Controller, control method, and computer-readable recording medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10465429-B2
Application number	US-201514942545-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2015
Priority date	Nov 19, 2014
Publication date	Nov 5, 2019
Grant date	Nov 5, 2019

Abstract

A controller includes an imaging unit, a reception unit, a detection unit, and an opening/closing control unit. The imaging unit acquires an image of a peripheral area P of an opening/closing body provided in a main body part (vehicle body). The reception unit receives, from a first terminal that transmits a first signal of a predetermined strength, the first signal. The detection unit detects a motion of a subject included in the image. The opening/closing control unit controls an opening operation of the opening/closing body when a change in a reception strength of the first signal received by the reception unit represents a change synchronizing with the detected motion of the subject.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A controller mounted on a vehicle, comprising:
an imaging unit configured to acquire a moving image of a peripheral area of an opening/closing body provided in a vehicle body;
a reception unit configured to receive, from a first terminal that transmits a first signal of a predetermined strength, the first signal;
a memory that stores information that defines associations between predetermined motions of a subject with respective changes in reception strength of the first signal;
a detection unit configured to detect a motion of the subject included in the moving image;
a projection unit configured to project a guidance image within an area of a predetermined range, wherein the guidance image instructs the subject to perform a predetermined motion, and the predetermined motion is a motion performed by the subject in a direction that corresponds to an opening/closing direction of the opening/closing body to be opened/closed;
a projection control unit configured to control the projection unit to project the guidance image when the first terminal is positioned within the range; and
an opening/closing control unit configured to control an opening operation of the opening/closing body in response to recognizing that the motion of the subject detected from the moving image of the subject is the predetermined motion of the subject and that a change in the reception strength of the first signal received from the first terminal coincides with one of the changes in the reception strength defined by the information as being associated with the predetermined motion.

2. The controller according to claim 1 , wherein the area of the predetermined range is an area from which the reception unit receives the first signal from the first terminal.

3. The controller according to claim 1 , comprising:
a communication unit configured to communicate with a second terminal that stores therein user identification information; and
an acceptance unit configured to accept, through the communication unit, the user identification information from the second terminal when the reception unit receives the first signal,
wherein the opening/closing control unit is further configured to control the opening operation of the opening/closing body in response to determining that the accepted user identification information is user identification information of a user who has opening/closing authority for the opening/closing body.

4. A control method executed in a controller mounted on a vehicle, the method comprising steps of:
imaging a moving image of a peripheral area of an opening/closing body provided in a vehicle body;
receiving, from a first terminal that transmits a first signal of a predetermined strength, the first signal;
storing information that defines associations between predetermined motions of a subject with respective changes in reception strength of the first signal;
detecting a motion of the subject included in the moving image;
in response to determining that the first terminal is positioned within a predetermined range, projecting a guidance image within an area of the predetermined range, wherein the guidance image instructs the subject to perform a predetermined motion having a direction similar to an opening/closing direction of the opening/closing body to be opened/closed; and
controlling an opening operation of the opening/closing body in response to determining that the motion of the subject detected from the moving image of the subject is the predetermined motion and that a change in the reception strength of the first signal received from the first terminal coincides with one of the changes in reception strength defined by the information as being associated with the predetermined motion.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium that stores therein a control program causing a computer, mounted on a vehicle, to execute a control method as set forth in claim 4 .

Assignees

• Jvc Kenwood Corp

Inventors

• Koiso Hisashi

Classifications

• G07C2209/63

  Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle · CPC title

• G07C9/00309 Primary

  operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks · CPC title

• E05Y2900/531

  Doors · CPC title

• E05F1/002 Primary

  controlled by automatically acting means (for powered-operated mechanisms E05F15/70) · CPC title

• E05F15/00

  Power-operated mechanisms for wings (motor-operated accessories in locks for completing closing or initiating opening of a wing E05B17/00) · CPC title