Vehicle comprising a door opening angle measurement device and method to operate a vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle 10 comprising a door opening angle measurement device 12 to measure the angle of a hinged door 18. The door opening angle measurement device comprises a sensor device providing sensor data t

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of automobiles. More specifically, the present invention relates to a vehicle comprising a door opening angle measurement device. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method to operate a vehicle comprising a door opening angle measurement device. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0002] Accurate live measurement of a door opening angle of a vehicle can enable some useful applications such as online sensor calibration, or door opening distance calculation. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a solution, which allows a measurement of the door opening angle. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle comprising a door opening angle measurement device, as well as the corresponding method, by which a measurement of the door opening angle can be performed.

[0004] This object is solved by a vehicle comprising a door opening angle measurement device, as well as the corresponding method according to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are presented in the dependent claims.

[0005] A first aspect of the present invention is related to a vehicle, comprising a door opening angle measurement device.

[0006] The vehicle comprises a vehicle door system comprising a vehicle door and a vehicle door hinge configured to pivotally connect the vehicle door to a vehicle frame.

[0007] The door opening angle measurement device comprises a sensor device, configured to provide sensor data. The sensor data depend on an opening angle of the vehicle door system. The sensor device is configured to provide the sensor data to a control unit of the door opening angle measurement device.

[0008] The control unit is configured to calculate a current opening angle of the vehicle door system as a function of the sensor data.

[0009] Therefore, by analysing the sensor data by the control unit, which depend on the opening angle of the vehicle door system, a determination of a current opening angle of the vehicle door system can be performed.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the invention, the door opening angle measurement device comprises a variable resistor. The variable resistor is mechanically connected to the vehicle door hinge, such that the current electrical resistance of the variable resistor depends on the current opening angle of the vehicle door system. The sensor device is configured to measure the current electrical resistance of the variable resistor. The sensor device is configured to indicate a current electrical resistance of the variable resistor in the sensor data.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the invention, the door opening angle measurement device comprises a magnet device, wherein the door opening angle measurement device is mechanically connected to the vehicle door hinge such that the current rotational position of the sensor device related to the magnet device depends on the current opening angle of the vehicle door system. The sensor device is configured to measure a magnetic flux density of a magnetic field provided by the magnetic device at the current rotational position of the sensor device and to indicate the current magnetic flux density in the sensor data.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the invention, the door opening angle measurement device is configured to measure a current angular velocity of the vehicle door and to indicate the current angular velocity of the vehicle door in the sensor data.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the invention, the door opening angle measurement device is configured to measure a current acceleration of the vehicle door and to indicate a current acceleration of the vehicle door in the sensor data.

[0014] Another aspect of the invention relates to a method to operate a vehicle comprising a door opening angle measurement device. The vehicle comprises a vehicle door system comprising a vehicle door and vehicle door hinge configured to pivotally connect the vehicle door to the vehicle frame.

[0015] The method comprises a provision of sensor data by a sensor device of the door opening angle measurement device to a control unit of the door opening angle measurement device, wherein the sensor data depend on an opening angle of the vehicle door system. The method further comprises a calculation of the current opening angle of the vehicle door system as a function of the sensor data by the control unit.

[0016] The control unit may comprise a computing unit / electronic computing device. The computing unit may in particular be understood as a data processing device, which comprises processing circuitry. The computing unit can therefore in particular process data to perform computing operations. This may also include operations to perform indexed accesses to a data structure, for example a look-up table, LUT.

[0017] In particular, the computing unit may include one or more computers, one or more microcontrollers, and / or one or more integrated circuits, for example, one or more application-specific integrated circuits, ASIC, one or more field-programmable gate arrays, FPGA, and / or one or more systems on a chip, SoC. The computing unit may also include one or more processors, for example one or more microprocessors, one or more central processing units, CPU, one or more graphics processing units, GPU, and / or one or more signal processors, in particular one or more digital signal processors, DSP. The computing unit may also include a physical or a virtual cluster of computers or other of said units.

[0018] In various embodiments, the computing unit includes one or more hardware and / or software interfaces and / or one or more memory units.

[0019] A memory unit may be implemented as a volatile data memory, for example a dynamic random access memory, DRAM, or a static random access memory, SRAM, or as a non-volatile data memory, for example a read-only memory, ROM, a programmable read-only memory, PROM, an erasable programmable read-only memory, EPROM, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, EEPROM, a flash memory or flash EEPROM, a ferroelectric random access memory, FRAM, a magnetoresistive random access memory, MRAM, or a phase-change random access memory, PCRAM.

[0020] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention derive from the following description of preferred embodiments as well as from the drawings. The features and feature combinations previously mentioned in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned in the following description of the figures and / or shown in the figures alone can be employed not only in the respectively indicated combination but also in any other combination or taken alone without leaving the scope of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The novel features and characteristic of the disclosure are set forth in the appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments and together with the description, serve to explain the disclosed principles. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The same numbers are used throughout the figures to reference like features and components. Some embodiments of system and / or methods in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter are now described below, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying figures.

[0022] The drawings show in:

[0023] Fig. 1 a schematic illustration of a vehicle comprising a door opening angle measurement device;

[0024] Fig. 2 a schematic illustration of another vehicle comprising a door opening angle measurement device;

[0025] Fig. 3 a schematic illustration of another vehicle comprising a door opening angle measurement device; and

[0026] Fig. 4 a schematic illustration of a method to operate a vehicle comprising a door opening angle measurement device.

[0027] In the figures the same elements or elements having the same function are indicated by the same reference signs. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] In the present document, the word "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration". Any embodiment or implementation of the present subject matter described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

[0029] While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawing and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.

[0030] The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion so that a setup, device or method that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or device or method. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus preceded by “comprises” or “comprise” does not or do not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or method.

[0031] In the following detailed description of the embodiment of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawing that forms part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration a specific embodiment in which the disclosure may be practiced. This embodiment is described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

[0032] Fig. 1 shows in a schematic illustration a vehicle 10 comprising a door opening angle measurement device 12.

[0033] The vehicle 10 in Fig. 1 may comprise a door opening angle measurement device 12 which may be configured to determine current opening angle 26 of a vehicle door system 14. The vehicle door system 14 may comprise a vehicle door 18 and a vehicle door hinge 16 to connect the vehicle door 18 to a vehicle frame. The door opening angle 26 may describe an angle between the vehicle door 18 and the vehicle frame and / or an angle provided by the door hinge 16. The door opening angle measurement device 12 may be configured to determine the door opening angle 26 by measuring a current electrical resistance of a variable resistor 30. The door opening angle measurement device 12 comprises the variable resistor 30, wherein the resistor may be mechanically connected to the vehicle door hinge 16. As an example, a sliding contact of the variable resistor 30 may be mechanically connected to the vehicle door hinge 16, such that a current position of the sliding contact with respect to a resistive element of the variable resistor 30 depends on the current opening angle 26.

[0034] A current electrical resistance of the variable resistor 30 may depend on the current location of the sliding contact. The variable resistor 30 may be part of an electric circuit. The sensor device 22 may comprise an ohmmeter connected to the electric circuit, wherein the ohmmeter is configured to measure the current electric resistance of the variable resistor 30. The sensor device 22 may provide sensor data 28, comprising the current electric resistance to a control unit 24 of the door opening angle measurement device 12. The control unit 24 may relate the current electric resistance to a current opening angle 26 of the vehicle door system 14. The relation between the current electric resistance and the current opening angle 26 may be defined by a function, look up table or a database stored in the control unit 24. The control unit 24 may be configured to provide door data to the vehicle 10 indicating the current opening angle 26 of the vehicle door system 14.

[0035] Fig. 2 shows in a schematic illustration another vehicle 10 comprising a door opening angle measurement device 12.

[0036] The vehicle 10 may comprise the door opening angle measurement device 12, therein is a door opening angle measurement device 12 may be configured to determine a current opening angle 26 of the vehicle 10 door system 14 by a current magnetic flux density. The door opening angle measurement device 12 may comprise a magnet device 32 providing a magnetic field 34. The door opening angle measurement device 12 may be mechanically connected to the vehicle door hinge 16 such that a current rotational position of the sensor device 22 related to the magnet device 32 depends on the current opening angle 26 of the vehicle door system 14. As an example, the magnet device 32 may be connected to a nonrotating part of the door hinge 16, wherein the sensor device 22 may be connected to a rotating part of the door hinge 16. When the opening angle 26 of the vehicle door system 14 changes, the rotational position of the sensor device 22 related to the magnet device 32 may change. Therefore, the sensor device 22 may be at a different position in the magnetic field 34, provided by the magnet device 32. The sensor device 22 may be configured to measure a magnetic flux density of the magnetic field 34. The magnetic flux density of the magnetic field 34 may depend on the current rotational position of the sensor device 22 related to the magnet device 32. The sensor device 22 may provide the current magnetic flux density to the control unit 24 in the sensor data 28. The relation between the current magnetic flux density and the current opening angle 26 may be defined by a function, look up table or a database, stored in the control unit 24. Therefore, the control unit 24 may be configured to determine the current opening angle 26 as a function of the current magnetic flux density.

[0037] Fig. 3 shows in a schematic illustration a vehicle 10 comprising a door opening angle measurement device 12.

[0038] The vehicle 10 may comprise the door opening angle measurement device 12, wherein the door opening angle measurement device 12 may be configured to determine a current opening angle 26 of the vehicle 10 door system 14 by angular velocities and / or accelerations of the vehicle door 18. The sensor device 22 may be configured to measure the current angular velocity and / or the current acceleration of the vehicle door 18 and to provide the current angular velocity and / or the current acceleration of the vehicle door 18 to the control unit 24 in the sensor data 28. The control unit 24 may be configured to analyse the angular velocities and the accelerations to determine the current opening angle 26 based on a history of the angular velocity and / or the acceleration.

[0039] Fig. 4 shows in a schematic illustration a method to operate a vehicle comprising a door opening angle measurement device 12.

[0040] A first step S1, of the method may comprise a measurement performed by a sensor device 22 of the door opening angle measurement device 12. As an example, the sensor device 22 may measure a current magnetic flux density of current magnetic field 34.

[0041] In a second step S2, the sensor device 22 may provide the measured value to the control unit 24 of the door opening measurement device 12 in sensor data 28.

[0042] In a third step S3, the control unit 24 may determine the current opening angle 26 based on the current magnetic field 34 described in the sensor data 28 by means of a function assigning the current magnetic flux density to the current opening angle 26. signs vehicle door opening angle measurement device door system door hinge vehicle door vehicle frame sensor device control unit opening angle sensor data variable resistor magnet device magnetic field steps

Claims

1. A vehicle (10) comprising a door opening angle measurement device (12), characterized in that- the vehicle (10) comprises a vehicle door system (14) comprising a vehicle door (18) and a vehicle door hinge (16) configured to pivotally connect the vehicle door (18) to a vehicle frame;- the door opening angle measurement device (12) comprises a sensor device (22), configured to provide sensor data (28), which depend on an opening angle (26) of the vehicle door system (14) to a control unit (24) of the door opening angle measurement device (12); and- the control unit (24) is configured to calculate the current opening angle (26) of the vehicle door system (14) as a function of the sensor data (28).

2. The vehicle (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that- the door opening angle measurement device (12) comprises a variable resistor (30), wherein the variable resistor (30) is mechanically connected to the vehicle door hinge (16) such that a current electrical resistance of the variable resistor (30) depends on the current opening angle (26) of the vehicle door system (14); and - the sensor device (22) is configured to measure the current electrical resistance of the variable resistor (30) and to indicate the current electrical resistance of the variable resistor (30) in the sensor data (28).

3. The vehicle (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 2,characterized in that- the door opening angle measurement device (12) comprises a magnet device (32), wherein the door opening angle measurement device (12) is mechanically connected to the vehicle door hinge (16) such that a current rotational position of the sensor device (22) related to the magnet device (32) depends on the current opening angle (26) of the vehicle door system (14); and- the sensor device (22) is configured to measure a magnetic flux density of a magnetic field (34) provided by the magnet device (32) at the current rotational position of the sensor device (22) and to indicate the current magnetic flux density in the sensor data (28).

4. The vehicle (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that- the sensor device (22) is configured to measure a current angular velocity of the vehicle door (18) and to indicate the current angular velocity of the vehicle door (18) in the sensor data (28).

5. The vehicle (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that- the sensor device (22) is configured to measure a current acceleration of the vehicle door (18) and to indicate the current acceleration of the vehicle door (18) in the sensor data (28).

6. Method to operate a vehicle (10) comprising a door opening angle measurement device (12), wherein- the vehicle (10) comprises a vehicle door system (14) comprising a vehicle door (18) and a vehicle door hinge (16) configured to pivotally connect the vehicle (10) door to a vehicle frame;the method comprising the following steps:- providing, by a sensor device (22) of the door opening angle measurement device (12), sensor data (28), which depend on an opening angle (26) of the vehicle door system (14) to a control unit (24) of the door opening angle measurement device (12); and- calculating, by the control unit (24), the current opening angle (26) of the vehicle door system (14) as a function of the sensor data (28).

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