In-vehicle system

• US 9,478,848 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2013
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Automotive Electronics Company Limited (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Omron Automotive Electronics Company Limited (Nidec Corporation)
• Inventors: Nagata, Tatsuki
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUIN, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US14/061,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20140111391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 340/8.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3241 particular used in keyless entry systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/325 characterised by the location of the antenna on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3291 mounted in or on other locations inside the vehicle or vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00

Abstract

An in-vehicle system has a first transmitting antenna that is disposed in a substantial center in a front portion inside a vehicle, a second transmitting antenna that is disposed in the substantial center in a rear portion inside the vehicle, a third transmitting antenna that is disposed in a side surface near a driver seat or a passenger seat of the vehicle, a transmission controller that controls transmission of a first signal or a second signal from the first to third transmitting antennas, the second signal disturbing reception of the first signal, and a receiving antenna that receives a response signal, the response signal being transmitted from a portable device receiving the first signal transmitted from the first to third transmitting antennas.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle system comprising:

a first transmitting antenna that is disposed in a substantial center in a front portion inside a vehicle;

a second transmitting antenna that is disposed in the substantial center in a rear portion inside the vehicle;

a third transmitting antenna that is disposed in a side surface near a driver seat or a passenger seat of the vehicle;

a transmission controller that controls transmission of signals from the first to third transmitting antennas, and controls existence or non-existence of the transmission of a first signal and a second signal from the first to third transmitting antennas, the second signal disturbing reception of the first signal, and a transmission pattern that is a pattern of transmission intensity;

a receiving antenna that receives a response signal, the response signal being transmitted from a portable device receiving the first signal transmitted from the first to third transmitting antennas; and

a position detector that detects a position of the portable device based on a reception result of the response signal from the portable device in each transmission pattern when at least two transmission patterns are combined.

2. The in-vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein the first transmitting antenna is disposed such that directivity of the first transmitting antenna is oriented in a crosswise direction of the vehicle.

3. The in-vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein the second transmitting antenna is disposed such that the directivity of the second transmitting antenna is oriented in a front-back direction of the vehicle.

4. The in-vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein the second transmitting antenna is disposed such that the directivity of the second transmitting antenna is oriented in the crosswise direction of the vehicle.

5. The in-vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein the third transmitting antenna is disposed such that the directivity of the third transmitting antenna is oriented in the front-back direction of the vehicle.

6. The in-vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein the third transmitting antenna is disposed such that the directivity of the third transmitting antenna is oriented in an up-and-down direction of the vehicle.

7. The in-vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein the third transmitting antenna is disposed in the side surface on a side of the driver seat of the vehicle.

8. The in-vehicle system according to claim 7, wherein the third transmitting antenna is disposed in a side mirror or a door handle on the side of the driver seat.

9. The in-vehicle system according to claim 1, further comprising a vehicle controller that controls the vehicle based on the detected position of the portable device.

10. The in-vehicle system according to claim 9, wherein the vehicle controller controls locking or unlocking of a door of the driver seat, a door of the passenger seat, or the opening and closing body in the rear portion of the vehicle based on whether the portable device exists near the door of the driver seat, the door of the passenger seat, or the opening and closing body outside the vehicle.

11. The in-vehicle system according to claim 9, wherein the vehicle controller controls starting of the vehicle based on whether the portable device exists in the vehicle.

12. The in-vehicle system according to claim 1,

wherein the position detector detects the portable device which exists:

in a neighborhood of a driver seat door in an outside of the vehicle;

in a neighborhood of a passenger seat door in the outside of the vehicle;

in a neighborhood of an opening and closing body in a rear portion of the vehicle and in the outside of the vehicle;

in the vehicle; and

in a surrounding area of the vehicle except the neighborhood of the driver seat door, the neighborhood of the passenger seat door, and the neighborhood of the opening and closing body.

13. An in-vehicle system comprising:

a first transmitting antenna that is disposed in a substantial center in a front portion inside a vehicle;

a second transmitting antenna that is disposed in the substantial center in a rear portion inside the vehicle;

a third transmitting antenna that is disposed in a side surface near a driver seat or a passenger seat of the vehicle;

a transmission controller that controls transmission of a first signal or a second signal from the first to third transmitting antennas, the second signal disturbing reception of the first signal;

a receiving antenna that receives a response signal, the response signal being transmitted from a portable device receiving the first signal transmitted from the first to third transmitting antennas; and

a position detector that detects a position of the portable device based on a transmission content of the signal from the first to third transmitting antennas and a reception result of the response signal from the portable device,

wherein the third transmitting antenna is disposed in the side surface on a side of the driver seat of the vehicle,

wherein the transmission controller performs control such that the first signal or the second signal is transmitted from the first transmitting antenna to a first area including the driver seat and the passenger seat in the vehicle or a second area inside and outside the vehicle, the second area including a neighborhood of a door of the driver seat and a neighborhood of a door of the passenger seat,

wherein the transmission controller performs control such that the first signal or the second signal is transmitted from the second transmitting antenna to a third area including a rear seat and a luggage room in the vehicle or a fourth area inside and outside the vehicle,

wherein the fourth area including a neighborhood of an opening and closing body in the rear portion of the vehicle, and

wherein the transmission controller performs control such that the first signal or the second signal is transmitted from the third transmitting antenna to a fifth area near the driver seat door inside and outside the vehicle.

14. The in-vehicle system according to claim 13, wherein the transmission controller further performs control such that the first signal or the second signal is transmitted from the third transmitting antenna to a sixth area including the whole vehicle and a surrounding area of the vehicle.

15. The in-vehicle system according to claim 13,

wherein the transmission controller further performs control such that the first signal or the second signal is transmitted from the third transmitting antenna to a seventh area inside and outside the vehicle, and

wherein the seventh area includes a neighborhood of the side surface on the side of the driver seat and not including the side surface on the side of the passenger seat.

16. An in-vehicle system comprising:

a first transmitting antenna that is disposed in a substantial center in a front portion inside a vehicle;

a second transmitting antenna that is disposed in the substantial center in a rear portion inside the vehicle;

a third transmitting antenna that is disposed in a side surface near a driver seat or a passenger seat of the vehicle;

a transmission controller that controls transmission of a signal from the first to third transmitting antennas, and controls existence or non-existence of transmission of a first signal and a second signal from the first to third transmitting antennas and a transmission pattern that is a pattern of transmission intensity, the second signal disturbing reception of the first signal;

a receiving antenna that receives a response signal, the response signal being transmitted from a portable device receiving the first signal transmitted from the first to third transmitting antennas; and

a vehicle controller that controls the vehicle based on a reception result of the response signal from the portable device in each transmission pattern when at least two transmission patterns are combined.