Method for actuating an opening of a motor vehicle

Abstract

A method for actuating an opening of a motor vehicle comprises the steps of: acquiring (27) information about a predetermined movement performed by a mobile phone previously associated with the motor vehicle, the predetermined movement having been previously associated with a request to change the state of the opening; and modifying (31) the state of the opening in accordance with the previously defined association with the acquired movement. A system for actuating an opening of a motor vehicle, a mobile phone, and a motor vehicle comprising the system are also described. Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Fig 2

Description

Title of the invention: Method for actuating an opening of a motor vehicle technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for actuating an opening of a motor vehicle, a computer program product, a system for actuating an opening of a motor vehicle, a mobile phone associated with the system and a motor vehicle comprising such a system. State of the art

[0002] Nowadays, the opening and closing of vehicle doors is increasingly automated and uses advanced technologies. Examples of devices for opening and closing the doors of modern vehicles include: • A mechanical key to insert into the door lock and turn to lock or unlock the door manually. • A remote control to lock or unlock the doors remotely. Many car remote controls have dedicated buttons for this function. • A smart electronic key, also called a contactless key, allows you to lock or unlock doors simply by approaching the door handle when the key is nearby. • A mobile application, that is, an application running on a mobile phone, allows you to control certain modern vehicles. The application allows you to lock / unlock the doors, start the engine remotely, etc. • A PIN code or password to be entered on an integrated keypad, for some vehicles, on the door or dashboard, allowing the driver to unlock the doors. • A card or badge reader can be used to control vehicle access in the context of company vehicle fleets. • Facial or biometric recognition is used in some high-end cars to allow doors to be opened by identifying the driver. • A central locking system allows all doors to be locked or unlocked at the same time via a button or central control in the car. • A manual locking system is also provided to lock or unlock each door manually using a locking mechanism located inside the car.

[0003] The choice of device depends on the vehicle's model and year, as well as the specific options offered by the manufacturer. Modern vehicles tend to use more advanced methods, such as smart electronic keys and mobile applications, to improve convenience and security. Some of these devices can even be combined. For example, a vehicle may have a smart electronic key associated with a central locking system, as well as a manual lock operated from the inside.

[0004] However, there is a trend towards eliminating physical objects such as keys or cards and replacing them with mobile phone applications. For example, the Car Connectivity Consortium is developing standardization and certification programs for connections between mobile phones and motor vehicles, particularly for locking the latter. By digitizing the vehicle access key, new uses are enabled, such as lending a vehicle without physical contact between the lender and the borrower.

[0005] However, the ergonomics of these solutions are not always satisfactory in that they require opening an application and performing one or more validation maneuvers.

[0006] There is therefore a real need for a method and an actuation system for an opening of a motor vehicle which resolves all or part of the aforementioned disadvantages. Description of the invention

[0007] To overcome one or more of the aforementioned drawbacks, according to a first embodiment, a method for actuating an opening of a motor vehicle comprises the steps of: • Acquisition of information from a predetermined movement carried out by a mobile phone previously associated with the motor vehicle, the predetermined movement having been previously associated with a request to change the state of the opening; • Modification of the opening state in accordance with the association previously defined with the acquired movement.

[0008] Thus, the user can change the state, such as unlocking for example, of an opening, such as a door, of his vehicle by making a movement with his mobile phone.

[0009] Specific features or embodiments, usable alone or in combination, are: • the change of state corresponds to a change between the locked state and the unlocked state, or vice versa, of the opening; • a first predetermined movement corresponds to the transition from the locked state to the unlocked state and a second predetermined movement corresponds to the transition from the unlocked state to the locked state; • The same predetermined movement is associated with the transition from the locked state to the unlocked state and with the transition from the unlocked state to the locked state; and / or • the opening is a pivoting door on an axis and the change of state corresponds to a change in the opening angle of the door, the opening angle being proportional to an amplitude of the movement of the mobile phone.

[0010] In a second embodiment, a computer program product includes program code instructions for implementing the above process.

[0011] In a third embodiment, an actuation system for an opening of a motor vehicle comprises: • a sensor adapted to be pre-paired with a mobile phone and to acquire information about a predetermined movement of the mobile phone; connected to • an actuator adapted to modify the state of the opening according to the predetermined movement acquired, the predetermined movement having been previously associated with a request to modify the state of the opening.

[0012] In a fourth embodiment, a mobile phone is adapted to acquire a predetermined movement from the mobile phone and to be associated with the preceding system to transmit movement information to the system.

[0013] In a fifth embodiment, a motor vehicle includes a system according to the third embodiment. Brief description of the figures

[0014] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description, given solely by way of example, and with reference to the figures in the appendix in which: • [Fig. 1] represents a top view of a vehicle comprising a system for actuation of an opening according to one embodiment; and • [Fig.2] represents a flowchart of a method for actuation of an opening of the motor vehicle of [Fig.1] according to one embodiment. Methods of implementation

[0015] The embodiments presented below refer to a motor vehicle, a car. However, those skilled in the art understand that they are also applicable to other types of vehicles such as vans, trucks, etc.

[0016] The terms "front", "rear", "top", "bottom", "transverse" are understood in relation to the vehicle.

[0017] The term "opening" on a motor vehicle refers to any type of opening such as a door, trunk, hood, rear window panel, or fuel filler flap, among others. In the embodiments presented, the opening is a door that pivots on an axis.

[0018] With reference to [Fig.1], a motor vehicle 1 includes a system 3 for actuation of a door 5 of a motor vehicle.

[0019] The system 3 includes a sensor 7 adapted to be pre-associated with a mobile phone 9 and to acquire information of a predetermined movement of the mobile phone 9.

[0020] The system 3 also includes an actuator 11 connected to the sensor 7.

[0021] The actuator 11 is adapted to modify the state of the opening 5 in accordance with the predetermined movement acquired, the predetermined movement having been previously associated with a request to modify the state of the opening 5.

[0022] In this embodiment, the state corresponds to a locked or unlocked state of the door 5. Thus, the change of state corresponds to a transition from the locked state to the unlocked state or vice versa. Therefore, the actuator 11 comprises an electrically operated lock that is actuated according to the information received by the sensor 7.

[0023] The mobile phone 9 includes one or more motion sensors 13 connected to transmission means 15.

[0024] Motion sensors are, for example, accelerometers and gyroscopes which allow recording of movement in the space of the mobile phone 9. For example, they can record an angle of inclination, a specific movement such as a jolt or a circular movement, or a sequence of specific movements, an orientation with respect to the vertical, a speed of movement, etc.

[0025] The transmission means 15 are adapted to communicate with the sensor 7 to transmit to it information on the movement carried out by the mobile phone 9 and recorded by the motion sensors 13.

[0026] For example, they can use a secure Bluetooth (registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG) LE (version 5.4) connection.

[0027] System 3 can, for example, be integrated into the vehicle control system 1, as an advanced driver-assistance system, commonly called ADAS (for "Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems" according to English terminology), which makes all driving decisions based on the environment and destination. programmed. The motor vehicle is then classified as an autonomous motor vehicle. But it can also be a centralized vehicle management system including, or not including, driver assistance systems.

[0028] Data transfer between the different elements is preferably carried out by a CAN (for "Controller Area Network") or LIN (for "Local Interconnect Network") type data bus.

[0029] The operation of the system 3 in association with the mobile phone 9 is as follows, [Fig.2].

[0030] In this configuration, it is assumed that the driver wants to unlock door 5.

[0031] In a first preliminary step 21, for example at the time of reception From vehicle 1, he paired mobile phone 9 with vehicle 1, and more specifically with system 3. To do this, he, for example, downloaded an application from the manufacturer of vehicle 1 onto mobile phone 9 and authenticated himself with that application. This application then, for example, using the manufacturer's servers, established the connection between the driver and vehicle 1. Pairing can also be achieved using the Bluetooth pairing protocol.

[0032] In a second preliminary step 23 which can be carried out before or after step 21, the motorist defines in the loaded application a movement of the mobile phone 9 which he associates with an unlocking of the door 5. In a variant, this association can be carried out using the person-machine interface of the vehicle 1.

[0033] The unlocking operation is then carried out as follows: • The motorist performs, step 25, with mobile phone 9, the predetermined movement; • In step 27, the mobile phone 9 transmits information associated with the predetermined movement to the sensor 7. This can be a code defining the movement or a direct unlock request code. The choice of code is linked to the location of the association table between the movement and the change of state; • Upon receiving the code, sensor 7 transmits, in step 29, an unlock command to actuator 11; and • Actuator 11 unlocks, step 31, door 5.

[0034] Each change of state is thus associated with a specific movement. In this embodiment, a first movement is associated with locking and a second movement is associated with unlocking.

[0035] Figure 1 illustrates a system according to certain embodiments. The breakdown presented is for pedagogical purposes to highlight the different functions. However, it is understood that each block can be implemented using different means or combinations thereof, such as hardware components, software, one or more computers, and / or electronic circuits. Each component may include at least one computer or control unit. Each component may include at least one memory. The memory may contain computer program instructions or software code.

[0036] The calculators can be implemented by any type of data processing device, such as a central processing unit, a signal processing unit, a specific application integrated circuit, a programmable gate network, etc. The calculators can be implemented in the form of a single controller, or a plurality of controllers or calculators.

[0037] The different modules are connected to each other by data links adapted to the environment. These can be wired or wireless.

[0038] For the software, the implementation may comprise modules or units distributed in the form of procedures, functions, etc. The memories may be any type of storage circuit. They may be part of the processor circuit, or separate from it and connected via electrical data links. These may be non-volatile memories, hard drives, RAM, flash memory, etc.

[0039] The software product can be downloaded from a communication network and / or stored on a computer-readable medium. It can be directly executable by a processor or be in the form of a high-level language requiring one or more intermediate operations to be executable.

[0040] Thus, the program instructions stored in memory and processed by the computers can be any type of program code, for example, a compiled or interpreted program written in a suitable programming language.

[0041] The computer program instructions stored in memory are such that, when executed by the computer, the latter carries out one or more of the steps of the processes described above.

[0042] The invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and the preceding description. This description is to be considered illustrative and given by way of example and not as limiting the invention to this single description. Numerous embodiments are possible.

[0043] In a first variant, a single movement is associated with locking and unlocking, the actuator then executes the requested action according to the initial state of the door 5.

[0044] In a second variant, the change of state corresponds to a request to open or close door 5. For example, a predetermined movement is associated with a request to open door 5 and is executed after executing the movement associated with unlocking door 5.

[0045] A sub-variant then associates a movement amplitude with a larger or smaller opening of the door. For example, a 45° rotation of the mobile phone is defined as a first movement corresponding to a half-opening of the door 5, and a 90° rotation of the mobile phone to a full opening of the door 5.

[0046] In a third variant, the system and process are secured by imposing a complex movement or a sequence of movements. This prevents an unintentional movement from triggering a request for a change of state. This can also be supplemented by security measures such as facial recognition or the driver's fingerprint.

Claims

Demands

1. A method for actuating an opening of a motor vehicle comprising the steps of: • acquiring (27) information of a predetermined movement made by a mobile phone previously associated with the motor vehicle, the predetermined movement having been previously associated with a request to change the state of the opening; • changing (31) the state of the opening in accordance with the association previously defined with the acquired movement, the method wherein the opening is a door pivoting on an axis and the change of state corresponds to a change in the opening angle of the door, the opening angle being proportional to an amplitude of the movement of the mobile phone.

2. Computer program product characterized in that it includes program code instructions for implementing the method according to claim 1.

3. System (3) for actuating an opening of a motor vehicle (1) comprising: • a sensor (7) adapted to be previously associated with a mobile phone (9) and to acquire information of a predetermined movement of the mobile phone; connected to • an actuator (11) adapted to change the state of the opening in accordance with the predetermined movement acquired, the predetermined movement having been previously associated with a request to change the state of the opening, and wherein the opening is a door pivoting on an axis and the change of state corresponds to a change in the opening angle of the door, the opening angle being proportional to an amplitude of the movement of the mobile phone.

4. Mobile phone (9) adapted to acquire a predetermined movement of the mobile phone and to be associated with the system of claim 3 to transmit information of said movement to the system.

5. Motor vehicle comprising a system according to claim 3.

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