JP6457865B2 - Automatic opening / closing control device for vehicle - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle automatic opening / closing control device that automatically opens and closes an opening / closing unit such as a back gate in a vehicle such as an automobile.

  In an automobile, an automatic opening / closing control device that automatically opens and closes an opening / closing part such as a back gate is used (Patent Document 1).

JP 2014-214472 A

  However, in Patent Document 1, an ultrasonic sensor for detecting the proximity of an occupant to the rear of the vehicle is provided in addition to the ultrasonic sensor for detecting a kick operation for opening and closing the back gate. A plurality of ultrasonic sensors are required as dedicated sensors for controlling the opening and closing of the back gate. As described above, in the automatic opening / closing control device, when the control is advanced, the number of detection targets increases, and it becomes necessary to add a sensor for each of the increased detection targets, and as a result, dedicated to the automatic opening / closing control device. There is a tendency that the number of parts such as sensors to be provided and the cost increase.

  As described above, in the vehicle, it is required to increase the functionality of the automatic opening / closing control device while reducing the number of dedicated parts for the automatic opening / closing control device.

  An automatic opening / closing control device for a vehicle according to the present invention has an opening / closing portion antenna provided in an opening / closing portion of a vehicle, and is an opening / closing wireless communication device capable of wirelessly communicating with a wireless key of an occupant existing outside the closed opening / closing portion. And a control unit that automatically controls opening / closing of the opening / closing unit in response to detection of the wireless key by the opening / closing unit antenna, and an indoor antenna provided in the vehicle, the vehicle being present in the vehicle An indoor wireless communication device capable of wireless communication with a wireless key, and the control unit increases the output of the indoor antenna in a state where the opening and closing unit is opened, and the opening and closing unit and the vehicle main body The communication range of the open / close unit antenna and the communicable range of the indoor antenna overlap each other in the open / close track of the open / close unit between the open / close unit antenna and the open / close unit antenna. If possible communicate with Yaresuki, open automatically closing prohibiting control the opening and closing portion is.

  Preferably, the opening / closing unit is a back gate of the vehicle, and the control unit performs an operation for closing the back gate, and then at least one of the opening / closing unit antenna and the indoor antenna is the wireless key. The back gate may be automatically closed when communication with the mobile phone becomes impossible.

  Preferably, the opening / closing portion antenna is an omnidirectional antenna provided upright in the closed back gate, and the indoor antenna is an omnidirectional antenna provided upright in the vehicle. Good.

In the present invention, in the state where the opening / closing part is open, the output of the indoor antenna provided in the room is increased in order to communicate wirelessly with the wireless key present in the vehicle, and communication is performed with respect to the opening / closing track of the opening / closing part. Overlapping possible range.
Therefore, the opening / closing of the opening / closing part can be performed only by the radio wave leaking inside the opening / closing part with respect to the electromagnetic wave of the opening / closing part antenna provided in the opening / closing part for wireless communication with the wireless key of the passenger existing outside the closed opening / closing part. Although it is difficult to set the communication range so that the inside and outside of the track are properly distinguished, even in such a case, the output of the indoor antenna provided in the vehicle for purposes other than automatic opening / closing control By raising the value, it is possible to set a communicable range in which the inside and outside of the opening / closing track of the opening / closing part can be suitably distinguished.
As a result, it is possible to increase the functionality of the automatic opening / closing control device without increasing the number of parts dedicated for the automatic opening / closing control device.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention with a back gate closed. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the back gate of the automobile of FIG. 1 is opened. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of boarding detection control by the ECU. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of back gate automatic opening control by the ECU. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of automatic closing control of the back gate by the ECU.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 and 2 are schematic views showing an automobile 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The automobile 1 is an example of a vehicle. 1 and 2 are views of the automobile 1 as viewed from the side. The vehicle body 2 of the automobile 1 is provided with an engine compartment 3 and a compartment 4.

A back gate 5 is provided on the rear side of the passenger compartment 4 to open and close when luggage is put. The back gate 5 is attached to the vehicle body 2 so that its lower edge opens rearward and upward with its upper edge as the center. In addition, doors that are opened and closed when passengers get on and off are provided on the left and right sides of the passenger compartment 4. For example, the door is attached to the vehicle body 2 such that the rear edge opens outward with the front edge as the center.
FIG. 1 shows a state where the back gate 5 is closed, and FIG. 2 shows a state where the back gate 5 is opened.

  The automobile 1 shown in FIG. 1 is provided with an automatic opening / closing control device 10 that automatically opens and closes the back gate 5. The automatic opening / closing control device 10 includes an actuator 11 for driving the back gate 5, a capacitance sensor 12 provided near the back gate 5, a wireless communication device 17 for opening / closing communicating with a wireless key 14 carried by an occupant, ECU (Engine Control Unit) 13 to which these are connected.

  The ECU 13 is connected to an indoor wireless communication device 15 that is provided in the vehicle to detect that an occupant has boarded and can communicate with the wireless key 14 existing in the vehicle. The indoor wireless communication device 15 is provided in the automobile 1 in order to detect an occupant who has boarded.

  The actuator 11 is, for example, a motor or a hydraulic cylinder. The actuator 11 generates a driving force that opens and closes the back gate 5 with respect to the vehicle body 2. The back gate 5 is opened and closed between a fully closed position that is closed with respect to the vehicle body 2 in a state along the vertical direction and a fully open position that extends rearward from the vehicle body 2 in a state along the horizontal direction.

  The capacitance sensor 12 includes, for example, an electrode plate and a current detector connected between the electrode plate and the battery. Electric charges accumulate on the electrode plate when, for example, a battery voltage is applied. The electrode plate accumulates electric charges according to the capacity between the surrounding conductors such as the ground. For example, when a person's foot enters between the electrode plate and the ground while the electric charge is stored, the capacitance between the electrode plate and the ground changes, and a current corresponding to the capacitance flows to the current detector. The capacitance sensor 12 detects a change in capacitance after the electric charge is stored in the electrode plate, and generates a detection signal.

  The capacitance sensor 12 is provided on the rear bumper 6 of the vehicle body 2 located below the back gate 5. As a result, the electrode plate is easily capacitively coupled with the ground below the rear bumper 6, for example. The capacitance sensor 12 can detect a human kicking action near the lower side of the rear bumper 6 and generate a detection signal.

  The open / close wireless communication device 17 performs bidirectional communication with the wireless key 14 carried by the passenger by wireless communication. The wireless key 14 transmits identification information unique to each wireless key 14 to the open / close radio communication device 17. Thereby, the crew member who carries wireless key 14 can be distinguished from other crew members. Communication data between the wireless key 14 and the open / close radio communication device 17 may be encrypted.

  The open / close radio communication device 17 is provided at the center in the left-right direction at the lower end edge, which is the free end of the back gate 5. The opening / closing portion antenna 18 of the opening / closing wireless communication device 17 may be, for example, an omnidirectional antenna provided upright in the closed back gate 5. In this case, in a state where the back gate 5 is closed as shown in FIG. 1, the range in which the open / close radio communication device 17 can communicate with the wireless key 14 is a donut-shaped range, which is inside and outside the back gate 5. When the back gate 5 is fully opened as shown in FIG. 2, the range in which the open / close radio communication device 17 can communicate with the wireless key 14 is the upper side and the lower side of the back gate 5. Communication with the wireless key 14 is possible in a range extending rearward from the rear edge of the opened back gate 5.

  The indoor wireless communication device 15 performs bidirectional communication with the wireless key 14 carried by the passenger by wireless communication. The wireless key 14 transmits identification information unique to each wireless key 14 to the indoor wireless communication device 15. Thereby, the crew member who carries wireless key 14 can be distinguished from other crew members. Communication data between the wireless key 14 and the indoor wireless communication device 15 may be encrypted.

  The indoor wireless communication device 15 is provided, for example, at a central position in the vehicle. The indoor antenna 16 of the indoor wireless communication device 15 may be, for example, an omnidirectional antenna provided upright in the vehicle. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the output of the open / close wireless communication device 17 is set so as to be communicable with the wireless key 14 in a range extending in a donut shape in the vehicle. Thereby, the occupant who boarded can be detected.

  ECU13 is a computer apparatus provided in order to control an engine etc. in the motor vehicle 1, for example. The ECU 13 is connected to the actuator 11, the indoor wireless communication device 15, and the capacitance sensor 12. The ECU 13 controls each part of the automobile 1 by executing a program stored in the memory. In the present embodiment, in particular, automatic opening / closing control of the back gate 5 is executed.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of boarding detection control by the ECU 13.

  When detecting boarding as shown in FIG. 3, the ECU 13 outputs radio waves from the indoor wireless communication device 15 (step ST <b> 1). Thereafter, when the indoor wireless communication device 15 becomes communicable with the wireless key 14 (step ST2), the start of the engine of the automobile 1 is permitted (step ST3). Thus, the occupant can start the engine by operating, for example, a button without inserting the wireless key 14 into the key cylinder and turning it.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of automatic opening control of the back gate 5 by the ECU 13.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the automatic opening control of the closed back gate 5, the ECU 13 first outputs from the opening / closing wireless communication device 17 (step ST11) and determines whether or not communication with the wireless key 14 is possible (step ST11). Step ST12). The ECU 13 attempts to communicate with the wireless key 14 by setting the opening / closing wireless communication device 17 to a predetermined output.

  If communication with the wireless key 14 is successful, the ECU 13 enters a kick detection state (step ST13). When the detection signal of the kick operation is input from the capacitance sensor 12, the ECU 13 starts control for automatically automatically opening the back gate 5 (step ST14). The ECU 13 drives the back gate 5 by the actuator 11 after determining that a predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds) sufficient for the occupant to perform the kick operation has elapsed based on the measurement time of the built-in timer. Thereby, the closed back gate 5 is automatically opened.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of the automatic closing control of the back gate 5 by the ECU 13.

  In the automatic closing control of the closed back gate 5 as shown in FIG. 5, the ECU 13 first controls the output of the antenna. Specifically, the open / close unit antenna 18 of the open / close radio communication device 17 is set to a predetermined output (step ST21), and the indoor antenna 16 of the indoor radio communication device 15 is detected to the outside of the vehicle compartment 4. A possible high output state is set (step ST22). Thereby, as shown by hatching in FIG. 2, the communicable range of the opening / closing part antenna 18 and the communicable range of the indoor antenna 16 overlap in the open / close trajectory of the back gate 5 between the opened back gate 5 and the vehicle body 2. . These communicable ranges overlap on the vehicle body 2 side with respect to the rear end edge of the opened back gate 5.

  Next, the ECU 13 waits for an operation input for closing the back gate 5 (step ST23). Then, when detecting an operation for closing the back gate 5, the ECU 13 starts control for automatically closing the back gate 5. In the control for automatically closing the back gate 5, the ECU 13 first attempts to communicate with the wireless key 14 by both the opening / closing wireless communication device 17 and the indoor wireless communication device 15 (step ST24). When both the open / close wireless communication device 17 and the indoor wireless communication device 15 can communicate with the wireless key 14, control for automatically closing the open back gate 5 is prohibited.

  Thereafter, when at least one of the open / close wireless communication device 17 and the indoor wireless communication device 15 cannot communicate, the ECU 13 starts control for automatically closing the opened back gate 5 (step ST25). The ECU 13 drives the back gate 5 by the actuator 11. Thereby, the opened back gate 5 is automatically closed.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, when the back gate 5 is opened, the indoor antenna of the indoor wireless communication device 15 provided indoors for wireless communication with the wireless key 14 existing in the vehicle. The output of 16 is increased, and the communicable range is overlapped with the open / close trajectory of the back gate 5. Therefore, the back gate 5 can be opened / closed only by the opening / closing portion antenna 18 of the opening / closing radio communication device 17 provided in the back gate 5 for wireless communication with the wireless key 14 of the passenger existing outside the closed back gate 5. Although it is difficult to set the communication range so as to appropriately distinguish between the inside and the outside with respect to the track, even in such a case, the indoor wireless communication device 15 provided in the vehicle for purposes other than the automatic opening / closing control. By increasing the output of the indoor antenna 16, the inside and outside of the open / close track of the back gate 5 can be suitably distinguished. As a result, the automatic opening / closing control device 10 is improved in function so that the inside and outside of the opening / closing track of the back gate 5 can be suitably distinguished without increasing the number of dedicated components for the automatic opening / closing control device 10. be able to.

  In the present embodiment, the ECU 13 is configured such that at least one of the opening / closing wireless communication device 17 and the indoor wireless communication device 15 cannot communicate with the wireless key 14 after the operation for closing the back gate 5 is performed. The back gate 5 is automatically closed. Therefore, the back gate 5 can be automatically closed in a state in which the absence of the occupant in the opening / closing track of the back gate 5 is confirmed.

  In the present embodiment, the open / close unit antenna 18 of the open / close radio communication device 17 and the indoor antenna 16 of the indoor radio communication device 15 are omnidirectional antennas provided at respective predetermined positions. Therefore, by increasing the output of the indoor antenna 16 of the indoor wireless communication device 15 in the state where the back gate 5 is open, the detection range of the opening / closing portion antenna 18 of the indoor wireless communication device 15 is expanded from the passenger compartment 4 to the rear side. In the range close to the vehicle compartment 4 in the detection range of the opening / closing portion antenna 18 of the opening / closing radio communication device 17 below the back gate 5 opened on the rear side of the vehicle, The detection ranges of 15 indoor antennas 16 can be overlapped.

  Although the above embodiment is an example of an embodiment suitable for the present invention, the present invention is not limited to this and can be variously modified or changed without departing from the gist of the invention.

1 ... Automobile (vehicle)
2 ... Vehicle body 3 ... Engine compartment 4 ... Vehicle compartment 5 ... Back gate (opening / closing part)
6 ... Rear bumper 10 ... Automatic opening / closing control device 11 ... Actuator 12 ... Capacitance sensor 13 ... ECU (control unit)
14 ... Wireless key 15 ... Indoor wireless communication device 16 ... Indoor antenna 17 ... Opening / closing wireless communication device 18 ... Opening / closing section antenna

Claims (3)

An opening / closing wireless communication device having an opening / closing portion antenna provided in an opening / closing portion of a vehicle and capable of wirelessly communicating with a wireless key of an occupant existing outside the closed opening / closing portion;
A control unit that automatically controls opening and closing of the opening and closing unit in response to detection of the wireless key by the opening and closing unit antenna;
An indoor antenna provided in the vehicle, and an indoor wireless communication device capable of wireless communication with the wireless key present in the vehicle;
Have
The controller is
When the opening / closing part is opened, the output of the indoor antenna is increased, and the communication range of the opening / closing part antenna and the indoor antenna in the opening / closing path of the opening / closing part between the opened opening / closing part and the vehicle body With the communication range of
When both the open / close unit antenna and the indoor antenna are communicable with the wireless key, prohibit the control to automatically close the open / close unit,
Automatic opening / closing control device for vehicles. The opening / closing part is a back gate of the vehicle,
After the operation for closing the back gate is performed, the control unit automatically closes the back gate when at least one of the opening / closing unit antenna and the indoor antenna becomes unable to communicate with the wireless key. ,
The automatic opening / closing control device for a vehicle according to claim 1. The opening / closing part antenna is an omnidirectional antenna provided upright in the closed back gate,
The indoor antenna is an omnidirectional antenna provided upright in the vehicle.
The automatic opening / closing control device for a vehicle according to claim 2.

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