Touch control of vehicle door locks

A method of controlling a door lock apparatus of a vehicle door, the method comprising:

• determining that a touch sensor is actuated by an operator touch using an ECU, the touch sensor being located in a door lock control zone that is provided on a vehicle door handle of the vehicle door;
• determining that the touch sensor within the door lock control zone is actuated by another operator touch within a predetermined time period using the ECU, the ECU determining each operator touch with the touch sensor occurs for less than another predetermined time period;
• and
• the ECU controlling an electric motor operatively connected to the door lock apparatus based on determining that the touch sensor within the door lock control zone is actuated by the another operator touch within the predetermined time period and determining each operator touch with the touch sensor occurs for less than the another predetermined time period to unlock the vehicle door.

A method of controlling a door lock apparatus of a vehicle door, the method comprising:

• determining that a touch sensor is actuated by an operator touch using an ECU for less than a predetermined time period corresponding to a first tap, the touch sensor being located in a door lock control zone that is provided on a vehicle door handle;
• determining that the touch sensor within the door lock control zone is actuated by another operator touch for less than the predetermined time period using the ECU corresponding to a second tap;
• and
• the ECU controlling an electric motor operatively connected to the door lock apparatus based on determining that the touch sensor within the door lock control zone is actuated by the operator touch for less than the predetermined time period corresponding to the first tap and the second tap and determining that the first tap and the second tap each occur for less than another predetermined time period.