Automatic assist handle for motor vehicles

Abstract

Techniques and examples are described relating to an assist handle that may be implemented on a motor vehicle. The assist handle automatically deploys to provide entry and exit assistance to a passenger entering or exiting the motor vehicle. Additionally, the assist handle automatically retracts when not in use. An electronic control unit (ECU) of the vehicle controls the deployment and retraction of the assist handle via an actuator and a transmission mechanism in response to commands sent from a body control module (BCM) of the vehicle, the commands relating to operation of a door of the vehicle. When retracted, the assist handle may not be visible to the passenger. The motor vehicle may be an autonomous ride-sharing vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to motor vehicles and, more particularly, to grab handles that automatically deploy to assist passengers in easily entering and exiting the vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Grab handles or assist handles are often provided as accessories to motor vehicles. When entering or exiting a motor vehicle such as an automobile, sedan, minivan, bus, truck, etc. (hereinafter referred to as a "vehicle"), passengers may utilize grab handles that are fixedly disposed at a location generally near a door of the vehicle. Passengers may grasp the grab handles during entry or exit to facilitate easy entry and exit of the vehicle through the door. That is, the grab handles provide assistance to passengers in entering and exiting the vehicle, and are therefore interchangeably referred to as "assist handles" hereinafter. Some passengers, particularly the elderly and children, may benefit more from assist handles than other passengers.

[0003] Because grab handles are designed to assist ingress and egress, they are typically not utilized when the vehicle is moving and / or when a passenger is seated. However, existing grab handles are fixedly mounted in the vehicle and are visible to passengers of the vehicle regardless of whether the grab handles are utilized. Thus, for most operations of the vehicle while the vehicle is moving, the grab handles unnecessarily take up space in the vehicle interior and may even block the view of passengers seated in the vehicle interior. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present disclosure is directed to methods, systems, and apparatus for an automatic assist handle for a motor vehicle. According to one embodiment, a method according to the present disclosure may involve a first processor receiving a command from a second processor to operate at least one door of a vehicle. The method may also involve the first processor actuating the assist handle in response to the command to move between a first position and a second position, the first position and the second position being located near the door. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various figures unless otherwise specified.

[0006] Figure 1 is a diagram depicting an exemplary scenario in which embodiments according to the present disclosure may be utilized.

[0007] Figure 2 is a diagram depicting another exemplary scenario in which embodiments according to the present disclosure may be utilized.

[0008] Figure 3 is a diagram depicting an exemplary automated grip handle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0009] Figure 4 is a diagram depicting an exemplary method for rotationally or translationally deploying and retracting a robotic grip handle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] Figure 5 is a block diagram depicting an exemplary device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 6 is a flow chart depicting an exemplary process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof, and in which specific exemplary embodiments in which the present disclosure may be practiced are shown by way of illustration. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the concepts disclosed herein, and it should be understood that the various disclosed embodiments may be modified and other embodiments may be utilized without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the following detailed description should not be considered to have a limiting meaning.

[0013] As mentioned above, assist handles or grab handles are useful in providing an ingress and egress aid for passengers entering or exiting a vehicle. Figure 1 Take the vehicle 10 of FIG. 10 as an example. On one side or each side of the vehicle 10, the vehicle 10 is equipped with two doors, such as a front door 11 and a rear door 12, wherein the two doors are adjacent to each other. A passenger of the vehicle 10 can enter or exit the vehicle 10 via the front door 11 or the rear door 12. When one or both of the front door 11 and the rear door 12 are open, the passenger can grab a portion of the vehicle 10 to assist himself in entering or exiting the vehicle 10. The portion of the vehicle 10 that the passenger grabs may include a portion of the roof panel 13, the B-pillar 14, the body side 15, or the seat 16. The passenger can even grab a portion of the opened front door 11 and / or rear door 12. Auxiliary handles, such as Figure 1 One or more grab handles 17 shown in the figure can be provided as a means for passengers to grab for entry and exit of the vehicle 10. One or more grab handles 17 can be placed on the roof panel 13, B-pillar 14, body side 15 and / or seat 16, connected thereto or otherwise embedded therein, such as Figure 1 Alternatively or additionally, the grab handle 17 may be disposed on the front door 11 and / or the rear door 12 facing the interior of the vehicle 10 .

[0014] like Figure 1As shown in , the B-pillar 14 is located between the front door 11 and the rear door 12. That is, when the front door 11 and the rear door 12 are both opened, two separate openings 18A and 18B are formed, and passengers can enter or leave the vehicle 10 through any of the two openings. Passengers entering or leaving the vehicle 10 can therefore grab the B-pillar 14 or a grab handle such as the grab handle 17 to assist in entering and leaving. However, some vehicles (e.g., some autonomous vehicles) may lack a B-pillar. Such a vehicle can be designed without a B-pillar to maximize the size of the opening through which passengers can enter or leave the vehicle. Figure 2 A B-pillar-less vehicle 20 is shown as an example. The vehicle 20 is equipped with two doors, such as a front door 21 and a rear door 22, which are adjacent to each other and on one or each side of the vehicle 20. The front door 21 can be opened by translation or rotation toward the front of the vehicle 20. Similarly, the rear door 22 can be opened by translation or rotation toward the rear of the vehicle 20. Because there is no B-pillar between the front door 21 and the rear door 22, a single opening 28 is formed on the side of the vehicle 20 when both the front door 21 and the rear door 22 are opened. That is, when either or both of the front door 21 and the rear door 22 are opened, no more than one opening is formed on the side of the vehicle 20 for passengers to enter or leave the vehicle 20.

[0015] In some embodiments, vehicle 20 may be a ride-sharing autonomous vehicle that drives autonomously and does not require a human driver. Therefore, most of the interior space of vehicle 20 is used to seat passengers. Operation of vehicle 20 may involve frequent pickup and drop-off of passengers at various locations because vehicle 20 is a ride-sharing vehicle. Therefore, it is critical for vehicle 20 to allow passengers to enter and exit easily. Figure 1 In the case of the B-pillar 14 of the vehicle 10 shown in FIG. 1 , more critically, the vehicle 20 has a Figure 2 One or more grab handles 27 shown in the figure provide ingress and egress assistance to passengers. Figure 1 The grip handle 17, Figure 2 One or more grab handles 27 may be disposed on, connected to, or otherwise embedded in the roof panel 23, the body side 25, and / or the seat 26 of the vehicle 20. Alternatively or additionally, the grab handle 27 may be disposed on the front door 21 and / or the rear door 22 facing the interior of the vehicle 20.

[0016] One or more grab handles are likely not utilized during much of the time when a passenger is seated in the vehicle while the vehicle is moving, but take up valuable space inside the vehicle because they are typically fixedly mounted in the vehicle. In addition, from an aesthetic point of view, the grab handles may be unsightly to at least some passengers. In some cases, fixedly mounted grab handles may hinder the movement or vision of seated passengers. In order to avoid or otherwise improve the aforementioned disadvantages of fixedly mounted grab handles when not in use, the present disclosure proposes an automatic grab handle (AGH) that is deployed when needed. That is, the AGH according to the present disclosure can be automatically deployed when a passenger needs it, and can be automatically retracted when it is no longer needed, as described in detail below.

[0017] Figure 3 An exemplary embodiment of the mechanical portion of the AGH is shown. As shown in various views 320, 325, 340, 345, 360 and 365 of the AGH, the mechanical portion of the AGH may include one or more actuators 34, handles 36 that a passenger may grasp, and corresponding transmission mechanisms 35, which are connected between each of the one or more actuators 34 and the handles 36. An imaginary main axis 301 can be defined for the AGH along the one or more actuators 34, the transmission mechanism 35, and its handles 36. View 320 depicts the AGH in an expanded position, in which the passenger can use the AGH to enter or exit a vehicle (e.g., vehicle 10 and / or vehicle 20). View 325 depicts the AGH of view 320 as seen along the main axis 301. View 340 depicts the AGH of an embodiment in a partially retracted position, in which the passenger may not use the AGH. View 345 depicts the AGH of view 340 as seen along the main axis 301. View 360 depicts another embodiment of the AGH in a fully retracted position, in which a passenger may not utilize the AGH. View 365 depicts the AGH of view 360 as seen along primary axis 301 .

[0018] Each of the one or more actuators 34 can be controlled to move or otherwise rotate the handle 36 between a deployed position (as shown in views 320 and 325) and a retracted position (as shown in views 340 and 345 or views 360 and 365) via the transmission mechanism 35. That is, the one or more actuators 34 can be controlled to deploy the handle 36 from a partially or fully retracted position in view 340 or view 360, respectively, to a deployed position in view 320 via a rotational motion 302 about the main axis 301 via the transmission mechanism 35. Similarly, the one or more actuators 34 can be controlled to retract the handle 36 from a deployed position in view 320 to a partially or fully retracted position in view 340 or view 360, respectively, via the transmission mechanism 35 via a rotational motion 332 about the main axis 301, wherein the rotational motion 332 is in the opposite direction of the rotational motion 302.

[0019] Each of the one or more actuators 34 may include a component that can move the handle 36 via rotational motions 302 and 332. For example, each of the one or more actuators 34 may use electricity, magnetism, hydraulics, springs, and / or any other suitable means to achieve this purpose. In some embodiments, at least one of the one or more actuators 34 may include a motor. In some embodiments, at least one of the one or more actuators 34 may include a loaded spring. The transmission mechanism 35 may include a physical linkage, gears, rods, or any other suitable device to deliver torque and / or drive force from the one or more actuators 34 to the handle 36.

[0020] like Figure 3 As shown in , one or more actuators 34 and transmission mechanisms 35 can be disposed in a space 38 between an outer surface 381 of a vehicle and an inner surface 382 of a vehicle (e.g., vehicle 10 and / or vehicle 20). For example, outer surface 381 can be the outer surface of a roof of a vehicle, inner surface 382 can be a roof lining of a vehicle, and space 38 can be an interior space or gap within a roof panel of the vehicle. As another example, outer surface 381 can be an outer surface of a body side of a vehicle, inner surface 382 can be an inner surface on a side of a vehicle, and space 38 can be an interior space or gap within a body side of a vehicle. Alternatively, one or more actuators 34 and transmission mechanisms 35 can be embedded in a seat or door of a vehicle or otherwise connected thereto.

[0021] In some embodiments, the AGH may be visible to a passenger when in a partially retracted position. In some embodiments, the AGH may not be visible to a passenger when in a fully retracted position. For example, in the partially retracted views of 340 and 345, the handle 36 is against the inner surface 382 when retracted, and is therefore visible to a passenger sitting inside the vehicle. In contrast, in the fully retracted views of 360 and 365, the handle 36 is fully retracted into the space 38, thereby becoming invisible to a passenger sitting inside the vehicle, because the handle 36 may be covered by a covering 3822. The covering 3822 may be an opaque solid covering that can automatically slide over the handle 36 to block the view from the passenger. Alternatively, the covering 3822 may be a soft cover (e.g., made of a rubber-like material) having a slit thereon, and the handle 36 may be able to move through the slit between the deployed position and the retracted position.

[0022] It is worth noting that although Figure 3 More than one actuator 34 and more than one transmission mechanism 35 are shown in the figure, but this is not meant to be a limitation of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the AGH may have a single actuator 34 and a single transmission mechanism 35, which is coupled between the actuator 34 and the handle 36. That is, a single actuator 34 may be sufficient to deploy and retract the handle 36 via a single transmission mechanism 35 without the need for additional actuators or additional transmission mechanisms.

[0023] Figure 4 Depicted are exemplary embodiments 410 and 420 for rotationally or translationally deploying and retracting an AGH according to the present disclosure. Embodiments 410 and 420 are shown along the major axis of the respective AGH, similar to Figure 3 Views 325, 345 and 365 of . Similar to Figure 3 The AGH of each of the embodiments 410 and 420 has an actuator 44 and a transmission mechanism disposed in a space 48 between an outer surface 481 of the vehicle and an inner surface 482 of the vehicle (e.g., the vehicle 10 and / or the vehicle 20). Specifically, the AGH of the embodiment 410 can be moved via a rotational movement 471 to be similar to Figure 3 The AGH of embodiment 420 can be extended and retracted rotationally between the retracted position 461 and the extended position 462. In contrast, the AGH of embodiment 420 can be extended and retracted translationally between the retracted position 461 and the extended position 462 via a translational or other linear movement 472. The translational movement 472 can be performed by the actuator 44 through one or more transmission mechanisms ( Figure 4 As shown in FIG. Figure 3Like the AGH of views 360 and 365 , the AGH of view 410 and the AGH of view 420 may not be visible to a passenger when in their respective retracted positions 461 .

[0024] Figure 5 An exemplary block diagram of the AGH system 50 and how it interacts with a vehicle's body control module (BCM) 590 in which the AGH system 50 may be implemented is shown. The BCM 590 may be, for example, a central console or "brain" of the vehicle's automotive electronics, responsible for monitoring and / or controlling various electronic accessories of the vehicle (e.g., vehicle 10 and / or vehicle 20). For example, the BCM 590 may monitor and control the vehicle's electronic accessories, such as power doors, power windows, power mirrors, power locks, headlights, air conditioning, anti-theft control systems, etc. Generally speaking, the BCM 590 is placed on or in the vehicle.

[0025] The AGH system 50 may be used to control N AGHs installed in a vehicle, wherein each AGH includes a handle, one or more actuators (such as Figure 3 Actuator 34 or Figure 4 Actuator 44) and one or more transmission mechanisms (such as Figure 3 Here, N is a positive integer equal to or greater than 1. The AGH system 50 may include an electronic control unit (ECU) 51 configured to control a number of actuators 54 (1) to 54 (N). Figure 3 The actuator 34 and Figure 4 Each of the actuators 44 may be an exemplary embodiment of an actuator 54(1) to 54(N). Each of the actuators 54(1) to 54(N) may be coupled to a corresponding one of the handles 56(1) to 56(N) via a corresponding one of the transmission mechanisms 55(1) to 55(N). Figure 3 Each of the transmission mechanisms 35 may be an exemplary embodiment of transmission mechanisms 55 ( 1 ) to 55 (N). Figure 3 The handle 36 and Figure 4 The handle at position 461 or 462 may be an exemplary embodiment of the handles 56 ( 1 ) to 56 (N). In general, the ECU 51 may also be disposed on or in the vehicle.

[0026] The ECU 51 may control the actuators 54(1) to 54(N) to move or rotate the corresponding handles 56(1) to 56(N) through the corresponding transmission mechanisms 55(1) to 55(N) based on the input 599 from the BCM 590. Each handle that is moved or rotated may be moved between a retracted position and an extended position, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown in . Input 599 received by ECU 51 from BCM590 may include a door operation command to operate (i.e., open or close) one or more doors of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the door operation command may also indicate which specific door / doors are to be opened or closed. Based on the door operation command of input 599, ECU 51 may determine which handle / handles of handles 56 (1) to 56 (N) are to be deployed or retracted in response to input 599. For example, in response to a door operation command to open the left rear door of the vehicle, ECU 51 may determine to deploy one or more handles close to the left rear door. For another example, in response to a door operation command to close the right sliding door of the vehicle, ECU 51 may determine to retract one or more handles close to the right sliding door. In some embodiments, each of ECU 51 and BCM 590 may be implemented in the form of one or more processors (such as one or more integrated circuit (IC) chips).

[0027] In some embodiments, the door operation command input 599 may not specify which door(s) are to be operated, and in this case, the ECU 51 may determine to deploy or retract each of the handles 56(1) to 56(N) in response to the input 599. That is, if the door operation command input 599 simply indicates that one or more doors are to be opened without indicating which doors are to be opened, the ECU 51 may control each of the actuators 54(1) to 54(N) to deploy the handles 56(1) to 56(N) to their respective deployed positions. In contrast, if the door operation command input 599 simply indicates that one or more doors are to be closed without indicating which doors are to be closed, the ECU 51 may control each of the actuators 54(1) to 54(N) to retract the handles 56(1) to 56(N) to their respective partially or fully retracted positions.

[0028] In some embodiments, the AGH system 50 may include multiple sensors such as Figure 5 The pressure sensors 53(1) to 53(M) may be used to sense which seats may be occupied by passengers. The vehicle may include M seats for passengers, and each of the pressure sensors 53(1) to 53(M) may be placed on a corresponding seat of the vehicle. Here, M is a positive integer greater than 1. Therefore, ECU 51 may be able to detect which seats may be currently occupied by one or more passengers. In response to input 599 including an indication of which doors to open one or more doors rather than indicating which doors to open, ECU 51 may determine that the door operation command is intended to open a door that is close to a seat that is currently occupied by one or more passengers as sensed by the pressure sensors 53(1) to 53(M), and then unfold one or more of the handles 56(1) to 56(N) that are close to the occupied seats to their corresponding unfolded positions.

[0029] In some embodiments, each of the actuators 54(1) to 54(N) of the AGH system 50 can be coupled to a corresponding one of the user interfaces 57(1) to 57(N). Each of the user interfaces 57(1) to 57(N) can include a sensor, a button, a voice recognition circuit, or other human-machine interface device to receive a signal directly from a passenger to operate a corresponding one of the handles 56(1) to 56(N) accordingly. For example, the user interface 57(1) can include a proximity sensor that, when sensing a passenger's hand, can actuate the actuator 54(1) to deploy the handle 56(1) via the transmission mechanism 55(1). As another example, the user interface 57(2) can include a switch button that, when pressed by a passenger, can actuate the actuator 54(2) to deploy or retract the handle 56(2) via the transmission mechanism 55(2).

[0030] In some embodiments, the AGH system 50 may also include a handle state register 52 that tracks the instantaneous state of each of the handles 56(1) to 56(N), such as the current deployed or retracted state. After the ECU 51 determines to deploy or retract a particular one of the handles 56(1) to 56(N) based on the door operation command input 599, the ECU 51 may check the handle state register 52 to obtain the current state of the particular handle. If the handle state register 52 indicates that the particular handle is already in the intended state of deployed or retracted (usually as a result of a passenger manually operating the particular handle through a corresponding one of the user interfaces 57(1) to 57(N)), the ECU 51 will not have to operate the particular handle.

[0031] The deployment / retraction of the handles 56(1) to 56(N) can be synchronized with the opening / closing of the vehicle's door. That is, the handles 56(1) to 56(N) are deployed from the retracted position to the deployed position while the vehicle's door is opened, and are retracted from the deployed position to the retracted position while the vehicle's door is closed. However, in some embodiments, the input 599 may also include timing advance / delay information that defines the time difference between the deployment / retraction of the handles and the opening / closing of the door, and the ECU 51 may deploy or retract the handles according to the timing advance / delay information. That is, the ECU 51 may deploy one or more of the handles 56(1) to 56(N) before the door is opened for an amount of time as indicated by the timing advance / delay information of the input 599. Similarly, the ECU 51 may retract one or more of the handles 56(1) to 56(N) after the door is closed for an amount of time as indicated by the timing advance / delay information of the input 599. The time difference can improve the user experience because the passenger may have intended to utilize the grab handle before the door is opened, and may intend to continue to grasp the grab handle for at least a short period of time after the door is closed. Alternatively, as described above, the user interface coupled to the actuator may include one or more sensors for determining the correct time to deploy or retract the AGH. For example, the user interface 57(1) may include a proximity sensor. Even before the ECU 51 receives a door operation command as part of the input 599, the passenger may extend his or her hand toward the proximity sensor, indicating an intention to use the handle 56(1). Even if the vehicle door is not opened, the proximity sensor, upon sensing the passenger's hand, can actuate the actuator 54(1) and deploy the handle 56(1) via the transmission mechanism 55(1). Similarly, in some embodiments, the user interface 57(1) may also include a force sensor. Even after the door is closed, the passenger may continue to grasp the handle 56(1) in the deployed position. The force sensor, when sensing that force is still being applied, can signal to maintain the handle 56(1) in the deployed position until it senses that the applied force has been removed, and then the actuator 54(1) can retract the handle 56(1) from the deployed position to the retracted position via the transmission mechanism 55(1).

[0032] It is worth noting that in some embodiments, the door operation command of input 599 received by ECU 51 from BCM 590 can be directly initiated by the passenger touching an operation button or operating a door handle associated with a door of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the door operation command of input 599 received by ECU 51 from BCM 590 can be initially initiated by a remote key fob associated with the vehicle (such as a remote key fob). Figure 5The remote key fob 580 may be activated by wireless communication with the BCM 590. The key fob 580 may have a corresponding open button and a close button for each door of the vehicle, and the door operation command may be activated by the user pressing one or more of the corresponding open buttons and close buttons on the key fob 580.

[0033] Figure 6 An exemplary process 600 for operating (e.g., deploying and retracting) an AGH according to the present disclosure is shown. The process 600 may include one or more operations, actions, or functions shown as blocks such as 610, 620, 630, 640, 650, 660, and 670. Although shown as discrete blocks, various blocks of the process 600 may be divided into additional blocks, combined into fewer blocks, or eliminated, depending on the desired implementation. The process 600 may be performed by Figure 5 The AGH system 50 of the vehicle 10 and / or the vehicle 20 is implemented. The process 600 may begin at block 610 .

[0034] At 610, process 600 may involve ECU 51 (e.g., first processor) receiving a door operation command as part of input 599 from BCM 590 (e.g., second processor). The door operation command may indicate whether to open or close one or more doors of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the door operation command may also indicate which door or doors of the vehicle are to be opened or closed. Process 600 may proceed from 610 to 620.

[0035] At 620, process 600 may involve ECU 51 determining which of handles 56(1) to 56(N) are to be deployed or retracted. As indicated by the door operation command input 599, the handles to be deployed or retracted may be determined to be handles proximate to one or more doors to be opened or closed. In some embodiments where the door operation command does not indicate which door or doors are to be opened or closed, ECU 51 may utilize pressure sensors 53(1) to 53(M) to determine one or more doors proximate to seats occupied by one or more passengers, as described above. In some embodiments, in the absence of pressure sensors 53(1) to 53(M), ECU 51 may determine to deploy or retract all handles 56(1) to 56(N). Process 600 may proceed from 620 to 630.

[0036] At 630, process 600 may involve ECU 51 identifying whether the door operation command is intended to open or close one or more doors of the vehicle. If the door operation command is intended to open one or more doors, process 600 may proceed from 630 to 640. If the door operation command is intended to close one or more doors, process 600 may proceed from 630 to 650.

[0037] At 640, process 600 may involve ECU 51 checking handle status register 52 as to whether each of the handles to be deployed has been deployed. If the handles to be deployed according to handle status register 52 have been deployed, process 600 may terminate at 640. If the handles to be deployed according to handle status register 52 have not been deployed, process 600 may proceed from 640 to 660.

[0038] At 650, the process 600 may involve the ECU 51 checking the handle status register 52 as to whether each of the handles to be retracted has been retracted. If the handles to be retracted according to the handle status register 52 have been retracted, the process 600 may terminate at 650. If the handles to be retracted according to the handle status register 52 have not been retracted, the process 600 may proceed from 650 to 670.

[0039] At 660 , process 600 may involve ECU 51 actuating a corresponding one or more of actuators 54 ( 1 ) through 54 (N) to deploy the corresponding handle from its retracted position to its deployed position.

[0040] At 670 , process 600 may involve ECU 51 actuating a corresponding one or more of actuators 54 ( 1 ) through 54 (N) to retract the corresponding handle from its deployed position to its retracted position.

[0041] In the above disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the present invention, and in which specific embodiments in which the present disclosure can be practiced are shown by way of illustration. It should be understood that other embodiments can be utilized and structural changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In this specification, references to "one embodiment", "embodiment", "exemplary embodiment" and the like indicate that the described embodiments may include specific features, structures or characteristics, but each embodiment may not necessarily include the specific features, structures or characteristics. In addition, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, when describing specific features, structures or characteristics in conjunction with an embodiment, it should be considered that it is within the knowledge of those skilled in the art to make such features, structures or characteristics work in conjunction with other embodiments, whether or not explicitly described.

[0042] Embodiments of the systems, devices, apparatuses, and methods disclosed herein may include or utilize a dedicated or general-purpose computer including computer hardware, such as one or more processors and system memory, as discussed herein. Embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure may also include physical and other computer-readable media for carrying or storing computer-executable instructions and / or data structures. Such computer-readable media may be any available media accessible by a general or dedicated computer system. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions is a computer storage medium (device). A computer-readable medium carrying computer-executable instructions is a transmission medium. Therefore, by way of example and not limitation, embodiments of the present disclosure may include at least two distinct computer-readable media: a computer storage medium (device) and a transmission medium.

[0043] Computer storage media (devices) include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM, solid-state drives ("SSD") (e.g., RAM-based), flash memory, phase-change memory ("PCM"), other types of memory, other optical disk storage devices, magnetic disk storage devices or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store desired program code means in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer.

[0044] Embodiments of the devices, systems, and methods disclosed herein can communicate via a computer network. A "network" is defined as one or more data links that support the transmission of electronic data between a computer system and / or module and / or other electronic device. When information is delivered or provided to a computer via a network or another communication connection (hardwired, wireless, or any combination of hardwired or wireless), the computer properly regards the connection as a transmission medium. The transmission medium may include a network and / or a data link, which may be used to carry a desired program code means in the form of a computer executable instruction or data structure and may be accessed by a general or special purpose computer. The above combination should also be included within the scope of a computer-readable medium.

[0045] For example, computer executable instructions include instructions and data that cause a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, or a special purpose processing device to perform a function or a group of functions when executed at a processor. For example, computer executable instructions can be binary files, intermediate format instructions such as assembly language, or even source code. Although the subject matter is described in a language specific to structural features and / or methodological behavior, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the described features or the above-described actions. Instead, the described features and actions are disclosed as exemplary forms of implementing the claims.

[0046] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present disclosure can be practiced in a network computing environment by many types of computer system configurations, including built-in vehicle computers, personal computers, desktop computers, laptop computers, message processors, handheld devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, mobile phones, PDAs, tablet computers, pagers, routers, switches, various storage devices, etc. The present disclosure can also be practiced in a distributed system environment where both local and remote computer systems perform tasks, and the local and remote computer systems are connected by a network (by hardwired data links, wireless data links, or by any combination of hardwired and wireless data links). In a distributed system environment, program modules can be located in both local memory storage devices and remote memory storage devices.

[0047] In addition, where appropriate, the functions described herein may be performed in one or more of the following: hardware, software, firmware, digital components, or analog components. For example, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) may be programmed to perform one or more of the systems and programs described herein. Certain terms are used throughout this specification and claims to refer to specific system components. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, components may be referred to by different names. This document is not intended to distinguish between components that have different names but the same function.

[0048] It should be noted that the sensor embodiments discussed above may include computer hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof to perform at least a portion of their functionality. For example, the sensor may include computer code configured to be executed in one or more processors, and may include hardware logic / electrical circuits controlled by the computer code. These exemplary devices are provided herein for illustrative purposes and are not intended to be limiting. The embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in other types of devices as known to those skilled in the relevant art.

[0049] At least some embodiments of the present disclosure have been directed to a computer program product including such logic (e.g., in the form of software) stored on any computer-usable medium. Such software, when executed in one or more data processing devices, causes the devices to operate as described herein.

[0050] Although various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, it should be understood that they are presented by way of example only and not by way of limitation. It will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art that various changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above exemplary embodiments, but should only be limited according to the following claims and their equivalents. The foregoing description has been given for the purpose of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to the precise form disclosed. In view of the above teachings, many modifications and variations are possible. In addition, it should be noted that any one or all of the alternative implementation modes mentioned above may be used in any desired combination to form additional hybrid implementations of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for an auxiliary handle for a vehicle, the method comprising: receiving, by the first processor from the second processor, a command to operate at least one door of the vehicle; identifying one or more auxiliary handles proximate to the at least one door; identifying whether the command is intended to open the at least one door or to close the at least one door; determining whether the one or more auxiliary handles are in a deployed position or a retracted position; as well as (i) in response to recognizing that the command is intended to open the at least one door and the one or more auxiliary handles are in the retracted position, actuating, by the first processor, the one or more auxiliary handles to move from the retracted position to the deployed position in response to the command; or (ii) in response to recognizing that the command is intended to close the at least one door and the one or more auxiliary handles are in the deployed position, actuating, by the first processor, the one or more auxiliary handles to move from the deployed position to the retracted position in response to the command.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first processor comprises an electronic control unit (ECU) of the vehicle, wherein the second processor comprises a body control module (BCM) of the vehicle, and wherein the ECU is configured to actuate an actuator and a transmission mechanism coupled between the actuator and the auxiliary handle to move the auxiliary handle in response to a command received from the BCM. 3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the deployed position corresponds to a position in which the assist handle can be utilized by an occupant of the vehicle to enter or exit the vehicle through the at least one door.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the assist handle is not visible to the passenger from the retracted position.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the retracted position is embedded in or connected to a body side, a roof panel, a headliner, a seat, or the at least one door of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, by one or more pressure sensors, whether a seat near the at least one door is occupied by a passenger, The one or more auxiliary handles are actuated to move from the retracted position to the deployed position in response at least in part to determining whether the seat is occupied by an occupant.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the command to operate the door is wirelessly received by the second processor from a key fob associated with the vehicle before the command to operate the door is received by the first processor from the second processor. 8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the moving of the auxiliary handle between the retracted position and the deployed position comprises translationally or rotationally moving the auxiliary handle between the retracted position and the deployed position.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one door comprises at least two doors disposed on a same side of the vehicle and adjacent to each other, and wherein when the at least two doors are opened in response to the command, no more than one opening is formed on the same side for a passenger to enter or exit the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises an autonomous ride-sharing vehicle.

11. An automatic grab handle that can be implemented in a vehicle, the automatic grab handle comprising: handle; Actuator; a transmission mechanism coupled between the handle and the actuator; as well as An electronic control unit (ECU), wherein the electronic control unit is configured as follows: receiving input to operate at least one door of the vehicle; identifying whether the handle is near the at least one door; identifying whether the input is intended to open the at least one door or to close the at least one door; determining whether the handle is in an extended position or a retracted position; as well as (i) in response to recognizing that the input is intended to open the at least one door and the handle is in the retracted position, controlling the actuator to move the handle from the retracted position to the deployed position via the transmission mechanism; or (ii) in response to recognizing that the input is intended to close the at least one door and the handle is in the deployed position, controlling the actuator to move the handle from the deployed position to the retracted position via the transmission mechanism.

12. The automated grab handle of claim 11, wherein the input is received by the electronic control unit from a body control module (BCM) of the vehicle, and wherein both the electronic control unit and the body control module are disposed in or on the vehicle.

13. The automated grab handle of claim 12, wherein the input is received wirelessly by the body control module from a key fob associated with the vehicle.

14. The automated grab handle of claim 11, wherein the deployed position corresponds to a position where the handle can be utilized by an occupant of the vehicle to enter or exit the vehicle through the at least one door.

15. The automated grab handle of claim 14, wherein the handle is not visible to the passenger from the retracted position.

16. The automated grab handle of claim 14, wherein the retracted position is embedded in or connected to a body side, a roof panel, a headliner, a seat, or the at least one door of the vehicle.

17. The automated grab handle of claim 11, wherein the actuator is not actuated in response to: (i) recognizing that the input is intended to open the at least one door and the handle is in the deployed position, or (ii) recognizing that the input is intended to close the at least one door and the handle is in the retracted position.

18. The automated grip handle of claim 11, wherein the actuator translates or rotationally moves the handle between the retracted position and the deployed position.

19. The automatic grab handle of claim 11, wherein the at least one door comprises at least two doors disposed on the same side of the vehicle and adjacent to each other, and wherein no more than one opening is formed for a passenger to enter or exit the vehicle when the at least two doors are opened in response to the input.

20. The automated grab handle of claim 11, wherein the vehicle comprises an autonomous ride-sharing vehicle.

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