阅读说明：本技术 车门开启控制系统和方法 (Vehicle door opening control system and method ) 是由 吴旭峰 于 2019-02-12 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及车门开启控制系统和方法。车门开启控制系统包括：传感器单元,其包括毫米波雷达以用于检测车辆周围的物体,并且配置成生成表示物体相对于毫米波雷达所在车辆的速度信息和位置信息；处理单元,其接收来自用户的车门开启请求,并且根据车门开启请求、速度信息和位置信息来生成车门控制信息；以及车门控制单元,其响应于车门控制信息来控制车辆的车门。车门开启控制方法包括下列步骤：接收由毫米波雷达通过检测车辆周围的物体而生成的表示物体相对于毫米波雷达所在车辆的速度信息和位置信息；接收来自用户的车门开启请求,并且根据车门开启请求、速度信息和位置信息来生成车门控制信息；以及发送车门控制信息以用于控制车辆的车门。(The invention relates to a vehicle door opening control system and a vehicle door opening control method. The door opening control system includes: a sensor unit including a millimeter wave radar for detecting an object around the vehicle, and configured to generate speed information and position information representing the object with respect to the vehicle in which the millimeter wave radar is located; a processing unit that receives a door opening request from a user and generates door control information according to the door opening request, the speed information, and the position information; and a door control unit that controls a door of the vehicle in response to the door control information. The vehicle door opening control method comprises the following steps: receiving speed information and position information indicating that an object is relative to a vehicle in which the millimeter wave radar is located, the speed information and the position information being generated by the millimeter wave radar by detecting the object around the vehicle; receiving a door opening request from a user and generating door control information according to the door opening request, the speed information and the position information; and transmitting the door control information for controlling the door of the vehicle.)

1. A vehicle door opening control system, comprising:

a sensor unit including a millimeter wave radar for detecting an object around a vehicle, and configured to generate speed information and position information representing the object with respect to the vehicle in which the millimeter wave radar is located;

a processing unit that receives the speed information and the position information and a door opening request from a user, and generates door control information according to the door opening request, the speed information, and the position information; and

a door control unit that controls a door of the vehicle in response to the door control information.

2. A vehicle door opening control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to generate the door control information that permits or prohibits opening of the vehicle door.

3. A vehicle door opening control system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the processing unit is configured to generate the vehicle door control information prohibiting opening of the vehicle door when the speed value represented by the speed information is greater than a preset speed threshold and/or the distance value represented by the position information is less than a preset distance threshold.

4. A door opening control system as claimed in any one of claims 1-3, wherein the sensor unit is configured to emit a first frequency wave and to receive a reflected second frequency wave.

5. A vehicle door opening control system as claimed in claim 4,

the position information is derived from a time difference between transmission of the first frequency wave and reception of the second frequency wave; and

the velocity information is derived from a frequency difference between the first frequency wave and the second frequency wave.

6. A vehicle door opening control system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the vehicle door control unit is configured to open the vehicle door and/or unlock the vehicle door upon receiving the vehicle door control information that allows opening of the vehicle door.

7. A vehicle door opening control method is characterized by comprising the following steps:

receiving speed information and position information, which are generated by a millimeter wave radar by detecting an object around a vehicle, indicating that the object is relative to the vehicle in which the millimeter wave radar is located;

receiving a door opening request from a user and generating door control information according to the door opening request, the speed information, and the position information; and

transmitting the door control information for controlling a door of the vehicle.

8. A vehicle door opening control method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the step of generating the vehicle door control information includes generating the vehicle door control information that permits or prohibits opening of the vehicle door.

9. A vehicle door opening control method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of generating the vehicle door control information further includes generating the vehicle door control information prohibiting opening of the vehicle door when a speed value represented by the speed information is greater than a preset speed threshold and/or a distance value represented by the position information is less than a preset distance threshold.

10. The door opening control method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the step of generating the speed information and the position information includes transmitting a first frequency wave and receiving a reflected second frequency wave.

11. The door opening control method according to claim 10,

the position information is derived from a time difference between transmission of the first frequency wave and reception of the second frequency wave; and

the velocity information is derived from a frequency difference between the first frequency wave and the second frequency wave.

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of automobile control. More particularly, the present invention relates to a vehicle door opening control system and method.

Background

With the rapid development of the automobile industry, vehicles on roads are increasing, and traffic accidents frequently occur. Among these traffic accidents, there are some inevitable collision accidents, such as an accident caused by a vehicle door when a passenger gets off the vehicle. Research shows that when an existing vehicle door is opened, a manual method is generally adopted, namely a door handle is pulled to remove a child lock, so that a door actuator is unlocked, and then the vehicle door is directly pushed open. Under the condition of adopting the door opening mode, when passengers get off the vehicle, because the sight range is only the front and the side of the vehicle, if the passengers do not observe the vehicle coming behind specially, unnecessary collision accidents can happen, and even personal injury can be caused.

To avoid such accidents, a "load-open" method may be used, i.e. the door handle is pulled by the hand farther from the door when the vehicle is being driven off. At the moment, the upper half body rotates along with the rotation of the upper half body, so that the head and the shoulders are outward, the eyes can naturally observe the condition of coming vehicles at the rear part, and accidents can be effectively prevented. However, such a method is troublesome to operate, and the user experience of the passenger is poor, so that the method is difficult to popularize and implement. And the ability of the naked eye to observe may be affected to varying degrees under different weather conditions (e.g., rainy days, foggy days, or dark nights, etc.), thereby creating a potential collision hazard. In addition, various door control systems in the prior art are also susceptible to weather, which causes inaccurate detection results and door control.

Disclosure of Invention

Therefore, a door opening control system and method capable of detecting the environment around the vehicle body under different weather conditions and accurately controlling the opening of the door to safely open the door are needed.

To achieve one or more of the above objects, the present invention provides the following technical solutions.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle door opening control system comprising: a sensor unit including a millimeter wave radar for detecting an object around the vehicle, and configured to generate speed information and position information representing the object with respect to the vehicle in which the millimeter wave radar is located; a processing unit that receives the speed information and the position information and a door opening request from a user, and generates door control information according to the door opening request, the speed information, and the position information; and a door control unit that controls a door of the vehicle in response to the door control information.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle door opening control system, wherein the processing unit is configured to generate door control information that allows or prohibits opening of the vehicle door.

According to another embodiment of the invention or any of the above embodiments, the processing unit is configured to generate the door control information for prohibiting the opening of the door when the speed value represented by the speed information is greater than a preset speed threshold and/or the distance value represented by the position information is less than a preset distance threshold.

According to another embodiment of the invention or any of the above embodiments, the sensor unit is configured to emit a first frequency wave and to receive a reflected second frequency wave.

A vehicle door opening control system according to another embodiment of the invention or any of the above embodiments, wherein the position information is derived from a time difference between transmission of the first frequency wave and reception of the second frequency wave; and the velocity information is derived from a frequency difference of the first frequency wave and the second frequency wave.

According to another embodiment of the present invention or any of the above embodiments, the door opening control system, wherein the door control unit is configured to open the door and/or unlock the door upon receiving door control information allowing the door to be opened.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle door opening control method including the steps of: receiving speed information and position information indicating that an object is relative to a vehicle in which the millimeter wave radar is located, the speed information and the position information being generated by the millimeter wave radar by detecting the object around the vehicle; receiving a door opening request from a user and generating door control information according to the door opening request, the speed information and the position information; and transmitting the door control information for controlling the door of the vehicle.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the step of generating the door control information includes generating door control information that permits or prohibits opening of the door.

According to another embodiment of the invention or any of the above embodiments, the step of generating the door control information further includes generating the door control information for prohibiting the door from being opened when the speed value represented by the speed information is greater than a preset speed threshold and/or the distance value represented by the position information is less than a preset distance threshold.

According to another embodiment of the invention or any of the above embodiments, the step of generating the speed information and the position information includes transmitting a first frequency wave and receiving a reflected second frequency wave.

A vehicle door opening control method according to another embodiment of the invention or any one of the above embodiments, wherein the position information is derived from a time difference between transmission of the first frequency wave and reception of the second frequency wave; and the velocity information is derived from a frequency difference of the first frequency wave and the second frequency wave.

Drawings

The above and/or other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the various aspects taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like or similar elements are designated with like reference numerals. The drawings comprise:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a vehicle door opening control system according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

fig. 2 is a schematic flow chart of a door opening control method according to an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

In this specification, the invention is described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

Words such as "comprising" and "comprises" mean that, in addition to having elements or steps which are directly and unequivocally stated in the description and the claims, the solution of the invention does not exclude other elements or steps which are not directly or unequivocally stated. Terms such as "first" and "second" do not denote an order of the elements in time, space, size, etc., but rather are used to distinguish one element from another.

The present invention is described below with reference to flowchart illustrations, block diagrams, and/or flow diagrams of methods and systems according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block and/or flow diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processor to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable processor to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable processor provide steps for implementing the functions or acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions/acts noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted in the flowcharts. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved.

Referring to fig. 1, fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a door opening control system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The door opening control system 100 shown in fig. 1 includes a sensor unit 110, a processing unit 120, and a door control unit 130.

The sensor unit 110 includes a millimeter wave radar for detecting objects around the vehicle (e.g., 150m-250 m), however, the sensor unit 110 may additionally include other auxiliary ranging or speed measuring devices other than the millimeter wave radar so as to more accurately acquire information of the objects around the vehicle. The sensor unit 110 is configured to generate speed information and position information representing objects around the vehicle relative to the vehicle on which the millimeter wave radar is located.

In one embodiment, the sensor unit senses the velocity of the object using a doppler radar that is sensitive to the velocity of the object. First, the doppler radar transmits a wave of a first frequency, which may be, for example, a space sweep at the first frequency. If the first frequency wave meets the moving object at this time, the first frequency wave is reflected by the object to form a second frequency wave (the second frequency wave is received by the doppler radar), thereby generating a frequency difference. According to the frequency difference, the radial relative movement speed of the sensed object relative to the position of the radar can be derived; the time difference between the transmission of the first frequency wave and the reception of the second frequency wave is combined to derive the distance of the sensed object relative to the position of the radar. In some improved embodiments, a filter may also be provided in the sensor for filtering out interfering frequencies and clutter that differ too much from the desired received frequency so that the radar can resolve the desired target signal from strong clutter. Therefore, the use of the millimeter wave sensor for sensing an object using doppler shift can provide a stronger interference resistance than that of a general radar, can sense a target object hidden in a noise floor, and thus is additionally suitable for abnormal weather conditions with some interference.

The processing unit 120 receives a door opening request from the user on the one hand, which may be sent to the processing unit 120 by the user by pulling the door handle; or the user may send to the processing unit 120 by pressing a certain key on the vehicle; and may also be the result of the processing unit 120 sensing a voice command, such as "open the door," from the user via a voice sensing device. The processing unit 120, on the other hand, receives speed information and position information about the detected object from the sensor unit 110 described above to generate door control information. In one embodiment, the processing unit 120 compares the speed information and the location information with a user or manufacturer preset speed threshold and a preset distance threshold extracted from the memory. The memory includes non-volatile storage elements, non-limiting examples of which include magnetic hard disks, optical disks, floppy disks, flash memory, or forms of electrically programmable memory (EPROM) or Electrically Erasable and Programmable (EEPROM) memory. Generally, in the first state, i.e., when the speed value represented by the speed information is greater than the preset speed threshold and/or the distance value represented by the position information is less than the preset distance threshold, the processing unit 120 generates the door control information for prohibiting the opening of the door. In the second state, that is, when the processing unit 120 determines that the velocity value indicated by the velocity information is not greater than the preset velocity threshold value and the distance value indicated by the position information is not less than the preset distance threshold value, and receives a door opening request from the user, door control information allowing the door to be opened is generated. That is, no door opening is permitted as long as there is an object too close to the vehicle and/or an object approaching the vehicle at too fast a speed, regardless of whether a door opening request is received. The door control information may also be generated according to other rules as desired.

The door control unit 130 controls the doors of the vehicle in response to the door control information generated and transmitted by the processing unit 120. As described above, in the second state, if it is determined that it is safe to open the door and the user does need to open the door, the lock on the door may be released to allow the user to normally open the door, or the door may be automatically opened for the user after receiving a door opening request from the user. In some improved embodiments, if the first state occurs during the opening of the vehicle door, the opening of the vehicle door is suspended. Therefore, the safety of the user in the process of opening the vehicle door can be improved, and the accident probability of colliding with surrounding objects due to the fact that the vehicle door is opened is reduced.

In another embodiment, the door opening control system 100 further includes a display screen to visually and directly display a view of the surroundings of the vehicle. The view may be synthesized from data collected by various sensors on the vehicle body (e.g., radar, camera, temperature sensor, etc.) or may be a view of the real scene collected in real time by the camera. The display screen may be any type of dynamic display capable of displaying a visual interface to a user, and may include any type of Light Emitting Diode (LED), organic LED (oled), Cathode Ray Tube (CRT), Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), plasma, electro-luminescence (EL), or other display technology. As another example, the display screen may be partially or fully operated by the processing unit 120. By using the display screen, a user can be reminded to observe the surrounding situation of the vehicle, and the possibility of collision accidents is reduced.

In yet another embodiment, the door opening control system 100 further includes an alarm unit 150. When sensing that the vehicle is located by a barrier or a moving object fast approaching sensor, the alarm unit 150 can control the vehicle components to send alarm information to surrounding vehicles or pedestrians to remind the surrounding vehicles or pedestrians to avoid the obstacle. For example, the alarm information may be flashing of lights of the vehicle controlled by the alarm unit 150, whistling of a speaker of the vehicle controlled, or the like.

The various units and components as described above may communicate with each other using any one or more of the following: buses, networks, and other wired or wireless interconnects. Examples include I²C. SPI, PS/2, Universal Serial Bus (USB), Bluetooth, RF, and IRDA.

Referring to fig. 2, fig. 2 is a schematic flow chart of a vehicle door opening control method 200 according to an embodiment of the invention. In step S210, a door opening request is received from the user, which may be sent to the processing unit 120 by the user pulling the door handle; or the user may send to the processing unit 120 by pressing a certain key on the vehicle; and may also be a result of the sensor unit 120 sensing a voice command, such as "open the door", of the user through a voice sensing device. And on the other hand, receives speed information and position information about the detected object from the above-described sensor unit 110 to generate door control information.

The aforementioned speed information and position information are speed information and position information generated by the sensor unit 110, which indicate that an object around the vehicle is relative to the vehicle in which it is located. In one embodiment, the velocity of the object is sensed using a doppler radar that is sensitive to the velocity of the object. First, the doppler radar transmits a wave of a first frequency, which may be, for example, a space sweep at the first frequency. If the first frequency wave meets the moving object at this time, the first frequency wave is reflected by the object to form a second frequency wave (the second frequency wave is received by the doppler radar), thereby generating a frequency difference. According to the frequency difference, the radial relative movement speed of the sensed object relative to the position of the radar can be derived; the time difference between the transmission of the first frequency wave and the reception of the second frequency wave is combined to derive the distance of the sensed object relative to the position of the radar. In some improved embodiments, a filter may also be provided in the sensor for filtering out interfering frequencies and clutter that differ too much from the desired received frequency so that the radar can distinguish the desired target signal from strong clutter. Therefore, the use of the millimeter wave sensor for sensing an object using doppler shift can provide a stronger interference resistance than that of a general radar, and can sense a target object hidden in a noise floor, thereby being additionally suitable for an abnormal weather condition with some interference.

In step S220, door control information is generated. In one embodiment, the speed information and location information are compared to a user or manufacturer preset speed threshold and a preset distance threshold retrieved from memory. The memory includes non-volatile storage elements, non-limiting examples of which include magnetic hard disks, optical disks, floppy disks, flash memory, or forms of electrically programmable memory (EPROM) or Electrically Erasable and Programmable (EEPROM) memory. In general, in the first state, i.e. when the speed value represented by the speed information is greater than a preset speed threshold value and/or the distance value represented by the position information is less than a preset distance threshold value, door control information for prohibiting opening of the door is generated. In the second state, that is, if it is determined that the velocity value represented by the velocity information is not greater than the preset velocity threshold value and the distance value represented by the position information is not less than the preset distance threshold value, and a door opening request from the user is received, door control information allowing the door to be opened is generated. That is, no door opening is permitted as long as there is an object too close to the vehicle and/or an object approaching the vehicle at too fast a speed, regardless of whether a door opening request is received. The door control information may also be generated according to other rules as desired.

In step S230, the door control information is transmitted for controlling the door of the vehicle. As described above, in the second state, if it is determined that it is safe to open the door and the user does need to open the door, the lock on the door may be released to allow the user to normally open the door, or the door may be automatically opened for the user after receiving a door opening request from the user. In some improved embodiments, if the first state occurs during the opening of the vehicle door, the opening of the vehicle door is suspended. Therefore, the safety of the user in the process of opening the vehicle door can be improved, and the accident probability of colliding with surrounding objects due to the fact that the vehicle door is opened is reduced.

In another embodiment, the view of the situation around the vehicle is visually displayed directly through the display screen. The view may be synthesized from data collected by various sensors on the vehicle body (e.g., radar, camera, temperature sensor, etc.) or may be a view of the real scene collected in real time by the camera.

In yet another embodiment, when a vehicle in which an obstacle or a moving object rapidly approaches a sensor is sensed, the warning unit 150 may control a vehicle component to send warning information to surrounding vehicles or pedestrians to remind them of avoiding. For example, the alarm information may be flashing of lights of the vehicle controlled by the alarm unit 150, whistling of a speaker of the vehicle controlled, or the like.

The various units and components as described above may communicate with each other using any one or more of the following: buses, networks, and other wired or wireless interconnects. Examples include I²C. SPI, PS/2, Universal Serial Bus (USB), Bluetooth, RF, and IRDA.

The embodiments and examples set forth herein are presented to best explain the embodiments in accordance with the present technology and its particular application and to thereby enable those skilled in the art to make and utilize the invention. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the foregoing description and examples have been presented for the purpose of illustration and example only. The description as set forth is not intended to cover all aspects of the invention or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed.