A vehicle control method includes emitting a plurality of pulse signals through a plurality of ultra-wideband (UWB) antennas. The plurality of pulse signals are reflected by an obstacle during outward propagation to generate a plurality of reflected signals. The method further includes receiving the reflected signals and determining time-of-flight (TOF) and signal strength of each of the received reflected signals, determining whether the obstacle is a hand according to the TOF and the signal strength of each of the reflected signals, in response to determining that the obstacle is the hand, recognizing a gesture of the hand, and outputting an operation command corresponding to the gesture to control a vehicle to perform a corresponding operation.

A method for recognizing a gesture made outside a vehicle includes setting a frequency of an ultrasound based on a thickness of a vehicle shell of the vehicle and an attenuation coefficient of the vehicle shell, emitting a plurality of ultrasounds having the frequency outwardly from an inner side of the vehicle shell, receiving a plurality of reflected waves returned by an obstacle reflecting the plurality of ultrasounds, determining whether the obstacle is a hand according to time differences between emission times of the plurality of ultrasounds and reception times of the plurality of reflected waves corresponding to the plurality of ultrasounds, and recognizing the gesture of the hand in response to determining that the obstacle is the hand.

A method for controlling the use of a pre-defined vehicle function of a vehicle includes capturing a graphical token; transmitting the token to the vehicle; transmitting the token to a person who should be authorized to use the vehicle function; capturing a graphical token presented at the vehicle; and unlocking the vehicle function if the presented token matches the transmitted token. The graphical token includes a manual graphical input of a person authorized to use the vehicle function.

A device (D) for “hands-free” unlocking/locking of a door of a motor vehicle (V), said device (D) being intended to be placed on board said vehicle (V), and comprising a radiofrequency antenna (A) and radiofrequency transmission/reception means (50) capable of authenticating portable equipment (SD) of a user, at least one capacitive sensor for detecting the approach and/or the contact (C) of a member of the user in a predetermined zone (Z), an electronic unit (40) controlling the unlocking of the door, said device (D) being characterized in that it further comprises an emergency access device (E) comprising:

a) a body (1);
b) a graspable pull member (3) connected to a lock actuator (4) and movable between: a retracted position, in which the pull member (3) is retracted in the body (1); and a deployed position, in which the pull member (3) projects outside the body (1);
c) a retention pin (6) sliding transverse to the pull member (3) and adapted to assume: a blocking position, in which it is disposed against the pull member (3), keeping the pull member (3) in its retracted position, and a position for releasing the pull member (3);
d) an electric ejector (8) adapted to control the sliding of the retention pin (6);
e) a control unit (12) for the electric ejector (8) adapted to control the electric ejector (8) in two modes: an unblocking mode, in which the electric ejector (8) drives the retention pin (6) from its blocking position to its release position; and a vibration mode, in which the electric ejector (8) oscillates the retention pin (6) between its blocking position and an intermediate position between the blocking position and the release position,
the control unit (12) controlling the electric ejector (8) in vibration mode as a function of an authentication status of the equipment of the user, the device (D) comprising a chain (100) for transferring vibrations between the electric ejector (8) and a contact surface (S1) of the member of the user, in order to notify the user of the authentication status.

In an embodiment, a method for authenticating a user of a car includes: transmitting a plurality of radiation pulses through a predetermined portion of a surface of the car towards a portion of a hand of the user using a millimeter-wave radar; receiving a reflected signal from the portion of the hand using the millimeter-wave radar; generating a fingerprint signature based on the reflected signal; comparing the fingerprint signature to a database of authorized fingerprint signatures; and authorizing the user based on whether the fingerprint signature matches an authorized fingerprint signature of the database of authorized fingerprint signatures.

A power door system for a vehicle including a plurality of power-operated doors is provided. The system includes a passive remote entry device configured to emit a signal to one or more cooperating vehicle receivers and a controller configured to cause the power door system to open the at least one power-operated door when the passive remote entry device signal is received and an individual is detected in a predefined activation zone for a predetermined period of time. The system further includes a vehicle-mounted user detection device. The passive remote entry device may be selected from the group consisting of a key fob, a smart key, a key card, a cellular telephone or smartphone configured with a phone-as-a-key function, a Bluetooth®-activated and vehicle-recognized cellular telephone, a Bluetooth®-activated and vehicle-recognized smartphone, and a Bluetooth®-activated and vehicle-recognized smartwatch. Methods for controlling a power door system for a vehicle are described.

The invention relates to a device (10) for data acquisition and measurement acquisition for a door handle (2) of a vehicle (1), said device comprising: at least one communications device (11), in particular an NFC device (11) for NFC data exchange with an external communications terminal (3); and at least one sensor device (12) for measuring (20) a change in capacitance.

According to the invention, just one voltage device (14) is provided for common adjustment of the voltages of the at least one communications device (11) and the at least one sensor device (12).

A vehicle operation detecting device includes: a plurality of sensors that are arranged side by side in a vehicle and individually output a plurality of detection signals changing as a detection target touches or approaches the sensors; a peak position detector that detects a plurality of peak positions of the plurality of detection signals; an operation direction detector that detects a moving direction of the detection target in an arrangement direction of the plurality of sensors, based on an order of the plurality of peak positions; and a driving controller that controls a driving of an opening/closing member according to the detected moving direction.

A vehicular operation detecting apparatus includes: sensors provided side by side in a vehicle, and individually outputting detection signals that change when a detection target comes into contact with or approaches the sensors; a computing unit computing a ratio value which is a value of a ratio of a first detection signal to a second detection signal, which are detection signals of a first sensor and a second sensor that are one and another one of the sensors, respectively; an operational direction detection unit detecting a direction of movement of the detection target from the first sensor toward the second sensor if the computed ratio value decreases, and detecting the direction of movement from the second sensor toward the first sensor if the computed ratio value increases; and a drive control unit controlling the driving of an opening and closing body in accordance with the detected direction of movement.

A control device includes: an input unit to which a first signal is input from a detection unit detecting an operation for an opening-closing body; and a control unit generates a second signal for operating the opening-closing body, based on the first signal, wherein the control unit can be switched between a first power consumption mode and a second power consumption mode in which less power is consumed, and the control unit can be switched between a first state where the second power consumption mode is switched to the first power consumption mode, based on a first condition, and a second state where the second power consumption mode is switched to the first power consumption mode, based on a second condition on which the second power consumption mode is less likely to be switched to the first power consumption mode.