SMART ENTRY DRIVER ID CHANGING

• US 20170369011A1
• Filed: 06/24/2016
• Published: 12/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: LICKFELT, Brian K., YOSHIMURA, Kentaro, MUH, Chyuan Y.
• Granted Patent: US 9,862,339 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user

Abstract

A system and method for applying driver preference settings for a vehicle. A electronic control unit (ECU) of the vehicle determines whether a touch sensor disposed on a driver door handle of the vehicle is triggered. Upon determining that the touch sensor is triggered, the ECU transmits an exterior search signal from at least one antenna associated with the driver door. The ECU further determines whether a valid response signal was received from a fob in response to the transmitted exterior search signal, the valid response signal include an identification code unique to the fob (e.g., the driver). The ECU can assign a driver preference settings based on the identification code received in the valid response signal.

Claims

1. A method for applying preference settings for a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining whether a sensor disposed on a driver door of the vehicle is triggered;

upon determining that the sensor is triggered, transmitting an exterior search signal from at least one antenna associated with the driver door;

determining whether a valid response signal was received from a fob in response to the transmitted exterior search signal, wherein the valid response signal includes an identification (ID) code unique to the fob; and

assigning a driver preference setting based on the ID code.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon determining that the valid response signal was received from the fob, setting a timer; and

assigning the driver preference setting based on the ID code after waiting a duration of the timer.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon determining that the sensor is not triggered, determining whether the driver door is open or closed.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

upon determining that the driver door is open, determining whether a duration of a timer has elapsed.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

upon determining that the driver door is closed, no change to the driver preference setting is applied.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

upon determining that the duration of the timer has elapsed, determining whether the vehicle is in a waking up state; and

upon determining that the duration of the timer has not elapsed, no change to the driver preference setting is applied.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

upon determining that the vehicle is in the waking up state, transmitting the exterior search signal from the at least one antenna associated with the driver door; and

upon determining that the vehicle is not in the waking up state, no change to the driver preference setting is applied.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a touch sensor.

9. A vehicle system for applying preference settings for a vehicle, the vehicle system comprising:

a sensor disposed on a driver door for determining whether a driver of the vehicle touched the door for entry into the vehicle;

at least one antenna associated with the driver door;

at least two fobs configured to wirelessly communicate with the at least one antenna;

a memory for storing instructions;

a control unit communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one antenna, the control unit being configured to execute the instructions to;

determine whether the sensor is triggered;

upon determining that the sensor is triggered, transmit an exterior search signal from the at least one antenna associated with the driver door;

determine whether a valid response signal was received from one of the at least two fobs in response to the transmitted exterior search signal, wherein the valid response signal includes an identification (ID) code unique to the fob; and

assign a driver preference setting based on the ID code.

10. The vehicle system of claim 9, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

upon determining that the valid response signal was received from the fob, set a timer; and

assign the driver preference setting based on the ID code after waiting a duration of the timer.

11. The vehicle system of claim 9, further comprising:

a driver door switch communicatively coupled to the control unit, wherein the control unit is further configured to;

upon determining that the sensor is not triggered, determine whether the driver door is open or closed based on a signal from the driver door switch.

12. The vehicle system of claim 11, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

upon determining that the driver door is open, determine whether a duration of a timer has elapsed.

13. The vehicle system of claim 11, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

upon determining that the driver door is closed, apply no changes to the driver preference setting.

14. The vehicle system of claim 12, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

upon determining that the duration of the timer has elapsed, determine whether the vehicle is in a waking up state; and

upon determining that the duration of the timer has not elapsed, apply no changes to the driver preference setting.

15. The vehicle system of claim 14, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

upon determining that the vehicle is in the waking up state, transmit the exterior search signal from the at least one antenna associated with the driver door.

upon determining that the vehicle is not in the waking up state, apply no change to the driver preference setting.

16. The vehicle system of claim 10, wherein the sensor is a touch sensor.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising:

code for determining whether a sensor disposed on a driver door of the vehicle is triggered;

code for, upon determining that the sensor is triggered, transmitting an exterior search signal from at least one antenna associated with the driver door;

code for determining whether a valid response signal was received from a fob in response to the transmitted exterior search signal, wherein the valid response signal includes an identification (ID) code unique to the fob; and

code for assigning a driver preference setting based on the ID code.