Method for unlocking a locked vehicle door

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for unlocking a locked vehicle door (11) of a motor vehicle (10) by a user by means of an input unit (2), which is provided on a door handle (1) of the vehicle door (11), with a haptic signal output, - according to which, in order to generate an identification number having at least one digit, preferably having two or more digits, in a measure M) for inputting an individual digit the input unit (2) generates, as a haptic signal output, haptic signals which are temporally successive and are perceptible by the user's finger, as long as the user is touching the input unit (2) with their finger, and according to which, in measure M), the number of generated haptic signals generated until touching of the input unit (2) ceases is defined as an individual digit of an identification number, - according to which the measure M) is carried out a total of n times in succession in order to input an identification number consisting of n digits, - according to which the input identification number is compared with a reference identification number stored in the motor vehicle (10), and the vehicle door (11) is unlocked specifically if the input identification number corresponds to the stored reference identification number.

Description

[0001] Method for unlocking a locked vehicle door

[0002] The invention relates to a method for unlocking a locked vehicle door of a motor vehicle by a user using an input unit with haptic signal output provided on a door handle of the vehicle door. The invention further relates to a motor vehicle with a control / regulation device configured / programmed to carry out this method.

[0003] Modern motor vehicles are often equipped with vehicle doors that unlock automatically when successful authentication has been achieved by transmitting a coded signal from the vehicle key to a receiver integrated in the vehicle door.

[0004] The disadvantage of this is that the vehicle key must be present in order to carry out the authentication and thus to unlock the vehicle.

[0005] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved method for authenticated unlocking of a vehicle door.

[0006] This object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent patent claims. Preferred embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent patent claims.

[0007] The basic idea of ​​the invention is therefore to use an input unit provided on the door handle of the vehicle door with the capability of generating a haptic signal for the entry of an identification number, i.e., a "Personal Identification Number (PIN)," by a user of the door handle, so that the desired authentication can be performed by comparing the entered identification number with a stored reference identification number. The input unit can have an input element with touch functionality, so that the user of the door handle or input unit can receive an input signal detectable by the input unit by touching the surface of the input element with one of their fingers. To carry out the method according to the invention, the input unit is designed to detect how long the user touches the surface of the input element.

[0008] In the method according to the invention, the input unit for determining an identification number with at least one digit, preferably with two or more digits, generates, in a measure M) for entering a single digit as a haptic signal output, haptic signals that are perceptible by the user's finger and are spaced apart in time, as long as the user touches the input unit with his finger. In the same measure M), the number of haptic signals generated until the user's finger stops touching the input device is defined as a single digit of an identification number. According to the method according to the invention, the measure M) is carried out a total of n times in succession in order to enter an identification number consisting of n digits, where n is a natural number >= 1.The entered identification number is then compared with a reference identification number stored in the motor vehicle and the vehicle door is unlocked exactly when the entered identification number matches the stored reference identification number.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, in measure M), the haptic signals are generated at periodic time intervals. This makes it easier for the user to mentally count the individual haptic signals generated when a single digit is entered. Particularly preferably, two different period durations can be defined for the periodic time intervals in two consecutive measures M). This makes it more difficult for third parties to misuse the method according to the invention by tracking the time elapsed for each digit input. In a further variant, a random variation of individual, several, or all consecutive time intervals between two haptic signals is conceivable.

[0010] It is noteworthy that the method according to the invention does not allow the entry of the number "0." If the time between the output of the ninth haptic signal corresponding to the number "9" and the user releasing the input unit exceeds a predetermined threshold, the entry of the identification number can be reset, and the method can be terminated and optionally restarted.

[0011] The invention further relates to a motor vehicle having a body and at least one vehicle door adjustable between a locked and an unlocked state, in particular having a side door, which comprises a door handle in which an input unit is arranged for the input of an identification number by a user of the door handle. The input unit has a haptic output element for generating a haptic output signal. An input unit designed in this way is known to those skilled in the art as an "actuator sensor." The motor vehicle according to the invention further comprises a control / regulation device that interacts with the input unit for adjusting the vehicle door between the locked and unlocked states. According to the invention, the control / regulation device is configured to carry out the inventive method presented above.The advantages of the method according to the invention explained above are therefore transferred to the motor vehicle according to the invention.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the motor vehicle according to the invention, the input unit has an input element with touch functionality, so that a user of the door handle or the input unit can generate an input signal detectable by the input unit as long as they touch the surface of the input element with their finger. In this way, the input of one or more digits can be performed in a particularly convenient manner.

[0013] Further important features and advantages of the invention emerge from the subclaims, from the drawings and from the associated description of the figures based on the drawings.

[0014] It is understood that the features mentioned above and those to be explained below can be used not only in the combination specified in each case, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0015] Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description, wherein the same reference numerals refer to the same or similar or functionally identical components.

[0016] Showing schematically:

[0017] Fig. 1 shows, by way of example, a partial view of a side door of a motor vehicle according to the invention in the region of its door handle,

[0018] Fig. 2 is a flow chart illustrating the method according to the invention by way of example.

[0019] Figure 1 shows an example of a vehicle door 11 of a motor vehicle 10 according to the invention.

[0020] In the example scenario, the vehicle door 11 is a side door of the motor vehicle. The vehicle door 11 is adjustable between a locked and an unlocked state and comprises a door handle 1 for opening and closing the vehicle door 11 in the unlocked state. Furthermore, an input unit 2 for entering an identification number by a user of the door handle 1 is arranged in the door handle 1. The input unit 2 has an input element 4 with touch functionality, so that a user of the door handle 1 or the input unit 2 generates an input signal detectable by the input unit 2 as long as they touch the surface of the input element 4 with their finger. Furthermore, the input unit 2 has a haptic output element 3 for generating a haptic output signal.In addition, the motor vehicle 10 comprises a control / regulation device (not shown) that interacts with the input unit 2 for adjusting the vehicle door 11 between the locked and unlocked states, i.e., in particular, for unlocking the vehicle door 10. The control / regulation device is designed to carry out the method according to the invention. The method according to the invention is explained below using the flowchart shown in Figure 2 as an example. As an example, it is explained how the user can enter the PIN "362".

[0021] In a first step S1, the user touches input element 4 of input unit 1. As long as the user's finger remains touching input element 4, output element 3 of input unit 2 generates a haptic signal perceivable by the user's finger at periodic intervals in a second step S2. The user counts the number of generated haptic signals and, in a third step S3, stops touching input element 4 after exactly three haptic signals have been output and perceived. The three steps S1 to S3 constitute a measure M) for entering the first digit "3" of the three-digit identification number "362" to be entered.

[0022] In a fourth step S4, the user touches input element 4 of input unit 1 again. As long as the user's finger remains touching input element 4, output element 3 of input unit 2 generates a haptic signal perceivable by the user's finger at periodic intervals in a fifth step S5. The user counts the number of generated signals and, in a sixth step S6, stops touching input element 4 after exactly six haptic signals have been output and perceived. The three steps S4 to S6 constitute a further step M) for entering the second digit "6" of the three-digit identification number "362" to be entered.

[0023] In a seventh step S7, the user touches the input element 4 of the input unit 2 again. As long as the user's finger remains touching the input element 4, the output element 3 generates a haptic signal perceivable by the user's finger at periodic intervals in an eighth step S8. The user counts the number of generated signals and, in a ninth step S9, stops touching the input element 3 after exactly two haptic signals have been output and perceived. The three steps S7 to S9 constitute a measure M) for entering the third digit "2" of the three-digit identification number "362" to be entered. The entry of the identification number "362" is thus completed. If the entered number "362" corresponds to the value of a reference identification number stored in the motor vehicle 10, the previously locked vehicle door 11 is unlocked; otherwise, the locking remains.

Claims

Patent claims 1. A method for unlocking a locked vehicle door (11) of a motor vehicle (10) by a user by means of an input unit (2) with haptic signal output provided on a door handle (1) of the vehicle door (11), according to which, in order to generate an identification number with at least one digit, in a step M) for entering a single digit, the input unit (2) generates, as a haptic signal output, temporally spaced-apart haptic signals perceptible by the user's finger as long as the user touches the input unit (2) with his finger, and according to which, in step M), the number of haptic signals generated until the touching of the input unit (2) is terminated is defined as a single digit of the identification number, according to which step M) is carried out a total of n times in succession in order to enter an identification number consisting of n digits,according to which the entered identification number is compared with a reference identification number stored in the motor vehicle (10) and the vehicle door (11) is unlocked precisely when the entered identification number matches the stored reference identification number.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that in measure M) the haptic signals are generated at periodic or random time intervals.

3. Motor vehicle (10), with a body and with at least one vehicle door (11), in particular a side door, which can be adjusted between a locked and an unlocked state and which comprises a door handle (1) in which an input unit (2) is arranged for the input of an identification number by a user of the door handle (1), wherein the input unit (2) has a haptic output element (3) for generating a haptic output signal, with a control / regulation device which interacts with the input unit (2) for adjusting the vehicle door (11) between the locked and the unlocked state, wherein the control / regulation device is designed to carry out the method according to claim 1 or 2.

4. Motor vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that the input unit (2) has an input element (4) with touch functionality, so that a user of the door handle (1) or the input unit (2) generates an input signal detectable by the input unit (2) as long as he touches the surface of the input element (4) with his finger.

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