Vehicle access system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10196037-B2
Application number	US-201314438290-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2013
Priority date	Oct 26, 2012
Publication date	Feb 5, 2019
Grant date	Feb 5, 2019

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle access system ( 1 ) having a tracking means ( 11; 23, 25, 27 ) for tracking a positional movement pattern of a user (D) relative to a vehicle ( 3 ). A controller ( 9 ) is provided for controlling the opening and/or closing of a vehicle opening ( 5 ). The controller ( 9 ) communicates with a storage device ( 15 ) and the tracking means ( 11; 23, 25, 27 ). The controller ( 9 ) has a comparator ( 17 ) for comparing the positional movement pattern with one or more pre-defined movement maps stored in the storage device ( 15 ). The controller is configured to open the vehicle opening when the comparator ( 17 ) determines that the positional movement pattern corresponds to a first of the pre-defined movement maps. Alternatively, or in addition the controller can be configured to close the vehicle opening when the comparator ( 17 ) determines that the positional movement pattern corresponds to a second of said pre-defined movement maps. The invention also relates to a method of opening/closing a vehicle opening.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle access system comprising:
a sensor for tracking a positional movement pattern of a user,
the positional movement pattern including a change in position of the user relative to a vehicle; and
a controller for controlling a vehicle opening,
the controller being hi communication with a storage device and said sensor;
wherein the controller comprises a comparator for comparing the positional movement pattern with two or more pre-defined movement maps stored in said storage device;
the controller being configured to open the vehicle opening when
said comparator determines that the positional movement pattern at least substantially corresponds to a first movement map of said two or more pre-defined movement maps;
the controller being configured to close the vehicle opening when the comparator determines that the positional movement pattern at least substantially corresponds to a second movement map of said two or more pre-defined movement maps;
wherein said sensor comprises at least one of an ultrasonic range sensor and a capacitive range sensor which,
in use, measures a distance from the vehicle or a pre-defined reference point on the vehicle to the user and a direction of movement of the user to generate said positional movement pattern; and
wherein at least one of said first movement map and said second movement map comprises a direction criterion relating to one or more of the following:
a direction of movement of the user relative to the vehicle, an approach direction of movement of the user relative to the vehicle, and a departure direction of movement of the user relative to the vehicle;
wherein the first movement map corresponds to a first sequence of positional movements of the user comprising:
the user entering an operating zone defined near a selected portion of the vehicle;
a first positional movement of the user toward the vehicle within the operating zone after entering the operating zone, wherein the first positional movement is across a first distance within a first predefined range: and

a second positional movement of the user away from the vehicle and within the operating zone after the first positional movement, wherein the second positional movement is across a second distance within a second predefined range;
wherein the second movement map corresponds to a second sequence of positional movements of the user comprising the user being in the operating zone and a third positional movement of the user within the operation zone and away from the vehicle across a third distance within a third predefined range; and
wherein
(i) at least one of the two or more pre-defined movement maps comprises a timing criterion that defines a time that the user is to remain within the operating zone:
or
(ii) there are a plurality of operating zones defined relative to the vehicle or the reference point on the vehicle, and at least one of the two or more pre-defined movement maps defines a path of the user through a series of the operating zones.

2. A vehicle access system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said first movement map comprises at least one opening criterion, the controller being configured to open the vehicle opening when the comparator determines that the positional movement pattern corresponds to the at least one opening criterion.

3. A vehicle access system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said second movement map comprises at least one closing criterion, the controller being configured to close the vehicle opening when the comparator determines that the positional movement pattern corresponds to the at least one closing criterion.

4. A vehicle access system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first movement map and said second movement map comprises a distance criterion relating to the distance of the user from the vehicle or the distance of the user from the reference point on the vehicle.

5. A vehicle access system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said controller is configured to provide feedback when the comparator determines that the positional movement pattern corresponds to one or more operating criteria defined by at least one of said first movement map and said second movement map.

6. A vehicle access system as claimed in claim 1 comprising a detector configured for at least one of detecting the presence of a remote transceiver and communicating with the remote transceiver.

7. A vehicle access system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein said controller is configured to activate the sensor upon detection of the remote transceiver by said detector.

8. A vehicle access system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the storage device comprises at least one of
a plurality of different first movement maps stored in said storage device for opening the vehicle opening; and
a plurality of different second movement maps stored in said storage device for closing the vehicle opening.

9. A vehicle access system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said vehicle access system is configured to control at least one of opening and closing a tailgate.

10. A vehicle access system as claimed in claim 1 , comprising an ultra-wideband transceiver disposed in a key fob and arranged to communicate with said controller.

11. A vehicle access system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said controller is configured to generate said positional movement pattern based on a combination of data from said ultra-wideband transceiver and at least one of said ultrasonic and capacitive range sensor.

12. A method of controlling access to a vehicle, the method comprising:
tracking a positional movement pattern of a user, the positional movement pattern including a change in position of the user relative to the vehicle;
comparing the positional movement pattern with two or more pre-defined movement maps; and
identifying one of said pre-defined movement maps associated with the positional movement pattern and controlling access to the vehicle based on the identified movement map;
wherein at least one of an ultrasonic range sensor and a capacitive range sensor is used to measure a distance from the vehicle or a pre-defined reference point on the vehicle to the user and a direction of movement of the user to generate said positional movement pattern; and
wherein at least one of said movement maps comprises a direction criterion relating to one or more of the following: a direction of movement of the user relative to the vehicle, an approach direction of movement of the user relative to the vehicle, and a departure direction of movement of the user relative to the vehicle;
wherein a first of said two or more pre-defined movement maps corresponds to a first sequence of positional movements of the user comprising:
the user entering an operating zone defined near a selected portion of the vehicle;
a first positional movement of the user toward the vehicle within the operating zone after entering the operating zone, wherein the first positional movement is across a first distance within a first predefined range; and
a second positional movement of the user away from the vehicle and within the operating zone after the first positional movement, wherein the second positional movement is across a second distance within a second predefined range;

wherein a second of said two or more movement maps corresponds to a second sequence of positional movements of the user comprising the user being in the operating zone and a third positional movement of the user within the operation zone and away from the vehicle across a third distance within a third predefined range; and
wherein
(i) at least one of the two or mor

Assignees

• Jaguar Land Rover Ltd
• Jaguar Land Rover Ltd

Inventors

• Nicholls Stephen
• Meredith Christopher
• Mir Immad
• Cockings Kevin
• Parker Dirk
• Ward Damian
• Mistry Urmila
• Khanu Hadric

Classifications

• E05F15/76 Primary

  responsive to devices carried by persons or objects, e.g. magnets or reflectors (E05F15/77 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E05F15/73

  responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects · CPC title

• B60R25/24

  using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user · CPC title

• B60R25/2054 Primary

  by foot gestures · CPC title

• G07C2209/64

  using a proximity sensor · CPC title