Method for activating a vehicle function and associated activation device

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for activating a function of a vehicle which is previously equipped with vehicle-to-vehicle communication means, comprising the steps of: a) selecting a master vehicle and slave vehicles from the plurality of vehicles according to predefined criteria, b) causing each slave vehicle to send a specific identifier to the master vehicle, c) causing the host vehicle to send an instruction to each slave vehicle to place the polling phases of the slave vehicles on standby, d) placing the polling phases of the slave vehicles on standby, e) increasing the frequency and / or power of the polling transmissions of the host vehicle and generating an enlarged predetermined area around the host vehicle, f) if the presence of a user authenticated by an identifier is detected in the expanded predetermined area, i) sending a wake-up instruction from the host vehicle to a slave vehicle corresponding to the identifier, ii) waking up the slave vehicle and causing the slave vehicle to trigger its polling phase, iii) if the authenticated user is located in a predetermined area around the slave vehicle, activating a vehicle function of the slave vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for activating vehicle functions (such as functions for unlocking / locking a vehicle hatch, functions for preheating vehicle seats, or functions for preselecting radio stations, etc.) when the presence of a user is detected near the user's vehicle, and to an associated activation device. More specifically, the present invention is applicable to vehicles located in a parking lot and surrounded by other motor vehicles. Background Art

[0002] In motor vehicles, it is known to use vehicle function activation devices that are capable of detecting the presence of a vehicle user's hand or foot, thereby allowing all or part of the vehicle hatch (e.g., the doors or the trunk) to be locked or unlocked. By way of example, detecting the presence of the user's hand on or in front of a door handle, combined with identifying the identifier of a "hands-free" access device carried by the user, allows these hatches to be locked and unlocked.

[0003] The so-called "hands-free" systems for accessing motor vehicles allow an authorized user to lock and / or unlock the hatch of their vehicle without physically pressing a button on the key. For this purpose, the vehicle identifies portable equipment such as a key card or remote control carried by the user, or even the key, and if the key card or remote control or key is located in a predetermined area around the vehicle or in the vehicle and is identified as belonging to the vehicle, the vehicle automatically locks / unlocks its hatch according to the user's intention without the user having to physically manipulate the key.

[0004] To achieve this, when the user approaches the vehicle, communication is established via a wireless communication link between a "hands-free" access device (e.g., an electronic key card or a smartphone) and the vehicle function activation device in order to authenticate the access device by virtue of the identifier of the access device.

[0005] To this end, the activation device includes at least one radio frequency antenna that allows the reception of the identifier sent by the "hands-free" access device. The activation device is connected to the vehicle's electronic computer or ECU (ECU is an abbreviation for Electronic Control Unit), and the activation device transmits the identifier to the electronic computer.

[0006] In the prior art, the access device is typically an electronic key card. The signal received by the antenna of the activation device (containing the identifier of the access device) is transmitted via RF waves or LF waves (RF stands for radio frequency and LF stands for low frequency). By measuring the intensity of the LF signal received by the portable device (via the antenna and the electronic control unit) from the vehicle, the exact position of the portable device around the vehicle is determined, and this intensity measurement result is more commonly referred to as the RSSI measurement result (RSSI stands for Received Signal Strength Indicator). The power measurement results of each signal received by the portable device from each of the multiple LF antennas located on the vehicle V are received and analyzed by the activation device embedded in the vehicle, so that the activation device determines the position of the portable device relative to the LF antenna (i.e., relative to the vehicle) via triangulation.

[0007] Based on the position of the portable device identified by the vehicle within the position area, certain actions specific to the position area are automatically performed: unlocking / locking, or turning on the welcome lighting in the passenger compartment.

[0008] However, nowadays it is becoming increasingly common to use a mobile phone to perform the authentication function, which avoids the need to use a dedicated electronic key card, thus limiting the number of devices required. Most mobile phones do not have RF or LF communication devices. Therefore, a "hands-free" start and / or access system needs to be adapted to the vehicle so that the system can also interact with mobile phones equipped with other communication standards (such as ultra-wideband (UWB) or Bluetooth Low (BLE) or Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity)), rather than only via radio frequency and low frequency (RF and LF) waves. In particular, ultra-wideband (UWB) is a radio modulation technology based on the emission of pulses with a very short duration (usually less than one nanosecond). Therefore, very high bandwidth values can be achieved.

[0009] The access device approaching the vicinity of the activation device (at a distance less than 2 m from the activation device) and identifying the identifier received by the computer, plus detecting the presence of the user's hand, allows the door to be locked or unlocked.

[0010] Regardless of the communication device used (whether it is low frequency, high frequency or ultra-high frequency), the disadvantage of such a method is that the vehicle needs to emit repeated radio frequency signals to detect the approach of the user. These continuous emissions consume energy, which is provided by the vehicle's battery. The risk is that if the vehicle is parked for several weeks, its battery will run out and the vehicle will no longer start.

[0011] There is a standby strategy that allows the vehicle to reduce the frequency of these emissions when it is detected that the vehicle has not moved for a period of time. However, the disadvantage here is how long it takes for the vehicle to wake up and respond promptly and quickly to an unlocking request from the user.

[0012] The present invention provides a method for activating a vehicle function and an associated activation device, which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art, especially when the vehicle is parked in a parking lot and surrounded by other motor vehicles. Summary of the Invention

[0013] The present invention provides a method for activating a vehicle function of one vehicle among a plurality of vehicles by means of an activation device intended to be embedded in a motor vehicle, the device including radio frequency communication means capable of communicating with a portable access device carried by a user. During a polling phase, when the presence of the portable user device is detected in a predetermined area around the vehicle and when the device is authenticated, the vehicle function is triggered. The method is notable in that the plurality of vehicles are previously equipped with radio frequency vehicle-to-vehicle communication means, and the activation method includes the following steps:

[0014] a. Selecting a master vehicle and slave vehicles from the plurality of vehicles according to predefined criteria,

[0015] b. Causing each slave vehicle to send a specific identifier to the master vehicle,

[0016] c. Causing the master vehicle to send an instruction to put the polling phase of these slave vehicles on standby to each slave vehicle,

[0017] d. Putting the polling phase of these slave vehicles on standby,

[0018] e. Increasing the frequency and / or power of the polling transmission of the master vehicle and generating an enlarged predetermined area around the master vehicle,

[0019] f. If the presence of a user authenticated by the identifier is detected in the enlarged predetermined area around the master vehicle, then

[0020] g. Sending a wake-up instruction from the master vehicle to the slave vehicle corresponding to the identifier,

[0021] h. Waking up the slave vehicle and causing the slave vehicle to trigger its polling phase,

[0022] i. If the authenticated user is in the predetermined area around the slave vehicle, activating the vehicle function of the slave vehicle.

[0023] Advantageously, for each new vehicle entering or leaving the enlarged transmission area of the master vehicle, the method is repeated.

[0024] The master vehicle is selected by the following operations:

[0025] a. Vehicle-to-vehicle communication,

[0026] b. Exchange the values of predefined criteria between these vehicles,

[0027] c. Compare the values of these predefined criteria with each other.

[0028] More precisely, the predefined criteria at least include:

[0029] a. A threshold or maximum value of the state of charge of the battery of the vehicle,

[0030] b. The maximum transmission distance.

[0031] The present invention also relates to a device for activating a vehicle function, which device is intended to be embedded in a vehicle and comprises a radio frequency communication device capable of communicating with a portable access device carried by a user. During a polling phase, when the presence of the portable user device is detected in a predetermined area around the vehicle and when the device is authenticated, the vehicle function is triggered. What is remarkable about this device is that it is capable of:

[0032] a. Communicate with other vehicles among a plurality of vehicles,

[0033] b. Select a master vehicle and slave vehicles from among the plurality of vehicles according to predefined criteria,

[0034] c. Receive specific identifiers from each slave vehicle,

[0035] d. Send an instruction to put its polling phase on standby to each slave vehicle,

[0036] e. Increase the frequency or transmission power of the polling phase,

[0037] f. Detect the presence of a user authenticated by an identifier in an expanded predetermined area,

[0038] g. Send an instruction to wake up its polling phase to the slave vehicle corresponding to the identifier of the authenticated user.

[0039] The device is further capable of exchanging the values of predefined criteria with other vehicles and comparing these values with each other.

[0040] More precisely, the predefined criteria include:

[0041] a. A threshold or maximum value of the state of charge of the battery of the vehicle,

[0042] b. The maximum transmission distance of the vehicle.

[0043] The present invention also relates to any computer program product comprising program code instructions which, when the program is executed on a computer, are used to carry out the steps of a method according to any one of the features listed above.

[0044] Finally, the present invention is applicable to any motor vehicle, which includes an activation device according to any one of the features listed above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following description. The description is purely illustrative and should be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0046] Figure 1 : Figure 1 schematically shows a plurality of vehicles including a main vehicle and subordinate vehicles,

[0047] Figure 2 : Figure 2 schematically shows an activation device according to the present invention,

[0048] Figure 3 : Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the various steps of an activation method according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] Figure 1 Shows a plurality of vehicles V1, V2, V3, V4, VM, each including a device D1, D2, D3, D4, DM for activating a vehicle function.

[0050] According to the present invention, Figure 1 each of the shown plurality of vehicles is equipped with a device D1, D2, D3, D4, DM for activating a vehicle function, for example, a device for activating "hands-free" locking / unlocking of the vehicle.

[0051] For this purpose, each vehicle includes a low-frequency, high-frequency or ultra-high-frequency radio frequency transmitting antenna, such as an RF, BLE (Bluetooth) or UWB (Ultra-Wideband) antenna. For example, each vehicle is equipped with four radio frequency antennas A11... A14, A21... A24, A31... A34, A41... A44, AM1... AM4, and each antenna is connected to the electronic control unit E1, E2, E3, E4, EM of the corresponding vehicle.

[0052] Thus, each of these vehicles V1, V2, V3, V4, VM is capable of: detecting the presence of a user U equipped with a portable device SD in a predetermined area Z1 around the vehicle during a so-called polling phase (i.e., the phase of transmitting radio frequency waves); and then, if the user is authenticated (i.e., if the identifier ID of the device SD exchanged with the vehicle corresponds to an identifier that has been previously registered and recognized as authorized to activate the vehicle function), activating the vehicle function.

[0053] ​​​The method and corresponding activation device for activating the hands-free function are known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in more detail herein.

[0054] According to the present invention, as described below, a plurality of vehicles V1, V2, V3, V4, VM include vehicles referred to as "slave vehicles" V1, V2, V3, V4 and at least one vehicle referred to as the "master vehicle" VM.

[0055] In order to classify the vehicles as "master" and "slave", the vehicles are capable of vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

[0056] Also according to the present invention, the vehicle referred to as the "master vehicle" VM is capable of requesting the slave vehicles V1, V2, V3, V4 to enter a standby phase (during which the polling phase of the slave vehicles is temporarily stopped), and is also capable of waking up the slave vehicle or at least one of the slave vehicles so that the polling phase of the slave vehicle or particularly one of the slave vehicles runs again.

[0057] During the standby phase of the slave vehicles V1, V2, V3, V4, the master vehicle VM itself implements an optimized polling phase (i.e., a polling phase with an increased transmission frequency or increased transmission power) in order to expand a predetermined radio frequency transmission area Z2 around it.

[0058] The master vehicle VM is selected according to a predetermined criterion, and each vehicle can play the role of a slave vehicle or a master vehicle.

[0059] The activation method will be described below.

[0060] Thus, according to the present invention, each activation device D1, D2, D3, D4, DM is capable of performing the functions of the slave vehicles V1, V2, V3, V4 or the master vehicle VM.

[0061] For this purpose, each activation device D1, D2, D3, D4, DM includes:

[0062] a. Means M1 for communicating with other vehicles located in the transmission area of the device,

[0063] b. Means M2 for selecting a master vehicle and slave vehicles according to a predefined criterion,

[0064] c. Means M3 for receiving a specific identifier ID of the slave vehicle,

[0065] d. Means M4 for sending a command to the slave vehicle to put its polling phase on standby,

[0066] e. Means M5 for increasing the transmission power or frequency of the polling phase of the vehicle in which the device is located,

[0067] f. Device M6 for detecting the presence of user U and for authenticating the user by identifier ID in an extended predefined area Z2

[0068] g. Device M7 for sending an instruction to wake up its polling phase to a slave vehicle corresponding to identifier ID.

[0069] The vehicle-to-vehicle communication device M1 includes antennas and devices for transmission / reception between each vehicle. Since vehicle-to-vehicle communication is known in the prior art, it will not be described in more detail here.

[0070] The device M2 for selecting the master vehicle VM and slave vehicles V1, V2, V3, V4 can receive values of predefined criteria from each vehicle, compare these values, and select the master vehicle VM from among the multiple vehicles based on the comparison result. The selection criteria can be: the battery charge state relative to a threshold or the maximum charge state, and / or the maximum transmission range, and / or even the positional centrality of the master vehicle relative to the slave vehicles, which allows the master vehicle VM to communicate with the largest number of slave vehicles.

[0071] Then, the master vehicle VM will be the vehicle with a battery charge state greater than that of the slave vehicles V1, V2, V3, V4 and the vehicle with the maximum transmission range (in which case it can communicate with the largest number of slave vehicles V1, V2, V3, V4). These criteria are by no means exhaustive or restrictive, and of course other criteria can be considered, such as detecting the absence of one or more walls around the master vehicle VM.

[0072] Therefore, the device M3 for receiving a specific identifier ID can list each slave vehicle by the identifier of each slave vehicle V1, V2, V3, V4, and then each identifier is recorded in the memory of the activation device DM of the master vehicle VM.

[0073] The device M4 for sending an instruction C to put its polling phase on standby to the slave vehicles V1, V2, V3, V4 can send a message to all slave vehicles, the message containing an instruction understandable by each slave vehicle that requires the slave vehicle to temporarily turn off or abort its polling phase.

[0074] Therefore, the device M5 for increasing the transmission power P or frequency F of the polling phase allows increasing the transmission range in the polling phase of the master vehicle VM.

[0075] The device M6 for detecting the presence of user U and for authenticating the user by identifier ID can detect any user U carrying a portable device SD in the extended transmission area Z2 of the master vehicle VM, the portable device having been previously paired with one of the slave vehicles by its identifier ID.

[0076] There is a detection device M6 that can receive the identifier ID and compare it with a specific subordinate vehicle identifier previously stored in the activation device DM of the main vehicle VM.

[0077] The device M7 for sending the polling phase wake-up instruction R can send a wake-up message to the subordinate vehicle, and the identifier ID of the subordinate vehicle corresponds to the identifier ID previously received by the main vehicle VM from the portable equipment SD of the user U.

[0078] The communication device M1, the selection device M2, the receiving device M3, the device M4 for sending the standby instruction C, the device M5 for increasing the transmission frequency F or power P of the main vehicle VM during the polling phase, the device M6 for detecting the presence of the user U and authenticating the user by the identifier ID, and the device M7 for sending the polling phase wake-up instruction R to the subordinate vehicle corresponding to the identifier ID received by the main vehicle VM are preferably in the form of software, which is included in a microcontroller (not shown), and the microcontroller is located in the electronic control units E1, E2, E3, E4, EM of the activation devices D1, D2, D3, D4, DM.

[0079] According to the embodiment described below, each of the electronic control units E1, E2, E3, E4, EM also includes a processor 100 and a memory 101 (refer to Figure 2 ), and instructions are stored in the memory, and these instructions allow the processor to be configured to perform certain specific processing operations and are particularly configured to implement the steps of the activation method.

[0080] Now, the Figure 3 method for activating vehicle functions shown will be described.

[0081] In a preliminary step E0, communication is established between each of the vehicles V1, V2, V3, V4, VM among multiple vehicles, and during this communication, the vehicles send the values of predefined criteria (in this example, the state of charge of the batteries of these vehicles and the range of radio frequency emissions of these vehicles) to each other.

[0082] In a first step E1, according to the predefined criteria, the main vehicle VM is selected from multiple vehicles. More precisely, the main vehicle VM is the vehicle whose battery charge state is greater than a predetermined threshold, or even the vehicle whose battery charge state is the maximum value relative to the battery charge states of other vehicles V1, V2, V3, V4. Therefore, the main vehicle VM is the vehicle that can communicate with the largest number of subordinate vehicles around it, and either the transmission range of this main vehicle is the largest, or the main vehicle VM is located in a central position relative to the subordinate vehicles V1, V2, V3, V4 (as Figure 1as shown, where the main vehicle VM is surrounded by the slave vehicles V1, V2, V3, V4).

[0083] In the second step E2, each slave vehicle V1, V2, V3, V4 sends its specific identifier to the main vehicle VM, and the identifier ID is recorded in the memory of the activation device DM of the main vehicle VM. It should be noted that this step can be included in the first step E1.

[0084] Once the main vehicle VM is selected and the identifiers ID of each slave vehicle V1, V2, V3, V4 are recorded in the memory of the activation device DM of the main vehicle VM, in the third step E3, the main vehicle VM sends an instruction C to each of the slave vehicles V1, V2, V3, V4 to put the polling phase of these slave vehicles on standby.

[0085] Based on receiving this instruction C, in the next step 4, E4, each slave vehicle puts its polling phase on standby, and more precisely, no longer emits radio waves intended for the compatible portable equipment SD in order to reduce the consumption of its battery, the vehicle is stationary and the engine is stopped.

[0086] In the 5th step, step E5, once the slave vehicles V1, V2, V3, V4 "are put to sleep", the main vehicle VM itself increases the power P and / or frequency F of the transmission of its polling phase in order to achieve a greater transmission range, which defines an enlarged predetermined area Z2 around the main vehicle VM, which area includes not only the slave vehicles V1, V2, V3, V4 (refer to Figure 1 ), but also the respective predetermined areas of these slave vehicles. This is shown in Figure 1 where the predetermined area of the slave vehicle V4 is located in the enlarged predetermined area Z2 of the main vehicle VM. The same is true for the predetermined areas of the other slave vehicles V1, V2, V3 ( Figure 1 not shown in the figure): these other predetermined areas are located in the enlarged predetermined area Z2. Therefore, the enlarged predetermined area Z2 contains the predetermined area Z1.

[0087] In the sixth step E6, if the user U carrying the portable equipment SD is located in the enlarged predetermined area Z2, the main vehicle VM requests the identifier ID of the equipment SD and compares it with the previously recorded identifier ID received by this main vehicle from the slave vehicles V1, V2, V3, V4 in the second step E2.

[0088] In the seventh step E7, if the identifier ID corresponds to one of the stored identifiers, the main vehicle VM sends an instruction R to the slave vehicle corresponding to the identifier ID to wake up the polling phase of the slave vehicle.

[0089] In the eighth step E8, the slave vehicles V1, V2, V3, V4 proceed to wake up their polling phase and, as a result, emit radiofrequency waves in order to then detect the portable equipment SD carried by the user U.

[0090] In the ninth step E9, if a slave vehicle also detects, in a predetermined area Z1 around the slave vehicle, in which the activation of vehicle functions is permitted, a portable equipment SD with a previously identified identifier ID, then that slave vehicle activates the function (step E10). In other words, the slave vehicle is unlocked.

[0091] It should be noted that each time a new vehicle V leaves or enters the extended transmission area Z2 of the master vehicle VM, the method is repeated. In fact, the new vehicle V can in turn become the master vehicle VM.

[0092] Thus, the activation method and the associated activation device according to the invention are able to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art. The method according to the invention is particularly ingenious in that it can save the battery of the slave vehicles, while continuing to poll, by choosing the master vehicle, for portable equipment compatible with at least one of the slave vehicles, the transmission range of the master vehicle being increased and this will ensure said detection.

[0093] The master vehicle is chosen to be able to withstand a more energy-consuming polling phase and also to be able to communicate with the largest number of slave vehicles in order to reduce the battery consumption of the largest number of vehicles.

[0094] The invention is inexpensive and easy to implement since it only requires software modifications.

Claims

1. A method for activating a vehicle function of one of a plurality of vehicles (V1, V2, V3, V4, VM) by means of an activation device (D1, D2, D3, D4, DM) intended to be embedded in the motor vehicle, the device comprising radio frequency communication means (A11 ... A14, A21 ... A24, A31 ... A34, A41 ... A44, AM1 ... AM4) capable of communicating with a portable access equipment (SD) carried by a user (U), the vehicle function being triggered when the presence of said portable user equipment (SD) is detected in a predetermined zone (Z1) around the vehicle and when said equipment is authenticated, during a polling phase, the plurality of vehicles being previously equipped with radio frequency vehicle-to-vehicle communication means (M1) and the activation method comprising the following steps: a) selecting a host vehicle (VM) and slave vehicles (V1, V2, V3, V4) from the plurality of vehicles according to predefined criteria, b) having each slave vehicle (V1, V2, V3, V4) send a specific identifier (ID) to the master vehicle (VM), c) causing the master vehicle (VM) to send a command (C) to each slave vehicle to put the polling phase of these slave vehicles on standby, d) put the polling phase of these slave vehicles (V1, V2, V3, V4) into standby mode, e) increasing the frequency (F) and / or power (P) of the polling transmissions of the host vehicle (VM), and generating an enlarged predetermined zone (Z2) around the host vehicle (VM), f) if the presence of a user (U) authenticated by an identifier (ID) is detected in said enlarged predetermined zone (Z2) around the host vehicle (VM), then i) sending a wake-up command (R) from the master vehicle (VM) to the slave vehicles (V1, V2, V3, V4) corresponding to the identifier (ID), ii) waking up the slave vehicles (V1, V2, V3, V4) and causing the slave vehicles to trigger their polling phase, iii) if the authenticated user (U) is located in a predetermined area (Z1) around the slave vehicle (V1, V2, V3, V4), activating the slave vehicle (V1, V2, V3, V4) V3, V4) vehicle functions.

2. Activation method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that The method is repeated for each new vehicle (V) entering the enlarged emission zone (Z2) of the host vehicle (VM) or leaving said emission zone.

3. The method for activating a vehicle function as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that Select the primary vehicle by doing the following: a) Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications, b) exchange values ​​of predefined standards between these vehicles, c) Comparing the values ​​of these predefined standards with each other.

4. The activation method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The predefined criteria include at least: a) a threshold or maximum value for the state of charge of the vehicle's battery, b) Maximum transmission distance.

5. A device (D1, D2, D3, D4, DM) for activating a vehicle function, the device being intended to be embedded in a vehicle, the device comprising radio frequency communication means (A11 ... A14, A21 ... A24, A31 ... A34, A41 ... A44, AM1 ... AM4) capable of communicating with a portable access device (SD) carried by a user (U), the vehicle function being triggered when the presence of the portable user device (SD) is detected in a predetermined zone (Z1) around the vehicle and when the device is authenticated, during a polling phase, the device (D1, D2, D3, D4, DM) being characterized in that the device is able to: a) communicate with other vehicles (V1, V2, V3, V4) in a plurality of vehicles, b) selecting a host vehicle (VM) and slave vehicles (V1, V2, V3, V4) from the plurality of vehicles according to predefined criteria, c) receiving a specific identifier (ID) from each slave vehicle (V1, V2, V3, V4), d) sending a command (C) to each slave vehicle (V1, V2, V3, V4) to put its polling phase on standby, e) Increase the frequency (F) or transmit power (P) of the polling phase, f) detecting the presence of a user (U) authenticated by an identifier (ID) in the enlarged predetermined zone (Z2), g) sending a signal to a slave vehicle (V1, V2, V3, V4) sends a command (R) to wake up its polling phase.

6. Activation device (D1, D2, D3, D4, DM) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that The device is able to exchange values ​​of predefined standards with other vehicles and compare these values ​​with each other.

7. An activation device (D1, D2, D3, D4, DM) according to any one of claims 5 and 6, characterized in that The predefined standards include: a) a threshold or maximum value for the state of charge of the vehicle's battery, b) The maximum transmission distance of the vehicle.

8. A computer program product comprising program code instructions for executing the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 4 when the program is executed on a computer.

9. A motor vehicle (V), characterized in that The motor vehicle comprises an activation device (D1, D2, D3, D4, DM) as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7.

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