Door lock system

Abstract

To prevent unexpected lock-outs while minimizing an increase in cost due to adding components such as sensors and antennas.SOLUTION: There is provided a door lock system for locking or unlocking a door by controlling a door lock mechanism provided on a vehicle door, the door lock system including a control unit that controls the door lock mechanism based on a lock instruction signal or an unlock instruction signal for the door lock mechanism and also controls a vehicle window, wherein, when the control unit receives an input of the lock instruction signal while the vehicle is in a parked or stopped state, the control unit controls the door lock mechanism to lock the door and controls the vehicle window so as to prohibit an opening or closing operation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a door lock system that controls a door lock mechanism provided in a vehicle door to lock or unlock the door and also controls the opening and closing operation of a window mechanism. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, a technology has become known in which wireless communication is performed between an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) or BCM (Body Control Module) installed in a vehicle and a portable device (e.g., a small communication device that can be used as an electronic key or digital key), and, provided that authentication is successful, the vehicle doors are locked and unlocked based on a signal transmitted from the portable device (e.g., Patent Document 1). Vehicles equipped with this technology are equipped with multiple antennas inside and outside the vehicle, and these antennas are used to determine whether the portable device is inside or outside the vehicle. If the portable device is determined to be inside the vehicle, the door will not be locked even if a locking signal is sent from the portable device, thereby preventing so-called "in-car (key-in)" incidents. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-62622 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, there are various reasons why the vehicle may become locked out, such as when the battery of the portable device is depleted, when the signal from the portable device is not received properly, or when the portable device is mistakenly determined to be outside the vehicle (for example, when the portable device is located near the boundary between the inside and outside of the vehicle, such as next to a window inside the vehicle). When a person is locked out, the door cannot be unlocked unless a spare portable device is available, which poses the problem of requiring time and money to unlock the door, such as by calling roadside assistance. For this reason, it is desirable to prevent lockouts due to various reasons, including not only the anticipated reasons mentioned above, but also pranks and unexpected reasons.

[0005] The present invention addresses this situation by preventing unexpected lockouts while minimizing the cost increase that would otherwise be incurred by adding components such as sensors and antennas. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve such problems, the door lock system according to the present invention has the following configuration. That is, one aspect of the present invention provides a door lock system that controls a door lock mechanism provided on a vehicle door to lock or unlock the door, and includes a control unit that controls the door lock mechanism based on a lock instruction signal or an unlock instruction signal sent to the door lock mechanism and also controls a window of the vehicle, and when the control unit receives an input of a lock instruction signal while the vehicle is parked or stopped, it controls the door lock mechanism to lock the door and controls the window to prohibit opening or closing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] A door lock system having these characteristics can prevent unexpected lock-outs while suppressing increases in costs due to the addition of components such as sensors and antennas. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a door lock system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2]4 is a flowchart showing an example of a control process in the door lock system according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals in different drawings denote parts with the same functions, and duplicated descriptions in each drawing will be omitted as appropriate.

[0010] As shown in FIG. 1, the door lock system of this embodiment functions as part of a vehicle control system 1 installed in a vehicle 100, and controls the locking or unlocking of the doors by controlling a door lock mechanism 5 provided in the door of the vehicle 100, as well as controlling the opening and closing of a power window (window) 6.

[0011] The vehicle control system 1 includes a plurality of sensors that acquire various information indicating the driving state of the vehicle 100 and the environment inside and outside the vehicle, various electronic devices necessary for driving the vehicle 100, and a plurality of ECUs (Electronic Control Units) that control these sensors and electronic devices. With this configuration, the vehicle control system 1 performs various controls necessary to realize and maintain safe driving of the vehicle 100 and convenience and comfort for the occupants.

[0012] The sensors, electronic devices, and ECUs are interconnected so as to be able to communicate with each other via an in-vehicle network 3 such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) or a LIN (Local Interconnect Network) and a central gateway (CGW) 4 serving as a relay device. Note that the vehicle control system 1 shown in Fig. 1 is an example, and the CGW 4 may not be provided, and the ECUs may communicate with each other directly or indirectly.

[0013] In the vehicle control system 1, information acquired by each sensor is output to the in-vehicle network 3, and information indicating the operating state of an electronic device to be controlled (hereinafter referred to as a controlled device) is output from each ECU to the in-vehicle network 3. Furthermore, each ECU controls the operation of the controlled device based on information acquired from each sensor and other ECUs via the in-vehicle network 3.

[0014] Each ECU includes a processor, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), that executes various processes. Each ECU also includes volatile storage elements, such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) that temporarily processes data used by the processor, and non-volatile storage elements, such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores programs executed by the processor.

[0015] 1 illustrates only a door lock ECU 11 as a door lock system and a communication ECU 21 that controls a communication device 7 that communicates with devices outside the vehicle 100, among the multiple ECUs, and does not illustrate other ECUs. In the following description, detailed explanations and illustrations of ECUs, sensors, and electronic devices that are not involved in the function and operation of the door lock ECU 11 will be omitted even if they are included in the vehicle control system 1.

[0016] The door lock ECU 11 and the communication ECU 21 shown in FIG. 1 will be described below. The door lock ECU 11 is connected to an actuator 51 of the door lock mechanism 5, and controls the driving of the actuator 51 to lock or unlock the door on which the door lock mechanism 5 is provided. That is, the door lock ECU 11 controls the door lock mechanism 5 to drive the actuator 51 and lock or unlock the doors in accordance with a lock instruction signal or an unlock instruction signal based on an operation of a switch provided in the passenger compartment of the vehicle 100 or a lock instruction signal or an unlock instruction signal based on a signal transmitted from the portable device K. The door lock ECU 11 can control the door lock mechanism 5 provided in each of the multiple doors of the vehicle 100 for each door.

[0017] The door lock ECU 11 is also connected to a PW motor 61 of the power window 6, and controls the driving of the PW motor 61 to open and close the power window 6. That is, the door lock ECU 11 drives the PW motor 61 in accordance with an open instruction signal or a close instruction signal based on the operation of a switch provided inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle 100, or an open instruction signal or a close instruction signal based on a signal emitted from the portable device K, thereby controlling the opening and closing of the power window 6.

[0018] As will be described later, when the door lock ECU 11 locks the doors in accordance with a lock instruction signal sent to the door lock mechanism 5, the door lock ECU 11 controls the opening and closing of the power windows 6. The door lock ECU 11 can control the power windows 6 provided in each of the multiple doors of the vehicle 100 on a door-by-door basis.

[0019] Here, the portable device K can be, for example, a portable and compact communication device (including general-purpose communication devices such as smartphones and smartwatches) capable of measuring distance and position by short-range wireless communication such as UWB (Ultra Wideband) or Bluetooth (registered trademark), particularly BLE (Bluetooth Long Energy). By installing a predetermined application in the portable device K in advance, the portable device K can function as a so-called digital key. Alternatively, the portable device K can be a dedicated electronic key configured to be able to communicate with the vehicle 100.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1, the door lock ECU 11 includes a CPU 111, a ROM 112, a RAM 113, and an I / F 114, and controls the door lock mechanism 5 and the power window 6 by the CPU 111 executing various processes based on programs stored in the ROM 112.

[0021] The ROM 112 provided as a non-volatile storage element stores a control program for authenticating the portable device K and controlling the door lock mechanism 5, as well as various data required to execute this program. The various data includes unique ID information (vehicle side ID) for identifying the vehicle 100 (door lock ECU 11) and ID information (device ID) for specifying the portable device K, and is used to authenticate the portable device K.

[0022] The RAM 113, which is provided as a volatile storage element, is used as a work area when the CPU 111 executes various processes. Therefore, various pieces of information output from the ECUs and sensors on the in-vehicle network 3 are temporarily stored in the RAM 113 as needed.

[0023] The CPU 111 controls the door lock mechanism 5 based on a signal received from the portable device K by loading a program stored in the ROM 112 into a memory such as a RAM 113 and executing the program.

[0024] The I / F 114 controls input and output of various information and control signals used in the door lock ECU 11. That is, the I / F 114 receives input of various information output from each ECU and each sensor of the vehicle control system 1 to the in-vehicle network 3, and outputs control signals generated in the CPU 111 to an output destination according to the control content.

[0025] Specifically, the I / F 114 receives an input of a lock instruction signal or an unlock instruction signal from the in-vehicle network 3. That is, the I / F 114 receives an input of a lock instruction signal or an unlock instruction signal transmitted from the portable device K via the communication ECU 21 and the in-vehicle network 3. The I / F 114 also receives an input of a lock instruction signal or an unlock instruction signal based on an operation on a switch provided in the vehicle compartment via an ECU (not shown) that controls the switch and the in-vehicle network 3.

[0026] When the door lock ECU 11 receives a lock instruction signal or an unlock instruction signal transmitted from the portable device K, it is necessary to authenticate the portable device K that transmitted the lock instruction signal or the unlock instruction signal and the vehicle 100. Therefore, when the I / F 114 receives an input of a signal transmitted from the portable device K and received by the communication device 7 during this authentication, it outputs a signal (including the vehicle side ID) to be transmitted from the communication device 7 to the portable device K to the in-vehicle network 3.

[0027] The I / F 114 may be configured to enable wireless communication, so that signals can be sent and received directly between the door lock ECU 11 and the portable device K. When a door provided with the door lock mechanism 5 is locked or unlocked, the I / F 114 outputs a control signal for driving the actuator 51 to the door lock mechanism 5. Similarly, when the power window 6 is opened or closed, the I / F 114 outputs a control signal for driving the PW motor 61 to the power window 6.

[0028] The communication ECU 21 is connected to the communication device 7 and controls the transmission and reception of signals in the communication device 7. The communication device 7 includes a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna (not shown), and transmits a predetermined signal to the portable device K and receives a signal emitted from the portable device K.

[0029] When the door lock ECU 11 authenticates the portable device K, the communication ECU 21 receives a signal (including a device ID) transmitted from the portable device K at the communication device 7, and outputs the signal to the door lock ECU 11 via the communication ECU 21. The communication ECU 21 also obtains information necessary for authentication, including a vehicle-side ID, from the door lock ECU 11, and causes the communication device 7 to transmit a signal including the information to the portable device K.

[0030] An example of the control process for the door lock mechanism 5 and the power window 6 in the door lock ECU 11 configured as above will be described below with reference to the flowchart in Fig. 2. The flowchart shown in Fig. 2 shows the process when the vehicle 100 is parked or stopped, and the series of processes from "START" to "END" are repeated at a predetermined cycle (time interval) from when the vehicle 100 is parked or stopped until the engine is stopped or the ignition switch is turned off and the vehicle enters a sleep state.

[0031] In the door lock ECU 11, when the I / F 114 receives a lock instruction signal via the communication ECU 21 (YES in step S11), if the received lock instruction signal is received from the portable device K, it is checked whether the portable device K has been authenticated, i.e., whether the authentication process has already been completed (step S12).

[0032] If the portable device K has been authenticated (YES in step S12), the actuator 51 of the door lock mechanism 5 is driven in accordance with the lock instruction signal to lock the doors of the vehicle 100 (step S15). On the other hand, if the portable device K has not been authenticated (NO in step S12), an authentication process is performed (step S13), and after a predetermined time has elapsed, it is confirmed whether the authentication of the portable device K has been established by this authentication process (step S14).

[0033] When the door lock ECU 11 confirms that the portable device K has been authenticated (YES in step S14), it drives the actuator 51 of the door lock mechanism 5 in accordance with the lock instruction signal to lock the doors (step S15). If the portable device K has not been authenticated after a predetermined time has elapsed (NO in step S14), the process ends without locking the doors. Note that, in step S11, if the lock instruction signal received by the I / F 114 is based on an operation on a switch inside the vehicle compartment, the process proceeds to step S15 without performing the processes from step S12 to step S14, and the actuator 51 of the door lock mechanism 5 is driven to lock the doors of the vehicle 100 (step S15).

[0034] After the doors are locked (step S15), the door lock ECU 11 checks whether the power window 6 is in the opening / closing operation, i.e., whether the PW motor 61 is being driven (step S16). If the power window 6 is not in the opening / closing operation (NO in step S16), the door lock ECU 11 prohibits further opening / closing operations regardless of the opening / closing state of the power window 6 (step S17), and ends this process.

[0035] That is, even if the door lock ECU 11 receives an open instruction signal or a close instruction signal for the power window 6, it does not drive the PW motor 61 and does not open or close the power window 6. On the other hand, if the power window 6 is in the process of opening or closing, it stops driving the PW motor 61 to stop the opening or closing operation of the power window 6 (step S18), and then ends this process.

[0036] As described above, according to this embodiment, when the vehicle 100 is parked and stopped, if a lock instruction signal is input to the door lock mechanism 5, the doors are locked and the opening / closing operation of the power window 6 is prohibited or stopped. Therefore, for example, if the power window 6 is open when the doors are locked, this open state can be maintained.

[0037] Incidentally, when the engine of the vehicle 100 is stopped or the ignition switch is turned off, the vehicle enters a sleep state after a predetermined time has elapsed, and power to drive the PW motor 61 is no longer supplied, making it impossible to open or close the power window 6. Conversely, even after the engine is stopped or the ignition switch is turned off, the power window 6 can be opened or closed based on an opening instruction signal or a closing instruction signal sent to the power window 6, as long as the sleep state is not yet entered.

[0038] For example, in the vehicle 100, if the engine is stopped or the ignition switch is turned off with the power window 6 open and an operation to close the power window 6 is performed before the vehicle goes into sleep mode, the power window 6 will move in the closing direction. If during this time, someone throws the portable device K into the vehicle 100 out of curiosity or mischief, or accidentally drops the portable device K into the vehicle 100, the door will be locked and the vehicle will become "locked out."

[0039] In contrast, in this embodiment, when the door is locked with the power window 6 open, the opening and closing operation of the power window 6 is prohibited or stopped, so that the power window 6 is maintained in the open state and the "lock-out" state does not occur.

[0040] As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to prevent lock-out due to unexpected reasons such as mischief, curiosity, carelessness, etc., without adding components such as sensors or antennas. In other words, it is possible to prevent lock-out due to unexpected reasons while suppressing the increase in costs due to the addition of components such as sensors or antennas.

[0041] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configurations are not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention also includes design changes within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments can be combined by utilizing each other's technologies as long as there are no particular contradictions or problems in their purposes, configurations, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 1: Vehicle control system, 3: In-vehicle network, 4: CGW, 5: Door lock mechanism 6: Power window (window), 7: Communication device, 11: Door lock ECU 21: Communication ECU, 51: Actuator, 61: PW motor, 100: Vehicle 111: CPU, 112: ROM, 113: RAM, 114: I / F, K: Portable device

Claims

1. A door lock system that controls a door lock mechanism provided in a vehicle door to lock or unlock the door, a control unit that controls the door lock mechanism based on a lock instruction signal or an unlock instruction signal for the door lock mechanism and also controls a window of the vehicle; The control unit When the vehicle is parked and stopped, and a lock instruction signal is received, A door lock system that controls the door lock mechanism to lock the door and prohibit the opening and closing of the window.

2. The control unit When the vehicle is parked and stopped, if a lock instruction signal is received during the opening or closing operation of the window, 2. The door lock system according to claim 1, wherein the door lock mechanism is controlled to lock the door and to stop the opening and closing operation of the window.

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