Patent ID: 11872927
Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 17:
18. A method for controlling a function of a vehicle by activation of a button, the method comprising:
detecting, by the button, a first button selection event in response to at least one of manual actuation of a physical structure of the vehicle or physical proximity to the physical structure, the physical structure includes a vehicle light and a vehicle light cover at least partially enclosing the vehicle light;
detecting, by the button, a second button selection event in response to at least one of manual actuation of the physical structure of the vehicle or physical proximity to the physical structure;
identifying, by an electronic control unit (ECU), the first button selection event, the first button selection event identified in response to a first button selection variation including a first pattern of button depressions;
identifying, by the ECU, the second button selection event, the second button selection event identified in response to a second button selection variation including a second pattern of button depressions different from the first pattern of button depressions;
transmitting, by the ECU, a first signal to a first vehicle component including an actuator in response to identifying the first button selection event;
transmitting, by the ECU, a second signal to at least one of the actuator or a second vehicle component in response to identifying the second button selection event;
performing, by the actuator, a first electrical or mechanical function in response to receiving the first signal, the first electrical or mechanical function includes at least controlling the vehicle light between an on state and an off state or actuating at least one of a rear vehicle door, a tailgate, or a back vehicle door from a closed position to an open position or from the open position to the closed position; and
performing, by the at least one of the actuator or the second vehicle component, a second electrical or mechanical function in response to receiving the second signal, the second electrical or mechanical function includes at least controlling the vehicle light between the on state and the off state.