Method for driving and controlling a motor-driven flap device of a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling a motor-driven flap device (1) of a motor vehicle (2), in which a control device (3) for controlling a motor-driven drive device (4) associated with the flap device (1) and a distance sensor (5) connected to the control device (3) are provided, with the aid of which a sensor signal (S) is detected in order to identify a user action performed by a user (B) of the motor vehicle (2), with the aid of the control device (3) an evaluation routine is performed in order to identify a predefined user action, and with the aid of the control device (3) an evaluation routine is performed in order to identify a predefined user action, and with the aid of the control device (3) an evaluation routine is performed in a predefined charging mode in which the evaluation of the sensor signal (S) is changed from an evaluation suitable for normal operation if predefined charging criteria are met which are representative of a charging process of an energy accumulator outside the motor vehicle (2).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for driving and controlling a motor-driven flap device of a motor vehicle as described in the upper concept of claim 1, a control device for implementing such a method as described in claim 13, and a flap device equipped with such a control device as described in claim 14.

Background Art

[0002] The flap device in question has a flap. The flap can be any locking element of the motor vehicle. This includes the tailgate, trunk lid, front bonnet, especially the engine bonnet, doors, especially side doors or tailgates or the like. The flap can be arranged on the motor vehicle body so as to be rotatable or longitudinally slidable.

[0003] In the known method (German Patent Application Publication No. 102017129151) from which the present invention starts, the operation of the flap device is performed by a preset user action in the form of a user gesture. The user gesture is, for example, a preset foot movement of the user. For this purpose, a distance sensor is used to detect the movement of the user. The control device is responsible for evaluating the sensor signal detected using the distance sensor. Based on the sensor data, as soon as a preset foot movement is identified, as a result, the drive control of the flap device is performed, in particular, the release of the motor drive of the corresponding flap is carried out.

[0004] Basically, in order to avoid incorrect triggers for position changes by the motor, preprocessing of the sensor signal can be performed, and by this preprocessing, periodic interference signals, for example, are reduced via a prefilter. What is important here is to reduce the disturbing influence on the identification of user actions, so that even relatively strong interference signals do not cause unintentional triggers for position changes by the motor. Particularly relevant here are interference signals in the vicinity of wireless transmitters, such as broadcast masts and the like, and these operations have a significant impact on the sensor signals of the distance sensor.

[0005] However, the problem is further that, particularly in the field of electric vehicles, due to the generally use of high-performance electronic devices, the disturbing influence on the distance sensor generally causes further operational disturbances.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The underlying problem of the present invention is to configure and develop known methods so that the reliability of the identification of user actions is further guaranteed.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The above problem is solved by the characteristic configuration of the characterizing part of claim 1 in the method described in the generic concept of claim 1.

[0008] The knowledge underlying the present invention is that in the field of electric vehicles, during the charging process of the energy accumulator provided for the electric drive unit, a significant disturbing influence occurs on the distance sensor.

[0009] Essentially, the idea is that the risk of an incorrect trigger, which is basically wrong, can be reduced by applying the pre-filter mentioned at the beginning. However, in contrast, especially in the DC charging station provided for rapid charging of the energy accumulator, due to the interference effect, the operation actions performed by the user can no longer be identified by the sensor signal, so in many situations, the position change by the motor can no longer be reliably triggered.

[0010] Specifically, it is proposed that in a preset charging mode where the evaluation of the sensor signal is changed from the evaluation suitable for normal operation when the preset charging determination criteria representing the charging process outside the vehicle of the energy accumulator are met, an evaluation routine is performed.

[0011] Thereby, according to the proposed solution, the effect of the interference during the charging process can be reduced as expected, thereby improving the reliability of the identification of user actions.

[0012] Regarding the interfering influence on the sensor signal during the charging process, various different deformation forms can be considered to change the evaluation. In a particularly preferred embodiment described in claim 2, the evaluation of the sensor signal in the charging mode is performed by applying it to the sensor signal of a filter provided in advance to suppress the interfering influence in the evaluation routine. Here, this filter can be specifically configured according to the presence of the charging process and can be so-called switched on according to the charging mode of the evaluation of the sensor signal. The identification of user actions is performed on such filtered sensor signals.

[0013] In a particularly preferred embodiment according to claim 3, the preset charging determination criterion represents the characteristic time course of the disturbing influence exerted by an external charging process on the sensor signal, and the control device is configured to monitor whether the time course of the sensor signal meets the charging determination criterion. What is important in this case is the idea that the charging process of the energy accumulator can be identified in the characteristic time course of the sensor signal itself, for example, in the temporal sequence of disturbing signals or the like caused by the charging station. Correspondingly, the control device is used, and by means of control technology, the charging process can be easily identified.

[0014] Claims 4 and 5 relate to preferred embodiments configured to identify a charging process, which may include sub-determination criteria particularly associated with amplitude values and frequency values.

[0015] In a particularly preferred embodiment according to claim 6, the filter provided in advance to suppress the disturbing influence is provided depending on the time course of the sensor signal when the charging determination criterion is met. Therefore, for example, the time course characteristic of the charging process is not only used to identify the charging process itself, but the filter can be adapted to the disturbing influence inherent in each charging process. A particularly highly operationally safe variant is to set the filter based on the classification of the charging process as described in claim 8.

[0016] In the embodiment according to claim 7, the filter provided in advance to suppress the disturbing influence can suppress the disturbing influence on the sensor signal depending on a statistical quantity, such as variance, etc. Thereby, for example, outside the area of user actions, the time course of the sensor signal can be smoothed.

[0017] Furthermore, according to claim 8, in an advantageous embodiment, in the charging mode, the discrimination criteria used in the evaluation routine are changed, thereby ensuring reliable discrimination of user actions. The adaptation of the discrimination criteria can be performed independently of or additionally to the application of the above-described filter in the charging mode.

[0018] Furthermore, the identification of the charging process via the control device of the motor vehicle, for example via communication with a charging station, is also conceivable, and this is considered in the embodiment according to claim 10. Here, the charging determination criteria can be defined by the presence of a charging state signal.

[0019] According to another important independent teaching according to claim 13, the above-described control device configured to implement the proposed method is claimed as such. See all explanations regarding the proposed method.

[0020] According to another important independent teaching according to claim 14, the above-described flap device underlying the implementation of the proposed method is claimed as such. Also in this regard, see the explanations regarding the proposed method.

[0021] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings showing only one example.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] Regarding the method proposed for the operation of the motor-driven flap device 1 of the motor vehicle 2 shown in FIG. 1. The motor vehicle 2 is equipped with a central rechargeable electrical energy accumulator, which is also preferably used in this figure to supply power to the electric drive train. In particular, the motor vehicle is an electric vehicle and is driven only via the electric drive train.

[0024] The control device 3 is used for the drive control of the motor-driven, preferably electric drive device 4 associated with the flap device 1. In the illustrated and preferred embodiment in this regard, the drive device 4 is arranged laterally to the flap device 1, and the drive device is also preferably a spindle drive in this figure.

[0025] A distance sensor 5 is connected to the control device 3. Using the distance sensor 5, a sensor signal S is detected to identify user actions performed by the user B of the motor vehicle 2. Also preferably in this embodiment, the distance sensor 5 is a capacitive distance sensor. Such a capacitive distance sensor preferably has at least one electrode extending laterally to the motor vehicle 2, for example. The detected sensor signal S represents, in this embodiment, distance information based on a capacitive measurement between the distance sensor 5 and the user B, where the sensor signal S enables, preferably, the quantification of the distance. In this embodiment, the movement of the user performed by the user B of the motor vehicle 2 can be identified using the distance sensor 5. In addition to the capacitive sensor, another sensor for calculating the distance information, for example a radar sensor or the like, is conceivable.

[0026] In the evaluation routine, the sensor signal S is evaluated using the control device 3 to identify a preset user action. The preset user action is preferably, as shown in FIG. 1, a preset user gesture G, which in this embodiment is the movement of the user using a body part of user B. Preferably, the preset user gesture G is the movement of the foot of user B, in particular a kicking movement. According to an embodiment not shown, the user action can also be performed in the area of the door grip of the motor vehicle 2, and the distance sensor 5 is provided on the door grip or in the area of the door grip. The user action can be, for example, the approach of the hand of user B to the door grip, or a preset user gesture, such as a wiping movement or the like.

[0027] In order to identify a user action, in this embodiment a user gesture G, user action criteria can be provided. In the evaluation routine, in this embodiment using the control device 3, it is checked whether the sensor signal S meets the user gesture criteria. Depending on the result of the check, for example, the detected user action is rejected as invalid or determined to be a valid user action. In the first-mentioned case, the drive control of the drive device 4 is not consequently carried out. In the second-mentioned case, the drive device 4 is drive-controlled using the control device 3, whereby, in this embodiment, a position change by the motor of the flap device 1 is carried out.

[0028] What is important here is that, in a preset charging mode in which the evaluation of the sensor signal S is changed from an evaluation suitable for normal operation when a preset charging criterion representing the charging process outside the motor vehicle 2 of the energy accumulator is met, the evaluation routine is carried out.

[0029] By changing the evaluation, in the charging mode, user actions will likewise continue to be identified with high reliability. Unlike means such as a prefilter to suppress false triggers, in this embodiment, the evaluation routine is changed so that a similarly high identification probability can be maintained despite interfering effects.

[0030] The external charging process is understood to be a charging process that is at least partly carried out via a charging device external to the motor vehicle 2, in this embodiment by a charging station 6 connected to the motor vehicle 2.

[0031] The evaluation of the sensor signal S in the charging mode is preferably carried out in an evaluation routine by applying a filter provided in advance to suppress interfering effects to the sensor signal S. In this case, the filter provided in advance can be specifically adapted to the requirements for improving the identification probability in the charging process.

[0032] In this embodiment, it is also preferably configured such that the preset charging determination criterion represents the characteristic time course of the interfering effect exerted by the external charging process on the sensor signal S and, using the control device 3, the time course of the sensor signal S is monitored as to whether it meets the charging determination criterion.

[0033] Here, the time course is understood to be a sequence of a plurality of sensor signals S that are temporally continuous. Thus, the monitoring of the charging determination criterion does not only include the instantaneous value of the sensor signal S. An exemplary time course of the sensor signal S associated with the start of the external charging process is shown in FIG. 2.

[0034] In this figure, the characteristic time course of the disturbing influence on the external charging process is due to the operation of the charging station 6 and can vary, for example, depending on the type of the charging station 6 and the relative arrangement between the charging station 6 and the distance sensor 5. The disturbing influence can, in some cases, be solely due to the operation of the power electronics of the charging station 6 and the resulting disturbing radiation acting on the distance sensor 5. Other causes can also be considered for the interaction between the external charging process and the sensor signal S of the distance sensor 5.

[0035] In the time course of the sensor signal S shown in FIG. 2, the drive control via the charging station 6 starts at time t0, and this drive control causes an obvious disturbing influence on the sensor signal S by the initialization step of the charging process until time t1, and this disturbing influence can be identified by the large fluctuations in the amplitude of the sensor signal S. This is followed by a period from t1 to t2 with a small disturbing influence. Finally, after time t2, the actual charging process starts, and this charging process also causes large fluctuations in the amplitude of the sensor signal S here.

[0036] As already described, this is an exemplary course of the sensor signal S as can be observed at the charging station 6. Other characteristics of the time course are also conceivable. However, it is clear from FIG. 2 that although the instantaneous value of the sensor signal S can indeed have fluctuations in the charging process, these fluctuations can also occur in a similar shape in other disturbing influences, such as those from a broadcast transmitter, etc. However, this time course at the initialization of the charging process here is characteristic of the start of the charging process.

[0037] Furthermore, FIG. 2 also shows the time course of the sensor signal S' filtered by a filter provided in advance to suppress the disturbing influence. Here, the aim is to significantly suppress the disturbing influence without substantially changing the sensor signal S observed by the operation action. Preferably, the filter set in advance to suppress the disturbing influence is configured in combination with at least one pre-filter configured to be suitable for at least one normal operation, and is particularly configured in a cascade connection. This filter may, for example, be subordinate to the pre-filter in the charging mode. Various deformation forms are conceivable for the pre-filter, such as low-pass, high-pass, and combinations thereof, and particularly adaptive (noise) filters. The pre-filter provided to suppress false triggers, for example, an adaptive noise filter, may also be considered to be changed or switched off in the charging mode to suppress broadcast signals.

[0038] The charging determination criterion preferably includes at least one sub-determination criterion targeting the amplitude value of the time course of the sensor signal S and / or at least one sub-determination criterion targeting the frequency value of the time course of the sensor signal S. Therefore, in the exemplary time course of FIG. 2, the characteristic disturbing influence present in this figure can be easily detected, for example, through the temporal sequence of large fluctuations (t0 to t1), slight fluctuations (t1 to t2), large fluctuations (after t2) for the amplitude, and / or through the sequence in the corresponding frequency domain.

[0039] According to another embodiment, the sub - determination criterion for the amplitude value is particularly related to the moving average of the time course of the sensor signal S. Here, various deformation forms can be considered according to the disturbing influence of the external charging process. In the time course shown in FIG. 2, for example, the time displacement of the average value of the amplitude value is observed. In this figure, the average value, especially the moving arithmetic average μ0 before the charging process (before t0), is clearly different from the average value μ1 after the start of the charging process (after t2), which can also be caused here by the disturbing influence characteristic of the charging process. Preferably, this sub - determination criterion can be determined by the average value of the time course of the sensor signal S exceeding a preset time displacement.

[0040] According to another particularly preferred embodiment, the transfer function of the filter provided in advance to suppress the disturbing influence can be set in advance depending on the time course of the sensor signal S when the charging determination criterion is satisfied, using the control device 3. What can be considered here is to store a plurality of preset filter configurations in the control device 3 and select one or more filters according to the observed time course for the charging mode. Preferably, in an embodiment that can be implemented particularly easily, the transfer function is set in advance according to satisfying the sub - determination criterion for the amplitude value and / or the frequency value of the time course of the sensor signal S.

[0041] The filter provided in advance to suppress the disturbing influence may particularly include a band - pass filter and / or a non - linear filter. For example, the frequency characteristics of the band - pass filter are set according to satisfying the sub - determination criterion related to the frequency value.

[0042] By means of a pre-provided filter, it is possible to suppress the disturbing influence on the sensor signal S depending on a statistical quantity characteristic of the user action in the sensor signal S, in particular the time variance, the standard deviation or the like. Here, by means of the pre-provided filter, the suppression of the disturbing influence is performed on the sensor signal S having a statistical quantity, in particular a time variance, that is below a pre-set threshold value. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the sensor signal S having a slight variance is smoothed, while the sensor signal S having a variance exceeding the threshold value is slightly attenuated or not attenuated. FIG. 2 exemplarily shows the course of the sensor signal S due to the user action at time point t3. For example, the variance occurring in the period t0 to t1 is used, whereby a threshold value for the variance is determined that is appropriate for the subsequent suppression of the disturbing influence. Furthermore, it is conceivable to provide another filter, for example one or more low-pass filters, for the sensor signal S having a statistical quantity exceeding the threshold value.

[0043] As already described above, in the evaluation routine, the sensor signal S is monitored to identify whether a pre-set user action satisfies a pre-set identification criterion that here includes the user action determination criterion. Depending on whether the identification criterion is satisfied, the pre-set user action is considered to be identified. According to another embodiment, in order to suppress the disturbing influence, it is configured to change the identification criterion in the charging mode from the identification criterion suitable for the normal operation. According to this embodiment, the identification of the user action is adapted to the boundary conditions in the charging process, whereby a high identification probability is ensured.

[0044] According to another advantageous embodiment, when the charging determination criterion is satisfied, the control device 3 is used to classify the charging process based on the passage of time of the sensor signal S. For example, different types of configurations of the charging station 6, for example, different classes of the charging process are set, and the control device 3 classifies the current charging process into one of the classes. Depending on the classification of the charging process, the evaluation of the sensor signal S in the charging mode is changed. Preferably, depending on the classification, a filter provided in advance to suppress disturbing influences is set. In this embodiment or preferably, different filter types are configured for different classes, whereby the filter can be formed specifically for each type of the charging station 6, for example.

[0045] According to another embodiment not shown herein, the control device of the motor vehicle 2, preferably the central motor vehicle control unit, is used to transmit a charging state signal to the control device 3 along with an external charging process. The control device is communicable with the charging station 6, for example, to identify the charging process. Similarly, the control device can estimate the charging process based on the operation of the charging device of the motor vehicle 2 and / or the charging state of the energy accumulator. Here, the charging state signal is transmitted to the control device 3 via the local communication network of the motor vehicle 2, preferably the LIN bus. Preferably, at least in part, the charging determination criterion is defined by the presence of the charging state signal in the control device 3. Thereby, in one embodiment, the charging mode can be triggered by the control device.

[0046] It is also possible to perform a validity check via the charging state signal for the identification of the charging process based on the passage of time of the sensor signal S. For example, the charging mode is entered only when a charging state signal is present in addition to the identification of the charging process based on the passage of time of the sensor signal S. For example, when the charging determination criterion is satisfied, it is also possible to query the charging state signal using the control device 3.

[0047] However, according to an alternative embodiment, the proposed method is carried out without such a state of charge signal, whereby the control device 3 identifies the charging process itself based on the sensor signal S. This makes it possible to dispense with the adaptation of the control device of the motor vehicle 2 and the communication network.

[0048] In this embodiment, the external charging process is preferably also carried out using a DC charging station, for which it has become apparent that disturbing influences are particularly significant. Using the DC charging station, high-speed charging of the energy accumulator is carried out, in particular with a power of more than 22 kW, for example. However, a charging process using an AC charging station is likewise conceivable.

[0049] In this embodiment, the flap device 1 is preferably also moved between the closed position shown in FIG. 1 and an open position (not shown) by changing the position of the flap device 1 by means of the motor. Here, the drive device of the flap 7 is associated with the flap device 1. For possible embodiments of the flap 7, reference is made to the introductory explanation. It is likewise conceivable to adjust another element of the flap device 1 in a motor-driven manner depending on the identification of the user gesture. An example of this is the change in the position of the window glass when the flap 7 is opened with respect to frameless window glass, where such a change in position is triggered here by an interval sensor 5 in or on the door grip.

[0050] According to another teaching, which is independently important, the control device 3, which is configured to carry out the proposed method, is claimed as such. In a particularly preferred embodiment, software designed to carry out the proposed method operates on the control device 3. For all explanations regarding the proposed method, reference is made thereto.

[0051] According to another equally independently important teaching, the flap device 1 is claimed as such, and the flap device 1 preferably has a drive device 4 associated with the flap 7 and the proposed control device 3. In this regard, reference is also made to all the explanations regarding the proposed method.

Claims

1. A method for driving and controlling a motor-driven flap device (1) of a motor vehicle (2), wherein the motor vehicle is equipped with a central rechargeable electrical energy storage device, and a control device (3) for driving and controlling a motor-driven drive device (4) associated with the motor-driven flap device (1), and an interval sensor (5) connected to the control device (3) are provided, and the sensor signal (S) is detected by using the interval sensor (5) to identify a user action performed by a user (B) of the motor vehicle (2), in the evaluation routine, the sensor signal (S) is evaluated by using the control device (3) to identify a preset user action, and the motor-driven drive device (4) is driven and controlled by using the control device (3) according to the identification of the preset user action. In the method, when a preset charge determination criterion representing a charging process outside the motor vehicle (2) of the electrical energy storage device is satisfied, the evaluation of the sensor signal (S) is changed from an evaluation suitable for normal operation, and the evaluation routine is performed by using the control device (3) in a preset charging mode, which is characterized in that the method.

2. In the evaluation routine, a filter provided in advance to suppress disturbing influences is applied to the sensor signal (S) to perform the evaluation of the sensor signal (S) in the charging mode, which is characterized in that the method according to claim 1.

3. The preset charge determination criterion represents a characteristic time course of the disturbing influence exerted by the external charging process on the sensor signal, and the control device (3) is used to monitor whether the time course of the sensor signal (S) satisfies the charge determination criterion, which is characterized in that the method according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The charge determination criterion includes at least one sub-determination criterion for the amplitude value of the time course of the sensor signal (S) and / or at least one sub-determination criterion for the frequency value of the time course of the sensor signal (S), which is characterized in that the method according to claim 3.

5. The sub-determination criterion for the amplitude value is particularly related to the moving average of the time course of the sensor signal (S), which is characterized in that the method according to claim 4.

6. Using the control device (3), the transfer function of a filter provided in advance to suppress disturbing influences is set in advance depending on the passage of time of the sensor signal (S) when the charging determination criteria are satisfied. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 5.

7. A filter provided in advance to suppress disturbing influences suppresses the disturbing influence on the sensor signal (S) depending on a statistic characteristic of the user action, particularly the time variance, of the sensor signal (S). The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. In the evaluation routine, the sensor signal (S) is monitored to identify whether a preset user action satisfies preset identification determination criteria, and when the identification determination criteria are satisfied, the preset user action is regarded as identified, and the identification determination criteria in the charging mode are changed from the identification determination criteria suitable for normal operation. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. When the charging determination criteria are satisfied, using the control device (3), the charging process is classified based on the passage of time of the sensor signal (S), and the evaluation of the sensor signal (S) in the charging mode is changed according to the classification of the charging process. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. Using the control device of the motor vehicle (2), a charging state signal is transmitted to the control device (3) along with the external charging process of the control device (3), and at least partially, the charging determination criteria are determined by the presence of the charging state signal in the control device (3). The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. Performing the external charging process using a DC charging station (6). The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. Moving the motor-driven flap device (1) between a closed position and an open position by changing the position of the motor of the motor-driven flap device (1). The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. A control device (3) for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. A flap device having a flap (7), wherein the motor-driven flap device (1) has a drive device (4) and a control device (3) according to claim 13, flap device.

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