An illustrative example method of operating a capacitive vehicle entry control device includes: determining a plurality of capacitance values of the vehicle entry control device during a measurement period; determining an average capacitance of the plurality of capacitance values; determining whether the determined average capacitance exceeds an average threshold; determining a range of the plurality of capacitance values; determining whether the determined range exceeds a range threshold; and initiating a vehicle entry process when the determined average capacitance exceeds the average threshold or when the determined range exceeds the range threshold.

A capacitance sensor includes a switch control unit that performs a first switching process that turns on a first switch and then repeatedly performs a second switching process that complementarily switches off and on second and third switches that are respectively connected to second and third capacitors; an obtaining unit that calculates, as a sensor output value, a number of times the second switching process is repeated until a magnitude relationship reverses between an intermediate potential and a reference potential; a calculation unit that calculates a sensor output corrected value obtained by correcting the sensor output value such that a resolution becomes uniform; and a determination unit that determines whether a detection target exists from a magnitude relationship between a sensor output difference value and a determination threshold value.

An authorization controller on a first side of a two-sided system communicates with an accelerometer on the second side for tracking the second side by inertial navigation. The authorization controller activates a radar transmitter and receiver installed on a car to include a plurality of spaced apart transmitting and receiving radar antennas to track the second side by radar. Coherent pulse or Doppler radar waveform tracks motion of an approaching user carrying a tag on the second side that is paired with the car on the first side. The authorization controller uses the radar to look for a pre-programmed pattern of user movement such as a “step in, wait, step out” pattern. Recognition of the programmed pattern activates an associated action from the authorization controller, such as opening or closing a tailgate or side door of the car. The same radar technology can be used with different programmed movement patterns to trigger the opening or closing of side doors, opening/closing of regular doors, deployment of a handicap ramp, deployment of side steps, or other chosen functions that can be initiated by electronic response. Reversing this functionality, the tag may be stationary in a garage and the car may approach the garage, causing operation of the garage door. Other functions inside a house are similarly controlled.

A vehicle operation detection device includes a storage unit configured to store a trained model obtained by machine learning using training data in which an image captured in advance and a body part used for a gesture of a user are associated with each other, an entry determination unit configured to determine whether, based on a position of the body part in the image obtained by inputting a newly captured image into the trained model, the body part enters a recognition area set in an imaging area of a camera, and a gesture determination unit configured to calculate a displacement vector of the body part based on images captured at a time interval after it is determined that the body part enters the recognition area, and determine, in accordance with whether a direction of the displacement vector is a direction corresponding to the gesture, whether the gesture is made.

In order to notify a user of a vehicle of a sensor position in an easily understandable manner to easily open and close a vehicle door by an operation performed by the user of the vehicle, a vehicle door opening/closing device includes: a road surface projection unit configured to project a display representing a position at which shape identification is performed, on a road surface around a vehicle; a shape identification unit configured to perform identification of a shape of an object in a predetermined road surface range including the display projected by the road surface projection unit; and a control unit configured to drive opening or closing of a vehicle door when the shape that is identified by the shape identification unit for the object in the predetermined road surface range represents a shape of a foot portion of a person.

The disclosure concerns a method for controlling a sliding door arrangement of a motor vehicle, wherein the sliding door arrangement comprises a sliding door, a drive arrangement for motorized displacement of the sliding door, a control arrangement and a sensor arrangement with at least one sensor element, in particular implemented as a proximity sensor, where-in during operator event monitoring by means of the control arrangement the sensor signals of the sensor arrangement are monitored as to whether a predetermined operator event exists. It is proposed that the sensor arrangement is disposed at least partly in or on the sliding door and that opening the sliding door at least from a closed end position and/or closing the sliding door at least from an open end position is/are carried out by means of the drive arrangement depending on the result of the operator event monitoring.

A device for the contactless actuation of an adjustable vehicle part. The device has a capacitive proximity sensor with at least one elongated sensor electrode, and a body part to which the proximity sensor is indirectly or directly fastened. The body part in turn is or can be mounted on the vehicle in a specific mounting position. The sensor electrode extends obliquely relative to a lower edge of the body part in such a way that it is in an exact or at least approximately horizontal position with respect to its longitudinal extension when in the mounting position.

A device for contactless actuation of an adjustable vehicle part. The device has a capacitive proximity sensor having a first elongated sensor electrode and a second elongated sensor electrode, as well as a carrier component for fastening the proximity sensor. The carrier component has a curved mounting surface on which the sensor electrodes are placed in such a way that the horizontal distance between the two sensor electrodes over the length of the sensor electrodes is exactly or at least approximately constant, the vertical distance between the sensor electrodes varying over the length of the sensor electrodes.

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.

The invention relates to a method for opening a movable panel of a motor vehicle, comprising the following steps of: detecting the approach of a person (U) in the vicinity of the vehicle (V) by a detection device (3), identifying if the detected person (U) is authorized to unlock the vehicle (V) through authentication means, determining if there is an intention to open the movable panel (7), and—authorizing the opening of the movable panel (7) when an authorized person (U) with an intention to open the movable panel is detected. According to the invention, the step of determining if there is an intention to open the movable panel (7), comprises the sub-steps of: projecting at least a first light spot (12a) on the ground on which the motor vehicle (V) stands, —projecting at least a second light spot (12b) on the ground on which the motor vehicle (V) stands with a predefined distance from the first light spot (12a), identifying if the identified authorized person (U) performs a predefined triggering sequence: by stopping in a pre-determined order on the first light spot (12a) and then on the second light spot (12b) and with a predefined time interval between the step of stopping on the first light spot (12a) and the step of stopping on the second light spot (12b). The invention also relates to an associated opening control device (1).