Device for determining distance and for transmitting data in a motor vehicle

• US 6,438,466 B1
• Filed: 12/19/2001
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Kramp, Wolfgang, Giehler, Elmar, Hasch, Jürgen, Gaier, Stefan, Voigtlaender, Klaus, Schmitz, Stephan, Groesch, Lothar
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/889,863
• Time in Patent Office: 244 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 340/46, 340/47, 340/48, 342/457
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9314 Parking operations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9315 Monitoring blind spots
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle

Abstract

A device is proposed for ascertaining distance and transmitting data in a motor vehicle. It has a transmitting arrangement for generating and emitting a radar signal. A receiving arrangement receives a radar signal. It is characterized in that switchover arrangements are provided which cause the transmitting and/or receiving arrangement to operate either in a radar operating mode for detecting the distance and/or speed of a further object, or in a data-exchange operating mode for the exchange of data with a transceiver. Specific functions are enabled in dependence on the data exchange.

Claims

1. A device for ascertaining a distance and transmitting data for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a transmitting arrangement for generating and emitting a radar signal;

a receiving arrangement for receiving the radar signal; and

a switchover arrangement for causing at least one of the transmitting arrangement and the receiving arrangement to operate according to one of;

a radar operating mode for detecting at least one of the distance and a speed of at least one further object, and

a data-exchange operating mode for a data exchange with a transceiver, wherein;

at least one of a drive authorization and an access authorization of the motor vehicle is released in dependence on the data exchange in the data-exchange operating mode.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

the data-exchange operating mode is activated at least one of when the motor vehicle is switched off and when a user has left the motor vehicle.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

the data-exchange operating mode is activated as a function of an actuation of an operating element in conjunction with an initiation of at least one of an unlocking operation and a start operation.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

a specific function is enabled only when a signal detected in the radar operating mode indicates an approaching object.

6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an oscillator for providing an oscillator signal;

a transmitting antenna; and

a switching element via which the oscillator signal can be routed to the transmitting antenna, wherein;

a pulse signal for generating the radar signal is relayed via the switchover arrangement for a control of the switching element.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

the switchover arrangement is controlled as a function of information to be transmitted.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

in the data-exchange operating mode, a signal propagation time, upon which an enablement of a specific motor-vehicle function depends, is determined as a function of a transmitted and a received signal.

9. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an oscillator for providing an oscillator signal; and

a mixer, wherein;

the receiving arrangement includes a receiving antenna that receives the radar signal,

the mixer correlates the radar signal with the oscillator signal, and

a specific function is enabled in dependence on an output signal of the mixer.

10. The device according to claim 9, further comprising:

another switchover arrangement, wherein;

the oscillator signal is applied at an input of the mixer as a function of the other switchover arrangement.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein:

the oscillator signal is applied at an input of the mixer in the data-exchange operating mode.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

an actuator of a smart master-key system is controlled as a function of the data exchange in the data-exchange operating mode.

5. The device according to clam 1, wherein:

the switchover arrangement is activated for coding information to be transmitted in the data-exchange operating mode.