Patent Publication Number: US-10323444-B2

Title: Window short drop for a vehicle with an electronic latch

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure generally relates to window control for convertible vehicles and, more specifically, window short drop for a vehicle with an electronic latch. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Some vehicle doors do not have a frame around the window. Instead, these vehicles a have a channel on the frame of the body of the vehicle or a convertible top of the vehicle to provide a water tight seal and noise reduction to the vehicle cabin. However, when the door is opened, the window drags on the channel and makes a loud, unpleasant noise. Similarly, when the door is closed, it runs into the channel and makes a loud, unpleasant noise. 
     SUMMARY 
     The appended claims define this application. The present disclosure summarizes aspects of the embodiments and should not be used to limit the claims. Other implementations are contemplated in accordance with the techniques described herein, as will be apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description, and these implementations are intended to be within the scope of this application. 
     Example embodiments are disclosed for window short drop for a vehicle with an electronic latch. An example door of a vehicle includes a door control unit communicatively coupled to an electronic latch. The electronic latch, in response to detecting a user touching an exterior handle, requests authorization from the vehicle. In response to receiving authorization, the electronic latch sends a request to the door control unit to lower a window of the door. Additionally, in response to receiving a confirmation from the door control unit, the electronic latch unlatches the door. 
     An example vehicle includes a door with an electronic latch and a body control unit communicatively coupled to the electronic latch. The example body control module broadcasts a signal via a low frequency transmitter in response to receiving a request for authorization from the electronic latch. The signal to activate key fobs in a vicinity of the vehicle. When one of the key fobs is authorized, the body control module grants the authorization to the electronic latch. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be made to embodiments shown in the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale and related elements may be omitted, or in some instances proportions may have been exaggerated, so as to emphasize and clearly illustrate the novel features described herein. In addition, system components can be variously arranged, as known in the art. Further, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  depicts a block diagram of electronic components of the vehicle and the key fob operating in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a method to short drop windows of the vehicle that may be implemented by the electronic components of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS 
     While the invention may be embodied in various forms, there are shown in the drawings, and will hereinafter be described, some exemplary and non-limiting embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated. 
     To clear the channel on the frame of the body of the vehicle or a convertible top of the vehicle, the vehicle short drops the windows. As used herein, short dropping the windows refers to lower the windows enough to remove the window from the channel but not enough to clear flexible gasket (e.g., a few millimeters). Currently, vehicle use a door ajar circuit to cause the window to open when the door opens and the window to close when the door closes. However, if the user opens the door quickly, the window may still be moving when the user pulls it open. This causes the unpleasant noise and, over time, can damage the window. 
     As disclosed herein below, the vehicle with the channel in the body or the convertible top includes a keyless entry system and an electronic latch (sometimes referred to herein as an “elatch”). The elatch is electrically coupled to a body control module via one or more data buses. Additionally, the elatch latches and unlatches (e.g., locks and unlocks) the door of the vehicle based on messages over the bus(es) from the body control module instead of mechanical linkage between the latch and a door handle. As disclosed below, when the elatch detects a user (e.g., via a capacitive and/or infrared sensor on the door handle, etc.), the elatch sends an unlatch request message to the body control unit. When the unlatch request message is received, the body control manager determines whether an authorized key fob is within range of the vehicle. If the authorized key fob is within range of the vehicle, the body control module sends an authorized request message to the elatch. The elatch then sends a short drop request message to a door control unit corresponding to the door handle the user interacted with. Additionally, the elatch unlatches the door in response to receiving a short drop complete message from the door control unit. In such a manner, the door remains locked until the window has cleared the channel. 
       FIG. 1  depicts a block diagram of electronic components  100  of a vehicle  102  and a key fob  104  operating in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure. The vehicle  102  may be a standard gasoline powered vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, an electric vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, and/or any other mobility implement type of vehicle. The vehicle  102  includes parts related to mobility, such as a powertrain with an engine, a transmission, a suspension, a driveshaft, and/or wheels, etc. The vehicle  102  may be non-autonomous, semi-autonomous (e.g., some routine motive functions controlled by the vehicle  102 ), or autonomous (e.g., motive functions are controlled by the vehicle  102  without direct driver input). In the illustrated example the vehicle  102  includes a low-frequency (LF) transmitter  106 , a receiver transceiver module  108 , a body control module  110 , a first vehicle data bus  112 , and doors  114 . In some examples, the vehicle also includes gateway module  116 . 
     The LF transmitter  106  includes a radio and antenna to transmit a low frequency (e.g., 125 kHz to 130 kHz, etc.) signal that includes a beacon message  118 . In some examples, the LF transmitter  106  is located in one of the the doors  114  (e.g., in the exterior door handle  146  below). A transmitter power of the the LF transmitter  106  is configured so that the beacon message  118  has a range that is relatively close to the vehicle  102  (e.g., 3 feet (1 meter), etc.). The receiver transceiver module  108  includes antenna to receive an authentication message  120  from the key fob  104 . The receiver transceiver module  108  is tuned to receive authentication message  120  from the key fob at a medium frequency (e.g., 315 MHz to 902 MHz, etc.). The authentication message  120  includes an authentication token (e.g., an encrypted identifier, an encrypted counter, etc.) to determine whether the key fob  104  is authorized to unlock the vehicle  102 . 
     The body control module  110  controls various subsystems of the vehicle  102 . In the illustrated example, the body control module  110  is communicatively coupled, via the first vehicle data bus  112 , to the doors  114  to manage (a) locking and unlocking the doors  114  and (b) raising and lowing windows (e.g., the window  144  below). Additionally, the body control module  110  manages the state (e.g., transmitting or asleep) of the LF transmitter  106 . The body control module  110  is communicatively coupled to the receiver transceiver module  108  via a second vehicle data bus  122 . In some examples, the second vehicle data bus  122  is implemented in accordance with the local interconnect network (LIN) protocol (as defined by ISO 17987 parts 1 through 7). 
     In the illustrated example, the body control module  110  includes an entry manager  124 . The entry manager  124  wakes the LF transmitter  106  in response to receiving an unlatch request message  126  from one of the doors  114 . The entry manager  124  receives the authentication message  120  from the receiver transceiver module  108 . Based on the authentication token included in the authentication message  120 , the entry manager  124  determines whether the key fob  104  that send the authentication message  120  is authorized to access the vehicle  102 . Examples of determining whether the key fob is authorized are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/278,971, entitled “Detection and Protection Against Jam Intercept and Replay Attacks,” filed Sep. 28, 2016, which is herein incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. If the key fob  104  is authorized to access the vehicle  102 , the entry manager  124  sends an unlatch authorization message  128  to the corresponding one of the doors  114 . In some examples, the unlatch request message  126  and the unlatch authorization message  128  are communicated via signal lines  130   a  and  130   b . In some such examples, the messages  126  and  128  are represented by voltage levels on the signal lines  130   a  and  130   b . For example, the signal lines  130   a  and  130   b  may normally have a high voltage (e.g., 3.3V, 5V, etc.) when no message is to be communicated and switches to a low voltage (e.g., 0V, 1.2V, etc.) to communicate the corresponding message  126  and  128 . 
     The body control module  110  receives commands to lock or unlock the door from (a) the key fob  104  via the receiver transceiver module  108 , and/or (b) buttons on an interior console of the door  106 . In response to receiving a command, the body control module  110  instructs the elatch  136  (e.g., via the data buses  112  and  142 ) to being a primary (e.g. locked) mode or in a secondary (e.g., unlocked) mode in accordance with the particular command. 
     In the illustrated example, the body control module  110  includes a processor or controller  132  and memory  134 . The body control module  110  is structured to include entry manager  124 . The processor or controller  132  may be any suitable processing device or set of processing devices such as, but not limited to: a microprocessor, a microcontroller-based platform, a suitable integrated circuit, one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and/or one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). The memory  134  may be volatile memory (e.g., RAM, which can include non-volatile RAM, magnetic RAM, ferroelectric RAM, and any other suitable forms); non-volatile memory (e.g., disk memory, FLASH memory, EPROMs, EEPROMs, memristor-based non-volatile solid-state memory, etc.), and/or unalterable memory (e.g., EPROMs), etc. In some examples, the memory  134  includes multiple kinds of memory, particularly volatile memory and non-volatile memory. 
     The memory  134  is computer readable media on which one or more sets of instructions, such as the software for operating the methods of the present disclosure can be embedded. The instructions may embody one or more of the methods or logic as described herein. In a particular embodiment, the instructions may reside completely, or at least partially, within any one or more of the memory  134 , the computer readable medium, and/or within the processor  132  during execution of the instructions. 
     The terms “non-transitory computer-readable medium” and “computer-readable medium” should be understood to include a single medium or multiple media, such as a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers that store one or more sets of instructions. The terms “non-transitory computer-readable medium” and “computer-readable medium” also include any tangible medium that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by a processor or that cause a system to perform any one or more of the methods or operations disclosed herein. As used herein, the term “computer readable medium” is expressly defined to include any type of computer readable storage device and/or storage disk and to exclude propagating signals. 
     The first vehicle data bus  112  communicatively couples the body control module  110  to the doors  114 . The first vehicle data bus  112  may be implemented in accordance with a controller area network (CAN) bus protocol as defined by International Standards Organization (ISO) 11898-1, a Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) bus protocol, a CAN flexible data (CAN-FD) bus protocol (ISO 11898-7), a K-line bus protocol (ISO 9141 and ISO 14230-1), and/or an Ethernet™ bus protocol IEEE 802.3 (2002 onwards), etc. In some examples, the first vehicle data bus  112  implements a different protocol than a door data bus (e.g., the door data bus  142  below). For example, the first vehicle data bus  112  may be implemented by protocol with a faster transmission rate than the door data bus. In such examples, the vehicle  102  includes the gateway module  116 . The gateway module  116  converts messages sent via an initiating data bus (e.g., the first vehicle data bus  112  or the door data bus) into the format of the destination data bus. 
     The illustrated example depicts one door  114 . However, the vehicle  102  may include any suitable number of doors  114  (e.g., two, four, etc.) that are connected to the body control module  110  via the first vehicle data bus  112  and the signal lines  130   a  and  130   b . The doors  114  include an electronic latch (elatch)  136 , a door control unit  138 , a sensor  140 , a door data bus  142  a window  144 , and a exterior door handle  146 . 
     The elatch  136  includes a latch assembly that is controlled by electrical actuators (e.g., solenoids, etc.) instead of mechanical linkage to the exterior door handle  146 . The elatch  136  includes an electronic circuit (e.g., dicrete components, integrated circuits, a processor, etc.) to, for example, control the latch assembly and communicated via the door data bus  142 . The elatch  136  is electrically coupled to the sensor  140 . The sensor  140  detects when a user touches the exterior door handle  146 . For example, the sensor  140  may be a capacitive sensor or an infrared sensor that detect movement behind the handle. When the elatch  136  detects the user via the sensor  140 , the elatch  136  sends the unlatch request message  126  to the body control module  110 . In response to receiving the unlatch authorization message  128  from the body control module, the elatch  136  sends a short drop request message  148  to the door control unit  138  via the door data bus  142 . The elatch  136  unlatches in response to receiving a short drop complete message  150  from the door control unit  138 . In some examples, when the in the secondary mode, the elatch  136  sends the sends a short drop request message  148  to the door control unit  138  in response to detecting the user touch the exterior door handle  146  instead of sending the unlatch request message  126  to the body control module  110 . That is, in such examples, the elatch  136  does not unlatch request message  126  to determine whether the person is authorized to open the door  106 . As a result, in such examples, even though the door  106  is “unlocked,” the elatch  136  does not unlatch the door  106  until receiving the short drop complete message  150  from the door control module  138 . 
     The door control unit  138  various functions related to the door  114 . For example, door control unit  138  controls the position of the side view mirrors and the position of the window  144 . The door control unit  138  includes an electronic circuit (e.g., dicrete components, integrated circuits, a processor, etc.) to, for example, control actuators to move the window  144  and communicated via the door data bus  142 . The door control unit  138  is electrically coupled to inputs (e.g., toggles, switches, buttons, etc.) to control the window  144 . Additionally, in response to the short drop request message  148  from the elatch  136 , the door control unit  138  short drops the window  144 . To short drop the window  144 , the door control unit  138  lowers the window  144  so that the window  144  clears the channel in body or the convertible top of the vehicle  102 . The distance the window  144  is dropped depends on the depth of the channel according to the specification of the particular vehicle  102 . This distance is programmed into the door control unit  138  when the vehicle  102  is manufactured. After the short drop is finished, the door control unit  138  sends the short drop complete message  150  to the elatch  136 . In such a manner, the door  114  of the vehicle  102  will not open until the window  144  has cleared the channel. 
     The door data bus  142  communicatively couples the elatch  136 , the door control unit  138 , and the body control module  110  (e.g., via the gateway module  116 . The door data bus  142  may be implemented in accordance with the CAN bus protocol, the MOST bus protocol, the CAN-FD bus protocol, the K-line bus protocol, or the Ethernet™ bus protocol, etc. In some examples, the door data bus  142  is implemented by a slower bus (e.g., the CAN bus) than the first vehicle data bus  112  (e.g., the CAN-FD bus). 
     In operation, the elatch  136  sends the unlatch request message  126  to the body control module  110 . In the illustrated examples, the elatch  136  sends the unlatch request message  126  via one of the signal lines  130   a . Alternatively, in some examples, the elatch  136  sends the unlatch request message  126  via the data buses  112  and  142 . The entry manager  124  of the body control module  110  wakes (e.g., drivers) the LF transmitter  106  to produce the beacon message  118 . In response to detecting the beacon message  118 , the key fob  104  transmits the authentication message  120  with an authentication token. The receiver transceiver module  108  receives the authentication message  120  and forwards the authentication message  120  to the entry manager  124  via the second vehicle data bus  122 . The entry manager  124  determines whether the key fob  104  is authorized to access the vehicle  102  based on the authentication token in the authentication message  120 . 
     If the key fob  104  is authorized to access the vehicle  102 , the entry manager  124  sends the unlatch authorization message  128  to the elatch  136  of the door  114  that send the unlatch request message  126 . In the illustrated example, the entry manager  124  sends the unlatch authorization message  128  via one of the signal lines  130   b . Alternatively, in some examples, the entry manager  124  sends the unlatch authorization message  128  via the data buses  112  and  142 . In some examples, after authorizing one door  114  to be unlatched within a time period (e.g., 15 seconds, 30 seconds, etc.), the entry manager  124  sends unlatch authorization messages  128  in response to subsequent unlatch request messages  126  received from the other doors  114  without causing the key fob  104  to send another authentication message  120 . After receiving the unlatch authorization message  128 , the elatch  136  sends the short drop request message  148  to the door control unit  138 . The door control unit  138  lowers the window  144  to clear the channel in the body or the convertible top of the vehicle  102 . When the window  144  is lowered, the door control unit  138  sends the short drop complete message  150  to the elatch  136  via the door data bus  142 . In response to receiving the short drop complete message  150 , the elatch  136  unlatches the door  114  facilitating the user opening the door  114 . 
     The entry manager  124  instructs the door control module  138  (e.g., via the data buses  112  and  142 ) to close the window  144 . In some examples, the entry manager  124  instructs the door control module  138  when the speed of the vehicle  102  is satisfies (e.g. is greater than) a threshold. In some such examples, the threshold is five miles per hour. Alternatively or additionally, in some examples, the entry manager  124  instructs the door control module  138  in response to receiving a command to lock the door  106 . 
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a method to short drop windows  144  of the vehicle  102  that may be implemented by the electronic components  100  of  FIG. 1 . Initially, at block  202 , the elatch  136  waits until it detects, via the sensor  140 , that a user is touching the exterior door handle  146 . At block  204 , the elatch  136  determines whether it is set to a lock setting (e.g., by the entry manager  124  of the body control module  110 ). If the elatch  136  is set to a lock setting, the method continues at block  204 . Otherwise, the elatch  136  is set to an unlock setting, the method continues at block  220 . At block  206 , the elatch  136  sends the unlatch request message  126  to the entry manager  124  of the body control module  110 . At block  208 , the entry manager activates the LF transmitter  106 . At block  210 , the LF transmitter broadcasts the beacon message  118 . 
     At block  212 , the entry manager determines whether the authentication message  120  has been received from the key fob  104 . If the authentication message  120  has been received from the key fob  104 , the method continues at block  214 . Otherwise, if the authentication message  120  has not been received from the key fob  104 , the method ends. At block  214 , the entry manager  124  verifies the authentication token included in the authentication message  120 . At block  216 , the entry manager determines whether the key fob  104  is authorized based on the authentication token verified at block  212 . If the key fob  104  is authorized, the method continues at block  218 . If the key fob  104  is not authorized, the method ends. At block  218 , the entry manager  124  sends the unlatch authorization message  128  to the elatch  136 . 
     At block  220 , the elatch  136  sends the short drop request message  148  to the door control unit  138 . At block  222 , the door control unit  138  lowers the window  144  to clear the channel of the body or the convertible top of the vehicle  102 . At block  224 , the door control unit  138  waits until the window  144  is in the short drop position. At block  226 , the door control unit  138  sends the short drop complete message  150  to the elatch  136 . At block  228 , the elatch unlatches the door  114 . The method then ends. 
     In this application, the use of the disjunctive is intended to include the conjunctive. The use of definite or indefinite articles is not intended to indicate cardinality. In particular, a reference to “the” object or “a” and “an” object is intended to denote also one of a possible plurality of such objects. Further, the conjunction “or” may be used to convey features that are simultaneously present instead of mutually exclusive alternatives. In other words, the conjunction “or” should be understood to include “and/or”. The terms “includes,” “including,” and “include” are inclusive and have the same scope as “comprises,” “comprising,” and “comprise” respectively. 
     The above-described embodiments, and particularly any “preferred” embodiments, are possible examples of implementations and merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) without substantially departing from the spirit and principles of the techniques described herein. All modifications are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims.