Selectable gesture detection system and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12333082-B2
Application number	US-202017595854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2020
Priority date	May 30, 2019
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

A detection system for a closure panel of a vehicle and corresponding method of operation are provided. The system includes a detection module including a sensor subassembly for detecting an object in a detection zone and sensing a motion and characteristics of the object and outputting a corresponding sensor signal. The system also includes a gesture selector for accepting a user input from a user to select a valid activation gesture and a controller arrangement coupled to the sensor subassembly. The controller arrangement receives the user input from the gesture selector and adjusts a plurality of predetermined thresholds representing the valid activation gesture by the user required to move the closure panel based on the user input. The controller arrangement analyzes the sensor signal and determines whether the sensor signal is within the plurality of predetermined thresholds and then initiates movement of the closure panel accordingly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A detection system for user-activated, non-contact activation of a closure panel of a vehicle, the detection system comprising:
a detection module including at least one sensor subassembly coupled to a vehicle body of the vehicle for detecting an object in a detection zone and sensing a motion and characteristics of the object in the detection zone and outputting a sensor signal corresponding to the motion and characteristics of the object in the detection zone;
a gesture selector for (a) requesting a user input from the user to select a valid activation gesture to cause the detection system to initiate movement of the closure panel from among a plurality of different valid activation gestures via a graphical user interface and (b) accepting the user input from the user to select the valid activation gesture from among the plurality of different valid activation gestures via the graphical user interface; and
a controller arrangement coupled to the at least one sensor subassembly and in communication with the gesture selector and configured to:
(i) receive the user input from the gesture selector selecting the valid activation gesture from among the plurality of different valid activation gestures,
(ii) adjust at least one of a plurality of predetermined thresholds based on the valid activation gesture selected by the user,
(iii) receive and analyze the sensor signal from the at least one sensor subassembly,
(iv) determine whether the sensor signal is indicative of sensing motion and characteristics of the object in the detection zone that is within the plurality of predetermined thresholds, and
(v) initiate movement of the closure panel in response to the sensor signal being indicative of sensing the motion and characteristics of the object in the detection zone that is within the plurality of predetermined thresholds.

2. The detection system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the controller arrangement is operable in a plurality of gesture type detection modes and is further configured to select one of the plurality of gesture type detection modes based on the user input.

3. The detection system as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the controller arrangement includes:
an electronic controller of the detection module operating in one of the plurality of gesture type detection modes and coupled to the at least one sensor subassembly and to a power actuator of the closure panel and including a module local interconnect network interface;
a body control module coupled the electronic controller and including a body control local interconnect network interface;
a master vehicle node operable with a plurality of gesture operation mode statuses and a plurality of preloaded detection algorithms corresponding to the user input and coupled the electronic controller and including a master node local interconnect network interface and coupled to the body control module and in communication with the gesture selector; and
wherein the detection system further includes a fob in communication with at least one of the electronic controller and the body control module.

4. The detection system as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the gesture selector is a user interface configured to accept the user input from the user.

5. The detection system as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the controller arrangement includes:
an electronic controller of the detection module operating in one of the plurality of gesture type detection modes and coupled to the at least one sensor subassembly and to a power actuator of the closure panel and including a module local interconnect network interface;
a body control module operable with a plurality of gesture operation mode statuses and a plurality of preloaded detection algorithms and coupled the electronic controller and including a body control local interconnect network interface; and
wherein the detection system further includes a fob in communication with at least one of the electronic controller and the body control module and wherein the electronic controller is configured to communicate an operating mode to the body control module.

6. The detection system as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the gesture selector is a tool for selectively coupling to the body control module through the body control local interconnect network interface.

7. A method of operating a detection system for user-activated, non-contact activation of a closure panel of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
requesting a user input from a user to select a valid activation gesture to cause the detection system to initiate movement of the closure panel from among a plurality of different valid activation gestures via a graphical user interface;
receiving the user input from a gesture selector using a controller arrangement in communication with the gesture selector, the user input representative of the selection of the valid activation gesture from among the plurality of different valid activation gestures via the graphical user interface;
adjusting at least one of a plurality of predetermined thresholds based on the valid activation gesture selected by the user from the gesture selector using the controller arrangement;
sensing a motion and characteristics of an object in a detection zone using at least one sensor subassembly coupled to the controller arrangement;
outputting a sensor signal corresponding to the motion and characteristics of the object in the detection zone using the at least one sensor subassembly;
receiving and analyzing the sensor signal from the at least one sensor subassembly using the controller arrangement;
determining whether the sensor signal is indicative of sensing motion and characteristics of the object in the detection zone that is within the plurality of predetermined thresholds using the controller arrangement; and
initiating movement of the closure panel in response to the sensor signal being indicative of sensing motion and characteristics of the object in the detection zone that is within the plurality of predetermined thresholds.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the at least one sensor subassembly is a radar sensor subassembly and the step of sensing the motion and characteristics of the object in the detection zone using the at least one sensor subassembly coupled to the controller arrangement includes the steps of:
transmitting radar waves using least one radar transmit antenna of the at least one sensor subassembly;
receiving the radar waves after reflection from the object in the detection zone and using at least one radar receive antenna of the at least one sensor subassembly; and
sensing the motion and characteristics of the object in the detection zone based on the radar waves received.

9. The method as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the gesture selector is a user interface configured to accept the user input from the user and the method further includes the steps of:
monitoring the user interface for the user input to select one of a plurality of gesture detection modes;
operating a master vehicle node coupled to the user interface and operable with a plurality of gesture operation mode statuses and a plurality of preloaded detection algorithms corresponding to the user input; and
initiating movement of the closure panel in response to the sensor signal being within the plurality of predetermined thresholds representing the valid activation gesture associated with the one of the plurality of gesture detection modes.

10. The method as set forth in claim 7 , further including the steps of:
detecting a connection of an electronic controller of a detection module operating in one of a plurality of gesture type detection mod

Assignees

• Magna Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Corner Allan
• Tran Cuong
• Lock Earnest

Classifications

• G01S7/415

  Identification of targets based on measurements of movement associated with the target · CPC title

• B60K35/00

  Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B60K2360/146

  Instrument input by gesture · CPC title

• E05Y2400/456

  for programming, e.g. learning or AI [artificial intelligence] · CPC title