METHOD FOR CONTROLLING ACCESS TO A VEHICLE

• US 20080061931A1
• Filed: 09/06/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Hermann, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 7,928,829 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.72
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00698 actuated in function of displayed informations

Abstract

In a method for controlling access to a vehicle (FZ), first an authentication signal is sent from the vehicle to an authorized mobile ID transmitter (IDG), with which authentication signal the ID transmitter is authorized to unlock the vehicle. Subsequently, the distance from the valid authorized mobile ID transmitter to the vehicle is determined. Finally, an unlock signal (ES) is transmitted from the valid authorized mobile ID transmitter to the vehicle, if the distance from the ID transmitter to the vehicle is less than a predetermined first proximity distance (ANRE). In this way an efficient control of access to a vehicle is achieved, wherein the mobile ID transmitter automatically unlocks the vehicle when a certain proximity to the vehicle is identified.

Claims

1. A method for controlling access to a vehicle, comprising the following steps:

Sending an authentication signal from the vehicle to an authorized mobile ID transmitter, with which signal the ID transmitter is authorized to unlock the vehicle;

Determining the distance from the valid authorized mobile ID transmitter to the vehicle;

Transmitting an unlock signal from the valid authorized mobile ID transmitter to the vehicle, if the distance from the ID transmitter to the vehicle falls below a predetermined first proximity distance.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle emits one or several request signals before emitting the authentication signal, in order to check whether a mobile ID transmitter is located within a second proximity distance that is greater than the first proximity distance.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle, in the event of the check being successful, emits a confirmation signal of the successful check to a user carrying the mobile ID transmitter.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle, in the event of the check being successful, conducts an authentication procedure with the detected ID transmitter in order to determine its authorization to unlock the vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein, in the event that the authorization is successfully determined, the authentication signal is sent directly to the mobile ID transmitter.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in order to determine the distance from the authorized valid mobile ID transmitter to the vehicle the vehicle emits one or several distance determining signals with a predetermined field strength, and on receiving said signals, the valid, authorized mobile ID transmitter can determine the distance to the vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein, after the authentication signal has been sent, a predetermined unlock time interval within which the unlock signal can be transmitted, begins to be counted down.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein after the predetermined unlock time interval has expired, the unlock signal is classed as invalid by the vehicle.

9. An access system for a vehicle, comprising:

a send/receive device on the vehicle for sending an authentication signal to an authorized mobile ID transmitter, through which signal the ID transmitter is authorized to unlock the vehicle;

a mobile ID transmitter comprising;

a send/receive device on the ID transmitter for receiving the authentication signal;

a distance determining device for determining the distance between the mobile ID transmitter and the corresponding vehicle;

wherein the send/receive device on the ID transmitter is further equipped to transmit an unlock signal to the vehicle, after it has received the authentication signal and a distance less than a first predetermined proximity distance has been determined.

10. The access system according to claim 9, wherein the send/receive device on the vehicle is designed to emit one or several request signals before sending the authentication signal in order to check whether a mobile ID transmitter is located within a second proximity distance that is greater than the first proximity distance.

11. The access system according to claim 10, wherein the send/receive device on the ID transmitter is designed to transmit a response signal after receiving a request signal of the send/receive device on the vehicle to initiate an authentication procedure of the mobile ID transmitter.

12. The access system according to claim 11, wherein, after successful authentication, the send/receive device on the vehicle sends the authentication signal to the mobile ID transmitter.

13. The access system according to claim 9, wherein the send/receive device on the vehicle emits one or several signals with predetermined field strength for a distance determination, using which signals the distance determining device of the mobile ID transmitter can determine the distance to the vehicle.

14. The access system according to claim 9, which system has in addition a control device on the vehicle, to which device the send/receive device on the vehicle routes a received unlock signal, so that the control device on the vehicle unlocks at least one door of the vehicle.

15. The access system according to claim 14, wherein, after sending the authentication signal, the control device on the vehicle is designed to measure a predetermined unlock time interval within which the receipt of the unlock signal is accepted.

16. A car comprising:

an access system with;

a send/receive device on the vehicle for sending an authentication signal to an authorized mobile ID transmitter, through which signal the ID transmitter is authorized to unlock the vehicle;

a mobile ID transmitter comprising;

a send/receive device on the ID transmitter for receiving the authentication signal;

a distance determining device for determining the distance between the mobile ID transmitter and the corresponding vehicle;

wherein the send/receive device on the ID transmitter is further equipped to transmit an unlock signal to the vehicle, after it has received the authentication signal and a distance less than a first predetermined proximity distance has been determined.