Vehicle Door Latch System with Visual State Indicators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrically-actuated door latch systems for vehicles lack visual indication of the locked or unlocked state, posing security and convenience issues, as they do not provide clear status feedback, potentially allowing unauthorized access or hindering quick egress.
Innovation Solution
A door latch system with an electric door latch mechanism, exterior, and interior switches, and a controller that assigns locked or unlocked states to these switches, allowing controlled operation of the latch mechanism and providing visual indicators to show the status, ensuring secure entry and exit while preventing unauthorized access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If purely electric door latch mechanism is used, then ease of operation is improved, but loss of information worsens due to lack of visual indication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by implementing visual indicators (lights) that provide real-time information about the door latch state. The controller monitors the position of the latch mechanism and activates appropriate indicators to show whether the door is locked or unlocked, thereby compensating for the loss of tactile feedback in purely electric systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses color changes in visual indicators to communicate door latch status. Different colored lights (e.g., green for unlocked, red for locked) provide intuitive visual feedback to users, enabling them to ascertain the locked or unlocked state without mechanical indicators.
2Reliability
If door latch is always locked, then security is improved, but ease of operation worsens for quick exit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the door latch system adaptable and changeable based on conditions. The controller can adjust the locked/unlocked state of doors based on vehicle speed, ignition status, or other parameters, allowing the system to be highly secure when needed and easily operable when conditions permit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service through automated control features where the door latch system automatically adjusts its state based on detected conditions. For example, the system can automatically unlock doors when the vehicle stops and certain conditions are met, eliminating the need for manual intervention while maintaining security during motion.
3Ease of operation
If door latch is always unlocked, then ease of operation is improved, but security worsens against unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the door latch system adaptable and changeable based on conditions. The controller can adjust the locked/unlocked state of doors based on vehicle speed, ignition status, or other parameters, allowing the system to be highly secure when needed and easily operable when conditions permit.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for door latches for vehicles. The system includes an electric door latch mechanism movable between a latched position and an unlatched position. Exterior and interior open switches are disposed a door for receiving an unlatch request from an outside or an inside of the vehicle. A controller is in communication with the exterior open switch, the interior open switch, and the electric door latch mechanism. The controller is configured to assign either a locked state or an unlocked state for each of the open switches. The controller is also configured to control operation of the electric door latch mechanism such that the electric door latch mechanism is commanded to move from the closed position to the open position in response to the unlatch request from the open switches when the respective open switch is in the unlocked state.