Keyless entry assembly having capacitance sensor operative for detecting objects

• US 10,017,977 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2010
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nartron Corporation, Uusi LLC (Nartron Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Uusi LLC (Nartron Corporation)
• Inventors: Newman, Todd R., Washeleski, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): EUSTAQUIO, CAL J
• Application Number:
  US12/784,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20110043325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,973 Days
• Field of Search: 340 572
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2045 by hand gestures
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/00 Power-operated mechanisms for wings motor-operated accessories in locks for completing closing or initiating opening of a wing E05B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/46 responsive to changes in electrical capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/616 operated by push-pull mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/73 responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/852 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/86 by hand
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/46 in or on the wing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/546 Tailboards, tailgates or sideboards opening upwards
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/548 Trunk lids

Abstract

A keyless entry assembly includes a vehicle opening movable between locked and unlocked positions, an electrical conductor (i.e., a capacitance sensor) mounted to the vehicle opening, and a controller. The conductor capacitively couples to an electrically conductive object proximal to (or touching) the conductor while the conductor is driven with an electrical charge such that capacitance of the conductor changes due to the conductor capacitively coupling with the object. The conductor is in the shape of an emblem identifying a vehicle associated with the vehicle opening. The controller is operable for driving the conductor with the electrical charge and measuring the capacitance of the conductor to determine whether an electrically conductive object is proximal to the conductor. The controller is further operable for controlling the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening between the positions upon determining that the object is proximal to (or touching) the conductor.

Claims

1. A keyless entry assembly comprising:

a vehicle opening of a metal construction movable between a locked position and an unlocked position;

a sensor assembly mounted to an exterior surface of the vehicle opening, wherein the sensor assembly includes an electrically non-conductive barrier, a plurality of sensors mounted to an underside of the barrier that capacitively couples to an electrically conductive object proximal to a topside of the barrier for object detection while the sensors are driven with an electrical charge such that capacitance of the sensors change due to at least one of the sensors capacitively coupling with the object, an overlay positioned over the barrier, wherein the overlay itself is preformed in the shape of an emblem identifying a vehicle to be associated with the vehicle opening and includes a plurality of cut-out portions located at different portions at which the sensors of the sensor assembly are respectively located and not electrically connected to one another, and a plurality of light sources mounted to the underside of the barrier wherein the barrier is clear such that light from the light sources can pass through the barrier and the overlay has a plurality of cutouts at which the light sources are respectively located such that light from the light sources can pass through the barrier and the overlay;

a controller operable for driving the sensors with the electrical charge and measuring the capacitance of the sensors to determine whether an electrically conductive object is proximal to the at least one of the sensors, the controller further operable for controlling the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening from one of the positions to the other of the positions upon determining that an electrically conductive object is proximal to the at least one of the sensors, wherein the controller is configured to control the light sources on or off depending on activation of the least one of the sensors;

wherein the sensors are flexible such that the sensors displace toward the vehicle opening upon an object touching the at least one of the sensors in a direction toward the vehicle opening; and

wherein the sensors are capacitively coupled to the vehicle opening while the sensors are driven with the electrical charge such that the capacitance of the sensors change due to the at least one of the sensors being displaced toward the vehicle opening upon an object touching the at least one of the sensors.

2. The keyless entry assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the controller is further operable for key fob querying, wherein the controller controls the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening from one of the positions to the other of the positions upon determining that an electrically conductive object is proximal to the at least one of the sensors and that an authorized key fob is in range of the controller.

3. The keyless entry assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the vehicle opening is one of a vehicle door, a vehicle hatch, and a vehicle trunk lid.

4. The keyless entry assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the one of the positions is the locked position and the other of the positions is the unlocked position.

5. The keyless entry assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the one of the positions is the unlocked position and the other of the positions is the locked position.

6. The keyless entry assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the controller is further operable for measuring the capacitance of the sensors to determine whether an object is touching the at least one of the sensors and is further operable for controlling the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening from one of the positions to the other of the positions upon determining that an object is touching the at least one of the sensors.

7. The keyless entry assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

an electrically non-conductive compressible spacer, wherein the spacer is between the sensors and the exterior surface of the vehicle opening;

wherein the spacer compresses toward the vehicle opening in response to a given object touching the at least one of the sensors such that the at least one of the sensors displaces toward the vehicle opening, wherein the sensors are capacitively coupled to the vehicle opening while the sensors are driven with the electrical charge such that the capacitance of the at least one of the sensors changes due to the at least one of the sensors being displaced toward the vehicle opening upon the object touching the at least one of the sensors.

8. The keyless entry assembly of claim 7 wherein:

the controller is operable with the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening from one of the positions to the other of the positions as a function of either an electrically conductive object being proximal to the at least one of the sensors or the given object touching the at least one of the sensors.

9. A keyless entry assembly comprising:

a sensor assembly mountable to an exterior surface of a vehicle opening movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the sensor assembly includes an electrically non-conductive spacer, a plurality of sensors mounted to the spacer that capacitively couples to an electrically conductive object proximal to the spacer for object detection while the sensors are driven with an electrical charge such that capacitance of the sensors change due to the at least one of the sensors capacitively coupling with the object, an overlay positioned over the spacer, wherein the overlay itself is in the shape of an emblem identifying a vehicle to be associated with the vehicle opening and includes a plurality of cut-out portions located at different portions at which the sensors of the sensor assembly are respectively located and not electrically connected to one another, and a plurality of light sources mounted to the underside of the spacer wherein the spacer is clear such that light from the light sources can pass through the spacer and the overlay has a plurality of cutouts at which the light sources are respectively located such that light from the light sources can pass through the spacer and the overlay;

a controller operable for driving the sensors with the electrical charge and measuring the capacitance of the sensors to determine whether an electrically conductive object is proximal to the at least one of the sensors, the controller further operable for controlling the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening from one of the positions to the other of the positions upon determining that an electrically conductive object is proximal to the at least one of the sensors, wherein the controller is configured to control the light sources on or off depending on activation of the sensors;

wherein the sensors are flexible such that the sensors displaces upon an object touching the at least one of the sensors; and

wherein the spacer compresses in response to a given object touching the at least one of the sensors such that the at least one of the sensors displaces, wherein the capacitance of the at least one of the sensors changes due to the at least one of the sensors being displaced toward the vehicle opening upon the object touching the at least one of the sensors.

10. The keyless entry assembly of claim 9 wherein:

the controller is further operable for key fob querying, wherein the controller controls the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening from one of the positions to the other of the positions upon determining that an electrically conductive object is proximal to the at least one of the sensors and that an authorized key fob is in range of the controller.

11. The keyless entry assembly of claim 9 wherein:

the controller is further operable for illuminating the at least one of the sensors and the area of the sensor assembly around the sensors.

12. The keyless entry assembly of claim 9 wherein:

the vehicle opening is one of a vehicle door, a vehicle hatch, and a vehicle trunk lid.

13. The keyless entry assembly of claim 9 wherein:

the one of the positions is the locked position and the other of the positions is the unlocked position.

14. The keyless entry assembly of claim 9 wherein:

the one of the positions is the unlocked position and the other of the positions is the locked position.

15. The keyless entry assembly of claim 9 wherein:

the controller is further operable for measuring the capacitance of the sensors to determine whether an object is touching the at least one of the sensors and is further operable for controlling the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening from one of the positions to the other of the positions upon determining that an object is touching the at least one of the sensors.

16. The keyless entry assembly of claim 9 wherein:

the controller is operable with the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening from one of the positions to the other of the positions as a function of either an electrically conductive object being proximal to the at least one of the sensors or the given object touching the at least one of the sensors.

17. A keyless entry assembly comprising:

a sensor assembly mountable to an exterior surface of a vehicle opening movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the sensor assembly includes an electrically non-conductive barrier and a first sensor and a second sensor that each capacitively couples to an electrically conductive object proximal to one of the first sensor and the second sensor while the first sensor and the second sensor are driven with an electrical charge such that capacitance of the one of the first sensor and the second sensor changes due to the one of the first sensor and the second sensor capacitively coupling with the object, wherein the overlay itself is in the shape of an emblem identifying a vehicle associated with the vehicle opening and includes a first cut-out portion and a second cut-out portion located at different portions of the overlay at which the first sensor and the second sensor of the sensor assembly are respectively located and not electrically connected to one another, and a plurality of light sources mounted to the underside of the barrier wherein the barrier is clear such that light from the light sources can pass through the barrier and the overlay has a plurality of cutouts at which the light sources are respectively located such that light from the light sources can pass through the barrier and the overlay;

a printed circuit board connected to the first sensor and the second sensor;

the light sources being electrically connected to the printed circuit board;

a controller operable for driving the first sensor and the second sensor with the electrical charge and for controlling the light sources on or off depending on the activation of the first sensor and the second sensor, the controller measuring the capacitance of the first sensor and the second sensor to determine whether an electrically conductive object is proximal to the one of the first sensor and the second sensor, wherein the controller is further operable for controlling the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening from one of the positions to the other of the positions upon determining that an electrically conductive object is proximal to the one of the first sensor and the second sensor and is moving in proximity relative to the one of the first sensor and the second sensor without touching the one of the first sensor and the second sensor in accordance with an expected sequence of movements.

18. The assembly of claim 17 wherein an electrically conductive object is a human user, wherein:

the controller is further operable for controlling the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening from one of the positions to the other of the positions upon determining that the user is proximal to the one of the first sensor and the second sensor and is moving relative to the one of the first sensor and the second sensor in accordance with an expected sequence of movements;

wherein the expected sequence of movements are an expected sequence of user body gestures.

19. A keyless entry assembly comprising:

a vehicle opening of a metal construction movable between a locked position and an unlocked position;

a sensor assembly mounted to an exterior surface of the vehicle opening, wherein the sensor assembly includes an electrically non-conductive barrier and a plurality of sensors mounted to an underside of the barrier and not electrically connected to one another, each of the sensors capacitively couples to an electrically conductive object proximal to a topside of the barrier for object detection while each of the sensors is driven with an electrical charge such that capacitance of one of the sensors changes due to the one of the sensors capacitively coupling with the object, wherein the sensor assembly itself is preformed in the shape of an emblem identifying a vehicle to be associated with the vehicle opening and the sensors are located at different portions of the sensor assembly and not electrically connected to one another and an overlay is positioned over the barrier, the overlay being in the shape of the emblem, wherein the overlay includes a plurality of cut-out portions for the sensors such that the sensors are patterned to conform to the emblem arrangement of the overlay, and a plurality of light sources mounted to the underside of the barrier wherein the barrier is clear such that light from the light sources can pass through the barrier and the overlay has a plurality of cutouts at which and the light sources are respectively located such that light from the light sources can pass through the barrier and overlay;

a controller operable for driving each of the sensors with the electrical charge and measuring the capacitance of each of the sensors to determine whether an electrically conductive object is proximal to the one of the sensors, the controller further operable for controlling the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening from one of the positions to the other of the positions upon determining that an electrically conductive object is proximal to the one of the sensors, wherein the controller is configured to control the light sources on or off depending on activation of the sensors;

wherein each of the sensors is flexible such that each of the sensors displace toward the vehicle opening upon an object touching the one of the sensors in a direction toward the vehicle opening;

wherein the one of the sensors is capacitively coupled to the vehicle opening while the sensors are driven with the electrical charge such that the capacitance of the one of the sensors changes due to the one of the sensors being displaced toward the vehicle opening upon an object touching the one of the sensors.

20. A keyless entry assembly as set forth in claim 19 including a printed circuit board connected to the sensors.

21. A keyless entry assembly as set forth in claim 20 wherein the light sources are electrically connected to the printed circuit board.

22. A keyless entry assembly as set forth in claim 21 wherein the light sources are light emitting diodes mounted to the underside of the barrier.

23. A keyless entry assembly comprising:

a vehicle opening of a metal construction movable between a locked position and an unlocked position;

a sensor assembly mounted to an exterior surface of the vehicle opening, wherein the sensor assembly includes an electrically non-conductive barrier and a first sensor and a second sensor mounted to an underside of the barrier and not electrically connected to one another, each of the first sensor and the second sensor capacitively couples to an electrically conductive object proximal to a topside of the barrier for object detection while each of the first sensor and the second sensor is driven with an electrical charge such that capacitance of each of the first sensor and the second sensor changes due to each of the first sensor and the second sensor capacitively coupling with the object, an overlay positioned over the barrier, the overlay being in the shape of an emblem identifying a vehicle to be associated with the vehicle opening and the first sensor and the second sensor are located at different portions of the sensor assembly and not electrically connected to one another, wherein the overlay includes first and second cut-out portions for the first sensor and the second sensor such that the first sensor and the second sensor are patterned to conform to the emblem arrangement of the overlay, and a plurality of light sources mounted to the underside of the barrier wherein the barrier is clear such that light from the light sources can pass through the barrier and the overlay has a plurality of cutouts at which the light sources are respectively located such that light from the light sources can pass through the barrier and overlay;

a printed circuit board connected to the first sensor and the second sensor; and

a controller for driving the first sensor and the second sensor with the electrical charge and for controlling the light sources on or off depending on the activation of the sensors, the controller being operable for driving each of the first sensor and the second sensor with the electrical charge and measuring the capacitance of each of the first sensor and the second sensor to determine whether an electrically conductive object is proximal to one of the first sensor and the second sensor, the controller further operable for controlling the vehicle opening to move the vehicle opening from one of the positions to the other of the positions upon determining that an electrically conductive object is proximal to the one of the first sensor and the second sensor.