JP5131543B2 - Vehicle door opening and closing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle door opening / closing device that determines whether or not a user performs an opening / closing operation on a vehicle door and opens / closes the vehicle door.

  As an example of such a vehicle door opening and closing device, a vehicle door opening and closing device linked with a locking system (smart entry system) that automatically controls unlocking and locking of the vehicle door is known. The smart entry system detects when a user approaches or gets off a vehicle by communicating with a portable device carried by the user, recognizes the unlocking or locking instruction for the user's vehicle door, and Controls locking and unlocking of doors. As a vehicle door opening / closing device in such a smart entry system, there is one in which a piezoelectric sensor is provided on a door handle for a user to open and close the vehicle door. (Patent Documents 1 and 2, etc.).

  The door handle device described in Patent Document 1 includes a piezoelectric sensor formed of a flexible cable-like piezoelectric element on the door handle, and receives a detection signal from the piezoelectric sensor generated by contact with the door handle. Release the door lock of the door.

  In addition, the door handle device described in Patent Document 2 includes a handle body that is assembled to the door and serves as a grip portion when the door is opened and closed, and a piezoelectric sensor that is attached to the door side of the handle body. The piezoelectric sensor is attached to a surface facing the door of the handle body through a cushioning material having a plurality of parts that can be independently displaced.

JP 2006-118349 A JP 2006-83522 A

  The door handle device described in Patent Document 1 does not take measures against vehicle noise, and may detect any signal. Further, since it is impossible to specify which door is struck, there is a possibility that a door other than the door desired by the user opens.

  On the other hand, the door handle device described in Patent Document 2 is a cushioning material having portions that are deformed independently of each other so that the piezoelectric sensor can cause a larger deformation even with a small displacement. Is disposed on the handle body through the. In order to determine whether or not there has been a load change in the piezoelectric sensor, for example, a determination threshold value of a predetermined voltage width centered on a predetermined voltage is provided, and when this determination threshold value is exceeded, it is determined that there has been a load change. However, as described above, if the determination is based only on the determination threshold, there is a possibility of erroneous detection when large noise occurs. In addition, since some vibrations generated from the outside generate a large detection signal, if a large noise is generated at the same timing, there is a possibility of erroneous detection.

  In addition, the door handle device described in Patent Document 2 is configured to detect the displacement of the buffer material and the piezoelectric sensor, and in particular, the buffer material is provided for the purpose of easily displacing the piezoelectric sensor. Therefore, the purpose is not to distinguish between disturbance vibration and operation vibration.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to determine whether there is a user's opening / closing command operation on the vehicle door without erroneously detecting it, and to open / close the vehicle door. An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicular door opening and closing device.

  In order to achieve the above object, the vehicle door opening / closing apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that the vehicle door opening / closing device detects the input of the user's opening / closing command operation to the vehicle door and opens / closes the vehicle door. A vibration detection sensor that is attached to a structural member of the vehicle door via an intermediate member and detects vibration caused by an opening / closing command operation given to the vehicle door by the user, and an amplitude of a vibration waveform obtained from the vibration detection sensor Based on the comparison between the amplitude level of the upper waveform acquired by the vibration waveform detecting means for acquiring the upper waveform and the lower waveform with respect to the reference and the amplitude level of the lower waveform acquired by the vibration waveform detecting means, Determining means for determining whether or not the vehicle door opening / closing command operation is performed by a person.

  With such a characteristic configuration, the opening / closing command operation of the vehicle door can be detected according to the difference between the signal level of the upper waveform and the signal level of the lower waveform. The presence / absence of the command operation can be determined without erroneous detection.

  In addition, it is preferable that a buffer member is provided between the structural member and the intermediate member to buffer the vibration applied to the vehicle door due to disturbance vibration generated in the vehicle.

  With such a configuration, it is possible to distinguish between vibration given to the vehicle by disturbance vibration and vibration intentionally given by the user. That is, by providing the buffer member between the structural member and the intermediate member, the signal level of vibration noise due to disturbance vibration can be lowered. In addition, when a vibration is applied to the vibration detection sensor by the user, it is difficult to vibrate on the buffer member side, and the level of the detection signal corresponding to the vibration becomes low. The difference in amplitude from the signal reference of the waveform can be made conspicuous. Therefore, it is possible to reduce erroneous detection.

  In addition, when the determination means has a large difference between the peak value of the amplitude level of the upper waveform and the peak value of the amplitude level of the lower waveform, the user has performed an opening / closing command operation of the vehicle door. It is preferable to judge.

  With such a configuration, since the determination unit makes a determination based on the difference between the peak value of the amplitude level of the upper waveform and the peak value of the amplitude level of the lower waveform, it is possible to reduce erroneous detection. .

  Further, an upper threshold value and a lower threshold value that are the same difference value with respect to the amplitude reference are set across the amplitude reference, and the determination means has an amplitude level of the upper waveform that exceeds the upper threshold value, and When the amplitude level of the lower waveform is less than the lower threshold value, it is preferable to determine that the user has performed an opening / closing command operation of the vehicle door.

  With such a configuration, the determination unit compares the amplitude level of the upper waveform with the upper threshold value, and compares the amplitude level of the lower waveform with the lower threshold value, thereby making a determination, thus preventing erroneous detection. It becomes possible.

[First embodiment]
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle door opening and closing device 1 according to the present invention. The vehicle door opening / closing device 1 has a function of detecting an input of a user's opening / closing command operation to the vehicle door and opening / closing the vehicle door.

  The vehicle door opening and closing device 1 includes a vibration detection sensor 10, a vibration waveform detection unit 15, a determination unit 20, and a door control unit 30. The vibration detection sensor 10 detects vibration caused by an opening / closing command operation given to the vehicle door by the user. The opening / closing command operation according to the present invention is a knock operation performed by the user on the vehicle door. Therefore, the vibration detection sensor 10 detects vibration generated by a knocking operation performed by the user on the vehicle door. For this reason, it is preferable that the vibration detection sensor 10 is configured by a piezoelectric sensor that can output a detection signal in accordance with externally applied vibration. The vibration detection sensor 10 will be described as the piezoelectric sensor 10 in the following description.

  The vehicle door is a door provided in the vehicle. The door includes a slide door provided at a side portion of the vehicle, a back door provided at the rear portion of the vehicle, and the like. In the following description, the vehicle door is described as a back door for the sake of clarity. The vibration waveform detection unit 15 acquires an upper waveform and a lower waveform with respect to the amplitude reference of the vibration waveform obtained from the piezoelectric sensor 10. Based on the comparison between the amplitude level of the upper waveform acquired by the vibration waveform detection unit 15 and the amplitude level of the lower waveform, the determination unit 20 determines whether or not the user has performed a command to open or close the vehicle door. To do. The door control unit 30 controls the opening / closing operation of the back door.

  As will be described in detail later, the vibration waveform detection means 15 includes a filter 21 and a signal detection section 22, and the determination means 20 includes an upper signal strength determination section 23, a lower signal strength determination section 24, a determination condition setting section 25, And a signal determination unit 26.

  Here, the vibration detection apparatus 1 includes the above-described functional unit for performing various processes for opening and closing the vehicle door using the CPU as a core member, and is constructed by hardware and / or software. Hereinafter, the configuration of each part of the vibration detection apparatus 1 will be described.

  As described above, the piezoelectric sensor 10 detects vibration generated by a knocking operation performed by the user on the back door. The piezoelectric sensor 10 is attached to the structural member of the back door via an intermediate member. The structural member is the back door itself. The intermediate member is a member provided between the piezoelectric sensor 10 and the structural member of the back door. For example, the glass 51, the garnish 52, the license plate 53, the tail lamp 54, the molding 55, the emblem 56, the handle 57, and the like provided in the back door as shown in FIG. The piezoelectric sensor 10 is attached to the back door through these intermediate members. The piezoelectric sensor 10 attached in this way outputs a detection signal according to vibration caused by a knocking operation performed by the user. The detection signal is transmitted to the filter 21 described later.

  The filter 21 is configured by a band pass filter, and attenuates frequency components other than a predetermined frequency band in the detection signal transmitted from the piezoelectric sensor 10. The predetermined frequency band can be changed according to the signal to be detected, but in the present embodiment, for example, a frequency band of 100 to 300 Hz is preferable.

  The signal detection unit 22 acquires an upper waveform and a lower waveform with respect to the amplitude reference of the vibration waveform obtained from the piezoelectric sensor 10. The amplitude reference does not simply indicate the center of the amplitude of the detection signal but indicates the reference of the detection signal. That is, when the detection signal consists of a positive voltage and a negative voltage, it indicates zero potential. The upper waveform indicates a waveform positioned above the amplitude reference, and the lower waveform indicates a waveform positioned lower than the amplitude reference.

  This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 shows a detection signal when the back door is knocked by the user. The vertical axis represents the detection voltage and corresponds to the amplitude level. The horizontal axis is indicated by time. The amplitude reference corresponds to a line whose detection voltage indicates 0V. The upper waveform indicates a waveform in a region where the detection voltage is higher than the amplitude reference. Of the detection signal, the waveform of the portion indicated by symbol A corresponds to the upper waveform. On the other hand, the lower waveform indicates a waveform in a region where the detection voltage is lower than the amplitude reference. Of the detection signal, the waveform of the portion indicated by symbol B corresponds to the lower waveform. As is clear from FIG. 3, the detection signal has a different amplitude level of the upper waveform with respect to the amplitude reference and an amplitude level of the lower waveform with respect to the amplitude reference, but is based on actually performed experimental data. There is no problem.

  The signal detection unit 22 acquires an upper waveform and a lower waveform with respect to the detection signal. These upper waveform and lower waveform are respectively transmitted to an upper signal strength determination unit 23 and a lower signal strength determination unit 24 described later. An amplification unit (not shown) is provided between the piezoelectric sensor 10 and the filter 21 or between the filter 21 and the signal detection unit 22 to amplify the detection signal and the detection signal after the filtering process performed by the filter 21. You may do it.

  The upper signal strength determination unit 23 determines the amplitude level of the upper waveform as the upper amplitude level. The amplitude level corresponds to the detection voltage of the detection signal. The amplitude level is preferably an amplitude level that maximizes the amplitude of the detection signal. Therefore, the upper signal strength determination unit 23 determines the maximum value (peak value) of the detection voltage in the upper waveform as the upper amplitude level. In FIG. 3, the detection voltage indicated by the symbol a corresponds. The upper amplitude level determined by the upper signal strength determination unit 23 is transmitted to the signal determination unit 26 described later.

  The lower signal strength determination unit 24 determines the amplitude level of the lower waveform as the lower amplitude level. The amplitude level corresponds to the detection voltage of the detection signal as described above. The amplitude level is preferably an amplitude level that maximizes the amplitude of the detection signal. Therefore, the lower signal strength determination unit 24 determines the minimum value (peak value) of the detection voltage in the lower waveform as the lower amplitude level. In FIG. 3, the detection voltage indicated by the symbol b corresponds. The lower amplitude level determined by the lower signal strength determination unit 24 is transmitted to the signal determination unit 26 described later.

  Based on the comparison between the amplitude level of the upper waveform and the amplitude level of the lower waveform, the signal determination unit 26 determines whether or not the user has knocked the back door. The amplitude level of the upper waveform corresponds to the above-described upper amplitude level. The amplitude level of the lower waveform corresponds to the lower amplitude level described above. The determination by the signal determination unit 26 is preferably performed as follows.

  First, the signal determination unit 26 compares the amplitude levels. When the difference between the peak value of the amplitude level of the upper waveform and the peak value of the lower waveform is large, it is preferable that the control circuit 20 determines that the user has knocked the back door. The peak value of the amplitude level of the upper waveform corresponds to the maximum value of the detection signal indicated by the symbol a described above. In addition, the peak value of the amplitude level of the lower waveform corresponds to the minimum value of the detection signal indicated by the above-described symbol b. The signal determination unit 26 determines that the knock operation has been performed when the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the detection signal is large.

  Here, the difference being large may be determined that the difference is large when at least the absolute value of the peak value of the amplitude level of the lower waveform is smaller than the absolute value of the peak value of the amplitude level of the upper waveform. However, it may be determined that the difference is large when the absolute value of the peak value of the amplitude level of the upper waveform is a predetermined multiple of the absolute value of the peak value of the amplitude level of the lower waveform. Such a determination condition is set by a determination condition setting unit 25 described later. Based on the comparison between the amplitude level of the upper waveform and the amplitude level of the lower waveform, the signal determination unit 26 determines the absolute value of the peak value of the amplitude level of the upper waveform and the absolute value of the peak value of the amplitude level of the lower waveform. When the difference is large, it is determined that the user has knocked the back door. This determination result is transmitted to the door control unit 30 described later.

  The determination condition setting unit 25 sets a determination condition for the signal determination unit 26 to determine that the user has knocked the back door. As described above, this determination condition may be a determination condition that the absolute value of the peak value of the amplitude level of the lower waveform is smaller than the absolute value of the peak value of the amplitude level of the upper waveform, The determination condition may be that the absolute value of the peak value of the amplitude level of the upper waveform is a predetermined multiple of the absolute value of the peak value of the amplitude level of the lower waveform.

  The door control unit 30 opens and closes the back door based on the determination result of the signal determination unit 26. That is, when it is determined by the signal determination unit 26 that the user has knocked the back door, the door control unit 30 controls the opening of the back door. On the other hand, if it is not determined by the signal determination unit 26 that the user has performed a knocking operation on the back door, the door control unit 30 controls the closing of the back door.

  Alternatively, when the back door is in the closed state, when it is determined that the knocking operation has been performed, the door control unit 30 controls the opening of the back door, and when the back door is in the open state, When it is determined that the knocking operation has been performed, the door control unit 30 may control the closing of the back door. Thus, the vehicle door opening and closing apparatus 1 according to the present invention can detect the input of the user's knocking operation on the back door and open and close the back door.

[Second Embodiment]
In the first embodiment described above, the piezoelectric sensor 10 has been described as being attached to the structural member of the back door via an intermediate member. In the present embodiment, the first member described above is provided between the structural member and the intermediate member in that the shock-absorbing member 60 is provided for buffering the vibration applied to the back door due to the disturbance vibration generated in the vehicle. Different from the embodiment.

  The attachment of the piezoelectric sensor 10 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 shows an example in which the piezoelectric sensor 10 is attached to the glass 51 of the vehicle via the buffer member 60. The buffer member 60 buffers the vibration applied to the back door due to disturbance vibration generated in the vehicle. The disturbance vibration corresponds to vibration that the vehicle receives other than the knocking operation by the user. For example, if the vehicle is in a running state, vibrations caused by road steps, running noise received from the roads, and the like correspond. Further, if the vehicle is in a stopped state, vibration or the like caused by the traveling of another vehicle traveling around the vehicle corresponds. Even when the piezoelectric sensor 10 is attached in this manner, the amplitude level of the upper waveform and the amplitude level of the lower waveform with respect to the amplitude reference of the vibration waveform obtained from the piezoelectric sensor 10 are the same as in the first embodiment. Based on the comparison, it is possible to determine whether or not the user knocks the back door.

[Other Embodiments]
In the above embodiment, the determination condition performed by the signal determination unit 26 is a determination condition that the absolute value of the peak value of the amplitude level of the lower waveform is smaller than the absolute value of the peak value of the amplitude level of the upper waveform. Alternatively, the determination condition may be that the absolute value of the peak value of the amplitude level of the upper waveform may be a predetermined multiple of the absolute value of the peak value of the amplitude level of the lower waveform. However, the scope of application of the present invention is not limited to this.

  For example, the upper threshold value U and the lower threshold value L, which are the same difference with respect to the amplitude reference, are set with the amplitude reference therebetween, and the determination unit 20 determines that the amplitude level of the upper waveform exceeds the upper threshold value U and When the amplitude level of the side waveform is less than the lower threshold L, it can also be determined that the user has knocked the back door. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the upper threshold value U and the lower threshold value L are set with the same width X from the amplitude reference across the amplitude reference where the detection voltage is 0V, and the amplitude of the upper waveform When the peak value of the level exceeds the upper threshold value U and the peak value of the amplitude level of the lower waveform is less than the lower threshold value L, the signal determination unit 26 determines that the user has knocked the back door. It is also possible. The upper threshold value U and the lower threshold value L are set by the determination condition setting unit 25.

  In the above embodiment, the determination of the knocking operation by the signal determination unit 26 has been described as being determined using the peak value of the amplitude level of the upper waveform and the peak value of the amplitude level of the lower waveform in the detection signal. However, the scope of application of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it is also possible to connect the peaks of the upper waveform and the lower waveform of the detection signal to form an envelope, and determine the knock operation using the envelope. It is also possible to detect that a knocking operation has been performed when a known hitting feature is detected in the envelope and the hitting feature is in the upper waveform.

  In the said embodiment, the vehicle door was demonstrated as a back door. However, the scope of application of the present invention is not limited to this. Of course, the present invention can be applied to other doors provided in the vehicle.

A block diagram schematically showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle door opening and closing device The figure which shows the intermediate member of the back door The figure which shows an example of the detection signal which concerns on knock operation The figure which shows the example of attachment of the piezoelectric sensor which concerns on 2nd embodiment. The figure which shows the example of the determination conditions using the upper side threshold value and lower side threshold value which concern on other embodiment

Explanation of symbols

1: Vehicle door opening and closing device 10: Vibration detection sensor (piezoelectric sensor)
15: Vibration waveform detection means 20: Determination means 21: Filter 22: Signal detection section 23: Upper signal strength determination section 24: Lower signal strength determination section 25: Determination condition setting section 26: Signal determination section 30: Door control section

Claims (4)

A vehicle door opening / closing device that detects an input of a user's opening / closing command operation on a vehicle door and opens / closes the vehicle door,
A vibration detection sensor that is attached to a structural member of the vehicle door via an intermediate member and detects vibration caused by an opening / closing command operation given to the vehicle door by the user;
Vibration waveform detection means for acquiring an upper waveform and a lower waveform with respect to an amplitude reference of a vibration waveform obtained from the vibration detection sensor;
Determining means for determining whether or not the user has operated to open / close the vehicle door based on a comparison between the amplitude level of the upper waveform acquired by the vibration waveform detecting means and the amplitude level of the lower waveform; ,
A vehicle door opening and closing device.   The vehicle door according to claim 1, wherein a buffer member is provided between the structural member and the intermediate member to buffer vibration applied to the vehicle door due to disturbance vibration generated in the vehicle. Switchgear.   When the difference between the peak value of the amplitude level of the upper waveform and the peak value of the amplitude level of the lower waveform is large, it is determined that the user has performed an opening / closing command operation of the vehicle door. The vehicle door opening and closing device according to claim 1 or 2. An upper threshold and a lower threshold that are the same difference value with respect to the amplitude reference are set across the amplitude reference,
When the determination means determines that the amplitude level of the upper waveform exceeds the upper threshold and the amplitude level of the lower waveform is less than the lower threshold, the user performs an opening / closing command operation on the vehicle door. The vehicle door opening and closing device according to claim 1, wherein it is determined that the vehicle door is present.

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