IN-VEHICLE DEVICE CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20110298580A1
• Filed: 01/22/2010
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakashima, Kazuhiro, Murakami, Hiroko, Okada, Hiroki, Kimura, Arinobu
• Granted Patent: US 9,199,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/3.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/01 operating on vehicle systems or fittings, e.g. on doors, seats or windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/34 of conditions of vehicle components, e.g. of windows, door locks or gear selectors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 49/00 Electric permutation locks; Circuits therefor ; Mechanical aspects of electronic locks; Mechanical keys therefor arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; mechanisms including electronic locks actuated by nonmechanical keys such as passive and active electrical keys and other data carriers G07C9/00, G07F7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/02 Electric testing or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems

Abstract

In an in-vehicle device control system, an in-vehicle device is controlled based on a checkup result of checkup operation, in which a checkup about a portable device is performed by mutual communication of transmitting a request signal from a vehicle-side unit mounted on a vehicle and transmitting in return a response signal from the portable device in response to the request signal. If the checkup is unsuccessful, the mutual communication is performed again by switching the communication frequency to perform the checkup again. When a user operates a door lock sensor, the vehicle-side unit performs an exterior checkup first. If the checkup is successful, a communication frequency, by which the checkup was performed successfully, is stored in a memory. The vehicle-side unit sets the communication frequency stored in the memory as a communication frequency, which is to be designated to the portable device, for performing an interior checkup next time.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle device control system comprising:

a portable device; and

a vehicle-side unit mounted on a vehicle for performing a checkup about the portable device by mutual communication, in which the vehicle-side unit transmits a request signal and the portable device returns a response signal in response to the request signal of the vehicle-side unit, thereby to control an in-vehicle device based on a checkup result, the vehicle-side unit switching a communication frequency to perform the mutual communication and the checkup again when the checkup result indicates an unsuccessful checkup,

wherein the portable device includes;

a portable device communication section for receiving the request signal transmitted from the vehicle-side unit and returning the response signal as the mutual communication with the vehicle-side unit, the response signal including an ID code and transmitted at a communication frequency designated by the vehicle-side unit,

wherein the vehicle-side unit includes;

a detection section for detecting an operation of a user, by which the checkup is started;

a frequency setting section for setting the communication frequency to be designated to the portable device;

a vehicle-side communication section for transmitting the request signal to the portable device and receiving the response signal as the mutual communication with the portable device, the vehicle-side communication section transmitting to the portable device frequency information indicating the communication frequency set by the frequency setting section;

a checkup section for checking up the ID code and a registration code pre-registered, the ID code being included in the response signal transmitted from the portable device and received from by the vehicle-side communication section; and

a storing section for storing the communication frequency, which is used when the check result indicates a successful checkup,

wherein the frequency setting section is configured to switch over the communication frequency to be designated when the check result indicates the unsuccessful checkup, and

wherein the frequency setting section is configured to perform a plurality of checkups for each user operation detected by the detection section, and set the communication frequency, which is stored in the storing section when a first checkup among the plurality of checkups performed by the checkup section is successful, as the communication frequency to be used in performing a next and subsequent checkups.

2. The in-vehicle device control system according to claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle-side unit further includes a reset section, which resets a stored content of the storing section when the plurality of checkups is finished in response to the each user operation detected by the detection section.

3. An in-vehicle device control system comprising:

a portable device; and

a vehicle-side unit mounted on a vehicle for performing a checkup about the portable device by mutual communication, in which the vehicle-side unit transmits a request signal and the portable device returns a response signal in response to the request signal of the vehicle-side unit, thereby to control an in-vehicle device based on a check result, the vehicle-side unit switching a communication frequency to perform the mutual communication and the checkup again when the check result indicates an unsuccessful checkup,

wherein the portable device includes;

a portable device communication section for receiving the request signal transmitted from the vehicle-side unit and returning the response signal as the mutual communication with the vehicle-side unit, the response signal including an ID code and transmitted at a communication frequency designated by the vehicle-side unit,

wherein the vehicle-side unit includes;

a detection section for detecting an operation of a user, by which the checkup is started;

a frequency setting section for setting the communication frequency to be designated to the portable device;

a vehicle-side communication section for transmitting the request signal to the portable device and receiving the response signal as the mutual communication with the portable device, the vehicle-side communication section transmitting to the portable device frequency information indicating the communication frequency set by the frequency setting section;

a checkup section for checking up the ID code and a registration code pre-registered, the ID code being included in the response signal transmitted from the portable device and received from by the vehicle-side communication section;

a storing section for storing the communication frequency, which is used when the check result indicates a successful checkup; and

an estimation section for estimating a change in a radio wave environment, in which the vehicle and the portable device are located, after the successful checkup by the checkup section,

wherein the frequency setting section is configured to switch over the communication frequency to be designated when the checkup result indicates the unsuccessful checkup, and

wherein the frequency setting section is configured to fix a communication frequency to the communication frequency stored in the storing section in response to the successful checkup, when no change in the radio wave environment is estimated.

4. The in-vehicle device control system according to claim 3, wherein:

the vehicle-side unit includes a timer section for measuring time; and

the estimation section estimates that no change is in the radio wave environment for a fixed time measured by the timer section after the successful checkup by the checkup section.

5. The in-vehicle device control system according to claim 3, wherein:

the vehicle-side unit includes a door-opening detection section for detecting door-opening of the vehicle; and

the estimation section estimates that no change is in the radio wave environment until the door-opening detection section detects the door-opening after the successful checkup by the checkup section.

6. The in-vehicle device control system according to claim 3, wherein:

the vehicle-side unit includes a power condition detection section for detecting a power condition of the vehicle; and

the estimation section estimates that no change is in the radio wave environment until the power condition detection section detects turning-on of an IG or an ACC of the vehicle after the successful checkup by the checkup section.

7. The in-vehicle device control system according to claim 3, wherein:

the vehicle-side unit includes a start detection section for detecting a start operation of an engine of the vehicle; and

the estimation section estimates that no change is in the radio wave environment until the start detection section detects the start operation of the engine after the successful checkup by the checkup section.

8. The in-vehicle device control system according to claim 3, wherein:

the vehicle-side unit includes a vehicle travel speed detection section for detecting a travel speed of the vehicle; and

the estimation section estimates that no change is in the radio wave environment until the vehicle travel speed detection section detects the vehicle travel speed of the vehicle after the successful checkup by the checkup section.

9. The in-vehicle device control system according to claim 3, wherein:

the vehicle-side unit includes a location detection section for detecting a location where the vehicle is located, and a location storing section for storing a location where the checkup section performed the successful checkup; and

the estimation section estimates that no change is in the radio wave environment when the location of the successful checkup by the checkup section is stored in the location storing section.

10. The in-vehicle device control system according to claim 3, wherein:

the vehicle-side unit includes a time detection section for detecting time, and a time zone storing section for storing a time zone of the successful checkup in case the checkup section performed the successful checkup; and

the estimation section estimates that no change is in the radio wave environment when the time of the successful checkup by the checkup section is stored in the time zone storing section.

11. The in-vehicle device control system according to claim 3, wherein:

the frequency setting section releases the communication frequency to be designated from being fixed, when the detection section detects a same operation by the user in a fixed time.

12. The in-vehicle device control system according to claim 11, wherein:

the frequency setting section releases the communication frequency to be designated from being fixed, when the detection section detects a series of same operation by the user in the fixed time.

13. The in-vehicle device control system according to claim 3, wherein:

the frequency setting section releases the communication frequency to be designated from being fixed, when the detection section detects the same operation by the user a fixed number of times.

14. The in-vehicle device control system according to claim 13, wherein:

the frequency setting section releases the communication frequency to be designated from being fixed, when the detection section detects the series of same operation by the user a fixed number of times.

15. The in-vehicle device control system according to claim 3, wherein:

the frequency setting section releases the communication frequency to be designated from being fixed, when the detection section detects the same operation by the user a fixed number of times in a fixed time.

16. The in-vehicle device control system according to claim 15, wherein:

the frequency setting section releases the communication frequency to be designated from being fixed, when the detection section detects the series of same operation by the user a fixed number of times in a fixed time.