Method and device for automatically locking a motor vehicle

• US 6,853,296 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2001
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobile SA (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobile SA (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Chandebois, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Hopsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, LAM P
• Application Number:
  US10/363,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20040100360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.28, 340/426.3, 340/426.36, 340/825.31, 340/825.72, 307/10.1, 307/10.2
• US Class Current: 340/426.28
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/245 where the antenna reception area plays a role
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

The invention concerns a vehicle comprising an access and starting system without manual intervention comprising first means (1) for determining the presence or the absence of an identifier in at least in watching zone outside the vehicle and second means (2) for determining whether the doors are opened or closed and third means (3) for determining whether the motor vehicle engine is running or cut off. The method consists in automatically locking the motor vehicle on successively detecting the following conditions: a door is opened, the engine is not running and all the doors are closed, there is no identifier in the monitoring zone at a time (t), there is an identifier in the monitoring zone at a time (t−1) preceding the time (t) at which the absence of the identifier has been detected.

Claims

1. Method of automatic locking of an automobile including a system for access and starting without manual intervention which comprises a first means for detecting the presence or the absence of an identifier in at least one monitoring zone outside the vehicle and close to a door, as well as second means for detecting the open or closed condition of the doors and third means for detecting the running or stopped condition of the engine of the automobile, wherein the locking of the vehicle is controlled automatically in the case where the following conditions are detected successively:

opening of a door of the automobile,

stopping of the engine and closing of all the doors of the automobile,

absence of the identifier in the monitoring zone outside the automobile at a time (t),

presence of the identifier in the monitoring zone at a time (t−

1) preceding the time (t) at which the absence of the identifier was detected.

2. Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein it is further verified, before checking the presence of the identifier in the monitoring zone, that no occupant is present in the passenger cell of the automobile.

3. Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the presence of the identifier in the monitoring zone is detected by transmitting a low-frequency wave into at least one coverage zone at the periphery of the automobile from at least one first transmission and reception means associated with the automobile, in such a way that the low-frequency wave is received by the identifier provided in the form of a second transmission and reception means and that a return wave is sent by the identifier to the first transmission and reception means associated with the automobile.

4. Method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the presence of the identifier is detected by transmitting antennas distributed at the periphery of the automobile and operated at a rated transmission power, and that when an absence of the identifier in the monitoring zone is detected at least some of the antennas of the vehicle, are operated at a higher transmission power than the rated transmission power.

5. Method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the low-frequency wave transmitted from the first transmission and reception means has a frequency close to 125 kHz.

6. Method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the return wave sent by the identifier to the first transmission and reception means associated with the automobile is a high-frequency wave.

7. Method as claimed in claim 3, wherein it is further verified, before checking the presence of the identifier in the monitoring zone, that no occupant is present in the passenger cell of the automobile.

8. Method as claimed in claim 4, wherein when an absence of the identifier in the monitoring zone is detected, some at least of the antennas of the vehicle are operated at a transmission power of 100%+X% of the rated power, where X is between 0 and 100 and preferably equal to 30.

9. Method as claimed in claim 4, wherein it is further verified, before checking the presence of the identifier in the monitoring zone, that no occupant is present in the passenger cell of the automobile.

10. Method as claimed in claim 5, wherein it is further verified, before checking the presence of the identifier in the monitoring zone, that no occupant is present in the passenger cell of the automobile.

11. Method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the high-frequency wave sent by the identifier has one of the following frequencies:

315, 433, 866 MHz.

12. Method as claimed in claim 8, wherein it is further verified, before checking the presence of the identifier in the monitoring zone, that no occupant is present in the passenger cell of the automobile.

13. Device for automatic locking of an automobile including a system for access and starting without manual intervention and comprising first means for detecting the presence or the absence of an identifier in at least one monitoring zone outside the vehicle and close to a door, as well as second means for detecting the open or closed condition of the doors of the automobile and third means for detecting the running or stopped condition of the engine of the automobile, wherein a control unit for locking of the automobile is connected electrically or via electronic logic means to the first means for detection of the presence or the absence of an identifier in the monitoring zone outside the vehicle and to a unit for memorising the data from the first detection means and also to the second and third detection means in order to control the locking of the automobile automatically in the case where the following conditions are detected successively:

opening of a door of the automobile,

stopping of the engine and closing of all the doors of the automobile,

absence of the identifier in the monitoring zone outside the automobile at a time (t),

presence of the identifier in the monitoring zone at a time (t−

1) preceding the time (t) at which the absence of the identifier was detected.

14. Locking device as claimed in claim 13, wherein it further comprises fourth means for verification of the presence or the absence of an occupant in the passenger cell of the automobile, these means being functionally connected to the unit for control of the locking of the automobile in such a way as to permit the actuation of the automatic locking of the automobile only in the case where the detection means have permitted verification that no occupant is situated in the interior of the passenger cell of the automobile.

15. Device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first detection means are used in order to carry out the unlocking of the automobile in an automatic manner within the framework of a system of access and starting without manual intervention, that the second detection means constitute an element of a security device of the automobile and that the third detection means constitute a monitoring element of the automobile.

16. Automatic locking device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the means for verification of the non-presence of occupants in the passenger cell of the automobile constitute an element of a perimetric alarm of the automobile.

17. Locking device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first means for detection of the presence or the absence of an identifier in at least one monitoring zone outside the vehicle include at least one transmitting and receiving antenna fixed on the automobile and controlled in such a way as to transmit a low-frequency wave into at least one coverage zone at the periphery of the automobile and to pick up a return wave originating from the identifier.

18. Locking device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the transmitting and receiving antenna is controlled in such a way as to transmit a low-frequency wave, the frequency of which is close to 125 kHz.

19. Locking device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first detection means (1) include a plurality of transmitting/receiving antennas fixed on the automobile in such a way as to transmit waves particularly at low frequency into a plurality of respective coverage zones extending at the periphery of the automobile.

20. Locking device as claimed in claim 19, wherein some of the transmitting/receiving antennas fixed on the automobile and in particular fixed at the rear of the automobile have a transmission power which can be operated at a higher level than the rated transmission power level,

into a plurality of respective coverage zones (18a, 18b, 18c, 18d, 18e, 18f) extending at the periphery of the automobile (16).