KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEM

Abstract

An on-vehicle control unit includes a memory storing a first data group having signal strength information of a plurality of request signals transmitted from a plurality of transmitting antennas before and after movement of a movable object when a portable device is placed along an inner surface of a vehicle and a second data group having signal strength information of the plurality of request signals transmitted from the plurality of transmitting antennas before and after the movement of the movable object when the portable device is placed along an outer surface of the vehicle. The on-vehicle control unit determines which of the first and second data groups request signal strength information received from the portable device closely resembles.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a keyless entry system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of one embodiment of an on-vehicle device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a portable device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an arrangement of antennas attached to a vehicle.

FIG. 5 is a diagram conceptually showing distribution of each data group.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart during an unlocking operation.

FIG. 7 is a chart of signals transmitted from an on-vehicle device and a portable device.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a keyless entry system according to another embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a keyless entry system according to another embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of an on-vehicle device according to one embodiment.

Claims

1. A keyless entry system comprising: an on-vehicle device having an on-vehicle transmitting unit having a plurality of transmitting antennas, attached to a vehicle, that transmits a request signal, at least one of the plurality of transmitting antennas being attached to a movable object installed in the vehicle or at a place where movement of the movable object affects a transmitted radio wave,an on-vehicle receiving unit that receives an answer signal, andan on-vehicle control unit that performs a predetermined control operation after authenticating the answer signal transmitted from a portable device; andthe portable device havinga portable device receiving unit that receives the request signal,a portable device transmitting unit that transmits the answer signal, anda portable device control unit that detects the strength of each signal transmitted from the plurality of transmitting antennas in the on-vehicle device, whereinthe on-vehicle control unit or the portable device control unit has a memory that stores data,the memory storing a first data group or a first parameter, the first data group having signal strength information of each received signal transmitted from the plurality of transmitting antennas before and after the movement of the movable object when the portable device is placed along one side of a predetermined boundary set with respect to the vehicle, and the first parameter being necessary for comparing the first data group and signal strength information, anda second data group or a second parameter, the second data group having signal strength information of each received signal transmitted from the plurality of transmitting antennas before and after the movement of the movable object when the portable device is placed along the other side of the predetermined boundary set with respect to the vehicle, and the second parameter being necessary for comparing the second data group and signal strength information, and whereinthe on-vehicle control unit or the portable device control unit having the memory determines, using the first and second data groups or the first and second parameters, which of the first and second data groups the strength information obtained by receiving the signals transmitted from the plurality of the transmitting antennas by the portable device closely resembles.

2. A keyless entry system comprising: an on-vehicle device havingan on-vehicle transmitting unit having a plurality of transmitting antennas, attached to a vehicle, that transmit a request signal, at least one of the plurality of transmitting antennas being attached to a movable object installed in the vehicle or at a place where movement of the movable object affects a transmitted radio wave,an on-vehicle receiving unit that receive an answer signal, andan on-vehicle control unit that perform a predetermined control operation after authenticating the answer signal transmitted from the portable device; anda portable device havinga portable device receiving unit that receives the request signal,a portable device transmitting unit that transmits the answer signal, anda portable device control unit that detects the strength of each signal transmitted from the plurality of transmitting antennas in the on-vehicle device,wherein a detecting unit that detects the movement of the movable object is provided on the movable object and connected to the on-vehicle control unit so that the detecting unit can send movement state information of the movable object to the on-vehicle control unit, andwherein the on-vehicle control unit has a memory that stores data,the memory that stores a pre-movement first data group or a pre-movement first parameter, a post-movement first data group or a post-movement first parameter, a pre-movement second data group or a pre-movement second parameter, and a post-movement second data group or a post-movement second parameter, the pre-movement first data group having signal strength information obtained by receiving signals transmitted from the plurality of transmitting antennas by the portable device before the movement of the movable object when the portable device is placed along one side of a predetermined boundary set with respect to the vehicle, the pre-movement first parameter being necessary for comparing the pre-movement first data group and the signal strength information, the post-movement first data group having signal strength information obtained by receiving signals transmitted from the plurality of transmitting antennas by the portable device after the movement of the movable object when the portable device is placed along one side of the predetermined boundary set with respect to the vehicle, the post-movement first parameter being necessary for comparing the post-movement first data group and the signal strength information, the pre-movement second data group having signal strength information obtained by receiving signals transmitted from the plurality of transmitting antennas by the portable device before the movement of the movable object when the portable device is placed along the other side of the predetermined boundary set with respect to the vehicle, and the pre-movement second parameter being necessary for comparing the pre-movement second data group and the signal strength information, the post-movement second data group having signal strength information obtained by receiving signals transmitted from the plurality of transmitting antennas by the portable device after the movement of the movable object when the portable device is placed along the other side of the predetermined boundary set with respect to the vehicle, and the post-movement second parameter being necessary for comparing the post-movement second data group and the signal strength information, and wherein,when the movement state information sent from the detecting unit indicates a state before the movement of the movable object, the on-vehicle control unit determines, using the pre-movement first and second data groups or the pre-movement first and second parametersr which of the pre-movement first and second data groups the signal strength information obtained by receiving the signals transmitted from the plurality of the transmitting antennas by the portable device closely resembles, whereas, when the movement state information sent from the detecting unit indicates a state after the movement of the movable object, the on-vehicle control unit determines, using the post-movement first and second data groups or the post-movement first and second parameters, which of the post-movement first and second data groups the signal strength information obtained by receiving the signals transmitted from the plurality of the transmitting antennas by the portable device closely resembles.

3. The keyless entry system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined boundary set with respect to the vehicle is a boundary defining the inside and outside of the vehicle.

4. The keyless entry system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined boundary set with respect to the vehicle is a boundary outward from the vehicle and apart from a transmitting antenna attached near a door of the vehicle by a predetermined distance.

5. The keyless entry system according to claim 1, wherein the on-vehicle control unit or the portable device control unit calculates a Mahalanobis distance between the strength information of the signals and each of the data groups using each of the data groups or each of the parameters, and determines the signal strength information closely resembles the data group having smaller Mahalanobis distance.

6. A keyless entry system comprising: an on-vehicle device that is operable to transmit a request signal, the on-vehicle device comprising an on-vehicle controller;a portable device that is operable to transmit an answer signal, the portable device comprising a portable device controller; anda memory disposed in the on-vehicle device or the portable device,wherein the memory is operable to store a first and second data groups and/or first and second parameters, andwherein the first and second data groups or the first and second parameters are used by the on-vehicle controller or portable device controller to determine which of the first and second data groups the transmitted signals strength information closely resembles.

7. The keyless entry system according to claim 6, wherein the on-vehicle device includes: a transmitting unit that transmits the request signal, the transmitting unit having a plurality of transmitting antennas, anda receiving unit that receives an answer signal,the on-vehicle controller operable to perform a predetermined control operation after authenticating the answer signal transmitted from a portable device.

8. The keyless entry system according to claim 7, wherein the portable device includes: a portable device receiving unit that receives the request signal, anda portable device transmitting unit that transmits the answer signal, andthe portable device controller being operable to detect the strength of each signal transmitted from the plurality of transmitting antennas in the on-vehicle device.

9. The keyless entry system according to claim 8, wherein the first data group having signal strength information of each received signal transmitted from the plurality of transmitting antennas before and after the movement of a movable object, which has at least one transmitting antenna disposed in it, when the portable device is placed along one side of a predetermined boundary set with respect to the vehicle, and the first parameter being necessary for comparing the first data group and signal strength information.

10. The keyless entry system according to claim 9, wherein the second data group having signal strength information of each received signal transmitted from the plurality of transmitting antennas before and after the movement of the movable object when the portable device is placed along the other side of the predetermined boundary set with respect to the vehicle, and the second parameter being necessary for comparing the second data group and signal strength information.

11. The keyless entry system according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined boundary set with respect to the vehicle is a boundary defining the inside and outside of the vehicle.

12. The keyless entry system according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined boundary set with respect to the vehicle is a boundary outward from the vehicle and apart from a transmitting antenna attached near a door of the vehicle by a predetermined distance.

13. The keyless entry system according to claim 10, wherein the on-vehicle control unit or the portable device control unit calculates a Mahalanobis distance between the strength information of the signals and each of the data groups using each of the data groups or each of the parameters, and determines the signal strength information closely resembles the data group having smaller Mahalanobis distance.

14. A keyless entry system comprising: an on-vehicle device that is operable to transmit a request signal, the on-vehicle device having a on-vehicle control unit;a portable device that is operable to transmit an answer signal; anda detecting unit that detects the movement of the movable object is provided on a movable object and is connected to the on-vehicle control unit,wherein the on-vehicle control unit has a memory that stores data, the memory stores a pre-movement first data group or a pre-movement first parameter, a post-movement first data group or a post-movement first parameter, a pre-movement second data group or a pre-movement second parameter, and a post-movement second data group or a post-movement second parameter,wherein the on-vehicle control unit or the portable control unit uses the movement state information detected by the detecting unit to determine which of the pre-movement or post-movement first and second data groups the signal strength information closely resembles.

15. The keyless entry system according to claim 14, wherein the on-vehicle device includes: an on-vehicle transmitting unit having a plurality of transmitting antennas, attached to a vehicle, that transmit the request signal, at least one of the plurality of transmitting antennas being attached to a movable object installed in the vehicle or at a place where movement of the movable object affects a transmitted radio wave,an on-vehicle receiving unit for receiving an answer signal, andan on-vehicle control unit for performing a predetermined control operation after authenticating the answer signal transmitted from the portable device

16. The keyless entry system according to claim 15, wherein the portable device includes: a portable device receiving unit that receive the request signal,a portable device transmitting unit that transmits the answer signal, anda portable device control unit that detects the strength of each signal transmitted from the plurality of transmitting antennas in the on-vehicle device.

17. The keyless entry system according to claim 16, wherein the pre-movement first data group has signal strength information obtained by receiving signals transmitted from the plurality of transmitting antennas by the portable device before the movement of the movable object when the portable device is placed along one side of a predetermined boundary set with respect to the vehicle, the pre-movement first parameter being necessary for comparing the pre-movement first data group and the signal strength information.

18. The keyless entry system according to claim 17, wherein the post-movement first data group having signal strength information obtained by receiving signals transmitted from the plurality of transmitting antennas by the portable device after the movement of the movable object when the portable device is placed along one side of the predetermined boundary set with respect to the vehicle, the post-movement first parameter being necessary for comparing the post-movement first data group and the signal strength information.

19. The keyless entry system according to claim 18, wherein the pre-movement second data group having signal strength information obtained by receiving signals transmitted from the plurality of transmitting antennas by the portable device before the movement of the movable object when the portable device is placed along the other side of the predetermined boundary set with respect to the vehicle, and the pre-movement second parameter being necessary for comparing the pre-movement second data group and the signal strength information.

20. The keyless entry system according to claim 19, wherein the post-movement second data group having signal strength information obtained by receiving signals transmitted from the plurality of transmitting antennas by the portable device after the movement of the movable object when the portable device is placed along the other side of the predetermined boundary set with respect to the vehicle, and the post-movement second parameter being necessary for comparing the post-movement second data group and the signal strength information.

21. The keyless entry system according to claim 20, wherein when the movement state information sent from the detecting unit indicates a state before the movement of the movable object, the on-vehicle control unit determines, using the pre-movement first and second data groups or the pre-movement first and second parameters, which of the pre-movement first and second data groups the signal strength information obtained by receiving the signals transmitted from the plurality of the transmitting antennas by the portable device closely resembles.

22. The keyless entry system according to claim 21, wherein when the movement state information sent from the detecting unit indicates a state after the movement of the movable object, the on-vehicle control unit determines, using the post-movement first and second data groups or the post-movement first and second parameters, which of the post-movement first and second data groups the signal strength information obtained by receiving the signals transmitted from the plurality of the transmitting antennas by the portable device closely resembles.

23. The keyless entry system according to claim 22, wherein the predetermined boundary set with respect to the vehicle is a boundary defining the inside and outside of the vehicle.

24. The keyless entry system according to claim 22, wherein the predetermined boundary set with respect to the vehicle is a boundary outward from the vehicle and apart from a transmitting antenna attached near a door of the vehicle by a predetermined distance.

25. The keyless entry system according to claim 22, wherein the on-vehicle control unit or the portable device control unit calculates a Mahalanobis distance between the strength information of the signals and each of the data groups using each of the data groups or each of the parameters, and determines the signal strength information closely resembles the data group having smaller Mahalanobis distance.

26. The keyless entry system according to claim 3, wherein the on-vehicle control unit or the portable device control unit calculates a Mahalanobis distance between the strength information of the signals and each of the data groups using each of the data groups or each of the parameters, and determines the signal strength information closely resembles the data group having smaller Mahalanobis distance.