Tailgate opening and closing system

1 . A tailgate opening and closing system including a control device for controlling an opening and closing device that opens and closes a tailgate placed in a rear side portion of a vehicle, the tailgate opening and closing system comprising:

a measurement device that is placed in the rear side portion and at a position lower than the tailgate in a closed state and sequentially obtains distance data to an object present behind the rear side portion, wherein

the measurement device comprises a plurality of distance meters arranged in a vehicle width direction,

the control device is configured to

select one mode from a plurality of modes, the plurality of modes including at least a first mode and a second mode, wherein in the first mode a trigger region and a start region set in a region apart from the rear side portion within a measurement range of the measurement device are arranged in a vehicle longitudinal direction, and in the second mode the trigger region and the start region are arranged in a vehicle width direction,

when difference between each of the distance data obtained by the respective distance meters is within a predetermined range, switch the mode to the first mode, and when the difference is outside the predetermined range, switch the mode to the second mode,

execute, based on the selected mode, a data processing process of identifying an entry motion of the object from the start region to the trigger region and an exit motion of the object from the trigger region to the start region based on a plurality of the distance data which are continuous and which have been obtained by the measurement device, and

execute control processing process of opening and closing the tailgate by the opening and closing device based on a combination of the entry motion and the exit motion that have been identified.

2 . The tailgate opening and closing system according to claim 1 , wherein the combination of the entry motion and the exit motion is a step motion by a foot of an operator when the object is the foot of the operator present behind the rear side portion.

3 . The tailgate opening and closing system according to claim 1 , wherein,

in the executed control processing process, any of an opening operation, a closing operation, and stopping of the opening and closing operations of the tailgate is performed in accordance with an opening and closing state of the tailgate before the execution of the control processing.

4 . The tailgate opening and closing system according to claim 1 , wherein

the control processing is executed when the combination matches with a permission pattern that uses an identified order of the entry motion and the exit motion as a condition.

5 . The tailgate opening and closing system according to claim 4 , wherein

the permission pattern uses a waiting time of the object in the trigger region as a condition in addition to the order, and the permission pattern is not satisfied by a case where the waiting time is equal to or more than a waiting time threshold value.

6 . The tailgate opening and closing system according to claim 4 , wherein,

in the data processing process being executed, when the combination partially matches with the permission pattern, the control device executes control processing of notifying, by a notification device placed in the tailgate or the rear side portion, that the combination partially matches with the permission pattern.

7 . The tailgate opening and closing system according to claim 1 , wherein

the second mode is a mode in which the start region and the trigger region are arranged in this order from right to left in a vehicle front direction, and

the plurality of modes further includes a third mode in which the start region and the trigger region are arranged in this order from left to right in the vehicle front direction.

8 . The tailgate opening and closing system according to claim 1 , wherein

the control device identifies an entry motion to the trigger region when the object moves from the start region to the trigger region.

9 . A tailgate opening and closing system including a control device for controlling an opening and closing device that opens and closes a tailgate placed in a rear side portion of a vehicle, the tailgate opening and closing system comprising:

a measurement device that is placed in the rear side portion and at a position lower than the tailgate in a closed state and sequentially obtains distance data to an object present behind the rear side portion, wherein

the measurement device comprises a plurality of distance meters arranged in a vehicle width direction,

the control device is configured to

select one mode from a plurality of modes, the plurality of modes including at least a first mode and a second mode, wherein in the first mode a trigger region and a start region set in a region apart from the rear side portion within a measurement range of the measurement device are arranged in a vehicle longitudinal direction, and in the second mode the trigger region and the start region are arranged in a vehicle width direction,

determine whether the object is in a still state or a motion state based on the respective distance data obtained by the respective distance meters, and switch to the second mode when the object is in the still state,

execute, based on the selected mode, a data processing process of identifying an entry motion of the object from the start region to the trigger region and an exit motion of the object from the trigger region to the start region based on a plurality of the distance data which are continuous and which have been obtained by the measurement device, and

execute control processing process of opening and closing the tailgate by the opening and closing device based on a combination of the entry motion and the exit motion that have been identified.