Door handle system for vehicle

• US 9,290,970 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2014
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: De Wind, Darryl P., Sobecki, Justin E., Deuel, Eric S.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US14/456,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20140347164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/420, 362/511, 340/5.72, 375/259
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0011 with light guides for distributing the light between several lighting or signalling devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2619 built in the vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2669 on door or boot handles lighting devices for vehicle interior on door handles B60Q3/267
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/32 for indicating vehicle sides , e.g. clearance lights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/40 Welcome lights, i.e. specific or existing exterior lamps to assist leaving or approaching the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/50 Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/01 operating on vehicle systems or fittings, e.g. on doors, seats or windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/209 Remote starting of engine
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/241 whereby access privileges are related to the identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/54 Electrical circuits for locking several wings simultaneously E05B77/48
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/10 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00325 and the lock having only one limited data transmission range
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]

Abstract

A door handle system for a door of a vehicle includes a door handle assembly, a locking mechanism, a control and a near field communication device. The door handle assembly is configured to mount at a handle region of a vehicle door of the vehicle. The near field communication device is operable to receive signals from a smartphone that is within a threshold distance from the near field communication device. The control, responsive to the near field communication device, is operable to determine whether or not a smartphone that is within the threshold distance and that is communicating with the near field communication device is an authorized device. The control is operable to actuate the locking mechanism to unlock the vehicle door responsive to a determination that the smartphone within the threshold distance and communicating with the near field communication device is an authorized device.

Claims

1. A door handle system for a door of a vehicle, said door handle system comprising:

a door handle assembly configured to mount at a handle region of a vehicle door of a vehicle equipped with said door handle system;

wherein said door handle assembly comprises a handle portion disposed at the vehicle door and movable to open the vehicle door;

a locking mechanism operable to lock and unlock the vehicle door;

a control of the equipped vehicle;

a near field communication device of the equipped vehicle;

wherein a system of the equipped vehicle authenticates a near field communication-enabled smartphone as an authorized device for communicating with said near field communication device;

wherein said near field communication device is operable to receive signals from a near field communication-enabled smartphone when the near field communication-enabled smartphone is within a threshold distance from said near field communication device;

wherein, responsive to the near field communication-enabled smartphone that is communicating with said near field communication device being an authorized device, said control actuates said locking mechanism to unlock the vehicle door;

an illumination module comprising at least one illumination source;

wherein said illumination module comprises a housing and a circuit element disposed in said housing and wherein said illumination source is established at said circuit element;

wherein said illumination module comprises an optic element disposed in said housing and generally at said illumination source, and wherein said optic element comprises a condensing optic and a diffusing optic at least partially around said condensing optic;

wherein said illumination module comprises a lens element disposed at said housing and comprising a projecting portion disposed generally in line with the condensing optic and an illumination portion at least partially around said projecting portion and generally in line with said diffusing optic;

wherein, when said illumination source is activated, light emanating from said illumination source (a) passes through said diffusing optic and through said illumination portion of said lens element to provide lower intensity light at a target area, and (b) passes through said condensing optic and is intensified by said condensing optic so that light passing through said projecting portion of said lens element is projected as higher intensity light onto a portion of said target area; and

wherein said illumination module comprises an icon element disposed along the optic path between said condensing optic and said projecting portion of said lens element, and wherein an image of an icon of said icon element is projected onto said portion of said target area.

2. The door handle system of claim 1, wherein said control, responsive to a communication from the authorized device to said near field communication device, is operable to control at least one accessory of the vehicle.

3. The door handle system of claim 2, wherein control of said at least one accessory comprises at least one of (i) opening a decklid of the vehicle, (ii) activating an alarm of the vehicle, (iii) activating a light of the vehicle, (iv) starting the vehicle'"'"'s engine and (v) loading personalized presets of a user of the authorized device.

4. The door handle system of claim 1, wherein said near field communication device comprises a near field communication chip.

5. The door handle system of claim 1, wherein said near field communication device is located at an exterior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle.

6. The door handle system of claim 1, wherein said control is located at said door handle assembly.

7. The door handle system of claim 6, wherein said near field communication device is located at said door handle assembly.

8. The door handle system of claim 1, wherein said illumination module is disposed at an end region of said handle portion.

9. The door handle system of claim 1, wherein said illumination module is operable to provide ground illumination.

10. The door handle system of claim 1, wherein said control, responsive to a communication from the authorized device to said near field communication device, is operable to actuate said illumination source of said illumination module.

11. A door handle system for a door of a vehicle, said door handle system comprising:

a door handle assembly configured to mount at a handle region of a vehicle door of a vehicle equipped with said door handle system;

wherein said door handle assembly comprises a handle portion disposed at the vehicle door and movable to open the vehicle door;

a control of the equipped vehicle;

a near field communication device of the equipped vehicle;

wherein a system of the equipped vehicle authenticates a near field communication-enabled smartphone as an authorized device for communicating with said near field communication device;

wherein said near field communication device is operable to receive signals from a near field communication-enabled smartphone when the near field communication-enabled smartphone is within a threshold distance from said near field communication device;

wherein, responsive to the near field communication-enabled smartphone that is within the threshold distance and that is communicating with said near field communication device being an authorized device, and responsive to a communication from the authorized device, said control is operable to control at least one accessory of the vehicle;

wherein control of said at least one accessory comprises at least one of (i) actuating a locking mechanism to unlock the vehicle door, (ii) opening a decklid of the vehicle, (iii) activating an alarm of the vehicle, (iv) activating a light of the vehicle, (v) starting the vehicle'"'"'s engine and (vi) loading personalized presets of a user of the authorized device;

an illumination module comprising at least one illumination source;

wherein said illumination module comprises a housing and a circuit element disposed in said housing and wherein said illumination source is established at said circuit element;

wherein said illumination module comprises an optic element disposed in said housing and generally at said illumination source, and wherein said optic element comprises a condensing optic and a diffusing optic at least partially around said condensing optic;

wherein said illumination module comprises a lens element disposed at said housing and comprising a projecting portion disposed generally in line with the condensing optic and an illumination portion at least partially around said projecting portion and generally in line with said diffusing optic;

wherein, when said illumination source is activated, light emanating from said illumination source (a) passes through said diffusing optic and through said illumination portion of said lens element to provide lower intensity light at a target area, and (b) passes through said condensing optic and is intensified by said condensing optic so that light passing through said projecting portion of said lens element is projected as higher intensity light onto a portion of said target area; and

wherein said illumination module comprises an icon element disposed along the optic path between said condensing optic and said projecting portion of said lens element, and wherein an image of an icon of said icon element is projected onto said portion of said target area.

12. The door handle system of claim 11, wherein said near field communication device comprises a near field communication chip.

13. The door handle system of claim 11, wherein said near field communication device is located at an exterior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle.

14. The door handle system of claim 11, wherein at least one of (i) said control is located at said door handle assembly and (ii) said near field communication device is located at said door handle assembly.

15. The door handle system of claim 11, wherein control of said at least one accessory comprises activating said at least one illumination source.

16. A door handle system for a door of a vehicle, said door handle system comprising:

a door handle assembly configured to mount at a handle region of a vehicle door of a vehicle equipped with said door handle system;

wherein said door handle assembly comprises a handle portion disposed at the vehicle door and movable to open the vehicle door;

a control of the equipped vehicle;

a near field communication device of the equipped vehicle;

wherein a system of the equipped vehicle authenticates a near field communication-enabled smartphone as an authorized device for communicating with said near field communication device;

wherein said near field communication device is operable to receive signals from a near field communication-enabled smartphone when the near field communication-enabled smartphone is within a threshold distance from said near field communication device;

wherein said control and said near field communication device are part of said door handle assembly;

wherein, responsive to the near field communication-enabled smartphone that is within the threshold distance and that is communicating with said near field communication device being an authorized device, and responsive to a communication from the authorized device, said control is operable to control at least one accessory of the vehicle;

wherein control of said at least one accessory comprises at least one of (i) actuating a locking mechanism to unlock the vehicle door, (ii) opening a decklid of the vehicle, (iii) activating an alarm of the vehicle, (iv) activating a light of the vehicle, (v) starting the vehicle'"'"'s engine and (vi) loading personalized presets of a user of the authorized device;

an illumination module comprising at least one illumination source;

wherein said illumination module comprises a housing and a circuit element disposed in said housing and wherein said illumination source is established at said circuit element;

wherein said illumination module comprises an optic element disposed in said housing and generally at said illumination source, and wherein said optic element comprises a condensing optic and a diffusing optic at least partially around said condensing optic;

wherein said illumination module comprises a lens element disposed at said housing and comprising a projecting portion disposed generally in line with the condensing optic and an illumination portion at least partially around said projecting portion and generally in line with said diffusing optic;

wherein, when said illumination source is activated, light emanating from said illumination source (a) passes through said diffusing optic and through said illumination portion of said lens element to provide lower intensity light at a target area, and (b) passes through said condensing optic and is intensified by said condensing optic so that light passing through said projecting portion of said lens element is projected as higher intensity light onto a portion of said target area; and

wherein said illumination module comprises an icon element disposed along the optic path between said condensing optic and said projecting portion of said lens element, and wherein an image of an icon of said icon element is projected onto said portion of said target area.

17. The door handle system of claim 16, wherein said near field communication device comprises a near field communication chip.

18. The door handle system of claim 16, wherein said control, responsive to multiple communications from the authorized device, is operable to control accessories associated with the respective communications.