Control device and vehicle control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9322206-B2
Application number	US-201514613737-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2015
Priority date	Feb 6, 2014
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

A control device includes: an input section to which a first signal indicating the presence or absence of an operation for operating an opening and closing body of a vehicle which is performed using a portion of the body of an occupant is input from an operation detecting unit; and a control section which performs notification to the occupant using a notification unit when there is a state where the operation has been detected by the operation detecting unit, based on the first signal, and performs control for operating the opening and closing body, based on the operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control device comprising:
an input section to which a first signal indicating the presence or absence of an operation for operating an opening and closing body of a vehicle which is performed using a portion of the body of an occupant is input from an operation detecting unit; and
a control section which performs notification to the occupant using a notification unit when there is a state where the operation has been detected by the operation detecting unit, based on the first signal, and performs control for operating the opening and closing body, based on the operation,
wherein a second signal indicating the presence or absence of proximity of the occupant to the vehicle is further input from a proximity detection unit to the input section, and
the control section shows the occupant an operation detection area of the operation detecting unit using the notification unit or another notification unit, based on the second signal.

2. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the notification unit includes an illuminating device, a display device, a sound device, or a combination of them, and
the notification unit performs the notification by illumination, display, sound, changes in these, or a combination of them.

3. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control section confirms the operation in a case where the operation has continued for a predetermined time.

4. A vehicle control system comprising:
an operation detecting unit configured to detect an operation for operating an opening and closing body of a vehicle which is performed using a portion of the body of an occupant;
a notification unit configured to perform notification to the occupant;
a proximity detection unit for detecting proximity of the occupant to the vehicle;
and
a control device which performs notification to the occupant using the notification unit when there is a state where the operation has been detected by the operation detecting unit, based on a first signal from the operation detecting unit, and operates the opening and closing body based on the operation,
wherein the control device shows the occupant an operation detection area of the operation detecting unit using the notification unit or another notification unit, based on a second signal from the proximity detection unit.

5. The vehicle control system according to claim 4 , wherein the notification unit includes an illuminating device, a display device, a sound device, or a combination of them, and
the notification unit performs the notification by illumination, display, sound, changes in these, or a combination of them.

6. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the notification unit is a auditory notification unit and the control section shows the occupant the operation detection area using the another notification unit which is a visual notification unit.

7. The control device according to claim 6 , wherein the visual notification unit includes an illumination unit.

8. The control device according to claim 7 , wherein the illumination unit is in a pillar of the vehicle adjacent to the opening and closing body.

Assignees

• Aisin Seiki

Inventors

• Fukui Norio
• Kino Hiroki
• Takayanagi Hitoshi

Classifications

• E05F15/76 Primary

  responsive to devices carried by persons or objects, e.g. magnets or reflectors (E05F15/77 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60R25/2045

  by hand gestures · CPC title

• B60R25/20

  Means to switch the anti-theft system on or off · CPC title

• B60Q2400/40

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