Radio key for unlocking a vehicle and / or enabling vehicle function

Abstract

The invention relates to a radio key (1) for unlocking a vehicle and / or enabling a vehicle function, the radio key (1) having a sensor (10) for detecting a movement, an evaluation unit (20) and a transceiver (30) which is designed to emit a signal that can be used as a connection partner and to wirelessly transmit data to and / or receive data from the connection partner, wherein the transceiver (30) has at least one operating mode (A, B) and at least one sleep mode (C, D), the energy demand of the transceiver (30) in the sleep mode (C, D) being lower than the energy demand of the transceiver (30) in the at least one operating mode (A, B), and wherein the evaluation unit (20) is designed, if the sensor (10) does not detect a movement within a predetermined time interval, to determine whether the sensor (10) detects a movement within the predetermined time interval. If so, switching the transceiver (30) from the operating mode (A, B) to the sleep mode (C, D); if the sensor (10) recognizes a movement, the transceiver (30) is switched from the sleep mode (C, D) to the operating mode (A, B).

Description

[0001] manual:

[0002] The invention relates to a radio key for unlocking a vehicle and / or enabling vehicle functions.

[0003] In the prior art, a large number of different radio keys for unlocking or operating a vehicle are known. For example, a mobile phone can be used as such a radio key.

[0004] However, this has the problem that, due to the necessary radio connection between vehicle and radio key, the radio key has a relatively high energy requirement, which means that the battery of the radio key must be designed to be larger or consumes power relatively quickly.

[0005] Therefore, radio keys in the prior art are subject to certain limitations and must have a correspondingly large size.

[0006] In particular, this means that it is generally not possible to provide a relatively small key fob which takes over the function of such a radio key, also referred to as a smart key fob.

[0007] The object of the present invention is therefore to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages and to provide a radio key for unlocking a vehicle and / or enabling vehicle functions while minimizing the energy demand on the mobile device.

[0008] This object is achieved by the combination of features of claim 1 .

[0009] The invention proposes a radio key for unlocking a vehicle and / or enabling a vehicle function, wherein enabling a function can also be understood as triggering a function of the vehicle. The radio key has a sensor for detecting movement, an evaluation unit and a transceiver, wherein the transceiver is designed to emit a signal that it is available as a connection partner and to send data to and / or receive data from the connection partner in a wireless manner. In this context, it should be noted that the transceiver assumes an advertising role by emitting an availability signal, which is usually not the case in the prior art. Therefore, the vehicle or the transceiver of the vehicle, to which the radio key can be connected and accordingly becomes a connection partner, preferably assumes a scanning role for establishing a connection. According to the invention, the transceiver provides at least one operating mode and at least one sleep mode, the energy requirement of the transceiver in the at least one sleep mode being lower than the energy requirement in the at least one operating mode. The evaluation unit is designed to switch the transceiver from the at least one operating mode to the at least one sleep mode if the sensor does not detect a movement within a predetermined time interval, and to switch the transceiver from the at least one sleep mode to the at least one operating mode if the sensor detects a movement.

[0010] The combination of the advertising role and the switch-off when there is no movement enables a considerable energy saving compared to the prior art, so that the battery of the radio key can be designed to be smaller or have a longer service life while maintaining the same dimensions.

[0011] In this way, a particularly small radio key or a smart key fob can be provided as a radio key.

[0012] An advantageous further development provides that the radio key also has an operable switch element for enabling a vehicle function. In this case, the evaluation unit is also configured to switch the transceiver from at least one sleep mode to at least one operating mode when the switch element is operated.

[0013] Furthermore, the transceiver may have a first sleep mode and a second sleep mode, wherein the energy requirement of the transceiver in the first sleep mode is lower than the energy requirement in the at least one operating mode, and the energy requirement in the second sleep mode is lower than the energy requirement in the first sleep mode. Furthermore, in this case, the evaluation unit is designed to switch the transceiver from the first sleep mode to the second sleep mode if the sensor does not detect any movement within a predetermined second time interval.

[0014] According to a further advantageous variant, the transceiver is designed to disconnect from the connection partner in the first sleep mode and to stop emitting a signal that it is available as a connection partner.

[0015] The transceiver is preferably designed to be able to connect to a connection partner more quickly after switching from the first sleep mode to the operating mode than after switching from the second sleep mode to the operating mode.

[0016] The transceiver may be an NFC and / or BLE and / or UWB transceiver.

[0017] Preferably, the transceiver is also designed to transmit an advertising event on at least one advertising channel at least before the connection is established, thereby in particular signaling the availability of a connection partner.

[0018] Furthermore, the sensor may be a motion sensor or an acceleration sensor.

[0019] Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for energy saving of a radio key according to the invention. In this case, if the sensor does not detect a movement within a predetermined time interval, the evaluation unit switches the transceiver from the operating mode to the sleep mode. Furthermore, if the sensor detects a movement, the transceiver switches from the sleep mode to the operating mode.

[0020] As long as it is technically feasible and not contradictory, the features disclosed above can be combined as needed.

[0021] Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims or are explained in more detail below together with the description of the preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] Figure 1 The radio key is shown.

[0023] The figure is a schematic diagram showing a smart key fob 1 , which may be a radio key 1 .

[0024] The smart key fob or radio key 1 has a sensor 10, a transceiver 30 and an evaluation unit 20. In the variant shown, a switch element 40 operable by a user is additionally provided. The sensor 10, the transceiver 30 and the switch element 40 are each connected to the evaluation unit 20 so that the evaluation unit 20 can evaluate the respective data or signals and can at least control the transceiver.

[0025] Furthermore, the radio key 1 has a battery 50, wherein as an alternative or in addition, a storage battery or an energy generator may also be provided. The battery 50 supplies the components of the radio key 1 that require current or energy, and due to the energy-saving design of the radio key 1, the battery 50 can be particularly small, thereby achieving a small installation space and / or a long battery life.

[0026] In order to achieve a particularly long battery life or a small battery, provision is made for the transceiver 30 to assume an advertising role when establishing a connection, ie the transceiver itself does not play a primary role but leaves this role to its connection partner, in particular a vehicle.

[0027] In this case, four modes are stored in the evaluation unit 20 for the transceiver, between which modes a switch can be made depending on the movement detected by the sensor 10 .

[0028] These modes include a first operating mode A, a second operating mode B, a (first) sleep mode C and a deep sleep mode or a second sleep mode D.

[0029] In the first operating mode A, in which a connection has not yet been established with a connection partner, the transceiver 30 transmits an advertising signal, in particular on at least one of the three advertising channels.

[0030] In the second operating mode B, the connection has been established and the radio key 1 exchanges data with its connection partner, ie the vehicle, via its transceiver 30 .

[0031] In the first sleep mode C, the transmission of the advertising signal is stopped and the connection with the connection partner is disconnected. However, the transceiver 30 is not turned off, or at least not completely, so that it can be quickly switched to the first operating mode A.

[0032] The second sleep mode or deep sleep mode D stipulates that the transceiver 30 is turned off except in the first sleep mode C. Therefore, the transceiver 30 must be initialized before switching to the first working mode A, and the time required to switch to the first working mode A is longer than the time required to start from the first sleep mode C.

[0033] If a connection is established with a connection partner starting from the first operating mode A, it automatically switches to the second operating mode B.

[0034] If the sensor 10 does not detect any movement for a predetermined period of time or within a predetermined time interval in the first operating mode A or the second operating mode B, it switches from the respective operating mode A, B to the first sleep mode C.

[0035] If the sensor 10 does not recognize any movement in the first sleep mode C for a predetermined second period of time or within a predetermined second time interval, it switches from the first sleep mode C to the second sleep mode D. On the contrary, if the sensor 10 recognizes movement or operation of the switch element 40, it switches from the first sleep mode C to the first operating mode A again to reestablish the connection.

[0036] By virtue of the detected movement or actuation of the switch element 40 , a timer for determining the end of the first time period or the second time period is reset.

[0037] The invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments described above. On the contrary, many variants are conceivable, and the solution shown can be used even in substantially different types of embodiments.

Claims

1. A radio key (1) for unlocking a vehicle and / or enabling functions of the vehicle, in, The radio key (1) has a sensor (10) for detecting movement, an evaluation unit (20) and a transceiver (30), the transceiver (30) being designed to emit a signal that can be used as a connection partner and to send data to the connection partner and / or receive data from the connection partner in a wireless manner. The transceiver (30) has at least one working mode (A, B) and at least one sleep mode (C, D), and the energy requirement of the transceiver (30) in at least one of the sleep modes (C, D) is lower than the energy requirement in at least one of the working modes (A, B). The evaluation unit (20) is configured to switch the transceiver (30) from the working mode (A, B) to the sleep mode (C, D) if the sensor (10) does not recognize movement within a predetermined time interval; and to switch the transceiver (30) from the sleep mode (C, D) to the working mode (A, B) if the sensor (10) recognizes movement.

2. The radio key according to claim 1, Also provided is an operable switch element (40) for enabling a function of the vehicle, in, The evaluation unit (20) is configured to switch the transceiver (30) from at least one of the sleep modes (C, D) to at least one of the operating modes (A, B) when the switch element (40) is operated.

3. The radio key according to claim 1 or 2, in, The transceiver (30) has a first sleep mode (C) and a second sleep mode (D), wherein the energy requirement of the transceiver (30) in the first sleep mode (C) is lower than the energy requirement in at least one of the working modes (A, B), and the energy requirement of the transceiver (30) in the second sleep mode (D) is lower than the energy requirement in the first sleep mode (C), Therein, the evaluation unit (20) is designed to switch the transceiver (30) from the first sleep mode (C) to the second sleep mode (D) if the sensor (10) does not detect a movement within a predetermined second time interval.

4. The radio key according to the preceding claim, in, The transceiver (30) is configured to disconnect from the connection partner in the first sleep mode (C) and stop sending a signal that enables the transceiver to function as a connection partner.

5. The radio key according to claim 3 or 4, in, The transceiver (30) is designed to connect to the connection partner faster after switching from the first sleep mode (C) to the operating mode (A, B) than after switching from the second sleep mode (C) to the operating mode (A, B).

6. The radio key according to claim 1, in, The transceiver (30) is an NFC and / or BLE and / or UWB transceiver (30).

7. The radio key according to the preceding claim, in, The transceiver (30) is configured to transmit advertising events on at least one advertising channel.

8. The radio key according to claim 1, in, The sensor (10) is a motion sensor or an acceleration sensor.

9. A method for energy saving of a radio key, the radio key being a radio key according to any one of the preceding claims, in, If the sensor (10) does not detect a movement within a predetermined time interval, the evaluation unit (20) causes the transceiver (30) to switch from at least one operating mode (A, B) to at least one sleep mode (C, D), And wherein, if the sensor (10) detects movement, the transceiver (30) switches from at least one of the sleep modes (C, D) to at least one of the operating modes (A, B).

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