Vehicle Door Lock Control to Prevent In-Lock During Parking

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle door lock systems using wireless communication with portable devices are prone to 'in-lock' situations due to battery issues, signal reception failures, erroneous determinations, or positioning near boundaries, leading to increased costs and inconvenience when unlocking doors.

Innovation Solution

A door lock system that integrates a door lock ECU to control door and window mechanisms, prohibiting window operations when a lock instruction is received in a parked or stopped state, thereby preventing 'in-lock' without adding sensors or antennas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If wireless communication with portable devices is used for door locking, then convenience of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to in-lock situations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedoor locking operationVSAvoiddoor locking reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies preliminary anti-action by detecting the vehicle state (moving or stopped) before executing the door locking operation. When the vehicle is detected to be in a stopped state, the system prohibits window operations and prevents door locking, thereby counteracting the potential harmful effect of in-lock situations before they can occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs feedback by continuously monitoring the vehicle state (whether the vehicle is moving or stopped) and using this information to control the door locking and window operations. The ECU receives state information and adjusts the locking behavior accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that improves reliability while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If door locking is allowed in all states, then ease of operation is improved, but harmful effects increase due to in-lock situations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedoor locking operationVSAvoidin-lock situations

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies preliminary anti-action by detecting the vehicle state (moving or stopped) before executing the door locking operation. When the vehicle is detected to be in a stopped state, the system prohibits window operations and prevents door locking, thereby counteracting the potential harmful effect of in-lock situations before they can occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The system converts the potentially harmful situation of unrestricted door locking into a beneficial controlled operation. By using the vehicle state information to selectively enable or disable door locking, the system transforms what could be a source of harm (unconditional locking) into a protective mechanism that prevents in-lock situations while maintaining convenience when appropriate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Adaptability or versatility

If window operations are permitted during door locking, then adaptability is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to in-lock risk

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewindow operation flexibilityVSAvoiddoor locking reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies preliminary anti-action by detecting the vehicle state (moving or stopped) before executing the door locking operation. When the vehicle is detected to be in a stopped state, the system prohibits window operations and prevents door locking, thereby counteracting the potential harmful effect of in-lock situations before they can occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies dynamics by making the window operation control adaptive to the vehicle state. The ECU dynamically adjusts the permission status for window operations based on whether the vehicle is moving or stopped, allowing window operations during movement (when locking is permitted) and prohibiting them when stopped (when locking is prevented).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20250353461A1Door lock system

Publication Date: 2025.11.20 SUBARU CORP

AI summary

A door lock system is configured to lock or unlock a door of a vehicle by controlling a door lock mechanism of the door. The door lock system includes one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to control, based on a lock instruction signal or an unlock instruction signal for the door lock mechanism, the door lock mechanism and control a window of the vehicle. The one or more processors are configured to, when the one or more processors receive an input of the lock instruction signal in a parked state or a stopped state of the vehicle, lock the door by controlling the door lock mechanism and prohibit an opening operation and a closing operation of the window.