PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-11446989-B1
Application Number: US-201916543416-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B1

Title: Doors with adaptive positioning

Abstract:
Doors on a vehicle may be controlled by a door positioning system that moves the doors freely and fluidly relative to the body of the vehicle. The doors may include front and rear doors on each side of the vehicle. The door positioning system may control the movement and positioning of each door using a door mechanism coupled between the door and the body of the vehicle. The door positioning system may determine a position or path of motion for each door based on sensor data and user input. The door positioning system may issue corresponding control signals to actuators in the door mechanism to position the door accordingly. For example, the front door may slide open at an angle to accommodate an angled tire. Front and rear doors may open in opposite directions to create a large, unobstructed space for passengers to enter and exit the vehicle.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicle, comprising:
 a body having an opening; 
 a door that moves into and out of the opening; 
 first and second independently controlled actuators, wherein the first independently controlled actuator rotates the door about a first axis and the second independently controlled actuator rotates the door about a second axis that is parallel to the first axis; 
 a sensor that gathers sensor data, wherein the sensor data comprises steering angle information associated with a tire position; and 
 a door controller that adjusts a direction with which the door moves away from the opening based on the sensor data. 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicle defined in  claim 1  wherein the door controller adjusts the direction with which the door moves away from the opening to accommodate the tire position. 
     
     
       3. The vehicle defined in  claim 1  wherein the sensor data comprises vehicle orientation information. 
     
     
       4. The vehicle defined in  claim 1  wherein the door controller sends control signals to the first and second independently controlled actuators to adjust the direction with which the door moves away from the opening. 
     
     
       5. The vehicle defined in  claim 1  further comprising a third independently controlled actuator. 
     
     
       6. The vehicle defined in  claim 5  wherein the third independently controlled actuator slides the door along a third axis. 
     
     
       7. The vehicle defined in  claim 6  further comprising first, second, and third sensors that are each associated with a respective one of the first, second, and third independently controlled actuators. 
     
     
       8. A vehicle, comprising:
 a body having an opening; 
 first and second doors that slide toward and away from the opening; 
 first, second, and third independently controlled actuators, wherein the first independently controlled actuator moves the first door about a first rotational axis, the second independently controlled actuator moves the first door about a second rotational axis, and the third independently controlled actuator moves the first door along a linear axis; 
 a sensor that gathers sensor data; and 
 a door controller that automatically opens the first door based on the sensor data and that determines a path along which to open the first door based on the sensor data. 
 
     
     
       9. The vehicle defined in  claim 8  wherein the sensor detects a key approaching the first door and the door controller automatically opens the first door in response to the sensor detecting the key approaching the first door. 
     
     
       10. The vehicle defined in  claim 8  wherein the door controller determines the path along which to open the first door by determining a direction with which the first door moves away from the opening. 
     
     
       11. The vehicle defined in  claim 10  wherein the sensor data detects an obstruction and wherein the door controller determines the path along which to open the first door to avoid a collision between the first door and the obstruction. 
     
     
       12. The vehicle defined in  claim 8  wherein the door controller controls the first door by sending control signals to the first, second, and third independently controlled actuators. 
     
     
       13. A vehicle, comprising:
 a body having an opening; 
 a door that moves toward and away from the opening; 
 a sensor that gathers sensor data; 
 a door mechanism having at least first and second independently controlled actuators, wherein the first and second independently controlled actuators are configured to rotate the door about respective first and second vertical rotational axes; and 
 a door controller that sends control signals to the door mechanism based on the sensor data, wherein the control signals include first control signals for the first independently controlled actuator and second control signals for the second independently controlled actuator. 
 
     
     
       14. The vehicle defined in  claim 13  wherein the sensor data comprises obstruction information. 
     
     
       15. The vehicle defined in  claim 13  wherein the first and second vertical rotational axes are parallel. 
     
     
       16. The vehicle defined in  claim 15  wherein the door mechanism comprises a third independently controlled actuator. 
     
     
       17. The vehicle defined in  claim 16  wherein the third independently controlled actuator slides the door along a linear axis.

Description:
This application is a continuation of patent application Ser. No. 15/403,059, filed Jan. 10, 2017, which claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 62/277,655, filed Jan. 12, 2016, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to doors and, more particularly, doors that form part of a vehicle. 
     Vehicles such as automobiles include doors for allowing passengers to enter and exit. Most vehicles have hinged doors that swing open at an angle to the vehicle. Hinged doors are typically operated manually and can be cumbersome for passengers to open and close. A passenger may also find it difficult to enter and exit the vehicle through a hinged door because the door itself may obstruct the passenger&#39;s path out of or into the vehicle. 
     Some vehicles use sliding doors that slide open along the side of the vehicle, providing an unobstructed path into and out of the vehicle. Sliding doors typically provide larger openings and easier access to the vehicle and are sometimes powered so that the doors can be opened and closed automatically. 
     Conventional sliding doors are restricted to move along a single path from a closed position to an open position. Since the sliding doors are bound by the three guide rails, the open position relative to the vehicle does not change and the path to the open position does not change. The inability to adjust the path of motion for a sliding door places undesirable limitations on the placement of sliding doors on vehicles and the types of vehicles with which sliding doors are compatible. For example, the inability to adjust the position of an open sliding door relative to the side of a vehicle prevents typical sliding doors from being used for front seats since the front tires may sometimes obstruct the door&#39;s path of motion. 
     SUMMARY 
     A vehicle may have doors. The doors may include front and rear doors on each side of the vehicle. The doors may open and close by moving along the side of the vehicle. For example, the front doors may open by moving towards the front of the vehicle and the rear doors may open by moving towards the rear of the vehicle. When both front and rear doors are open on one side of the vehicle, an unobstructed opening on the side of the vehicle may allow passengers to easily enter and exit the vehicle. 
     One or more latches may be used to secure a front door on the side of the vehicle to a rear door on the side of the vehicle, thereby eliminating the need for a pillar or column between the front seat and the back seat of the vehicle. This provides a large area for entry and exit and frees up additional space within the vehicle (e.g., for legroom, storage, gaming consoles, etc.). 
     The movement and positioning of each door may be controlled and adjusted dynamically by a door mechanism coupled between the door and the body of the vehicle. The door mechanism may be controlled by a door controller that receives sensor data from sensors in the vehicle. The door controller may determine how to move and position the door based on the sensor data and may issue corresponding control signals to actuators in the door mechanism to move and position the door accordingly. For example, the sensor data may include steering angle information that indicates an angle of a front tire and the front door may open at an angle relative to the side of the vehicle to accommodate the angled tire. 
     The door mechanism may include an arm that extends between the body and the door. The arm may rotate relative to the vehicle body about a first axis and the door may rotate relative to the arm about a second axis. The arm member may be coupled to a sliding member that slides within the door along a third axis. If desired, the door mechanism may be the only support member that attaches the door to the body of the vehicle. The door mechanism may be attached to a lower portion of the body or may be attached to any other suitable location on the body. 
     The door mechanism may include actuators for controlling the movement of various components in the door mechanism. For example, a first actuator may control the rotation of the arm relative to body about the first axis, a second actuator may control the rotation of the door relative to the arm about the second axis, and a third actuator may control the linear motion of the sliding member along the third axis. The first and second axes may be parallel to one another and the third axis may be non-parallel to the first and second axes. The third axis of motion may, for example, be orthogonal to the first and second axes. 
     The arm may have first and second openings. A first shaft member in the first opening may be attached to the body of the vehicle. A second shaft member in the second opening may be attached to the sliding member on the door. The first axis of rotation may be aligned with the longitudinal axis of the first shaft member and the second axis of rotation may be aligned with the longitudinal axis of the second shaft member. 
     Further features will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative vehicle with adaptively positioned doors in a closed position in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an illustrative vehicle with adaptively positioned doors in an open position in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of a portion of an illustrative vehicle showing how front and side doors may be secured when closed by a number of latches in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative vehicle or other system with adaptively positioned doors in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 5A-5D  are top views of a portion of an illustrative vehicle showing how doors on the vehicle may slide open in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 6A-6D  are top views of a portion of an illustrative vehicle showing how doors on the vehicle may angle inwards before sliding open in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative components in a door mechanism in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 8A and 8B  show perspective views of an illustrative door mechanism of the type shown in  FIG. 7  in closed and open positions, respectively, in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 9A and 9B  show top views of an illustrative door mechanism having a four-bar linkage in closed and open positions, respectively, in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 10A and 10B  show top views of adaptively positioned doors in closed and open positions, respectively, in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 11A and 11B  show perspective views of adaptively positioned doors in closed and open positions, respectively, in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a side view of an illustrative door mechanism having components mounted within the body of a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative vehicle having a door mechanism of the type shown in  FIG. 7  in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 14  is a top view of a portion of an illustrative vehicle showing how a door may be positioned according to its surroundings in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 15  is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in opening and closing a door of a vehicle using adaptive positioning in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Vehicles such as automobiles may include doors. As an example, a vehicle may have left and right front doors for allowing passengers in the front of the vehicle to enter and exit and left and right rear doors for allowing passengers in the rear of the vehicle to enter and exit. The doors may be independently controlled by an adaptive door positioning system. Rather than opening and closing in a fixed, non-adjustable manner, the doors may be adaptively positioned. The doors may, for example, be adaptively positioned based on sensor data or user input. Providing vehicle doors with adaptive positioning allows the doors to be opened and closed in a manner that can be adjusted based on the vehicle&#39;s surroundings. For example, doors may be adaptively positioned to avoid colliding with obstructions (e.g., nearby vehicles), to provide easier access to the vehicle when a passenger approaches from a given direction, to facilitate exiting the vehicle in tight parking spaces, to accommodate angled tires, to accommodate inclined surfaces, etc. 
     The door positioning system may include control circuitry that issues control signals to a door mechanism associated with each door. The control signals may be based on sensor data, user input, or other input received by the door positioning system. In response to the control signals, the door mechanism may be configured to move the door along a prescribed path and/or position the door in a desired location relative to the body of the vehicle. The door mechanism may have one or more rotational axes and/or one or more linear axes that allow the door to rotate, slide, hinge, or otherwise move freely relative to the side of the vehicle. 
     A perspective view of an illustrative vehicle of the type that may be provided with adaptively positioned doors is shown in  FIG. 1 . Vehicle  10  may be a self-powered motor vehicle for transporting passengers. Vehicle  10  may be powered by an internal combustion engine (e.g., using gasoline or diesel fuel), may be powered by alternative fuels (e.g., ethanol, natural gas, etc.), or may be powered by electricity. In some configurations, vehicle  10  may be a “hybrid” vehicle that uses any two or more of these types of power. 
     Vehicle  10  may be an autonomous vehicle that drives itself (sometimes referred to as a “driverless” car), a semi-autonomous vehicle that is operated by a driver while handling some functions automatically, or a non-autonomous vehicle that is controlled exclusively by a driver. If desired, vehicle  10  may be configured to operate in any one of these modes (e.g., autonomous in a first mode, semi-autonomous in a second mode, and non-autonomous in a third mode). 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , vehicle  10  may include a body such as body  12 . The example of  FIG. 1  in which vehicle  10  has a sedan-style body is merely illustrative. If desired, vehicle  10  may have a sport utility vehicle body, a sports car body, a hatchback body, a station wagon body, a van or minivan body, a limousine body, a bus body, or other suitable body style. Body  12  forms at least some of the exterior surfaces of vehicle  10  and encloses an interior space in which passengers sit while in vehicle  10 . 
     Body  12  may have body panels and other structures that are mounted on a chassis. The chassis may form the internal framework of vehicle  10  and may support body  12  and other components of vehicle  10  (e.g., engine, transmission, drive shaft, suspension, etc.). Interior components in vehicle  10  such as seating for a driver and other vehicle occupants may be supported by the chassis. External components such as wheels  18  may also be mounted to the chassis. The structures that make up body  12  and the chassis on which body  12  is mounted may include metal structures, structures formed from fiber-composite materials such as carbon-fiber materials and fiberglass, plastic, and other materials. 
     Vehicle  10  may include doors  16 . Doors  16  may provide access to the interior space enclosed by body  12 . Windows  14  may be formed at the front and rear of vehicle  10  in openings in body  12  and may be formed within doors  16  or other portions of the body  12  of vehicle  10 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , for example, windows  14  may include a front window that faces the front of vehicle, rear facing windows, and side windows such as windows mounted within doors  16  of vehicle  10 . Windows  14  in vehicle  10  may be formed from glass (e.g., glass laminated with polymer layers), plastics such as polycarbonate, or other clear materials. 
     Doors  16  may include left and right front doors  16 - 1  and left and right rear doors  16 - 2 . Front doors  16 - 1  may allow passengers in the front of vehicle  10  to enter and exit the front seat area of vehicle  10 . Rear doors  16 - 2  may allow passengers to enter and exit the back seat area of vehicle  10 . The example of  FIG. 1  in which vehicle  10  includes four doors (two front doors  16 - 1  and two rear doors  16 - 2 ) is merely illustrative. If desired, vehicle  10  may include more than four doors or less than four doors. Some of these doors may be located on the left and right sides of vehicle  10  and others may be located on a rear of vehicle  10  (e.g., one or more of doors  16  may provide access to a trunk or cargo area). Arrangements in which vehicle  10  includes four doors are sometimes described herein as an example. 
     In conventional vehicles, doors open and close in a fixed, non-adjustable manner. The path of motion as the doors move between open and closed positions is predetermined and does not change regardless of the vehicle&#39;s surroundings. This type of fixed motion path can make conventional doors cumbersome to use. For example, a conventional hinged door may open to a position that blocks a person&#39;s path into the vehicle, causing the person to have to walk around the door to enter the vehicle. A conventional sliding door (e.g., on a minivan) provides better access to a vehicle&#39;s interior space than a hinged door, but is generally only used as a rear door because the it would collide with an angled tire if used as a front door. 
     To overcome the limitations of conventional doors, doors  16  of vehicle  10  may be controlled by a door positioning system that moves doors  16  freely and fluidly relative to body  12  of vehicle  10 . The manner in which the door positioning system moves doors  16  between open and closed positions may be adjusted based on the surroundings of vehicle  10  and/or based on other factors. As used herein, an “open” position may refer to the position of door  16  when it provides a path of entry into the interior space of vehicle  10 . A “closed” position may refer to the position of door  16  when it blocks a path of entry into the interior space of vehicle  10 . 
     In addition to controlling and adjusting the manner in which doors  16  move between open and closed positions, the door positioning system may be configured to adjust the position that doors  16  open to. For example, doors  16  may be oriented parallel to the side of the vehicle in one open position and may be oriented at an angle relative to the side of the vehicle in another open position. 
     Providing doors  16  with adjustable and adaptive motion paths can facilitate passengers&#39; entry into and exit from vehicle  10 . For example, the door positioning system may open doors  16  in such a way as to provide a large, unobstructed open area through which passengers may enter or exit vehicle  10 . The door positioning system may, for example, move front doors  16 - 1  and rear doors  16 - 2  into respective open positions  16 - 1 ′ and  16 - 2 ′ by moving front doors  16 - 1  towards the front of vehicle  10  in direction  100  and rear doors  16 - 2  towards the back of vehicle  10  in direction  102 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , this creates a large open area  68  through which passengers can enter and exit vehicle  10 . Additionally, doors  16  may be opened to a position that is relatively close to the side of vehicle  10 , thereby allowing passengers to approach or walk away from vehicle  10  in any suitable direction without being obstructed by doors  16 . 
     Opening  68  may have a first portion  68 - 1  in which front door  16 - 1  is located when closed and a second portion  68 - 2  in which rear door  16 - 2  is located when closed. When front door  16 - 1  is in open position  16 - 1 ′, passengers on front seat  104 F may enter and exit vehicle  10  through portion  68 - 1  of opening  68 . When rear door  16 - 2  is in open position  16 - 2 ′, passengers on rear seat  104 R may enter and exit vehicle  10  through portion  68 - 2  of opening  68 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 2 , front portion  68 - 1  of opening  68  and rear portion  68 - 2  of opening  68  are not separated by a column or pillar. This provides a completely unobstructed opening  68  through which passengers can enter and exit vehicle  10 . The absence of a pillar in opening  68  may allow easier access to the interior of vehicle  10  and may facilitate exiting vehicle  10 . The absence of a pillar may also allow a greater portion of the internal volume of vehicle  10  to be used for other purposes such as enhanced seating, gaming consoles, storage area, or increased legroom. This is, however, merely illustrative. If desired, body  12  may include one or more pillars or columns in opening  68  between front portion  68 - 1  and rear portion  68 - 2 . 
     The door positioning system in vehicle  10  may control each door  16  using a door mechanism such as door mechanism  26  (sometimes referred to as a door open and close mechanism, door mechanism structures, door control structures, or door positioning structures). Door mechanism  26  may include door positioning structures such as one or more arms, shafts, hinges, bearings, carriages, motors, actuators, slides, and/or or other structures that may be used to open, close, and precisely position an associated one of doors  16 . Illustrative examples of motors that may be used in door mechanism  26  include magnetic motors, electrostatic motors, piezoelectric motors, AC motors (e.g., synchronous or asynchronous motors), DC motors, or other suitable type of motor. 
     Some of the structures in each door mechanism  26  may be housed within body  12  of vehicle  10 , some of the structures may be housed within door  16  of vehicle  10 , and some of the structures may be coupled between body  12  and door  16  of vehicle  10 . If desired, all of doors  16  in vehicle  10  may have the same door mechanism  26  or doors  16  may have different door mechanisms  26 . For example, door mechanism  26 - 1  for front door  16 - 1  may have a slightly different or completely different configuration than door mechanism  26 - 2  for rear door  16 - 2 , or door mechanisms  26 - 1  and  26 - 2  may have the same configuration. 
     Door mechanism  26  may include one or more rotational axes and/or one or more linear axes. In one suitable arrangement that is sometimes described herein as an example, door mechanism  26  has a first rotational axis where mechanism  26  joins with body  12 , a second rotational axis where mechanism  26  joins with door  16 , and a linear axis in door  16  along which door  16  slides. This allows each door  16  to be precisely positioned relative to body  12 . For example, to move from a closed position to open position  16 - 2 ′, door mechanism  26  may move rear door  16 - 2  away from body  12  (e.g., parallel to the x-axis of  FIG. 2 ) and may slide rear door  16 - 2  towards the rear of vehicle  12  (e.g., parallel to the y-axis of  FIG. 2 ). During this opening process, door mechanism  26  may rotate door  16 - 2  around one of its rotational axes (e.g., a rotational axis parallel to the z-axis of  FIG. 2 ) to achieve a desired angle between door  16 - 2  and the side of vehicle body  12 . 
     If desired, door mechanism  26  may include a moveable closed chain linkage in which a given number of bars or links are connected in a loop by an equal number of joints. In one illustrative example, door mechanism  26  may include a four-bar linkage having four links joined together by four hinged joints. A first rotational axis may be aligned with one of the four hinged joints and a second rotational axis may be aligned with another one of the four hinged joints. Door mechanism  26  may rotate relative to vehicle body  12  around the first rotational axis of the four-bar linkage, while door  16  may rotate relative to door mechanism  26  around the second rotational axis of the four-bar linkage. If desired, arrangements in which moveable closed chain linkages having more or less than four links connected in a loop may also be used. 
     The example of  FIGS. 1 and 2  in which both front doors  16 - 1  and rear doors  16 - 2  remain relatively close to the side of vehicle body  12  is merely illustrative. If desired, rear doors  16 - 2  may open by moving linearly along the side of vehicle body  12  and front doors  16 - 1  may hinge open by rotating at an angle relative to the side of vehicle body  12 . In another suitable arrangement, front doors  16 - 1  may open by moving linearly along the side of vehicle body  12  and rear doors  16 - 2  may hinge open by rotating at an angle relative to the side of vehicle body  12 . Arrangements in which doors  16  on one side of vehicle  10  have different door mechanisms than doors  16  on the opposing side of vehicle  10  may also be used. Arrangements in which both front doors  16 - 1  and rear doors  16 - 2  move along the side of vehicle body  12  are sometimes described herein as an illustrative example. 
     Doors  16  may be controlled manually and/or may be controlled automatically. For example, each door  16  may have an associated door controller that operates door mechanism  26  to open and close each door  16  in response to an input event. An input event may be when an individual presses a button on vehicle  10  or presses a button on a key associated with vehicle  10 . If desired, other input events may trigger movement of doors  16 . For example, a door controller may automatically open front door  16 - 1  when sensors in vehicle  10  detect an individual (e.g., an individual carrying a key associated with vehicle  10 ) approaching front door  16 - 1 . 
     The door controller for each door  16  may determine a path of motion for the door and may control door mechanism  26  to move door  16  accordingly. The path of motion and position of door  16  relative to body  12  may be determined based on sensor data and/or based on user input or other input. For example, when opening front door  16 - 1 , door mechanism  26  may position door  16 - 1  based on the angle of the front tires  18  to avoid collision between door  16 - 1  and adjacent tire  18 . The amount of power used to open or close each door  16  may be determined based on the incline of vehicle  10 . Other information and data that may be taken into account in determining the best path of motion for doors  16  include obstruction information (e.g., obstructions in opening  68 , obstructions outside of vehicle  10 , etc.), vehicle orientation information, steering angle information, information about passengers in vehicle  10  (e.g., the number of passengers in vehicle  10 , the location of passengers in vehicle  10 , etc.), the direction in which an individual approaches vehicle  10 , etc. 
     If desired, door mechanism  26  may be the only support member that extends between door  16  and body  12 . The use of a single attachment point between door  16  and body  12  allows door  16  to move more freely and fluidly relative to body  12  than conventional door arrangements. For example, in one implementation, doors  16  may open by first moving linearly away from body  12  and by moving linearly along the side of body  12  (e.g., towards the front or rear of vehicle  10 ). In another implementation, doors  16  may open by first rotating inward towards the interior of body  12  and by moving linearly along the side of body  12  towards the front or rear end of vehicle  10 . Both motion paths may be fluid and smooth because doors  16  are only anchored to body  12  at one location (e.g., at the point where door mechanism  26  attaches door  16  to body  12 ). In the example of  FIG. 2 , door mechanism  26  is attached to the lower portion of body  12 . If desired, door mechanism  26  may be attached higher up on body  12  (e.g., just below windows  14 , adjacent to windows  14 , above windows  14 , etc.). 
     The use of a single attachment point between door  16  and body  12  is merely illustrative, however. If desired, there may be additional support members extending between door  16  and body  12 . Some doors  16  may have only one attachment point to body  12  and other doors  16  may have two or more attachment points to body  12 . Arrangements where door mechanism  26  is the only support member attaching door  16  to body  12  are sometimes described herein as an illustrative example. 
     An illustrative latch system that may be used to lock doors  16  in place relative to body  12  is shown in  FIG. 3 . Latch system  144  may include a number of latch mechanisms  20  (sometimes referred to as a lock or latch). When locked, latches  20  may prevent doors  16  from opening (e.g., to prevent unauthorized access into vehicle  10 , to prevent doors  16  from opening during a collision, to prevent children in the back seat of vehicle  10  from opening doors  16  from opening doors  16 , etc.). Latches  20  may be operated manually (e.g., by a person actuating a switch on the interior of vehicle  10 ) and/or automatically (e.g., when a person in possession of the ignition key approaches vehicle  10 ). 
     Some latches  20  may lock door  16  to body  12  of vehicle  10 , while other latches  20  may lock one door  16  to another door  16 . For example, in arrangements where vehicle  10  does not include a pillar between front door  16 - 1  and rear door  16 - 2 , one or more latches  20  may be used to secure the inner edge of front door  16 - 1  to the inner edge of rear door  16 - 2 . In arrangements where vehicle  10  does include a pillar, one or more latches may be used to secure doors  16  to the pillar. 
     In the example of  FIG. 3 , five latches are used to secure front door  16 - 1  and rear door  16 - 2  to body  12  when doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  are in a closed position. Latch  20 A secures front door  16 - 1  to rear door  16 - 2  when closed, latches  20 C and  20 D secure rear door  16 - 2  to body  12  when closed, and latches  20 B and  20 E secure front door  16 - 1  to body  12  when closed. The arrangement of  FIG. 4  is merely illustrative, however. If desired, more or less than five latches may be used to secure a pair of front and rear doors  16  to body  12 . When doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  are closed, latches  20  may also be closed to lock doors  16  in place within opening  68  of body  12 . One or more of latches  20  may be opened when it is desired to open one of doors  16 . For example, to open front door  16 - 1  while keeping rear door  16 - 2  closed, latches  20 A,  20 B, and  20 E may be opened while latches  20 C and  20 D remain closed. 
     A schematic diagram of illustrative circuitry that may be used in operating vehicle  10  is shown in  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , vehicle  10  may include control circuitry  120 . Control circuitry  120  may include storage and processing circuitry for supporting the operation of vehicle  10 . The storage and processing circuitry may include storage such as hard disk drive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form a solid state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Processing circuitry in control circuitry  120  may be used to control the operation of vehicle  10 . The processing circuitry may be based on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, baseband processors, power management units, audio chips, application specific integrated circuits, electronic control units, etc. Control circuitry  120  may, for example, include a body controller that controls functions associated with body  12  and four door controllers that each control an associated one of doors  16  (e.g., each door controller may control the operation of a respective one of door mechanisms  26  to position an associated door  16 ). 
     Vehicle  10  may include input-output devices  122  that allow data to be supplied to vehicle  10  and that allow data to be provided from vehicle  10  to external systems. Input-output devices  122  may include sensors  130  for gathering information on the operating environment of vehicle  10 . Sensors  130  may include light-based sensors (e.g., light-based sensors that include a light source and a light detector, light-based sensors that include one or ore lasers, light-based sensors that detect infrared light and/or visible light, etc.), wireless sensors such as radar sensors, ultrasonic sensors, proximity sensors, range-finding sensors, ambient light sensors, strain gauges, parking sensors, cruise control sensors, accelerometers, touch sensors, magnetic sensors such as electronic compass sensors, temperature sensors, rain sensors and other moisture sensors, force sensors, pressure sensors (e.g., altimeters), speedometers, odometers, tachometers, battery charge gauges, fuel gauges, circuits for determining the status of headlights and other lighting, seat belt sensors, door lock sensors, fuel door status, trunk status (open or closed), window status (up or down), and other components for making measurements on the environment surrounding vehicle  10  and the operating status of vehicle  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , input-output devices  122  may include user input-output devices  126 . Devices  126  may be used to gather input from vehicle occupants and may be used in providing output to vehicle occupants. Devices  126  may include buttons, joysticks, steering wheels, shift levels and/or buttons, foot-actuated controllers (e.g., a throttle pedal, a brake pedal, a clutch pedal, etc.), touch pads, keypads, keyboards, motion sensors, microphones, cameras (digital image sensors), and other devices for gathering user input. Output devices in devices  126  may also include circuitry for generating audio output such as speakers, tone generators, and vibrators and circuitry for generating visible output. 
     Input-output devices  122  may include one or more displays for displaying visual information for a viewer (e.g., a driver or other vehicle occupant). For example, input-output devices  122  may include display  128 . Display  128  may, if desired, be a head-up display that includes a projector (e.g., a projector based on a micromirror array), liquid crystal display, organic light-emitting diode display, or other display unit for generating images for a viewer and an optical system for directing the images towards the viewer. The optical system may include a lens to project images from the display onto front window  14 - 1  so that the viewer (e.g., the driver of the vehicle) can view both head-up display content reflected from the front window and real-life objects that are visible through the front window. 
     Wireless circuitry  132  may include radio-frequency transceiver circuitry and antennas for transmitting and receiving wireless signals. The signals may include, for example, short-range signals such as wireless local area network signals (WiFi® and Bluetooth® signals) and long-range signals (e.g., cellular telephone signals and other signals at frequencies of 700 MHz to 2700 MHz and/or other suitable frequencies). Wireless information may be shared with nearby vehicles, sensors and beacons embedded along a roadway, satellites, cellular telephone networks, cellular telephones, wristwatches, and other wireless devices associated with a driver and passengers in vehicle  10 , etc. Wireless information that is received by circuitry  132  may include traffic information, weather information, information on the status of nearby vehicles (e.g., direction of motion, acceleration/deceleration, brake status (braking due to application of brakes by a driver or not braking), throttle status (applied or not applied), etc.), temperature information, road condition information (as measured by sensors in vehicles and/or external sensors), etc. 
     Vehicle controls  134  may include control circuitry, actuators, and other systems for controlling vehicle operation. Vehicle controls  134  (sometimes referred to as vehicle control circuitry  134 ) may include systems for steering, braking (manual brakes, emergency brakes, power-assisted brakes, drum brakes, disc brakes, regenerative brakes that use drive motors or other systems to recover energy and convert the kinetic energy of vehicle  10  into electrical energy stored in capacitors and/or batteries or that use other techniques for storing recovered energy, or other braking systems), accelerating, shifting gears, adjusting interior and exterior lights, adjusting infotainment functions, controlling satellite navigation system operation, adjusting airbags, seatbelts, and other safety devices, controlling audio output, controlling electronic windows, the opening and closing of doors and hatches, windshield wipers, defrosters, and other climate controls, and systems for controlling and adjusting other operations during the operating of vehicle  10 . Vehicle controls  134  may, for example, include door latch system  144  for securing doors  16  to body  12  and door positioning system  146  for moving and positioning doors  16  relative to body  12 . 
     Using information from sensors  130 , user input and other input from devices  126 , and/or information received wirelessly from remote sources via wireless circuitry  132 , vehicle  10  may determine actions to take in supplying output and otherwise controlling the operation of vehicle  10 . As an example, control circuitry  120  may determine how doors  16  should be moved or positioned based on information about the environment from sensors  130  and vehicle status information from vehicle controls  134 . Upon determining a desired path of motion or a desired position for one of doors  16 , control circuitry  120  may send corresponding control signals to the corresponding door mechanism  26  for that door  16 . In response to the control signals, one or more motors in door mechanism  26  may be actuated to move door  16  along the prescribed path or to move doors  16  into the desired position. 
     In one illustrative example, door mechanism  26  may open door  16  by moving door  16  linearly away from body  12  and then moving door  16  linearly along the side of body  12  (e.g., while keeping door  16  substantially parallel to the side of body  12 ). In another illustrative example, door mechanism  26  may open door  16  by rotating door  16  inward slightly and then moving door  16  linearly along the side of body  12  (e.g., while keeping door  16  parallel with or angled relative to the side of body  12 ). If desired, rotational and linear movement of door  16  may occur simultaneously so that the opening and closing of door  16  occurs smoothly and fluidly. 
     The precise positioning of each door  16  may be achieved by adjusting the control signals that are sent to each of the motors in door mechanism  26 . For example, a first control signal from control circuitry  120  may control a first rotational actuator in door mechanism  26 , a second control signal may control a second rotational actuator in door mechanism  26 , and a third control signal may control a linear actuator in door mechanism  26 . By adjusting these control signals, control circuitry  120  can adjust the path of motion followed by door  16  during opening and closing, the location and angle of door  16  relative to body  12  when open, the speed, smoothness, and fluidity of movement of door  16  during opening and closing, etc. This allows doors  16  to be opened and closed in a manner that adapts to the environment, the surroundings, the number and position of passengers, the type of cargo being loaded into or unloaded from vehicle  10 , etc. Additionally, opening doors  16  by moving front door  16 - 1  and rear door  16 - 2  away from one another while keeping doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  relatively close to body  12  provides a large, unobstructed open space through which passengers can easily enter and exit vehicle  10 . 
       FIGS. 5A-5D  show top views of vehicle  10  to illustrate how front and rear doors  16  can transition from a closed position to an open position. In this example, both front door  16 - 1  and rear door  16 - 2  are opened. However, it should be understood that the movements of each door described in connection with  FIGS. 5A-5D  may also apply when only one of doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  is opened and the other remains closed. 
     In the closed position of  FIG. 5A , both front door  16 - 1  and rear door  16 - 2  are located in opening  68  and latches  20  ( FIG. 3 ) are closed. When it is desired to open doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2 , latches  20  may be opened. 
     After opening latches  20 , control circuitry  120  may activate door mechanisms  26  to move doors  16 - 2  and  16 - 1  away from body  12  in direction  22  to the position of  FIG. 5B . In the position of  FIG. 5B , doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  may have moved far enough in direction  22  to be able to slide along side body  12  without colliding with body  12 . 
     After moving doors  16  in direction  22  and obtaining sufficient clearance to slide along side body  12 , door mechanism  26  may move doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  in opposite directions to expose opening  68  to the exterior of vehicle  10 , as shown in  FIG. 5C . For example, front door  16 - 1  may slide in direction  96  and rear door  16 - 2  may slide in opposite direction  98 . If desired, door mechanisms  26  may move doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  in respective directions  96  and  98  only after moving doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  in direction  22  or doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  may be moved in direction  22  while also sliding in directions  96  and  98 . 
     Door mechanisms  26  may slide doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  open until reaching a desired “final” open position as shown in  FIG. 5D . In the open position of  FIG. 5D , opening  68  is exposed to the exterior or vehicle  10 , allowing an unobstructed path into and out of vehicle  10 . To close doors  16 , the movements of  FIGS. 5A-5D  may be followed in reverse (e.g., reverse order and reverse direction). 
     In the example of  FIGS. 5A-5D , doors  16  remain parallel or substantially parallel to the side of body  12  during the opening process. This is, however, merely illustrative. If desired, doors  16  may be angled with respect to the side of body  12  during the door opening process. 
     In the example of  FIGS. 6A-6D , doors  16 - 2  and  16 - 1  may be may angled inward before sliding open to the position of  FIG. 6C . This may be achieved by moving the outer sides of doors  16 - 2  and  16 - 1  away from body  12  in direction  22  while the inner sides of doors  16 - 2  and  16 - 1  remain within opening  68  or close to body  12 . 
     In the closed position of  FIG. 6A , both front door  16 - 1  and rear door  16 - 2  are located in opening  68  and latches  20  ( FIG. 3 ) are closed. When it is desired to open doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2 , latches  20  may be opened. 
     After opening latches  20 , control circuitry  120  may activate door mechanisms  26  to move the outer edges of doors  16 - 2  and  16 - 1  away from body  12  in direction  22  to the position of  FIG. 6B . In the position of  FIG. 6B , the inner edges of doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  are closer to body  12  than the outer edges of doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2 . The outer edges doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  may be moved far enough in direction  22  to allow doors  16  to be able to move linearly along the side of body  12  without colliding with body  12 . 
     After moving the outer edges of doors  16  in direction  22  and obtaining sufficient clearance to begin moving linearly along the side of body  12 , door mechanism  26  may move doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  in opposite directions to expose opening  68  to the exterior of vehicle  10 , as shown in  FIG. 6C . For example, front door  16 - 1  may begin sliding in direction  96  and rear door  16 - 2  may begin sliding in opposite direction  98 . As doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  begin to move linearly in direction  96 , door mechanism  26  may rotate doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  to move the inner edges of doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  away from body  12  of vehicle  10 . 
     Door mechanisms  26  may move doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  open until reaching a desired “final” open position as shown in  FIG. 6D . In the open position of  FIG. 6D , opening  68  is exposed to the exterior or vehicle  10 , allowing an unobstructed path into and out of vehicle  10 . To close doors  16 , the movements of  FIGS. 6A-6D  may be followed in reverse (e.g., reverse order and reverse direction). 
     If desired, control circuitry  120  may determine which path of motion doors  16  should follow (e.g., the motion path of  FIGS. 5A-5D , the motion path of  FIGS. 6A-6D , or other suitable motion path) based on information from sensors  130 , other input devices, vehicle status information from vehicle controls  134 , etc. For example, if sensors  130  detect an obstruction in opening  68  or in the vicinity of body  12 , control circuitry  120  may adjust the motion path of doors  16  accordingly to avoid colliding with the obstruction. 
       FIG. 7  shows a cross-sectional side view of a portion of vehicle  10  in the vicinity of one of door mechanisms  26 . The diagram of  FIG. 7  corresponds to a cross-section of vehicle  10  of  FIG. 1  taken along line  112  and viewed in direction  114 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , door mechanism  26  may extend between body  12  of vehicle  10  and door  16 - 1  of vehicle  10 . Door mechanism  26  may have multiple components that allow for movement along multiple axes. The components of door mechanism  26  may include a main arm member such as arm member  70 . Arm member  70  may have a first opening that receives first shaft member  30  and a second opening that receives second shaft member  36 . First shaft member  30  may be secured to body  12  using one or more support structures such as support structure  28 . Second shaft member  36  may be secured to slide member  44  in door  16 - 1  using one or more support structures such as support member  42 . 
     A first actuator such as rotary actuator  32  may control movement of first shaft member  30 , a second actuator such as rotary actuator  38  may control movement of second shaft member  36 , and a third actuator such as linear actuator  94  may control movement of slide member  44  in door  16 - 1  (e.g., along a guide rail in door  16 - 1 ). Actuators  32 ,  38 , and  94  may be electric actuators, hydraulic actuators, pneumatic actuators, mechanical actuators, other suitable actuators, or a combination of any two or more of these types of actuators. 
     In the example of  FIG. 7 , door mechanism  26  has three axes of motion—rotational axis  106 , rotational axis  108 , and linear axis  110 . Rotational axes  106  and  108  may be parallel to the z-axis of  FIG. 7 . Linear axis  110  may be orthogonal to the z-axis of  FIG. 7  but may otherwise be free to move within the x-y plane of  FIG. 7 . When it is desired to open door  16 - 1 , rotary motor  32  is actuated to rotate shaft member  30  in direction  34  about its longitudinal axis  106 , thereby causing arm member  70  to also rotate in direction  34  about axis  106 . Rotary motor  38  is actuated to rotate shaft member  36  in direction  40  about its longitudinal axis  108 , thereby causing support member  42  and door  16 - 1  to also rotate in direction  40  about axis  108 . When linear slide motor  94  is actuated, slide member  44  can slide in direction  48  or direction  46  along axis  110 . When it is desired to close door  16 - 1 , rotation about axes  106  and  108  may be reversed. Movement along axis  110  may be in either direction  48  or direction  46 . 
     The components and movements of  FIG. 7  are merely illustrative. Door mechanism  26  may include a fewer or greater number of components than that shown in  FIG. 7 . For example, door mechanism  26  may include one or more arms, shafts, hinges, bearings, carriages, motors, actuators, slides, belts, pulleys, chains, guide rails, clamps, wheels, support beams, and/or other structures that may be used to open, close, and precisely position an associated door  16 . In one suitable arrangement, door mechanism  26  may include a four-bar linkage. Some of the structures in each door mechanism  26  may be housed within body  12  of vehicle  10 , some of the structures may be housed within door  16  of vehicle  10 , and some of the structures may be coupled between body  12  and door  16  of vehicle  10 . 
       FIGS. 8A and 8B  show perspective views of door mechanism  26  of  FIG. 7  in closed and open states, respectively. In the example of  FIGS. 8A and 8B , motor  32  and motor  38  are located on opposing sides of arm  70 . Motor  32  may be housed within body  12  of vehicle  10  and motor  38  may be housed within door  16  along with motor  94 . When door mechanism  26  is mounted to vehicle  10 , slide member  44  may be housed within door  16  and actuator  32  may be housed within body  12 . Axis  110  remains fixed relative to the plane of door  16  and longitudinal axis  156  remains fixed relative to the side of body  12 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8A , the components of door mechanism  26  are aligned and overlapping when door mechanism  26  is in a closed state (i.e., when door  16  is closed). Longitudinal axis  156  of motor  32 , longitudinal axis  154  of arm  70 , and longitudinal axis  110  of linear slide member  44  are substantially parallel in the closed state. 
     To move into the open state of  FIG. 8B , motor  32  is actuated to rotate arm  70  about rotational axis  106  in direction  34  and motor  38  is actuated to rotate member  44  (and thus door  16 ) about rotational axis  108  in direction  40 . As arm  70  rotates about axis  106 , its longitudinal axis  154  moves from being parallel to axis  156  to being oriented at an angle φ relative to axis  156 . As member  44  rotates about axis  108 , its longitudinal axis  110  moves from being parallel to longitudinal axis  154  to being oriented at an angle α relative to axis  154 . 
     The ability to precisely control the angle φ between arm  70  and body  12  and the angle α between arm  70  and slide member  44  allows door  16  to be moved freely relative to body  12  of vehicle  10 . The path of motion of door  16  may be changed by adjusting how angle φ and angle α change relative to one another as door  16  moves. For example, angle α may be controlled such that door  16  remains parallel to the side of vehicle  10  (e.g., parallel to axis  156 ) even as door  16  moves between open and closed positions. Angle φ may be controlled to maintain a desired distance between door  16  and body  12  of vehicle  10 . 
     If desired, door mechanism  26  may include a four-bar linkage for achieving smooth motion of door  16 .  FIGS. 9A and 9B  show top views of an illustrative door mechanism with a four-bar linkage in closed and open states, respectively. The four-bar linkage may be formed in arm member  70 . Arm member  70  may be mounted to body  12  of vehicle  10  using support member  28 . Support member  28  may be fixed relative to body  12 , and arm member may be configured to rotate relative to support member  12 . 
     The four-bar linkage may include a first link  146  formed by member  160 , a second link  148  formed by member  162 , a third link  150  formed by member  172 , and a fourth link formed by housing member  158 . Joint  164  may connect link  152  with link  146 , joint  166  may connect link  146  with link  148 , joint  170  may connect link  148  with link  150 , and joint  168  may connect link  150  with link  152 . Joints  164 ,  166 ,  170 , and  168  may be hinged joints. Link  146  may be a ground link that remains stationary relative to support structure  28 , while the remaining links may be free to move relative to support structure  28 . Rotational axis  106  of  FIG. 7  may be aligned with joint  166  and may extend parallel to the z-axis of  FIG. 9A . Rotational axis  108  of  FIG. 7  may be aligned with joint  168  and may extend parallel to the z-axis of  FIG. 9A . When motor  32  is actuated to move door mechanism  26  into the open position of  FIG. 9B , link  148  rotates in direction  34  about joint  166 . This results in movement of links  150  and  152  that rotates arm member  70  outward such that arm  70  is oriented at an angle φ relative to axis  156  (i.e., relative to the side of vehicle  10 ). 
       FIGS. 10A and 10B  show top views of a portion of vehicle  10  when doors  16  are in closed and open states, respectively. In the closed position of  FIG. 10A , longitudinal axis  154  of arm  70  and longitudinal axis  110  of member  44  are parallel to the side of vehicle  10  (i.e., parallel to axis  156 ). In the open position of  FIG. 10B , arm  70  is rotated at angle φ relative to the side of vehicle  10  (axis  156 ) and sliding member  44  is rotated at angle α relative to arm  70  (axis  154 ). 
     The control of angles φ and α relative to one another allows for precise control of the angle of door  16  relative to body  12  of vehicle  10  and the distance between door  16  and body  12  of vehicle  10 . In some situations, it may be desirable to keep door  16  as close as possible to body  12  during the opening and/or closing of door  16 . In other situations, it may be desirable to angle door  16  slightly relative to body  12  of vehicle  10  to avoid collision with an object such as an angled tire. 
       FIGS. 11A and 11B  show perspective views of doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  in closed and open states, respectively, to illustrate how a door mechanism of the type shown in  FIG. 7  may operate. As shown in the closed position of  FIG. 11A , both arms  70  of each door mechanism  26  may be angled inwards (e.g., may be rotated inwards to face one another). Linear axis  110  of each slide member  44  is parallel to the longitudinal axis of arm member  70 . In moving to the open position of  FIG. 11B , arms  70  rotate away from one another as each arm  70  rotates about rotational axis  106 . Door  16 - 1  (and thus linear axis  110  aligned with door  16 - 1 ) rotates about rotational axis  108  such that door  16 - 1  (and thus linear axis  110  of slide member  44 ) rotates relative to the longitudinal axis of arm member  70 . Linear slide members  44  slide inwards within doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  (e.g., towards the inner edges of doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2 ) as doors  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  move away from one another. In some configurations, sliding member  44  may slide back and forth in opposite directions along axis  110  during the opening operation to achieve the desired movement. 
       FIG. 12  is a side view of door mechanism  26  illustrating how various components of door mechanism may be mounted relative to vehicle  10 . As described above, slide member  44  and linear actuator  94  (not shown in  FIG. 12 ) may be mounted to and/or housed within door  16 . Actuator  32  may be housed within body  12  of vehicle  10 . In the example of  FIG. 12 , actuator  32  is housed within body  12  of vehicle  10  and actuator  38  is integrated with arm  70 . 
     Actuator  32  may, if desired, be a dual drive motor having a first driver  32 - 1  and a second driver  32 - 2 . Drivers  32 - 1  and  32 - 2  may be the same type of driver (e.g., drivers  32 - 1  and  32 - 2  may both be worm drives, electric linear actuators, hydraulic linear actuators, etc.) or drivers  32 - 1  and  32 - 2  may be different types of drivers (e.g., a worm drive and an electric linear actuator, a rotary hydraulic drive and an electric linear actuator, etc.). 
     The example of  FIG. 12  is merely illustrative. If desired, actuator  32  may be integrated with arm  70 , actuator  38  may be integrated with door  16 , both actuator  32  and actuator  38  may be integrated with arm  70 , or other suitable arrangements may be used. 
       FIG. 13  is a schematic diagram of illustrative components that may be used to control the opening and closing of doors  16  of vehicle  10 . Body controller  50  may control functions associated with body  12  of vehicle  10 . Body controller  50  may receive sensor data from various sensors  52  in vehicle  10  (e.g., sensors that form part of sensors  130  of  FIG. 4 ) and may include control circuitry (e.g., control circuitry that forms part of control circuitry  120  of  FIG. 4 ) that issues control signals to various systems in vehicle  10  (e.g., systems that form part of vehicle controls  134  of  FIG. 4 ) based on the sensor data. For example, body controller  50  may issue control signals to door controllers that control the opening and closing of doors  16  of vehicle  10 . In the example of  FIG. 13 , body controller  50  issues control signals to each of four door controllers such as door controller  54  for a first door (represented as door  1  in  FIG. 9 ), a door controller for a second door, a door controller for a third door, and a door controller for a fourth door (represented as door  4  in  FIG. 13 ). 
     Each door controller may control functions associated with a respective one of doors  16 . For example, door controller  54  may issue control signals to and receive data from output and sensor structures  62 . Structures  62  that may be controlled by door controller  54  include latches, trim lights, a window, and other structures. Structures  62  may include sensors such as window position sensors, collision sensors, window switches, latch position sensors, handle position sensors, and other devices that can provide information to door controller  54  on the status of lights, motors, and other output elements in door  1 . 
     Each door controller may issue control signals to and receive data from an associated one of door mechanisms  26  to control the movement of an associated one of doors  16 . For example, door controller  54  may issue control signals to and receive data from motor and sensor structures  56  associated with axis  1  of door mechanism  26  (e.g., rotational axis  106  of  FIG. 7 ), motor and sensor structures  58  associated with axis  2  of door mechanism  26  (e.g., rotational axis  108  of  FIG. 7 ), and motor and sensor structures  60  associated with axis  3  of door mechanism  26  (e.g., linear axis  110  of  FIG. 7 ). 
     Because door controllers such as door controller  54  and door controller  64  control doors  16  based on control signals from body controller  50 , body controller  50  and associated door controllers are sometimes referred to collectively as a door positioning system. The door positioning system may adaptively control and adjust the position and movement of doors  16  by issuing the appropriate control signals to door mechanisms  26 . 
     Sensors associated with each axis may provide information to door controller  54  about the operating status of that axis. For example, sensors in structures  56  may provide information on the current and speed with which motor  32  is operating and the position of axis  106 ; sensors in structures  58  may provide information on the current and speed with which motor  38  is operating and the position of axis  108 ; and sensors in structures  60  may provide information on the current and speed with which motor  94  is operating and the position of axis  110 . This information allows door controller  54  to confirm that door mechanism  26  is in the appropriate configuration and position after moving motors  32 ,  38 , and  94  to open or close door  1 . 
     In one illustrative arrangement, body controller  50  receives vehicle status information and information about the environment from sensors  52 . Body controller  50  may provide the sensor data to door controller  54  when it is desired to open or close door  1 , and door controller  54  may determine the best path of motion for door  1  based on the sensor data. If desired, body controller  50  may determine the best path of motion and may provide this data to door controller  54 . Arrangements in which door controllers determine the best path of motion after receiving sensor data and open/close signals from body controller  50  are sometimes described herein as an example. 
     Information and data that door controller  54  may take into account in determining the best path of motion for door  1  include obstruction information (e.g., obstructions in opening  68 , obstructions outside of vehicle  10 , etc.), vehicle inclination information, vehicle orientation information, steering angle information, information about passengers in vehicle  10  (e.g., the number of passengers in vehicle  10 , the location of passengers in vehicle  10 , etc.), the direction in which an individual approaches vehicle  10 , etc. Door controller  54  may determine what control signals to provide to structures  56 ,  58 , and  60  based on the sensor data from sensors  52 . 
       FIG. 14  is a top view of a portion of vehicle  10  showing how front door  16 - 1  may be positioned based on steering angle to avoid collision between front door  16 - 1  and front tire  18 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 14 , the side of vehicle  10  may define a plane  140  (e.g., a plane parallel to the y-z plane of  FIG. 14 ). Doors  16 - 2  and  16 - 1  can open parallel to plane  140  or can be angled with respect to plane  140 . In the example of  FIG. 14 , front right tire  18  is angled outward and extends beyond plane  140 . To accommodate angled tire  18 , door mechanism  26  may open door  16 - 1  to the position of  FIG. 14  in which door  16 - 1  is oriented at an angle θ with respect to plane  140 . Body controller  50  ( FIG. 13 ) may receive steering angle information from sensors  52  indicating the angle at which front tire  18  is oriented. After receiving a door open signal from body controller  50 , door controller  54  may determine the angle θ with which door  16 - 1  should be oriented with respect to the side of vehicle  10  based on the steering angle information so that tire  18  does not obstruct the path of door  16 - 1 . 
       FIG. 15  is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in opening and closing a door of the type shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  using adaptive positioning. In the description of  FIG. 15 , reference is made to door  1  of  FIG. 13  as an example to illustrate how any one of the door controllers in vehicle  10  might open or close a door on vehicle  10 . 
     At step  200 , door controller  54  may receive a door open or door close signal from body controller  50 . At step  202 , door controller  54  may receive vehicle information and information about the environment around vehicle  10  from sensors  52 . Information and data that door controller  54  gathers during step  202  may include obstruction information (e.g., obstructions in opening  68 , obstructions outside of vehicle  10 , etc.), vehicle inclination information, vehicle orientation information, steering angle information, information about passengers in vehicle  10  (e.g., the number of passengers in vehicle  10 , the location of passengers in vehicle  10 , etc.), the direction in which an individual approaches vehicle  10 , etc. 
     At step  204 , door controller  54  may determine the best path of motion for door  1  based on the gathered information. For example, an object may obstruct the typical path taken by door  1  and door controller  54  may determine a new path of motion to avoid collision with the object. In addition to determining the door path, step  204  may also include determining the power needed to operate each component in mechanism  26  to achieve the desired motion. 
     If the signal from body controller  50  was a door open signal, processing may proceed to step  205  to open latches  20  prior to moving to step  206 . If the signal from body controller  50  was a door close signal, processing may proceed straight to step  206 . 
     At step  206 , door controller  54  may issue control signals to the motors of door mechanism  26  (e.g., motors  1 ,  2 , and  3  of  FIG. 13  corresponding to motors  32 ,  38 , and  94  of  FIG. 7 ) to move door  1  along the door path determined in step  204 . 
     At step  208 , door controller  54  may gather sensor data from sensors in door mechanism  26  (e.g., sensors in structures  56 ,  58 , and  60  that respectively determine the position of axes  1 ,  2 ,  3 ) to confirm that the axes and components of door mechanism  26  are in the desired position (e.g., to ensure that door  1  has opened or closed to the desired position). 
     If the signal from body controller  50  was a door close signal, processing may proceed to step  209  to close latches  20  prior to moving to step  210 . If the signal from body controller  50  was a door open signal, processing may proceed straight to step  210 . 
     At step  210 , door controller  54  may send a door opened signal or a door closed signal to body controller  50  depending on whether the signal from body controller  50  was a door open command or a door close command. 
     Various embodiments have been described illustrating an adaptive door positioning system that controls precisely how doors on a vehicle move relative to the body of the vehicle. The door positioning system may open and close the doors in a smooth, fluid, and dynamic manner that adjusts to the vehicle&#39;s surroundings. The door positioning system may determine how the doors should be moved or positioned based on sensor data and user input. By taking into account sensor data and user input, the doors on the vehicle may be appropriately positioned in order to avoid colliding with obstructions (e.g., nearby vehicles), to provide easier access to the vehicle when a passenger approaches from a given direction, to facilitate exiting the vehicle in tight parking spaces, to accommodate angled tires, to accommodate inclines, etc. 
     The door positioning system may include a door mechanism that controls the angle of the door relative to the side of the vehicle, the distance between the door and the side of the vehicle, and the position of the door relative to the front and rear ends of the vehicle. If desired, the front and rear doors on the side of the vehicle may be opened by moving the front door towards the front of the vehicle and the rear door towards the back of the vehicle, thereby creating a large, unobstructed, open area through which passengers may enter and exit the vehicle. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20190816
Publication Date: 20220920
Grant Date: 20220920
Priority Date: 20160112
Inventors: BROWN, MATTHEW L.
HOBSON, PHILLIP MICHAEL
RAFF, JOHN
KIM, SUNG H.
MEAD, JR., RUSSELL C.
SMITH, RONALD J.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "E06B3/509", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E05F15/649", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E05F15/655", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60J5/06", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60J5/06", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E05Y2900/531", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E05F15/632", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60J5/0479", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E05D15/1005", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E05D15/58", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60J5/0479", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E05Y2900/531", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60J5/047", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E05D15/101", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60J5/06", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E05F15/632", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E05D15/101", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E06B3/509", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E05Y2900/531", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60J5/0479", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E05D15/58", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60J5/047", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E05D15/1005", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 67620605