Vehicular wireless transmission apparatus adjusting output power according to vehicle

• US 9,596,656 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2014
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Suzuki, Tadao, Yukizaki, Yasumune
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hai V
• Application Number:
  US14/272,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20140357311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 455/522, 455/77
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/102 Power radiated at antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/21 for calibration; for correcting measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/0416 having gain or transmission power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 TPC

Abstract

A vehicular wireless transmission apparatus includes a memory that stores (i) a default adjustment value relative to a default vehicle model, (ii) a default vehicle model data indicating the default vehicle model, and (iii) a correction value table for correcting the default adjustment value to be compliant with each of different vehicle models different from the default vehicle model. When a host vehicle model data read from a different ECU does not match with the default vehicle model data stored in the memory, it is determined that the vehicular wireless transmission apparatus is presently mounted in a host vehicle model indicated by the host vehicle model data read from the different ECU. The default adjustment value is then corrected by retrieving a correction value corresponding to the host vehicle model data from the correction value table.

Claims

1. A vehicular wireless transmission apparatus used by being installed in a host vehicle that belongs to a host vehicle model, the vehicular wireless transmission apparatus cooperating with a different apparatus that is provided in the host vehicle to be separated from the vehicular wireless transmission apparatus, the different apparatus containing a host vehicle model data indicating the host vehicle model of the host vehicle,

the vehicular wireless transmission apparatus comprising:

an antenna;

a wireless transmission portion which provides modulation and output power to a signal to transmit;

a coaxial cable that is included in a conductive line that connects the wireless transmission portion to the antenna;

an adjustment value storage portion that is rewritable, storing, before being installed in the host vehicle,

(i) default vehicle model data that indicates a default vehicle model, as determined vehicle model data, and

(ii) a default adjustment value that corresponds to the default vehicle model, as a determined adjustment value;

a table storage portion that stores, before being installed in the host vehicle,

an adjustment value determination table that permits determining the determined adjustment value corresponding to each of a plurality of different vehicle models other than the default vehicle model, the adjustment value determination table being used when correcting the default adjustment value to be compliant with each of the plurality of different vehicle models;

an output adjustment section which provides an adjustment of the output power of the wireless transmission portion after being installed in the host vehicle based on the determined adjustment value so as to adjust an effective transmission power emitted from the antenna to a predetermined value; and

an adjustment value determination section that

reads, after being installed in the host vehicle, the host vehicle model data indicating the host vehicle model from the different apparatus and, then,

performs a determination as to whether the host vehicle model data read from the different apparatus is identical to the determined vehicle model data stored in the adjustment value storage portion,

wherein

when the performed determination is affirmed, the adjustment value determination section maintains the determined adjustment value, which was stored in the adjustment value storage portion before the vehicular wireless transmission apparatus is installed in the host vehicle, to be unchanged;

when the performed determination is negated, the adjustment value determination section

determines a corrected adjustment value corresponding to the host vehicle model data read from the different apparatus based on the adjustment value determination table, which has stored in the table storage portion before the vehicular wireless transmission apparatus is installed in the host vehicle,

stores, as the determined adjustment value, the corrected adjustment value in the adjustment value storage portion, and

writes, as the determined vehicle model data, the host vehicle model data read from the different apparatus over in the adjustment value storage portion; and

the output adjustment section provides the adjustment of the output power of the wireless transmission portion, after being installed in the host vehicle, based on the determined adjustment value that is presently stored in the adjustment value storage portion and corresponding to the host vehicle model data read from the different apparatus.

2. The vehicular wireless transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an antenna module provided in a predetermined position of the host vehicle as a module contained in a single housing, the antenna module including the antenna, the wireless transmission portion, the adjustment value storage portion, and the output adjustment section; and

an electronic control unit referred to as an ECU contained in a different single housing that is separated from the single housing of the antenna module, the ECU including the adjustment value determination section and the table storage portion,

wherein;

the table storage portion of the ECU is rewritable and stores an ECU-default vehicle model data indicating an ECU-default vehicle model as an ECU-determined vehicle model data;

the adjustment value determination section performs a three-comparison determination as to whether or not all three data are identical to each other,

the three data being (i) the host vehicle model data read from the different apparatus, (ii) the determined vehicle model data stored in the adjustment value storage portion, and (iii) the ECU-determined vehicle model data stored in the table storage portion;

when the performed three-comparison determination is affirmed, the adjustment value determination section maintains the determined adjustment value stored in the adjustment value storage portion to be unchanged; and

when the performed three-comparison determination is negated, the adjustment value determination section

determines a corrected adjustment value corresponding to the host vehicle model of the host vehicle where the vehicular wireless transmission apparatus is presently mounted based on the host vehicle model data read from the different apparatus and the adjustment value determination table stored in the table storage portion,

stores the corrected adjustment value as the determined adjustment value in the adjustment value storage portion, and further

writes the host vehicle model data read from the different apparatus, as each of the determined vehicle model data and the ECU-determined vehicle model data, over in the adjustment value storage portion.

3. The vehicular wireless transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an antenna module provided in a predetermined position in an outside face of the host vehicle as a module contained in a single housing, the antenna module including (i) the antenna and (ii) an amplifier that amplifies signal from the wireless transmission portion and transmits the amplified signal to the antenna,

wherein;

the wireless transmission portion is provided in a predetermined position inside of the host vehicle; and

the coaxial cable connects the wireless transmission portion inside of the host vehicle to the amplifier in the outside face of the host vehicle.

4. The vehicular wireless transmission apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a temperature sensor to detect temperatures of the wireless transmission portion and the antenna module; and

a temperature table storage portion that stores a temperature correction table containing a temperature correction value to correct the determined adjustment value to a value depending on a temperature,

wherein the adjustment value determination section corrects the determined adjustment value, which was determined based on the adjustment value determination table stored in the table storage portion, by using the temperature correction table stored in the temperature table storage portion and the temperatures detected by the temperature sensor.

5. The vehicular wireless transmission apparatus according claim 1, further comprising:

an antenna module provided in a predetermined position in an outside face of the host vehicle as a module contained in a single housing, the antenna module including at least the antenna and the wireless transmission portion; and

an electronic control unit provided in a predetermined position inside of the host vehicle, to be contained in a different single housing that is separated from the single body of the antenna module, the electronic control unit including at least the adjustment value determination section,

wherein the antenna module in the outside face of the host vehicle is connected to the electronic control unit inside of the host vehicle via a cable to communicate with each other.

6. The vehicular wireless transmission apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a temperature sensor to detect a temperature of the wireless transmission portion in the antenna module; and

a temperature table storage portion that stores a temperature correction table containing a temperature correction value to correct the determined adjustment value to a value depending on a temperature,

wherein the adjustment value determination section corrects the determined adjustment value, which was determined based on the adjustment value determination table stored in the table storage portion, by using the temperature correction table stored in the temperature table storage portion and the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

7. The vehicular wireless transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the adjustment value determination section reads, after being installed in the host vehicle and then powered-up, the host vehicle model data indicating the host vehicle model from the different apparatus and performs the determination as to whether the host vehicle model data read from the different apparatus is identical to the determined vehicle model data stored in the adjustment value storage portion.

8. The vehicular wireless transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

after being installed in the host vehicle and having performed the determination as to whether the host vehicle model data read from the different apparatus is identical to the determined vehicle model data stored in the adjustment value storage portion, the adjustment value determination section again reads, when being newly powered-up while being installed in the host vehicle, the host vehicle model data from the different apparatus and performs an additional determination as to whether the host vehicle model data read from the different apparatus is identical to the determined vehicle model data stored in the adjustment value storage portion,

wherein

when the performed additional determination is affirmed, the adjustment value determination section maintains the determined adjustment value presently stored in the adjustment value storage portion, to be unchanged;

when the performed additional determination is negated, the adjustment value determination section

determines a corrected adjustment value corresponding to the host vehicle model data read from the different apparatus based on the adjustment value determination table, which has been stored in the table storage portion before the vehicular wireless transmission apparatus is installed in the host vehicle,

stores, as the determined adjustment value, the corrected adjustment value in the adjustment value storage portion, and

writes, as the determined vehicle model data, the host vehicle model data read from the different apparatus over in the adjustment value storage portion; and

the output adjustment section provides the adjustment of the output power of the wireless transmission portion based on the determined adjustment value that is presently stored in the adjustment value storage portion and corresponding to the host vehicle model data read from the different apparatus.

9. The vehicular wireless transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an antenna module provided in a predetermined position of the host vehicle as a module contained in a single first housing, the antenna module including the antenna, the wireless transmission portion, the adjustment value storage portion, and the output adjustment section;

an electronic control unit referred to as an ECU contained in a different single second housing that is separated from the single first housing of the antenna module, the ECU including the adjustment value determination section and the table storage portion; and

a communication link via which the antenna module in the first housing communicates data with the ECU in the second housing,

wherein;

the table storage portion of the ECU in the second housing is rewritable and stores an ECU-default vehicle model data indicating an ECU-default vehicle model as an ECU-determined vehicle model data;

the adjustment value determination section in the second housing performs a three-comparison determination as to whether or not all three data are identical to each other,

the three data being (i) the host vehicle model data read from the different apparatus, (ii) the determined vehicle model data stored in the adjustment value storage portion in the first housing, and (iii) the ECU-determined vehicle model data stored in the table storage portion in the second housing;

when the performed three-comparison determination is affirmed, the adjustment value determination section maintains the determined adjustment value stored in the adjustment value storage portion to be unchanged; and

when the performed three-comparison determination is negated, the adjustment value determination section

determines a corrected adjustment value corresponding to the host vehicle model of the host vehicle where the vehicular wireless transmission apparatus is presently mounted based on the host vehicle model data read from the different apparatus and the adjustment value determination table stored in the table storage portion,

stores the corrected adjustment value as the determined adjustment value in the adjustment value storage portion in the first housing, and further

writes the host vehicle model data read from the different apparatus, as each of the determined vehicle model data and the ECU-determined vehicle model data, over in the adjustment value storage portion in the first housing.

10. A method executed by a computer in a vehicular wireless transmission apparatus used by being installed in a host vehicle that is either (i) a default vehicle or (ii) one of a plurality of different vehicles other than the default vehicle, the vehicular wireless transmission apparatus including (i) an antenna;

(ii) a wireless transmission portion providing modulation and output power to signals to transmit;

a coaxial cable connecting the wireless transmission portion to the antenna;

an adjustment value storage portion that is rewritable; and

a correction value table storage portion,

the method comprising;

storing in the adjustment value storage portion, before being installed in the host vehicle, (i) as a determined vehicle model data, a default vehicle model data that indicates a default vehicle model of the default vehicle, and (ii) as a determined adjustment value, a default adjustment value that corresponds to the default vehicle model;

storing in the correction value table storage portion, before being installed in the host vehicle, a correction value table specifying correction values that permit determining the determined adjustment value corresponding to each of the plurality of different vehicles, the correction value table being used when correcting the default adjustment value to be compliant with each of the plurality of different vehicles;

communicating, after being installed in the host vehicle, with a different apparatus in the host vehicle;

reading, while communicating with the different apparatus, a host vehicle model data indicating a host vehicle model of the host vehicle from the different apparatus;

performing, following the reading of the host vehicle model data, a determination as to whether or not the host vehicle model data read from the different apparatus is identical to the determined vehicle model data stored in the adjustment value storage portion,

wherein

when the performed determination is affirmed, the determined vehicle model data and the determined adjustment value presently stored in the adjustment value storage portion are maintained unchanged,

when the performed determination is negated,

a corrected adjustment value corresponding to the host vehicle model data read from the different apparatus is determined based on the correction value table stored in the correction value table storage portion,

the corrected adjustment value is stored, as the determined adjustment value, in the adjustment value storage portion, and further

the host vehicle model data read from the different apparatus is written, as the determined vehicle model data, over in the adjustment value storage portion; and

, then,

providing an adjustment of an output power of the wireless transmission portion based on the determined adjustment value that is presently stored in the adjustment value storage portion and is corresponding to the host vehicle model data read from the different apparatus.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein

communicating with the different vehicle after being installed in the host vehicle is made when being powered-up after being installed in the host vehicle.