METHOD TO TRACK VEHICLE KEY NEAR VEHICLE FOR SMART ENTRY
First Claim
1. An entry system for a vehicle comprising:
- a fob configured to transmit fob signals and to receive vehicle signals;
a transmitter on the vehicle for transmitting the vehicle signals to the fob;
a receiver on the vehicle for receiving the fob signals from the fob;
a control unit on the vehicle and in communication with the transmitter and the receiver, the control unit being configured to determine whether the fob is getting closer to or farther from the vehicle based on the fob signals received by the receiver; and
a vehicle lock in communication with the control unit, wherein the vehicle lock locks or unlocks in response to the control unit determining that the fob is getting closer to or farther from the vehicle and that the fob is not located in a hysteresis zone, which is disposed between a proximal zone, which is closer to the vehicle, and an outer zone, which is farther from the vehicle.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An entry system for a vehicle includes a fob, a transmitter on the vehicle, a receiver on the vehicle, a control unit on the vehicle, and a vehicle lock in communication with the control unit. The fob is configured to transmit fob signals and to receive vehicle signals. The transmitter is for transmitting the vehicle signals to the fob. The receiver is for receiving the fob signals from the fob. The control unit is in communication with the transmitter and the receiver. The control unit is configured to determine whether the fob is getting closer to or farther from the vehicle based on the fob signals received by the receiver. The vehicle lock locks or unlocks in response to the control unit determining that the fob is getting closer to or farther from the vehicle and that the fob is not located in a hysteresis zone, which is disposed between a proximal zone, which is closer to the vehicle, and an outer zone, which is farther from the vehicle.
95 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An entry system for a vehicle comprising:
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a fob configured to transmit fob signals and to receive vehicle signals; a transmitter on the vehicle for transmitting the vehicle signals to the fob; a receiver on the vehicle for receiving the fob signals from the fob; a control unit on the vehicle and in communication with the transmitter and the receiver, the control unit being configured to determine whether the fob is getting closer to or farther from the vehicle based on the fob signals received by the receiver; and a vehicle lock in communication with the control unit, wherein the vehicle lock locks or unlocks in response to the control unit determining that the fob is getting closer to or farther from the vehicle and that the fob is not located in a hysteresis zone, which is disposed between a proximal zone, which is closer to the vehicle, and an outer zone, which is farther from the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for remotely controlling locks on a vehicle, the method comprising:
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measuring signal strengths of signals received by or transmitted from a fob; determining whether the fob is getting closer to or farther from the vehicle based on the measured signal strengths; determining in which zone among a plurality of zones the fob is located, wherein the plurality of zones includes an outer zone, a hysteresis zone, and a proximal zone, wherein the hysteresis zone is interposed between the proximal zone and the outer zone; operating a lock in response to receiving a respective fob signal by the transmitter, including at least one of unlocking the lock in response to receiving the respective fob signal after determining that the fob is within the proximal zone and that the fob is getting closer to the vehicle, and locking the lock in response to receiving the respective fob signal after determining that the fob is within the outer zone and that the fob is getting farther from the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification