# US 11,898,382 B2 · Vehicle having powered door control

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- Number: US 11,898,382 B2
- Document ID: US11898382B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/469,972
- Filed: 2021-09-09
- Published: 2023-03-09
- Granted: 2024-02-13
- Earliest claimed: 2021-09-09
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Stuart C. Salter; Kristopher Karl Brown; John Robert Van Wiemeersch; Hussein H. Berry
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11898382B2

## CPC

- E05B 81/20: for assisting final closing or for initiating opening
- B60R 25/01: operating on vehicle systems or fittings, e.g. on doors, seats or windscreens
- B60R 25/241: {whereby access privileges are related to the identifiers}
- B60R 25/31: of human presence inside or outside the vehicle
- G06T 7/70: Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras (camera calibration G06T7/80)
- G06V 20/56: exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
- G06V 40/10: Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
- G06V 40/172: {Classification, e.g. identification}
- E05Y 2201/422: for opening
- G06T 2207/30196: Human being; Person
- G06T 2207/30252: Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
- E05B: LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- 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

A vehicle having powered door access is provided including a powered door having an actuator for moving the door between closed and open positions, at least one sensor for sensing a first user approaching the vehicle, and a transceiver for communicating with another vehicle. The vehicle also includes a controller determining a distance of the first user from the vehicle and communicating with the other vehicle which determines a second user from the other vehicle, wherein the controller prioritizes which of the vehicle and the other vehicle is granted permission to open a door based on the distances of the first user and the second user.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle having powered door access, the vehicle comprising:
a powered door having an actuator for moving the door between closed and open positions;
at least one sensor for sensing a first user approaching the vehicle;
a transceiver for communicating with another vehicle; and
a controller configured to determine a distance of the first user from the vehicle and communicating with the other vehicle which determines a distance of a second user from the other vehicle, wherein the controller is further configured to prioritize which of the vehicle and the other vehicle is granted permission to open a door based on the distance of the first user and the distance of second user.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller controls the actuator to open the powered door when permission is granted.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises location determining circuitry communicating with an electronic device associated with the user.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the electronic device comprises one of a phone and/or a key fob.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle communicates with the other vehicle via the transceiver to acquire door opening data and requests.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one imaging camera.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the at least one imaging camera captures images of the first user proximate to the vehicle and the controller processes the images and determines if the first user is attempting to access the vehicle.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller determines a location of the first user of the vehicle and actuates the powered door to the open position when the first user approaches the vehicle and is closer than the second user relative to the other vehicle.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller determines a location of the first user and actuates the powered door to the open position when the first user is determined to approach the vehicle quicker than the second user of the other vehicle based on speed of the first and second users.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises an electric motor.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one powered door comprises a passenger door that pivots about a hinge assembly.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one door comprises one of a front door or a rear door.

### Claim 13

A vehicle having powered door access, the vehicle comprising:
a powered door having an actuator for moving the door between closed and open positions;
at least one sensor for sensing a first user approaching the vehicle;
a transceiver for communicating with another vehicle; and
a controller configured to determine a distance of the first user from the vehicle and communicating with the other vehicle which determines a distance of a second user from the other vehicle, wherein the configured to determine which of the vehicle and the other vehicle is granted permission to open a door based on the distance of the first user and the distance of the second user, and wherein the controller controls the actuator to open the powered door when permission is granted.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the at least one sensor comprises location determining circuitry communicating with an electronic device associated with the user.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the at least one imaging camera captures images of the first user proximate to the vehicle and the controller processes the images and determines if the first user is attempting to access the vehicle.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the controller determines a location of the first user of the vehicle and actuates the powered door to the open position when the first user approaches the vehicle and is closer than the second user relative to the other vehicle.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the controller determines a location of the first user and actuates the powered door to the open position when the first user is determined to approach the vehicle quicker than the second user of the other vehicle based on speed of the first and second users.

### Claim 18

A method of controlling powered doors on first and second vehicles, the method comprising the steps of:
communicating between a first vehicle having a first powered door and actuator for moving the first powered door between closed and open positions and a second vehicle having a second powered door having a second actuator for moving the second powered door between closed and open positions;
sensing a first user approaching the first vehicle;
sensing a second user approaching the second vehicle;
determining a distance of the first user from the first vehicle;
determining a distance of the second user from the second vehicle; and
prioritizing which of the first and second doors of the respective first and second vehicles may open based on the distance of the first user and the distance of the second user.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of controlling the first and second actuators to open one of the first and second powered doors when permission is granted.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of determining when the first user is approaching the first vehicle quicker than the second user approaching the second vehicle based on speed of the first and second users, and opening the first door of the first vehicle.