PASSIVE ENTRY SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A VEHICLE

• US 20100308961A1
• Filed: 06/05/2009
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Ghabra, Riad
• Granted Patent: US 9,129,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.61
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• 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 9/27 with central registration

Abstract

A passive entry system and method for determining the location of a remote transmitter positioned near a vehicle. The system and method including a transmitter configured to transmit one or more polling sequences. The polling sequences including one or more polling signals indicative of a particular side and/or door of the vehicle. The system and method further including a receiver configured to receive an acknowledgement signal from a remote transmitter in response to one or more of the polling sequences. The system and method also including a controller configured to determine if the remote transmitter is positioned near the first side or second side of the vehicle based upon the acknowledgement signal being in response to the first or second polling sequence.

Claims

1. A method for determining the location of a remote transmitter positioned near a vehicle, the method comprising:

transmitting a first polling sequence from the vehicle that includes at least a first and second polling signal, wherein the first polling signal is indicative of a first side of the vehicle, and the second polling signal is indicative of a second side of the vehicle;

receiving an acknowledgement signal from a remote transmitter in response to the first polling sequence;

determining if the remote transmitter is positioned near the first side or second side of the vehicle based upon the acknowledgement signal being in response to the first or second polling signals.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting a second polling sequence from the vehicle that includes at least a third and fourth polling signal, wherein the first and second polling signals are respectively indicative of a first front door positioned on the first side of the vehicle and a first rear door positioned on the second side of the vehicle, and the third and fourth polling signals are respectively indicative of a second front door positioned on the second side of the vehicle and a second rear door positioned on the first side of the vehicle; and

determining if the remote transmitter is positioned near the first front, second front, first rear, or second rear doors of the vehicle based upon the acknowledgement signal being in response to the first, second, third, or fourth polling signals.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the acknowledgement signal includes a unique identifier string indicative of whether the remote transmitter is responding to the first, second, third, or fourth polling signal.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the first, second, third, and fourth polling signals are transmitted on separate antennas positioned near the first front, second front, first rear, and second rear doors of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

transmitting an authentication signal to the remote transmitter using at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth antennas, the authentication signal being transmitted by the antenna that is determined to be positioned within the closest proximity to the remote transmitter.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

initializing at least one of a first front, second front, first rear, and second rear door lock mechanisms in response to the remote transmitter correctly responding to the authentication signal.

7. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

verifying that the acknowledgement signal transmitted is in response to the first polling sequence by;

re-transmitting the second polling sequence; and

determining if a second acknowledgement signal is received in response to the re-transmitted second polling sequence.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

verifying that the acknowledgement signal transmitted is in response to the second polling sequence by;

re-transmitting the first polling sequence; and

determining if a second acknowledgement signal is received in response to the re-transmitted first polling sequence.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second sequences are simultaneously transmitted.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second sequences are simultaneously sequentially.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

transmitting a second polling sequence from the vehicle that includes at least a third and fourth polling signal, wherein the first and second polling signals are respectively indicative of a first antenna located about a first front door positioned on the first side of the vehicle and a second antenna located about a first rear door positioned on the second side of the vehicle, and the third and fourth polling signals are respectively indicative of a third antenna located about a second front door positioned on the second side of the vehicle and a fourth antenna located about a second rear door positioned on the first side of the vehicle; and

determining if the remote transmitter is positioned near the first front door, first rear door, second front door, or second rear door based upon the field strength of the acknowledgement signal.

11. A method for determining the location of a remote transmitter positioned near a vehicle, the method comprising:

transmitting a first polling sequence from the vehicle that includes at least a first and second polling signal, wherein the first polling signal is transmitted from a first antenna located about a first side of the vehicle, and the second polling signal is transmitted from second antenna located about a second side of the vehicle;

receiving an acknowledgement signal from a remote transmitter in response to the first polling sequence; and

determining if the remote transmitter is positioned near the first side or second side of the vehicle based upon the field strength of the acknowledgement signal.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

transmitting an authentication signal to the remote transmitter using at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth antennas, the authentication signal being transmitted by the antenna that is determined to be positioned within the closest proximity to the remote transmitter.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

initializing at least one of a first front, second front, first rear, and second rear door lock mechanisms in response to the remote transmitter correctly responding to the authentication signal.

15. A passive entry system configured to determine the location of a remote transmitter positioned near a vehicle, the system comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit at least a first and second polling signal, wherein the first polling signal is indicative of a first side of the vehicle and the second polling signal is indicative of a second side of the vehicle;

a receiver configured to receive an acknowledgement signal from a remote transmitter; and

a controller in electrical communication with the transmitter and receiver, the controller configured to;

determine if the remote transmitter is positioned near the first side or second side of the vehicle based upon the acknowledgement signal being in response to the first or second polling signals.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the transmitter is further configured to transmit a second polling sequence from the vehicle that includes at least a third and fourth polling signal, wherein the first and second polling signals are respectively indicative of a first front door positioned on the first side of the vehicle and a first rear door positioned on the second side of the vehicle, and the third and fourth polling signals are respectively indicative of a second front door positioned on the second side of the vehicle and a second rear door positioned on the first side of the vehicle;

the controller further being configured to;

determine if the remote transmitter is positioned near the first front, second front, first rear, or second rear door of the vehicle based upon the acknowledgement signal being in response to the first polling sequence or the second polling sequence.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

a first, second, third, and fourth antenna configured to transmit the first and second polling sequence, and the first, second, third, and fourth antennas being positioned near the first front, second front, first rear, and second rear doors of the vehicle; and

a fifth antenna configured to receive the acknowledgement signal.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to:

transmit an authentication signal to the remote transmitter using at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth antennas, the authentication signal being transmitted by the antenna that is determined to be positioned within the closest proximity to the passive entry device and

initialize at least one of a first front, second front, first rear, and second rear door lock mechanisms in response to the remote transmitter correctly responding to the authentication signal.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to:

verify that the acknowledgement signal is in response to the first polling sequence by;

re-transmitting the second polling sequence; and

determining if a second acknowledgement signal is received in response to the re-transmitted second polling sequence.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to:

verify that the acknowledgement signal transmitted is in response to the second polling sequence by;

re-transmitting the first polling sequence; and

determining if a second acknowledgement signal is received in response to the re-transmitted first polling sequence.