METHOD FOR THE HANDS-FREE ACCESS TO A MOTOR VEHICLE AND FOR MONITORING THE PRESSURE OF THE TIRES MOUNTED ON SAID MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20140368326A1
• Filed: 12/17/2012
• Published: 12/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive France (Continental AG), Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive France (Continental AG), Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Vassilieff, Youri, Garnier, Helene
• Granted Patent: US 9,895,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0418 Sharing hardware components like housing, antenna, receiver or signal transmission line with other vehicle systems like keyless entry or brake control units
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0433 Radio signals
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00333 and the lock having more than one limited data transmission ranges
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A method for the hands-free access to a motor vehicle (V) is combined with a method for monitoring tire pressure. More particularly, wheel units (20, 21, 22, 23) belonging to the tire pressure recognition system detect the cessation of low frequency LF transmissions caused by the recognition of a badge B paired with the vehicle in order to trigger the measurement via the wheel units of the pressure and temperature values prevailing in each tire of the vehicle. These pressure and temperature measurements are sent to a central unit (14), which is mounted on the vehicle, so as to provide the driver with this information. The temperature and pressure measurements are transmitted to the central unit as soon as the measurements have been taken, irrespective of whether or not the driver has entered the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for the hands-free access to a motor vehicle (V) and for monitoring the pressure of the tires mounted on said vehicle, comprising the following steps:

transmitting (step 100) low frequency (LF) signals by means of antennas (15, 16, 17) associated with the hands-free access system of the vehicle,

receiving the transmitted low frequency signals by means of a portable element (B) (step 200) associated with the hands-free access system and by means of the wheel units (step 300) mounted on each of the wheels of the vehicle and associated with the tire pressure monitoring system,

transmitting via the portable element (B) a response message to the vehicle (step 210), said message comprising at least one identifying code (Id) enabling a central unit (14) forming part of the hands-free access system to verify whether the portable element (B) is paired with the vehicle (V), and, if so,

ceasing the transmissions (step 230) of low frequency signals of the hands-free vehicle access system,

said method being characterized in that it additionally comprises the following steps;

detecting via the low frequency receiving antennas of the wheel units of the tire pressure monitoring system the cessation (step 300) of the transmission of low frequency signals by the vehicle access system, and

measuring (step 310) via the tire pressure monitoring system the pressure and/or the temperature values prevailing within each tire,

transmitting (step 320) in the direction of a tire pressure monitoring central unit mounted in the vehicle the measured pressure and temperature values in order to provide the driver with this information (step 330).

2. The method for the hands-free access to a motor vehicle (v) and for monitoring the pressure of the tires mounted on said vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driver is only informed of measured pressure and/or temperature anomalies.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driver is informed of all the tire pressure measurements taken on the vehicle, irrespective of whether or not these present an anomaly.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the cessation of the low frequency transmissions (step 230) of the hands-free vehicle access system is detected when no low frequency transmission has been received by the wheel units of the tire pressure monitoring systems during a determined time interval Δ

t greater than a predetermined minimum time interval Δ

t_mini during which low frequency LF transmissions have been transmitted regularly.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the step of transmission (step 320) of measured pressure and temperature values in the direction of a tire pressure monitoring central unit mounted in the vehicle, in order to provide the driver with this information (step 330), is constituted by periodic transmissions of measured values until a new detection, by means of the low frequency receiving antennas of the wheel units of the tire pressure monitoring system, of a transmission of low frequency signals by the hands-free access system.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the cessation of the low frequency transmissions (step 230) of the hands-free vehicle access system is detected when no low frequency transmission has been received by the wheel units of the tire pressure monitoring systems during a determined time interval Δ

t greater than a predetermined minimum time interval Δ

t_mini during which low frequency LF transmissions have been transmitted regularly.

7. The method as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the cessation of the low frequency transmissions (step 230) of the hands-free vehicle access system is detected when no low frequency transmission has been received by the wheel units of the tire pressure monitoring systems during a determined time interval Δ

t greater than a predetermined minimum time interval Δ

t_mini during which low frequency LF transmissions have been transmitted regularly.

8. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the step of transmission (step 320) of measured pressure and temperature values in the direction of a tire pressure monitoring central unit mounted in the vehicle, in order to provide the driver with this information (step 330), is constituted by periodic transmissions of measured values until a new detection, by means of the low frequency receiving antennas of the wheel units of the tire pressure monitoring system, of a transmission of low frequency signals by the hands-free access system.

9. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the step of transmission (step 320) of measured pressure and temperature values in the direction of a tire pressure monitoring central unit mounted in the vehicle, in order to provide the driver with this information (step 330), is constituted by periodic transmissions of measured values until a new detection, by means of the low frequency receiving antennas of the wheel units of the tire pressure monitoring system, of a transmission of low frequency signals by the hands-free access system.

10. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the step of transmission (step 320) of measured pressure and temperature values in the direction of a tire pressure monitoring central unit mounted in the vehicle, in order to provide the driver with this information (step 330), is constituted by periodic transmissions of measured values until a new detection, by means of the low frequency receiving antennas of the wheel units of the tire pressure monitoring system, of a transmission of low frequency signals by the hands-free access system.