IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,516,557
Granted Patent B2
US 12,516,557 · App. 18/250,763 · Granted Jan 6, 2026

Method and device for controlling at least one motor-vehicle closure element

Inventor: Thorsten Bendel (Oberhausen, DE)
Assignee: Kiekert AG
E05B81/78E05F15/73E05F15/77E05Y2400/858E05Y2900/531
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,516,557
App. No.
18/250,763
Granted
Jan 6, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for controlling at least one motor-vehicle closure element, more particularly a motor-vehicle door. A personal transmitting unit is sensed by at least one closure-element receiving unit. According to the invention, the personal transmitting unit is located by means of at least two spatially distanced closure element-side receiving units and is evaluated in accordance with its relative position and/or velocity in comparison with the motor-vehicle closure element.

Claims (22)

1 . A method for controlling at least one motor-vehicle closure element comprising the steps of:

spacing apart at least two locally spaced closure-element receiving units,

aiming a personal transmitting unit in a direction of the at least two locally spaced closure-element receiving units,

detecting the personal transmitting unit by at least one closure-element receiving unit of the at least two locally spaced closure-element receiving units,

based on detecting the personal transmitting unit, evaluating a position of the personal transmitting unit as a function of relative position and/or speed of the personal transmitting unit in comparison with the motor-vehicle closure element, and

actuating the at least one motor-vehicle closure element based on the evaluated position of the transmitting unit to move the at least one motor-vehicle closure element relative to a vehicle body to generate a gap between the at least one closure element and the vehicle body,

wherein the actuated motor-vehicle closure element is initially issued and is subsequently fully opened when the personal transmitting unit is located in an access area of the motor-vehicle closure element for a predetermined period of time,

wherein the access area of the motor-vehicle closure element is directly adjacent the motor-vehicle closure element and is a spatial area for access into an interior of the motor vehicle after the motor-vehicle closure element is opened, and

wherein the predetermined period of time depends on how fast the opening of the motor-vehicle closure element occurs.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising determining a receiving angle of a signal from the personal transmitting unit relative to the two locally spaced closure-element receiving units and inferring the relative position of the personal transmitting unit based on the receiving angle.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the two locally spaced closure-element receiving units each belongs to a separate motor-vehicle closure element.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the relative position of the personal transmitting unit is evaluated several times with the two locally spaced closure-element receiving units to derive a trajectory of the personal transmitting unit.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising actuating the motor-vehicle closure element based on detecting a personal signal in addition to detecting a signal by the two locally spaced closure-element receiving units.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the personal signal comprises a voice signal and/or a gesture.

7 . A device for controlling at least one motor-vehicle closure element that performs the method according to claim 1 , the device comprising:

a personal transmitting unit which can be detected by at least one closure-element receiving unit, and

two locally spaced closure-element receiving units including the at least one closure-element receiving unit that take the bearing of the personal transmitting unit, wherein a relative position and/or speed of the personal transmitting unit is evaluated in comparison with the motor-vehicle closure element.

8 . The device according to claim 7 , wherein the personal transmitting unit is a portable electronic device and comprises a code transmitter subject to an authorization check.

9 . The device according to claim 7 , further comprising a sensor for detecting a personal signal of a user of the device.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a code with the personal transmitting unit and performing an authorization check of the code.

11 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising detecting more than one personal transmitting unit by the at least one closure-element receiving unit of the at least two locally spaced closure-element receiving units, and

evaluating a position of each of the more than one personal transmitting unit as a function of relative position and/or speed of each of the more than personal transmitting unit in comparison with the motor-vehicle closure element.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 3, 2025
From: BENDEL, THORSTEN
To: KIEKERT AG
Reel/Frame 070728/0071 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2020 129 844.7 · Nov 12, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230383579A1 · Nov 30, 2023
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