US 11,299,927 B2Granted

Tailgate and occupant step system with kick sensor

AssigneeAisin Technical Center of America, Inc.

InventorsKoji Nagase, Daisuke Yamada

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Abstract

An interlocking occupant step apparatus and method for a vehicle, includes a powered door, a powered occupant step, a kick sensor, and a controller having processing circuitry. While in an interlocking state, the processing circuitry detects a first gesture signal from the kick sensor, for example resulting from a kick, upon detection of the first gesture signal, controls operation of the powered occupant step to move the occupant step to an extended position, and controls operation of the powered door to move to an opened position. The processing circuitry detects a second gesture signal from the kick sensor, for example resulting from a lateral swing, the second gesture signal being for a second gesture different from the first gesture. Upon detection of the second gesture signal, the processing circuitry switches to a non-interlocking state.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An interlocking occupant step apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a powered door;
a powered occupant step;
a kick sensor;
and
a controller having processing circuitry configured to:
set an interlocking state where the powered door and the powered occupant step are to be jointly operated based upon a first gesture signal,
while in the interlocking state where the powered door and the powered occupant step are to be jointly operated based upon the first gesture signal:
detect the first gesture signal from the kick sensor,
upon detection of the first gesture signal,
control operation of the powered occupant step to move the powered occupant step to an extended position, and
control operation of the powered door to move to an opened position, and
detect a second gesture signal from the kick sensor, the second gesture signal being for a second gesture different from a first gesture corresponding to the first gesture signal, and
upon detection of the second gesture signal while in the interlocking state where the powered door and the powered occupant step are to be jointly operated based upon the first gesture, switch to a non-interlocking state where the powered door and the powered occupant step are separately operable based upon the second gesture signal.

10 more elements

A method for an interlocking occupant step apparatus for a vehicle, the method comprising:

setting, by processing circuitry, an interlocking state where a powered door and a powered occupant step are to be jointly operated based upon a first gesture signal;
while in the interlocking state where the powered door and the powered occupant step are to be jointly operated based upon the first gesture signal:
detecting, by the processing circuitry, the first gesture signal from a kick sensor;
upon detection of the first gesture signal,
controlling, by the processing circuitry, operation of the powered occupant step to move the occupant step to an extended position;
and
controlling, by the processing circuitry, operation of the powered door to move to an opened position;
and
detecting, by the processing circuitry, a second gesture signal from the kick sensor, the second gesture signal being for a second gesture different from a first gesture corresponding to the first gesture signal;
and
upon detection of the second gesture signal while in the interlocking state where the powered door and the powered occupant step are to be jointly operated based upon the first gesture, switching, by the processing circuitry, to a non-interlocking state where the powered door and the powered occupant step are separately operable based upon the second gesture signal.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/259,368Filed 28 Jan 2019
Published: US 2020/0240197 A130 Jul 2020
Granted: 12 Apr 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification15 codes

E05F 15/73
With automatic actuation: responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects
B60R 3/02
Arrangements of steps or ladders facilitating access to or on the vehicle, e.g. running-boards: retractable steps or ladders, e.g. movable under shock
H03K 17/955
Proximity switches: using a capacitive detector
E05F 15/41
Safety devices, e.g. detection of obstructions or end positions: detection by monitoring transmitted force or torque ; Safety couplings with…

Family

US 2020/0240197 A1Pre-grant publication · published 30 Jul 2020
US 11,299,927 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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