System and method for remote keyless system characterization

• US 9,819,426 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2016
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hermann, Thomas Joseph, Winkel, Tye Arthur, Wisnewski, Mark, Banasky, Lawrence, Locke, John Frederick, Zeng, Hua
• Primary Examiner(s): AKINYEMI, AJIBOLA A
• Application Number:
  US15/096,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20170294973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 455 671
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00984 fob
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00174 Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/15 Performance testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/3912 Simulation models, e.g. distribution of spectral power density or received signal strength indicator [RSSI] for a given geographic region
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system and method for characterizing the radio frequency (RF) functionality of a vehicle remote keyless system (RKS) by separating and precisely characterizing the individual bits of the overall RKS system in an enclosed controlled environment. More specifically, this RKS characterization system includes an enclosed testing chamber for isolating the key fob from the vehicle, and a simulation control system that manipulates RF signals between the key fob and the vehicle for controlled RF signal analysis between the components. In certain embodiments, the RKS characterization system includes an automated process for actuating the key fob. Through this process, the RKS characterization system is able to separately identify the Key Fob Factor, the Vehicle Factor, and the Person Factor, of the vehicle RKS system.

Claims

1. A vehicle remote keyless characterization system comprising:

a testing chamber configured to rotate a vehicle to a plurality of positions;

a RF transceiver configured to capture and transmit a key fob RF signal at each position, and

a simulation control system configured to, at each position;

record an transmitted RF signal level and antenna polarization,

if the vehicle responds, decrease the RF level, and

if the vehicle does not respond, increase the RF level.

2. The vehicle remote keyless characterization system of claim 1, a first antenna in communication with the RF transceiver outside of the testing chamber captures the RF signal from a key fob, and a second antenna inside of the testing chamber transmits the captured RF signal to the vehicle.

3. The vehicle remote keyless characterization system of claim 1, wherein the testing chamber is an RF clean environment including RF absorbers.

4. The vehicle remote keyless characterization system of claim 1, wherein the testing chamber includes a turntable which rotates the vehicle each of the plurality of positions.

5. The vehicle remote keyless characterization system of claim 4, wherein the turntable rotates the vehicle 360 degrees in 1 degree increments.

6. The vehicle remote keyless characterization system of claim 1, further comprising the RF transceiver configured to capture an RF signal from a key fob, wherein the key fob is inside the testing chamber, and transmit the captured RF signal to the vehicle outside of the testing chamber, at each of the plurality of positions;

and a simulation control system configured to collect data regarding each key fob transmission.

7. A vehicle remote keyless characterization system comprising:

a testing chamber configured to rotate a key fob to a plurality of positions;

a RF transceiver configured to capture and transmit a key fob RF signal at each position; and

a simulation control system configured to, at each position;

record a transmitted RF signal level and antenna polarization,

if the vehicle responds, decrease the RF level, and

if the vehicle does not respond, increase the RF level.

8. The vehicle remote keyless characterization system of claim 7, further comprising a first antenna in communication with the RF transceiver outside of the testing chamber captures a feedback RF signal from the vehicle, and a second RF transceiver inside of the testing chamber to transmit the captured RF signal to the key fob.

9. The vehicle remote keyless characterization system of claim 7, wherein the testing chamber is an RF clean environment including RF absorbers.

10. The vehicle remote keyless characterization system of claim 7, wherein the testing chamber includes a turntable which rotates the vehicle each of the plurality of positions.

11. The vehicle remote keyless characterization system of claim 10, wherein the turntable rotates the vehicle 360 degrees in 1 degree increments.

12. The vehicle remote keyless characterization system of claim 7, further comprising the RF transceiver configured to capture the RF signal from the key fob outside of the testing chamber, and transmit the captured RF signal to the vehicle inside of the testing chamber at each of the plurality of positions;

and the simulation control system configured to collect data regarding each key fob transmission.