Integrated Keyless Entry System and Vehicle Component Monitoring

• US 20070126561A1
• Filed: 01/08/2007
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David
• Application Number:
  US11/620,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20070126561A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/426.130
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/066 actuating a signalling device B60K28/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01 Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/101 Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/202 Personal digital assistant [PDA]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2081 combined with personal settings of other vehicle devices, e.g. mirrors, seats, steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/24 Drug level, e.g. alcohol
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/04 responsive to non-activity, e.g. of elderly persons G08B21/06 takes precedence

Abstract

Vehicle with integrated keyless entry system and component monitoring capabilities includes at least one door assembly each having a door, an interrogator arranged to transmit waves, a processor coupled to the interrogator and each door assembly, a portable identification device for keyless entry into the vehicle which responds to waves transmitted by the interrogator to generate waves or modify the transmitted waves which contain an identification signal, and at least one sensor system arranged to sense a property of the vehicle or of a component of the vehicle. Each sensor system responds to waves transmitted by the interrogator to generate waves or modify the transmitted waves which contain data about the sensed property. The processor unlocks or locks the door and monitors the sensed property of the vehicle or component based on waves generated or modified by the portable identification device and each sensor system and received by the interrogator.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a frame;

at least one door assembly each connected to said frame and having a door which is locked to prevent access to an interior of the vehicle and unlocked to permit access to the interior;

an interrogator arranged on said frame to transmit waves;

a processor coupled to said interrogator and said at least one door assembly;

a portable identification device for keyless entry into the vehicle, said identification device being arranged to respond to waves transmitted by said interrogator to generate waves or modify the transmitted waves which contain an identification signal; and

at least one sensor system arranged to sense a property of the vehicle or a component of the vehicle, each of said at least one sensor system being arranged to respond to waves transmitted by said interrogator to generate waves or modify the transmitted waves which contain data about the sensed property, said interrogator being arranged to receive the waves generated or modified by said portable identification device and said at least one sensor system;

said processor being arranged to unlock or lock said door of said at least one door assembly and to monitor the sensed property of the vehicle or vehicle component based on waves generated or modified by said portable identification device and said at least one sensor system and received by said interrogator.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said portable identification device includes a radio-frequency identification card.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said portable identification device is arranged to generate waves containing an identification code associated with the vehicle, said processor being arranged to determine the presence of the identification code in the generated waves, compare the identification code to a stored identification code and when the identification codes are the same, permit unlocking of said at least one door.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said processor is arranged to determine a time period during which waves generated or modified by said portable identification device are received by said interrogator and control unlocking of said at least one door based on the time period.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising at least one adjustable vehicular component which is adjustable based on occupancy of the vehicle, said processor being arranged to control adjustment of said at least one vehicular component based on the waves generated or modified by said portable identification device and received by said interrogator.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein said at least one vehicular component is selected from a group consisting of a seat, a headrest, a mirror, a radio, a television, a driving pedal, and a temperature controller.

7. The vehicle of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of portable identification devices for keyless entry into the same vehicle, each of said portable identification devices enabling entry into the vehicle and being unique, said processor being arranged to associate component adjustment information with each of said portable identification devices such that when said processor detects a particular one of said portable identification devices, said processor controls adjustment of said at least one vehicular component based on the component adjustment information associated with said particular, detected portable identification device.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said interrogator is arranged in said at least one door and said processor is arranged to determine a distance between said portable identification device and said interrogator and thus said at least one door and unlock said at least one door based on the distance.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein said processor is provided with a threshold distance and unlocks said at least one door when the distance between said portable identification device and said interrogator is at or below the threshold distance.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a reactive system controlled by said processor to perform an action based on the sensed property of the vehicle or the vehicle component.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, further comprising at least one tire, said at least one sensor system being arranged on said at least one tire to sense a property of said at least one tire, said reactive system being a tire monitoring system which notifies an operator of the vehicle of a problem in the sensed property of said at least one tire.

12. A method for controlling a plurality of vehicular components, comprising:

arranging a single interrogator on the vehicle to transmit and receive waves;

providing a portable identification device for keyless entry into the vehicle, the portable identification device being arranged to respond to waves transmitted by the interrogator to generate waves or modify the transmitted waves which contain an identification signal;

sensing a property of the vehicle or a component of the vehicle by means of at least one sensor system which responds to waves transmitted by the interrogator to generate waves or modify the transmitted waves which contain data about the sensed property;

analyzing waves received by the interrogator to determine whether they contain an identification signal which is the same as a stored identification signal and if so, unlocking a door of the vehicle; and

monitoring the sensed property of the vehicle by analyzing the data about the sensed property contained in waves received by the interrogator.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the portable identification device includes a radio-frequency identification card.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining a time period during which waves generated or modified by the portable identification device are received by the interrogator; and

controlling unlocking of the door based on the time period.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

adjusting at least one vehicular component based on occupancy of the vehicle;

controlling adjustment of the at least one vehicular component based on the waves generated or modified by the portable identification device and received by the interrogator.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one vehicular component is selected from a group consisting of a seat, a headrest, a mirror, a radio, a television, a driving pedal, and a temperature controller.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining a distance between the portable identification device and the interrogator based on the waves generated or modified by the portable identification device and received by the interrogator; and

controlling unlocking of the door based on the distance.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of controlling unlocking of the door comprises unlocking of the door when the distance between the portable identification device and the interrogator is at or below a threshold distance.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising controlling a reactive system to perform an action based on the sensed property of the vehicle or the vehicle component.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

arranging the at least one sensor system on at least one tire to sense a property thereof;

controlling a tire monitoring system which notifies an operator of the vehicle of a problem in the sensed property of the at least one tire.