Vehicle location information notifying system

• US 7,663,508 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2007
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Teshima, Kentarou, Nakashima, Kazuhiro, Ogino, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US11/808,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20070290819A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 340/988, 340/989, 340/990, 340/425.5, 340/426.13, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/539.23
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/62 Comprising means for indicating the status of the lock
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00698 actuated in function of displayed informations
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968

Abstract

When searching of a location of a vehicle is commanded, a vehicle search signal is transmitted from a portable device. The vehicle search signal includes an ID code of the portable device. When a vehicle side communication unit receives the valid ID code, the vehicle side communication unit transmits a vehicle side response signal to the portable device. The portable device computes a distance from the portable device to the vehicle based on a signal level of the received vehicle side response signal. A notifying device notifies the computed distance.

Claims

1. A vehicle location information notifying system comprising:

a vehicle side communication unit that is installed in a vehicle; and

a portable device that is carriable by a user and performs first intercommunication with the vehicle side communication unit, wherein the portable device includes;

a location information obtaining means for obtaining location information of the vehicle, which has the vehicle side communication unit, through the first intercommunication; and

a notifying means for notifying the location information of the vehicle,

wherein when the vehicle is parked, the vehicle side communication unit and the portable device perform second intercommunication therebetween such that the vehicle side communication unit periodically transmits a request signal to a predetermined area around the vehicle, and the portable device replies a response signal, which includes an ID code of the portable device, in response to the request signal; and

a door lock control means for controlling locking and unlocking of a door lock of the vehicle based on a result of verification of the ID code, which is received by the vehicle side communication unit through the second intercommunication, with a preregistered code of the ID code, wherein when the vehicle side communication unit and the portable device perform the first intercommunication therebetween, each of the vehicle side communication unit and the portable device increases a signal transmission power thereof in comparison to the signal transmission power thereof used in the second intercommunication.

2. The vehicle location information notifying system according to claim 1, wherein the location information obtaining means obtains at least a distance from the portable device to the vehicle as the location information of the vehicle based on a signal level of a received signal, which is transmitted from the vehicle side communication unit through the first intercommunication.

3. The vehicle location information notifying system according to claim 2, wherein the notifying means notifies the distance from the portable device to the vehicle by one of sound, light and vibration.

4. The vehicle location information notifying system according claim 1, wherein the portable device and the vehicle side communication unit perform the first intercommunication when one of the portable device and the vehicle side communication unit receives a command from the user to start the first intercommunication.

5. The vehicle location information notifying system according to claim 1, further comprising a vehicle side position sensing means for sensing a location of the vehicle as the location information of the vehicle, wherein:

the vehicle side position sensing means is provided in the vehicle;

the vehicle side communication unit transmits the location information, which indicates the location of the vehicle sensed with the vehicle side position sensing means, to the portable device through the first intercommunication; and

the location information obtaining means obtains the location information of the vehicle, which is transmitted from the vehicle side communication unit.

6. The vehicle location information notifying system according to claim 5, wherein the notifying means includes a displaying means for displaying the location of the vehicle on a map, which is displayed by the displaying means, based on the location information of the vehicle, which is obtained through the location information obtaining means.

7. The vehicle location information notifying system according to claim 5, wherein:

the portable device further includes a portable device side position sensing means for sensing a location of the portable device as location information of the portable device;

the portable device transmits the location information of the portable device, which is sensed with the portable device side position sensing means, to the vehicle side communication unit through the first intercommunication;

the vehicle location information notifying system further comprising a vehicle side displaying means for displaying the location information of the portable device, which is received through the vehicle side communication unit; and

the vehicle side displaying means is provided in the vehicle.

8. A vehicle location information notifying system comprising:

a vehicle side communication unit that is installed in a vehicle;

a portable device that is carriable by a user and performs first intercommunication with the vehicle side communication unit, wherein the portable device includes;

a location information obtaining means for obtaining location information of the vehicle, which has the vehicle side communication unit, through the first intercommunication;

a notifying means for notifying the location information of the vehicle; and

a portable device side position sensing means for sensing a location of the portable device as location information of the portable device, wherein the portable device transmits the location information of the portable device, which is sensed with the portable device side position sensing means, to the vehicle side communication unit through the first intercommunication;

a vehicle side position sensing means for sensing a location of the vehicle as the location information of the vehicle; and

a vehicle side displaying means for displaying the location information of the portable device, which is received through the vehicle side communication unit, wherein;

the vehicle side position sensing means and the vehicle side displaying means are provided in the vehicle;

the vehicle side communication unit transmits the location information, which indicates the location of the vehicle sensed with the vehicle side position sensing means, to the portable device through the first intercommunication; and

the location information obtaining means obtains the location information of the vehicle, which is transmitted from the vehicle side communication unit.

9. The vehicle location information notifying system according to claim 8, wherein the location information obtaining means obtains at least a distance from the portable device to the vehicle as the location information of the vehicle based on a signal level of a received signal, which is transmitted from the vehicle side communication unit through the first intercommunication.

10. The vehicle location information notifying system according to claim 9, wherein the notifying means notifies the distance from the portable device to the vehicle by one of sound, light and vibration.

11. The vehicle location information notifying system according to claim 8, wherein the notifying means includes a displaying means for displaying the location of the vehicle on a map, which is displayed by the displaying means, based on the location information of the vehicle, which is obtained through the location information obtaining means.

12. The vehicle location information notifying system according claim 8, wherein the portable device and the vehicle side communication unit perform the first intercommunication when one of the portable device and the vehicle side communication unit receives a command from the user to start the first intercommunication.

13. A method of notifying vehicle location information utilizing a system having a vehicle side communication unit installed in a vehicle and a portable device carriable by a user, the method comprising:

performing a first intercommunication between the vehicle side communication unit and the portable device;

obtaining, in the portable device, location information of the vehicle having the vehicle side communication unit, through the first intercommunication;

notifying the location information of the vehicle;

performing, when the vehicle is parked, a second intercommunication between the vehicle side communication unit and the portable device such that the vehicle side communication unit periodically transmits a request signal to a predetermined area around the vehicle, and the portable device replies a response signal, which includes an ID code of the portable device, in response to the request signal; and

controlling locking and unlocking of a door lock of the vehicle based on a result of verification of the ID code, which is received by the vehicle side communication unit through the second intercommunication, with a preregistered code of the ID code;

wherein when the vehicle side communication unit and the portable device perform the first intercommunication therebetween, each of the vehicle side communication unit and the portable device has an increased a signal transmission power thereof in comparison to the signal transmission power thereof used in the second intercommunication.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein at least a distance from the portable device to the vehicle is included in the location information of the vehicle based on a signal level of a received signal, which is transmitted from the vehicle side communication unit through the first intercommunication.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

sensing a location of the vehicle as the location information of the vehicle using a vehicle side position sensor provided in the vehicle;

transmitting the location information, which indicates the location of the vehicle sensed using the vehicle side position sensor, to the portable device through the first intercommunication; and

obtaining the location information of the vehicle, which is transmitted from the vehicle side communication unit.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the notifying is achieved by a displaying the location of the vehicle on a map, which is displayed by a display on the portable device, based on the location information of the vehicle.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the portable device and the vehicle side communication unit perform the first intercommunication when one of the portable device and the vehicle side communication unit receives a command from the user to start the first intercommunication.

18. A method of notifying vehicle location information utilizing a system having a vehicle side communication unit installed in a vehicle and a portable device carriable by a user, the method comprising:

performing a first intercommunication between the vehicle side communication unit and the portable device;

obtaining, in the portable device, location information of the vehicle having the vehicle side communication unit, through the first intercommunication;

notifying the location information of the vehicle;

sensing a location of the vehicle as the location information of the vehicle using a vehicle side position sensor provided in the vehicle;

transmitting the location information, which indicates the location of the vehicle sensed with the vehicle side position sensor, from the vehicle side communication unit to the portable device through the first intercommunication; and

sensing a location of the portable device as location information of the portable device using a portable device side position sensor;

transmitting the location information of the portable device, which is sensed with the portable device side position sensor, from the portable device to the vehicle side communication unit through the first intercommunication;

displaying the location information of the portable device, which is received through the vehicle side communication unit, on a vehicle side display provided in the vehicle.