Method for detecting a user's intention to lock or unlock a motor vehicle door and associated device

Abstract

A method for detecting the intention of a user to lock or unlock a motor-vehicle door with a detection device integrated into a handle. The method includes continuously measuring the resonant frequency of the detection device and successively comparing the measured resonant frequency to a first threshold representative of the approach of the user and to a second threshold, higher than the first threshold, representative of the contact of the user, the intention of the user to lock or unlock the door of the vehicle being validated only if a duration between the passage of the resonant frequency below the first threshold and the passage of the resonant frequency above the second threshold is shorter than a preset duration. An associated detection device is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for detecting an intention of a user to lock or unlock a motor-vehicle door with a detection device integrated into a handle, said method comprising: continuously measuring a resonant frequency of said detection device and successively comparing said measured resonant frequency to a first threshold representative of an approach of the user and to a second threshold, higher than the first threshold, representative of contact of the user, the intention to lock or unlock the door being validated only if: a value of the measured resonant frequency is firstly lower than a first threshold, at a first measured time, then higher than the second threshold, at a second measured time, and a duration between the second measured time and the first measured time is shorter than a preset duration.

2. A device for detecting the intention of a user to lock or unlock a motor-vehicle door, said device being integrated into a handle and powered by a voltage source, the device comprising: a coil, a movable electrode a first face of which is oriented toward the handle, and a second face of which is located facing the coil, said movable electrode being able to move from a rest position, located in proximity to the handle, to a final position, located in proximity to the coil under the effect of a contact of the user on the handle, a capacitor connected to ground, the movable electrode, the coil and the capacitor being connected together in order to form a resonant circuit a resonant frequency of which varies as a function of a variation in the capacitance of the movable electrode, and of the position of the movable electrode, said resonant frequency decreasing when the user approaches the handle and increasing when the user grips the handle and the electrode moves to the final position, means for oscillating the frequency of said resonant circuit and means for measuring a resonant frequency of said resonant circuit, means for comparing the resonant frequency to a first threshold and to a second threshold, means for controlling the frequency-oscillating means, the measuring means and the frequency-comparing means, a clock, means for storing times in memory, said means being able to store a first time of passage of the resonant frequency below a first threshold and a second time of passage of the resonant frequency above a second threshold, means for computing a duration between the first time and the second time, and means for comparing said duration with a preset duration).

3. The detection device as claimed in, claim 2, wherein one terminal of the coil is connected to the movable electrode and a second terminal of the coil is connected to the capacitor.

4. The detection device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the coil and the capacitor are located on a printed circuit board and the movable electrode is able to move by way of a conductive flexible link electrically connecting said movable electrode to the printed circuit board and having a pivot point.

5. The detection device as claimed in, claim 2, wherein the coil and the capacitor are located on a printed circuit board and the movable electrode is able to move by way of a conductive flexible link electrically connecting said movable electrode to the printed circuit board and having a pivot point.

6. The detection device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the frequency-oscillating means, the measuring means and the frequency-comparing means are located on the printed circuit board.

7. The detection device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said device is integrated into a casing comprising a first portion, which is elastically deformable along a preset axis, having a zone of contact with the handle, and the movable electrode is, in a rest position, able to make contact with the first portion, and in a final position is in proximity to the coil.

8. A motor-vehicle door handle, comprising, a device as claimed in claim 2.

9. The handle as claimed in claim 8, further comprising at least one elastically deformable zone aligned along the preset axis with the zone of contact, of dimensions larger than or equal to the dimensions of the zone of contact.

10. A motor vehicle, comprising a device as claimed in claim 2.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Other features and advantages of an aspect of the invention will become apparent upon reading the description that will follow and upon examining the appended drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1, which was described above, schematically shows the detection device D according to the prior art, integrated into a motor-vehicle door P handle 10,

(3) FIG. 2 schematically shows the detection device D′ according to an aspect of the invention, integrated into a motor-vehicle door P handle 10, according to a first embodiment,

(4) FIG. 3 shows an electronic schematic of the detection device D′ comprising a clock, means for storing times in memory, duration-computing means, and duration-comparing means, according to a second embodiment of an aspect of the invention,

(5) FIG. 4 schematically shows the variation in the resonant frequency F of the detection device D′ as a function of time t, during the approach of the user toward the handle then during the contact of the user with the handle,

(6) FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the detection method according to an aspect of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(7) The detection device D′ according to an aspect of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 2.

(8) Said detection device D′ takes the form of a casing B′ integrated into the handle 10 and comprises, as in the prior art, a printed circuit board 80 and at least one means for detecting the approach and contact of the hand of the user on the handle 10 and a voltage source Vcc.

(9) However, contrary to the prior art, in which the means for detecting approach and contact consisted of a capacitive sensor (locking electrode E1 or unlocking electrode E2), an aspect of the invention here proposes that said means for detecting contact (see FIG. 3) furthermore comprise an inductive sensor comprising a coil B and an amagnetic metal target that is none other than a capacitive electrode E for detecting the approach of the hand M of the user, i.e. a locking or unlocking electrode.

(10) According to an aspect of the invention, the device D′ for detecting the intention to lock or unlock for a door P of a motor vehicle (see FIG. 2) therefore comprises: a coil B, a movable electrode E a first face e1 of which is oriented toward the handle 10, and a second face e2 of which is located facing the coil B, along an axis Y-Y′, and that is able to move from a rest position, in proximity to the handle 10, to a final position, in proximity to the coil B, under the effect of a contact of the user on the handle 10, a capacitor C2 connected to ground.

(11) The coil B consists of a winding of copper wire, for example printed on the printed circuit board 80. The movable electrode E consists of a plate of conductive metal, aluminum for example. Since the electrode E is movable, it is not printed on the printed circuit board 80, said movable electrode E being a rigid plate made of aluminum located away from said printed circuit board 80 and electrically connected to the printed circuit board 80 by a conductive flexible link 20 having a pivot point 0.

(12) A first face e1 of the movable electrode E is oriented toward the handle 10; more precisely, the movable electrode E is, in a rest position, located in proximity to the handle 10, and preferably in contact with an internal face of the casing B′, which casing is itself inserted into the handle 10.

(13) A second face e2 of the movable electrode E is located facing the coil B, along the axis Y-Y′. The movable electrode E moves, during the contact of the user on the handle 10, along the axis Y-Y′, from its rest position located in proximity to the handle 10 to a final position, located close to the coil B and thus gets closer to said coil B.

(14) The movable electrode E made of aluminum and the coil B thus form an inductive sensor, the movable target of which consists of the movable electrode E.

(15) The press of the hand M of the user on the handle 10, for example along the axis Y-Y′ (see FIG. 2), deforms said handle, and thus the casing B′, locally. The deformation causes the conductive flexible link 20 to pivot about the pivot point 0 and hence the movable electrode E to move along said axis Y-Y′, this bringing the movable electrode E and the coil B closer together.

(16) To this end, preferably, the casing B′ comprises a first portion 52 that is elastically deformable along the axis Y-Y′, comprising a zone of contact 50 with the handle 10, and the movable electrode E makes contact with the first portion 52 of the casing B′.

(17) In order to accentuate the deformation of the handle 10 and to increase the movement of the movable electrode E toward the coil B, the handle 10 also comprises an elastically deformable zone Z1′ that is aligned along the axis Y-Y′ with the zone of contact 50, and of dimensions larger than or equal to those thereof.

(18) Of course, advantageously, the elastically deformable zone Z1′ of the handle is located in the locking or unlocking zone of the handle 10. Here, as illustrated in FIG. 2, an aspect of the invention is described with the elastically deformable zone Z1′ considered to be located in the locking zone Z1. The detection device D′ of an aspect of the invention is therefore placed facing the locking zone Z1 so as to detect the intention to lock the vehicle (see FIG. 2).

(19) Of course, an aspect of the invention also applies to the detection of the intention to unlock the vehicle, and the detection device D′ may be positioned facing the unlocking zone Z2 (not shown in FIG. 2).

(20) The movable electrode E generates, at its terminal (the other terminal being “virtual” and formed by the hand M of the user, which is connected to ground), in the presence of a second electrode nearby, in the present case in the presence of the hand M of the user, which is connected to ground, a variable capacitance Cx, which is a function of the distance separating said movable electrode E from the hand M of the user.

(21) Measurement of the variation £Cx in the capacitance Cx therefore allows the approach of the hand M toward the handle to be detected and an intention to lock or unlock to be validated. However, this prior-art method, based solely on capacitive detection, has drawbacks as described above.

(22) As illustrated in FIG. 3, the movable electrode E, the coil B, and the capacitor C2 are connected together so as to form a resonant oscillating circuit of the “LC” type, where L represents the inductance of the resonant oscillating circuit (in the present case here the inductance of the coil B) and C is the capacitance of the resonant circuit. In FIG. 3, a first terminal b1 of the coil B is connected to the movable electrode E and a second terminal b2 of the coil B is connected to the capacitor C2.

(23) The resonant oscillating circuit possesses an intrinsic resonant frequency F. As is described below, the resonant frequency F varies as a function of the variation ΔCx in the capacitance of the movable electrode E, and as a function of the position of the movable electrode E with respect to the coil B. Said resonant frequency F decreases when the user approaches the handle 10 and increases when the user grips the handle and the electrode E moves toward the coil B in its final position.

(24) In the resonant oscillating circuit shown in FIG. 3, the capacitance C of the resonant oscillating circuit varies with the variation ΔCx in the capacitance Cx and is given by:

(25) $C=\frac{\left(\mathrm{Cx}+\Delta \mathrm{Cx}\right)\times C2}{\left(\mathrm{Cx}+\Delta \mathrm{Cx}\right)+C2}$

(26) Where:

(27) Cx: is the capacitance of the movable electrode E,

(28) ΔCx: is the variation in the capacitance Cx of the movable electrode E,

(29) C2: is the capacitance of the capacitor C2.

(30) The detection device D′, according to an aspect of the invention, also comprises: means M1 for oscillating the frequency of the resonant oscillating circuit and means M1′ for measuring a resonant frequency F of said resonant oscillating circuit, means M2 for comparing the resonant frequency F thus measured to thresholds, and more particularly to a first threshold F1 and to a second threshold F2, means 60′ for controlling the frequency-oscillating means M1, the measuring means M1′ and the frequency-comparing means M2.

(31) In order to implement the detection method, the detection device D′ furthermore comprises: a clock H, means M3 for storing times in memory, and more particularly for storing a first time T1 of passage of the resonant frequency F below the first threshold F1 and for storing a second time T2 of passage of the resonant frequency F above the second threshold F2, means M4 for computing a duration Δt between the first time T1 and the second time T2, and means M5 for comparing said duration Δt with a preset duration Δt.sub.ref.

(32) The clock H, the means M3 for storing times in memory, the duration-computing means M4 and the means M5 for comparing said duration may take the form of software, and be integrated into the control means 60′ (microcontroller).

(33) The frequency-oscillating means M1 and means M1′ for measuring the resonant frequency may be comprised in a digital inductance converter.

(34) The frequency-comparing means M2 take the form of software, and may be comprised in the control means 60′, for example in a microcontroller.

(35) The frequency-oscillating means M1, the measuring means M1′ and the frequency-comparing means M2 may be integrated into the printed circuit board 80.

(36) The resonant frequency F of the oscillating resonant circuit is given by the following equation:

(37) $F=\frac{1}{2\times \pi \times \sqrt{\left(L\times C\right)}}$

(38) Namely:

(39) $F=\frac{1}{2\times \pi \times \sqrt{\left(L\times \frac{\left(\mathrm{Cx}+\Delta \mathrm{Cx}\right)\times C2}{\left(\mathrm{Cx}+\Delta \mathrm{Cx}\right)+C2}\right)}}$

(40) Where:

(41) L: is the inductance of the coil B,

(42) πis a constant equal to 3.14,

(43) Cx: is the capacitance of the movable electrode E,

(44) ΔCx: is the variation in the capacitance Cx of the movable electrode E,

(45) C2: is the capacitance of the capacitor C2.

(46) The method for detecting the intention, of a user, to lock or unlock a motor-vehicle door, according to an aspect of the invention, is illustrated in FIG. 5 and is described below.

(47) Initially (step E1), the frequency-oscillating means M1 excite the resonant oscillating circuit formed by the movable electrode E, the coil B and the capacitor C2. In the absence of a hand M in proximity to the handle (i.e. in proximity to the detection device D′), the value of the capacitance at the terminal of the movable electrode E is equal to Cx, and the resonant frequency F of the resonant circuit, which frequency is measured by the measuring means M1′, is equal to:

(48) $F0=\frac{1}{2\times \pi \times \sqrt{\left(L\times \frac{\mathrm{Cx}\times C2}{\mathrm{Cx}+C2}\right)}}$

(49) When the hand M of the user approaches the handle 10, the value of the capacitance across the terminals of the movable electrode E gradually increases by ΔCx, and therefore the resonant frequency F decreases and equals:

(50) $F=\frac{1}{2\times \pi \times \sqrt{\left(L\times \frac{\left(\mathrm{Cx}+\Delta \mathrm{Cx}\right)\times C2}{\left(\mathrm{Cx}+\Delta \mathrm{Cx}\right)+C2}\right)}}$

(51) The resonant frequency F reaches a minimum when the hand M of the user touches the handle 10, corresponding to the maximum variation ΔCxmax in the capacitance Cx of the movable electrode E.

(52) $F=\frac{1}{2\times \pi \times \sqrt{\left(L\times \frac{\left(\mathrm{Cx}+\Delta \mathrm{Cx}\max \right)\times C2}{\left(\mathrm{Cx}+\Delta \mathrm{Cx}\max \right)+C2}\right)}}$

(53) The frequency-comparing means M2 compare the resonant frequency thus measured to a first threshold F1 (step E2). When the resonant frequency F passes below a first threshold F1, at a first time T1 (see FIG. 4), then the detection of the approach of the hand of the user toward the handle 10 is validated (step E3) but the detection of the intention to lock or unlock the door is not validated, contrary to the prior art.

(54) Next, subsequently, the user grips the handle 10. The press of the hand M on the handle 10 locally deforms said handle 10 (in the elastically deformable zone Z1′) and the first portion 52 of the casing B′ and causes the movable electrode E to move toward the coil B, along the axis Y-Y′, as explained above.

(55) Since the movable electrode E has a target function with respect to the coil B, when the movable electrode E gets closer to the coil B, the inductance L of the coil decreases, until it reaches a minimum value Lmin. The resonant frequency F of the resonant circuit then increases and equals:

(56) $F=\frac{1}{2\times \pi \times \sqrt{\left(L\min \times \frac{\left(\mathrm{Cx}+\Delta \mathrm{Cx}\right)\times C2}{\left(\mathrm{Cx}+\Delta \mathrm{Cx}\right)+C2}\right)}}$

(57) The frequency-comparing means M2 compare the resonant frequency thus measured to a second threshold F2 (step E4).

(58) If the resonant frequency F passes below the second threshold F2 at a second time T2, then the detection of contact is validated, but the detection of the intention to lock or unlock is not validated.

(59) According to an aspect of the invention, the detection of the intention to lock or unlock the door is validated (step E5) only if: the resonant frequency F passes below a first threshold F1, at a first time T1, and the resonant frequency F passes above a second threshold F2, at a second time T2, the first time T1 and the second time T2 being stored in memory (E4a), a duration Δt between said second time T2 and the first time T1 is calculated (E4b), and the duration Δt between the first time T1 and the second time T2 thus computed is shorter than a preset duration Δt.sub.ref (step E4c).

(60) Ingeniously, the detection method of an aspect of the invention is therefore based on the use of the movable electrode E as: an electrode for detecting the approach of the hand of the user, an inductive sensor target, coupled to the coil B, once the hand has been placed on the handle 10, a variable capacitor of the resonant oscillating circuit formed by the coil B and the capacitor C2.

(61) Initially, the movable electrode E does not move and functions as a capacitive sensor for detecting the approach of the hand of the user. However, contrary to the prior art, the detection method according to an aspect of the invention does not continuously measure the variation ΔCx in the capacitance of the movable electrode E, but rather the resonant frequency F of the resonant oscillating circuit, that the movable electrode E forms with the coil B and the capacitor C2. Specifically, the resonant frequency F varies as a function of the variation ΔCx in the capacitance of the movable electrode E, due to the approach of the user.

(62) The capacitor C2 is a matching capacitor that allows the frequency of the resonant oscillating circuit to be adjusted, and that allows said circuit to be made electrically coherent (since it is connected to ground).

(63) Subsequently, the user presses on the handle 10 and the movable electrode E moves and functions as target of the inductive sensor, which is formed by said electrode E coupled to the coil B. Measurement of the variation in the resonant frequency F of the resonant oscillating circuit (due to the variation in the inductance L of the coil) here allows the approach of the movable electrode E toward the coil B to be detected, in a final position that means that the user has pressed on the handle 10.

(64) The detection method of an aspect of the invention therefore comprises continuously measuring the resonant frequency F of the resonant oscillating circuit and comparing said frequency F to two successive thresholds, a first threshold F1, representative of the variation in the capacitance of the movable electrode E, due to the approach of the hand M of the user toward the handle 10, and a second threshold F2, higher than the first threshold F1, representative of the variation in the inductance of the coil B, due to the contact of the hand M of the user on the handle 10. If the value of the measured resonant frequency F is successively lower than the first threshold F1 at a first time T1, then higher than the second threshold F2 at a second time T2, and if the duration Δt between the first time T1 and the second time T2 is shorter than a preset duration Δt.sub.ref, then the detection of the intention of the user to lock or unlock is validated (step E5).

(65) Thus, in case of exterior perturbations, such as rain or snow on the handle 10, or humid ambient air that causes the resonant frequency F to pass below the first threshold F1, the detection of the intention to lock or unlock will not be validated, in so far as the resonant frequency will not then pass above the 2nd threshold within the preset length of time Δt.sub.ref.

(66) Conversely, in the case where vibrations or a slammed door cause the resonant frequency to pass above the 2nd threshold F2, the detection of the intention to lock or unlock will not be validated, in so far as the resonant frequency will not have passed beforehand below a first threshold F1.

(67) In the case of metallic paint, the variation ΔCx in capacitance may cause the resonant frequency to drop below the first threshold F1, but a calibration specific to handles covered with metallic paint of the first threshold F1 will possibly remedy this problem. In addition, in any case the resonant frequency F will not exceed the second threshold F2 within the preset duration Δt.sub.ref.

(68) An aspect of the invention is particularly relevant in the case where a user approaches the handle without touching it. In this case, the resonant frequency F drops and may be lower than the first threshold F1, but in no case will it exceed, within the preset duration, the second threshold F2, the latter being set beforehand for the case where the movable electrode E is near the coil B in its final position.

(69) The detection method of an aspect of the invention is therefore particularly robust and prevents false detections.

(70) In the detection method according to an aspect of the invention, the first time T1 and the second time T2 are stored in memory, then a duration Δt between said second time T2 and the first time T1 is computed.

(71) The duration Δ thus measured is then compared to a preset duration Δt.sub.ref. The detection of the intention to lock or unlock is then validated only if the duration Δt is shorter than the preset duration Δt.sub.ref.

(72) The method of an aspect of the invention mitigates false detections due to the chance approach of the user close to the handle 10 without the intention of unlocking or locking his vehicle. In this case, the user approaches the handle 10 sufficiently for the resonant frequency F to pass below the first threshold F1, but he does not grip the handle, and the resonant frequency F does not pass below the second threshold F2 in an imparted length of time, namely the preset duration Δt.sub.ref.

(73) The preset duration Δt.sub.ref will have been measured beforehand and will correspond to a maximum duration required by the user to grip the handle 10.

(74) An aspect of the invention therefore allows the intention of the user to lock or unlock his vehicle to be reliably and robustly detected.