Vehicle door entry system and method

A door entry system for a vehicle is provided. The door entry system for a vehicle includes a door, an actuator, a puddle lamp generating light beam, a light sensor configured to sense reflected light from the light beam, and a controller processing a light signal generated by the light sensor and controlling activation of the actuator to open the door in response to sensing a user entering the beam of light.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to powered doors on a vehicle, and more particularly relates to automatic opening of a vehicle door based on a user input command.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Automotive vehicles are typically equipped with vehicle side doors that allow access to the passenger compartment. The vehicle side doors are typically configured with an exterior door handle that is required to be actuated to unlatch a latch mechanism on the door and open the door by forcibly pulling to pivot the door about a hinge assembly. Some vehicle side doors may include a powered actuator such as a motor for opening and closing the door. The motor may be activated with an input switch or a remote control device, such as a key fob. It may be desirable to provide for an enhanced opening of a powered door of the vehicle, particularly for side doors that allow access to the driver and passenger seats.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention, a door entry system for a vehicle is provided. The door entry system includes a door, an actuator and a puddle lamp generating a puddle light. The door entry system also includes a light sensor configured to sense reflected light from the puddle light. The door entry system further includes a controller processing a light signal generated by the light sensor and controlling activation of the actuator to open the door in response to sensing a user entering the puddle light with a door open input command.

Embodiments of the first aspect of the invention can include any one or a combination of the following features:the controller detects distance of the user from the puddle lamp and activates the actuator further based on the distance being less than a predetermined value;the door entry system further includes a portable electronic device, wherein the controller determines the distance based on the electronic device;the electronic device comprises a key fob;the puddle lamp and the light sensor are located on a side view mirror assembly;the puddle lamp assembly and light sensor are mounted on a printed circuit board located within the side view mirror;the light sensor is located within a recessed tube outside of the puddle light to detect light reflected from a user;the recessed tube is offset from the puddle lamp and angled in a direction below the puddle lamp;the actuator comprises a motor; andthe door comprises a pivoting door that pivots about a hinge assembly.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle door entry system is provided that includes a door, an actuator, and a puddle lamp generating a puddle light. The vehicle door entry system also includes a light sensor configured to sense reflected light from the puddle light. The vehicle door entry system further includes a controller processing a light signal generated by the light sensor and controlling activation of the actuator to open the door in response to sensing the reflected light from a user entering the puddle light with a door open command.

Embodiments of the second aspect of the invention can include any one or a combination of the following features:the puddle lamp and the light sensor are located on a side view mirror assembly;the light sensor is located within a tube outside of the puddle light to detect the reflected light reflected from a user;the tube is offset from the puddle lamp and angled in a direction below the puddle lamp; andthe door comprises a pivoting door that pivots about a hinge assembly and the actuator comprises a motor.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, a method of opening a powered door on a vehicle is provided. The method includes the steps of activating a puddle lamp on the vehicle to generate a puddle light, sensing light reflected from the puddle light by a user, and detecting a door opening input by the user based on the sensed reflected light. The method further includes the step of activating an actuator to open the door in response to detecting the door opening input.

Embodiments of the third aspect of the invention can include any one or a combination of the following features:the method detects distance of the user from the puddle lamp and activates the actuator further based on the distance being less than a predetermined value;the method detects location of a portable electronic device and determines the distance based on location of the electronic device;the electronic device comprises a key fob; andthe step of detecting a door opening input comprises a detecting a rapid rise in the signal followed by a substantially level signal followed by a rapid fall in the signal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now toFIGS. 1 and 2, a wheeled motor vehicle10is generally illustrated having a vehicle door entry system30, according to one embodiment. The vehicle10may be configured as a car, truck, van, SUV, or other vehicle having one or more powered doors for accessing the vehicle interior. The motor vehicle10is shown as a passenger vehicle having a vehicle body20and front side doors12connected thereto located on opposite lateral sides of the vehicle10. The side doors12include front doors that pivot about a hinge assembly22between an open position that exposes an opening in the vehicle body20to allow access to the passenger compartment and a closed position that closes the opening in the vehicle body20. In the open position, the door12allows access to the passenger compartment of the vehicle10such as entry and exit of a driver or passenger to and from the seating arrangement. Each of the front side doors12includes an actuator, such as an electric motor20, generally located near the hinge assembly22for actuating the corresponding door12between the open and closed positions. The hinge assembly22connects the corresponding door12to the vehicle body20. It should be appreciated that the powered doors may otherwise be configured to pivot in different directions or to slide or otherwise move between open and closed positions. It should further be appreciated that the rear side doors may likewise have actuators to open and close the doors similar to activation of the front side doors.

The vehicle10may include one or more seat occupancy sensors62for detecting the occupancy of the respective seats as occupied or unoccupied seats. The seat occupancy sensors62may be configured as weight sensors, capacitive sensors or other sensors. Additionally, the vehicle10may include a controller70, such as a body control module for receiving various inputs, processing the inputs with one or more routines and generating control outputs. A day/night sensor64may be installed on the vehicle10to sense environment lighting conditions such as nighttime or daytime lighting conditions.

The vehicle10is shown having first and second exterior side view mirror assembly14located on opposite left and right sides of the vehicle on the exterior sides of the respective front side doors12. Each side rearview mirror assembly14generally includes a mirror on the rearward facing side for allowing the seated driver to view rearward looking side views of the vehicle10. The vehicle10has a vehicle door entry system30that includes a puddle lamp generally shown located within the side view mirror housing14for generating a puddle light50shown in one embodiment as a cone-shaped beam of light directed downwards generally towards the ground. The puddle lamp60generates the puddle light50as an output light illumination directed onto the ground surface adjacent to the door12in a region where a passenger typically stands on the ground when entering or exiting the vehicle10as seen inFIG. 1.

The vehicle door entry system30uses a light sensor to sense light reflected by a user entering the puddle light50, generally in close proximity to the sensor, such as within a distance of 25 cm, and more particularly within a distance of 10 cm. A controller processes a light signal generated by the light sensor and determines when the user entering the puddle light50inputs a door open command based on the sensed light signal. The door open command may be input by a user extending a hand into the puddle light50within a distance such as 25 cm from the sensor. The controller further controls activation of the actuator (e.g., motor20) to open the door12in response to sensing the user entering the light beam50with an intended door open command.

The user16may have a portable electronic device such as a key fob18in his or her possession which generates a signal that may be processed by the controller to determine a distance of the user in possession of the key fob18from the puddle lamp60and light sensor. When a user16with a key fob18approaches the vehicle within a predetermined distance of the puddle lamp60, such as three meters, or more particularly, within a distance of one meter, for example, the puddle lamp60is activated to output the puddle light50. With the puddle lamp60activated, a user may extend a body part, such as a hand, into the puddle light50of the puddle lamp60to input a door open command that activates the actuator to open the corresponding door without further user action required. It should be appreciated that other portable electronic devices such as smartphones, watches, radios and other devices may be used to determine the distance or location of a user in possession of the electronic device, according to other embodiments.

The vehicle door entry system30is further illustrated generally having the puddle lamp, light sensor, and controller generally located within the rearview mirror assembly14inFIG. 3. The rearview mirror assembly14includes a housing32shown having a cover40generally extending over an opening along the bottom side of the housing32with various components including the puddle lamp60and light sensor46located in the opening. The puddle lamp60is oriented light output downward to generate the puddle light50passing through first opening in the cover40. The light sensor46is also oriented light sensing downward and configured to detect reflected light from the puddle light50directed through a second opening in the cover40and generate a light signal that is processed to determine whether a sensed door open input command has been detected. The vehicle door entry system30includes the puddle lamp60having a light source shown as a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs)36. In all, three LEDs36are illustrated in the embodiment shown. The LEDs36are located on the bottom side of a printed circuit board34which is located within the housing32. In addition, the light sensor46is also located on the bottom side of the printed circuit board34. The bottom side of the printed circuit board34is oriented downward such that the puddle light50illuminates downward towards the ground adjacent to the door.

The light sensor46may include a phototransistor for detecting light intensity. The light sensor46is located within a recessed tube42that is offset from the beam50of light output from the LEDs36of the puddle lamp60and is angled in a direction towards the bottom thereof. A lens48is disposed in front of the light sensor46to transmit reflected light from the puddle light50onto the sensor46. Similarly, a lens38is located at the output side of the light source36to generate a focused light beam as the puddle light50. When the puddle lamp60is activated, the puddle light50is generated by the LEDs36. When a user is within a predetermined distance of the puddle lamp60and places an object, such as a hand, within the puddle light50in close proximity thereto, light is reflected from the hand and redirected into the recessed tube42and the reflected light is sensed by light sensor46. The light sensor46generates a sensed light signal that is processed to determine if the object, such as hand, is inputting a door open command.

Referring toFIG. 4, the vehicle door entry system30is illustrated having a controller70which may include the body control module that provides shared controls on the vehicle10or may include a dedicated controller configured to control the door entry system30. The controller70may include a microprocessor72and memory74for storing one or more control routines100which may be executed by the microprocessor72or may include other analog and/or digital circuitry. The controller70receives signals from the seat occupied sensors62located on various seats in the vehicle10. In addition, controller70receives a day/night sensor64indicative of the sensed day or night lighting conditions. The controller70further receives the signal from the light sensor46to detect whether or not a user is interacting with the puddle lamp to provide a door open command. The controller70processes the various inputs and controls outputs including the puddle lamp60and one or more door open actuators24for actuating one or more doors to the open position.

The light sensor46is positioned in close proximity to the puddle lamp60to detect light reflected from the puddle light50that was output by the puddle lamp60and reflected by an object. The light sensor46includes a phototransistor, according to one embodiment, that detects a light signal level, such as is shown inFIG. 5during a user input door open command. The light sensor46generates the sensed light signal80which is a low signal level when there is no user entering the light beam near the sensor46, and thus no door open input command sensed. The sensed light signal80rises with a rapid rise over a delta rise time TR upon receiving a door open input command from a user placing their hand in close proximity to the sensor and within the puddle light50. The hand placement is close to the puddle lamp60and the light sensor46such as within a distance of 25 cm, or more preferably within a distance of 10 cm. The sensed light signal is then shown at a high substantially stable value above a trigger value over a period delta hold time THbefore experiencing a rapid fall with a delta fall time TFback down to a low value when the user's hand is removed from the puddle light50. The controller70detects a user input command for a door open activation by detecting a quick rise in the light signal, followed by a flattened signal for hold time THabove the trigger level, followed by a rapid fall in the signal, and determines that the door command is for an open door command based on the sensed light signal pattern. When an open door command is received, the controller70then activates a door motor to actuate the corresponding door to the open position.

The control routine100is illustrated inFIG. 6for sensing a door open command and actuating the door to the open position, according to one embodiment. Routine100begins at step102and proceeds to step104to determine if the vehicle door entry system is in a welcome/farewell mode and, if not, returns to step102. The welcome/farewell mode is a mode in which the vehicle is awaiting entrance or exiting of one or more passengers. When in the welcome/farewell mode, routine100proceeds to step106to measure lighting with the day/night sensor and determine a day or night triggering level. Next, at step108, routine100measures the ambient light using the light sensor46to determine the ambient level of light and selects a trigger level for determining a sensed door open command from a lookup table. Proceeding to decision step110, routine100determines if anyone is seated in the vehicle as sensed by the seat occupancy sensors or other sensors. If there are one or more occupants detected in the vehicle, routine100returns to step102. If there is no one sensed seated within the vehicle, routine100proceeds to decision step112to determine if the key fob is within a certain distance, such as one meter, from the puddle lamp and, if not, returns to step102. If the key fob is detected within one meter of the puddle lamp, routine100proceeds to step114to only enable the side of the vehicle that the key fob is detected on, and then proceeds to step116to turn the puddle lamp on and to sense light with the light sensor on the enabled side of the vehicle. At decision step118, routine100determines whether the sensed light signal meets the rise/fall in duration rates indicative of a user commanded door open command. If no door command is received, routine100returns to step102. If a user commanded door open command is determined, routine100proceeds to step120to actuate the motor to open the door before returning at step122.

Accordingly, the vehicle door entry system30advantageously detects a user input door open command using the puddle lamp60of the vehicle10and commands the door associated with that puddle lamp to the open position. This allows for a user to open a vehicle door without having to actuate the door latch or to reach for a key fob input. The vehicle door entry system30advantageously employs a puddle lamp on the vehicle to sense the user commanded input. It should be appreciated that the vehicle door entry system30and the puddle lamp may be located elsewhere on the vehicle such as in the door handle, according to other embodiments.