METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING MOVEMENTS OF AT LEAST ONE MOTOR VEHICLE DOOR OF A PARKED MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

A method for controlling movements of at least one motor vehicle door of a parked motor vehicle. First, the presence of at least one living being inside the motor vehicle is determined using at least one sensor. Then, an increase in temperature inside the motor vehicle is detected using a further second sensor. A control unit evaluates the above-mentioned sensor signals so that an actuator opens the motor vehicle door. According to the invention, an opening device for the motor vehicle door is used as the actuator.

Claims

1. A method for controlling movements of at least one motor vehicle door of a parked motor vehicle, comprising the steps of: determining a presence of at least one living being inside the motor vehicle using at least a first sensor; detecting an increase in temperature inside the motor vehicle using a second sensor; and evaluating with a control unit sensor signals from the first sensor and the second sensor and actuating an actuator to open the motor vehicle door based on the evaluating by the control unit; wherein the actuator comprises an opening device that opens the motor vehicle door when actuated by the control unit.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the opening device opens the motor vehicle door to a pre-opening position or beyond.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the opening device is at least partially integrated into a motor vehicle lock of the motor vehicle door.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle includes a plurality of motor vehicle doors each having a respective opening device, and the control unit actuates the respective opening device of all or a selected number of the plurality of motor vehicle doors of the motor vehicle, the selected number including more than one of the plurality of motor vehicle doors.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control unit unlocks and/or opens a motor vehicle lock of the motor vehicle door before the opening device is actuated to open the motor vehicle door.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control unit detects the increase in temperature inside the motor vehicle over time with the second sensor and determines a temperature gradients, the opening device only being actuated when a certain preset gradient and/or a predetermined threshold value of the temperature is exceeded.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control unit additionally emits a warning signal when the opening device is actuated.

8. A device for controlling movements of at least one motor vehicle door of a parked motor vehicle, the device comprising: at least one first sensor for detecting a presence of a living being inside the motor vehicle, a second sensor for detecting an increase in temperature inside the motor vehicle, a control unit configured to evaluate sensor signals from the first sensor and the second sensor, and an actuator, wherein the control unit is configured to actuate the actuator of the motor vehicle door based on the evaluation by the control unit, and wherein the actuator comprises an opening device that opens for the motor vehicle door when actuated by the control unit.

9. The device in accordance with claim 8, wherein the first sensor is a seat occupancy sensor the determines the presence of the living being occupying a seat in the motor vehicle.

10. The device in accordance with claim 8, wherein the second sensor is an interior temperature sensor that detects temperature in an interior of the motor vehicle.

11. The device in accordance with claim 8, further comprising a motor vehicle lock of the motor vehicle door, wherein the opening device is at least partially integrated into the motor vehicle lock of the motor vehicle door.

12. The device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the motor vehicle lock is an electric lock that includes an electric motor drive that operates a locking mechanism of the motor vehicle lock.

13. The device in accordance with claim 8, wherein the motor vehicle includes a plurality of motor vehicle doors each having a respective opening device, and the control unit is configured to actuate the respective opening device of all or a selected number of the plurality of motor vehicle doors of the motor vehicle, the selected number including more than one of the plurality of motor vehicle doors.

14. The device in accordance with claim 8, wherein the first sensor is an infrared sensor that reacts to thermal radiation emitted by the living being inside the motor vehicle.

15. The method in accordance with claim 3, wherein the motor vehicle lock is an electric lock that includes an electric motor drive that operates a locking mechanism of the motor vehicle lock.

16. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control unit operates the opening device of a motor vehicle door located adjacent to the living being whose presence is determined by the first sensor.

17. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control unit determines whether the motor vehicle is parked based on an ignition lock signal and/or a speed signal of the motor vehicle.

18. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising, after actuating the opening device to open the motor vehicle door and then detecting that the temperature falls with the second sensor, the control unit controls the opening device to close the motor vehicle door.

Description

[0019] In the following, the invention is explained in more detail with the aid of a drawing showing only an exemplary embodiment; in the figures:

[0020] FIG. 1 schematically shows a parked motor vehicle and

[0021] FIG. 2 shows the opening process of the associated motor vehicle door.

[0022] The figures show a device for controlling movements of at least one motor vehicle door 1. In the example case, the motor vehicle door 1 is a motor vehicle side door of a schematically shown motor vehicle 2. The motor vehicle 2 is parked. Corresponding to this, a mandatory control unit 3 evaluates, for example, the signal from an ignition lock and/or speed signals from the motor vehicle 2.

[0023] In addition, at least one first sensor 4 is implemented, which can be used to determine the presence of at least one living being inside the motor vehicle 2. In fact, the first sensor 4 is a seat occupancy sensor 4, which determines in the usual way whether a person is sitting on a seat or not. Instead of the seat occupancy sensor, however, the first sensor 4 can also be configured and operate in such a way that it can be used to determine the presence of a living being in a different way, for example a dog in the trunk. For this purpose, it is conceivable that the first sensor 4 is configured as an infrared sensor which reacts to the thermal radiation emitted by the living being in question. A camera or sensors that operate in a different way are also conceivable in this context.

[0024] In addition to the first sensor 4, a second sensor 5 is provided. The second sensor 5 is used to detect an increase in temperature inside the vehicle 2. For this purpose, the second sensor 5 according to the exemplary embodiment is an interior temperature sensor 5. Both sensors 4, 5 are connected to the control unit 3 to evaluate their signals.

[0025] After evaluating the sensor signals from the first sensor 4 and the second sensor 5, the control unit 3 now ensures that an actuator 6 opens the associated motor vehicle door 1, forming a gap at least wide enough to allow the interior of the motor vehicle 2 to be ventilated. For this purpose, the actuator 6 according to the exemplary embodiment is an opening device 6 for the motor vehicle door 1.

[0026] The enlarged illustration in FIG. 2 shows that the opening device 6 opens the vehicle door 1 at least to a pre-opening position or even beyond. For this purpose, the opening device 6 is at least partially integrated into a motor vehicle lock 7 in or on the motor vehicle door 1. The motor vehicle lock 7 has a locking mechanism consisting of a rotary latch and pawl, which is not expressly shown, and also has an actuating lever chain located inside. In addition, an electric motor drive is implemented and provided inside the motor vehicle lock 7.

[0027] The control unit 3 can be used not only to actuate the opening device 6 of the motor vehicle door 1 in question, but also to actuate selected or all motor vehicle doors 1 of the motor vehicle 2. For example, it is conceivable that when a certain predetermined temperature inside the motor vehicle 2 is exceeded, the motor vehicle door 1 adjacent to the living being in question or the first sensor 4 is first opened. If the temperature inside the motor vehicle 2 does not fall significantly following this forced ventilation of the motor vehicle door 1 in question, the control unit 3 also controls the remaining opening devices 6 of the remaining motor vehicle doors 1 accordingly in the sense that the associated motor vehicle doors 1 are each opened to form a gap, thus providing additional forced ventilation of the interior of the motor vehicle 2. Of course, it is also possible to proceed from the outset in such a way that the control unit 3 actuates all motor vehicle doors 1 of the motor vehicle 2.

[0028] In order to ensure that the motor vehicle door 1 is actually opened when the control unit 3 actuates the motor vehicle lock 7 or the motor vehicle door 1 in question, the control unit 3 generally ensures that the motor vehicle lock 7 in question is unlocked and/or opened before actuating the opening device 6 of the associated motor vehicle lock 7. This corresponds to the fact that the control unit 3 is used to transfer the actuating lever chain previously mentioned and located inside the motor vehicle lock 7 to its unlocked state. As a result, the associated motor vehicle door 1 can be opened to form a gap using the opening device 6. For this purpose, the opening device 6 may operate in addition to the locking mechanism as a component of the motor vehicle lock 7 in such a way that the locking mechanism is opened. Alternatively, the electric motor drive can also open the locking mechanism beforehand.

[0029] When evaluating the two sensors 4, 5, the control unit 3 can proceed in such a way that, for example, the second sensor 5 is used to detect the increase in temperature inside the motor vehicle 2 over time and determine gradients. The design is such that the opening device 6 is only actuated when a certain preset gradient is exceeded. The control unit 3 can also be used to evaluate whether the temperature inside the motor vehicle 2 measured by the second sensor 5 exceeds a predetermined threshold value. As a rule, the design is such that the fulfillment of one of the two possibilities specified above corresponds to the actuation of the opening device 6.

[0030] In addition, it is provided that the control unit 3 also emits a warning signal when the opening device 6 is activated. This warning signal can, for example, be designed in such a way that the already existing and mandatory hazard warning light system of the motor vehicle 2 is activated. However, it is also possible for the control unit 3 to send a message to a vehicle user in this case. The invention is based on the knowledge that nowadays, modern motor vehicles are typically set up and operate in such a way that the control unit 3 communicates with, for example, a cell phone 8 of the motor vehicle user, which is only indicated in the figures, and in this context emits the warning signal referred to.

[0031] The control unit 3 can, of course, also be set up so that after the temperature inside the motor vehicle 2 falls, the actuator 6 of the motor vehicle door 1 that is slightly ajar or the actuators 6 of a plurality of vehicle doors 1 that are slightly ajar are controlled to close the motor vehicle doors 1 again.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0032] Motor vehicle door 1 [0033] Motor vehicle 2 [0034] Control unit 3 [0035] Sensor 4 [0036] Sensor 5 [0037] Actuator, opening device 6 [0038] Motor vehicle lock 7 [0039] Cell phone 8