A door opening and closing device includes: a door drive unit capable of opening and closing a door; a detection means for detecting a subject present in an approach area; a measurement unit that measures a distance from the detection means to the subject; a determination unit that determines whether the subject has stopped in the approach area; a setting unit that sets a trigger zone in the approach area a; and a control means for starting control to drive the door drive unit when the subject is determined to have moved into the trigger zone. The setting unit sets the trigger zone to drive the door drive unit on the basis of the separation distance from the detection means to a stopped position.

A door opening/closing device includes a detection unit which detects a foot of a person present near a front door; and a vehicle door opening/closing device main body which opens a rear slide door, when the detection unit detects the foot of the person, wherein when the foot of the person is not detected within a prescribed time after being detected, the detection unit outputs a pseudo outer door handle switch on signal which demands the vehicle door opening/closing device main body to open the rear slide door, and when detection is continuously performed during a prescribed time or longer from when the detection unit has detected a detection target, the detection unit does not output the pseudo outer door handle switch on signal.

An occupant step apparatus and method for a vehicle, includes a powered occupant step, a kick sensor mounted to the occupant step, and a controller having processing circuitry. The processing circuitry detects a kick gesture signal from the kick sensor, controls operation of the powered occupant step to move the occupant step, and upon detection of a step gesture signal from the kick sensor while the occupant step is being operated, halts operation of the occupant step.

A method and system for a camera based hands free power liftgate is described herein. The system may power on following a key approach and/or the doors unlocking and then initialize. If there is an approach detected, the lights may be activated and the gesture detection feature of the system may then determine whether a gesture was detected. If a gesture was detected, the liftgate may then be activated. If no gesture was detected, the lights may be activated. For example, if there is a key approach, the system may power and initialize. The system may then determine whether an approach is detected. If an approach is detected, lights of the vehicle may activate and a determination whether a gesture is detected is made. If a gesture is detected, a liftgate of the vehicle may be activated.

A tailgate opening and closing system, which includes a control device for controlling an opening and closing device that opens and closes tailgate placed in a rear side portion of a vehicle, and includes a measurement device that is placed in the rear side portion and obtains distance data to an object present behind the rear side portion, in which the control device executes, based on a plurality of the distance data which have been obtained by the measurement device, data processing of identifying an entry motion of the object to a trigger region set in a region apart from the rear side portion within a measurement range of the measurement device and an exit motion of the object from the trigger region, and the control device executes control processing of opening and closing the tailgate based on a combination of the identified entry motion and the exit motion.

A control system includes: a vehicle outside image acquisition unit configured to acquire a vehicle outside image; a first detection unit configured to detect a vehicle outside person based on the vehicle outside image; a second detection unit configured to detect a predetermined motion of the detected vehicle outside person; a first authentication unit configured to authenticate whether or not the detected vehicle outside person is a registered user of the vehicle based on a predetermined part of the detected vehicle outside person; and a door control unit configured to perform door opening control of the vehicle. The door control unit performs the door opening control in a first mode based on the predetermined motion, when the detected predetermined motion is the predetermined motion of the vehicle outside person authenticated as the registered user.

A vehicle operation detection device is applicable to a vehicle including a vehicle body in which an opening portion is provided, an opening and closing body which opens and closes the opening portion, an actuator which causes the opening and closing body to perform opening and closing operations, and a camera which captures an image around the opening portion, and is configured to detect a gesture of a user for starting at least one of the opening operation and the closing operation. The device includes: a direction specifying unit that specifies a direction of the user with respect to the vehicle based on the image captured by the camera; and a gesture detection unit that detects the gesture including a motion in a direction associated with the direction of the user, based on the image captured by the camera, when the direction specifying unit specifies the direction of the user.

An automatic vehicle-door activating sensing system and a method therefor are provided. The system includes: a distance sensing antenna module and an activating antenna module for generating signals; a processor generates a first distance information, a second distance information, and a activating information according to the signals. When the first distance information is less than a distance threshold and a waveform of the activating information changes, the processor generates and transmits a ready-to-activate signal to an in-vehicle system. When the second distance information is greater than the distance threshold, the processor generates and transmits a vehicle door activating signal to the in-vehicle system. The in-vehicle system can activate the vehicle door after receiving the signals in sequence. With one radar, the invention can automatically activate the vehicle door based on a user's position and kicking behavior, thereby preventing misoperation caused by detection.

Provided is a refrigerator and control method for refrigerator and method for opening a refrigerator door. While a user is holding an object in both hands, a door may be automatically and additionally opened using another part of a body other than hands.

Provided is a refrigerator. While a user is holding an object in both hands, a door may be automatically and additionally opened using another part of a body other than hands.