Vehicle remote operation device and method

• US 7,613,551 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2006
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushika Kaisha
• Inventors: Taki, Naoki, Watanabe, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dager; Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US11/357,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20060197677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,351 Days
• Field of Search: 341/176, 123/179.1, 123/179.2, 165/202, 307/9.1, 307 101- 108, 296/146.4, 3404261-42623, 340 56- 564, 701/2, 701/36, 455 68- 70, 455/73, 398/106, 398/107, 702/37, 702/56, 702/57
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2009 Antitheft state indicator
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2018 Central base unlocks or authorises unlocking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2036 by using the door logic and door and engine unlock means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5973 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5978 With switch

Abstract

A vehicle remote operation device of optimized fail-safe function is disclosed that directs a vehicle to execute operations in response to a remote operation request made by a user of the vehicle. The vehicle remote operation device has a fail-safe control unit that changes a fail-safe criterion in execution of the remote operation according to a distance between the user and the vehicle. Preferably, the fail-safe criterion is moderated when the distance between the user and the vehicle is short. Alternatively, instead of measuring the distance between the user and the vehicle, a Smart Entry System is used to detect a key carried by the user to determine whether the user is near the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle remote operation device configured to receive a remote operation request from a communication terminal carried by a user of a vehicle through a control center to execute a remote operation, the vehicle remote operation device comprising:

a smart entry system configured to detect a key;

a storage unit configured to store a plurality of fail-safe criteria for each of a plurality of vehicle operations, the plurality of fail-safe criteria including a criterion for executing a fail-safe operation for assisting a safe execution of the corresponding vehicle operation; and

a control unit configured to select a different fail-safe criterion for each vehicle operation, according to a distance between the user and the vehicle,

wherein the control unit is configured to notify the communication terminal of an operation result, by sending an email message after the remote operation is completed, if the distance between the user and the vehicle equals a value such that the key is not detectable by the smart entry system, and

wherein the control unit is configured to not notify the communication terminal of the operation result after the remote operation is completed if the distance between the user and the vehicle equals a value such that the key is detectable by the smart entry system.

2. The vehicle remote operation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to not perform a condition confirmation before the remote operation when performing fail-safe operations after the smart entry system has detected the key.

3. The vehicle remote operation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to send a reminder message before executing a remote operation, even when performing fail safe operations after the smart entry system has detected the key.

4. The vehicle remote operation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to perform fail-safe operations that include directing a window trapping protection mechanism to operate when performing a remote operation to close a window of the vehicle, even after the smart entry system has detected the key.

5. The vehicle remote operation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured such that, when performing the fail-safe operations,

when the smart entry system has not detected the key, the control unit sends a reminder message before the execution of the remote operation, uses a safety operation pattern in the execution of the remote operation, performs condition confirmation before the execution of the remote operation, and notifies the user of an operation result of the remote operation;

when the smart entry system detects the key, the control unit performs fail-safe operations that include sending a reminder message before the execution of the remote operation, and using a safety operation pattern in the execution of the remote operation; and

the control unit directs a window trapping protection mechanism to operate when performing the remote operation to close a window of the vehicle no matter whether the key is detected.

6. The vehicle remote operation device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to divide the distance between the user and the vehicle into at least two levels, according to whether the vehicle is within a visual range of the user, the visual range being a range such that the user is able to confirm a condition of the vehicle, and

wherein the control unit is configured to perform fail-safe operations that do not include notifying the user of an operation result of the remote operation when the vehicle is within the visual range of the user.

7. The vehicle remote operation device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to divide the distance between the user and the vehicle into at least two levels according to whether the vehicle is within a reach of the user'"'"'s arm, and

wherein the control unit is configured to perform fail-safe operations that do not include a condition confirmation before the remote operation, when the vehicle is within the reach of the user'"'"'s arm.

8. The vehicle remote operation device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to divide the distance between the user and the vehicle into at least two levels according to whether the user is inside the vehicle, and

wherein the control unit is configured to perform fail-safe operations that do not include using a safety operation pattern in the execution of the remote operation, when the user is inside the vehicle.

9. The vehicle remote operation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to perform fail-safe operations that include sending a reminder message before the execution of the remote operation.

10. The vehicle remote operation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to perform fail-safe operations that include directing a window trapping protection mechanism when performing the remote operation to close a window of the vehicle.

11. The vehicle remote operation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the control unit is configured to divide the distance between the user and the vehicle into a first level, a second level, a third level, and a fourth level in ascending order,

the first level is defined as when the user is inside the vehicle,

the second level is defined as when the vehicle is within the reach of the user'"'"'s arm,

the third level is defined as when the vehicle is within the visual range of the user,

the fourth level is defined as when the distance between the user and the vehicle is not classified into one of the first level, the second level, and the third level;

when the distance between the user and the vehicle is classified into the fourth level, the fail-safe operations include sending a reminder message before the execution of the remote operation, using a safety operation pattern in the execution of the remote operation, condition confirmation before the execution of the remote operation, and notifying the user of an operation result of the remote operation;

when the control unit classifies the distance between the user and the vehicle into the third level, the control unit performs the fail-safe operations that include sending a reminder message before the execution of the remote operation, using a safety operation pattern in the execution of the remote operation, and performing condition confirmation before the execution of the remote operation;

when the control unit classifies the distance between the user and the vehicle into the second level, the control unit performs the fail-safe operations that include sending a reminder message before the execution of the remote operation, and using a safety operation pattern in the execution of the remote operation;

when the control unit classifies the distance between the user and the vehicle into the first level, the control unit performs the fail-safe operations that include sending a reminder message before the execution of the remote operation; and

when performing the remote operation to close a window of the vehicle, the control unit performs the fail-safe operations that include directing the window trapping protection mechanism to operate regardless of the level of the distance.