Proactive vehicle doors to prevent accidents

• US 9,637,965 B1
• Filed: 09/19/2016
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Corp.
• Original Assignee: Be TopNotch, LLC
• Inventors: Kothari, Ankit Dilip
• Primary Examiner(s): Elchanti, Hussein A.
• Application Number:
  US15/269,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20170138108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 225 Days
• Field of Search: 701 49
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/0493 Appurtenances
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/324 for signalling that a door is open or intended to be opened
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/40 Safety devices, e.g. detection of obstructions or end positions
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/76 responsive to devices carried by persons or objects, e.g. magnets or reflectors E05F15/77 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/54 Obstruction or resistance detection
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors

Abstract

This solution will help to detect oncoming traffic and/or nearby external objects when the vehicle door is being opened, and it would automatically stop the vehicle door from opening further if there is a possibility of an accident involving the vehicle doors or its users. This solution will notify vehicle users using an indicator on the vehicle door and/or an existing notification systems in vehicle that vehicle door has been restricted from opening further due to potential of an accident. This invention also has an external alert mechanism, which would generate alert externally that vehicle door is about to be opened, and therefore, help to prevent accidents. This invention will also comprise of an artificial intelligence module within the proactive vehicle door system, where such module would constantly gather data, analyze and provide proactive suggestions or even take necessary actions in order to help prevent any vehicle door related accidents.

Claims

1. A vehicle door safety apparatus comprising:

a door safety mechanism;

a processor connected to said door safety mechanism and configured to;

receive sensor data about the vehicle'"'"'s external environment collected by a plurality of sensors integrated into the vehicle;

identify an object in the vehicle'"'"'s external environment that represents a potential contact hazard when a door of said vehicle is opened;

determine, within a predetermined degree of probability, whether the object is likely to come into contact with the door when the door is opened, wherein the predetermined degree of probability is a defined probability, or range of probability, that the object will come into contact with the door when the door is opened; and

activate said door safety mechanism which prevents the door from extending into contact with said object when said processor determines that said object represents a contact hazard within said predetermined degree of probability; and

an artificial intelligence module configured to identify dangerous conditions based, at least in part, on prior hazardous incidents involving opening a door of said vehicle.

2. The vehicle door safety apparatus of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to:

cause said door safety mechanism to generate an alert directed to an occupant of said vehicle when the likelihood of contact with the object reaches or exceeds a predetermined threshold.

3. The vehicle door safety apparatus of claim 2, wherein said alert includes a visual indicator on said vehicle door.

4. The vehicle door safety apparatus of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to:

generate an alert directed to a person located outside of said vehicle.

5. The vehicle door safety apparatus of claim 4, wherein said alert includes a visual indicator disposed on said vehicle.

6. The vehicle door safety apparatus of claim 1, wherein said door safety mechanism prevents the door from opening when said likelihood of contact with the object reaches or exceeds a predetermined threshold.

7. The vehicle door safety apparatus of claim 1, wherein parameters defining a hazardous incident are preprogrammed into said module.

8. The vehicle door safety apparatus of claim 1, wherein said door safety mechanism locks the door when said likelihood of contact with the object reaches or exceeds a predetermined threshold.

9. The vehicle door safety apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of sensors is configured to detect when an occupant of the vehicle is about to open the door.

10. The vehicle door safety apparatus of claim 1, wherein said door safety mechanism is deactivated when said object no longer represents a collision threat within the predetermined degree of probability.

11. The vehicle door safety apparatus of claim 1, wherein said door safety mechanism comprises a manual override that deactivates the door safety mechanism.

12. The vehicle door safety apparatus of claim 1, wherein said vehicle is an autonomous, self-driving vehicle.

13. A vehicle door safety apparatus comprising:

a door safety mechanism;

a processor connected to said door safety mechanism and configured to;

receive sensor data about the vehicle'"'"'s external environment collected by a plurality of sensors integrated into the vehicle;

cause said door safety mechanism to generate an alert directed to an occupant of said vehicle when at least one of said plurality of sensors detects than an occupant of the vehicle is about to open the door of said vehicle and determines that within a predetermined degree of probability there is a likelihood of contact between said door and an object outside of said vehicle, wherein the predetermined degree of probability is a defined probability, or range of probability, that the object will come into contact with the door when the door is opened; and

an artificial intelligence module configured to identify dangerous conditions based, at least in part, on prior hazardous incidents involving opening a door of said vehicle.

14. The vehicle door safety apparatus of claim 13, wherein said vehicle is an autonomous, self-driving vehicle.

15. The vehicle door safety apparatus of claim 13, wherein said door safety mechanism prevents the door from opening when said likelihood of contact with the object reaches or exceeds a predetermined threshold.

16. The vehicle door safety apparatus of claim 13, further comprising an artificial intelligence module configured to identify dangerous conditions based, at least in part, on prior hazardous incidents involving opening a door of said vehicle, wherein parameters defining a hazardous incident are preprogrammed into said module.

17. The vehicle door safety apparatus of claim 13, wherein said door safety mechanism locks the door when said likelihood of contact with the object reaches or exceeds a predetermined threshold.

18. The vehicle door safety apparatus of claim 13, wherein said door safety mechanism is deactivated when said object no longer represents a collision threat within the predetermined degree of probability.

19. The vehicle door safety apparatus of claim 13, wherein said door safety mechanism deactivates the alert when at least one of said plurality of sensors detects that there is no longer a collision threat between said door and an object outside of said vehicle.

20. A vehicle door safety apparatus comprising:

a door safety mechanism; and

a processor connected to said door safety mechanism and configured to;

receive sensor data about the vehicle'"'"'s external environment collected by a plurality of sensors integrated into the vehicle;

cause said door safety mechanism to generate an alert directed to a person located outside of said vehicle when at least one of said plurality of sensors detects than an occupant of the vehicle is about to open the door of said vehicle and determines that within a predetermined degree of probability there is a likelihood of contact between said door and said person, or an object associated with said person, wherein the predetermined degree of probability is a defined probability, or range of probability, that the object will come into contact with the door when the door is opened; and

an artificial intelligence module configured to identify dangerous conditions based, at least in part, on prior hazardous incidents involving opening a door of said vehicle.

21. The vehicle door safety apparatus of claim 20, wherein said vehicle is an autonomous, self-driving vehicle.

22. The vehicle door safety apparatus of claim 20, wherein the said alert can also be directed to another self-driving vehicle wherein there is a likelihood of contact between said door and said another self-driving vehicle.

23. A vehicle door safety system comprising:

a vehicle;

a processor;

a plurality of sensors embedded in said vehicle; and

non-volatile memory comprising computer readable instructions stored therein, wherein said instructions cause said processor to;

receive sensor data about the vehicle'"'"'s external environment from said plurality of sensors;

identify an object in the vehicle'"'"'s external environment that represents a potential contact hazard when a door of said vehicle is opened;

determine, within a predetermined degree of probability, whether the object is likely to come into contact with the door when the door is opened, wherein the predetermined degree of probability is a defined probability, or range of probability, that the object will come into contact with the door when the door is opened; and

activate a door safety mechanism that prevents the door from extending into contact with said object when said processor determines that said object represents a contact hazard within a predetermined degree of probability; and

an artificial intelligence module configured to identify dangerous conditions based, at least in part, on prior hazardous incidents involving opening a door of said vehicle.

24. The vehicle door safety system of claim 23, wherein said door safety mechanism prevents the door from opening when said likelihood of contact with the object reaches or exceeds a predetermined threshold.

25. The vehicle door safety system of claim 23, further comprising an artificial intelligence module configured to identify dangerous conditions based, at least in part, on prior hazardous incidents involving opening a door of said vehicle, wherein parameters defining a hazardous incident are preprogrammed into said module.

26. The vehicle door safety system of claim 23, wherein said door safety mechanism locks the door when said likelihood of contact with the object reaches or exceeds a predetermined threshold.

27. The vehicle door safety system of claim 23, wherein said door safety mechanism is deactivated when said object no longer represents a collision threat within the predetermined degree of probability.

28. The vehicle door safety system of claim 23, wherein said door safety mechanism deactivates the alert when at least one of said plurality of sensors detects that there is no longer a collision threat between said door and an object outside of said vehicle.