Door opening and closing device

Abstract

To provide a door opening / closing device and a door opening / closing method that can open and close the back door based on user gestures.SOLUTION: A door opening / closing device includes: a back camera 113 capable of capturing images of a back area Ab behind the vehicle when a back door 43 is positioned in a completely closed position while being unable to capture images of the back area Ab when the back door 43 is positioned in a fully open position; a side camera 112 capable of capturing images of a side area As that is different from the back area Ab regardless of the position of the back door 43; a gesture determining unit that determines whether or not a user has performed a gesture based on the images captured by the cameras 112, 113; and a door control unit that opens the back door 43 when it is determined that the user has performed a gesture in the back area Ab and closes the back door 43 when it is determined that the user has performed a gesture in the side area As.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a door opening and closing device Place .

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a vehicle including a vehicle body provided with an opening, a vehicle gate for opening and closing the opening, a gate actuator for driving the vehicle gate, a camera installed on the vehicle gate, and a door opening and closing device for controlling the gate actuator. The door opening and closing device causes the vehicle gate to open based on an image of the rear of the vehicle captured by the camera when it is determined that the user has performed a predetermined gesture

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003] [[ID=并]]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the door opening and closing device as described above, when the vehicle gate is in the fully closed position, the camera can capture the area behind the vehicle where the user performs the gesture, but when the vehicle gate is in the fully open position, the camera cannot capture the area. That is, the door opening and closing device can open the vehicle gate based on the user's gesture, but cannot close it

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] Hereinafter, the means for solving the above problems and their effects will be described A door opening and closing device that solves the above problems is a door opening and closing device applied to a vehicle having a vehicle body having a rear opening that opens to the rear, a back door that opens and closes the rear opening, and a back door drive unit that drives the back door, comprising: a first camera that can photograph a first area at the rear of the vehicle when the back door is in the fully closed position, but cannot photograph the first area when the back door is in the fully open position; a second camera that can photograph a second area different from the first area regardless of the position of the back door; a gesture determination unit that determines whether or not the user has performed a gesture based on images taken by the first camera and the second camera; and a door control unit that opens the back door when it is determined that the user has performed the gesture in the first area, and closes the back door when it is determined that the user has performed the gesture in the second area.

[0006] The door opening / closing device determines whether to open the back door based on whether the user performs a gesture within the first area, which is the shooting area of ​​the first camera. The door opening / closing device also determines whether to close the back door based on whether the user performs a gesture within the second area, which is the shooting area of ​​the second camera. Therefore, even when the back door is in the fully open position, or in other words, when the first camera cannot capture the first area, the door opening / closing device can close the back door based on the user's gesture.

[0007] In a vehicle door opening and closing device, the second area preferably includes a first side area adjacent to the vehicle in the vehicle width direction, and a second side area adjacent to the first side area in the vehicle longitudinal direction and located further rearward than the first side area.

[0008] To perform the gesture required to close the back door, the user needs to move from the first area to the second area. In this respect, in the above configuration, the second area, including the second side area, can be considered an area close to the first area. Therefore, the door opening and closing device can reduce the amount of movement the user needs to make from the first area to the second area.

[0009] In a vehicle door opening and closing device, it is preferable that the gesture determination unit designates the user who possesses a portable device linked to the vehicle as the target user for gesture determination. The door opening and closing device can prevent the back door from being opened or closed based on gestures made by a user unrelated to the vehicle.

[0010] The vehicle door opening and closing device includes a boarding determination unit that determines whether or not the user has boarded the vehicle, and the door control unit preferably closes the back door when the back door is in the fully open position and it is determined that the user has boarded the vehicle without it being determined that the user performed the gesture within the second area.

[0011] The door opening and closing device can close the tailgate automatically when the user enters the vehicle, without requiring the user to perform a gesture to close the tailgate. Therefore, the door opening and closing device can improve user convenience.

[0012] The vehicle body has a side opening on the side, and the vehicle comprises a side door that opens and closes the side opening, and a side door drive unit that drives the side door, wherein the door control unit operates the side door to open or close when it is determined that the user has performed the gesture in the second area, and preferably the gesture for closing the back door is different from the gesture for opening and closing the side door.

[0013] In a door opening and closing device, the gesture for closing the back door is different from the gesture for opening and closing the side doors. Therefore, the door opening and closing device can prevent the side doors from opening or closing when the user performs a gesture to close the back door. Similarly, the door opening and closing device can prevent the back door from closing when the user performs a gesture to open or close the side doors.

[0014] A door opening and closing method that solves the above problems is a door opening and closing method applicable to a vehicle comprising: a vehicle body having a rear opening that opens to the rear; a back door that opens and closes the rear opening; a back door drive unit that drives the back door; a first camera that can photograph a first area behind the vehicle when the back door is in the fully closed position, but cannot photograph the first area when the back door is in the fully open position; and a second camera that can photograph a second area different from the first area regardless of the position of the back door, the method comprising: a gesture determination step of determining whether or not the user has performed a gesture based on images taken by the first camera and the second camera; a door control step of opening the back door when it is determined that the user has performed the gesture in the first area, and closing the back door when it is determined that the user has performed the gesture in the second area.

[0015] The door opening and closing method can achieve the same effects as the door opening and closing device described above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] The door opening and closing device and door opening and closing method can open and close the back door based on user gestures. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a side view showing the schematic configuration of the vehicle. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a plan view showing the schematic configuration of the vehicle. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of a vehicle. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining a process flow executed by a door control device to open and close a sliding door and a back door. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining a process flow for determining an opening operation of a sliding door. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a process flow for determining a closing operation of a sliding door. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining a process flow for determining an opening operation of a back door. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining a process flow for determining a closing operation of a back door.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a vehicle related to the door opening and closing device 100 and the door opening and closing method will be described. In the following description, the vehicle front-rear direction, the vehicle width direction, and the vehicle up-down direction are simply referred to as the front-rear direction, the width direction, and the up-down direction.

[0019] <Configuration of the Present Embodiment> As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle 10 includes a vehicle body 20, a seat 30, a front door 41, a sliding door 42, a back door 43, a sliding door drive unit 51, and a back door drive unit 52. As shown in FIG. 3, the vehicle 10 includes a wireless communication device 60 and a door opening and closing device 100. Among the components of the vehicle 10, the front door 41, the sliding door 42, and the sliding door drive unit 51 are provided one by one on the right side and the left side of the vehicle 10. In order to omit redundant explanations, in the following description, the components on one side will be described.

[0020] <Vehicle Body 20> As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle body 20 has a first side opening 21 and a second side opening 22 that open to the side, and a rear opening 23 that opens to the rear. The first side opening 21 is located in front of the second side opening 22. There is one first side opening 21 and one second side opening 22 on the right and left sides of the vehicle 10. To avoid redundant explanations, the following description will focus on the components of one side only.

[0021] <30 seats> As shown in Figure 2, the multiple seats 30 include front seats 31, which include a driver's seat and a passenger seat, and rear seats 32, which are located behind the front seats 31. The front seats 31 are adjacent in the width direction to the first side opening 21, and the rear seats 32 are adjacent in the width direction to the second side opening 22. In other words, when a user gets in or out of the front seats 31, the user passes through the first side opening 21, and when a user gets in or out of the rear seats 32, the user passes through the second side opening 22. The front seats 31 and rear seats 32 are provided with seating sensors 33. The seating sensors 33 output a detection signal corresponding to the magnitude of the load acting on the seat surface of the seat 30.

[0022] <Front Door 41> As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the front door 41 is sized to match the first side opening 21. The front end of the front door 41 is supported by the front end of the first side opening 21 via a door hinge or the like. In this way, the front door 41 is rotatable around an axis that passes through the front end of the front door 41 in the vertical direction. That is, the front door 41 rotates and displaces between a fully closed position where the first side opening 21 is completely closed and a fully open position where the first side opening 21 is completely open. Unlike the sliding door 42 and the back door 43, the front door 41 is a door that is operated manually by the user.

[0023] <Sliding door 42> The sliding door 42 is sized to match the second side opening 22. The sliding door 42 is supported by the vehicle body 20 via rails or the like that extending in the front-rear direction. In this way, the sliding door 42 is movable in the front-rear direction. That is, the sliding door 42 slides and displaces between a fully closed position where the second side opening 22 is completely closed and a fully open position where the second side opening 22 is completely open.

[0024] The sliding door drive unit 51 preferably includes, for example, an electric motor and a transmission mechanism that transmits the power of the electric motor to the sliding door 42. In the sliding door drive unit 51, the transmission mechanism may include a pulley and a belt, or it may include a drum and a cable. The sliding door 42 is opened and closed between the fully closed position and the fully open position by the sliding door drive unit 51. In this respect, the sliding door 42 corresponds to a "side door," and the sliding door drive unit 51 corresponds to a "side door drive unit."

[0025] <Backdoor 43> The back door 43 is sized to match the rear opening 23. The base end of the back door 43 is supported by the upper end of the rear opening 23 via a door hinge or the like. In this way, the back door 43 is rotatable around an axis that passes through the base end of the back door 43 in the width direction. That is, the back door 43 rotates and displaces between a fully closed position where the rear opening 23 is completely closed and a fully open position where the rear opening 23 is completely open. When the back door 43 is in the fully open position, the tip of the back door 43 is displaced upward compared to when the back door 43 is in the fully closed position. The rear opening 23 is the part through which luggage passes when loading or unloading luggage from the cargo compartment.

[0026] The back door drive unit 52 preferably includes, for example, an electric motor and a transmission mechanism that transmits the power of the electric motor to the back door 43. In the back door drive unit 52, the transmission mechanism may be a linear cylinder. The back door 43 is opened and closed between the fully closed position and the fully open position by the back door drive unit 52.

[0027] <Wireless communication device 60> As shown in Figure 3, the wireless communication device 60 communicates wirelessly with a portable device 70 located around the vehicle 10 to determine whether or not the portable device 70 is linked to the vehicle 10. The portable device 70 may be an electronic key, a smartphone, or another communication terminal. In this respect, the wireless communication device 60 can determine whether or not a user possessing a portable device 70 is present within the detection area Ad set around the vehicle 10.

[0028] The portable device 70 has switches that are operated to open, close, or stop the sliding door 42. When a switch for operating the sliding door 42 and the back door 43 is operated on the portable device 70, the wireless communication device 60 outputs an open command signal, a close command signal, and a stop command signal according to the operated switch. The open command signal is a command signal to open the sliding door 42 or the back door 43, and the close command signal is a command signal to close the sliding door 42 or the back door 43. The stop command signal is a command signal to stop the sliding door 42 or the back door 43 while it is in the opening or closing operation. In addition, if the portable device 70 is located within the detection area Ad, the wireless communication device 60 outputs a signal indicating that. At this time, the wireless communication device 60 may communicate with the portable device 70 using UWB (Ultra Wide Band) to obtain the location of the portable device 70.

[0029] <Door opening and closing device 100> As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the door opening and closing device 100 includes a front camera 111, two side cameras 112, a rear camera 113, and a door control device 120.

[0030] <Camera> As shown in Figure 2, the front camera 111 is installed, for example, on the front grille or emblem. The front camera 111 captures the front area Af in front of the vehicle 10. The side camera 112 is installed, for example, on the side mirror of the front door 41. The side camera 112 captures the side area As on the side of the vehicle 10. The rear camera 113 is installed, for example, on the outer surface of the tailgate 43. The rear camera 113 captures the rear area Ab behind the vehicle 10.

[0031] In Figure 2, the front area Af, side area As, and back area Ab are rectangular areas, but they may also be fan-shaped or circular areas. The front area Af, side area As, and back area Ab are areas inside the detection area Ad, and are narrower than the detection area Ad.

[0032] The front area Af has a first front area Af1 adjacent to the vehicle 10 in the longitudinal direction, and two second front areas Af2 adjacent to the first front area Af1 in the width direction. One second front area Af2 is located to the right of the first front area Af1, and the other second front area Af2 is located to the left of the first front area Af1.

[0033] The side area As comprises a first side area As1 adjacent to the vehicle 10 in the width direction, and a second side area As2 and a third side area As3 adjacent to the first side area in the front-rear direction. The second side area As2 is located behind the first side area As1, and the third side area As3 is located in front of the first side area As1.

[0034] The back area Ab has a first back area Ab1 adjacent to the vehicle 10 in the longitudinal direction, and two second back areas Ab2 adjacent to the first back area Ab1 in the width direction. One second back area Ab2 is located to the right of the first back area Ab1, and the other second back area Ab2 is located to the left of the first back area Ab1.

[0035] The two second front areas Af2 and the two third side areas As3 overlap. In Figure 2, the shapes of the second front area Af2 and the third side area As3 are identical, but the shapes of the second front area Af2 and the third side area As3 do not need to be different. Similarly, the two second back areas Ab2 and the two second side areas As2 overlap. In Figure 2, the shapes of the second side area As2 and the second back area Ab2 are identical, but the shapes of the second side area As2 and the second back area Ab2 do not need to be different.

[0036] As shown in Figure 1, the rear camera 113 is installed on the back door 43. When the back door 43 is in the fully closed position, the rear camera 113 points towards the rear and downward of the vehicle 10. However, when the back door 43 is in the fully open position, the rear camera 113 points towards the rear and upward of the vehicle 10. In other words, the rear camera 113 can capture the back area Ab when the back door 43 is in the fully closed position, but it cannot capture the back area Ab when the back door 43 is in the fully open position. In this respect, the rear camera 113 corresponds to the "first camera," and the back area Ab corresponds to the "first area." On the other hand, the front camera 111 can capture the front area Af regardless of the position of the back door 43. Similarly, the side camera 112 can capture the side area As regardless of the position of the sliding door 42 and the back door 43. In this respect, the side camera 112 corresponds to the "second camera," and the side area As corresponds to the "second area."

[0037] Furthermore, by combining the images captured by the front camera 111, side cameras 112, and rear camera 113, an image of the area around the vehicle 10 viewed from above can be synthesized. Such an image may be displayed on a display provided in the vehicle 10 when the vehicle 10 is being moved backward or parked. In other words, this embodiment can be realized by reusing multiple cameras that are installed to synthesize the above image.

[0038] <Door control device 120> As shown in Figure 3, the door control device 120 includes a user recognition unit 121, a gesture determination unit 122, a camera control unit 123, a passenger boarding determination unit 124, and a door control unit 125. The door control device 120 receives signals related to images captured by the front camera 111, side camera 112, and rear camera 113, detection signals from the seating sensor 33, and information regarding the position of the portable device 70 from the wireless communication device 60. The door control device 120 controls the front camera 111, side camera 112, and rear camera 113, as well as the sliding door drive unit 51 and the back door drive unit 52.

[0039] The user recognition unit 121 determines whether a user is present in the images captured by the front camera 111, side camera 112, and rear camera 113 when a user possessing the portable device 70 is present within the detection area Ad. The user recognition unit 121 determines whether a user is present in the captured images based, for example, on a trained model obtained through machine learning. The trained model can be obtained by performing machine learning using training data that associates previously captured images with the positions of the user's body parts. In other words, the trained model is a model that takes images captured by the cameras as input data and outputs the positions of the user's body parts within those images as output data. The trained model is created, for example, during the design of the vehicle 10 and written to the memory of the door control device 120 during the manufacturing of the door opening and closing device 100. In this embodiment, the user's body part is assumed to be the user's feet. In other words, the user gestures targeted in this embodiment are gestures using the user's feet.

[0040] The gesture detection unit 122 calculates a displacement vector of the user's toes based on multiple images taken at intervals. More specifically, the gesture detection unit 122 calculates a displacement vector from the foot position in the Nth image to the foot position in the (N+1)th image. Here, the Nth image is the Nth image taken by the camera, and the (N+1)th image is the (N+1)th image taken by the camera, which is a frame after the Nth image. At this time, the gesture detection unit 122 identifies the foot position in the (N+1)th image that corresponds to the foot position in the Nth image by matching the feature quantities of the area containing the foot position in the Nth image with the (N+1)th image. Then, the gesture detection unit 122 calculates a displacement vector of the foot position based on the foot positions in both images. Subsequently, the gesture detection unit 122 calculates a displacement vector from the foot position in the (N+1)th image to the foot position in the (N+2)th image. Furthermore, the gesture detection unit 122 calculates a displacement vector from the foot position in the N+2th image to the foot position in the N+3rd image.

[0041] Thus, the gesture detection unit 122 calculates a foot position displacement vector each time a new image is captured. The gesture detection unit 122 may calculate the foot position displacement vector each time the camera captures one image, or it may calculate the foot position displacement vector each time the camera captures multiple images. In other words, the gesture detection unit 122 may calculate the foot position displacement vector every frame, or it may calculate the foot position displacement vector every multiple frames. The direction of the foot position displacement vector indicates the direction of movement of the user's toes, and the magnitude of the foot position displacement vector indicates the amount of movement of the user's toes per unit time.

[0042] The gesture determination unit 122 determines that a gesture has been performed when the direction of the displacement vector of the foot position changes according to a predetermined gesture pattern. The gesture determination unit 122 may perform the calculation of the displacement vector of the foot position and the matching of the gesture pattern alternately or together. In the former case, the gesture determination unit 122 determines whether the direction of the displacement vector corresponds to the gesture pattern each time a displacement vector of a foot position is calculated. In the latter case, after a set number of displacement vectors of foot positions have been calculated, the gesture determination unit 122 determines whether the direction of multiple displacement vectors changes to the direction corresponding to the gesture pattern. When a user performs a gesture, the direction of the displacement vector of the foot position may change depending on the user's orientation. For this reason, it is preferable that the gesture pattern be set according to the user's orientation.

[0043] The gesture determination unit 122 determines whether a first or second gesture for opening or closing the sliding door 42 has been performed if the user is in the side area As. The gesture determination unit 122 also determines whether a third or fourth gesture for opening the back door 43 has been performed if the user is in the back area Ab. Furthermore, the gesture determination unit 122 determines whether a fifth gesture for closing the back door 43 has been performed if the user is in the side area As.

[0044] In this embodiment, the first gesture, second gesture, third gesture, fourth gesture, and fifth gesture are all foot gestures performed by the user moving their feet. It is preferable that the first gesture, second gesture, and fifth gesture are different gestures. It is also preferable that the third gesture and fourth gesture are different gestures.

[0045] The camera control unit 123 controls the front camera 111, side camera 112, and rear camera 113. When the user moves into the detection area Ad, in other words, when the portable device 70 linked to the vehicle 10 moves into the detection area Ad, the camera control unit 123 activates the front camera 111, side camera 112, and rear camera 113. On the other hand, when the user moves outside the detection area Ad, in other words, when the portable device 70 linked to the vehicle 10 moves outside the detection area Ad, the camera control unit 123 deactivates the front camera 111, side camera 112, and rear camera 113.

[0046] The boarding determination unit 124 determines whether or not a user has boarded the vehicle 10. In this embodiment, the determination of whether or not a user has boarded the vehicle 10 is made by one of several methods described below. The passenger boarding determination unit 124 determines whether a user has boarded the vehicle 10 based on the image captured by the side camera 112. More specifically, the passenger boarding determination unit 124 determines that a user has boarded the vehicle 10 if, while the user's feet are within the side area As, the user's feet are no longer within the side area As after the opening and closing of the front door 41 or the sliding door 42. The opening and closing of the front door 41 can be determined, for example, based on the detection result of a latch switch that detects the position of the latch of the door lock device of the front door 41. The same applies to the opening and closing operation of the sliding door 42. Furthermore, in order to improve the accuracy of the determination, the passenger boarding determination unit 124 may determine whether the user's feet have moved to a position to the side of the front door 41 or the sliding door 42 before the opening and closing of the front door 41 or the sliding door 42.

[0047] The passenger boarding determination unit 124 determines whether a user has boarded the vehicle 10 based on the output signal of the seating sensor 33 installed on the seat 30. In other words, if the load corresponding to the output signal of the seating sensor 33 is less than a predetermined threshold, the passenger boarding determination unit 124 determines that the user is not seated on the seat 30. On the other hand, if the load corresponding to the output signal of the seating sensor 33 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the passenger boarding determination unit 124 determines that the user is seated on the seat 30.

[0048] The passenger boarding determination unit 124 may determine whether or not a user has boarded the vehicle 10 by other means. For example, the passenger boarding determination unit 124 may determine that a user has boarded the vehicle 10 when the ACC power or IG power of the vehicle 10 is turned on, the driver's seat belt is fastened, and the parking brake is released.

[0049] The door control unit 125 operates the sliding door 42 to open or close when the conditions for operating the sliding door 42 are met, using the sliding door drive unit 51. The door control unit 125 opens the sliding door 42 when it determines that the user has performed a first gesture within the side area As. On the other hand, the door control unit 125 closes the sliding door 42 when it determines that the user has performed a second gesture within the side area As. It is also preferable that the door control unit 125 operates the sliding door 42 to open or close when the door handle of the sliding door 42 is operated or when the switch on the portable device 70 is operated.

[0050] The door control unit 125 opens or closes the back door 43 when the conditions for opening or closing the back door 43 are met. The door control unit 125 opens the back door 43 when it determines that the user has performed a third or fourth gesture within the back area Ab. In other words, the door control unit 125 opens the back door 43 whether the user performs a third or fourth gesture.

[0051] When the back door 43 is in the fully open position, the rear camera 113 is unable to capture images of the back area Ab. In other words, even if the user performs a gesture within the back area Ab, the gesture detection unit 122 will be unable to determine that the user has performed a gesture. As a result, the door control unit 125 will be unable to close the back door 43 based on the user's gesture in the back area Ab.

[0052] Therefore, when the door control unit 125 opens the back door 43 based on the user's third gesture, if it determines that the user has performed a fifth gesture within the side area As, it closes the back door 43. In other words, the door control unit 125 closes the back door 43 based on a user gesture performed within the side area As, which is different from the back area Ab. Furthermore, when the door control unit 125 opens the back door 43 based on the user's fourth gesture, if it determines that the user has entered the vehicle 10, it closes the back door 43. In other words, the door control unit 125 closes the back door 43 not as a trigger for the user's gesture, but as a trigger for the user entering the vehicle. It is also preferable that the door control unit 125 opens and closes the back door 43 when a switch on the back door 43 is operated or when a switch on the portable device 70 is operated.

[0053] When the door control unit 125 opens or closes the sliding door 42, it is preferable to sequentially calculate the current position of the sliding door 42 based on the amount of rotation of the electric motor, which is the drive source for the sliding door drive unit 51. Similarly, when the door control unit 125 opens or closes the back door 43, it is preferable to sequentially calculate the current position of the back door 43 based on the amount of rotation of the electric motor, which is the drive source for the back door drive unit 52. In this way, the door control unit 125 can obtain the current position of the sliding door 42 and the current position of the back door 43.

[0054] The following describes the process performed by the door control device 120 to open and close the sliding door 42 and the back door 43. This process is performed repeatedly in a predetermined control cycle while the vehicle 10 is stopped.

[0055] As shown in Figure 4, the door control device 120 determines whether a user carrying the portable device 70 has entered the detection area Ad based on the communication content between the wireless communication device 60 and the portable device 70 (S11). If the user has not entered the detection area Ad (S11: NO), that is, if the user subject to gesture determination is not present in the detection area Ad, the door control device 120 terminates this process. On the other hand, if the user has entered the detection area Ad (S11: YES), that is, if the user subject to gesture determination is present in the detection area Ad, the door control device 120 activates the front camera 111, the side camera 112, and the rear camera 113 (S12).

[0056] Next, the door control device 120 performs an opening operation determination process and a closing operation determination process for the sliding door 42 (S13, S14). If the conditions for opening the sliding door 42 are met, the sliding door 42 is opened in step S13. On the other hand, if the conditions for closing the sliding door 42 are met, the sliding door 42 is closed in step S14. After that, the door control device 120 performs an opening operation determination process and a closing operation determination process for the back door 43 (S15, S16). If the conditions for opening the back door 43 are met, the back door 43 is opened in step S15. On the other hand, if the conditions for closing the back door 43 are met, the back door 43 is closed in step S16. After that, the door control device 120 determines whether or not the termination condition has been met (S17).

[0057] The termination condition is met, for example, when one or more of the following conditions are met: The termination condition is met when the user carrying the portable device 70 leaves the detection area Ad while the front door 41, sliding door 42, and back door 43 are in the fully closed position. The termination condition is also met when the ACC power or IG power of the vehicle 10 is turned on while the front door 41, sliding door 42, and back door 43 are in the fully closed position. The termination condition is also met when a predetermined time has elapsed since the closing operation of the sliding door 42 and back door 43 was completed.

[0058] If the termination condition is not met (S17: NO), the door control device 120 proceeds to step S13. On the other hand, if the termination condition is met (S17: YES), the door control device 120 stops the front camera 111, side camera 112, and rear camera 113 (S18). After that, the door control device 120 terminates this process.

[0059] In the flowchart shown in Figure 4, steps S13 to S16 are performed sequentially, but in reality, it is preferable that steps S13 to S16 be performed in parallel. Referring to Figure 5, the process for determining whether the sliding door 42 is open will be explained.

[0060] As shown in Figure 5, the door control device 120 determines whether the sliding door 42 is in the fully open position (S21). If the sliding door 42 is in the fully open position (S21:YES), the door control device 120 terminates this process. On the other hand, if the sliding door 42 is not in the fully open position (S21:NO), the door control device 120 determines whether the user has performed the first gesture in the side area As (S22). Here, the door control device 120 may determine whether the user has performed the first gesture in the side area As based on multiple images taken retrospectively over the past few seconds. The same applies to subsequent gesture performance determination processes. If the user has not performed the first gesture in the side area As (S22:NO), the door control device 120 terminates this process. On the other hand, if the user has performed the first gesture in the side area As (S22:YES), the door control device 120 opens the sliding door 42 (S23). After that, the door control device 120 terminates this process.

[0061] Referring to Figure 6, the closing operation determination process for the sliding door 42 will be explained. As shown in Figure 6, the door control device 120 determines whether the sliding door 42 is in the fully closed position (S31). If the sliding door 42 is in the fully closed position (S31: YES), the door control device 120 terminates this process. On the other hand, if the sliding door 42 is not in the fully closed position (S31: NO), the door control device 120 determines whether the user has performed a second gesture in the side area As (S32). If the user has not performed a second gesture in the side area As (S32: NO), the door control device 120 terminates this process. On the other hand, if the user has performed a second gesture in the side area As (S32: YES), the door control device 120 opens the sliding door 42 (S33). After that, the door control device 120 terminates this process.

[0062] Referring to Figure 7, the process for determining whether the back door 43 is open will be explained. As shown in Figure 7, the door control device 120 determines whether the back door 43 is in the fully closed position (S41). If the back door 43 is not in the fully closed position (S41: NO), the door control device 120 terminates this process. On the other hand, if the back door 43 is in the fully closed position (S41: YES), the door control device 120 determines whether the user has performed the third gesture in the back area Ab (S42). If the user has performed the third gesture in the back area Ab (S42: YES), the door control device 120 turns on a flag (S43). Here, the flag is a value indicating which of the third and fourth gestures the door control device 120 used to open the back door 43. After that, the door control device 120 opens the back door 43 (S44). Then, the door control device 120 terminates this process.

[0063] In step S42, if the user has not performed the first gesture in the back area Ab (S42: NO), the door control device 120 determines whether the user has performed the fourth gesture in the back area Ab (S45). If the user has performed the fourth gesture in the back area Ab (S45: YES), the door control device 120 turns off the flag (S46). After that, the door control device 120 proceeds to step S44. On the other hand, if the user has not performed the fourth gesture in the back area Ab (S45: NO), the door control device 120 terminates this process.

[0064] Referring to Figure 8, the process for determining whether the back door 43 is closed will be explained. As shown in Figure 8, the door control device 120 determines whether the back door 43 is in the fully open position (S51). If the back door 43 is not in the fully open position (S51: NO), the door control device 120 terminates this process. On the other hand, if the back door 43 is in the fully open position (S51: YES), the door control device 120 determines whether a flag is on (S52). If the flag is on (S52: YES), that is, if the back door 43 is open based on the user's third gesture, the door control device 120 determines whether the user has performed a fifth gesture in the side area As (S53). If the user has not performed a fifth gesture in the side area As (S53: NO), the door control device 120 terminates this process. On the other hand, if the user has performed a fifth gesture in the side area As (S53: YES), the door control device 120 closes the back door 43 (S54). After that, the door control device 120 terminates this process.

[0065] In step S52, if the flag is off (S52:NO), that is, if the back door 43 is open based on the user's fourth gesture, the door control device 120 determines whether or not the user has boarded the vehicle 10 (S55). If the user has not boarded the vehicle 10 (S55:NO), the door control device 120 terminates this process. On the other hand, if the user has boarded the vehicle 10 (S55:YES), the door control device 120 proceeds to step S54.

[0066] In the flowcharts shown in Figures 5 to 8, steps S22, S32, S42, S45, and S53 correspond to the "gesture determination process," and steps S23, S33, S44, and S54 correspond to the "door control process."

[0067] <Operation of this embodiment> Let's assume the user has driven vehicle 10 to their destination. If the user wants to take luggage out of the cargo area, they get out of the driver's seat and move to the back area Ab behind the back door 43. In back area Ab, the user performs a third gesture using their foot. This causes the back door 43 to open, allowing the user to take out luggage from the cargo area. After that, the user moves from back area Ab to side area As while still holding the luggage. In side area As, the user performs a fifth gesture using their foot. This causes the back door 43 to close. In this way, even when the user's hands are full with luggage, they can open and close the back door 43 using a gesture with their foot.

[0068] <Effects of this embodiment> (1) The door opening / closing device 100 determines whether or not to open the back door 43 based on whether or not the user has performed a third gesture within the back area Ab, which is the shooting area of ​​the rear camera 113. The door opening / closing device 100 also determines whether or not to close the back door 43 based on whether or not the user has performed a fifth gesture within the side area As, which is the shooting area of ​​the side camera 112. Therefore, the door opening / closing device 100 can close the back door 43 based on the user's fifth gesture even when the back door 43 is in the fully open position, in other words, when the rear camera 113 cannot capture the back area Ab.

[0069] (2) In order to perform the gesture to close the back door 43, the user needs to move from the back area Ab to the side area As. In this respect, the side area As is the area on the side of the vehicle 10 and can be said to be an area close to the back area Ab. For this reason, the door opening and closing device 100 can reduce the amount of movement the user needs to make from the back area Ab to the side area As when performing the fifth gesture.

[0070] (3) The door opening / closing device 100 targets users who possess a portable device 70 linked to the vehicle 10 for gesture detection. Therefore, the door opening / closing device 100 can prevent the back door 43 from being opened or closed based on gestures performed by users unrelated to the vehicle 10.

[0071] (4) When the back door 43 is in the fully open position, the door opening and closing device 100 will close the back door 43 if it is determined that a user has entered the vehicle 10. The door opening and closing device 100 can close the back door 43 when a user enters the vehicle 10, even if the user does not perform a gesture to close the back door 43. Therefore, the door opening and closing device 100 can improve user convenience.

[0072] (5) In the door opening and closing device 100, the gesture for closing the back door 43 and the gesture for opening and closing the sliding door 42 are different gestures. Therefore, the door opening and closing device 100 can prevent the sliding door 42 from opening or closing when the user performs a gesture to close the back door 43. Similarly, the door opening and closing device 100 can prevent the back door 43 from closing when the user performs a gesture to open or close the sliding door 42.

[0073] (6) When the door opening / closing device 100 opens the back door 43 based on the third gesture, it closes the back door 43 when the fifth gesture is performed in the side area As. In other words, when the door opening / closing device 100 opens the back door 43 based on the third gesture, the back door 43 will not close even if the user gets in. For this reason, the door opening / closing device 100 allows the user to select the trigger for closing the back door 43 by having the user select the gesture for opening the back door 43.

[0074] (7) The user's gestures are made using the user's feet. Therefore, the user can perform gestures even if their hands are full with luggage. <Example of changes> This embodiment can be implemented with the following modifications. This embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other to the extent that they do not contradict each other technically.

[0075] The third and fifth gestures may be the same gesture. In this case, the user only needs to perform the same gesture when opening the back door 43 and when closing the back door 43. Therefore, the door control device 120 can improve user convenience.

[0076] The third and fourth gestures may be the same gesture. In other words, the door control device 120 does not need to change the trigger for closing the back door 43 depending on the user's gesture when opening the back door 43.

[0077] The gesture can be any gesture using any part of the user's body, such as the user's hands or head. The first and second gestures for opening and closing the sliding door 42 may be gestures using the user's hand. In this case, the third, fourth, and fifth gestures for opening and closing the back door 43 may be gestures using the user's foot. This allows the user to clearly distinguish between the gestures for opening and closing the sliding door 42 and the gestures for opening and closing the back door 43.

[0078] The door control device 120 may close the back door 43 only if the user performs the fifth gesture in the second side area As2. In other words, the door control device 120 does not need to close the back door 43 if the user performs the fifth gesture in the first side area As1 and the third side area As3.

[0079] The door control device 120 does not have to close the back door 43 based on the user's fifth gesture. In other words, in the flowchart shown in Figure 8, the back door 43 may be closed based on whether or not the user has boarded the vehicle, regardless of the content of the flag (S55, S54). Similarly, the door control device 120 does not have to close the back door 43 based on the user boarding the vehicle. In other words, in the flowchart shown in Figure 8, the back door 43 may be closed based on whether or not the user has performed the fifth gesture, regardless of the content of the flag (S53, S54).

[0080] The door control device 120 does not need to operate the sliding door 42 to open or close based on the user's gestures. The door control device 120 may open the back door 43 when the user performs a third or fourth gesture in the front area Af. In this case, it is preferable that the door control device 120 closes the back door 43 when the user performs a fifth gesture in the side area As or when the user gets into the vehicle 10.

[0081] The door control device 120 may close the back door 43 when the user performs the fifth gesture in the front area Af. In this case, the front area Af corresponds to an example of the "second area".

[0082] The door control device 120 may close the sliding door 42 and the back door 43 if the user moves outside the detection area Ad, in other words, if the portable device 70 moves outside the detection area Ad.

[0083] The door control device 120 may perform the processing from step S42 onwards even if the back door 43 is located near the fully closed position in the flowchart shown in Figure 7. Here, "the back door 43 is located near the fully closed position" can be interpreted as "the back camera 113 is able to photograph the back area Ab." Similarly, the door control device 120 may perform the processing from step S52 onwards even if the back door 43 is located near the fully open position in the flowchart shown in Figure 8. Here, "the back door 43 is located near the fully open position" can be interpreted as "the back camera 113 is unable to photograph the back area Ab."

[0084] The rearview camera 113 does not necessarily have to be installed on the tailgate 43. For example, the rearview camera 113 may be installed on the shark fin mounted on the roof of the vehicle body 20. Even in this case, when the tailgate 43 is in the fully open position, the rearview camera 113 will be facing the tailgate 43, and will not be able to capture the rear area Ab.

[0085] The vehicle 10 may be equipped with an interior camera, such as a rearview mirror, to photograph the user getting into the vehicle 10. In this case, when the back door 43 is in the fully open position, the door control device 120 may determine whether or not the user has performed a gesture based on the image captured by the interior camera. If the user has performed a gesture, the door control device 120 may then close the back door 43.

[0086] The vehicle 10 may be equipped with a front door drive unit that opens and closes the front door 41. The door control device 120 may open and close the front door 41 based on the user's gestures. In this case, the front door 41 corresponds to an example of a "side door".

[0087] The sliding door 42 may be a swing door that is driven to open and close. In this case, the sliding door drive unit 51 becomes a swing door drive unit that drives the swing door. The front camera 111, side cameras 112, and rear camera 113 can also be repurposed from cameras used for monitoring the surroundings while the vehicle is in motion.

[0088] The door control device 120 may be configured as one or more processors that operate according to a computer program (software). Alternatively, the door control device 120 may be configured as one or more dedicated hardware circuits, such as dedicated hardware (application-specific integrated circuits: ASICs), that perform at least some of the various processes. Furthermore, the door control device 120 may be configured as a circuit including a combination of these. The processor includes a CPU and memory such as RAM and ROM. The memory stores program code or instructions configured to cause the CPU to execute processes. Memory, i.e., storage media, includes any available media accessible by a general-purpose or dedicated computer. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0089] 10... Vehicles 20... Vehicle body 21...First side opening 22...Second side opening (side opening) 23... Rear opening 30... seats 33...Seat sensor 41…Front Door 42... Sliding door 43... Back door 51... Sliding door drive unit 52... Back door drive unit 60… Wireless communication device 70… Handheld devices 100... Door opening and closing device 111…Front camera 112... Side camera (second camera) 113... Rear camera (first camera) 120... Door control device 121...User recognition unit 122... Gesture Judgment Unit 124...Boarding determination unit 123...Camera control unit 125... Door control unit Af... Front area As... Side area (Area 2) As1…First side area As2...Second side area Ab...Back area (Area 1) Ad... Detection area

Claims

1. A door opening and closing device applicable to a vehicle comprising a vehicle body having a rear opening that opens to the rear, a back door that opens and closes the rear opening, and a back door drive unit that drives the back door, A first camera that can photograph a first area behind the vehicle when the back door is in the fully closed position, but cannot photograph the first area when the back door is in the fully open position, A second camera capable of photographing a second area different from the first area, regardless of the position of the back door, A gesture determination unit that determines whether or not the user performed a gesture based on the images captured by the first camera and the second camera, The system includes a door control unit that opens the back door when it is determined that the user has performed the gesture within the first area, and closes the back door when it is determined that the user has performed the gesture within the second area. The vehicle body has a side opening on the side, and the vehicle comprises a side door for opening and closing the side opening, and a side door drive unit for driving the side door, The door control unit opens and closes the side door when it is determined that the user has performed the gesture within the second area. The gesture for closing the back door and the gesture for opening and closing the side door are different. Door opening and closing device.

2. The second area includes a first side area adjacent to the vehicle in the vehicle width direction, and a second side area adjacent to the first side area in the vehicle longitudinal direction and located further rearward than the first side area. The door opening and closing device according to claim 1.

3. The gesture detection unit designates the user who possesses the portable device linked to the vehicle as the target user for gesture detection. A door opening and closing device according to claim 1 or claim 2.

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