IP Library Granted Patent US 11,225,822
Granted Patent B2
US 11,225,822 · App. 15/757,651 · Granted Jan 18, 2022

System and method for opening and closing vehicle door

Inventors: Matthew Richard Partsch (San Pedro, CA); Jenna Marie Kadlec (Pomona, CA); Daniel L. Kowalewski (Redondo Beach, CA); Cian John Francis Brogan (Los Angeles, CA); Matt John Sampson (Redondo Beach, CA)
Assignee: Faraday&Future Inc.
E05F15/73E05F15/40E05F15/43E05F15/60E05F15/611E05F15/657E05F2015/434E05Y2400/53E05Y2400/59E05Y2400/80E05Y2400/81E05Y2400/814E05Y2400/818E05Y2400/85E05Y2800/11E05Y2900/53E05Y2900/531E05Y2900/532E05Y2900/546
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,225,822
App. No.
15/757,651
Granted
Jan 18, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for opening and closing a door of a vehicle may include receiving a signal indicative of either opening or closing the vehicle door, determining whether the opening or closing will be performed by an operator or via a powered actuator based on the signal, and generating, if the opening or closing will be performed by the powered actuator, a first control signal indicative of a first position to which the door is to be moved. The method may further include controlling the powered actuator to cause the door to move from an original position to the first position.

Claims (73)

1. A method for opening and closing a door of a vehicle, the method comprising:

generating a signal indicative of either opening or closing the door based on a force exerted on the door by an operator;

receiving, via an operator interface, the signal indicative of either opening or closing the door;

determining, via a controller, whether the opening or closing will be performed by an operator or via a powered actuator based on the signal;

generating, via the controller, if the opening or closing will be performed by the powered actuator, a first control signal indicative of a first position to which the door is to be moved;

controlling, based on the first control signal, the powered actuator to cause the door to move from an original position to the first position;

detecting, via a sensor, whether an object is in a projected path of the door as the door moves from the original position to the first position; and

controlling, via the controller, the powered actuator, if the object is detected to be in the projected path of the door, to not move the door according to the projected path, and if no object is detected in the projected path, to move the door according to the projected path to the first position;

generating, via the controller, if the opening or closing will be performed by the operator, a second control signal indicative of a second position to which the door will be moved;

controlling, via the controller, based on the second control signal, the powered actuator to cause the door to move from the original position to the second position; and

allowing the operator to move the door manually to a desired position.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting, via the sensor, whether the object has been removed from the projected path; and

controlling, via the controller, the powered actuator to cause the door to move according to the projected path.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising actuating, via the controller, an alarm when the object is detected to be in the projected path.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from the operator interface, an override signal if the door is not moved according to the projected path; and

controlling, via the controller, the powered actuator to cause the door to move according to the projected path to the first position.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

measuring, via the sensor, a distance of the object from a portion of the door;

determining, via the controller, whether the distance is equal to or smaller than a threshold distance; and

stopping the door from moving if the distance is equal to or smaller than the threshold distance.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating, via the controller, a third control signal for activating a protecting mechanism if the object is detected to be in the projected path; and

controlling, based on the third control signal, the protecting mechanism such that the powered actuator does not move the door according to the projected path.

7. A system for opening and closing a door of a vehicle, the system comprising:

an operator interface configured to generate, based on an operator's force exerted on the door, a signal indicative of either opening or closing the door;

a sensor configured to detect whether an object is in a projected path of the door as the door moves from an original position to a first position to which the door is to be moved;

a powered actuator configured to at least one of open and close the door;

a controller in communication with the operator interface and configured to:

receive the signal indicative of either opening or closing the door,

determine whether the opening or closing will be performed by the operator or via the powered actuator based on the signal,

generate, if the opening or closing will be performed by the powered actuator, a first control signal indicative of a first position to which the door is to be moved, and control the powered actuator to cause the door to move from the original position to the first position,

wherein the controller is further configured to control the powered actuator, if the object is detected to be in the projected path of the door, to not move the door according to the projected path, and if no object is detected in the projected path, to move the door according to the projected path to the first position;

and wherein the controller is further configured to:

generate, if the opening or closing will be performed by the operator, a second control signal indicative of a second position to which the door will be moved;

control, based on the second control signal, the powered actuator such that the door is moved from the original position to the second position; and

allow the operator to move the door manually to a desired position.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the sensor is further configured to detect whether the object has been removed from the projected path, and the controller is further configured to control the powered actuator to move the door according to the projected path.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to actuate an alarm when the object is detected to be in the projected path.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive, from the operator interface, an override signal if the door is not moved according to the projected path; and

control the powered actuator such that the door moves according to the projected path to the first position.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein:

the sensor is further configured to generate a signal indicative of a distance of the object from a portion of the door; and

the controller is further configured to:

determine, based on the signal indicative of the distance, whether the distance is equal to or smaller than a threshold distance, and

stop the door from moving if the distance is equal to or smaller than the threshold distance.

12. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a protecting mechanism wherein the controller is further configured to:

generate a third control signal for activating the protecting mechanism if the object is detected to be in the projected path; and

control, based on the third control signal, the protecting mechanism such that the powered actuator does not move the door according to the projected path.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform a method for opening and closing a door of a vehicle, the method comprising:

generating a signal indicative of either opening or closing the door based on a force exerted on the door by an operator;

receiving, via an operator interface, the signal indicative of either opening or closing the door;

determining, via a controller, whether the opening or closing will be performed by the operator or via a powered actuator based on the signal;

generating, via the controller, if the opening or closing will be performed by the powered actuator, a first control signal indicative of a first position to which the door is to be moved;

controlling, based on the first control signal, the powered actuator to cause the door to move from an original position to the first position;

detecting, via a sensor, whether an object is in a projected path of the door as the door moves from the original position to the first position;

controlling, via the controller, the powered actuator, if the object is detected to be in the projected path of the door, to not move the door according to the projected path, and if no object is detected in the projected path, to move the door according to the projected path to the first position;

generating, via the controller, if the opening or closing will be performed by the operator, a second control signal indicative of a second position to which the door will be moved;

controlling, via the controller, based on the second control signal, the powered actuator to cause the door to move from the original position to the second position; and

allowing the operator to move the door manually to a desired position.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , the method further comprising:

detecting, via the sensor, whether the object has been removed from the projected path; and

controlling, via the controller, the powered actuator to cause the door to move according to the projected path.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , the method further comprising actuating, via the controller, an alarm when the object is detected to be in the projected path.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , the method further comprising:

receiving, from the operator interface, an override signal if the door is not moved according to the projected path; and

controlling, via the controller, the powered actuator to cause the door to move according to the projected path to the first position.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , the method further comprising:

measuring, via the sensor, a distance of the object from a portion of the door;

determining, via the controller, whether the distance is equal to or smaller than a threshold distance; and

stopping the door from moving if the distance is equal to or smaller than the threshold distance.

Assignments (7)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 25, 2024
From: FARADAY&FUTURE, INC.
To: SENYUN INTERNATIONAL LTD.
Reel/Frame 069048/0476 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 15, 2022
From: FARADAY&FUTURE INC.
To: FF SIMPLICY VENTURES LLC
Reel/Frame 061176/0756 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 050234/0069 Recorded Jun 8, 2022
From: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT
To: CITY OF SKY LIMITED; EAGLE PROP HOLDCO LLC; FARADAY & FUTURE INC.; FARADAY FUTURE LLC; FF EQUIPMENT LLC; FF HONG KONG HOLDING LIMITED; FF INC.; FF MANUFACTURING LLC; ROBIN PROP HOLDCO LLC; SMART KING LTD.; SMART TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LTD.; FARADAY SPE, LLC
Reel/Frame 060314/0263 →
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT UNDER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 29, 2021
From: BIRCH LAKE FUND MANAGEMENT, LP, AS RETIRING AGENT
To: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 057019/0140 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 14, 2020
From: ROYOD LLC
To: BIRCH LAKE FUND MANAGEMENT, LP
Reel/Frame 054076/0157 →
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT UNDER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 5, 2020
From: BIRCH LAKE FUND MANAGEMENT, LP, AS RETIRING AGENT
To: ROYOD LLC, AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 052102/0452 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2019
From: CITY OF SKY LIMITED; EAGLE PROP HOLDCO LLC; FARADAY FUTURE LLC; FE EQUIPMENT LLC; FF HONG KONG HOLDING LIMITED; FF INC.; FF MANUFACTURING LLC; ROBIN PROP HOLDCO LLC; SMART KING LTD.; SMART TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LTD.; FARADAY SPE, LLC; FARADAY & FUTURE INC.
To: BIRCH LAKE FUND MANAGEMENT, LP
Reel/Frame 050234/0069 →
Continuity (4)
Provisional Application 62235371 · Sep 30, 2015
Provisional Application 62232418 · Sep 24, 2015
Provisional Application 62214078 · Sep 3, 2015
Related Publication 20190024435A1 · Jan 24, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,196,026