Method for situationally adjusting a vehicle and a vehicle

• US 8,630,769 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2011
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Wittorf, Marten
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAYNE, ROBERT T
• Application Number:
  US13/215,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20120053785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 296/37.16, 296/24.46, 296/24.4, 340/426.29, 367/93, 701/1, 701/45, 701/36
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 5/04 arranged at rear of vehicle B60R5/003, B60R5/006 take precedence; external trunks arranged at rear of vehicle B60R9/065

Abstract

A method is provided for situationally adjusting a vehicle. The method includes, but is not limited to acquiring data of at least a partial area of an environment of the vehicle with at least one sensor with the vehicle. In addition, the approach of at least one object toward the vehicle is detected using the data acquired by the at least one sensor. Furthermore, dimensions of the at least one object are determined using the data acquired by the at least one sensor. Moreover, at least a partial area of an interior of the vehicle is adjusted to the dimensions of the at least one object.

Claims

1. A method for situationally adjusting an interior cargo area of a vehicle, comprising:

acquiring data for a partial area of an environment external to the interior cargo area of the vehicle with a sensor when the vehicle is stationary;

determining when an object is approaching the interior cargo area of the vehicle using the data acquired from the sensor;

determining at least one dimension of the approaching object toward the cargo area of the vehicle using the data acquired by the sensor; and

adjusting the interior cargo area of the interior of the vehicle to the at least one dimension of the object in order to prepare the interior cargo area of the vehicle for receiving the object therein.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving access authorization data for the vehicle with a receiving device of the vehicle, and

wherein the partial area of the environment of the vehicle is acquired with the sensor after the receiving the access authorization data.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the receiving device is an ignition key of the vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is located in a rear area of the vehicle and configured to acquire the rear area of the environment of the vehicle while a tailgate of the vehicle is closed.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is an optical camera.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining a configuration of the partial area of the interior of the vehicle is performed before the adjusting of the partial area of the interior of the vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting of the partial area of the interior of the vehicle is conducted with an actuator.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a motor vehicle.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the adjusting of the partial area of the interior comprises adjusting a configuration of a trunk of the motor vehicle.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the adjusting of the partial area of the interior comprises sliding a rear shelf of the motor vehicle.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the adjusting of the partial area of the interior comprises folding over a seat in the motor vehicle.

12. A vehicle having an interior cargo area, comprising:

a sensor configured to generate data acquired from a partial area external to an environment of the interior cargo area of the vehicle when the vehicle is stationary;

a first determination device configured to detect an approach of an object toward the interior cargo area of the vehicle using the data acquired by the sensor;

a second determination device configured to ascertain at least one dimension of the object in response to the approach of the object toward the interior cargo area using the data acquired by the sensor; and

an adjustment device configured to adjust the partial area of the interior cargo area of the vehicle to the at least one dimension of the object in order to prepare the interior cargo area for receiving the object therein.

13. The vehicle according to claim 12, further comprising a receiving device configured to receive access authorization data for the vehicle, and

wherein the partial area of the environment of the vehicle is acquired with the sensor after the receiving device receives the access authorization data.

14. The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the receiving device is an ignition key of the vehicle.

15. The vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the sensor is located in a rear area of the vehicle and configured to acquire the rear area of the environment of the vehicle.

16. The vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the sensor is an optical camera.

17. A computer readable medium embodying a computer program product, said computer program product comprising:

a program for situationally adjusting an interior cargo area of a vehicle, the program configured to;

acquiring data for a partial area external to an environment of the interior cargo area of the vehicle with a sensor when the vehicle is stationary;

determining an approach of an object toward the interior cargo area of the vehicle in response to the approach of the object toward the interior cargo area using the data acquired from the sensor;

determining at least one dimension of the object using the data acquired by the sensor; and

adjusting the partial area of the interior cargo area of the vehicle to the at least one dimension of the object to prepare the interior cargo area for receiving the object therein.

18. The computer readable medium embodying the computer program product according to claim 17, wherein the program is configured to determine a configuration of the partial area of the interior of the vehicle before the adjusting of the partial area of the interior of the vehicle.

19. The computer readable medium embodying the computer program product according to claim 17, wherein the program is configured to control an actuator to adjust the partial area of the interior of the vehicle.

20. The computer readable medium embodying the computer program product according to claim 17, wherein the vehicle is a motor vehicle.