Electronic key fob for motor vehicles featuring a reconfigurable display screen

Abstract

An electronic key fob (1) for a motor vehicle enabling remote control of at least one vehicle function, comprising a housing (2) bearing at least one physical control button capable of controlling the vehicle function, and a display screen (31) capable of displaying several screen pages, using an electronic ink display technique; said housing (2) containing a display management module (31) capable of selecting a specific page of the screen (31) to be displayed on the screen (31) bearing a graphic representation (32) of the make of the vehicle to which the key fob (1) is paired from among a specific set of pages capable of being displayed by the screen (31) containing respectively a set of graphic representations of vehicle makes all belonging to the same motor vehicle manufacturer or group of motor vehicle manufacturers. (Figure 2)

Description

Title of the invention: Electronic key box for a motor vehicle comprising a reconfigurable display screen

[0001] The present invention relates generally to keys allowing the remote control of functions of a motor vehicle and relates more particularly to an electronic key box for a motor vehicle comprising a reconfigurable display screen.

[0002] By electronic key, we mean a key which allows at least the remote locking and unlocking of the vehicle's openings (doors, trunk, etc.) and by screen, a screen capable of displaying information for personalizing the box.

[0003] Such a key is also referred to as a “key fob” in English terminology or “plip”.

[0004] Already known in the state of the art is an electronic key housing comprising first and second half-shells each provided with a base extended at its periphery by a connecting edge with the other half-shell; the connecting edges of the two half-shells of the housing extending along a connecting plane of these two half-shells and forming complementary means for closing the housing cooperating with each other by force-fastening.

[0005] Usually a housing of this type is used to form a gripping end of a key for controlling a vehicle lock. In this case, the housing forms a support for an electronic device for remote control of the vehicle openings and / or for recognizing an authorized user. A battery (or cell) internal to the housing is provided for the power supply of the electronic control device. One of the two half-shells supports physical control buttons of the electronic device, for example the control buttons for locking and unlocking the doors and opening the trunk of the vehicle.

[0006] Furthermore, the housing can form a housing for a metal insert, also called a bit, intended to be introduced into the lock for its emergency mechanical opening.

[0007] The half-shell, opposite the one supporting the control buttons, also called the cover (or "cover" in English terminology), generally bears the logo of the brand of the vehicle to which the box is paired.

[0008] This logo is generally engraved or made of the same material as the plastic material making up the cover. This logo allows the case to be personalized and for a manufacturer with a wide variety of brands and therefore logos, it is necessary provide one box, or at least one cover per vehicle brand. On the other hand, the customization of the box remains limited to the logo.

[0009] To overcome these drawbacks, the present invention proposes a solution making it possible to provide a varied, customizable and reconfigurable graphic display on the same box and without energy expenditure in use.

[0010] To this end, the present invention has as its first object an electronic key box for a motor vehicle allowing the remote control of at least one function of the vehicle, comprising a box body carrying at least one physical control button capable of controlling the function of the vehicle, and a display screen capable of displaying several screen pages, using an electronic ink display technique; said box body housing a screen display management module capable of selecting a determined page of the screen to be displayed on the screen carrying a graphic representation of the make of the vehicle to which the box is paired from among a determined set of pages capable of being displayed by the screen containing respectively a set of graphic representations of the vehicle makes all belonging to the same car manufacturer or the same group of car manufacturers.

[0011] According to one characteristic, the housing body further houses a wireless communication module coupled to the screen display management module, capable of receiving data transmitted by a remote terminal to select a determined screen page of the screen and display the determined page via the management module.

[0012] According to another characteristic, the management module is also capable of displaying on the screen graphic personalization information relating to the user of the box.

[0013] According to another characteristic, the housing body houses an electronic card supporting a remote control device for the vehicle function to which the physical control button is coupled; said card further supporting the display management module and the wireless communication module.

[0014] According to another characteristic, the electronic card is electrically powered by a battery supported by the card.

[0015] According to another characteristic, the housing body further houses a retractable emergency key insert arranged in the housing body along an internal edge of the housing body in the retracted position.

[0016] The second object of the present invention is a method for managing the display of the screen of a box as described above, implemented by the display management module, consisting of selecting and displaying a determined screen page of the screen relating to the vehicle to which the box is paired, upon receipt of data transmitted to the box by a terminal remote from the box via the communication module. wireless communication.

[0017] According to one characteristic, the method further consists of displaying on the screen graphic personalization information relating to the user of the box.

[0018] Finally, the present invention has as a third object, a computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, lead the latter to implement the method as described above.

[0019] The present invention has the advantage of reducing the diversity of covers bearing a personalized graphic representation of the numerous brands of motor vehicles (logo, model, silhouette, etc.) of the same manufacturer or group of automobile manufacturers. The present invention makes it possible to use only one cover for all the brands.

[0020] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on examining the detailed description below, and the attached drawing, in which:

[0021] [Fig.l] schematically illustrates a sectional view of a key case according to the invention; and

[0022] [Fig.2] illustrates a key case according to the invention in perspective.

[0023] [Fig.l] illustrates by a schematic longitudinal sectional view, a mode of relationship of an electronic key housing 1 according to the invention.

[0024] The housing 1 is formed by assembling a housing body 2 with a cover 3. The assembly of the cover 3 on the housing body 2 which are made from plastic materials, is done for example by simple force snap-fitting.

[0025] The housing body 2 houses a mechanical member 4 for emergency locking / unlocking 4 of the driver's side door, called a key bit or insert, along an inner edge of the housing body 2 in its retracted position.

[0026] The housing body 2 also houses a PCB (Printing Circuit Board) type electronic card 10.

[0027] The card 10 supports an electronic remote control device 11 for controlling vehicle functions, in particular the central locking / unlocking of the vehicle's openings, as well as a wireless communication module 12 (by wave) using for example Wifi, Bluetooth technology, etc. This module 12 makes it possible to exchange data between the box 1 and a remote and communicating electronic device such as a smartphone, tablet, laptop, vehicle telematics box, etc. not shown.

[0028] The electronic card 10 is powered by a battery 5 internal to the housing 1. The battery 5 may for example be an electric battery, of the button cell type, carried by the electronic card 10.

[0029] The housing body 2 also supports on its outer face 20 opposite the cover 3, a control pad comprising one or more keys, or buttons. physical control devices 21 (here three buttons 21), of the push button type or other, for remote control of vehicle functions such as locking and unlocking the vehicle openings (locking the doors, unlocking the doors, opening the trunk) via the electronic control device 11.

[0030] The cover 3 covers the housing body 2, on the external face 30 of the housing 1, opposite the external face 20 of the housing body 2 carrying the physical control buttons 21.

[0031] The cover 3 is transparent and covers or integrates a screen 31 using a display technique on a flexible, electronically modifiable support, requiring no energy to maintain a text or image displayed. This display technique is known as "electronic ink" (e-ink in Anglo-Saxon terminology) or "electronic paper" (e-paper in Anglo-Saxon terminology).

[0032] It is also particularly flat, smooth, and thin (its thickness being given mainly by the thickness of the screen 31), which contributes to giving the case 1 a clean line.

[0033] The card 10 supports a management module 13 for the display of the screen 31 coupled to the communication module 12 and to the screen 31.

[0034] In one embodiment, illustrated by [Fig. 2] and representing the case 1 according to the invention in perspective in a viewing direction by a user of the case 1, the screen 31 fills substantially the entire outer face 30 of the cover 3 and merges with the latter, so as to optimize the display surface of the screen 31 and allow the display of a fixed image representing the logo 32 of the brand in the upper third of the cover 3, considering the reading direction for a user of the case 1, and the display of a text message here of welcome with the first name of the user and his photo 33, in the lower two thirds of the cover 3.

[0035] The overall dimensions of the cover 3 and therefore of the screen 31 are substantially identical to the overall dimensions of the housing 1. Its dimensions are typically those of an electronic key housing; a housing which fits in the user's hand.

[0036] According to possible embodiments of the cover 3, the edges of the useful surface of the screen 31 are flush with the edges of the cover 3 or are substantially set back from the edges of the cover 3, thus presenting a sort of frame for the surface of the screen 31. By useful surface of the screen 31, we mean the surface of the screen 31 used for displaying graphic patterns: text, images, photos, and other graphic patterns that can be displayed with the electronic ink display technique.

[0037] Thanks to this technique, the useful display surface of the screen 31 can cover the entire outer surface 30 of the cover 3. The user can thus clearly read the information displayed on the screen 31 of the housing 1.

[0038] The wireless communication module 12 is coupled to the module 13 for managing the display of the screen 31 itself coupled to the screen 31.

[0039] The management module 13 makes it possible to select a specific page in the screen 31 from a specific number of pages that can be displayed by the screen 31, from a remote electronic device or terminal communicating by waves (smartphone, tablet, laptop, vehicle telematics box, etc.) not shown.

[0040] Each page of the screen 31 contains at least one graphic representation (logo) 32 of each vehicle brand of the manufacturer or group of automobile manufacturers.

[0041] Thus, the pairing of the cover 31 and therefore of the housing 1 of the key, with the vehicle, is immediate by selecting the page of the display screen 31 corresponding to the make of the vehicle for which the housing 1 is intended.

[0042] The only energy expenditure linked to the display technique called electronic ink screen, takes place at the time of the page change of the screen 31 (change of state of the display). Once the display of the screen 31 is frozen, there is no further energy expenditure. The logo 32 is then permanently displayed on the screen 31 as long as the box 1 is paired with the vehicle of the brand corresponding to the logo 32.

[0043] The pairing uses a method for managing the display of the screen 31 implemented by the display management module 13, consisting of selecting a page of the screen 31 relating to the make of the vehicle with which the box 1 is paired, upon receipt of control data transmitted by the remote terminal of the manufacturer (or group of automobile manufacturers) and transmitted to the management unit 13 via the communication module 12.

[0044] Other graphic personalization information relating to the user of the box 1 (welcome text message, image or photo 33 of the user for example) can be displayed in addition to the logo 32 of the brand. This data can be recorded in a file on any data medium and transmitted by radio to the box 1, from a dealership in particular at the time of the first handing over of the keys to the user via a terminal of the manufacturer or group of automobile manufacturers, and / or the telematics box (or multimedia box) of the vehicle.

[0045] The method for managing the display of the screen 31 implemented by the display management module 13 then consists of adding the personalization information to the page of the screen 31 bearing the logo 32, upon receipt of control data transmitted by the remote terminal of the manufacturer (or group of automobile manufacturers) and transmitted to the management unit 13 via the communication module 12.

[0046] Updates to the content and / or graphics of the pages of the screen 31 may also be carried out by the manufacturer (or group of manufacturers at cars) depending on the vehicle brands (graphic universe of the brands) and developments in the design of the boxes.

[0047] The management method selects the screen pages and replaces the old contents and / or graphics with new ones.

[0048] All these operations: pairing, adding information and updates, are carried out remotely via radio waves. The updates are of the OTA “Over The Air” type for example, from an update program executed for example by a portable terminal of the manufacturer (or group of automobile manufacturers) communicating via radio waves with the box 1, portable computer or other.

[0049] The invention implements a computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the latter to implement the method as described above.

Claims

Claims

1. Electronic key case (1) for a motor vehicle allowing remote control of at least one function of the vehicle, comprising a case body (2) carrying at least one physical control button (21) capable of controlling the function of the vehicle, and a display screen (31) capable of displaying several screen pages, using an electronic ink display technique; said case body (2) housing a module (13) for managing the display of the screen (31) capable of selecting a determined page of the screen (31) to be displayed on the screen (31) carrying a graphic representation (32) of the make of the vehicle to which the case (1) is paired from a determined set of pages capable of being displayed by the screen (31) containing respectively a set of graphic representations of the vehicle makes all belonging to the same car manufacturer or the same group of car manufacturers.

2. Housing (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the housing body (2) further houses a wireless communication module (12) coupled to the management module (13) of the display of the screen (31), capable of receiving data transmitted by a remote terminal to select a determined screen page of the screen (31) and display the determined page via the management module (13).

3. Box (1) according to the preceding claim, in which the management module (13) is capable of further displaying on the screen (31) graphic personalization information relating to the user of the box (1).

4. Housing (1) according to the preceding claim, in which the housing body (2) houses an electronic card (10) supporting a device (11) for remote control of the vehicle function to which the physical control button (21) is coupled; said card (10) further supporting the display management module (13) and the wireless communication module (12).

5. Housing (1) according to the preceding claim, in which the electronic card (10) is electrically powered by a battery (5) supported by the card (10).

6. A housing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing body (2) further houses a retractable emergency key insert (4) arranged in the housing body (2) along an inner edge of the housing body (2) in the retracted position.

7. Method for managing the display of the screen (31) of a box (1) according to the preceding claims, implemented by the display management module (13), consisting of selecting and displaying a determined screen page of the screen (31) in relation to the vehicle to which the box (1) is paired, upon receipt of data transmitted to the box (1) by a terminal remote from the box (1) via the wireless communication module (12).

8. Method according to the preceding claim, further comprising displaying on the screen (31) graphic personalization information relating to the user of the box (1).

9. Computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the latter to implement the method according to one of claims 7 or 8.

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