Seal based object detection for vehicle door assist system
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsLarry Elie, Timothy J. Potter, Robert F. Novak, John Wayne Jaranson, Jeff A. Wallace, Michael M. Azzouz, Gerald J. Heath, Evangelos P. Skoures
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A door assist system for a vehicle is disclosed. The system comprises an actuator configured to control a position of the door about a hinge assembly. An interference sensor forms a portion of a door opening seal and is configured to detect an obstruction in a plurality of detection regions. The system further comprises a controller configured to control the actuator in response to a detection signal from the interference sensor.
Claims12
A door assist system for a vehicle comprising:
- an actuator configured to control a position of a door of the vehicle about a hinge assembly;
- an interference sensor extending along a portion of a door opening seal configured to detect an obstruction in a plurality of detection regions wherein the interference sensor corresponds to a plurality of proximity sensors distributed along a length of the door opening seal extending from the hinge assembly in connection with the vehicle;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- detect the obstruction at a plurality of thresholds based on a location of obstruction relative to the hinge assembly, wherein each of the plurality of thresholds corresponds to a sensitivity of a detection of the obstruction, and wherein the controller is configured to detect the obstruction at a higher sensitivity at locations in closer proximity to the hinge assembly;
- and
- control the actuator in response to a detection signal from the interference sensor.
A system for a vehicle door connected to a vehicle via a rotational interface comprising a hinge assembly, the system comprising:
- a door seal of the vehicle door;
- at least one interference sensor extending along a portion of the door seal, wherein the interference sensor comprises an array of proximity sensors configured to detect an obstruction in one of a plurality of sensory regions;
- and
- a processor in communication with the interference sensor and configured to detect the obstruction in each of the sensory regions, wherein the processor is configured to:
- receive a detection signal from the array of proximity sensors and identify a location of the obstruction along the door extending from the rotational interface connecting the door to the vehicle based on the detection signal;
- and
- detect the obstruction at a plurality of thresholds based on the location of the obstruction relative to the hinge assembly, wherein each of the plurality of thresholds corresponds to a sensitivity of a detection of the obstruction, and wherein the processor is configured to detect the obstruction at a higher sensitivity at locations in closer proximity to the hinge assembly.
A vehicle door system for a door in connection with a vehicle via a hinge assembly, the system comprising:
- a plurality of proximity sensors configured to generate a detection signal, the sensors extend along a portion of at least one of a perimeter door seal and a perimeter door opening seal;
- an actuator configured to control a position of the door about the hinge assembly;
- an angular position sensor configured to identify an angular position of the door;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- detect an obstruction in response to a detection signal from each of a plurality of detection regions positioned along a radial extent of the door relative a hinge assembly;
- adjust a sensory range of each of the detection regions in response to the angular position of the door, wherein a first sensory range of a first detection region is lower than a second sensory range of a second detection region and the first detection region is closer to the hinge assembly than the second detection region;
- and
- control the actuator based on the angular position of the door and the detection signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.