controlled opening of a first actuating element in a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting via a sensor a vehicle user'"'"'s gesture communicating an open command;

testing a control behavior for operating at least one additional gesture-controlled actuating element of the motor vehicle for plausibility based on at least one predefined criterion; and

refusing, upon detection of the open command, the opening of the first actuating element if the control behavior for operating the additional actuating element is recognized as implausible in a time relationship with the recognition of the open command.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control behavior for operating the additional actuating element is recognized as implausible if the control behavior substantially simultaneously contains two contradictory control commands.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control behavior for operating the additional actuating element is recognized as implausible if the control behavior contains at least a predefined plurality of control commands within a predefined time interval.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control behavior for operating two additional gesture-controlled actuating elements of the motor vehicle is tested for plausibility, and wherein the control behavior is detected as implausible when the control behavior contains at least one control command for both of the additional actuating elements within a predefined time interval.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the control behavior for operating the four door locks of the motor vehicle is tested for plausibility, and wherein this control behavior is detected as implausible when the control behavior contains exclusively control commands for the two front door locks in a predefined first time interval, and in a subsequent predefined second time interval contains control commands for the two rear door locks.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the opening of the first actuating element is disabled for a predefined time period when the control behavior for operating the additional, or each additional, actuating element is detected as implausible.

7. An actuating device for gesture-controlled opening of a first actuating element of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a sensor for detecting a vehicle user'"'"'s gesture indicating an open command;

a positioner for opening the actuating element;

a controller configured to detect the open command based on a sensor signal transmitted by the sensor and configured to operate the positioner to open the first actuating element upon detection of the open command,

wherein the controller is provided with operating information about the control behavior of an additional actuating device used for gesture-controlled opening of an additional actuating element of the motor vehicle, and

wherein the controller is configured to refuse to open the first actuating element when the operating information reflects an implausible control behavior for operating the additional actuating device.

8. The actuating device according to claim 7, wherein the operating information directly reflects the control behavior for operating the additional, or each additional, actuating element, and wherein the controller is configured to test the control behavior for plausibility.

9. The actuating device according to claim 7, further comprising a test module separate from the controller, wherein this test module is configured to test the control behavior for plausibility and to provide the operating information to the controller, and wherein the operating information contains a determination of the plausibility of the control behavior.

10. The actuating device according to claim 9, wherein the separate test module is integrated into a controller for keyless access control to the motor vehicle.