CARD-TYPE SMART KEY APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20160217633A1
• Filed: 10/01/2014
• Published: 07/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Jang, SungMin
• Application Number:
  US15/025,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20160217633A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/23 using manual input of alphanumerical codes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07309 Means for preventing undesired reading or writing from or onto record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07709 the interface being a keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00682 actuated repeatedly
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/0069 actuated in a predetermined sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/94 Smart cards

Abstract

A card-type smart key apparatus and a control method thereof are provided. The card-type smart key apparatus includes a card-type main body, a wireless communication unit provided in the main body and configured to perform wireless communication with a passive keyless entry (PKE) system of a vehicle, a touch sensing unit installed on at least one of two sides of the main body and configured to sense a touch signal, and a control unit configured to transmit a wakeup signal to the vehicle through the wireless communication unit according to the touch signal sensed by the touch sensing unit.

Claims

1. A card-type smart key apparatus comprising:

a card-type main body;

a wireless communication unit provided in the main body and configured to perform wireless communication with a passive keyless entry (PKE) system of a vehicle;

a touch sensing unit installed on at least one of two sides of the main body and configured to sense a touch signal; and

a control unit configured to transmit a wakeup signal to the vehicle through the wireless communication unit according to the touch signal sensed by the touch sensing unit.

2. The card-type smart key apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch sensing unit is a capacitive sensing type.

3. The card-type smart key apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch sensing unit includes a plurality of touch modules.

4. The card-type smart key apparatus of claim 3, wherein a mark representing a region in which the plurality of touch modules are formed is formed on an outside of the main body.

5. The card-type smart key apparatus of claim 3, wherein the control unit transmits the wakeup signal by determining a touch pattern sensed from the plurality of touch modules.

6. The card-type smart key apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit transmits the wakeup signal based on the number of inputs of a touch signal sensed through the touch sensing unit for a set time.

7. The card-type smart key apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wakeup signal is at least one of a buzzer operating signal and an emergency light flashing signal.

8. The card-type smart key apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a tact switch provided at the main body,

wherein the control unit activates the touch sensing unit only for a set time when the tact switch operates.

14. The card-type smart key apparatus of claim 2, wherein the touch sensing unit includes a plurality of touch modules.

15. The card-type smart key apparatus of claim 4, wherein the control unit transmits the wakeup signal by determining a touch pattern sensed from the plurality of touch modules.

9. A method of controlling a card-type smart key apparatus, comprising:

sensing, by a control unit, a touch signal through a touch sensing unit;

comparing a touch pattern of the touch signal to a set touch pattern when the touch signal is sensed; and

transmitting a wakeup signal through a wireless communication unit when the touch pattern of the touch signal matches the set touch pattern.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, in sensing the touch signal, the touch sensing unit is activated only for a set time when a tact switch operates.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of comparing includes performing a comparison with the order of inputs sensed from a plurality of touch modules of the touch sensing unit.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of comparing includes performing a comparison with the number of inputs of a touch signal sensed through the touch sensing unit for a set time.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the wakeup signal is at least one of a buzzer operating signal and an emergency light flashing signal.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of comparing includes performing a comparison with the order of inputs sensed from a plurality of touch modules of the touch sensing unit.