# US 11,299,927 B2 · Tailgate and occupant step system with kick sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,299,927 B2 - Document ID: US11299927B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/259,368 - Filed: 2019-01-28 - Published: 2020-07-30 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2019-01-28 - Assignees: Aisin Technical Center of America, Inc. - Applicants: Aisin Technical Center of America, Inc. - Inventors: Koji Nagase; Daisuke Yamada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11299927B2 ## CPC - E05F 15/73: responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects - B60R 3/02: Retractable steps {or ladders, e.g. movable under shock (B60R3/005 takes precedence)} - H03K 17/955: using a capacitive detector - E05F 15/41: Detection by monitoring transmitted force or torque (E05F15/48 takes precedence); Safety couplings with activation dependent upon torque or force, e.g. slip couplings - E05F 15/622: using screw-and-nut mechanisms - E05Y 2400/82: Images; Symbols - E05Y 2400/854: Switches - E05Y 2400/858: by body parts, e.g. by feet - E05Y 2900/531: Doors - E05Y 2900/544: Tailboards, tailgates or sideboards opening downwards - E05Y 2900/546: Tailboards, tailgates or sideboards opening upwards - E05F: DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION; CHECKS FOR WINGS; WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WING - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) - E05Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the kick sensor is mounted to the powered occupant step. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is common processing circuitry for controlling operation of both the powered occupant step and the powered door. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the kick sensor is a capacitive sensor configured to: detect an approaching object by a change in capacitance as the first gesture, and detect an object moving in a length direction with a substantially constant capacitance as the second gesture. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein when the first gesture signal from the kick sensor is detected, the common processing circuitry controls operation of the powered occupant step and the powered door substantially simultaneously. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in a case where the powered door is in a closed position, when the second gesture signal from the kick sensor is detected, the processing circuitry controls operation of the powered occupant step and maintains the powered door in the closed position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the powered door is a powered tailgate, upon detection of the first gesture signal, the processing circuitry controls operation of the powered occupant step and the powered tailgate substantially simultaneously, and upon detection of the second gesture signal and in a case where the powered tailgate is in a closed position, the processing circuitry controls operation of the powered occupant step to move to the extended position and maintains the powered tailgate in the closed position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the powered door is a powered tailgate, upon detection of the first gesture signal, the processing circuitry controls operation of the powered occupant step and the powered tailgate substantially simultaneously, and upon detection of the second gesture signal and in a case where the powered tailgate is in a closed position, the processing circuitry controls operation of the powered occupant step to move to the extended position and maintains the powered tailgate in the closed position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the powered door is a powered tailgate, the vehicle includes a display having a customization menu, and the customization menu includes an input for setting one of the powered tailgate and the powered occupant step to be operated when the detection of the second gesture signal switches to the non-interlocking state. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the powered door is a powered side door and the powered occupant step is a motor-operated running board, upon detection of the first gesture signal, the processing circuitry controls operation of the motor-operated running board and the powered side door substantially simultaneously, and upon detection of the second gesture signal and in a case where the powered side door is in a closed position, the processing circuitry controls operation of the motor-operated running board to lower to an opened position and maintains the powered side door in the closed position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the powered door is a powered side door and the powered occupant step is a motor-operated running board, the vehicle includes a display having a customization menu, and the customization menu includes an input for setting one of the powered side door and the motor-operated running board to be operated when the detection of the second gesture signal switches to the non-interlocking state. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the powered door is a powered back door, upon detection of the first gesture signal, the processing circuitry controls operation of the powered occupant step and the powered back door substantially simultaneously, and upon detection of the second gesture signal and in a case where the powered back door is in a closed position, the processing circuitry controls operation of the powered occupant step to move to a retracted position and maintains the powered back door in the closed position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the powered door is a powered back door, the vehicle includes a display having a customization menu, and the customization menu includes an input for setting one of the powered back door and the powered occupant step to be operated when the detection of the second gesture signal switches to the non-interlocking state. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the kick sensor includes: a first sensor for detecting a first kick signal as the first gesture signal, and a second sensor for detecting a second kick signal as the second gestures signal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are mounted to the powered occupant step. ### Claim 16 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. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: detecting an approaching object by a change in capacitance as the first gesture, and detecting an object moving in a length direction with a substantially constant capacitance as the second gesture. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising controlling, by the processing circuitry, operation of the powered occupant step and the powered door substantially simultaneously when the first gesture signal from the kick sensor is detected. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising, in a case where the powered door is in a closed position, controlling, by the processing circuitry, operation of the powered occupant step and maintaining, by the processing circuitry, the powered door in the closed position when the second gesture signal from the kick sensor is detected. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the powered door is a powered tailgate, and the method further comprises: upon detection of the first gesture signal, controlling, by the processing circuitry, operation of the powered occupant step and the powered tailgate substantially simultaneously upon detection of the first gesture signal, in a case where the powered tailgate is in a closed position and upon detection of the second gesture signal, controlling, by the processing circuitry, operation of the powered occupant step to move to the extended position and maintaining, by the processing circuitry, the powered tailgate in the closed position.