Door handle system for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9290970-B2
Application number	US-201414456166-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2014
Priority date	Nov 14, 2011
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

A door handle system for a door of a vehicle includes a door handle assembly, a locking mechanism, a control and a near field communication device. The door handle assembly is configured to mount at a handle region of a vehicle door of the vehicle. The near field communication device is operable to receive signals from a smartphone that is within a threshold distance from the near field communication device. The control, responsive to the near field communication device, is operable to determine whether or not a smartphone that is within the threshold distance and that is communicating with the near field communication device is an authorized device. The control is operable to actuate the locking mechanism to unlock the vehicle door responsive to a determination that the smartphone within the threshold distance and communicating with the near field communication device is an authorized device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A door handle system for a door of a vehicle, said door handle system comprising:
a door handle assembly configured to mount at a handle region of a vehicle door of a vehicle equipped with said door handle system;
wherein said door handle assembly comprises a handle portion disposed at the vehicle door and movable to open the vehicle door;
a locking mechanism operable to lock and unlock the vehicle door;
a control of the equipped vehicle;
a near field communication device of the equipped vehicle;
wherein a system of the equipped vehicle authenticates a near field communication-enabled smartphone as an authorized device for communicating with said near field communication device;
wherein said near field communication device is operable to receive signals from a near field communication-enabled smartphone when the near field communication-enabled smartphone is within a threshold distance from said near field communication device;
wherein, responsive to the near field communication-enabled smartphone that is communicating with said near field communication device being an authorized device, said control actuates said locking mechanism to unlock the vehicle door;
an illumination module comprising at least one illumination source;
wherein said illumination module comprises a housing and a circuit element disposed in said housing and wherein said illumination source is established at said circuit element;
wherein said illumination module comprises an optic element disposed in said housing and generally at said illumination source, and wherein said optic element comprises a condensing optic and a diffusing optic at least partially around said condensing optic;
wherein said illumination module comprises a lens element disposed at said housing and comprising a projecting portion disposed generally in line with the condensing optic and an illumination portion at least partially around said projecting portion and generally in line with said diffusing optic;
wherein, when said illumination source is activated, light emanating from said illumination source (a) passes through said diffusing optic and through said illumination portion of said lens element to provide lower intensity light at a target area, and (b) passes through said condensing optic and is intensified by said condensing optic so that light passing through said projecting portion of said lens element is projected as higher intensity light onto a portion of said target area; and
wherein said illumination module comprises an icon element disposed along the optic path between said condensing optic and said projecting portion of said lens element, and wherein an image of an icon of said icon element is projected onto said portion of said target area.

2. The door handle system of claim 1 , wherein said control, responsive to a communication from the authorized device to said near field communication device, is operable to control at least one accessory of the vehicle.

3. The door handle system of claim 2 , wherein control of said at least one accessory comprises at least one of (i) opening a decklid of the vehicle, (ii) activating an alarm of the vehicle, (iii) activating a light of the vehicle, (iv) starting the vehicle's engine and (v) loading personalized presets of a user of the authorized device.

4. The door handle system of claim 1 , wherein said near field communication device comprises a near field communication chip.

5. The door handle system of claim 1 , wherein said near field communication device is located at an exterior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle.

6. The door handle system of claim 1 , wherein said control is located at said door handle assembly.

7. The door handle system of claim 6 , wherein said near field communication device is located at said door handle assembly.

8. The door handle system of claim 1 , wherein said illumination module is disposed at an end region of said handle portion.

9. The door handle system of claim 1 , wherein said illumination module is operable to provide ground illumination.

10. The door handle system of claim 1 , wherein said control, responsive to a communication from the authorized device to said near field communication device, is operable to actuate said illumination source of said illumination module.

11. A door handle system for a door of a vehicle, said door handle system comprising:
a door handle assembly configured to mount at a handle region of a vehicle door of a vehicle equipped with said door handle system;
wherein said door handle assembly comprises a handle portion disposed at the vehicle door and movable to open the vehicle door;
a control of the equipped vehicle;
a near field communication device of the equipped vehicle;
wherein a system of the equipped vehicle authenticates a near field communication-enabled smartphone as an authorized device for communicating with said near field communication device;
wherein said near field communication device is operable to receive signals from a near field communication-enabled smartphone when the near field communication-enabled smartphone is within a threshold distance from said near field communication device;
wherein, responsive to the near field communication-enabled smartphone that is within the threshold distance and that is communicating with said near field communication device being an authorized device, and responsive to a communication from the authorized device, said control is operable to control at least one accessory of the vehicle;
wherein control of said at least one accessory comprises at least one of (i) actuating a locking mechanism to unlock the vehicle door, (ii) opening a decklid of the vehicle, (iii) activating an alarm of the vehicle, (iv) activating a light of the vehicle, (v) starting the vehicle's engine and (vi) loading personalized presets of a user of the authorized device;
an illumination module comprising at least one illumination source;
wherein said illumination module comprises a housing and a circuit element disposed in said housing and wherein said illumination source is established at said circuit element;
wherein said illumination module comprises an optic element disposed in said housing and generally at said illumination source, and wherein said optic element comprises a condensing optic and a diffusing optic at least partially around said condensing optic;
wherein said illumination module comprises a lens element disposed at said housing and comprising a projecting portion disposed generally in line with the condensing optic and an illumination portion at least partially around said projecting portion and generally in line with said diffusing optic;
wherein, when said illumination source is activated, light emanating from said illumination source (a) passes through said diffusing optic and through said illumination portion of said lens element to provide lower intensity light at a target area, and (b) passes through said condensing optic and is intensified by said condensing optic so that light passing through said projecting portion of said lens element is projected as higher intensity light onto a portion of said target area; and
wherein said illumination module comprises an icon element disposed along the optic path between said condensing optic and said projecting portion of said lens element, and wherein an image of an icon of said icon element is projected onto said portion of said target area.

12. The door handle system of claim 11 , wherein said near field communication device comprises a near field communication chip.

13. The door handle system of claim 11 , wherein said near field communic

Assignees

• Magna Mirrors Of America Inc

Inventors

• De Wind Darryl P
• Sobecki Justin E
• Deuel Eric S

Classifications

• B60Q2400/50

  Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body · CPC title

• B60Q2400/40

  Welcome lights, i.e. specific or existing exterior lamps to assist leaving or approaching the vehicle · CPC title

• B60Q1/32

  for indicating vehicle sides {, e.g. clearance lights} · CPC title

• G07C9/00309

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

• B60Q1/2619

  built in the vehicle body · CPC title