VEHICLE WITH AN UNLOCKING MECHANISM, LOCKING MECHANISM, AND/OR OPENING MECHANISM FOR AN ELECTRONIC LOCK

Abstract

A vehicle may have an unlocking mechanism and/or locking mechanism and/or opening mechanism for an electric vehicle lock where at least one contactless, triggering device for actuating the unlocking mechanism, locking mechanism, and/or opening mechanism, and a status indicator of the unlocking mechanism, locking mechanism, and/or opening mechanism, are provided. The triggering device is non-visibly arranged on a vehicle panel and/or on a body section, and the status indicator is arranged in an outwardly visible region of the vehicle, such as in a channel strip element.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A vehicle, which comprises an unlocking mechanism and/or locking mechanism and/or opening mechanism for an electric vehicle lock, wherein at least one contactless, triggering device for actuating the unlocking mechanism, locking mechanism, and/or opening mechanism, and a status indicator of the unlocking mechanism, locking mechanism, and/or opening mechanism, are provided, wherein the triggering device is non-visibly arranged on a vehicle panel and/or on a body section, and the status indicator is arranged in an outwardly visible region of the vehicle in a channel strip element, in a body section, and/or in a paneling element, wherein the triggering device is configured to unlock and/or open the electrical vehicle lock upon a detected approach and/or movement and/or gesture in a region of or very close to the status indicator and/or the channel strip element.

17. The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the triggering device is configured to unlock and/or open the electric vehicle lock in a region of and/or in the direction of a stationary exterior door handle upon a detected approach and/or movement and/or gesture.

18. The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the triggering device is configured to unlock the vehicle lock upon a first detection of a first approach and/or movement and/or gesture in the region of the triggering device, and to open the vehicle lock upon a second detection of a second approach and/or movement and/or gesture in the region in the region of, in the direction of, or very close to the status indicator and/or the channel strip element and/or the stationary exterior door handle.

19. The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the triggering device has at least one detection module which is arranged in the region of the status indicator and/or of the channel strip element and/or of the stationary exterior door handle.

20. The vehicle according to claim 19, wherein the detection module comprises at least one gesture module and/or one touch module.

21. The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the triggering device comprises a number of sensors that are arranged vertically behind the vehicle panel and/or body section.

22. The vehicle according to claim 21, wherein the sensors are inductive sensors and/or capacitive sensors.

23. The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein a first detection region of the triggering device extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

24. The vehicle according to claim 23, wherein a second detection region of the triggering device extends below the first detection region.

25. The vehicle according to claim 24, wherein the second detection region is formed offset in the longitudinal direction relative to the first detection region.

26. The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the triggering device comprises a number of sensors which are arranged between the vehicle panel and/or the body section, on which the triggering device is arranged, and the channel strip element and/or the exterior door handle.

27. The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the channel strip element is formed as a handle.

28. The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the triggering device is configured to detect at least one vertical movement as the locking request, unlocking request, and/or opening request.

29. The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the status indicator is configured to indicate a current status and/or a status change of the triggering device and/or of the locking mechanism, unlocking mechanism, and/or opening mechanism of the electronic vehicle lock.

30. The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the status indicator and the triggering device are coupled to one another in terms of signaling.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0031] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in greater detail using a drawing. The single FIGURE thereby shows a vehicle door 2 as a side region of a vehicle 1. The other parts of the vehicle 1 are cut away.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] In the shown exemplary embodiment, the vehicle 1 comprises an exterior door handle 3. This can be eliminated by using the invention described here. However, it may also continue to be provided.

[0033] Given conventional vehicle doors 2 or tailgates or engine hoods of a vehicle 1, the exterior door handle 3 or another suitable handle element is provided with or without a keyhole for a key for conventional locking and unlocking of a mechanically actuatable lock mechanism (not shown) which is secured within the vehicle door 2. After manual unlocking of an associated door lock or vehicle lock (not shown) has taken place, a movement of the exterior door handle 3 then has the effect that the vehicle door 2 can be moved relative to a vehicle body and opened.

[0034] The invention enables, in a simple manner, an intuitive solution for unlocking, opening, and locking vehicles 1 if today's conventional handle arrangement is omitted. In particular, fixed elements on the outside of a door panel 4 and the vehicle panels can be omitted.

[0035] For this purpose, the invention provides that, instead of fixed exterior door handles 3 or in addition to them, a triggering device 5 can be arranged on a body section 6, for example on or in a paneling element 7 of a B-pillar or C-pillar, in particular in a trim strip or cover of the B-pillar or C-pillar. Alternatively, the triggering device 5 can be arranged on the door panel 4 and can be oversprayed with a coating layer 8.

[0036] In addition, a status indicator 9 is provided which displays, in an outwardly visible region of the vehicle 1, a current status and/or a status change of the triggering device 5 and/or of a locking mechanism, unlocking mechanism, and/or opening mechanism of the electronic vehicle lock, in particular of the electronic door lock. An electronic vehicle lock is in particular understood to mean an electronic locking system of the vehicle 1 and/or electronic locks of movable vehicle elements, such as doors etc.

[0037] For this purpose, the status indicator 9 and the triggering device 5 are coupled in terms of signaling in a manner not shown in detail. For example, the status indicator 9 can be arranged in a channel strip element 10, for example a channel strip engagement, of the vehicle door 2, or at another suitable location of the vehicle door 2.

[0038] The triggering device 5 can be configured to detect and execute a contactless actuation for automatically triggering and actuating the locking mechanism, unlocking mechanism, and opening mechanism for locking, unlocking, and/or opening the electronic vehicle lock. For example, the triggering device 5 can automatically lock, unlock, and/or open the vehicle lock by means of a gesture control or touch control according to arrows P.

[0039] For this purpose, the triggering device 5 may comprise, for example, a gesture module and/or a touch module. The gesture module may comprise sensors for gesture detection and algorithms for gesture triggering for locking, unlocking, and/or opening the vehicle lock. The touch module may comprise sensors for touch detection and algorithms for touch triggering for locking, unlocking, and/or opening the vehicle lock.

[0040] The triggering device 5 comprises at least one detection module 20 for detecting an actuation in front of and/or on the triggering device 5. The detection module 20 is arranged in the region of the status indicator 9 and/or the channel strip element 10 and/or the stationary exterior door handle 3, for example in the region below a window.

[0041] The detection module 20 is arranged at least in sections in the region of the status indicator 9 and/or of the channel strip element 10 and/or of the stationary exterior door handle 3. The detection module 20 comprises, for example, the gesture module and/or the touch module. For example, the detection module 20 extends over a region of the vehicle panel, of the body section 6, and/or of the paneling element 7, and over a region of the channel strip element 10 and/or of the status indicator 9 and/or of the fixed door handle 3. Alternatively or additionally, the detection module 20 extends below a window region 11 of the vehicle 1. In particular, detection regions of the detection module 20 extend in the vertical direction of the vehicle 1. A gesture and/or movement of the hand of the user in the vertical direction can thereby be detected in a simple manner.

[0042] For example, by means of the sensors, a movement with the hand of a user—which executes, for example, a movement from an upper region, in particular from a window region 11 or from the body section 6, downward, in particular in the direction of the exterior door handle 3—is detected, and the electronic vehicle lock, in particular an electronic door lock, is unlocked. As soon as the hand of the user is located in or very close to the status indicator 9 and/or the channel strip element 10, the electronic vehicle lock, in particular the electronic door lock, is unlocked and/or opened.

[0043] If, for example, instead of the movement from top to bottom, a reverse movement by the user's hand is executed from bottom to top when the vehicle door 2 is closed, the electronic vehicle lock, in particular the electronic door lock, is automatically locked by means of the algorithm of the gesture module.

[0044] In other words, The gesture module detects simple swiping movements of a user from top to bottom and vice versa as trigger signals for the algorithms for automatically unlocking, locking, and opening the electronic vehicle lock.

[0045] A capacitive sensor or an inductive sensor can be used as a sensor. In particular, it is a sensor field or a sensor pad. Individual sensors, in particular sensor electrodes, can thereby be arranged one after or below another or interleaved, so that they are activated in a specific sequence and generate a corresponding trigger signal for unlocking, locking, and/or opening the electronic vehicle lock, in particular the electronic door lock.

[0046] Moreover, a vehicle authentication system (not shown) can be coupled to the triggering device 5 and the vehicle lock in order—in the event of a locking signal, unlocking signal, or opening signal triggered due to an identified gesture or movement of a user—to additionally verify whether the user is also authorized to lock, unlock, or open the vehicle lock.

[0047] The triggering device 5, in particular the sensor field or sensor pad, for example capacitive sensor surfaces, can moreover be arranged in the body section 6 or in the paneling element 7 or on the door panel 4 in such a way that, given a vehicle door 2, the sensors detect when the user grasps the existing exterior door handle 3 in order to automatically unlock the electronic vehicle lock and automatically open it. This is realized in that the sensors are arranged directly above the exterior door handle 3 and detect and analyze the movement in the direction of the exterior door handle 3. For this purpose, the sensors of the triggering device 5 can be arranged vertically at greater distances behind the paneling element 7, or be integrated into this paneling element 7 or into the door panel 4.

[0048] Preferably, the vertical movement from top to bottom is detected as an unlocking request and opening request, and a movement from bottom to top is detected as a locking request and closing request.

[0049] The capacitive sensors are additionally executed and diagnosed in such a way that, as environmental electrodes, they also filter environmental influences and thus avoid undesired behavior of the locking mechanism, unlocking mechanism, and opening mechanism of the electronic vehicle lock.

[0050] The invention enables a simple, intuitive operation by gesture control, in particular simple swiping movements. Sensors can thereby be used for detecting the gesture for unlocking, locking, opening, and closing the electronic vehicle lock. The triggering device 5 requires a small installation space. By means of the status indicator 9, the user receives visual feedback as to whether the electronic vehicle lock is locked, unlocked, open, or closed.

[0051] The triggering device 5 can thereby also combine the gesture module with a contact module, for example in order to separate the different functions of locking, unlocking, opening, and closing from one another.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0052] 1 vehicle [0053] 2 vehicle door [0054] 3 exterior door handle [0055] 4 door panel [0056] 5 triggering device [0057] 6 body section [0058] 7 paneling element [0059] 8 coating layer [0060] 9 status indicator [0061] 10 channel strip element [0062] 11 window region [0063] 20 detection module [0064] P arrow