INTRODUCTION

The subject disclosure relates to door operation for a vehicle, and more specifically to automatic power door opening procedures based on objects detected by radar.

Automotive vehicles are typically entered by lifting or pulling an exterior door handle and actuating a lever mechanism positioned within a vehicle door assembly, thereby unlatching the door so that it may freely pivot about a hinge. Modern vehicles may be provided with a remote access device, such as a push-button key fob, that a vehicle occupant may activate a short distance from the vehicle in order to automatically lock or unlock the door. Certain vehicles such as minivans may also include one or more power sliding side doors that slide or roll along a set of tracks or guide slots, and/or a swinging rear hatch door, deck lid, or trunk lid, each of which may be similarly activated from outside the vehicle using a button on a push-button fob. With such remote devices, the vehicle door conveniently opens and closes, and locks or unlocks, at the touch of a button, thus greatly simplifying ingress to and egress from the vehicle, as well as facilitating the loading and unloading of cargo.

Swinging side vehicle doors in particular typically house various integrated connections and other control features, such as power window system components, power folding mirrors, and/or electronic door lock mechanisms, each of which may add mass to the door panel assembly and require additional space for clearance with opening a vehicle door. In addition, a standard vehicle door assembly additionally includes a frame with an inner front-frame member for forming a front edge of the door assembly; an inner rear-frame member for forming a rear edge of the door assembly; a waist reinforcing member for connecting the front frame member with the rear frame member; and a hinge member for connecting the door assembly to the vehicle. The door assembly also includes a shell or housing and a window opening where a window frame is connected to the door housing. The door housing itself can be limited to two primary components: an outer panel and an inner panel or lining. Depending on the size, weight, geometry, and trajectory range for opening the door assembly, the door shell is susceptible to significant damage caused by inadvertent contact with undetected obstructions or objects foreign to the vehicle while the door assembly is moving. Large sport utility vehicles (“SUVs”) and other large vehicles tend to have large doors with large door openings angles, which greatly exacerbate the potential of doing damage to the door shell while moving the door assembly from the fully closed to the fully open position. Conventional methods of operating a vehicle door may be less than optimal.

SUMMARY

In one exemplary embodiment, a method for operating one or more doors of a vehicle is disclosed. The method includes receiving, by at least one radar sensor on the vehicle, input data related to one or more objects. The method further includes filtering, by the at least one radar sensor, vehicle environment noise from the received input. The method further includes identifying, by the at least one radar sensor, an external environment for the vehicle based on the filtered input. The method further includes operating, by a processor, one or more doors of the vehicle based on the external environment for the vehicle.

In addition to one or more of the features described herein, one or more aspects of the described method recognize that the vehicle environment noise is determined while the vehicle is traveling at a speed above a predetermined threshold. Another aspect of the method is that the vehicle environment noise is determined based on an identification of an object of the one or more objects having a zero Doppler. Another aspect of the method further includes calculating a variable opening angle for the one or more doors based on the external environment for the vehicle. Another aspect of the method is that the determination of the vehicle environment noise occurs periodically. Another aspect of the method is that an object of the one or more objects associated with the vehicle environment noise is designated as a false object. Another aspect of the method further includes opening the one or more doors of the vehicle to a maximum available opening angle in response to identifying an object of the one or more objects within the external environment.

In another exemplary embodiment, a system for operating one or more doors of a vehicle is disclosed herein. The system includes a vehicle having one or more doors, a memory, a processor coupled to the memory and one or more radar sensors. The one or more radar sensors are operable to receive input data related to one or more objects. The one or more radar sensors are further operable to filter vehicle environment noise from the received input. The one or more radar sensors are further operable to identify an external environment for the vehicle based on the filtered input. The processor associated with the vehicle is operable to operate the one or more doors based on the external environment for the vehicle.

In yet another exemplary embodiment a computer readable storage medium for performing a method for operating one or more doors of a vehicle is disclosed herein. The computer readable storage medium includes receiving input data related to one or more objects. The computer readable storage medium further includes filtering vehicle environment noise from the received input. The computer readable storage medium further includes identifying an external environment for the vehicle based on the filtered input. The computer readable storage medium further includes operating one or more doors of the vehicle based on the external environment for the vehicle.

The above features and advantages, and other features and advantages of the disclosure are readily apparent from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

