Vehicle Remote Function System and Method for Determining Vehicle FOB Locations Using Adaptive Filtering

• US 20140253288A1
• Filed: 02/12/2014
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: O'Brien, Thomas, Bauman, Jason G., Ye, Jian
• Granted Patent: US 9,679,430 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.61
• 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 to use a second filtering of the wireless signals to determine a subsequent location of the fob.

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 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 a 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

using a second filtering of the wireless signals to determine a subsequent location of the fob.

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).