ADJUSTMENT DEVICE AND METHOD FOR THE POWER-OPERATED ADJUSTMENT OF AN ADJUSTMENT PART ON A VEHICLE BASED ON AT LEAST ONE OPERATING EVENT

Abstract

A vehicle including a number of adjustable parts each configured to be adjusted by a motor, a sensor configured to detect a first gesture performed by a first person in a first sensor area indicative of a number of operating events, and a controller configured to, responsive to receiving the first gesture from the sensor, provide the first person a first operating event option and a second operating event option to select either a first operating event or a second operating event, and responsive to receiving a second gesture indicative of a selection of the first operating event, command a first motor to adjust a first adjustable part of the number of adjustable parts.

Claims

1. An adjustment device for power-operated adjustment of an adjustment part of a vehicle, the adjustment device comprising: a motor drive; a sensor device configured to monitor a first sensor area and a second sensor area, spaced apart from one another, for contactless detection of an operating event triggered by a person's body part disposed within either the first sensor area or the second sensor area; and an electronic control unit configured to, responsive to receiving a first sensor signal, based on the operating event, from the sensor device and determining whether the first sensor signal is based the person's body part being disposed within either the first sensor area or the second sensor area, trigger a first vehicle function, wherein the first vehicle function includes commanding the motor drive to provide the power-operated adjustment of the adjustment part, or trigger a second vehicle function.

2. The adjustment device of claim 1, wherein the sensor device is configured to detect a gesture carried out by a hand or a foot and/or detect presence of the body part in at least one of the first and second sensor areas for a defined period.

3. The adjustment device of claim 1, wherein the second vehicle function is adjusting another adjustable adjustment part of the vehicle.

4. The adjustment device of claim 1, wherein the second vehicle function is actuating an electronic component of the vehicle.

5. The adjustment device of claim 4, wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to, responsive to actuation of the electronic component, switch from a first operating mode to a second operating mode.

6. The adjustment device of claim 1, wherein the first sensor area is disposed in an interior space of the vehicle.

7. The adjustment device of claim 1, wherein the adjustment part is a lateral vehicle door or a rear-side vehicle door.

8. The adjustment device of claim 1, wherein the adjustment part is disposed within an interior space of the vehicle.

9. An adjustment device for power-operated adjustment of an adjustment part of a vehicle, the adjustment device comprising: a motor drive; a sensor device for the contactless detection of a first operating event triggered by a person's body part and a second operating event; and an electronic control unit responsive to receiving a first sensor signal, based on the first operating event, from the sensor device, and configured to trigger a first vehicle function, wherein the first vehicle function includes commanding the motor drive to provide the power-operated adjustment of the adjustment part, and responsive to the first operating event, output a query to detect for presence of the person, and further responsive to detecting a second operating event based on a response to the query, trigger a second vehicle function based on the second operating event.

10. The adjustment device of claim 9, wherein the second operating event is detected in a contactless manner and/or wherein the second operating event is a gesture performed by the person or another person.

11. The adjustment device of claim 9, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to signal the person a first selection gesture and a second selection gesture, and responsive to detecting the person performing the first selection gesture, trigger a third vehicle function, wherein the third vehicle function includes commanding the motor to provide another power-operated adjustment of the adjustment part or another adjustment part, and responsive to detecting the person performing the second selection gesture, trigger a fourth vehicle function.

12. The adjustment device of claim 9, wherein the sensor device is configured to detect an operating event within a number of sensor areas, each spaced apart from one another, and wherein the query is based on one of the sensor areas of the number of sensor areas.

13. The adjustment device of claim 8, wherein the sensor device includes at least one radar sensor.

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16. A vehicle comprising: a number of adjustable parts each configured to be adjusted by a motor; a sensor configured to detect a first gesture performed by a first person in a first sensor area indicative of one of a number of operating events; and a controller configured to, responsive to receiving the first gesture from the sensor, provide the first person a first operating event option and a second operating event option to select either a first operating event or a second operating event, and responsive to receiving a second gesture indicative of a selection of the first operating event, command a first motor to adjust a first adjustable part of the number of adjustable parts.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the first adjustable part is a vehicle door, wherein the first gesture and the second gesture are different.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein a second adjustable part of the number of adjustable parts includes a window configured to be adjusted by actuation of a second motor, wherein the controller is further configured to, responsive to receiving the second gesture, indicative of the second operating event, command the second motor to adjust the window.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the first gesture is a kicking motion.

20. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the second gesture is received from a mobile device.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising: detecting a gesture of a second person disposed in a second sensor area, different than the first sensor area and indicative of a second operating event, wherein the second operating event is different than the first operating event; and providing an error message to the second person.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] The attached Figures by way of example illustrate possible embodiments of the proposed solution.

[0035] In the drawings:

[0036] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a proposed adjustment device for realizing a variant of a proposed method for the power-operated adjustment of a liftgate on a vehicle;

[0037] FIG. 2 shows another embodiment with a lateral vehicle door as an adjustment part to be adjusted;

[0038] FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the proposed solution for controlling adjustment parts within a vehicle interior space and/or for detecting an operating event within a vehicle interior space;

[0039] FIG. 4 shows a flow diagram for an embodiment of a proposed method;

[0040] FIG. 5 shows a flow diagram for another embodiment of a proposed method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

[0042] From the prior art, for example DE 10 2013 010 993 A1, it is known already to make a power-operated, i.e. motor-driven, adjustment of an adjustment part of a vehicle dependent on the detection of an operating event which goes back to a gesture carried out by a person. A corresponding gesture, for example with a hand and/or a foot, is sensorily detected in a contactless manner and utilized for triggering an adjusting movement of the adjustment part. Via an electronic control unit it is evaluated for example whether a movement pattern detected for an executed gesture corresponds with a reference pattern stored in a memory of the electronic control unit (possibly plus any tolerances). When a correspondence is given, the presence of a valid operating event is inferred and the adjusting movement is triggered. Before triggering the adjusting movement it possibly is also verified that the gesture has been carried out by an authenticated user or at least a valid authentication means is present in the environment of the vehicle.

[0043] FIG. 1 sectionally shows a vehicle F in a side view looking at a rear end of the vehicle F. At the rear end of the vehicle F a rear-side vehicle door, i.e. a liftgate 1A, is pivotally mounted on a body K in order to close and, when necessary, clear a body opening O at the rear end of the vehicle F. The liftgate 1A is adjustable in a power-operated way via a motor drive 2A. The liftgate 1A thus can be opened by means of the motor drive 2A, such as along an adjustment direction Vo. Alternatively or in addition, the motor drive 2A can be used to close the liftgate 1A and therefor pivot along an opposite adjustment direction Vs.

[0044] For controlling the adjusting movement, the motor drive 2A is coupled with an electronic control unit SE. The electronic control unit SE can receive sensor signals s3 from a sensor device 3 which in the present case may include, for example, at least one radar sensor. Via the sensor device 3, spatially different sensor areas 30, 31 and 32 are monitored for the occurrence of a possible operating event. What is detected as an operating event is the execution of a gesture, and in dependence on the sensor areas 30, 31 or 32 in which the gesture is executed by a person P different functions can be controlled on the vehicle F, which may include the adjustment of the liftgate 1A. In principle, a gesture for example is assessed as a valid operating event when a recognized movement pattern of the gesture carried out corresponds with a reference pattern stored in the electronic control unit SE, possibly by taking account of predefined tolerances. For example, when the person P carries out a kicking movement with their foot FT in the region of or under a bumper ST below the liftgate 1A as a gesture, this kicking movement is detected in the (lower) sensor area 30 of the sensor device 3 comprising a radar sensor. For example, a radar sensor can detect in a position-resolved way at what absolute position within the space a gesture is carried out, and in addition can also detect at what speed and with what direction of movement the gesture is carried out. When the kicking movement of the foot FT is detected in the sensor area 30, the electronic control unit SE actuates the motor drive 2A for example to open the liftgate 1A. On the other hand, when the kicking movement is detected in another sensor area, for example in the sensor area 31, another function of the vehicle F is thereby actuated, for example in order to open a side door of the vehicle F or to activate or deactivate a lighting on the vehicle.

[0045] To avoid that every gesture of a person P present in the environment of the vehicle F leads to the triggering of a particular function, controlled by an electronic control unit SE, it can be provided that the concrete triggering is effected even before the authentication of the person P or at least is dependent on the presence of a valid authentication means associated to the vehicle F, for example a transponder, in the environment of the vehicle F.

[0046] By monitoring the different sensor devices 30, 31 and 32 via the sensor device 3, the person P furthermore can trigger the closing of the liftgate 1A for example by carrying out a gesture with their hand H in a region at chest height and hence at least 1.5 m above the ground on which the vehicle F is disposed. In that gestures of the person P are detected by the sensor device 3 in a position-resolved way, different functions on the vehicle F hence can easily be controlled thereby.

[0047] In one variant, a dialog with the person P can be started after the detection of a (primary) operating event in one of the sensor areas 30, 31 or 32 of the sensor device 3 via the electronic control unit SE in order to enable the person P to choose between different functions which now can be triggered by the person P as a result of a subsequent (secondary) operating event. Thus, the electronic control unit SE triggers a query, in response to which a further (secondary) operating event can be triggered by the person P in order to trigger one of several (at least two) different functions, at least one of which may include an adjustment of the liftgate 1A.

[0048] For example, after the execution of a kicking movement with the foot FT in the sensor area 30 in the environment of the bumper ST, the electronic control unit SE in an acoustically, haptically and/or visually perceptible way signals to the person P a query which indicates that now several options for a triggering function are available. The query for example can be signaled in a visually perceptible way on a display provided on the vehicle and on the liftgate 1A, for example. Alternatively or in addition, an acoustically, haptically and/or visually perceptible query can be triggered by a mobile device carried by the person P.

[0049] When the person P, e.g. after triggering the query, carries out a further kicking movement with the foot FT in the (lower) sensor area 30, the closed liftgate 1A for example is opened and hence pivoted along the adjustment direction Vo. On the other hand, when subsequently a particular gesture is carried out by the person P with the hand H in the other (upper) sensor area 32 as a further (secondary) operating event in response to the triggered query, the electronic control unit SE actuates an electronic component 6 of the vehicle F. The actuation of the electronic component 6 then for example leads to the activation of an alarm system of the vehicle F, to a lighting on or in the vehicle F being turned on or off and/or to the operation of a lock for the liftgate 1A, for example a central locking system of the vehicle F. In this way, the person P can easily and comfortably control different functions of the vehicle F via various gestures carried out subsequently and possibly in different sensor areas 30, 31 and 32.

[0050] FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the proposed solution, in which via the sensor device 3 different sensor areas 30 and 31 in the environment of the lateral vehicle door 1B of the vehicle F are monitored. Via the sensor device 3 and an electronic control unit SE coupled therewith an adjusting movement of the vehicle door 1B hence can be controlled by means of a motor drive 2B. In this way, for example the vehicle door 1B can be opened along an adjustment direction Vo by motor control in response to a detected, valid operating event or can be closed along a direction Vs by motor control.

[0051] The sensor device 3 in principle can be provided in a body component of the vehicle F. In one embodiment, the sensor device, here for example comprising a radar sensor, can also be arranged on or in the vehicle door 1B itself. This is shown in FIG. 2 with reference to a sensor device 3.

[0052] Via the respective sensor device 3, 3 and the electronic control unit SE coupled therewith, the adjustment of a window pane 10 of the vehicle door 1B furthermore can be effected by gesture control. For example, when a kicking movement is carried out with a foot in a monitored sensor area 30 of the sensor device 3 of FIG. 2, which is located closer to the ground, this can be assessed as an operating event for opening the side door 1B. On the other hand, when a wiping gesture is carried out along a vertical in a sensor area 31 located above the same, this can be assessedby one and the same sensor device 3, 3as an operating event for adjusting the window pane 10. Depending on the direction of the wiping gesture carried out, the window pane 10 then is either lowered along an adjustment direction Vo or lifted along an opposite adjustment direction Vs (each power-operated by means of a motorized window lifter drive).

[0053] Analogous to the embodiment explained above in connection with FIG. 1, the electronic control unit SE in the embodiment of FIG. 2 also can trigger a query in response to a (primary) operating event in order to trigger one of several different functions only in response to a subsequent additional (secondary) operating event. In the variant of FIG. 2, the electronic control unit SE is coupled with a display A for a query visually perceptible by a person P, in order to indicate to the person that in response to the primary operating event detected as valid it now is possiblefor example by carrying out at least two different gestures, such as gestures carried out at different spatial positionsto trigger different functions on the vehicle F.

[0054] In the embodiment of FIG. 3, a sensor device 3 is used to monitor a vehicle interior space I in two spatially different sensor areas 33 and 34 for the occurrence of a possible operating event. In this way, a person within the vehicle interior space I for example can control an adjustment of an adjustment part within the vehicle interior space I and at least one further function on the basis of gestures. As possible adjustment parts to be adjusted a vehicle seat F is provided for example. A vehicle seat Fwhich here is associated to a driver of the vehicle F due to an arrangement in front of a steering wheel L of the vehicle Ffor example can be adjusted within the vehicle interior space I, in particular be longitudinally shifted and/or be rotated about a vertical upright axis. Alternatively or in addition, a backrest 4R of the vehicle seat 4 and/or a seat part 4S, relative to which the backrest 4R is adjustable, can be adjusted by gesture control. Furthermore, a glove box flap 5 for example can be adjusted by gesture control, and here as well the adjustment depends on the question in which of the monitored sensor areas 33 or 34 a particular gesture is carried out.

[0055] In the embodiment of FIG. 3 another sensor device 3 for the rear vehicle area furthermore is provided by way of example. By means of this sensor device 3, which possibly can be provided as an alternative to the sensor device 3 monitoring the front part of the vehicle interior space I, two spatially different sensor areas 35 and 36 are monitored, which on the one hand are associated to the vehicle interior space I and on the other hand to the environment of a rear vehicle door 1C. Correspondingly, depending on whether a gesture is carried out by a person within the vehicle interior space I and hence in the one sensor area 35, a function other than a function in response to the execution of possibly the same gesture in a sensor area 36 located outside the vehicle F can be actuated in front of the rear vehicle door 1C.

[0056] FIG. 4 illustrates a possible embodiment of a proposed method, in particular a method which can be used in connection with the adjustment devices explained by way of example with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

[0057] In a first method step 400, an operating event for example initially is detected with reference to a gesture carried out. Subsequently, in a further method step 401, the spatial position of the operating event detected as valid is recognized in order to trigger for example an adjustment of a particular adjustment part, such as the liftgate 1A or a vehicle door 1B or 1C, in a further method step 402. As can be taken from FIG. 4, it is also possible as an alternative to initially detect in the electronic control unit SE at what spatial position a gesture currently is carried out by a person P in order to only subsequently decide whether the gesture carried out corresponds to a valid operating event. Here, it merely is decisive that in addition to a recognition of a particular gesture it likewise is evaluated at what spatial position and hence in what area in the environment of the vehicle F the respective gesture is carried out in order to be able to decide what function thereby is triggered on the vehicle F.

[0058] The flow diagram of FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary embodiment in which an additional query dialog with a person is provided in order to decide on triggering one function out of several different possible functions.

[0059] First of all, a first (primary) operating event is recognized in a first method step 500. In response thereto, a query of the desired function is triggered in a method step 501. Depending on what gesture and/or in what spatial position a respective gesture is carried out by a person in response to this query, a second (secondary) or a third (secondary) operating event then is recognized. For example, when the second operating event is recognized in a method step 502, the adjustment of a particular adjustment part, such as the liftgate 1A or the side door 1B, is effected in response thereto in a method step 503. On the other hand, when in response to the query the third operating event is recognized in a method step 504, the adjustment of another adjustment part and/or the triggering of another function on the vehicle F is effected in a subsequent method step 505.

[0060] The following is a list of reference numbers shown in the Figures. However, it should be understood that the use of these terms is for illustrative purposes only with respect to one embodiment. And, use of reference numbers correlating a certain term that is both illustrated in the Figures and present in the claims is not intended to limit the claims to only cover the illustrated embodiment.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0061] 1A, 1B, 1C vehicle door (adjustment part) [0062] 10 window pane (adjustment part) [0063] 2A, 2B drive [0064] 3, 3, 3 sensor device, comprising a radar sensor [0065] 30-36 sensor area [0066] 4 vehicle seat (adjustment part) [0067] 4R backrest (adjustment part) [0068] 4S seat part (adjustment part) [0069] 5 glove box flap (adjustment part) [0070] 6 electronic component [0071] A display [0072] F vehicle [0073] FT foot [0074] H hand [0075] I vehicle interior space [0076] K body [0077] L steering wheel [0078] O body opening [0079] P person [0080] SE electronic control unit [0081] ST bumper [0082] s3 sensor signal [0083] Vo, Vs adjustment direction

[0084] While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.