Operation logic for a power hood system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12366096-B2
Application number	US-202318239650-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2023
Priority date	Aug 29, 2023
Publication date	Jul 22, 2025
Grant date	Jul 22, 2025

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus for a power hood system. The power hood system includes a powered hood rotatable between a closed position and an open position, at least one hood latch (e.g., a primary hood latch and/or a secondary hood latch) configured to secure the powered hood in the closed position (or a half latch position). The power hood system further includes an electronic control unit electrically coupled to the power hood. The electronic control unit is configured to automatically control the powered hood to move to the closed position in response to (1) receiving a drive mode signal indicating that the vehicle has been shifted into drive and (2) receiving a latch position signal indicating that a hood latch (e.g., the secondary hood latch) is not in the latched state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power hood system for a vehicle, comprising:
a powered hood rotatable between a closed position and an open position;
a primary hood latch configured to secure the powered hood in the closed position when the primary hood latch is in a latched state;
a secondary hood latch configured to stop the powered hood from moving to the open position when the primary hood latch is in an unlatched state; and
an electronic control unit electrically coupled to the powered hood and configured to:
receive a drive mode signal indicating that the vehicle has been shifted into drive;
receive, at a first time, a first latch position signal indicating a state of the secondary latch; and
in response to (1) receiving the drive mode signal and (2) the first latch position signal indicating that the secondary hood latch is not in a latched state, activate a warning signal to a user interface to display to an operator of the vehicle that the powered hood is not in the closed position, control the powered hood to move the powered hood to the closed position, and deactivate the warning signal in response to the secondary hood latch being moved to the latched state.

2. The power hood system of claim 1 , wherein, in response to (1) receiving the drive mode signal and (2) the first latch position signal indicating that the secondary hood latch is not in the latched state, the electronic control unit is further configured to activate a maximum speed limit of the vehicle.

3. The power hood system of claim 2 , wherein, subsequent to controlling the powered hood to move to the closed position, the electronic control unit is configured to:
detect, at a second time, whether the secondary hood latch is in the latched state; and
in response to detecting that the secondary hood latch is in the latched state, deactivate the maximum speed limit of the vehicle.

4. The power hood system of claim 3 , wherein, in response to the electronic control unit detecting that the secondary hood latch is in the latched state, the electronic control unit is further configured to detect whether the primary hood latch is in the latched state.

5. The power hood system of claim 4 , wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to:
receive a second latch position signal indicating a state of the primary hood latch; and
in response to the second latch position signal indicating that the primary hood latch is not in the latched state, control the primary hood latch to move to the latched state to secure the powered hood in the closed position.

6. A method of controlling a vehicle, comprising:
receiving, by a processor, a drive mode signal of the vehicle indicating whether the vehicle is in drive;
receiving, by the processor at a first time, a first hood latch position signal indicating whether a secondary hood latch is in a latched state; and
in response to (1) the drive mode signal indicating that the vehicle is in drive and (2) the first hood latch position signal indicating that the secondary hood latch is not in the latched state, activating, by the processor, a warning signal to a user interface to display to an operator of the vehicle that a powered hood is not in a closed position, controlling, by the processor, the powered hood to move to the closed position, and deactivating, by the processor, the warning signal in response to the secondary hood latch being moved to the latched state.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising, in response to (1) the drive mode signal indicating that the vehicle is in drive and (2) the first hood latch position signal indicating that the secondary hood latch is not in the latched state, activating, by the processor, a maximum speed limit of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7 , receiving, by the processor at a second time, a second hood latch position signal indicating whether the secondary hood latch is in the latched state:
in response to the second hood latch position signal indicating that the secondary hood latch is in the latched state:
deactivating, by the processor, the maximum speed limit of the vehicle; and
controlling, by the processor, a primary hood latch to move to the latched state.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising, in response to (1) the drive mode signal indicating that the vehicle is in drive and (2) the first hood latch position signal indicating that the secondary hood latch is in the latched state, detecting, by the processor, whether a primary hood latch is in the latched state.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising, in response to the processor determining that the primary hood latch is in the latched state, controlling, by the processor, the primary hood latch to move to the latched state.

11. A power hood system for a vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle hood rotatable between a closed position and an open position;
a first hood latch configured to secure the vehicle hood in the closed position;
an actuator configured to rotate the vehicle hood between the open position and the closed position; and
an electronic control unit electrically coupled to the actuator and configured to:
receive a drive mode signal indicating that the vehicle has been shifted into drive;
receive, at a first time, a first latch position signal indicating a state of the first hood latch; and
in response to (1) receiving the drive mode signal and (2) the first latch position signal indicating that the first hood latch is not in a latched state, activate a warning signal to a user interface to display to an operator of the vehicle that the vehicle hood is not in the closed position, control the actuator to move the vehicle hood to the closed position, and deactivate the warning signal in response to the first hood latch being moved to the latched state.

12. The power hood system of claim 11 , wherein, in response to (1) receiving the drive mode signal and (2) the first latch position signal indicating that the first hood latch is not in the latched state, the electronic control unit is further configured to activate a maximum speed limit of the vehicle.

13. The power hood system of claim 12 , wherein, subsequent to controlling the actuator to move the vehicle hood to the closed position, the electronic control unit is configured to:
detect, at a second time, whether the first hood latch is in the latched state; and
in response to detecting that the first hood latch is in the latched state, deactivate the maximum speed limit of the vehicle.

14. The power hood system of claim 13 , further comprising a second hood latch configured to secure the vehicle hood in the closed position; and
in response to the electronic control unit detecting that the first hood latch is in the latched state, the electronic control unit is further configured to detect whether the second hood latch is in the latched state.

15. The power hood system of claim 14 , wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to:
receive a second latch position signal indicating a state of the second hood latch; and
in response to the second latch position signal indicating that the second hood latch is not in the latched state, control the second hood latch to move to the latched state to secure the vehicle hood in the closed position.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Cunningham James D
• Sargent Corey B

Classifications

• E05F15/622

  using screw-and-nut mechanisms · CPC title

• E05Y2400/40

  Control units therefor · CPC title

• E05Y2900/536

  Hoods · CPC title

• E05B81/66 Primary

  the bolt position, i.e. the latching status · CPC title

• E05B83/24

  for car bonnets · CPC title