Transmitting and receiving method, especially for detecting an ID transmitter

• US 7,023,321 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2002
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Piesch, Wolfgang, Hofbeck, Klaus, Ilg, Johannes, Brillon, Alain Marc Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shimizu, Matsuichiro
• Application Number:
  US10/237,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20030016140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.72, 340/5.61, 340/539, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 702/78, 307/10.2, 307/10.1, 180/278, 180/287, 455/67.11, 455/424, 455/561, 455/115, 455/226.2, 455/562
• US Class Current: 340/5.61
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0038 whereby the wake-up circuit is situated in the keyless data carrier
• 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

In a transmitting and receiving method, a request signal is transmitted between a first and an additional transmitting and receiving device by means of a bi-directional first communications path. According to the request signal, a second communications path is established for a predetermined time interval and the receiving power in the additional transmitting and receiving device is measured by means of a measuring device.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting and receiving signals between at least one first transmitting and receiving device and at least one further transmitting and receiving device, in particular for unlocking and/or locking a vehicle,

a) monitoring with the first transmitting and receiving device, via a first communication path of a given frequency, for the presence of the second transmitting and receiving device,

b) transmitting a request signal from the first transmitting and receiving device via the first communication path on detection of the second transmitting and receiving device,

c) setting up a second communication path of a lower frequency than the frequency of the first communication path for a predetermined time interval between the first and the second transmitting and receiving devices as a function of the request signal, and

d) measuring the reception power level in the second transmitting and receiving device by means of a measurement device.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the measurement result is transmitted via the first communication path to the first transmitting and receiving device.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first transmitting and receiving device or the second transmitting and receiving device evaluates the measurement result by means of an evaluation unit.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second communication paths use high and low frequency bands, respectively.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a measurement amplifier unit is connected in the second transmitting and receiving device for setting up the second communication path.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the start and duration of the predetermined time interval are derived from information content of the request signal.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second communication path uses LF band.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second communication path is unidirectional.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in order to identify the position of the second transmitting and receiving device, steps a) to d) are repeated a number of times using a different transmission power.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the measurement results are evaluated in the first transmitting and receiving device by means of an evaluation unit.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the evaluation unit evaluates the measurement results for detection of the second transmitting and receiving device by means of a fixed table.

12. A method for transmitting and receiving signals between a first transmitting and receiving device and a second transmitting and receiving device for unlocking and/or locking a lock, said method comprising:

a) monitoring with the first transmitting and receiving device, via a first communication path, for the presence of the second transmitting and receiving device,

b) transmitting a request signal from the first transmitting and receiving device via the first communication path upon detection of the second transmitting and receiving device,

c) setting up a second communication path for a predetermined time interval between the first and the second transmitting and receiving devices as a function of the request signal, the start and duration of said predetermined time interval derived from information content of said request signal, and

d) measuring the reception power level in the second transmitting and receiving device.