METHOD FOR ACTIVATING AT LEAST ONE FUNCTIONAL DEVICE OF A VEHICLE

Abstract

In a method for activating at least one functional device of a vehicle, it is provided as essential to the invention that at least one structure-borne sound signal caused by a vehicle user on the vehicle shell of the vehicle is detected with at least one structure-borne sound sensor, that the structure-borne sound signal is analysed by means of an evaluation device for the presence of a specific signal pattern, that a specific functional device of the vehicle is assigned to the signal pattern and that on detecting the specific signal pattern a control signal is sent to the functional device assigned to the signal pattern.

Claims

1. A method for activating at least one functional device of a vehicle, wherein at least one structure-borne sound signal effected by a vehicle user on the vehicle shell of the vehicle is detected with at least one structure-borne sound sensor, the structure-borne sound signal is analysed by means of an evaluation device for the presence of a specific signal pattern, a specific functional device of the vehicle is assigned to the signal pattern, and on detecting the specific signal pattern a control signal is sent to the functional device which is assigned to the signal pattern.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the functional device is a drive device for a closure element of a vehicle opening, in particular a vehicle door and/or a vehicle window.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the functional device is at least one drive device of the front bonnet and/or the tailgate and/or the charge point cover and/or the fuel cap.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein at least one structure-borne sound sensor is assigned to each closure element to be activated, that on the detection of a structure-borne sound signal by the assigned structure-borne sound sensor, a control signal is sent to the drive device of the closure element so that an at least partial opening or closing of the closure element is initiated.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a number of structure-borne sound sensors are assigned to one closure element.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, a signal pattern that is assigned to a specific functional device of the vehicle can be individually determined.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein, the signal patterns of the detected structure-borne sound signals can be generated by a tapping sequence made by vehicle user on the outer shell of the vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein, the intensity and/or number and/or the chronological sequence of the tapping contacts in a structure-borne sound signal are detected in the evaluation device.

9. A vehicle with structure-borne sound conducting structure-borne sound sensors connected to the outer shell of the vehicle, with at least one evaluation device for evaluating structure-borne sound signals and with at least one control unit for activating at least one functional device of the vehicle, wherein the structure-borne sound sensors are designed to detect at least one structure-borne sound signal in the form of a tapping pattern on the outer shell of the vehicle, the evaluation device is designed to analyse the detected structure-borne sound signal for the presence of at least one specific signal pattern, and the evaluation device is connected in a signal-conducting manner for control purposes to at least one functional device of the vehicle via at least one control unit.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein at least one functional device is designed as a drive device for driving at least one closure device, in particular a vehicle door and/or a vehicle window, and that at least one structure-borne sound sensor is assigned to each closure device by a structure-borne sound conducting connection.

Description

[0017] The Sole FIGURE shows a schematic sequence of the method according to the invention in detail.

[0018] In the Sole FIGURE, the sequence of the method according to the inventions is depicted schematically. A structure-borne sound signal can be generated, for example by the vehicle user, on the outer shell of the vehicle 1. The structure-borne sound signal can for example be a tapping signal with a specific signal pattern. The structure-borne sound signal generated is detected by at least one structure-borne sound sensor 2. Different signal patterns can be assigned to different functional devices of the vehicle. For example one specific signal pattern can be assigned to the drive device of the tailgate. The detected structure-borne sound signal is analysed in an evaluation device for the presence of a specific signal pattern 3. On detecting a specific signal pattern that is assigned to a specific functional device, a control signal can be sent, for example by a control unit, to the corresponding functional device 4. By generating 1 a specific structure-borne sound signal, in particular a set tapping sequence, and following the detection 2 of the structure-borne sound signal by a structure-borne sound sensor and the analysis 3 by an evaluation device, a functional device which is assigned that signal pattern can be started up 4.

[0019] All of the characteristics mentioned in the present description and in the claims can be combined with the characteristics of the independent claims as desired. The disclosure of the invention is thus not restricted to the described or claimed characteristic combinations, rather all characteristic combinations which make sense within the framework of the invention are to be considered as disclosed.