CUSTOMER COACHING METHOD FOR LOCATION OF E-LATCH BACKUP HANDLES

• US 20150330113A1
• Filed: 05/13/2014
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Van Wiemeersch, John Robert, Kleve, Robert Bruce, Brombach, Ronald Patrick, Patel, Rajesh K.
• Granted Patent: US 10,273,725 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/26 specially adapted for child safety
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/48 by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/54 Automatic securing or unlocking of bolts triggered by certain vehicle parameters, e.g. exceeding a speed threshold triggered by vehicle collision E05B77/12
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/00 Power-actuated vehicle locks
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/14 operating on bolt detents, e.g. for unlatching the bolt
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/82 using batteries other than the vehicle main battery
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/90 Manual override in case of power failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/57 Operators with knobs or handles

Abstract

A powered door latch system for vehicles includes a controller configured to receive data concerning vehicle operating conditions. The door latch system also includes at least one electrically powered door latch having a powered actuator that can be actuated by the controller to unlatch the electrically powered latch. An emergency release is mechanically connected to the electrically powered latch to mechanically release the latch. The system also includes a user communication device such as a display screen that is operably connected to the controller. The user communication device provides a user with information concerning the location and/or operation of the emergency release if a predefined operating condition such as a loss of electrical power has occurred.

Claims

1. A powered door latch system for vehicles comprising:

a controller configured to receive data concerning vehicle operating conditions;

at least one electrically powered door latch having a powered actuator that can be actuated by the controller to unlatch the electrically powered latch;

an emergency release that is mechanically connected to the electrically powered latch to mechanically release the latch;

a user communication device that is operably connected to the controller; and

wherein;

the controller causes the user communication device to provide a user with information concerning the location and/or operation of the emergency release if the controller determines that at least one predefined operating condition has occurred.

2. The powered door latch system of claim 1, wherein:

the predefined operating condition comprises a vehicle mileage below a predefined limit.

3. The powered door latch system of claim 1, wherein:

the predefined operating condition comprises a malfunction of the electrically powered door latch.

4. The powered door latch system of claim 1, wherein:

the predefined operating condition comprises unlatching of the electrically powered door latch that is not caused by an unlatch signal from the controller.

5. The powered door latch system of claim 1, wherein:

the predefined operating condition comprises detection of an infrequently used passive key fob.

6. The powered door latch system of claim 1, wherein:

the predefined operating condition comprises a break in communication between the controller and the electrically powered latch.

7. The powered door latch system of claim 1, wherein:

the user communication device comprises a display screen that provides information to a user concerning the location of the emergency release.

8. The powered door latch system of claim 7, including:

multiple actuations of the unlatch switch are required to unlatch the electrically powered latch; and

the display screen provides information concerning multiple actuations of the unlatch switch to unlatch the electrically powered latch.

9. The powered door latch system of claim 1, including:

an unlatch switch that can be actuated by a user; and

wherein;

the electrically powered door latch comprises a rear door latch having a child lock feature, and wherein a predefined plurality of actuations of the unlatch switch are required to unlatch the electrically powered door latch if the child lock feature has been deactivated due to a failure in the system; and

the user communication device is configured to notify a user that the child lock feature has been deactivated and to provide a user with information concerning the required predefined plurality of actuations.

10. The powered door latch system of claim 9, wherein:

the system includes a child lock activation input device that can be actuated by a driver of the vehicle located in a driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle; and

;

the user communication device indicates that the child lock feature has been deactivated when a vehicle ignition key-on cycle is initiated unless the failure causing deactivation of the child lock feature has been resolved.

11. The powered door latch system of claim 9, wherein:

the failure in the system comprises at least one of a loss of data transfer and a loss of electrical power.

12. The powered door latch system of claim 1, wherein:

the system shifts to a back-up power mode and utilizes an emergency power supply capable of actuating the powered actuator if a main electrical power supply of the vehicle fails;

the system includes an exterior unlatch switch;

the electrically powered latch can be latched by actuating the exterior unlatch switch for a predefined period of time; and

wherein;

the user communication device is configured to provide a user with information concerning the predefined period of time if the system has shifted to the back-up power mode.

13. The powered door latch system of claim 1, including:

a transmitter configured to cause a portable phone to provide information concerning the location and/or operation of the emergency release.

14. The powered door latch system of claim 13, wherein:

the transmitter is configured to send a text message to the portable phone concerning the location and/or operation of the emergency release.

15. The powered door latch system of claim 9, including:

a transmitter configured to cause a portable phone to provide information concerning the predefined plurality of actions.

16. The powered door latch system of claim 15, including:

a back-up electrical power supply operably connected to the transmitter, and wherein;

the transmitter is configured to utilize power from the back-up electrical power supply to transmit information to a portable phone whereby the portable phone provides information concerning the location of the emergency release and/or the predefined plurality of actions and/or information concerning deactivation of the child lock feature.

17. The powered door latch system of claim 16, wherein:

the transmitter transmits the information in the form of a text message.

18. The powered door latch system of claim 1, wherein:

the user communication device generates an audio signal to a user.

19. The powered door latch system of claim 18, wherein;

the user communication device further comprises a display screen that displays information concerning the location and/or operation of the emergency release after providing an audio signal prompting a user to look at the display screen.

20. The powered door latch system of claim 18, wherein:

the user communication device provides audio information concerning the location and/or operation of the emergency release.

21. The powered door latch system of claim 20, wherein:

the system includes a child lock feature and a transmitter that is configured to wirelessly communicate with one or more portable phones and wherein the system is configured such that if it does not detect a portable phone in the vehicle that it has previously communicated with and if communication with the electrically powered latch has been interrupted, the controller causes the user communication device to provide audio information concerning at least one of a) the location and/or operation of the emergency release;

b) the status of the child lock feature.

22. The powered door latch system of claim 21, wherein:

the audio information is provided in at least two languages.

23. The powered door latch system of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one electrically powered latch comprises four electrically powered latches configured to selectively retain left and right front and rear doors in closed positions.

24. A method of providing a user of a vehicle having a powered door latch with information concerning an emergency release configured to mechanically unlatch the powered door latch in the event electrical power is lost, comprising:

determining if a predefined malfunction preventing powered unlatching of the powered door latches has occurred;

causing a screen inside the vehicle to display information concerning the location of the emergency release if a predefined malfunction has occurred.