Selective current reduction enabled with electrically deactivated key fob

• US 9,379,567 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2012
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kracker, Thomas G., Lickfelt, Brian K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, Sun
• Application Number:
  US14/346,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20140232322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: 320/103
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/00 Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for; Arrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for devices for protecting vehicle occupants in case of accidents B60R21/00; safety belts B60R22/00; central door locking E05B49/00, E05B77/50
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/406 Power supply in the remote key
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00587 by battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034

Abstract

Smart key fob with an integrated rechargeable battery and a replaceable battery. Transfer of charge from the replaceable battery to the rechargeable battery is configured to occur only during a period of time when the key fob remains motionless to reduce RF interference with polling operation of the key fob'"'"'s transceiver to determine presence of the mother-vehicle nearby. Optionally, the poling operation of the transceiver is reduced or ceased during periods of motionlessness of the key fob.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a first electrical battery integrated therewith;

a second electrical battery in electrical communication with the first electrical battery;

a motion sensor configured to detect a movement of the electronic device; and

a processor operably connected to the first electrical battery, the second electrical battery, and the motion sensor, and configured to effectuate charging of the first electrical battery using electrical energy from the second electrical battery only when the electronic device is stationary, based on results of detection performed by the motion sensor.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to enable charging the first electrical battery using the electrical energy from the second electrical battery only when the electronic device has been stationary for a period of time equal to or exceeding a predetermined threshold duration.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the motion sensor is configured to generate output data informative of a change in at least one of position and orientation of the electronic device.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, further comprising:

a transceiver in communication with the motion sensor;

wherein the processor is programmed to change an operational status of the transceiver in response to the output data received from the motion sensor.

5. The electronic device of claim 3, further comprising:

a transceiver in operable communication with the motion sensor; and

electrical circuitry adapted to coordinate an operation of the transceiver;

wherein the processor is programmed to govern the electrical circuitry to substantially prevent the transceiver from operating in response to the output data, received from the motion sensor, that are indicative of lack of motion of a vehicular key fob.

6. A method for charging a first battery of a vehicular key fob having a processor and a transceiver associated therewith, the method comprising:

receiving, with the processor, data representing status of motion of the vehicular key fob;

operating electrical circuitry of the vehicular key fob to effectuate one or more of transferring of electrical charge from a second battery to the first battery when said data indicates that the vehicular key fob has been stationary for a period of time longer than or equal to a threshold duration; and

preventing a transfer of electrical charge from the second battery to the first battery when said data indicates that the vehicular key fob is moving.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising operating the electrical circuitry, in response to the data received by the processor, to reduce or eliminate supply of electrical energy from either of the first battery and the second battery to the transceiver when the data received by the processor indicates that the vehicular key fob has been stationary for a period of time longer than or equal to the threshold duration.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein said receiving includes receiving data from a motion detection unit associated with the vehicular key fob and configured to generate such data in response to change in one or more of position and orientation of the vehicular key fob.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein said transfer includes transferring electrical charge from a replaceable battery to a battery that is integrated with the vehicular key fob.

10. A vehicular system, comprising:

a vehicle having a communication unit adapted to transmit a radio signal identifying said vehicle; and

an electronic device autonomously powered by a first battery and equipped with electronic circuitry that is adapted to poll said radio signal to determine proximity of said electronic device to said vehicle and,

when a period of unchanged operational status of the electronic device exceeds a predetermined duration, effectuate at least one of (i) transferring electrical charge to said first battery, and (ii) ceasing polling said radio signal.

11. The vehicular system according to claim 10, wherein the electronic device includes a motion sensor configured to detect a movement of the electronic device;

and

a processor connected to the first battery, a second battery, and the motion sensor, and configured to effectuate said transferring electrical charge only when the electronic device is stationary.

12. The vehicular system according to claim 11, wherein said processor is further configured to cause ceasing said transferring electrical charge when results of detection indicate that the electronic device is moving and at least one of an amplitude and a duration of a movement of said moving exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

13. The vehicular system according to claim 11, wherein said processor is further configured to receive data from the communication unit, the data representing mutual positioning of the electronic device and the vehicle, and

when the data indicates that the electronic device is inside the vehicle, disengage locking a door of the vehicle.

14. The vehicular system according to claim 13, wherein said processor is further configured to override said disengaging in response to a user input applied to the electronic device.

15. The vehicular system according to claim 10, further comprising a second battery, and wherein said transferring electrical charge is effectuated from the second battery to the first battery.