# US 11,905,743 B2 · Vehicle compartment having speed-based latch control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,905,743 B2 - Document ID: US11905743B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/734,753 - Filed: 2020-01-06 - Published: 2021-07-08 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-06 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Stuart C. Salter; Annette Lynn Huebner; Kristin Ann Hellman; Paul Kenneth Dellock; Peter Phung - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11905743B2 ## CPC - E05B 77/54: Automatic securing or unlocking of bolts triggered by certain vehicle parameters, e.g. exceeding a speed threshold (triggered by vehicle collision E05B77/12) - E05B 81/56: Control of actuators - E05B 81/76: Detection of handle operation; Detection of a user approaching a handle; Electrical switching actions performed by door handles - E05B 83/24: for car bonnets - E05B 83/26: Emergency opening means for persons trapped in the luggage compartment - E05B: LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS ## Abstract A vehicle includes a storage compartment having a door panel movable between closed and open positions allowing access to the storage compartment, a user input device located within the storage compartment, and a latch assembly for latching the door panel in the closed position. The latch assembly includes a first release stage in the closed position allowing the door panel to move to an intermediate position between the open and closed positions and a second release stage allowing the door panel to move to the open position. The vehicle also includes a vehicle speed sensor sensing vehicle speed and a controller monitoring the sensed vehicle speed and detecting a user input to the user input device and controlling the latch assembly to selectively allow the door panel to move to one of the intermediate and open positions based on the sensed vehicle speed and the detected user input. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle comprising: a storage compartment having a door panel that is movable between a closed position and an open position allowing access to the storage compartment; a user input device comprising a manually actuatable electronic switch located within the storage compartment; a latch assembly for latching the door panel in the closed position, wherein the latch assembly includes a first release stage for allowing the door panel to move to an intermediate position between the open position and closed position and a second release stage for allowing the door panel to move to the open position; a vehicle speed sensor for sensing vehicle speed; a controller monitoring vehicle speed and detecting a user input manually actuating the user input device from within the storage compartment and controlling the latch assembly to selectively allow the door panel to move to one of the intermediate and open positions based on the sensed vehicle speed and the detected manual user input; and hazard lights, wherein the hazard lights are activated when the user input device is manually actuated and the vehicle speed exceeds a threshold speed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the manually actuatable electronic switch comprises a capacitive switch. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the latch assembly comprises a two-stage latch that is electronically controlled by the controller. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the two-stage latch fully releases the door panel to the open position in a first latch position and releases and maintains the door panel in the intermediate position in an intermediate second latch position and holds the door panel in the closed position in a third latch position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the storage compartment is located on a front side of the vehicle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises an electric vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a device for providing a warning to a driver of the vehicle when the user input device is manually actuated. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the door panel comprises a hood panel on a front side of the vehicle. ### Claim 9 A vehicle comprising: a storage compartment having a hood panel, located on a front side of the vehicle, that is movable between a closed position and an open position allowing access to the storage compartment; a user input device comprising a manually actuatable electronic switch located within the storage compartment; a latch assembly for latching the hood panel in the closed position, wherein the latch assembly includes a first release stage for allowing the hood panel to move to an intermediate position between the open position and closed position and a second release stage for allowing the hood panel to move to the open position; a vehicle speed sensor for sensing vehicle speed; a controller monitoring vehicle speed and detecting a user input manually actuating the user input device from within the storage compartment activating and controlling the latch assembly to selectively allow the hood panel to move to one of the intermediate and open positions based on the sensed vehicle speed and the detected manual user input; an imaging device in the storage compartment; and a display, wherein the display displays images captured by the imaging device when the user input device is manually actuated. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the manually actuatable electronic switch comprises a capacitive switch. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the latch assembly comprises a two-stage latch that is electronically controlled by the controller. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the two-stage latch fully releases the hood panel to the open position in a first latch position and releases and maintains the hood panel in the intermediate position in an intermediate second latch position and holds the hood panel in the closed position in a third latch position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the storage compartment is located on the front side of the vehicle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the vehicle comprises an electric vehicle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9 further comprising a device for providing a warning to a driver of the vehicle when the user input device is manually actuated. ### Claim 16 A method of controlling a vehicle and a door panel for a storage compartment on the vehicle, the door panel being movable between a closed position and an open position allowing access to the storage compartment, the method comprising: detecting a user input manually actuating a user input device comprising a manually actuatable electronic switch located within the storage compartment; latching the door panel in the closed position with a latch, wherein the latch includes a first release state for allowing the door panel to move to an intermediate position between the open position and the closed position and a second release stage for allowing the door panel to move to the open position; sensing vehicle speed with a vehicle speed sensor; controlling the latch to selectively allow the door panel to move to one of the intermediate and open positions based on the sensed vehicle speed and the detected manual user input from within the storage compartment; and controlling the vehicle to reduce the vehicle speed when the user input device is manually actuated and the vehicle speed exceeds a threshold speed. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the storage compartment is located at a front of the vehicle and the door panel is a hood panel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the vehicle comprises an electric vehicle.