Vehicular wireless control apparatus and portable unit for the same

• US 6,664,899 B1
• Filed: 03/31/1999
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsuchihashi, Choichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): BANGACHON, WILLIAM L
• Application Number:
  US09/281,805
• Time in Patent Office: 1,721 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/5.62, 340/5.61, 340/5.72, 340/10.42, 340/10.5, 307/10.2, 307/10.1, 307/104, 180/287, 343/713, 343/741, 343/788, 343/841
• US Class Current: 340/12.22
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/245 where the antenna reception area plays a role
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/406 Power supply in the remote key
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00587 by battery
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00603 by power transmission from lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

A wireless control apparatus for vehicles in that reduces the drain on an internal power source of a portable unit so that the internal power source can be used for a long period of time without being changed. A wireless control apparatus for vehicles including a control apparatus body provided on the vehicle side, and a portable unit carried by the driver. The portable unit has a start signal receiver for receiving a start signal from the vehicle side, a communication signal transmitter for transmitting a communication signal to the vehicle side, a controller for controlling the operation of the communication signal transmitter, and an operation power switching device for selecting between a signal power operation mode in which the portable unit operates from electric power obtained from the start signal and a power source operation mode in which the portable unit operates from an internal power source. When inoperative, the portable unit is held in the signal power operation mode. After the receipt of the start signal, the portable unit is actuated and switching to the power source operation mode is performed.

Claims

1. A portable unit of a wireless control apparatus for vehicles, comprising:

start signal reception means for receiving a start signal for electromagnetic induction from a vehicle side apparatus of a vehicle;

reset means for generating a reset signal based on the start signal received by the start signal reception means;

memory means for storing vehicle information;

communication signal reception means for receiving a communication signal from the vehicle;

carrier sensing means for generating a communication possible signal when a detection signal level of the received communication signal is not lower than a predetermined level;

communication signal transmitting means for transmitting a communication signal to the vehicle side apparatus;

control means for controlling operation of the communication signal transmitting means; and

operation power switching means for selecting between a signal power operation mode in which the portable unit operates from electric power obtained from the start signal and a power source operation mode in which the portable unit operates from an internal power source,

wherein the control means operates using electric power obtained from the start signal when the start signal from the vehicle side apparatus is received in the signal power operation mode, while the control means is reset by the reset signal of the reset means generated based on the start signal,

wherein the operation power switching means switches from the signal power operation mode to the power source operation mode after the control means is reset by the reset signal, so that the control means operates using electric power from the internal power source and the communication signal transmitting means transmits to the vehicle side apparatus the vehicle information stored in the memory means,

wherein the communication signal from the vehicle side apparatus includes a vehicle-side identification code,

wherein the vehicle information stored in the memory means includes a portable-unit-side identification code,

wherein the control means compares the vehicle-side identification code included in the communication signal and the portable-unit-side identification code when the communication signal reception means receives the communication signal from the vehicle side, and

wherein the operation power switching means switches from the power source operation mode to the signal power operation mode when the vehicle-side identification code included in the communication signal and the portable-unit-side identification code are different, whereby the operation of the control means is stopped.

2. The portable unit of a wireless control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

carrier sensing means for determining a reception condition of the communication signal,

wherein the carrier sensing means generates a communication possible signal when a detection signal level of the communication signal received by the communication signal reception means is not lower than a predetermined level, and

wherein the operation power switching means switches from the power source operation mode to the signal power operation mode when the generation of the communication possible signal is not performed continuously for a predetermined time, whereby the operation of the control means is stopped.

3. A wireless control apparatus for vehicles which wirelessly controls a vehicle-side apparatus by the use of a portable unit, the apparatus comprising:

a vehicle-side start signal transmission module for transmitting a start signal for electromagnetic induction;

vehicle-side communication signal reception means for receiving a communication signal;

vehicle-side control means for controlling the operation of the vehicle-side apparatus, the vehicle-side start signal transmission module and vehicle-side communication signal reception means,

portable-unit-side start signal reception means for receiving the start signal from the vehicle-side start signal transmission module;

reset means for generating a reset signal based on the start signal received by the portable-unit-side start signal reception means;

portable-unit-side memory means for storing vehicle information;

portable-unit-side communication signal reception means for receiving a communication signal from the vehicle;

portable-unit-side carrier sensing means for generating a communication possible signal when a detection signal level of the received communication signal is not lower than a predetermined level;

portable-unit-side communication signal transmitting means for transmitting a communication signal to the vehicle side apparatus;

portable-unit-side control means for controlling operation of the portable-unit-side communication signal transmitting means;

operation power switching means for selecting between a signal power operation mode in which the portable unit operates from electric power obtained from the start signal and a power source operation mode in which the portable unit operates from an internal power source,

vehicle-side memory means for storing a vehicle-side identification code; and

vehicle-side communication signal transmitting means for transmitting a communication signal including the vehicle-side identification code from the vehicle side,

wherein the portable-unit-side control means operates using electric power obtained from the start signal, while the portable-unit-side control means is reset by the reset signal of the reset means generated based on the start signal when the start signal from the vehicle-side start signal transmission module is received by the portable-unit-side start signal reception means in the signal power operation mode,

wherein the operation power switching means switches from the signal power operation mode to the power source operation mode after the portable-unit-side control means is reset, whereby the portable-unit-side control means operates using electric power from the internal power source and the portable-unit-side communication signal transmitting means transmits the vehicle information stored in the portable-unit-side memory means to the vehicle-side communication signal reception means,

wherein the portable unit comprises portable-unit-side communication signal reception means for receiving the communication signal from the vehicle-side communication signal transmitting means,

wherein the vehicle information stored in the portable-unit-side memory means includes a portable-unit-side identification code,

wherein the portable-unit-side control means compares the vehicle-side identification code included in the communication signal and the portable-unit-side identification code upon receipt of the communication signal from the vehicle-side communication signal transmitting means by the portable-unit-side communication signal reception means, and

wherein the operation power switching means switches from the power source operation mode to the signal power operation mode when the vehicle-side identification code included in the communication signal and the portable-unit-side identification code are different, whereby the operation of the control means is stopped.

4. The wireless control apparatus for vehicles of claim 3,

wherein the portable unit further comprises portable-unit-side carrier sensing means for determining a reception condition of the communication signal from the vehicle-side communication signal transmitting means,

wherein the carrier sensing means generates a communication possible signal when a detection signal level of the reception signal received by the portable-unit-side communication signal reception means is not lower than a predetermined level, and

wherein the operation power switching means switches from the power source operation mode to the signal power operation mode when the generation of the communication possible signal is not performed continuously for a predetermined time, whereby the operation of the control means is stopped.

5. The wireless control apparatus for vehicles of claim 4,

wherein the start transmission module comprises a composite antenna comprising a loop antenna and a ferrite bar antenna, and

wherein the loop antenna and the ferrite bar antenna are arranged such that regions having a high transmitting/receiving sensitivity of directivities of the loop antenna and the ferrite bar antenna area substantially perpendicular to each other.

6. The wireless control apparatus for vehicles of claim 3,

wherein the start transmission module comprises a composite antenna comprising a loop antenna and a ferrite bar antenna, and

wherein the loop antenna and the ferrite bar antenna are arranged such that regions having a high transmitting/receiving sensitivity of directivities of the loop antenna and the ferrite bar antenna are substantially perpendicular to each other.

7. The wireless control apparatus for vehicles of claim 3,

wherein the portable unit comprises voltage monitoring means for monitoring a voltage of the internal power source,

wherein the portable-unit-side control means generates a control switching signal and the operation power switching means switches from the power source operation mode to the signal power operation mode based on the control switching signal when the voltage of the internal power source decreases to a predetermined value or lower, and

wherein the vehicle-side control means actuates the start signal transmission module based on the control switching signal from the portable unit side and the portable-unit-side control means operates from the electric power obtained from a power signal from the start signal transmission module.

8. The wireless control apparatus for vehicles of claim 4,

wherein the portable unit comprises voltage monitoring means for monitoring a voltage of the internal power source,

wherein the portable-unit-side control means generates a control switching signal and the operation power switching means switches from the power source operation mode to the signal power operation mode based on the control switching signal when the voltage of the internal power source decreases to a predetermined value or lower, and

wherein the vehicle-side control means actuates the start signal transmission module based on the control switching signal from the portable unit side and the portable-unit-side control means operates from the electric power obtained from a power signal from the start signal transmission module.

9. A portable unit of a wireless control apparatus for vehicles, comprising:

direct current power generating means for generating direct current power as an output upon receipt of a signal for electromagnetic induction;

an internal power source;

memory means for storing vehicle information;

communication signal transmitting means for transmitting a communication signal;

control means for the portable unit for reading out the information stored in the memory means and causing the communication signal transmitting means to transmit the read-out information as a communication signal;

operation power switching means responsive to the output of the direct current power generating means, for selecting a signal power operation mode where electric power from the internal power source is not supplied to the communication signal transmitting means and the control means for the portable unit in an absence of the output from the direct current power generating means, and a power source operation mode where the electric power from the internal power source is supplied to the communication signal transmitting means and the control means for the portable unit in a presence of the output from the direct current power generating means; and

communication signal reception means for receiving a communication signal from the vehicle side apparatus,

wherein the communication signal from the vehicle side apparatus includes a vehicle-side identification code,

wherein the vehicle information stored in the memory means includes a portable-unit-side identification code,

wherein the control means compares the vehicle-side identification code included in the communication signal and the portable-unit-side identification code when the communication signal reception means receives the communication signal from the vehicle side, and

wherein the operation power switching means switches from the power source operation mode to the signal power operation mode when the vehicle-side identification code included in the communication signal and the portable-unit-side identification code are different, whereby the operation of the control means is stopped.

10. A wireless control apparatus for vehicles which wirelessly controls a vehicle-side operation apparatus by the use of a portable unit, the apparatus comprising:

a vehicle-side operation apparatus mounted on a vehicle;

a transmitting module for generating a signal for electromagnetic induction and being mounted on the vehicle;

a vehicle-side reception means for receiving a portable-unit-side communication signal and being mounted on the vehicle;

vehicle-side control means for causing the vehicle-side operation apparatus to carry out a predetermined operation in response to an output from the vehicle-side reception means and being mounted on the vehicle;

a portable unit comprising direct current power generating means for generating direct current power as an output upon receipt of a signal for electromagnetic induction, an internal power source, memory means for storing vehicle information, communication signal transmitting means for transmitting a communication signal, control means for reading out the information stored in the memory means and causing the communication signal transmitting means to transmit the read-out information as a communication signal, and operation power switching means responsive to the output of the direct current power generating means and for selecting a signal power operation mode where electric power from the internal power source is not supplied to the communication signal transmitting means and the control means for the portable unit in an absence of the output from the direct current power generating means, and a power source operation mode where the electric power from the internal power source is supplied to the communication signal transmitting means and the control means for the portable unit in a presence of the output from the direct current power generating means;

vehicle-side memory means for storing a vehicle-side identification code; and

vehicle-side communication signal transmitting means for transmitting a communication signal including the vehicle-side identification code from the vehicle side,

wherein the portable unit comprises portable-unit-side communication signal reception means for receiving the communication signal from the vehicle-side communication signal transmitting means,

wherein the vehicle information stored in the portable-unit-side memory means includes a portable-unit-side identification code,

wherein the portable-unit-side control means compares the vehicle-side identification code included in the communication signal and the portable-unit-side identification code upon receipt of the communication signal from the vehicle-side communication signal transmitting means by the portable-unit-side communication signal reception means, and

wherein the operation power switching means switches from the power source operation mode to the signal power operation mode when the vehicle-side identification code included in the communication signal and the portable-unit-side identification code are different, whereby the operation of the control means is stopped.