Patent ID: 12247428

With a view to the driver side,FIG.5sectionally shows a vehicle F in which a body opening O in a body K of the vehicle F can be closed by an adjusting part in the form of a lateral vehicle door1. The vehicle door1can be pivoted along an adjustment path from a completely closed position into a maximally open adjustment position on the body K. The vehicle door1ofFIG.5can be opened and closed manually. Alternatively or additionally, a power-operated adjustment of the vehicle door1is possible. A respective pivot position of the vehicle door1and hence an adjustment position of the vehicle door1is defined by an opening angle φ. This opening angle φ can be electronically detected and evaluated as a position measurement value that is indicative of the current adjustment position of the vehicle door1with respect to the body K.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Independently of the kind of adjustment, there is provided an electronic detection device2by means of which an obstacle can be detected in an adjustment path of the vehicle door1. The electronic detection device for example is used to monitor an adjustment range of the vehicle door1on opening, in order to prevent a collision of the vehicle door1with an obstacle. During a manual adjustment, the electronic detection device2for example generates an alarm signal and/or increases an operating force to be applied for the adjustment and hence the further opening of the vehicle door1, so that it becomes noticeably more difficult for a user to further open the vehicle door1. During a power-operated adjustment of the vehicle door1, a triggered adjustment of the vehicle door1is inhibited when an obstacle is detected in the adjustment path, so that the vehicle door1for example remains in its closed position. Alternatively or additionally, a power-operated and hence motor-controlled adjusting movement of the vehicle door1is stopped and/or reversed when an obstacle is detected, in order to prevent a collision of the vehicle door1with an obstacle on opening (or closing).

For the detection of a potential obstacle in the adjustment path of the vehicle door1, the electronic detection device2comprises at least one obstacle sensor, in the present case for example in the form of a radar sensor or ultrasonic sensor20. On the basis of first measured values generated by this radar sensor or ultrasonic sensor20it can be electronically inferred whether an obstacle is present in front of the vehicle door1to be adjusted and hence in its adjustment path.

First measured values detected by the radar sensor or ultrasonic sensor20are transmitted to an electronic control unit21of the electronic detection device2. This electronic control unit21includes an evaluation logic, for example implemented in a microcontroller including at least one processor. In the electronic control unit21, a comparison of the received first measured values of the radar sensor or ultrasonic sensor20with at least one stored threshold value can be used to evaluate whether an obstacle possibly is present in the adjustment path of the vehicle door1.

The electronic control unit21can send a control signal to a door-side drive gear3in order to control the adjusting movement of the vehicle door1. Via a corresponding control signal of the electronic control unit21, a braking force counteracting the adjustment consequently can be generated for example in the event of a manual adjustment of the vehicle door1, which leads to an increase of the operating force required for the adjustment. In the event of a power-operated adjustment of the vehicle door1, the drive gear3can stop and/or reverse an adjusting movement of the vehicle door1in response to a corresponding control signal of the electronic control unit21, so that a collision with an obstacle in the adjustment path of the vehicle door1thereby is excluded.

In the exemplary embodiment shown inFIG.5, the electronic control unit21of the electronic detection device2among other things is additionally coupled to a door-side acceleration sensor4or the electronic control unit21includes an acceleration sensor4. The acceleration sensor4can generate an acceleration signal that is representative of an acceleration of the vehicle door1. In addition, the drive gear3can transmit a velocity or speed signal to the control unit21, which is representative of a speed with which a motor drive of the drive gear3drives the vehicle door1. Alternatively or additionally, the drive gear3can transmit a motor current signal and hence a (further) second measured value, which is representative of a motor current needed by a motor drive of the drive gear3, to the electronic control unit21.

Combined with the first measured values of the radar sensor or ultrasonic sensor20, second measured values supplied by sensors of the drive gear3and/or the acceleration sensor4allow to draw conclusions as to possible malfunctions of the electronic detection device2and also to possible manipulations or incorrect operations of the vehicle door1. A controller including the electronic control unit21therefor can be cross-linked with a controller of the drive gear3or with a controller of the vehicle F using acceleration signals of the acceleration sensor4, e.g., via a vehicle bus system.

A design variant of the proposed solution provides to store, at least for a defined time period, a curve of the first measured values supplied by the radar sensor or ultrasonic sensor20, a curve of control signals transmitted by the electronic control unit21to the drive gear3and at least second measured values, which can be read out from the acceleration sensor3and/or from the drive gear3and can be correlated with each other for a subsequent plausibility check, in a storage device5. The storage device5includes an interface for reading out data stored therein. The storage device5can be provided locally in a controller of the electronic detection device2. Alternatively or additionally, the storage device5can form part of a cloud memory that can be addressed by the electronic control unit21of the electronic detection device2via an Internet interface of the vehicle F.

Via the curves stored in the storage device5and representative of an adjusting movement of the vehicle door1and via the data formed therewith, respectively, it can subsequently be evaluated and hence be made plausible for example whether an obstacle in the adjustment path of the vehicle door1has correctly been identified by the electronic detection device2and the vehicle door1nevertheless has collided with the obstacle, or whether for example a collision with an obstacle has occurred, as the electronic detection device2previously has detected no obstacle by mistake. This is of considerable economic interest, such as in view of possible warranty claims. The proposed solution creates the technical prerequisites therefor.

It is provided for example that via the electronic detection device2a storage of the aforementioned curves is triggered automatically when an adjusting movement of the vehicle door1is effected. The curves initially can be stored temporarily and hence be cached in a volatile way with each adjustment of the vehicle door1so that from a certain number of adjustments previous curves are again overwritten. When during an adjustment of the vehicle door1the electronic detection device2of the illustrated adjustment system has detected an obstacle in the adjustment path, the previously merely temporarily cached curves are transmitted into the storage device5, in which the curves then remain stored permanently and hence in a non-volatile way. The curves are stored together with at least one electronic time stamp and hence for example synchronized with an on-board time system, so that the curves and the data generated therewith can be evaluated in the manner of an event protocol. Such an event protocol then for example not only contains possible control commands, the curve of the opening angle φ and/or accelerations detected by means of the acceleration sensor4, but also status information of the respective sensors, a possible slope of the vehicle F, information on the opening angle φ for which a collision has been detected and/or available information of other sensors, such as e.g. of a so-called “corner radar”, which is provided on the vehicle F for detecting cyclists for a lane change or turn.

In the illustrated design variant, a temporary storage of detected curves with a parking vehicle F furthermore can also be effected, and for example, independently of an adjusting movement of the vehicle door1. A permanent storage of the previously cached curves in the storage device5is effected when a collision with an obstacle has been electronically detected on the vehicle door1for a parking vehicle F. Even with a non-moving vehicle door1it can thus easily be detected via the radar sensor or ultrasonic sensor20whether the stationary vehicle door1collides with a moving obstacle. With reference to the permanently stored curves it thus is possible to make a statement as to whether the collision has occurred with a stationary vehicle door1, and for example, that such collision then cannot result from a possible malfunction of the electronic detection device2. This might rather be a so-called parking pump or some other collision which indicates that the vehicle door F has been damaged by third parties.

In principle, the permanently stored curves can also be stored linked with a date-Latin and time indication.

In one design variant, the electronic control unit21of the electronic detection device2furthermore can receive at least one person-specific parameter via the vehicle bus system for storage in the storage device5. Such a person-specific parameter signals for example whether a person, for example, an authenticated user, has been staying in the surroundings of the vehicle door1during an adjustment of the vehicle door1. Alternatively or additionally, the at least one person-specific parameter can contain an item of identification information to be associated with a particular user of the vehicle F, for example an identification number that is associated with that user, or a particular vehicle key or mobile device via which the vehicle F was opened before the adjustment of the vehicle door1has been effected.

As is illustrated inFIGS.1to4with reference to different signal curves, it can easily be analyzed via an already small number of curves recorded and stored so as to be read out and correlated with each other, as to whether and how a possible collision event has occurred on the vehicle door1.

FIG.1by way of example shows different signal curves over the time t for an obstacle-free opening movement of the vehicle door1from a completely closed position at the vehicle F. The electronic control unit21of the electronic detection device2here specifies a control signal in the form of a target angle signal r(t) on the basis of first measured values that are generated by the radar sensor or ultrasonic sensor20. In the case of an obstacle-free adjustment, this target angle signal r(t) always lies above a constructional maximally possible opening angle φmaxof the vehicle door1. In other words, during obstacle-free opening an opening angle φ(t) of the vehicle door1can approach and finally reach this maximum opening angle φmaxwithout the specified target angle signal r(t) of the drive gear3signaling to the vehicle door1to first stop an opening movement of the vehicle door1.

As is illustrated with reference to the curves shown inFIG.1for a motor current i(t), an acceleration a(t) of the vehicle door1measured by the acceleration sensor4, and a speed v(t) of a drive motor of the drive gear3driving the opening movement of the vehicle door1, the corresponding signal curves show an image consistent therewith. The vehicle door1initially is accelerated and then braked again towards the end of the adjusting movement. The initial acceleration of the vehicle door1involves an increased demand for electricity, which then remains comparatively constant and decreases again towards the end of the adjusting movement. Correspondingly, the drive motor also initially rotates at increasing speed until a constant adjustment speed of the vehicle door1is reached and the same decreases again before reaching the maximally open position.

The signal and measured value curves ofFIG.2are based on a scenario in which an obstacle in the adjustment path of the vehicle door1is properly detected in a contactless way via the electronic detection device2and the adjusting movement of the vehicle door1is limited and stopped in a targeted way in response thereto. The different stored curves here show an image that differs fromFIG.1, but nevertheless is characteristic. The target angle signal r(t) output due to an obstacle detected in the adjustment path specifies a maximum permitted opening angle which is smaller than the maximum opening angle φmax. Consequently, the vehicle door1is opened merely up to a time tHand in doing so only up to a smaller opening angle. The speed v of the drive motor and its motor current i decrease in a defined way at the end of the adjusting movement in order to stop the vehicle door1in front of the potential obstacle. Correspondingly, the vehicle door1is negatively accelerated in a targeted way and hence undergoes a negative acceleration a before the time tH.

The signal curves ofFIG.3on the other hand are exemplary for a malfunction of the electronic detection device2. Here, no reduced opening angle is specified for the vehicle door1via the target angle signal r(t). The electronic detection device2and for example, its radar sensor or ultrasonic sensor20consequently have not detected any obstacle in the adjustment path of the vehicle door1. Nevertheless, an abrupt stop of the vehicle door1occurs at the time tH, which is revealed by characteristic drops in the acceleration, motor current and speed signals. After the time tH, the opening angle φ furthermore remains at a constant value below the maximum opening angle φmax.

On the other hand, the signal curves ofFIG.4reveal a scenario in which the electronic detection device2has identified a potential obstacle in the adjustment path of the vehicle door1and therefor has specified a reduced opening angle for the vehicle door1via the target angle signal r(t). As the adjusting movement of the vehicle door1correspondingly is to be stopped via the drive gear3, a manual intervention however obviously occurs and the vehicle door1is adjusted further in the opening direction. Due to the manual intervention, the drive gear3here by way of example changes into a servo mode so that the motor current signal i(t) remains unchanged. This change can be detected electronically and can likewise be stored via a corresponding parameter. Without a change into a servo mode, the motor current i(t) would rise again, before an abrupt stop of the vehicle door1then occurs due to an obvious collision with an obstacle.

The different curves ofFIGS.1to4clearly show that the different signal curves synchronized with a time stamp can be used to provide readable data to be correlated with each other, in order to plausibilize measured values and signals as well as alleged collision events subsequently detected and generated by the electronic detection device2. Via the selectively and automatically stored signal curves, which originate from the electronic detection device2and its sensor system comprising the radar sensor or ultrasonic sensor2as well as on-board or door-side sensors cross-linked with the electronic detection device2, different “use cases” thus can be distinguished from each other. With reference to the signal curves for instance a trouble-free function, such as an obstacle-free door opening or an avoided obstacle collision with a stop in front of a detected obstacle, can easily be distinguished from an obstacle collision caused by third parties or a malfunction of components of the electronic detection device2. With reference to the signals for the acceleration a of the vehicle door1, for the speed v and for the motor current i of a drive motor of the drive gear3combined with measured value and/or signal curves from the electronic detection device2it can easily be reconstructed in this way whether the vehicle door1has collided with a rigid or softer obstacle. This likewise permits to subsequently make a plausibility check of a damage possibly detectable on the vehicle door or of a scenario underlying this damage.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

1vehicle door (adjustment part)2detection device20radar sensor/ultrasonic sensor (obstacle sensor)21electronic control unit3drive gear4acceleration sensor5storage deviceF vehicleK bodyO body openingφ opening angle (position measurement value)