Vehicle remote function system and method for determining vehicle FOB locations using adaptive filtering

• US 9,679,430 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2014
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Ye, Jian, O'Brien, Thomas, Bauman, Jason G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Brian
• Application Number:
  US14/178,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20140253288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/64 using a proximity sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A vehicle remote function system is provided for determining locations of a fob relative to a vehicle. The system may include a controller configured for communication with antennas mounted at different locations in the vehicle, the controller for use in determining locations of the fob based on ultra-wide band wireless signals transmitted between the antennas and the fob. The controller is configured to use a first filtering of the wireless signals to determine an initial location of the fob, and a second filtering of the wireless signals to determine a subsequent location of the fob. A method is also provided which may include transmitting ultra-wide band wireless signals between the fob and antennas mounted in the vehicle, using a first filtering of the wireless signals to determine an initial location of the fob, and using a second filtering of the wireless signals to determine a subsequent location of the fob.

Claims

1. A vehicle remote function system for determining locations of a fob relative to a vehicle, the system comprising:

a controller adapted to be mounted in the vehicle and configured for communication with a plurality of antennas mounted at different locations in the vehicle, the controller for use in determining locations of the fob based on ultra-wide band wireless signals transmitted between the antennas and the fob;

wherein the controller is configured to use a first filtering of the wireless signals to determine an initial location of the fob and control a vehicle function based on the initial fob location determined, and to use a second filtering of the wireless signals to determine a subsequent location of the fob and control a vehicle function based on the subsequent fob location determined, the second filtering of the wireless signals different than the first filtering of the wireless signals.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to select the second filtering based on the initial fob location determined.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to determine a speed of the fob, and to select the second filtering based on the fob speed determined.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to determine an acceleration of the fob, and to select the second filtering based on the fob acceleration determined.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to select the second filtering based on fob acceleration information in the wireless signals.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to determine a predicted movement vector for the fob, and to select the second filtering based on the predicted movement vector determined.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the first filtering comprises a Kalman filter having a first calibration, and the second filtering comprises a Kalman filtering having a second calibration.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the first filtering comprises a Kalman filter, and the second filtering comprises a time averaging filter.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the first filtering comprises a Kalman filter, and the second filtering comprises both a time averaging filter and a Kalman filter.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the first filtering comprises a first number and/or type of filter(s), and the second filtering comprises a second number and/or type of filter(s).

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of antennas adapted to be mounted at different locations in the vehicle, each antenna for use in transmitting and/or receiving ultra-wide band wireless signals to and/or from the fob.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising the fob for use in transmitting and/or receiving ultra-wide band wireless signals to and/or from the plurality of antennas.

13. A method for use in a vehicle remote function system, the method for determining a location of a fob relative to a vehicle, the method comprising:

transmitting ultra-wide band wireless signals between the fob and a plurality of antennas mounted in the vehicle;

using a first filtering of the wireless signals to determine an initial location of the fob and control a vehicle function based on the initial fob location determined; and

using a second filtering of the wireless signals to determine a subsequent location of the fob and control a vehicle function based on the subsequent fob location determined, the second filtering of the wireless signals different than the first filtering of the wireless signals.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein using a second filtering comprises selecting the second filtering based on the initial fob location determined.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising determining a speed of the fob, and wherein using a second filtering comprises selecting the second filtering based on the fob speed determined.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein using a second filtering comprises selecting the second filtering based on an acceleration of the fob.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising determining a predicted movement vector for the fob, and wherein using a second filtering comprises selecting the second filtering based on the predicted movement vector determined.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the first filtering comprises a Kalman filter having a first calibration, and the second filtering comprises a Kalman filtering having a second calibration.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the first filtering comprises a Kalman filter, and the second filtering comprises a time averaging filter.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the first filtering comprises a first number and/or type of filter(s), and the second filtering comprises a second number and/or type of filter(s).

21. A vehicle remote function system for determining locations of a fob relative to a vehicle, the system comprising:

a controller adapted to be mounted in the vehicle and configured for communication with a plurality of antennas mounted at different locations in the vehicle, the controller for use in determining locations of the fob based on wireless signals transmitted between the antennas and the fob;

wherein the controller is configured to use a first filtering of the wireless signals to determine an initial location of the fob and control a vehicle function based on the initial fob location determined, and to use a second filtering of the wireless signals to determine a subsequent location of the fob and control a vehicle function based on the subsequent fob location determined, the second filtering of the wireless signals different than the first filtering of the wireless signals.