Ultra-wideband ranging control device and ultra-wideband ranging method

Abstract

Disclosed are an ultra-wideband ranging control device and an ultra-wideband ranging method, and more particularly, a UWB system capable of optimizing vehicle UWB operation by hopping. The UWB system includes a memory in which a UWB communication program is embedded and a processor that executes the program. The processor performs UWB hopping time and frequency hopping to establish a communication channel.

Description

[0001] Cross-citation of related applications

[0002] This application claims priority and benefit to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0126293, filed on September 28, 2020, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0160544, filed on November 25, 2020, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to an ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging control device and a UWB ranging method using the device. Background Technology

[0004] Ultra-wideband (UWB) is a technology that uses time-of-flight (ToF) to calculate the distance between communicating objects by multiplying the time it takes for a signal to reach the object by the speed of light.

[0005] In existing technology, to measure the location of the digital key, seven UWB modules are installed in the vehicle (in the case of a SUV): four UWB modules are installed on the external components (buffer) and three UWB modules are installed on the internal components (roof). Only the four UWB modules on the external components (buffer) are used for the smart key RSD. In some cases, existing technology is not suitable for situations where the UWB modules on the internal components (roof) are more necessary than those on the external components (buffer). Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the aforementioned issues, this disclosure aims to provide an ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging control device that maximizes operational performance by subdividing smart key RSD cases and applying efficient combinations of UWB anchor points to ranging, as well as a UWB ranging method using this device.

[0007] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the UWB ranging control device includes a memory storing a UWB ranging program and a processor configured to execute the UWB ranging program, wherein the processor extracts a combination of UWB anchor points installed in the vehicle according to the operating scenario and controls the ranging operation to be performed according to priority.

[0008] The processor can send a wake-up signal by extracting a combination of UWB anchor points based on operational scenarios including driver's seat passive keyless entry (PKE), passenger seat PKE, passive trunk access, and passive start.

[0009] When the driver's seat PKE is enabled, the processor can use a pair of first UWB modules located on the buffer above the driver's seat and on the buffer behind the driver's seat, and a pair of second UWB modules located on the roof of the vehicle to perform ranging. The processor can use the pair of first UWB modules to perform ranging in the main operation, and when ranging performed in the main operation fails, it uses the pair of second UWB modules to perform additional ranging in the secondary operation.

[0010] The processor can use UWB anchors that are determined to be suitable for easy detection based on the operating scenario and are therefore assigned a first priority to control the primary ranging to be performed, and when the primary ranging fails, it uses UWB anchors assigned a second priority to control the secondary ranging to be performed subsequently.

[0011] The processor can determine whether RSA is necessary and whether to perform the operation based on at least one of the results of the primary ranging and the results of the secondary ranging.

[0012] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a UWB ranging method includes (a) extracting a combination of UWB anchor points installed in a vehicle based on an operational scenario; (b) performing primary ranging using UWB anchor points in the extracted combination of UWB anchor points assigned a first priority; and (c) performing secondary ranging using UWB anchor points in the extracted combination of UWB anchor points assigned a second priority.

[0013] (a) may include: extracting UWB anchor point combinations based on operational scenarios including driver seat PKE, passenger seat PKE, passive trunk, and passive start.

[0014] When the driver's seat PKE is enabled, (a) may include: extracting a pair of first UWB modules disposed on a buffer above the driver's seat and a buffer disposed on a seat behind the driver's seat, and a pair of second UWB modules disposed on the roof of the vehicle, as a UWB anchor point combination. (b) may include performing primary ranging using the pair of first UWB modules assigned a first priority, and (c) may include performing secondary ranging using the pair of second UWB modules assigned a second priority when primary ranging fails.

[0015] (b) may include using a UWB anchor point that is determined to be more suitable for the detection device based on the operating scenario and is therefore assigned a first priority to perform the primary ranging and send the results of the primary ranging to the integrated controller.

[0016] (c) may include using a UWB anchor point assigned a second priority to perform secondary ranging when the result of the primary ranging fails. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This illustrates the problem of Time Slot Channel Skipping (TSCH) in the prior art.

[0018] Figure 2 The application band of the ultra-wideband (UWB) module according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0019] Figure 3 A UWB system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0020] Figure 4 Frequency hopping according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0021] Figure 5 A UWB operation method according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0022] Figure 6 UWB modeling, UWB antenna specifications, voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR), and 3D antenna orientation pattern are shown according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 7A and Figure 7B This illustrates distance measurement based on existing technology.

[0024] Figure 8 The vertical distance between the label and the anchor point is shown according to another embodiment of the invention.

[0025] Figure 9 A ranging method using a UWB system according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0026] Figures 10A to 10C Antenna diversity is shown.

[0027] Figure 11 This illustrates bilateral two-way ranging (DS-TWR) according to existing technology.

[0028] Figures 12 to 14 The receiving performance according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0029] Figure 15 A bidirectional ranging method according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0030] Figure 16 An antenna diversity implementation method using a UWB system according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0031] Figure 17 This illustrates a UWB module driven for each operational scenario according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 18A and Figure 18BThe main and secondary operations of the UWB module during passive keyless entry (PKE) operation of the driver's seat, according to another embodiment of the present invention, are illustrated.

[0033] Figures 19 to 21 This illustrates a UWB ranging method according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 22 This illustrates a UWB operating environment based on existing technology.

[0035] Figure 23 A UWB system using sniffing results is shown according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 24 This invention illustrates a UWB operation method using sniffing results according to yet another embodiment of the invention.

[0037] Figure 25 A distance-based UWB system according to yet another embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0038] Figure 26 A distance-based UWB operation method according to yet another embodiment is shown.

[0039] Figure 27 This shows a UWB ranging sequence defined by the Automotive Connectivity Consortium (CCC) standard based on four anchor points.

[0040] Figure 28 This illustrates a UWB system using a UWB ranging factor defined according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0041] These and other objects, advantages, and features of the present invention, and methods of achieving them, will be illustrated by the embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0042] However, the invention may be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will fully convey the objects, configurations, and effects of the invention to those skilled in the art. The scope of the invention is defined only by the appended claims.

[0043] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “one” include the plural forms. The terms “comprising” and / or “including,” as used in this specification, specify the presence of the stated elements, steps, operations, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other elements, steps, operations, and / or components.

[0044] Before describing the embodiments of the present invention, the background of the present invention will be described first.

[0045] UWB is a technology that calculates the distance between communicating entities by multiplying the time of arrival of signals between them by the speed of light using ultra-wideband (6 GHz to 8 GHz, bandwidth exceeding 500 MHz) time-of-flight (ToF) technology.

[0046] In existing technologies, time-slotted channel hopping (TSCH) is a channel hopping that repeats continuously over time. In some cases, channel hopping can cause continuous communication interference depending on the operating cycle.

[0047] In existing technologies, smart key (SMK) systems use low-frequency (LF; 125kHz) and radio-frequency (RF; 434MHz) technologies to determine the location of the smart key fob, control the locking and unlocking of vehicle doors, and start the vehicle.

[0048] UWB is a technique that uses Time-of-Flight (ToF) technology to calculate the distance between communicating entities by multiplying the arrival time of signals between them by the speed of light.

[0049] According to existing technology, even when the radiation pattern of a UWB antenna is designed to be as uniform as possible, null points may still occur in the radiation pattern due to unpredictable factors such as the vehicle environment and the surrounding environment.

[0050] To solve this problem, diversity can be achieved by designing multiple antennas. However, this method is inefficient and requires two ranging operations.

[0051] Furthermore, according to existing technology, there are problems with power consumption and speed because several anchor points continuously perform ranging on distant tags.

[0052] Precise positioning is required when the tag is close to the vehicle (e.g., less than two meters away), but not when the tag is far away.

[0053] To provide location-based services (LBS), technologies such as GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth have been used. While accurate measurement remains a challenge, UWB (6GHz to 8GHz, with a bandwidth exceeding 500MHz) offers wide bandwidth, low power consumption, and high-precision positioning within tens of centimeters.

[0054] In existing technologies, GPS-based and mobile communication network-based positioning technologies have error ranges of 5 to 50 meters and 50 to 200 meters, respectively. In the case of GPS, malfunctions may occur when signals from satellites reach urban building areas.

[0055] While Wi-Fi allows for low-cost location tracking, the narrower bandwidth can limit channel allocation as the number of tracked targets increases. Furthermore, mobile devices may lose connection to fixed Wi-Fi access points (APs).

[0056] Bluetooth allows for the deployment of a large number of sensors at low cost, but the technology is not suitable for real-time positioning in dynamic environments due to high communication latency.

[0057] Unlike Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, UWB uses a wide bandwidth and can transmit large amounts of information at high transmission rates and low power.

[0058] Advantageously, UWB-based positioning exhibits a low error rate of approximately 20 cm, high transmittance to obstacles, and is unaffected by other signals such as Wi-Fi signals.

[0059] Figure 1 This illustrates the problem of Time Slot Channel Skipping (TSCH) in the prior art.

[0060] Referring to the first UWB session of the first vehicle and the second UWB session of the second vehicle, the first vehicle and the second vehicle continuously time-hop, but in some cases (depending on the period), frequency interference occurs continuously.

[0061] Figure 2 The UWB module application frequency band is shown.

[0062] UWB modules utilize the bandwidth for smart key hacking (RSA) defense and digital key (smartphone) location.

[0063] Channel 5 has a center frequency of 6.5 GHz and a bandwidth of 499.2 MHz, while channel 9 has a center frequency of 8.0 GHz and a bandwidth of 499.2 MHz.

[0064] Aside from smart key hacking defense and digital key positioning, various UWB technologies can be applied to vehicles.

[0065] For example, UWB technology can be applied to detect passengers in a vehicle, to detect parking areas and notify users of dangers, and to provide convenience functions (such as automatically opening the trunk) based on the detection of user actions (such as kicking sensors). However, with the diversification of in-vehicle USB communication types, the risk of frequency interference increases.

[0066] Figure 3 A UWB system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0067] The UWB system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a memory 101 embedded with a UWB communication program and a processor 102 executing the program. The processor 102 performs UWB time hopping and frequency hopping to establish a communication channel.

[0068] Processor 102 performs UWB operation and activates the jump timer.

[0069] Processor 102 performs jumps to avoid signal interference and calculates jump counts.

[0070] The processor 102 determines whether the count value exceeds a first preset value and whether the timer has a value less than a second preset value.

[0071] When the count value does not exceed the first preset value or the timer value is not less than the second preset value, the processor 102 continues to execute the time jump.

[0072] When the count value exceeds the first preset value and the timer value is less than the second preset value, the processor 102 performs frequency hopping.

[0073] After frequency hopping, processor 102 begins UWB operation and starts the jump timer.

[0074] Processor 102 performs jumps to avoid signal interference and calculates jump counts.

[0075] Processor 102 determines whether the count value exceeds a third preset value and whether the timer has a value less than a fourth preset value.

[0076] In this case, the first and third preset values ​​can be set to the same or different values. Similarly, the second and fourth preset values ​​can be set to the same or different values.

[0077] The first and third preset values ​​can be set differently depending on the communication conditions (the number of nearby communication devices) or the number of frequency hopping cycles.

[0078] For example, processor 102 can perform a first frequency hop after performing one time hop, a second frequency hop after performing two time hops, and a third frequency hop after performing three time hops.

[0079] When the count value does not exceed the third preset value or the timer value is not less than the fourth preset value, the processor 102 continues to execute the time jump.

[0080] When the count value exceeds the third preset value and the timer value is less than the fourth preset value, the processor 102 performs frequency hopping.

[0081] Figure 4 Frequency hopping according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0082] In channel 5, despite the time hop, interference still exists between the first UWB session of the first vehicle and the second UWB session of the second vehicle. Therefore, channel 5 is busy.

[0083] To avoid this repeated signal interference, frequency hopping is performed on the second UWB session of the second vehicle. Therefore, smooth communication can be achieved on channels 5 and 9.

[0084] Figure 5 A UWB operation method according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0085] The UWB operation method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes performing UWB operation and operating a jump timer, performing time hopping and monitoring interference information, and performing frequency hopping based on the results of monitoring interference information.

[0086] Reference Figure 5 The method includes performing a UWB operation and activating a jump timer (S501).

[0087] The method includes performing a jump to avoid signal interference (S502) and calculating the jump count (S503).

[0088] The method includes determining whether the count value exceeds a first preset value (S504) and determining whether the timer has a value less than a second preset value (S505).

[0089] The method includes continuing to jump the time in S502 when the count value does not exceed a first preset value in S504 or when the timer has a value not less than a second preset value in S505.

[0090] The method includes performing frequency hopping (S506) when the count value exceeds a first preset value in S504 and the timer has a value less than a second preset value in S505.

[0091] The method includes starting UWB operation after frequency hopping and starting the jump timer (S507).

[0092] The method includes performing a jump to avoid signal interference (S508) and calculating the jump count (S509).

[0093] The method includes determining whether the count value exceeds a third preset value (S510) and determining whether the timer has a value less than a fourth preset value (S511).

[0094] In this case, the first and third preset values ​​can be set to the same or different values. Similarly, the second and fourth preset values ​​can be set to the same or different values.

[0095] The first and third preset values ​​can be set differently depending on the communication conditions (the number of nearby communication devices) or the number of frequency hopping cycles.

[0096] For example, after performing one time hop, the first frequency hop is performed; after performing two time hops, the second frequency hop is performed; and after performing three time hops, the third frequency hop is performed.

[0097] The method includes continuing to jump the time when the count value does not exceed the third preset value in S510 or when the timer has a value not less than the fourth preset value in S511 (S508).

[0098] The method includes performing frequency hopping (S506) when the count value exceeds a third preset value in S510 and the timer has a value less than a fourth preset value in S511.

[0099] Figure 6 UWB modeling, UWB antenna specifications, voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR), and 3D antenna orientation pattern are shown according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0100] The UWB antenna has an efficiency of 84.91% at 6.5 GHz, an average gain of -0.71 dBi, and a peak gain of 3.48 dBi; and an efficiency of 83.76% at 8.0 GHz, an average gain of -0.76 dBi, and a peak gain of 3.38 dBi.

[0101] refer to Figure 6 The diagram shows the VSWR and 3D antenna orientation patterns.

[0102] Figure 7A and Figure 7B The diagram shows two-way (DS) TWR and one-way (SS) TWR as two-way ranging (TWR) schemes.

[0103] Distance measurement refers to the action of measuring the distance between a key-operated remote control device and an anchor point. The data structure conforms to the IEEE 802.15.4z standard, and each data packet takes approximately 200µs to transmit.

[0104] A time slot is defined as the time taken to resend (or receive) a signal using a remote control device or anchor point after the signal has been sent (or received).

[0105] The UWB transmit / receive time slots of the RSA-defended SMK system can be designed to be approximately 2ms and can be changed according to specifications.

[0106] The DS-TWR scheme consumes a lot of power due to the large number of signals transmitted and received, but it has excellent distance measurement accuracy.

[0107] The remote control device sends polling packets and records the timestamp T0.

[0108] The anchor point receives polling packets and records Tl.

[0109] The anchor point needs time Tdl to receive the signal and generate a response data packet, send the response message, and record T2.

[0110] The remote control device receives the response message and records T3.

[0111] The remote control device needs time Td2 to receive the signal and generate the final message.

[0112] The remote control device sends the final message and records T4, and the anchor point receives the final message and records T5.

[0113] As mentioned above, DS-TWR provides accurate ranging results, but this method uses two round-trip times to calculate the distance, resulting in a complex calculation formula and high power consumption.

[0114] SS TWR uses a round-trip time to calculate distance, so compared with DS-TWR, the calculation formula is relatively simple, the power consumption is relatively low, but the ranging error is larger.

[0115] However, errors at long distances are acceptable within a certain range, and technologies need to be applied to reduce power consumption during long-distance ranging.

[0116] Figure 8 The vertical distance between the label and the anchor point is shown according to another embodiment of the invention.

[0117] The distance between the first anchor point 300a and the fourth anchor point 300d, and the distance between the second anchor point 300b and the third anchor point 300c, are 3 meters, and these are all preset during the development phase.

[0118] The distance between the vehicle and the tags (the first tag 200a is a remote control device, and the second tag 200b is a smartphone) is usually defined as the vertical distance (the length of the vertical line).

[0119] The first tag 200a is 4 meters away from the first anchor point 300a and 5 meters away from the fourth anchor point 300d, with a vertical distance of 4 meters.

[0120] That is, the vertical distance is 4 meters, which is the distance from the first tag 200a to the first anchor point 300a, which is the nearest anchor point.

[0121] The second tag 200b is 4.1 meters away from the second anchor point 300b and 3.9 meters away from the third anchor point 300c, with a vertical distance of 3.7 meters.

[0122] That is, the vertical distance is 0.2 meters different from 3.9 meters. The 3.9 meters is the distance to the second tag 200b and the third anchor point 300c, which is the closest anchor point and the distance is not large.

[0123] Precise positioning is required when the tag is close to the vehicle (e.g., within 2 meters), but not when the tag is far away.

[0124] However, when multiple anchor points continuously measure distances to remote tags, there are issues with power consumption and operation time.

[0125] A UWB system according to another embodiment of the present invention includes: an input unit configured to receive information about the distance between a tag and a vehicle; a memory embedded with a ranging program corresponding to the distance; and a processor executing the program, wherein the program determines a ranging scheme and anchor points based on the distance to perform ranging.

[0126] The input unit receives information about the vertical distance between the tag and the vehicle.

[0127] When the interval distance is greater than or equal to the first set distance, the processor uses the anchor point of the vehicle closest to the tag to perform SS-TWR.

[0128] When the interval distance is greater than or equal to the second set distance and less than the first set distance, the processor uses the anchor point of the vehicle closest to the tag to perform DS-TWR.

[0129] When the interval distance is greater than or equal to the third set distance and less than the second set distance, the processor uses multiple anchor points to execute SS-TWR.

[0130] When the interval distance is less than the third set distance, the processor uses multiple anchor points to execute DS-TWR.

[0131] Figure 9 A ranging method using a UWB system according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0132] In S901, the UWB system determines the spacing distance D between the tag and the vehicle. In this case, the spacing distance D is the vertical distance.

[0133] In S902, the UWB system determines whether the interval distance is greater than or equal to a first set distance (e.g., 10 meters) (S913).

[0134] When it is determined in S902 that the interval distance is greater than or equal to the first set distance, the UWB system performs SS-TWR (S903) using the anchor point closest to the tag.

[0135] In S904, the UWB system determines whether the interval distance is greater than or equal to a second preset distance (e.g., 6 meters).

[0136] When the interval distance is determined to be greater than or equal to the second set distance in S904, the UWB system uses the anchor point closest to the tag to perform DS-TWR (S905).

[0137] In S906, the UWB system determines whether the interval distance is greater than or equal to a third preset distance (e.g., 3 meters).

[0138] When the interval distance is determined to be greater than or equal to the third set distance in S906, the UWB system performs SS-TWR (S907) using multiple anchor points.

[0139] When using multiple anchor points to perform SS-TWR, the power consumption is higher but the positioning accuracy is higher compared to performing DS-TWR using a single anchor point.

[0140] When the interval distance is determined to be less than the third set distance in S906, the UWB system uses multiple anchor points to perform DS-TWR (S908).

[0141] The UWB system determines the interval distance D in S909 and determines in S910 whether the interval distance is less than a second set distance (e.g., 6 meters).

[0142] When the interval distance is determined to be less than the second set distance in S910, the UWB system uses multiple anchor points to perform DS-TWR (S908).

[0143] When it is determined in S910 that the interval distance is greater than or equal to the second set distance, in S911, the UWB system determines whether the interval distance is greater than or equal to the second set distance (e.g., 6 meters) and less than the first set distance (e.g., 10 meters).

[0144] When it is determined in S911 that the interval distance is greater than or equal to the second set distance and less than the first set distance, the UWB system performs SS-TWR (S912) using multiple anchor points and returns to operation S909 to determine the interval distance.

[0145] When the UWB system determines in S911 that the condition is not met, the UWB system determines whether the interval distance is greater than or equal to a first set distance (e.g., 10 meters).

[0146] When it is determined in S913 that the interval distance is greater than or equal to the first set distance, the UWB system performs DS-TWR (S914) using the anchor point closest to the tag.

[0147] According to another embodiment of the invention, when the distance between the tag and the vehicle decreases and then increases, the number of anchor points and the TWR type are determined by a different standard than the standard when the distance between the tag and the vehicle decreases.

[0148] Figures 10A to 10C Antenna diversity is shown.

[0149] Even if the radiation pattern of a UWB antenna is designed to be as uniform as possible, null points may still occur in the radiation pattern due to unpredictable factors such as the vehicle environment and the surrounding environment.

[0150] To solve this problem, diversity can be achieved by designing multiple antennas.

[0151] Figure 10A The radiation diagram of the first ray is shown, and Figure 10B The radiation diagram of the second antenna is shown.

[0152] like Figure 10C As shown, diversity can be achieved through the integrated radiation pattern of the first and second antennas.

[0153] While implementing UWB antenna diversity improves receiver sensitivity, it also increases the cost of implementing switching elements and the antenna, as well as the module size. Furthermore, repeated ranging measurements are necessary.

[0154] Figure 11 The diagram illustrates DS-TWR processing according to existing technology. In DS-TWR processing, two antennas are used to achieve antenna diversity. Twelve time slots are required when DS-TWR is activated based on four anchor points.

[0155] Figures 12 to 14 The receiving performance according to yet another embodiment of the present invention is shown, and Figure 15 This illustrates a bidirectional ranging method according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0156] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a UWB system includes: an input unit for receiving polling packets from a remote control device; a memory embedded with a program for performing ranging; and a processor for executing the program, wherein the processor selects a better antenna for each anchor point from a plurality of antennas for implementing antenna diversity, and performs ranging using the selected antenna.

[0157] The input unit receives polling packets from the remote control device multiple times.

[0158] The processor selects a better antenna by using the signal strength of the received data.

[0159] The processor sends a response to the remote control using the selected antenna.

[0160] The processor uses the selected antenna to receive the final message from the remote control device.

[0161] Figure 12 The receiving performance is shown when only the first antenna is used. Figure 13 The reception performance is shown when only the second antenna is used, and Figure 14 The diagram shows the reception performance when diversity is implemented (dashed arrows indicate poor reception performance, solid arrows indicate good reception performance).

[0162] When providing a first antenna and a second antenna to achieve antenna diversity, the remote control sends two polls to the anchor point (polling the first antenna and polling the second antenna) to find the one with better performance between the first and second antennas.

[0163] For each anchor point, the antenna with high performance may differ for each ranging (polling-response-final) cycle.

[0164] That is, reference Figures 12 to 14 The second antenna is more suitable for the first anchor point 300a and the second anchor point 300b, while the first antenna is more suitable for the third anchor point 300c and the fourth anchor point 300d.

[0165] Each anchor point uses a better antenna to send a response to the remote control device 200.

[0166] Each anchor point uses the signal strength of the received data (Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI)) to select its appropriate antenna and determines that the accuracy of the data increases with increasing signal strength.

[0167] When the remote control device 200 sends the final message (final), each anchor point still uses the selected antenna to receive the final message.

[0168] Figure 15 The response is shown as “using a better antenna (Ant)(1 or 2) (TRx#1)”, and according to the example above, the first anchor point 300a (TRx#1) uses the second antenna to send a response.

[0169] Figure 15 The response is shown as “using a better antenna (1 or 2) (TRx#2)”, and according to the example above, the second anchor point 300b (TRx#2) sends a response using the second antenna.

[0170] Figure 15 The example shows "Response using a better antenna (1 or 2) (TRx#3)", and based on the example above, the third anchor point 300c (TRx#3) sends a response using the first antenna.

[0171] Figure 15The example shows "Response using a better antenna (1 or 2) (TRx#4)", and based on the example above, the fourth anchor point 300d (TRx#4) sends a response using the first antenna.

[0172] like Figure 15 As shown in the embodiment of the present invention, when DS-TWR is performed based on four anchor points, seven or eight time slots are required.

[0173] When applying UWB antenna diversity, the same ranging is typically repeated to reduce the probability of data loss. However, in this case, as mentioned above, 12 time slots are required.

[0174] In other words, when using four anchor points, six time slots are needed when using one antenna, but when two antennas are used to apply antenna diversity, twelve time slots are needed, which is twice as many.

[0175] However, according to another embodiment of the invention, only two polling sessions are sent, and only the better antenna is selected, taking into account the reliability (e.g., signal strength) of the two received data segments.

[0176] Since each anchor point performs the next ranging operation via the selected antenna, only one additional time slot is ultimately needed, and seven time slots can be used to improve receiver sensitivity.

[0177] According to another embodiment of the present invention, performance can be improved by reducing the number of time slots that increase power consumption and operation time.

[0178] Figure 16 An antenna diversity implementation method using a UWB system according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0179] The anchor point receives polling packets from the remote control device (S1610).

[0180] The anchor point selects a better antenna from among the multiple antennas used to achieve antenna diversity based on the results of receiving polling packets (S1620).

[0181] The anchor point performs ranging by sending a response using the antenna selected in S1620 (S1630).

[0182] After S1630, the anchor point uses the selected antenna to receive the final message sent from the remote control device.

[0183] When a first antenna and a second antenna are provided to achieve antenna diversity, two polls (polling of the first antenna and polling of the second antenna) are sent from the remote control device to the anchor point to find the one with higher performance between the first antenna and the second antenna, and the anchor point receives the polling packets in S1610.

[0184] In S1620, the anchor point uses the signal strength of the received data (RSSI) to select a better antenna.

[0185] Reference Figures 12 to 14 Each anchor point has a different high-performance antenna. The second antenna is better suited for the first anchor point 300a and the second anchor point 300b, and the first antenna is better suited for the third anchor point 300c and the fourth anchor point 300d.

[0186] In S1630, each anchor point sends a response to the remote control device 200 using a better antenna. That is, the first anchor point 300a and the second anchor point 300b send a response using the second antenna, and the third anchor point 300c and the fourth anchor point 300d send a response using the first antenna.

[0187] After S1630, when the remote control sends the final message (final), each anchor point still uses the selected antenna to receive the final message.

[0188] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a UWB ranging control device includes a memory embedded with a UWB ranging program and a processor that executes the program, wherein the program extracts a combination of UWB anchor points installed on the vehicle for each operating scenario and performs control according to priority to perform ranging operations.

[0189] The processor extracts combinations for each operation scenario corresponding to driver's seat passive keyless entry (PKE), passenger seat PKE, passive trunk access, and passive start, and sends a wake-up signal.

[0190] The processor executes control to perform primary ranging using UWB anchors that are identified as easily discoverable devices for each operational scenario and given high priority. When ranging fails, the processor executes control to perform secondary ranging sequentially using UWB anchors given lower priority.

[0191] The processor uses at least one of the results of the primary ranging and the results of the secondary ranging to determine whether to perform RSA and whether to perform the operation.

[0192] Figure 17 This illustrates a UWB module driven for each operational scenario according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0193] The vehicle is equipped with a first UWB module 210 through a seventh UWB module 270. The first UWB module 210, the second UWB module 220, the third UWB module 230 and the fourth UWB module 240 are mounted on a buffer on the outside of the vehicle, and the fifth UWB module 250, the sixth UWB module 260 and the seventh UWB module 270 are mounted inside the vehicle (e.g., on the roof).

[0194] According to existing technology, only four UWB modules installed on the outside of the vehicle are used. However, according to embodiments of the present invention, the combination of driving UWB modules varies depending on the usage scenario.

[0195] When the driver's seat PKE is operated, the first UWB module 210, the fourth UWB module 240, the fifth UWB module 250 and the seventh UWB module 270 are activated.

[0196] During passenger seat PKE operation, the second UWB module 220, the third UWB module 230, the fifth UWB module 250, and the sixth UWB module 260 are activated.

[0197] During passive trunk operation, the third UWB module 230, the fourth UWB module 240, the sixth UWB module 260, and the seventh UWB module 270 are activated.

[0198] During passive startup, the first UWB module 210, the fifth UWB module 250, the sixth UWB module 260, and the seventh UWB module 270 are driven.

[0199] In other words, according to another embodiment of the present invention, four UWB modules are driven. In this case, the most needed UWB module will be selectively driven based on the driver's seat PKE, passive trunk, and passive start scenarios.

[0200] Figure 18A and Figure 18B The primary and secondary operations of the UWB module are shown when the driver's seat PKE is operated.

[0201] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the first UWB module 210, the fourth UWB module 240, the fifth UWB module 250, and the seventh UWB module 270 are driven as described above. These UWB modules are not all activated at once, but are driven in stages, with primary and secondary operations, taking into account power and time optimization.

[0202] First, refer to Figure 18A First, the first UWB module 210 and the fourth UWB module 240 perform ranging as the main operation. When a device (UWB remote control device) 300 is detected in a certain area, the corresponding operation is completed.

[0203] Reference Figure 18B When the ranging of the first UWB module 210 and the fourth UWB module 240 fails for any reason during the main operation processing, the fifth UWB module 250 and the seventh UWB module 270 perform additional ranging as a secondary operation.

[0204] Since the primary and secondary operations described above are for devices that are approached from the side of the buffer during driver's seat PKE, the UWB module corresponding to the condition where the device is most easily located is operated first.

[0205] Furthermore, in special circumstances (e.g., when the vehicle is surrounded by many people), it is not possible to perform distance measurement using the first UWB module 210 and the fourth UWB module 240, which are placed on the buffer. In this case, distance measurement is performed using the fifth UWB module 250 and the seventh UWB module 270, which are mounted on the inner roof of the vehicle and configured to view from above.

[0206] Figures 19 to 21 This illustrates a UWB ranging method according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0207] Reference Figure 19 According to another embodiment of the present invention, the UWB ranging method includes extracting a combination of UWB anchor points installed in the vehicle for each operating scenario (S1910), performing primary ranging using the higher priority UWB anchor points included in the extracted UWB anchor point combination (S1920), and performing secondary ranging using the lower priority UWB anchor points included in the extracted UWB anchor point combination (S1930).

[0208] In S1910, the UWB ranging method includes extracting combinations for each operational scenario corresponding to driver's seat PKE, passenger seat PKE, passive trunk, and passive start.

[0209] In S1920, the UWB ranging method includes performing primary ranging using UWB anchor points that are determined to be easily discoverable for each operational scenario and given high priority, and sending the ranging results to the integrated control unit.

[0210] In S1930, the UWB ranging method includes performing secondary ranging using a UWB anchor point that has been given lower priority when the ranging result in S1920 fails.

[0211] Reference Figure 20 First, the UWB ranging method includes determining the passive situation (S2001). Each operation performs different actions based on four operating scenarios. In this case, the anchor point driven by the vehicle may change for each operation due to factors such as vehicle layout.

[0212] When the driver's seat PKE is operated (S2010), the UWB ranging method includes sending activation (wake-up) signals for the first UWB module 210, the fourth UWB module 240, the fifth UWB module 250 and the seventh UWB module 270 (S2011).

[0213] Subsequently, the UWB ranging method includes: as the main operation, performing ranging using the first UWB module 210 and the fourth UWB module 240 and determining whether the RSA condition corresponding to the ranging result is satisfied (S2012).

[0214] When it is determined in S2012 that the conditions corresponding to the ranging result are met, the UWB ranging method includes determining that RSA should not be applied and terminating the process after normal operation (S2014).

[0215] When it is determined in S2012 that the conditions corresponding to the ranging result are not met, the UWB ranging method includes: as a secondary operation, using the fifth UWB module 250 and the seventh UWB module 270 to perform ranging and determine whether the RSA conditions corresponding to the ranging result are met (S2013).

[0216] When it is determined in S2013 that the conditions corresponding to the ranging result are met, the UWB ranging method includes determining that RSA was not applied and terminating the process after normal operation (S2014). When it is determined in S2013 that the conditions corresponding to the ranging result are not met, the UWB ranging method includes performing RSA defense and terminating the process without any further action (S2015).

[0217] During passenger seat PKE operation (S2020), the UWB ranging method includes sending activation (wake-up) signals for the second UWB module 220, the third UWB module 230, the fifth UWB module 250 and the sixth UWB module 260 (S2021).

[0218] Subsequently, the UWB ranging method package: as the main operation, uses the second UWB module 220 and the third UWB module 230 to perform ranging and determine whether the RSA conditions corresponding to the ranging results are met (S2022).

[0219] When it is determined in S2022 that the conditions corresponding to the ranging result are met, the UWB ranging method includes determining that RSA should not be applied and terminating the process after normal operation (S2024).

[0220] When it is determined in S2022 that the conditions corresponding to the ranging result are not met, the UWB ranging method includes: as a secondary operation, using the fifth UWB module 250 and the sixth UWB module 260 to perform ranging and determine whether the RSA conditions corresponding to the ranging result are met (S2023).

[0221] When it is determined in S2023 that the conditions corresponding to the ranging result are met, the UWB ranging method includes determining that RSA should not be applied and terminating the process after normal operation (S2024). When it is determined in S2023 that the conditions corresponding to the ranging result are not met, the UWB ranging method includes performing RSA defense and terminating the process without any further action (S2025).

[0222] During passive trunk operation (S2030), the UWB ranging method includes sending activation (wake-up) signals to the third UWB module 230, the fourth UWB module 240, the sixth UWB module 260 and the seventh UWB module 270 (S2031).

[0223] Subsequently, the UWB ranging method includes: as the main operation, using the third UWB module 230 and the fourth UWB module 240 to perform ranging and determine whether the RSA conditions corresponding to the ranging results are met (S2032).

[0224] When it is determined in S2032 that the conditions corresponding to the ranging result are met, the UWB ranging method includes determining that RSA should not be applied and terminating the process after normal operation (S2034).

[0225] When it is determined in S2032 that the conditions corresponding to the ranging result are not met, the UWB ranging method includes: as a secondary operation, using the sixth UWB module 260 and the seventh UWB module 270 to perform ranging and determine whether the RSA conditions corresponding to the ranging result are met (S2033).

[0226] When it is determined in S2033 that the conditions corresponding to the ranging result are met, the UWB ranging method includes determining that RSA should not be applied and terminating the process after normal operation (S2034). When it is determined in S2033 that the conditions corresponding to the ranging result are not met, the UWB ranging method includes performing RSA defense and terminating the process without any further action (S2035).

[0227] During the passive startup operation (S2040), the UWB ranging method includes sending activation (wake-up) signals for the first UWB module 210, the fifth UWB module 250, the sixth UWB module 260, and the seventh UWB module 270 (S2041).

[0228] Subsequently, the UWB ranging method includes: as the main operation, using the fifth UWB module 250 and the sixth UWB module 260 to perform ranging and determine whether the RSA conditions corresponding to the ranging results are met (S2042).

[0229] When it is determined in S2042 that the conditions corresponding to the ranging result are met, the UWB ranging method includes determining that the RSA is applied and terminating the process after normal operation (S2044).

[0230] When it is determined in S2042 that the conditions corresponding to the ranging result are not met, the UWB ranging method includes: as a secondary operation, using the first UWB module 210 and the seventh UWB module 270 to perform ranging and determine whether the RSA conditions corresponding to the ranging result are met (S2043).

[0231] When it is determined in S2043 that the conditions corresponding to the ranging result are met, the UWB ranging method includes determining that RSA should not be applied and terminating the process after normal operation (S2044). When it is determined in S2043 that the conditions corresponding to the ranging result are not met, the UWB ranging method includes performing RSA defense and terminating the process without any further action (S2045).

[0232] Reference Figure 21 Assume that the first anchor point 510 to the fourth anchor point 540 are anchor points corresponding to the optimal combination driven by the operation scenario.

[0233] The integrated control unit 100 sends a wake-up signal and a ranging signal for the first anchor point 510 and the second anchor point 520 (S2101).

[0234] Distance measurement is performed between device 300 and first anchor point 510 (S2102) and between device 300 and second anchor point 520 (S2103). First anchor point 510 sends the distance measurement result of first anchor point 510 to integrated control unit 100 (S2104), and second anchor point 520 sends the distance measurement result of second anchor point 520 to integrated control unit 100 (S2105).

[0235] The integrated control unit 100 uses the ranging results of the first anchor point 510 and the ranging results of the second anchor point 520 to determine whether RSA condition 1 is satisfied (S2106).

[0236] Subsequently, the integrated control unit 100 sends ranging signals for the third anchor point 530 and the fourth anchor point 540 (S2107).

[0237] Distance measurement is performed between device 300 and third anchor point 530 (S608) and between device 300 and fourth anchor point 540 (S609). Third anchor point 530 sends the distance measurement result of third anchor point 530 to integrated control unit 100 (S2110), and fourth anchor point 540 sends the distance measurement result of fourth anchor point 540 to integrated control unit 100 (S2111).

[0238] The integrated control unit 100 uses the ranging results of the third anchor point 530 and the ranging results of the fourth anchor point 540 to determine whether RSA condition 2 is satisfied (S2112).

[0239] Figure 22 This illustrates a UWB operating environment based on existing technology.

[0240] In environments with heavy traffic, the UWB communication of tag l is affected by its surroundings, resulting in inaccurate ranging results.

[0241] In this context, the surrounding effects include those caused by the steel components of nearby vehicles, and those caused by wireless communication noise components.

[0242] In environments without vehicles, the UWB communication of tag 2 is unaffected by the surrounding environment, thus obtaining relatively accurate ranging results.

[0243] Figure 23 A UWB system using sniffing results is shown according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0244] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the UWB system includes a memory 103 having a program for performing UWB ranging by referring to sniffing results and a processor 104 for executing the program, and the processor 104 changing the UWB ranging method or changing the UWB ranging period in consideration of the sniffing results.

[0245] The processor 104 performs UWB ranging in the SS-TWR scheme, monitors the sniffing results, and determines whether the sniffing results exceed a first preset value.

[0246] When it is determined that the sniffing result does not exceed the first preset value, the processor 104 continues to execute the UWB ranging in the SS-TWR scheme.

[0247] When it is determined that the sniffing result exceeds the first preset value, the processor 104 determines whether the sniffing result exceeds the second preset value.

[0248] When it is determined that the sniffing result does not exceed the second preset value, the processor 104 changes the UWB ranging method to the DS-TWR scheme and performs UWB ranging in the DS-TWR scheme.

[0249] When the sniffing result is determined to exceed a second preset value, the processor 104 changes the UWB ranging period and performs UWB ranging in the DS-TWR scheme. For example, the processor 104 halves the UWB ranging period.

[0250] According to another embodiment of the present invention, in order to determine the surrounding environment information of a vehicle communicating with a tag, environmental information is predicted by wireless communication sniffing, and sniffing is defined as the process of monitoring and capturing all packets passing through a specified network.

[0251] Sniffing can be conducted through various wireless communication schemes (e.g., Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), UWB, Wi-Fi, etc.), and wireless communication schemes used in more vehicles can more accurately predict the surrounding environment.

[0252] According to embodiments of the present invention, by distinguishing between poor and good environmental conditions and by changing the UWB ranging period and method, power consumption can be minimized and accurate positioning can be achieved.

[0253] Figure 24 This invention illustrates a UWB operation method using sniffing results according to yet another embodiment of the invention.

[0254] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the UWB operation method includes (a) monitoring the sniffing results while performing UWB ranging and (b) changing the UWB ranging method or changing the UWB ranging period based on the sniffing results.

[0255] Reference Figure 24 The UWB operation method includes performing UWB ranging in the SS-TWR scheme (S2401).

[0256] The UWB operation method includes monitoring the sniffing results and determining whether the sniffing results exceed a first preset value (S2402).

[0257] When it is determined in S2402 that the sniffing result does not exceed the first preset value, the UWB operation method includes continuing to perform UWB ranging in the SS-TWR scheme (S2401).

[0258] When it is determined in S2402 that the sniffing result exceeds the first preset value, the UWB operation method includes determining whether the sniffing result exceeds the second preset value (S2403).

[0259] When it is determined in S2403 that the sniffing result does not exceed the second preset value, the UWB operation method includes performing UWB ranging in the DS-TWR scheme (S2404).

[0260] When it is determined in S2403 that the sniffing result exceeds the second preset value, the UWB operation method includes changing the UWB ranging period and performing UWB ranging in the DS-TWR scheme (S2405).

[0261] In this case, for example, the UWB ranging cycle is halved.

[0262] Figure 25A distance-based UWB system according to yet another embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0263] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a distance-based UWB system includes a memory 105 embedded with a ranging program corresponding to the interval distance between a tag and a vehicle, and a processor 106 executing the program, wherein the processor 106 determines the anchor point and ranging scheme for performing the ranging based on the interval distance.

[0264] When the interval distance is less than the first preset distance, the processor 106 uses N anchor points to perform ranging in the DS-TWR scheme.

[0265] When the interval distance is greater than or equal to the first preset distance and less than the second preset distance, the processor 106 uses the anchor point of the vehicle closest to the tag to perform ranging in the DS-TWR scheme.

[0266] When the interval distance is greater than or equal to the second preset distance, the processor 106 uses the anchor point of the vehicle closest to the tag to perform ranging in the SS-TWR scheme.

[0267] Figure 26 A distance-based UWB operation method according to yet another embodiment is shown.

[0268] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the distance-based UWB operation method is a UWB ranging method when the tag is farther away.

[0269] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a distance-based UWB operation method includes (a) receiving information about the interval distance between a tag and a vehicle and (b) determining an anchor point and a ranging scheme for performing ranging based on the interval distance.

[0270] In operation (a), the distance-based UWB operation method includes receiving information about the vertical distance between the tag and the vehicle.

[0271] In operation (b), when the interval distance is less than a first preset distance, the distance-based UWB operation method includes performing distance measurement in the DS-TWR scheme using N anchor points.

[0272] In operation (b), when the interval distance is greater than or equal to a first preset distance and less than a second preset distance, the distance-based UWB operation method includes performing distance measurement using the vehicle anchor point closest to the tag in the DS-TWR scheme.

[0273] In operation (b), when the interval distance is greater than or equal to a second preset distance, the distance-based UWB operation method includes performing distance measurement in the SS-TWR scheme using the anchor point of the vehicle closest to the tag.

[0274] When the tag approaches, perform UWB ranging according to the application to achieve a more accurate solution.

[0275] Reference Figure 26 The distance-based UWB operation method includes, in S2601, performing distance measurement in the DS-TWR scheme using N anchor points within a first preset distance (e.g., 3 meters).

[0276] Reference Figure 26 The distance-based UWB operation method includes determining in S2602 whether the vertical distance is greater than or equal to a first preset distance (e.g., 3 meters).

[0277] When it is determined in S2602 that the vertical distance is less than a first preset distance, the distance-based UWB operation method includes continuing to perform distance measurement in the DS-TWR scheme using N anchor points in S2603.

[0278] The distance-based UWB operation method includes determining in S2604 whether the vertical distance is greater than or equal to a second preset distance (e.g., 6 meters).

[0279] When it is determined in S2604 that the vertical distance is less than the second preset distance, that is, when it is determined that the vertical distance is greater than or equal to the first preset distance and less than the second preset distance, the distance-based UWB operation method includes performing ranging in the DS-TWR scheme using the nearest anchor point in S2605 to minimize power consumption, instead of performing ranging using N anchor points in the SS-TWR scheme.

[0280] When the vertical distance is determined to be greater than or equal to the second preset distance in S2604, the distance-based UWB operation method includes performing distance measurement in the SS-TWR scheme using the nearest anchor point in S2606.

[0281] According to another embodiment of the invention, when the label is removed and then removed again, the original state is restored.

[0282] That is, when the vertical distance changes from being greater than or equal to the second preset distance to being greater than or equal to the first preset distance and less than the second preset distance, the distance measurement method is also changed, so that the distance measurement is performed in the SS-TWR scheme using N anchor points instead of the SS-TWR scheme using one anchor point.

[0283] Furthermore, when the vertical distance changes from being greater than or equal to the first preset distance and less than the second preset distance to being less than the first preset distance, the ranging method is also changed, so that N anchor points are used in the DS-TWR scheme instead of using one anchor point to perform ranging.

[0284] According to another embodiment of the invention, power consumption in UWB ranging can be minimized and the situation can be responded to appropriately.

[0285] In other words, when multiple anchor points continuously perform ranging on remote tags, power consumption is significant and operation time is long. Therefore, by activating only one anchor point, power consumption can be minimized, and UWB ranging operations can be performed efficiently by reducing the number of anchor points performing UWB ranging and simplifying the method of performing UWB ranging (from DS-TWR to SS-TWR).

[0286] Figure 27 This shows a UWB ranging sequence defined by the Automotive Connectivity Consortium (CCC) standard based on four anchor points.

[0287] The frame format used for UWB ranging has a structure that includes a scrambled timestamp sequence (STS) to place timestamps, and a structure that includes a payload without an STS to transmit data such as timestamps.

[0288] refer to Figure 27 In time slot #1, device 300 sends pre-polling to the first anchor point 510 through the fourth anchor point 540. In this case, device 300 uses a frame format that includes a payload without STS in order to send data such as timestamps.

[0289] Device 300 sends polling to the first anchor point 510 through the fourth anchor point 540 in time slot #2. In this case, device 300 uses a frame format including an STS structure to place timestamps.

[0290] The first anchor point 510 to the fourth anchor point 540 send responses to the device 300 in time slots #3 to #6, and the device 300 sends the final message (final) to the first anchor point 510 to the fourth anchor point 540 in time slot #7.

[0291] Device 300 transmits final data to the first anchor point 510 through the fourth anchor point 540 in time slot #8. In this case, device 300 uses a frame format that includes a payload without STS, so as to transmit data in the same way as pre-polling transmission.

[0292] According to existing technology, digital key (smartphone) UWB ranging follows an operational sequence defined by international standards such as CCC.

[0293] Based on existing technology, relevant standards associations recommend that various ranging factors (e.g., STS index, encryption key, etc.) required for UWB communication should be exchanged with smartphones using other communication methods (NFC, BLE, etc.) via pre-handshake.

[0294] However, existing smart key systems have limitations on the use of such communication devices (NFC, BLE, etc.) and the pre-exchange of keys.

[0295] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a UWB system using a UWB ranging factor is used to select a ranging factor and maintain the same level of security when applying a UWB ranging sequence defined by the international standard (CCC).

[0296] According to another embodiment of the invention, by applying a UWB ranging sequence defined by the international standard (CCC), a communication scheme optimized by the physical characteristics of UWB (e.g., communication interference due to NLOS obstacle interference) can be provided.

[0297] According to another embodiment of the invention, the required predefined ranging factor can be derived most efficiently, and the ranging factor can also be shared between the vehicle and the smart key, so that when using the current smart key system, UWB ranging as defined by the international standard can be used.

[0298] Figure 28 This illustrates a UWB system using a UWB ranging factor defined according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0299] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a UWB system using UWB ranging factors includes a memory 107 embedded with a UWB ranging factor definition program and a processor 108 executing the program, wherein the processor 108 predefines UWB ranging factors to define an STS index, an encryption key, and a random number.

[0300] Processor 108 defines the STS index as something that must be encrypted to generate the plaintext of the STS.

[0301] The processor 108 defines the STS encryption key, the data encryption key, and the STS index encryption key as encryption keys.

[0302] Processor 108 defines the salt, SRC address, and random counter as random numbers.

[0303] The processor 108 defines the STS index, encryption key, and random number by taking into account feature information using an encryption key value created according to the same rules based on a random value provided by the device or a seed value provided by the vehicle.

[0304] The processor 108 determines the STS index by taking into account the 4-byte random value characteristic of each ranging change.

[0305] The processor 108 determines the encryption key by taking into account the unique 16-byte key characteristics (smart key) of each group of vehicles and devices.

[0306] The processor 108 considers the unique key characteristics of a single device (smart key) (a different fixed value for each smart key) to determine the random number.

[0307] The STS index is defined as having to be encrypted to generate the plaintext of the STS. The STS encryption key, data encryption key, and STS index encryption key are defined as encryption keys, and the saltiness, SRC address, and random counter are defined as random numbers.

[0308] The three types of values ​​mentioned above are encryption key values, which are created by the digital key (smartphone) according to the same rules based on the random value provided in advance by the smartphone and the seed value provided by the vehicle.

[0309] The STS index is determined by taking into account the 4-byte random value characteristic of each ranging change.

[0310] The encryption key is determined by taking into account the unique 16-byte key characteristics of each vehicle and smart key (a fixed value that is different for each vehicle).

[0311] Basically, each vehicle (SMK) is provided with two trained smart keys, and up to four smart keys can be provided. The random number is determined by taking into account the unique key property of each smart key (a fixed value different for each smart key).

[0312] According to another embodiment of the invention, sharing between the vehicle and the remote control device can be allowed, enabling the smart key system to perform the most efficient derivation taking into account the aforementioned characteristics.

[0313] In the case of STS indexing, the device creates a 4-byte random value and forwards this random value via pre-polling each time ranging occurs.

[0314] Since pre-polling only has data and no STS, an STS index included in the data is used to create STSs for polling, response, and final messages.

[0315] Since each vehicle has a different encryption key, the encryption key may include a PIN, VIN, or ISK (a secret key created using a PIN and VIN and shared during smart key training operations).

[0316] Regarding random numbers, the first anchor point, the second anchor point, the third anchor point, and the fourth anchor point are assigned numbers according to the training order of the remote control device, and these numbers are used as random numbers.

[0317] Meanwhile, the UWB operation method according to embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in a computer system or recorded on a recording medium. The computer system may include at least one processor, memory, user input device, data communication bus, user output device, and memory. The aforementioned components perform data communication via the data communication bus.

[0318] The computer system may also include a network interface coupled to the network. The processor may be a central processing unit (CPU) or a semiconductor device for processing instructions stored in memory and / or storage.

[0319] Memory and storage devices can include various types of volatile or non-volatile storage media. For example, memory can include read-only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM).

[0320] Therefore, the UWB operation method according to embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in a computer-executable manner. When the UWB operation method according to embodiments of the present invention is executed by a computer device, computer-readable instructions can implement the UWB operation method according to embodiments of the present invention.

[0321] Furthermore, the UWB operation method according to the present invention can be embodied as computer-readable code on a computer-readable recording medium. A computer-readable recording medium includes any type of recording medium in which data decryptable by a computer system is stored. For example, a computer-readable recording medium may include ROM, RAM, magnetic tape, magnetic disk, flash memory, optical data storage devices, etc. In addition, a computer-readable recording medium can be stored and executed as code distributed and readable in a distributed manner in a computer system connected to a computer network.

[0322] According to embodiments of the present invention, by performing UWB time hopping and frequency hopping according to a preset scheme, frequency interference can be minimized, UWB communication can be optimized, and a stable communication channel can be established.

[0323] The beneficial effects of the present invention are not limited to those described above, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand other effects not described herein through the above description.

[0324] The invention has been described above with reference to embodiments thereof. Those skilled in the art will understand that various changes in form and detail may be made herein without departing from the essential characteristics of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments described herein should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive. The scope of the invention should not be defined by the detailed description but by the appended claims, and all differences within the scope of equivalents to the claims should be understood to be included within the scope of the invention.

[0325] The components described in the example embodiments can be implemented by hardware components, including, for example, at least one digital signal processor (DSP), processor, controller, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), programmable logic element such as FPGA, other electronic devices, or combinations thereof. At least some of the functions or processes described in the exemplary embodiments can be implemented by software, and the software can be recorded on a recording medium. The components, functions, and processes described in the exemplary embodiments can be implemented by a combination of hardware and software.

[0326] The method according to the example embodiment can be embodied as a computer-executable program and can be implemented as various recording media, such as magnetic storage media, optical reading media and digital storage media.

[0327] The various technologies described herein can be implemented as digital electronic circuits, or as computer hardware, firmware, software, or combinations thereof. These technologies can be implemented as computer program products, i.e., computer programs tangibly embodied in an information carrier, such as in a machine-readable storage device (e.g., a computer-readable medium) or in a transmitted signal, for processing by or controlling the operation of a data processing device (e.g., a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple computers). Computer programs can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and can be deployed in any form, including standalone programs or modules, components, subroutines, or other units suitable for a computing environment. Computer programs can be deployed on a single computer or executed on multiple computers at a single site, or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected via a communication network.

[0328] Processors suitable for executing computer programs include, for example, general-purpose and special-purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Typically, the processor receives instructions and data from read-only memory or random access memory, or both. The components of a computer may include at least one processor that executes instructions and one or more storage devices that store instructions and data. Typically, a computer will also include or be coupled to receive data from, send data to, or perform both on one or more mass storage devices (e.g., magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks) to store data. Examples of suitable information carriers embodying computer program instructions and data include semiconductor storage devices, such as magnetic media like hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes; optical media like optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) and digital video discs (DVDs); and magneto-optical media such as floppy disks, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), flash memory, erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), and electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM); and any other known computer-readable media. The processor and memory may be supplemented by or integrated into special-purpose logic circuitry.

[0329] A processor can run an operating system (OS) and one or more software applications running on the OS. The processor device can also access, store, manipulate, process, and create data in response to the execution of software. For simplicity, the description of a processor device is used as the singular; however, those skilled in the art will understand that a processor device can include multiple processing elements and / or various types of processing elements. For example, a processor device can include multiple processors or a processor and a controller. Furthermore, different processing configurations are possible, such as parallel processors.

[0330] Furthermore, a non-transitory computer-readable medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer, and can include computer storage media and transmission media.

[0331] This specification includes details of various specific embodiments; however, it should be understood that these details do not limit any invention or claimable content in the specification, but rather describe features of specific exemplary embodiments. Features described in the specification within the context of a single exemplary embodiment may be implemented as combinations thereof in that single exemplary embodiment. Conversely, various features described in the specification within the context of a single exemplary embodiment may be implemented individually or in appropriate sub-combinations in multiple exemplary embodiments. Furthermore, these features may operate in particular combinations and may initially be described as claimed in a combination, but in some cases, one or more features may be excluded from the claimed combination, and the claimed combination may become a sub-combination or a modification of a sub-combination.

[0332] Similarly, even though operations are described in a specific order in the accompanying drawings, this should not be construed as requiring operations to be performed in a specific order or sequence to obtain the desired result, or as all operations needing to be performed. In certain situations, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Furthermore, it should not be understood that the various device components in the above example embodiments need to be separated in all exemplary embodiments, and it should be understood that the above program components and devices may be incorporated into a single software product or packaged in multiple software products.

[0333] It should be understood that the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An ultra-wideband ranging and control device, comprising: The memory stores the ultra-wideband ranging program; as well as The processor is configured to execute the ultra-wideband ranging program. The processor extracts a combination of ultra-wideband anchor points installed in the vehicle based on the operating scenario, and controls the ranging operation to be performed according to priority. The processor extracts combinations of ultra-wideband anchors installed in the vehicle based on the correspondence between the operating scenario and the combination of ultra-wideband anchors for each operating scenario. It then uses the higher-priority ultra-wideband anchors included in the extracted combinations to perform primary ranging, and uses the lower-priority ultra-wideband anchors included in the extracted combinations to perform secondary ranging. The ultra-wideband ranging procedure executes time hopping and frequency hopping in an alternating mode, which alternates between time hopping and frequency hopping. Ultra-wideband anchors with higher priority and those with lower priority comprise different anchor group groups. The processor sends a wake-up signal for the combination of ultra-wideband anchor points according to the operating scenario. The operational scenarios include passive keyless entry for the driver's seat, passive keyless entry for the passenger seat, passive trunk access, and passive start-up.

2. The ultra-wideband ranging and control device according to claim 1, wherein, The processor sends a wake-up signal by extracting the combination of the ultra-wideband anchors according to the operating scenario.

3. The ultra-wideband ranging and control device according to claim 2, wherein, When the driver's seat passive keyless entry is enabled, the processor uses a pair of first ultra-wideband modules located on the buffer on the driver's seat and on the buffer on the seat behind the driver's seat, and a pair of second ultra-wideband modules located on the loop of the vehicle to perform distance measurement.

4. The ultra-wideband ranging and control device according to claim 3, wherein, The processor performs ranging using the pair of first ultra-wideband modules in primary operation, and performs additional ranging using the pair of second ultra-wideband modules in secondary operation when ranging fails in primary operation.

5. The ultra-wideband ranging and control device according to claim 1, wherein, The processor uses an ultra-wideband anchor point, determined to be suitable for easy detection of the device according to the operating scenario and thus assigned a first priority, to control the primary ranging to be performed, and when the result of the primary ranging indicates failure, it uses an ultra-wideband anchor point assigned a second priority to control the secondary ranging to be performed subsequently.

6. The ultra-wideband ranging and control device according to claim 5, wherein, The processor determines whether smart key intrusion is necessary and whether to perform an operation based on at least one of the results of the primary ranging and the secondary ranging.

7. An ultra-wideband ranging method, comprising: (a) Extract the combination of ultra-wideband anchors based on the correspondence between the operation scenario and the combination of ultra-wideband anchors installed in the vehicle for each operation scenario; (b) Use the UWB anchors with the highest priority from the extracted UWB anchor combinations to perform primary ranging; and (c) Use the UWB anchors with second-priority allocation from the extracted UWB anchor combinations to perform secondary ranging. In this configuration, at least one of the primary ranging and the secondary ranging performs time hopping and frequency hopping in an alternating mode, the alternating mode alternating between time hopping and frequency hopping. The method further includes sending a wake-up signal for the combination of ultra-wideband anchor points according to the operation scenario. Among them, the ultra-wideband anchor points assigned the first priority and the ultra-wideband anchor points assigned the second priority include different anchor point groups. The operational scenarios include passive keyless entry for the driver's seat, passive keyless entry for the passenger seat, passive trunk access, and passive start-up.

8. The ultra-wideband ranging method according to claim 7, wherein, When the driver’s seat passive keyless entry is enabled, (a) includes: extracting a pair of first ultra-wideband modules disposed on a buffer on the driver’s seat and a buffer on a seat behind the driver’s seat, and a pair of second ultra-wideband modules disposed on the loop of the vehicle, as the combination of the ultra-wideband anchor point.

9. The ultra-wideband ranging method according to claim 8, wherein, (b) includes: performing the primary ranging using the pair of first ultrawideband modules assigned the first priority, and (c) includes: performing the secondary ranging using the pair of second ultrawideband modules assigned the second priority when the primary ranging fails.

10. The ultra-wideband ranging method according to claim 7, wherein, (b) includes: performing the primary ranging using an ultrawideband anchor point that is determined to be more suitable for the detection device according to the operating scenario and is therefore assigned the first priority, and sending the result of the primary ranging to the integrated controller.

11. The ultra-wideband ranging method according to claim 10, wherein, When the result of the primary ranging in (b) indicates failure, (c) includes: performing the secondary ranging using an ultrawideband anchor point assigned the second priority.

Images