Multi-range vehicle access systems

• US 10,131,319 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2014
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huf North America Automotive Parts Mfg. Corp. (Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Huf North America Automotive Parts Mfg. Corp. (Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG)
• Inventors: Honkanen, Matthew R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Antonucci, Anne M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stroud, James E
• Application Number:
  US15/108,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20160325710A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/101 Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/01 operating on vehicle systems or fittings, e.g. on doors, seats or windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2081 combined with personal settings of other vehicle devices, e.g. mirrors, seats, steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/209 Remote starting of engine
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/245 where the antenna reception area plays a role
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00341 keyless data carrier having more than one limited data transmission ranges
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00349 and the lock having only one limited data transmission range
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00507 keyless data carrier having more than one function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00547 starting ignition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/122 using digital generation of carrier signals digital function generators G06F1/02, H04L17/10; generating pulses having stepped portions using digital techniques H03K4/026
• 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

The present disclosure addresses methods for increasing and varying the range of control of wireless systems used in vehicles. The present invention enables varying ranges which allow a user, for example, to activate lights when an authorized vehicle user is in a close range, and to start the vehicle from a distance before the authorized vehicle user leaves the house. The described systems use variable frequency shift keying, variations in power transmissions, and user defined ranges that can be modified through Bluetooth communications.

Claims

1. A wireless communications system for an automotive vehicle comprising:

a control unit in the automotive vehicle including a vehicle transceiver; and

a fob comprising a fob transceiver and a control unit, the fob configured to (i) transmit a first data packet, including a command signal, to the control unit in the automotive vehicle using a frequency shift keying protocol with a low tolerance for deviation, and (ii) transmit a second data packet, after the first data packet, using a frequency shift keying protocol having a high tolerance for deviation,

wherein the control unit in the automotive vehicle executes the command signal when the control unit in the automotive vehicle receives and decodes the second data packet, and

wherein the vehicle transceiver is configured to receive signals from the fob.

2. The wireless communications system of claim 1, wherein the frequency shift keying protocol comprises a mark frequency for transmitting a 1 and a space frequency for transmitting a 0.

3. The wireless communications system of claim 1, wherein the control unit in the automotive vehicle comprises a memory, and the memory stores a received command sequence.

4. The wireless communications system of claim 3, wherein the command sequence comprises at least one of a door open command sequence, a start vehicle command sequence, and an activate lights command sequence.

5. The wireless communications system of claim 1, wherein the control unit in the automotive vehicle delays until the second data packet is received before activating the command signal.

6. The wireless communications system of claim 1, wherein the frequency shift keying communications from the fob to the vehicle transceiver are made on two different channels, wherein a first channel of the two different channels is filtered within a fairly tight tolerance of a selected frequency, and a second channel of the two different channels operates within a higher bandwidth tolerance range.

7. The wireless communications system of claim 6, wherein the command signal is transmitted through the first channel, and the control unit in the automotive vehicle delays to execute the command signal until a signal is received on the second channel.

8. The wireless communications system of claim 6, wherein the control unit in the automotive vehicle is configured to vary a distance between the fob and the automotive vehicle for executing the command signal based on the frequency shift keying protocol.

9. The wireless communications system of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a signal to the vehicle transceiver to wake up the automotive vehicle.

10. The wireless communications system of claim 1, further comprising a second channel for bi-directional communications.

11. The wireless communications system of claim 1, wherein the control unit in the automotive vehicle comprises a memory configured to store the command signal of the first data packet.

12. A wireless communications system for an automotive vehicle comprising:

a control unit in the automotive vehicle including a vehicle transceiver; and

a fob comprising a fob transceiver and a control unit, the fob configured to (i) transmit a first data packet, including a command signal, to the control unit in the automotive vehicle using a high power signal, and (ii) transmit a second data packet, after the first data packet, using a low power signal,

wherein the control unit in the automotive vehicle executes the command signal when the control unit in the automotive vehicle receives and decodes the second data packet, and

wherein the vehicle transceiver is configured to receive signals from the fob.

13. The wireless communications system of claim 12, wherein the high power signal is a full power transmissions.

14. The wireless communications system of claim 12, wherein the control unit in the automotive vehicle delays after a full command is received until a low power signal is received.

15. The wireless communications system of claim 14, wherein the low power signal indicates that the fob is within a predetermined distance of the automotive vehicle, and the command signal can be activated.

16. The wireless communications system of claim 14, wherein signals having different power levels correspond to different commands.

17. The wireless communications system of claim 12, wherein the high power signal and the low power signal are transmitted on different channels.

18. The wireless communications system of claim 12, wherein the high power and low power signals are used in a bidirectional communications system, and wherein the fob initially transmits a high power signal to the vehicle transceiver to wake up the automotive vehicle, the control unit in the automotive vehicle transmits an acknowledgement signal to the fob using the low power signal.

19. The wireless communications system of claim 12, wherein the second data packet corresponds to a second command signal different than the command signal.

20. The wireless communications system of claim 12, wherein the control unit in the automotive vehicle is configured to vary a distance between the fob and the automotive vehicle for activating the command signal based on a power level of the high power signal and the low power signal.

21. A wireless communications system for an automotive vehicle comprising:

a control unit in the automotive vehicle including a vehicle transceiver and a memory;

a fob paired to the automotive vehicle and comprising a fob transceiver and a control unit, the fob configured to communicate with the automotive vehicle and a paired Bluetooth device,

wherein the Bluetooth device is programmed to provide a user interface to select a range for activating one or more vehicle control function and to transmit the selected range to the control unit in the automotive vehicle and to store the range in the memory; and

wherein the vehicle transceiver is configured to receive signals from the fob and is in communication with the memory storing data identifying the fob and identifying one or more Bluetooth device paired with the fob.

22. The wireless communications system of claim 21, wherein the Bluetooth device executes an application to establish ranges for activating different devices, which can be transmitted to the control unit in the automotive vehicle and stored in memory.

23. The wireless communications system of claim 22, wherein the ranges are established by adjusting a power of a bandwidth of communications.

24. The wireless communications system of claim 22, wherein the ranges are established by adjusting a tolerance of a bandwidth of communications.