SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING RADIO FREQUENCY SIGNALS AND CONTROLLING VEHICLE OPERATIONS IN RESPONSE THERETO

• US 20100076622A1
• Filed: 09/23/2008
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Boothroyd, Gary, Dickerhoof, Greg
• Granted Patent: US 8,335,598 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user

Abstract

In at least one embodiment, a system for determining the location of a wireless device with respect to a vehicle is provided. The system comprises a plurality of antennas positioned about the vehicle for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal from the wireless device. The RF signal corresponds to at least one of a command and status related to a predetermined vehicle operation. The system further comprises a controller operably coupled to each antenna. The controller is configured to generate a location signal indicative of the location of the wireless device based on the arrival time of the RF signal at one or more antennas of the plurality of antennas and to control the operation of the predetermined vehicle operation based on the location signal.

Claims

1. A system for determining the location of a wireless device with respect to a vehicle, the system comprising:

a plurality of antennas positioned about the vehicle for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal from the wireless device, the RF signal corresponding to at least one of a command and status related to a predetermined vehicle operation;

a controller operably coupled to each antenna and configured to;

generate a location signal indicative of the location of the wireless device based on the arrival time of the RF signal at one or more antennas of the plurality of antennas; and

control the operation of the predetermined vehicle operation based on the location signal.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined vehicle operation comprises at least one of remote keyless entry (RKE), carfinder, passive entry, passive start, immobilizer, tire pressure monitoring, wireless switching for at least one of unlocking/locking a vehicle door and opening/closing a vehicle window, and wireless occupancy detection.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein each antenna is equally spaced apart.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein each antenna is omni-directional.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the position of each antenna about the vehicle corresponds to at least one zone that the wireless device is capable of being positioned within with respect to the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the controller is further configured to determine the zone in which the wireless device is positioned within based on the sequential order in which one or more antennas of the plurality of antennas detect the RF signal.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the controller is further configured to generate a count value for each detected RF signal at each antenna, wherein the count values correspond to the sequential order in which the one or more antennas of the plurality of antennas detects the RF signal.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the controller is further configured to determine the difference between one or more of the count values to determine the particular location of the wireless device in the zone.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the count value that includes the greatest value corresponds to the antenna that is the first to detect the RF signal and the count value that includes the smallest value corresponds to the antenna that is last to detect the RF signal.

10. A system for determining the location of a wireless device with respect to a vehicle, the vehicle including a plurality of antennas positioned about the vehicle for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal from the wireless device, the RF signal corresponding to at least one of a command and status related to a predetermined vehicle operation, wherein the position of each antenna about the vehicle corresponds to at least one zone that the wireless device is capable of being positioned within with respect to the vehicle, the system comprising:

a controller operably coupled to each antenna and configured to;

generate a location signal indicative of the location of the wireless device based on the arrival time of the RF signal at one or more antennas of the plurality of antennas; and

control the operation of the predetermined vehicle operation based on the location signal.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the controller comprises:

a tuned circuit for receiving the RF signal at a predetermined frequency range from a particular antenna of the plurality of antennas;

an RF amplifier for increasing the gain of the RF signal in response to the tuned circuit receiving the RF signal at the predetermined frequency;

means for detecting the RF signal at the particular antenna in response to the RF amplifier increasing the gain of the RF signal; and

a counter for generating the count value in response to the means for detecting, detecting the RF signal.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the controller is further configured to determine the zone in which the wireless device is positioned within based on the sequential order in which the one or more antennas of the plurality of antennas detects the RF signal.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the controller is further configured to generate a count value for each detected RF signal at each antenna, wherein the count values correspond to the sequential order in which the one or more antennas of the plurality of antennas detects the RF signal.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the count value that includes the greatest value corresponds to the antenna that is the first to detect the RF signal and the count value that includes the smallest value corresponds to the antenna that is last to detect the RF signal.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the controller is further configured to determine the difference between one or more of the count values to determine the particular location of the wireless device in the zone.

16. A method for determining the location of a wireless device with respect to a vehicle, the vehicle including a plurality of antennas positioned about the vehicle for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal from the wireless device, the RF signal corresponding to at least one of a command and status related to a predetermined vehicle operation, wherein the position of each antenna about the vehicle corresponds to at least one zone that the wireless device is capable of being positioned within with respect to the vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting the sequential order in which one or more of the plurality of antennas receives the RF signal to determine which zone includes the wireless device;

generating a location signal indicative of the location of the wireless device based on the sequential order in which the one or more of the plurality of antennas receives the RF signal; and

controlling the operation of the predetermined vehicle operation based on the location signal.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

receiving the RF signal at a predetermined frequency range from a particular antenna of the plurality of antennas;

increasing the gain of the RF signal in response to receiving the RF signal at the predetermined frequency;

detecting the RF signal at the particular antenna in response to increasing the gain of the RF signal; and

generating the count value in response to detecting the RF signal at the particular antenna.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising generating a count value for each detected RF signal at each antenna, wherein the count values correspond to the sequential order in which one or more antennas of the plurality of antennas detects the RF signal.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the count value that includes the greatest value corresponds to the antenna that is the first to detect the RF signal and the count value that includes the smallest value corresponds to the antenna that is last to detect the RF signal.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising determining the difference between one or more of the count values to determine the particular location of the wireless device in the zone.