Vehicle Closure Control With Early Authentication Triggering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current control methods for vehicle closing elements, such as doors and tailgates, experience delays and user dissatisfaction due to the sequential generation and evaluation of trigger signals for authentication and adjustment, leading to potential misinterpretation of operating events and unnecessary re-attempts by users.

Innovation Solution

The method involves generating and sending trigger signals for authentication and adjustment operations before the detection time interval has elapsed, based on initial measured values, allowing for early initiation of authentication processes and potential adjustment of vehicle closing elements, even if the operating event is not fully confirmed within the interval, with the option to abort incomplete signals if no event is detected.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If trigger signals are generated and sent sequentially after evaluation of operating event, then authentication and lock operations are performed in order, but time delay increases and user satisfaction decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication accuracyVSAvoidtime delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by generating and transmitting the first trigger signal to initiate authentication before the detection time interval has fully elapsed and before the operating event is completely evaluated. This allows the authentication process to start in advance, reducing the overall time delay while maintaining reliability through subsequent verification steps. The system prepares the authentication process early based on initial measured values, and if needed, can abort or correct the process later based on the final evaluation result.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Speed

If trigger signal transmission is started early based on partial measured values, then response time is reduced, but risk of incorrect operation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresponse speedVSAvoidoperating event detection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring the evaluation result of the operating event and using this information to control the continuation or abortion of trigger signal transmission. The system sends the first trigger signal early to improve response speed, then uses the evaluation result as feedback to determine whether to send a second trigger signal or abort the first one. This feedback mechanism ensures that early action does not lead to incorrect operations, as the system can correct its course based on the final evaluation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies dynamics by making the trigger signal transmission adaptive and flexible rather than fixed. The system dynamically adjusts the authentication process based on the evaluation result: if the operating event is confirmed, the authentication proceeds; if not, the authentication is aborted. This dynamic approach allows the system to optimize response speed while maintaining reliability by adapting to the actual operating conditions in real-time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If sequential trigger signal generation is used, then system complexity is reduced, but operational efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol system complexityVSAvoidoperational efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent improves operational efficiency through preliminary action by initiating the authentication process with the first trigger signal before the operating event evaluation is complete. This overlapping of operations (authentication starting while evaluation is ongoing) reduces the total time required for the complete operation, thereby improving productivity without requiring a fundamentally more complex system architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the temporal parameters of trigger signal generation and transmission to optimize operational efficiency. By adjusting when the first trigger signal is sent (before evaluation completion) and controlling the timing of the second trigger signal or abortion based on evaluation results, the system achieves faster operation. This parameter optimization allows efficient operation while maintaining relatively simple control logic.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3395621B2Control method and control system for a vehicle locking element
Publication Date: 2024.12.18 BROSE FAHRZEUGTEILE GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3395621B2 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3395621B2 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3395621B2 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates in particular to a method for controlling an adjustment movement of a vehicle closure element that can be adjusted by external power, such as a side door (T) or a tailgate (H), which can be adjusted automatically when an operator event occurs. In this case, an operating event is detected contactlessly by means of a sensor device (1A, 1B). A profile of measured values ​​recorded by the sensor device (1A, 1B) in a detection time interval (Δt1) is evaluated to detect an operating event. Furthermore, at least one trigger signal (p, p1, p2), in particular a trigger signal (p, p2) of a defined signal length (tE - tP) and/or a trigger signal (p, p1) which precedes the adjustment of the vehicle locking element (H) is carried out a Authentication process triggers, in which the presence of a valid means of identification (T) in an environment of the vehicle (FZ) is checked, generated and sent. According to the invention, it is now provided that (a) at least one measured value recorded for the presence of an operator control event is used to trigger the sending of the trigger signal (p, p1) for the authentication process before the detection time interval (Δt1) has elapsed and before the course of the measured values ​​to that effect can be evaluated whether an operator event is present, and / or (b) at a point in time (tP) in the detection time interval (Δt1) the sending of the trigger signal (p, p2) is started, so that at the end of the detection time interval (Δt1) the trigger signal (p, p2) has not yet reached the defined signal length (tE - tP) and the trigger signal (p, p2) only continues to be sent when an operator event is detected until the defined signal length (tE - tp) is reached, but otherwise its transmission is aborted .