POSITION DETECTION SYSTEM AND POSITION DETERMINATION METHOD

• US 20130054095A1
• Filed: 08/24/2012
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Automotive Electronics Company Limited (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Omron Automotive Electronics Company Limited (Nidec Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Takayuki, Kawashima, Hidemitsu
• Granted Patent: US 9,150,195 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/48
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/245 where the antenna reception area plays a role

Abstract

A radio-wave-transmitting-body position detection system in a vehicle system has a plurality of electronic control devices that are included in a vehicle, and a radio wave transmitting body that transmits a radio signal to the plurality of electronic control devices. The electronic control devices conduct communication with each other using the radio signal. Each electronic control device includes a first electronic control device that conducts communication with the other electronic control device and the radio wave transmitting body using the radio signal, and controls a device included in the vehicle based on a content of the radio signal transmitted from the radio wave transmitting body. The electronic control devices except the first electronic control device include a first transmitting/receiving unit that transmits and receives the radio signal.

Claims

1. A radio-wave-transmitting-body position detection system in a vehicle system comprising:

a plurality of electronic control devices that are included in a vehicle; and

a radio wave transmitting body that transmits a radio signal to the plurality of electronic control devices, the electronic control devices conducting communication with each other using the radio signal,

wherein each electronic control device includes a first electronic control device that conducts communication with the other electronic control device and the radio wave transmitting body using the radio signal, and controls a device included in the vehicle based on a content of the radio signal transmitted from the radio wave transmitting body,

wherein the electronic control devices except the first electronic control device include;

a first transmitting/receiving unit that transmits and receives the radio signal;

a first signal intensity detector that detects signal intensity of the radio signal, which is transmitted from the radio wave transmitting body and received by the first transmitting/receiving unit; and

an information transmitting unit that transmits information on the signal intensity, which is detected by the first signal intensity detector, from the first transmitting/receiving unit to the first electronic control device, and

wherein the first electronic control device includes;

a storage in which disposition information on a disposition position of each electronic control devices in the vehicle is stored;

a second transmitting/receiving unit that transmits and receives the radio signal;

a specifying unit that determines whether the radio signal received by the second transmitting/receiving unit is the radio signal transmitted from the radio wave transmitting body or the radio signal transmitted from the other electronic control device, acquires the signal intensity information to specify the electronic control device, which transmits the signal intensity information, when the radio signal received by the second transmitting/receiving unit is the radio signal transmitted from the other electronic control device while the signal intensity information transmitted from the information transmitting unit is included in the radio signal;

a second signal intensity detector that detects the signal intensity of the radio signal transmitted from the radio wave transmitting body when the specifying unit determines that the radio signal received by the second transmitting/receiving unit is the radio signal transmitted from the radio wave transmitting body; and

a determination unit that determines a position of the radio wave transmitting body based on the signal intensity information detected by the second signal intensity detector, the signal intensity information acquired by the specifying unit, and the disposition information, which corresponds to the specified first electronic control device and stored in the storage.

2. A method for determining a position of a radio wave transmitting body that transmits information controlling a device of a vehicle to a plurality of electronic control devices using a radio signal in the vehicle including the plurality of electronic control devices that conduct radio communication with each other, comprising:

detecting via a first electronic control device in each electronic control device signal intensity of the radio signal transmitted from the radio wave transmitting body;

transmitting the signal intensity information to a second electronic control device of each electronic control device, and

determining via the second electronic control device a position of the radio wave transmitting body based on the signal intensity information transmitted from the first electronic control device, or information on the signal intensity of the radio signal transmitted from the radio wave transmitting body, which is detected by the second electronic control device, and disposition information on a disposition position of each electronic control device in the vehicle.