Vehicular Door Handle With Integrated LED Lighting and Touch Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle door handles lack effective illumination and reliable touch sensing mechanisms, leading to difficulties in user interaction and door locking/unlocking processes, especially in varying ambient conditions and with different door handle designs.
Innovation Solution
A door handle assembly with integrated LED lighting and multiple touch sensors of varying sensitivity, processed by a controller to accurately detect user interactions, and a modified touch algorithm to enhance touch event recognition, allowing for improved illumination and secure door operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple touch sensors with different sensitivities are added to the door handle, then touch detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The door handle surface is segmented into multiple zones, each equipped with touch sensors of different sensitivities. High-sensitivity sensors detect light touches while low-sensitivity sensors detect firm presses, allowing the system to distinguish between different user intentions based on which sensors are activated and their response patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the door handle are assigned different sensor types based on their functional requirements. For example, the main grip area uses high-sensitivity sensors to detect accidental touches, while the release mechanism area uses low-sensitivity sensors to confirm intentional activation, optimizing detection accuracy for each specific location.
2Illumination intensity
If LED lighting is integrated into the door handle to illuminate the pocket region, then visibility and user interaction are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The LED lighting system is merged with the existing door handle structure by integrating the light sources into the handle housing and using the handle's existing cavity to house the LED modules. This eliminates the need for separate lighting housings and reduces overall assembly complexity while providing effective illumination of the pocket region.
Solution Approach 2:
The door handle assembly is designed to serve multiple functions: mechanical door operation, touch sensing, and illumination. By integrating these functions into a single multi-functional unit, the system reduces the number of separate components needed and simplifies the overall door assembly while providing enhanced user interaction capabilities.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides enhanced illumination and accurate touch detection, ensuring reliable door locking and unlocking, even in diverse ambient conditions, and reduces false triggers, improving user experience and vehicle security.
Implementation Method 1
The door handle assembly includes a pocket lighting module including at least one light emitting diode and, with the door handle assembly mounted at the door handle region, the at least one light emitting diode is operable to emit light to illuminate the pocket region of the door handle region
Implementation Method 2
The door handle assembly includes a plurality of touch sensors disposed at the handle portion that are linearly arranged along the handle portion. Each of the plurality of touch sensors has a respective touch sensitivity and generates sensor data based on the respective touch sensitivity and detection of a touch at the respective touch sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular exterior door system includes a door handle assembly configured for mounting at a door handle region of a vehicle door of a vehicle. The door handle assembly includes a pocket lighting module comprising at least one light emitting diode operable to emit light to illuminate a pocket region of the door handle region. The door handle assembly includes a plurality of touch sensors linearly arranged along a handle portion and generating sensor data based on detection of touch at the respective touch sensor. The vehicular exterior door system, with the door handle assembly mounted at the door handle region, and responsive to processing at the processor of the sensor data generated by individual touch sensors of the plurality of touch sensors, determines a touch event at the door handle assembly and, responsive to the determined touch event, unlocks the vehicle door.