Portable device and vehicle control system

• US 9,473,879 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2015
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Automotive Electronics Company Limited (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Omron Automotive Electronics Company Limited (Nidec Corporation)
• Inventors: Tomita, Yosuke, Inaguma, Takahiro, Nishidai, Tetsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): HEIBER, SHANTELL LAKETA
• Application Number:
  US14/667,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20150281423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A control system includes a portable device transmitting to a proximity control signal controlling locking/unlocking of an opening/closing body of the vehicle from near the vehicle, and a remote control signal controlling an engine remotely, intensity of the remote control signal higher than the proximity control signal, and a control device receiving a signal transmitted by the portable device. The portable device transmits by a same transmission antenna the whole of the proximity control signal at a single center frequency, and all of divided signals obtained by dividing the whole of the remote control signal into plural pieces at plural center frequencies. The control device receives by a same reception antenna the whole of the proximity control signal at the single center frequency, and all of the divided signals at center frequencies corresponding to frequencies used upon transmission of the divided signals by the portable device.

Claims

1. A control system comprising:

a portable device configured to transmit to a vehicle;

a proximity control signal for controlling locking/unlocking of an opening/closing body of the vehicle from near the vehicle, and

a remote control signal for controlling an engine of the vehicle from a far distance, intensity of the remote control signal being higher than that of the proximity control signal,

wherein the far distance is in a range of several hundreds of meters to one kilometer; and

a control device provided to the vehicle and configured to receive a signal that is transmitted by the portable device,

wherein the portable device transmits by a same transmission antenna;

a whole of the proximity control signal at a single center frequency, and

all of divided signals obtained by dividing a whole of the remote control signal into a plurality of pieces at a plurality of center frequencies,

wherein the control device receives by a same reception antenna;

the whole of the proximity control signal at the single center frequency, and

all of the divided signals at center frequencies corresponding to frequencies used at times of transmission of the divided signals by the portable device, and

wherein the control device;

waits for reception at the single center frequency,

determines, based on content of a received signal, whether the received signal is the proximity control signal or a first divided signal of the remote control signal, and

in a case where the received signal is the first divided signal of the remote control signal, performs reception by switching to a center frequency corresponding to a frequency used at a time of transmission of the divided signal by the portable device.

2. The control system according to claim 1,

wherein the portable device performs transmission with the single center frequency for transmitting the proximity control signal and a center frequency for transmitting a first divided signal of the remote control signal being a same frequency.

3. A control system comprising:

a portable device configured to transmit to a vehicle;

a proximity control signal for controlling locking/unlocking of an opening/closing body of the vehicle from near the vehicle, and

a remote control signal for controlling an engine of the vehicle from a far distance, intensity of the remote control signal being higher than that of the proximity control signal,

wherein the far distance is in a range of several hundreds of meters to one kilometer; and

a control device provided to the vehicle and configured to receive a signal that is transmitted by the portable device,

wherein the portable device transmits by a same transmission antenna;

a whole of the proximity control signal at a single center frequency, and

all of divided signals obtained by dividing a whole of the remote control signal into a plurality of pieces at a plurality of center frequencies,

wherein the control device receives by a same reception antenna;

the whole of the proximity control signal at the single center frequency, and

all of the divided signals at center frequencies corresponding to frequencies used at times of transmission of the divided signals by the portable device,

wherein the portable device transmits the proximity control signal at the single center frequency, and all of the divided signals of the remote control signal at the plurality of center frequencies including a center frequency that is same as the single center frequency and a different center frequency, and

wherein the control device;

waits for reception at frequencies used only for the single center frequency and the plurality of center frequencies,

in a case where a frequency of a received signal is a same frequency as a frequency used only for the plurality of center frequencies, performs reception by switching to a center frequency corresponding to a frequency used at a time of transmission of the divided signal by the portable device without determining, based on content of the received signal, whether the received signal is the proximity control signal or a first divided signal of the remote control signal, and

in a case where the frequency of the received signal is a same frequency as the single center frequency, determines, based on content of the received signal, whether the received signal is the proximity control signal or the first divided signal of the remote control signal, and if the received signal is the first divided signal of the remote control signal, performs reception by switching to the center frequency corresponding to the frequency used at the time of transmission of the divided signal by the portable device.

4. A control system comprising:

a portable device configured to transmit to a vehicle;

a proximity control signal for controlling locking/unlocking of an opening/closing body of the vehicle from near the vehicle, and

a remote control signal for controlling an engine of the vehicle from a far distance, intensity of the remote control signal being higher than that of the proximity control signal,

wherein the far distance is in a range of several hundreds of meters to one kilometer; and

a control device provided to the vehicle and configured to receive a signal that is transmitted by the portable device,

wherein the portable device transmits by a same transmission antenna;

a whole of the proximity control signal at a single center frequency, and

all of the divided signals obtained by dividing a whole of the remote control signal into a plurality of pieces at a plurality of center frequencies, and

wherein the control device receives by a same reception antenna;

the whole of the proximity control signal at the single center frequency, and

all of the divided signals at center frequencies corresponding to frequencies used at times of transmission of the divided signals by the portable device,

wherein the portable device performs transmission with the single center frequency for transmitting the proximity control signal and center frequencies for transmitting all of a plurality of the divided signals of the remote control signal being different frequencies, and

wherein the control device;

waits for reception at the single center frequency and a center frequency used for transmission of a divided signal of the remote control signal by the portable device, and

in a case where a frequency of a received signal is same as a center frequency for transmitting a divided signal of the remote control signal, performs reception by switching to a center frequency corresponding to a frequency used at a time of transmission of the divided signal by the portable device without determining, based on content of the received signal, whether the received signal is the proximity control signal or a first divided signal of the remote control signal.

5. A portable device,

wherein the portable device is configured to transmit, to a vehicle:

a proximity control signal for controlling locking and unlocking of an opening and closing body of the vehicle from near the vehicle, and

a remote control signal for controlling an engine of the vehicle from a far distance, intensity of the remote control signal being higher than that of the proximity control signal,

wherein the far distance is in a range of several hundreds of meters to one kilometer,

wherein the portable device is configured to transmit by a same transmission antenna;

a whole of the proximity control signal at a single center frequency, and

all of divided signals obtained by dividing a whole of the remote control signal into a plurality of pieces at a plurality of center frequencies, and

wherein the control device;

waits for reception at the single center frequency,

determines, based on content of a received signal, whether the received signal is the proximity control signal or a first divided signal of the remote control signal, and

in a case where the received signal is the first divided signal of the remote control signal, performs reception by switching to a center frequency corresponding to a frequency used at a time of transmission of the divided signal by the portable device.

6. A control system comprising:

a portable device configured to transmit to a vehicle;

a proximity control signal for controlling the vehicle from near the vehicle, and

a remote control signal for controlling the vehicle from a far distance, intensity of the remote control signal being higher than that of the proximity control signal,

wherein the far distance is in a range of several hundreds of meters to one kilometer; and

a control device provided to the vehicle and configured to receive a signal that is transmitted by the portable device,

wherein the portable device transmits by a same transmission antenna;

a whole of the proximity control signal at a single center frequency, and

all of divided signals obtained by dividing a whole of the remote control signal into a plurality of pieces at a plurality of center frequencies,

wherein the control device receives by a same reception antenna;

the whole of the proximity control signal at the single center frequency, and

all of the divided signals at center frequencies corresponding to frequencies used at times of transmission of the divided signals by the portable device, and

wherein the control device;

waits for reception at the single center frequency,

determines, based on content of a received signal, whether the received signal is the proximity control signal or a first divided signal of the remote control signal, and

in a case where the received signal is the first divided signal of the remote control signal, performs reception by switching to a center frequency corresponding to a frequency used at a time of transmission of the divided signal by the portable device.