CONTROL DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a control device for a motor vehicle, having a sensor unit that is configured to contactlessly detect an object in a sensor zone situated on an outer side of the motor vehicle, and a control unit that is configured to generate a first control signal for at least one actuator according to the detected object, which a movement of an access element can be influenced. In order to improve the reliability and user-friendliness of a control device of a motor vehicle comprising a contactless sensor system, it is provided that the control device comprises a projector unit that is configured to project a light pattern that marks off at least one portion of the sensor zone.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device comprising: a sensor configured to contactlessly detect an object in a zone situated on an outer side of a motor vehicle; a control unit configured to generate a first control signal for at least one actuator according to the detected object such that a movement of an access element is influenced; and a projector unit configured to project a light pattern that marks off at least one portion of the zone.

2. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to generate the first control signal upon detection of a first movement of the object.

3. The control device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first movement is indicated via the light pattern.

4. The control device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control unit is further configured to, in response to the first movement and a second movement, generate a second control signal for at least one actuator of the motor vehicle.

5. The control device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control unit is further configured to change the light pattern such that the second movement is displayed.

6. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the projector unit is further configured to project the light pattern onto a ground surface.

7. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to trigger a feedback signal perceptible to a user, upon detection of the object.

8. The control device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the control unit is further configured to change the light pattern, upon detection of the object.

9. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light pattern includes at least one portion situated along an edge of the zone.

10. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the access element is a stowage compartment lid.

11. A vehicle comprising: a sensor that detects an object in a zone situated on an outer vehicle side; a projector that projects a light pattern having a frame element being a line along an edge of a portion of the zone; and a control unit configured to, in response to detection of a first movement within the frame element, generate a first control signal based on the first movement to actuate a stowage compartment lid.

12. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the frame element is projected onto a ground surface.

13. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the control unit is further configured to, in response to the first movement, trigger a feedback signal perceptible to a user.

14. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the control unit is further configured to, in response to the first movement, change the light pattern.

15. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the control unit is further configured to, in response to the first movement and a second movement, generate a second control signal to actuate the stowage compartment lid, and change the light pattern such that the second movement is displayed.

16. A sensor system for a vehicle comprising: a control unit configured to, in response to detection, via a sensor, of a first movement within a frame element of a light pattern, the frame element being a line along an edge of a portion of a zone situated on an outer vehicle side displayed via a projector, generate a first control signal based on the first movement to actuate a stowage compartment lid.

17. The sensor system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the frame element is projected onto a ground surface.

18. The sensor system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the control unit is further configured to, in response to the first movement, trigger a feedback signal perceptible to a user.

19. The sensor system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the control unit is further configured to, in response to the first movement, change the light pattern.

20. The sensor system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the control unit is further configured to, in response to the first movement and a second movement, generate a second control signal to actuate the stowage compartment lid, and change the light pattern such that the second movement is displayed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a rear view of a motor vehicle comprising a control device according to the disclosure;

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the motor vehicle from FIG. 1 at a first point in time;

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the motor vehicle from FIG. 1 at a second point in time; and

[0034] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the motor vehicle from FIG. 1 at a third point in time.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] As required, detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the disclosure 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 disclosure.

[0036] Identical parts are always provided with the same reference numbers in the different figures, and so these parts are also generally only described once.

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a rear view of a motor vehicle 10, which is designed as a type of SUV in the present case, by way of example. The x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis of the motor vehicle 10 are plotted here and in the further figures for the purpose of better orientation. As is apparent, there is a stowage compartment lid 11 in the rear area, which can be raised via, e.g., two actuators 5 designed as motor-driven lid lifting mechanisms 5 in the exemplary embodiment, and which can be locked or unlocked via another actuator 6 designed as a motor-driven closing element or as a so-called closing aid 6 in the exemplary embodiment.

[0038] A control device 1 is situated close to the underbody 12 of the motor vehicle 10, via which the lid lifting mechanism 5 as well as the closing aid 6 can be controlled. More precisely, this takes place via a control unit 3, which is connected to the aforementioned actuators 5, 6 via control lines that are not shown here. The control unit 3 is connected, on the one hand, to a sensor unit 2, which can be designed, for example, as an ultrasonic sensor. In this case, a sensor zone 22 of the sensor unit 2 is marked off by a dashed line. This sensor zone 22 is monitored by the sensor unit 2, i.e., a presence and position of an object can be determined in this area. If a user, as represented in FIG. 3, executes a kicking movement with his/her leg 30 in the sensor zone 22, this is detected by the control unit 3, which is connected to the sensor unit 2, as a first movement, which results in the control unit 3 unlocking the closing aid 6 and lifting the stowage compartment lid 11 via the lid lifting mechanisms 5.

[0039] In order to show the user, on the one hand, the possibility of opening the stowage compartment lid 11 by means of the described kicking movement and, on the other hand, to make it clear to him/her where the sensor zone 22 is located, in which the kicking movement can be detected, a projector unit 4 is furthermore provided, which projects a visible light pattern 23 onto the ground 20 —for example, by means of a laser or at least an LED—on which the motor vehicle 10 is resting. In this case, the boundaries of a beam 21 that is responsible for the light pattern 23 is indicated by means of dash-dotted lines in FIG. 1. The beam 21 deviates from the sensor zone 22 in the upper area, but is oriented in such a way that it coincides with the extension of the sensor zone 22 in the area of the ground 20.

[0040] In the example shown, the sensor unit 2 and the projector unit 4 are situated in the area of the underbody 12. It would also be conceivable, however, that at least one of the units 2, 4 would be situated in the stowage compartment lid 11 itself. Likewise, the control unit 3 could be situated so as to be spatially separated from the sensor unit 2 and/or the projector unit 4 and, for example, could be integrated in another control device.

[0041] As is evident in the perspective view in FIG. 2, the light pattern 23 is subdivided into a frame element 23.1 and a signal element 23.2. The frame element 23.1 is situated along the edge of the sensor zone 22 and therefore clearly shows a user where the sensor zone 22 begins and ends. In the present case, the frame element 23.1 is congruent with the edge of the sensor zone 22, although it could deviate slightly therefrom to a slight extent, for example, by a few centimeters. In order to also make it clear to the user which function can be triggered via the sensor unit 2 and how this takes place, the signal element 23.2 schematically represents the rear end of the motor vehicle 10 with an opened stowage compartment lid 11, wherein a directional arrow in the lower area indicates the kicking movement to be carried out by the user. The light pattern 23 can consist of one or more colors and, for example, could be designed to be red overall. As an alternative or in addition to the signal element 23.2, a text element could also be projected. The signal element 23.2 could also be animated, for example, by way of a moving representation of an opening stowage compartment lid.

[0042] FIG. 3 shows the leg 30 of the user, which the user (as indicated by the bold arrow) executes a kicking movement within the sensor zone 22. The kicking movement is detected by the sensor unit 2 and is evaluated and detected by the control unit 3, which, on the one hand, results in the control unit sending appropriate control signals to the closing actuator 6 and to the lid lifting mechanisms 5 and, on the other hand, results in the control unit controlling the projector unit 4 in such a way that it changes the light pattern 23. In order to provide the user with visual feedback regarding the successful detection procedure, the signal element 23.2 is replaced by another signal element 23.3 in the form of a checkmark. The latter can also be represented in another color, for example, green. It is also possible to allow the frame element 23.1 to change color in this case. Alternatively or in addition to the visual indication by the light pattern 23, an acoustic signal could be played or a computer voice could be played, which speaks a confirmation message.

[0043] FIG. 4 shows an optional expansion of the functions of the control device 1, wherein the user is able to stop the movement of the stowage compartment lid 11 by executing another kicking movement. In order to show the user this option, a signal element 23.4 is projected, which is essentially similar to the signal element 23.2 shown in FIG. 2, wherein a text element 23.5 has been added above the opened stowage compartment lid, which indicates the option to stop the stowage compartment lid 11. It is possible that the light pattern 23 represented in FIG. 3 is displayed for 1 to 2 seconds and then the representation switches to the light pattern according to FIG. 4. If the user executes the kicking movement again, this is detected by the control unit 3 by the sensor unit 2, whereupon the control unit 3 sends control signals to the lid lifting mechanisms 5, and so these are stopped and the stowage compartment lid 11 comes to a standstill. In this case as well, a confirmation can optionally take place again, for example, by means of a light pattern that is similar or identical to the light pattern in FIG. 3.

[0044] In the exemplary embodiment shown, the stowage compartment lid 11 is contactlessly controlled. It is understood that another access element of the motor vehicle 10, for example, a door, an engine hood, a filler neck, a charging cap of the electric car, or the like, can be controlled in a similar way. If this is advantageous, then, in deviation from the exemplary embodiment shown, the projector unit 4 can project the light pattern 23 not onto the ground 20, but rather, for example, onto a surface of the motor vehicle 10 or onto a surrounding wall or ceiling.

[0045] While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the disclosure. 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 disclosure. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the disclosure.