DETECTION DEVICE, DETECTION SYSTEM AND DETECTION METHOD OF RADIO WAVE TRANSMITTING/RECEIVING BODY

• US 20120182122A1
• Filed: 01/10/2012
• Published: 07/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Automotive Electronics Company Limited (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Omron Automotive Electronics Company Limited (Nidec Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishiguchi, Tadao
• Granted Patent: US 9,432,953 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.61
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/245 where the antenna reception area plays a role
• 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: H04B 17/27 for locating or positioning the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile

Abstract

A detection device that detects existence of a radio wave transmitting/receiving body inside a specific space has a first antenna, a second antenna, a controller that controls a first detection signal and a second detection signal that the first antenna transmits to an inside of the specific space, and a disturbing signal that the second antenna transmits, a third antenna that receives a response signal transmitted to the first detection signal and the second detection signal, which have been received by the radio wave transmitting/receiving body, and a determination unit that determines an existence position of the radio wave transmitting/receiving body, based on the response signal received by the third antenna.

Claims

1. A detection device that detects existence of a radio wave transmitting/receiving body inside a specific space, comprising:

a first antenna;

a second antenna;

a controller that controls a first detection signal and a second detection signal that the first antenna transmits to an inside of the specific space, and a disturbing signal that the second antenna transmits;

a third antenna that receives a response signal transmitted to the first detection signal and the second detection signal, which have been received by the radio wave transmitting/receiving body; and

a determination unit that determines an existence position of the radio wave transmitting/receiving body, based on the response signal received by the third antenna,

wherein, when the specific space is detected as a closed space, the controller performs control so that the second detection signal and the disturbing signal that cancels the second detection signal are simultaneously transmitted at different timing from timing of the transmission of the first detection signal, and

wherein, when the third antenna receives the response signal to one of the first detection signal and the second detection signal, the determination unit determines that the radio wave transmitting/receiving body exists inside the specific space.

2. The detection device according to claim 1, wherein by adjusting strengths of the first detection signal and the second detection signal, the controller performs the control so that the first antenna transmits the first detection signal with a first signal strength, and the second detection signal with a second signal strength higher than the first signal strength.

3. The detection device according to claim 2, wherein

the controller controls the first signal strength so that the radio wave transmitting/receiving body existing in a space outside the specific space at a predetermined distance or more from the specific space does not sense the first detection signal, and so that the radio wave transmitting/receiving body existing in a space inside the specific space where the disturbing signal is sensed senses the first detection signal, and

the controller controls the second signal strength so that the radio wave transmitting/receiving body existing in a space outside the specific space where the disturbing signal is not sensed does not sense the second detection signal, and so that the radio wave transmitting/receiving body existing in a space inside the specific space where the first detection signal is not sensed senses the second detection signal.

4. The detection device according to claim 3, wherein by further adjusting a strength of the disturbing signal, the controller performs the control so that the radio wave transmitting/receiving body existing in the space inside the specific space where the first detection signal is not sensed does not sense the disturbing signal.

5. The detection device according to claim 1, wherein

the specific space is an internal space of a trunk of a vehicle,

the radio wave transmitting/receiving body is a portable machine to open and close the trunk, and

the specific space becomes a closed space when the trunk is closed.

6. The detection device according to claim 5, wherein

the second antenna is attached to a rear bumper outside the vehicle,

the first antenna is attached anterior to the rear bumper,

a position of the space inside the specific space where the radio wave transmitting/receiving body does not sense the first detection signal is laterally both side corners and a bottom vicinity of the trunk, and

a position of the space inside the specific space where the radio wave transmitting/receiving body senses the disturbing signal is substantially at the same height as a height from a bottom of the trunk of a gap between a vehicle body of the vehicle and a lid of the trunk, and not laterally both side corners of the trunk.

7. The detection device according to claim 1, wherein the first antenna and the third antenna are made of one antenna.

14. The detection device according to claim 2, wherein

the specific space is an internal space of a trunk of a vehicle,

the radio wave transmitting/receiving body is a portable machine to open and close the trunk, and

the specific space becomes a closed space when the trunk is closed.

15. The detection device according to claim 3, wherein

the specific space is an internal space of a trunk of a vehicle,

the radio wave transmitting/receiving body is a portable machine to open and close the trunk, and

the specific space becomes a closed space when the trunk is closed.

16. The detection device according to claim 4, wherein

the specific space is an internal space of a trunk of a vehicle,

the radio wave transmitting/receiving body is a portable machine to open and close the trunk, and

the specific space becomes a closed space when the trunk is closed.

17. The detection device according to claim 2, wherein the first antenna and the third antenna are made of one antenna.

18. The detection device according to claim 3, wherein the first antenna and the third antenna are made of one antenna.

19. The detection device according to claim 4, wherein the first antenna and the third antenna are made of one antenna.

20. The detection device according to claim 5, wherein the first antenna and the third antenna are made of one antenna.

8. A detection method for detecting existence of a radio wave transmitting/receiving body inside a specific space, comprising:

a first step of detecting that the specific space has become a closed space;

a second step of transmitting a first detection signal and a second detection signal at different timing, and transmitting a disturbing signal that cancels a part of the second detection signal simultaneously with the second detection signal; and

a third step of determining that the radio wave transmitting/receiving body exists inside the specific space, when a response signal that the radio wave transmitting/receiving body having a specific identification code sends back to one of the first detection signal and the second detection signal is received.

9. The detection method according to claim 8, wherein in the second step, after the first detection signal is transmitted, the second detection signal is transmitted.

10. The detection method according to claim 8, wherein in the second step, after the second detection signal is transmitted, the first detection signal is transmitted.

11. The detection method according to claim 8, wherein

the first detection signal is a signal that the radio wave transmitting/receiving body in one space inside the specific space senses, and that the radio wave transmitting/receiving body in another space does not sense,

the second detection signal is a signal that the radio wave transmitting/receiving body existing inside the specific space senses, and

the transmission is performed so that in the specific space, the space where the radio wave transmitting/receiving body does not sense the first detection signal and the space where the radio wave transmitting/receiving body senses the disturbing signal do not overlap, and so that the space where the radio wave transmitting/receiving body senses the disturbing signal and the space where the radio wave transmitting/receiving body senses the first detection signal overlap.

12. The detection method according to claim 9, further comprising:

an intermediate determination step of determining whether or not the radio wave transmitting/receiving body exists inside the specific space between the step of transmitting the first detection signal and the step of transmitting the second detection signal,

wherein the intermediate determination step comprises determining that the radio wave transmitting/receiving body exists inside the specific space when a response signal that the radio wave transmitting/receiving body sends back is received, and the subsequent steps are not performed.

13. A detection system comprising a radio wave transmitting/receiving body having a specific identification code, and a detection device that detects existence of the radio wave transmitting/receiving body inside a specific space,

the detection device comprising:

a first antenna;

a second antenna;

a controller that controls a first detection signal and a second detection signal that the first antenna transmits, and a disturbing signal that the second antenna transmits;

a third antenna that receives a response signal transmitted by the radio wave transmitting/receiving body; and

a determination unit that determines an existence position of the radio wave transmitting/receiving body, based on the response signal received by the third antenna,

the radio wave transmitting/receiving body comprising;

a reception unit that receives the first detection signal and the second detection signal; and

a transmission unit that transmits the response signal to the received first detection signal and second detection signal, wherein

when the specific space becomes a closed space, the controller performs control so that the second detection signal and the disturbing signal that cancels the second detection signal are simultaneously transmitted at different timing from timing of the transmission of the first detection signal, and

when the third antenna receives the response signal to any one of the first detection signal and the second detection signal, the determination unit determines that the radio wave transmitting/receiving body exists inside the specific space.