Automatic car door swing limiter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10767403-B2
Application number	US-201715824449-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 28, 2017
Priority date	Oct 3, 2017
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

A computer implemented method and computer system for automatically limiting the swing angle of a vehicle door to not hit nearby moving objects, including predicting that a moving object will move to be within a predetermined distance of the door and predicting the distance the moving object will be from the door, determining a swing angle extent of an opening of the door that will avoid hitting the moving object and actuating a door controller to limit the swing angle of the door. Historical data on the speed the door is opened can be used in determining the door swing angle. The current position and velocity of the moving object relative to the door of the vehicle is estimated based on signals received from sensors attached to the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer implemented method for controlling an opening of a door of a vehicle to a swing angle comprising:
predicting a first distance a moving object will be from the door of the vehicle at a first point in time;
determining a first swing angle extent of an opening of the door that will avoid hitting the moving object at the first point in time based in part on the first predicted distance;
actuating a door controller prior to the first point in time to limit a swine angle of the door to the determined first swing angle extent;
predicting, after the door controller is actuated and as the door is opening, a second distance the moving object will be from the door of the vehicle at a second point in time after the door has opened, the second distance being less than the first distance;
determining, as the door is opening, a second swing angle extent of the opening of the door that will avoid hitting the moving object at the second point in time based in part on the predicted second distance, the second swing angle extent being less than the first swing angle extent; and
actuating the door controller, prior to the second point in time, to limit a swing angle of the door to the determined second swing angle extent.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising estimating current position and velocity of the moving object relative to the door of the vehicle.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2 , wherein estimating current position and velocity of the moving object relative to the door of the vehicle is based in part on signals received from at least one sensor attached to the vehicle.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising actuating the door controller prior to the first point in time to increase resistance to an opening movement of the door.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising actuating the door controller prior to the first point in time to stop the opening movement of the door.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising activating a warning signal in response to the actuation of the door controller.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the second distance and the second swing angle extent are based on the door opening speed.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Aravkin Aleksandr Y
• Cohen Guy
• Horesh Lior
• Horesh Raya

Classifications

• E05Y2400/446

  Vehicle state sensors, e.g. parked or inclination · CPC title

• E05Y2400/44

  Sensors not directly associated with the wing movement · CPC title

• E05Y2900/531

  Doors · CPC title

• E05C17/006 Primary

  with means for detecting obstacles outside the doors · CPC title

• E05Y2400/32

  Position control, detection or monitoring · CPC title