Key position determination method and vehicle body intelligent device

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of key positioning, and discloses a key position determination method and an intelligent vehicle body device.The method is applied to the intelligent vehicle body device.The method comprises the steps that a first target antenna is controlled to be in an open state, and a first signal is sent to a vehicle key through the first target antenna; and after a second signal from the vehicle key is received, re-selecting one target antenna from the M target antennas as the first target antenna, and returning to the step of controlling the first target antenna to be in the open state and sending the first signal to the vehicle key through the first target antenna, the M target antennas all receive the second signal sent by the vehicle key; and determining the position of the vehicle key based on all the second signals. According to the invention, the positioning complexity and the cost of the vehicle body intelligent device are reduced.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of key positioning, and in particular to a key position determination method and a vehicle body intelligent device. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the rapid popularization of intelligent automobile technology, electronicization / intelligentization has become the development trend of current and future intelligent automobiles, and the application of passive entry passive start (PEPS) is becoming more and more widespread. PEPS is composed of a vehicle key and a vehicle body intelligent device. The vehicle key is carried by the vehicle owner or driver, and the vehicle body intelligent device is arranged on the vehicle. The vehicle key and the vehicle body intelligent device communicate through wireless technology. When the activity area of the vehicle owner or driver enters the identification range of PEPS, PEPS can actively identify the authorized vehicle owner or driver of the vehicle and automatically open the vehicle door and disarm the anti-theft system. When the activity area of the vehicle owner or driver leaves the identification range of PEPS, PEPS will automatically lock the door and start the anti-theft state of the vehicle.

[0003] At present, there are three implementation schemes for PEPS. The first is a high-low frequency combined PEPS, the second is a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) based PEPS, and the third is an ultra-wideband (UWB) based PEPS. Whether it is a high-low frequency combined scheme, a BLE scheme or a UWB scheme, in order to complete the positioning of the vehicle key, independent ranging needs to be performed between multiple vehicle body accessory nodes (each accessory node requires an independent signal processing chip and a corresponding antenna), and the final positioning function is completed by the master node.

[0004] The above positioning method requires multiple signal processing chips on the vehicle body intelligent device to cooperate with each other, and communication and collaborative processing between the multiple signal processing chips are required to prevent signal interference between the vehicle body antennas, which increases the complexity of positioning processing and the cost of positioning. SUMMARY

[0005] Therefore, the present application provides a key position determination method and a vehicle body intelligent device to improve the complexity and cost of positioning processing in the vehicle control process.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present application provides a method for determining the position of a key, the method being applied to a vehicle body intelligent device, and the method comprising: controlling a first target antenna to be in an open state, and sending a first signal to a vehicle key through the first target antenna, wherein the first target antenna is one of M target antennas, the M target antennas are at least three of N antennas in the vehicle body intelligent device, M≤N, and M and N are integers;

[0007] After receiving a second signal sent by the vehicle key based on the first signal, a target antenna is selected from the M target antennas as the first target antenna again, and the step of controlling the first target antenna to be in the open state and sending the first signal to the vehicle key through the first target antenna is returned until the M target antennas all receive the second signal from the vehicle key;

[0008] Based on all the second signals, the position of the vehicle key is determined.

[0009] The method for determining the position of the key provided in this embodiment can poll the M target antennas to receive and send signals, and then the distance between each target antenna and the vehicle key can be determined according to the signals received from the M target antennas, and the position of the vehicle key can be located according to the distances measured. The method for determining the position of the key provided in this embodiment can locate the vehicle key based on one signal processing module, without the need for multiple signal processing chips to cooperate with each other, thereby reducing the complexity of positioning and the cost of the vehicle body intelligent device.

[0010] In an optional implementation, based on all the second signals, the position of the vehicle key is determined, comprising:

[0011] Based on the signal strength or phase of all the second signals, the distance between each first target antenna and the vehicle key is determined;

[0012] Based on the distance between each first target antenna and the vehicle key, the position of the vehicle key is determined.

[0013] In this embodiment, the position of the vehicle key is directly determined based on the signal strength of the M second signals, which can improve the efficiency of positioning, and thus the vehicle can be controlled to respond to user operations and perform target actions more timely, thereby improving the user experience.

[0014] In this embodiment, the signals are received and sent on the M first target antennas, the phase of the signals received by the M first target antennas is determined, and the position of the vehicle key is determined based on the phase of the signals received by the M first target antennas, which can improve the accuracy of positioning.

[0015] In an optional implementation, before the first target antenna is controlled to be in the open state, the method further comprises:

[0016] The second target antenna is controlled to be in an open state, and the second target antenna is one of the N antennas.

[0017] The authentication information from the vehicle key is received through the second target antenna.

[0018] Based on the authentication information, it is determined whether the vehicle key is legal.

[0019] Correspondingly, the first target antenna is controlled to be in an open state, including:

[0020] In the case that the vehicle key is legal, the first target antenna is controlled to be in an open state.

[0021] In this embodiment, before the vehicle key is positioned, it is determined whether the vehicle key is legal based on the authentication information, which can reduce the situation of vehicle theft and improve the safety of the vehicle.

[0022] In an optional implementation, before the first target antenna is controlled to be in an open state and the first signal is sent to the vehicle key through the first target antenna, the method further includes:

[0023] A target antenna with the highest signal strength is selected from the M target antennas as the first target antenna.

[0024] Or, a target antenna with the lowest signal strength is selected from the M target antennas as the first target antenna.

[0025] Or, a target antenna is randomly selected from the M target antennas as the first target antenna.

[0026] In an optional implementation, before a target antenna is reselected from the M target antennas as the first target antenna, the method includes:

[0027] A selected identifier is added to the selected target antenna to represent that the target antenna has been selected.

[0028] Correspondingly, the target antenna is reselected from the M target antennas as the first target antenna, including:

[0029] An unmarked target antenna is reselected from the M target antennas as the first target antenna.

[0030] In this implementation, by marking the selected antennas, repeated selection of the same antenna can be avoided, thereby improving the efficiency of the selection process. Each antenna has an equal chance of being selected, as once a certain antenna is selected and marked, it will not enter the selection pool again, which ensures the fairness of the selection. Reducing errors: The marking mechanism helps to reduce errors caused by repeated selection, making the entire selection process more accurate. When the target antenna needs to be replaced, this mechanism allows flexible selection among the remaining unselected antennas, enhancing the adaptability and flexibility of the system. For communication systems, reasonable allocation of antenna usage can maximize resource utilization and improve overall system performance.

[0031] In an optional implementation, reselecting an unmarked target antenna from the M target antennas as the first target antenna includes:

[0032] Selecting a target antenna with a signal strength lower than the first target antenna and not marked as the first target antenna according to the size of the signal strength of the M target antennas;

[0033] In this implementation, this selection strategy can ensure that the system can maintain basic communication functions in poor signal quality conditions. For example, when some antennas experience signal attenuation due to environmental factors, other antennas with slightly weaker signals but still usable can be selected to maintain the stability of the communication link.

[0034] Or, selecting a target antenna with a signal strength higher than the first target antenna and not marked as the first target antenna according to the size of the signal strength of the M target antennas;

[0035] In this implementation, the goal is to optimize communication quality by selecting antennas with stronger signals to improve data transmission rates and reduce error rates. This approach can improve user experience, especially in high-density user areas or application scenarios that require high-quality transmission.

[0036] Or, randomly selecting an unmarked target antenna from the M target antennas as the first target antenna.

[0037] In this implementation, the random selection method can be used to balance the load and prevent some antennas from being overused, thereby reducing wear and tear. At the same time, it also provides a certain degree of unpredictability for the system, increasing security.

[0038] In an optional implementation, the method further includes:

[0039] Receiving a vehicle key transmission execution information;

[0040] The target action is executed based on the execution information. The target action includes: opening the car door, starting the engine, adjusting the seat position, adjusting the rearview mirror position, opening the car window, opening the trunk, and / or playing music.

[0041] In this implementation, users can remotely send commands via the car key to perform operations such as unlocking / locking the car, starting the engine, and turning on the air conditioning, greatly improving user convenience. The remote control function can be used to lock the vehicle in emergencies to prevent unauthorized use. In extreme weather conditions, users can preheat or cool the vehicle interior via the car key in advance, improving passenger comfort.

[0042] In one optional implementation, receiving the vehicle key to send execution information includes:

[0043] The target antenna with the strongest control signal is turned on, and the execution information sent by the car key is received through the target antenna with the strongest signal.

[0044] In this implementation, by keeping the antenna with the strongest signal on, the communication link with the car key can be ensured to have the highest stability and the lowest bit error rate, thereby improving communication reliability. Furthermore, using the antenna with the strongest signal to receive information sent by the car key can significantly reduce signal transmission delay, enabling the vehicle to respond to user commands more quickly and improving the system's responsiveness.

[0045] Secondly, the present invention provides a vehicle body intelligent device, a first control module for controlling a first target antenna to be in an open state and sending a first signal to a car key through the first target antenna, wherein the first target antenna is one of M target antennas, the target antennas are at least three of N antennas in the vehicle body intelligent device, M≤N, and M and N are integers greater than or equal to 3;

[0046] The second control module is used to select a target antenna from the M target antennas as the first target antenna after receiving the second signal from the car key, return to the step of controlling the first target antenna to be in the open state and sending the first signal to the car key through the first target antenna, until all M target antennas receive the second signal from the car key.

[0047] The first determining module is used to determine the location of the car key based on all the second signals. Attached Figure Description

[0048] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the specific embodiments or related technologies of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or related technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0049] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a keyless entry system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the antenna switching module according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining the location of a key according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a triangulation method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating another method for determining the location of a key according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating another method for determining the position of a key according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating a specific implementation of the key position determination method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating another specific implementation of the key position determination method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 9 This is a structural block diagram of a vehicle body intelligent device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0058] Figure 10 This is a structural block diagram of a car key according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] Reference numerals: 110, Vehicle intelligent device; 111, First signal processing module; 112, Antenna switching module; 1121, Input terminal; 1122, Switch handle; 1123, Output terminal; 113, First antenna; 120, Car key; 121, Second signal processing module; 122, Second antenna; 123, Motion sensor; 901, First control module; 902, Second control module; 903, First determination module; 1001, Second receiving module; 1002, First transmitting module. Detailed Implementation

[0060] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0061] The key location determination method provided by this invention can be applied to the vehicle's PEPS (Pre-Electronic Power Controller). The vehicle's intelligent device can locate the car key based on a single signal processing module, eliminating the need for multiple signal processing chips to work together, thus reducing the complexity of the location determination and the cost of the vehicle's intelligent device.

[0062] To facilitate understanding of the key location determination method provided by this invention, a brief description of the keyless entry system (PEPS) for vehicles provided by this invention will be given first.

[0063] like Figure 1 As shown, the vehicle's keyless entry system includes a vehicle body intelligent device 110 and a car key 120. The vehicle body intelligent device 110 includes a first signal processing module 111, an antenna switching module 112, and N first antennas 113. The car key 120 includes a second signal processing module 121, a second antenna 122, and a motion sensor 123. N is an integer greater than or equal to 3.

[0064] The antenna switching module 112 is used to activate one of the N first antennas 113 (denoted as the target antenna), enabling the first signal processing module 111 to connect with the target antenna. This allows the vehicle intelligent device 110 to communicate with the vehicle key 120 via the target antenna, which is determined by the first signal processing module 111. The N first antennas are located in different positions on the vehicle, such as the headlights, taillights, or roof.

[0065] Motion sensor 123 is used to wake up second signal processing module 121 when user movement is detected, and second antenna 122 is used to connect second signal processing module 121 to vehicle body intelligent device 110. The first signal processing module 111 and second signal processing module 121 can have the same structure, both of which can be chips with communication and ranging functions. For example, the first signal processing module 111 and the second signal processing module 121 can be microcontroller units (MCUs).

[0066] For example, the structure of the antenna switching module 112 can be as follows: Figure 2As shown, the antenna switching module 112 includes a switch (e.g., a single-pole multi-throw switch), which includes an input terminal 1121, a switch handle 1122, and N output terminals 1123.

[0067] The input terminal 1121 is connected to the first signal processing module 111 to receive control signals from it. N output terminals 1123 are connected to N first antennas. One end of a switch handle 1122 is connected to the input terminal 1121, and the other end is connected to the target output terminal, thereby activating the target antenna. The target output terminal is one of the N output terminals, determined based on the control signals, and there is a one-to-one correspondence between the N output terminals and the N first antennas.

[0068] For example, if the control signal of the first signal processing module 111 indicates that the first antenna is turned on, then the target antenna is the first antenna, and the target output terminal is the output terminal among the N output terminals connected to the first antenna. At this time, the first signal processing module 111 receives or transmits signals through the target antenna.

[0069] For example, the car key 120 can be integrated into a terminal device for convenient carrying by the vehicle owner or driver. The terminal device can be a smartphone, smartwatch, or other device integrated with a signal processing module, antenna, and motion sensor.

[0070] For example, the first signal processing module 111 and the antenna switching module 112 can be integrated on one chip or can be two separate chips.

[0071] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for determining the location of a key is provided. It should be noted that the steps shown in the flowchart in the accompanying drawings can be executed in the first signal processing module of the vehicle intelligent device or the second signal processing module of the vehicle key. Furthermore, although the logical order is shown in the flowchart, in some cases, the steps shown or described can be executed in a different order than that shown here.

[0072] This embodiment provides a method for determining the location of a key. Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining the location of a key according to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 3 As shown, the method includes the following steps:

[0073] In step S301, the vehicle intelligent device controls the first target antenna to be in an open state and sends a first signal to the car key through the first target antenna. Correspondingly, the car key receives the first signal from the vehicle intelligent device.

[0074] The first target antenna is one of the M target antennas, and the M target antennas are at least three of the N antennas in the vehicle intelligent device, where M≤N and M and N are integers.

[0075] Specifically, prior to step S301, the key location determination method further includes determining the first target antenna.

[0076] Determining the first target antenna may include:

[0077] Select the target antenna with the highest signal strength from among the M target antennas as the first target antenna;

[0078] Alternatively, select the target antenna with the lowest signal strength from among the M target antennas as the first target antenna;

[0079] Alternatively, randomly select a target antenna from M target antennas as the first target antenna.

[0080] For example, M target antennas can be determined based on the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or signal strength of the signals received by N first antennas. For instance, the N received signals can be sorted in descending order of signal strength or SNR, and the first antennas corresponding to the top M signals can be identified as target antennas. After determining the M target antennas, the target antenna with the highest signal strength among the M target antennas can be identified as the first target antenna, or the target antenna with the lowest signal strength among the M target antennas can be identified as the first target antenna, or a target antenna can be randomly selected from the M target antennas as the first target antenna.

[0081] Specifically, signal strength refers to the Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI), which reflects the power level of the received signal. A higher RSSI indicates a stronger received signal, while a lower RSSI indicates a weaker received signal. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is the ratio of signal power to noise power, and is an important indicator of signal quality.

[0082] In this embodiment, the M first antennas with higher signal strength or signal-to-noise ratio are identified as the M target antennas, which can ensure the accuracy and stability of the signals received by the vehicle intelligent device.

[0083] In some alternative implementations, M antennas can be arbitrarily selected from the N first antennas as target antennas. For example, the M first antennas closest to the center of the vehicle can be selected as the M target antennas.

[0084] For ease of explanation, this embodiment describes the application in descending order of signal strength, where i = M, the target antenna marked as i is the target antenna with the highest signal strength, the target antenna marked as i-1 is the target antenna with the second highest signal strength, and so on.

[0085] Specifically, the first signal processing module of the vehicle intelligent device controls the i-th first target antenna to be in the open state through the antenna switching module, so that the vehicle intelligent device can communicate with the car key through the i-th first target antenna, and thus the vehicle intelligent device and the car key can transmit signals.

[0086] When the i-th first target antenna is turned on, all antennas among the N first antennas except the i-th first target antenna are turned off. The duration for which the i-th first target antenna is turned on is a first preset duration, which is a preset value that can be determined by the designer based on experience. For example, the first preset duration can be 1ms, 2ms, or 5ms, etc.

[0087] In step S302, the car key sends a second signal to the vehicle's intelligent device. Correspondingly, the vehicle's intelligent device receives the second signal from the car key.

[0088] For example, the first signal may be a test signal sent to determine the strength or phase of the signals received by the M target antennas, and the second signal may be a test response signal.

[0089] In step S303, after receiving the second signal from the car key, the vehicle intelligent device selects a new target antenna from the M target antennas as the first target antenna, returns to the step of controlling the first target antenna to be in the open state, and sending the first signal to the car key through the first target antenna, until all M target antennas receive the second signal from the car key.

[0090] For example, the signal transmission and reception process is explained using M=3. First, i=3, the vehicle intelligent device controls the third target antenna to be in the open state, and sends a first signal to the car key through the third target antenna. At this time, the first target antenna is the third target antenna. After receiving the second signal from the car key through the third target antenna, the vehicle intelligent device updates i to 2, that is, updates the first target antenna to the second target antenna, controls the second target antenna to be in the open state, and sends the first signal to the car key through the second target antenna. After receiving the second signal through the second target antenna, the vehicle intelligent device updates i to 1, that is, updates the first target antenna to the first target antenna, controls the first target antenna to be in the open state, and sends the first signal to the car key through the first target antenna. After receiving the second signal through the first target antenna, the vehicle intelligent device updates i to 0. At this time, step S304 is executed.

[0091] In other words, after identifying M target antennas, the M target antennas are turned on in a polling manner, so that the M target antennas establish a connection with the car key in sequence, in order to determine the M second signals corresponding to the M target antennas.

[0092] In step S305, the vehicle's intelligent device determines the location of the car key based on all the second signals.

[0093] Among them, all the second signals are M second signals, and each of the M second signals corresponds one-to-one with one of the M target antennas.

[0094] For example, the vehicle's intelligent device can determine the location of the car key based on the signal strength (RSSI) of M second signals, or it can determine the location of the car key based on the phase of the M second signals. The specific process for determining the location of the car key is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0095] The key location determination method provided in this embodiment involves the vehicle's intelligent device identifying M target antennas, polling and activating these antennas to transmit and receive signals, and then determining the distance between each target antenna and the car key based on the signals received from the M target antennas. The key's location is then determined based on these measured distances, allowing the vehicle to be controlled to perform a target action promptly once the key reaches a preset range within the vehicle. This key location determination method utilizes a single signal processing module for key positioning, eliminating the need for multiple signal processing chips and reducing the complexity of positioning and the cost of the vehicle's intelligent device.

[0096] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figure 4 The specific method for determining the location of the car key based on M second signals is explained.

[0097] In some optional implementations, step S305 above includes steps a1 and a2:

[0098] Step a1: The vehicle's intelligent device determines the distance between each first target antenna and the car key based on the signal strength of the M second signals.

[0099] The signal strength index (RSSI) is related to distance. The larger the RSSI, the closer the first signal processing module and the second signal processing module are; the smaller the RSSI, the farther the first signal processing module and the second signal processing module are.

[0100] For example, a first correspondence is pre-configured in the first signal processing module. This first correspondence reflects the relationship between signal strength (RSSI) and distance, and can be determined through testing. After determining the signal strength of the second signal corresponding to the M first target antennas, the distance between each first target antenna and the car key can be determined based on the first correspondence.

[0101] In step a2, the vehicle's intelligent device determines the location of the car key based on the distance between each first target antenna and the car key.

[0102] For example, after determining the distances between the M first target antennas and the car key, the position of the car key can be determined based on the distances between any three first target antennas and the car key.

[0103] Specifically, such as Figure 4 As shown, A, B, and C represent three first target antennas, and R... a R represents the distance between A and the car key. b R represents the distance between B and the car key. c This represents the distance between C and the car key. Based on the distance between A and the car key, it can be determined that the car key is located within a circle centered at A and extending outwards. a On a circle with radius R, based on the distance between B and the car key, it can be determined that the car key is located on a circle centered at B with radius R. b On a circle with radius C, based on the distance between C and the car key, it can be determined that the car key is located on a circle centered at C and with radius R. c On a circle with radius . At this point, combining the estimation results of A and B, we can determine that the car key is located at the intersection of circle A and circle B, i.e., point E or F. Combining the estimation result of C, we can determine that the car key is located in an area where the three circles overlap. For example, the position of point D is the position of the car key.

[0104] In this embodiment, determining the location of the car key based on the signal strength of M second signals can improve the efficiency of positioning, thereby enabling more timely control of the vehicle to respond to user operations, execute target actions, and improve the user experience.

[0105] In some alternative embodiments, step S304 above includes steps b1 and b2:

[0106] Step b1: The vehicle's intelligent device determines the distance between each first target antenna and the car key based on the phases of M second signals.

[0107] Specifically, by transmitting and receiving signals on M first target antennas, the phase of the second signal corresponding to the M first target antennas can be detected, and then the arrival time of each second signal at the corresponding first target antenna can be determined by the following formula (1).

[0108] r(t) =s(tT)×exp(j×2×π×f×(tT)) (1)

[0109] Where r represents the phase of the second signal, t represents the time variable, s represents the phase of the first signal, T represents the time when the second signal arrives at the corresponding first target antenna, j represents the imaginary unit, and f represents the signal frequency.

[0110] After determining the time when each second signal arrives at its corresponding first target antenna, the distance between the corresponding first target antenna and the car key can be determined based on the propagation speed of each second signal in the air.

[0111] In step b2, the vehicle's intelligent device determines the location of the car key based on the distance between each of the first target antennas and the car key.

[0112] For details, please refer to step a2 of the above embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0113] In this embodiment, after determining M target antennas, signals are transmitted and received on the M target antennas, the phase of the signals received by the M target antennas is determined, and the position of the car key is determined based on the phase of the signals received by the M target antennas, which can improve the accuracy of positioning.

[0114] In some optional implementations, the key location determination method further includes the following steps before reselecting one of the M target antennas as the first target antenna:

[0115] Add a selected identifier to the selected target antenna to indicate that it has been selected;

[0116] Accordingly, selecting a new target antenna from the M target antennas as the first target antenna includes: selecting a new unmarked target antenna from the M target antennas as the first target antenna.

[0117] The process can be understood as follows: First, define a set T containing M target antennas, each initially in an unselected state. At this point, none of the antennas have been marked. Second, select the first target antenna: randomly select a target antenna from set T as the initial first target antenna, mark its state as "selected," and record its ID. Third, add an identifier: for each selected target antenna, add an identifier to indicate that the antenna has been selected. This identifier can be a simple flag or other form of marking used to distinguish between selected and unselected antennas. Fourth, reselect target antennas: when a new target antenna needs to be selected, search for unmarked target antennas in set T. Specifically, iterate through each target antenna in set T, checking if it has the "selected" identifier. If not, the target antenna is considered a candidate antenna. Finally, determine the new first target antenna: from all unmarked target antennas, select a target antenna as the new first target antenna according to certain rules (such as signal strength, geographical location, or other parameters), and mark its state as "selected." Finally, the process is repeated. The above steps can be repeated as needed until all target antennas have been selected once, or other stopping conditions are met.

[0118] For example, suppose there are five target antennas (A1, A2, A3, A4, A5) in an intelligent vehicle system, and the system needs to switch between these antennas to maintain optimal communication quality. Following the method described above, the system first selects A1 as the initial first target antenna and marks it as "selected". Then, in the next selection, the system checks the status of the other four target antennas (A2, A3, A4, A5) and selects an unmarked target antenna (e.g., the antenna with the highest signal strength) as the new first target antenna and marks it as "selected". This process is repeated until all antennas have been selected at least once.

[0119] In some optional implementations, selecting an unidentified target antenna from the M target antennas as the first target antenna includes:

[0120] Based on the signal strength of the M target antennas, the target antenna whose signal strength is lower than that of the first target antenna and which is not marked is selected as the first target antenna;

[0121] Alternatively, select the target antenna whose signal strength is higher than that of the first target antenna and which is not marked, based on the signal strength of the M target antennas;

[0122] Alternatively, randomly select one unmarked target antenna from among the M target antennas as the first target antenna.

[0123] This embodiment, by marking selected antennas, avoids repeatedly selecting the same antenna, thereby improving the efficiency of the selection process. Simultaneously, each antenna has an equal chance of being selected, because once an antenna is selected and marked, it will not re-enter the selection pool, ensuring fairness. Furthermore, the marking mechanism helps reduce operational errors caused by duplicate selections, making the entire selection process more accurate.

[0124] This embodiment provides a method for determining the location of a key. Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating another method for determining the location of a key according to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 5 As shown, the method includes the following steps:

[0125] In step S501, the vehicle's intelligent device identifies the second target antenna.

[0126] The second target antenna is one of the N first antennas.

[0127] In some alternative implementations, the vehicle body intelligent device can determine the second target antenna based on the signal strength or signal-to-noise ratio received by N first antennas.

[0128] Specifically, the first antenna corresponding to the signal with the highest signal strength (RSSI) or the highest signal-to-noise ratio can be determined as the second target antenna.

[0129] In this embodiment, using the first antenna with the highest signal strength or signal-to-noise ratio as the second target antenna can ensure the stability and accuracy of the signal received by the first signal processing module.

[0130] In some alternative implementations, the vehicle intelligence device can determine the second target antenna based on the deployment locations of the N first antennas in the vehicle.

[0131] Specifically, the vehicle's intelligent device can identify the first antenna located on the roof as the second target antenna.

[0132] In this embodiment, the first antenna located on the roof of the vehicle is designated as the second target antenna, which ensures that the first signal processing module receives the signal sent by the car key located in any direction on the vehicle body.

[0133] In step S502, the vehicle's intelligent device controls the second target antenna to be in the open state.

[0134] Specifically, after the second target antenna is turned on, the vehicle's intelligent device can establish a connection with the car key through the second target antenna.

[0135] In step S503, the car key sends authentication information to the vehicle's intelligent device. Correspondingly, the vehicle's intelligent device receives the authentication information from the car key via the second target antenna.

[0136] For example, the authentication information carries a verification code or identification code that represents the identity information of the car key.

[0137] In step S504, the vehicle's intelligent device determines whether the car key is legitimate based on the authentication information.

[0138] Specifically, if the verification code or identification code carried in the authentication information is the same as the verification code or identification code pre-stored in the first signal processing module of the vehicle's intelligent device, the car key can be determined to be valid. If the car key is valid, step S505 is executed; if the car key is invalid, step S501 is executed again.

[0139] In step S505, the vehicle's intelligent device identifies the first target antenna.

[0140] In step S506, the vehicle intelligent device controls the first target antenna to be in an open state and sends a first signal to the car key through the first target antenna. Correspondingly, the car key receives the first signal from the vehicle intelligent device.

[0141] Please see details Figure 3 Step S301 of the illustrated embodiment will not be described again here.

[0142] In step S507, the car key sends a second signal to the vehicle's intelligent device. Correspondingly, the vehicle's intelligent device receives the second signal from the car key.

[0143] Please see details Figure 3 Step S302 of the illustrated embodiment will not be described again here.

[0144] In step S508, after receiving the second signal from the car key, the vehicle intelligent device selects a new target antenna from the M target antennas as the first target antenna, returns to the step of controlling the first target antenna to be in the open state, and sending the first signal to the car key through the first target antenna, until all M target antennas receive the second signal from the car key.

[0145] Please see details Figure 3 Step S303 of the illustrated embodiment will not be described again here.

[0146] In step S509, the vehicle's intelligent device determines the location of the car key based on all the second signals.

[0147] Please see details Figure 3 Step S304 of the illustrated embodiment will not be described again here.

[0148] In step S510, the car key sends execution information to the vehicle's intelligent device. Correspondingly, the vehicle's intelligent device receives the execution information from the car key.

[0149] The execution information is used to instruct the vehicle to perform a target action. For example, the target action could be opening a door, starting the engine, adjusting the seat position, adjusting the rearview mirror position, opening a window, opening the trunk, and / or playing music.

[0150] Specifically, after the car key is activated by the motion sensor, it connects to the vehicle's intelligent device. When the user needs the vehicle to perform a target action, they can press the car key, and the car key will respond to the user's operation by sending execution information to the vehicle's intelligent device.

[0151] For example, after determining the location of the car key, the target antenna with the strongest signal can be turned on to receive execution information.

[0152] In step S511, when the car key is within a preset range, the vehicle's intelligent device controls the vehicle to perform the target action based on the execution information from the car key.

[0153] Specifically, the preset range can be configured by the designer according to the requirements. For example, the preset range can be a circular area with the center of the first signal processing device as the center and a preset length as the radius.

[0154] The key location determination method provided in this embodiment involves the vehicle's intelligent device identifying and activating a second target antenna. Then, the authentication information received by the second target antenna determines the legitimacy of the vehicle key. If the key is deemed legitimate, M target antennas are identified, and the signals received by these M antennas are used to determine the key's location. If the key's location is within a preset range, the vehicle is controlled to perform a target action based on execution information from the key. In this embodiment, identifying M target antennas only after confirming the key's legitimacy helps prevent vehicle theft and improves vehicle security.

[0155] This embodiment provides a method for determining the location of a key. Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating another method for determining the position of a key according to an embodiment of the present invention. The following is a description of the method in conjunction with the attached diagram. Figure 6 The specific process of determining the key's position when determining the first and second target antennas based on signal strength or signal-to-noise ratio is explained. For example... Figure 6 As shown, the method includes the following steps:

[0156] In step S601, the vehicle intelligent device controls N first antennas to sequentially turn on, and sends a third signal to the car key through the first antennas that are in the turned-on state. Correspondingly, the car key receives the third signal from the vehicle intelligent device.

[0157] Specifically, the first signal processing module of the vehicle intelligent device controls the antenna switching module to poll and turn on N first antennas, so that the N first antennas sequentially communicate with the second antenna of the car key, and send a third signal to the car key after each connection to determine the signal-to-noise ratio or signal strength of the signals received by the N first antennas.

[0158] In step S602, the car key sends a fourth signal to the vehicle's intelligent device. Correspondingly, the vehicle's intelligent device receives N fourth signals from the car key.

[0159] Among them, there is a one-to-one correspondence between the N fourth signals and the N first antennas.

[0160] For example, the third signal can be a scan signal, and the fourth signal can be a scan response signal.

[0161] Specifically, when the third signal is a scanning signal, the vehicle's intelligent device polls and activates N first antennas, sending scanning signals to the car key through the activated first antennas every second preset time interval to determine whether a car key is present around the vehicle. Specifically, when the vehicle's intelligent device receives the fourth signal, it can determine that a car key is present around the vehicle. At this time, a connection is established between the first signal processing module of the vehicle's intelligent device and the second signal processing module of the car key via the antenna. The second preset time interval can be determined by the designers based on experience; for example, it could be 0.5 seconds or 1 second.

[0162] In step S603, the car key determines the second target antenna based on the signal strength or signal-to-noise ratio of N fourth signals.

[0163] Specifically, the first antenna corresponding to the fourth signal with the highest signal strength among the N fourth signals can be determined as the second target antenna, or the first antenna corresponding to the fourth signal with the highest signal-to-noise ratio among the N fourth signals can be determined as the second target antenna.

[0164] In step S604, the vehicle's intelligent device controls the second target antenna to be in the open state.

[0165] Please see details Figure 5 Step S502 of the illustrated embodiment will not be described again here.

[0166] In step S605, the car key sends authentication information to the vehicle's intelligent device. Correspondingly, the vehicle's intelligent device receives the authentication information from the car key via the second target antenna.

[0167] Please see details Figure 5 Step S503 of the illustrated embodiment will not be described again here.

[0168] In step S606, the vehicle's intelligent device determines whether the car key is legitimate based on the authentication information.

[0169] Specifically, if the car key is determined to be valid, step S607 is executed; if the car key is determined to be invalid, step S601 is executed again.

[0170] In step S607, the vehicle intelligent device determines the first target antenna based on the signal strength or signal-to-noise ratio of N fourth signals.

[0171] Specifically, the first antenna corresponding to the M fourth signals with the strongest signal strength among the N fourth signals can be determined as the target antenna, or the first antenna corresponding to the M fourth signals with the highest signal-to-noise ratio among the N fourth signals can be determined as the target antenna. After determining the M target antennas, the target antenna with the strongest signal among the M target antennas can be determined as the first target antenna.

[0172] In step S608, the vehicle intelligent device controls the first target antenna to be in an open state and sends a first signal to the car key through the first target antenna. Correspondingly, the car key receives the first signal from the vehicle intelligent device.

[0173] Please see details Figure 3 Step S301 of the illustrated embodiment will not be described again here.

[0174] In step S609, the car key sends a second signal to the vehicle's intelligent device. Correspondingly, the vehicle's intelligent device receives the second signal from the car key.

[0175] Please see details Figure 3 Step S302 of the illustrated embodiment will not be described again here.

[0176] In step S610, after receiving the second signal from the car key, the vehicle intelligent device selects a new target antenna from the M target antennas as the first target antenna, returns to the step of controlling the first target antenna to be in the open state and sending the first signal to the car key through the first target antenna, until all M target antennas receive the second signal from the car key.

[0177] Please see details Figure 3 Step S303 of the illustrated embodiment will not be described again here.

[0178] In step S611, the vehicle's intelligent device determines the location of the car key based on all the second signals.

[0179] Please see details Figure 3Step S304 of the illustrated embodiment will not be described again here.

[0180] In this embodiment, the first target antenna and the second target antenna are determined based on the scanning signal and scanning response signal when the vehicle intelligent device and the car key establish a connection, which can reduce the number of signal transmissions and improve the positioning efficiency.

[0181] Specifically, when the methods for determining the second target antenna and the first target antenna are different, the order of steps in the above-mentioned key position determination method will be different accordingly. The specific flow of the key position determination method provided by the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0182] For example, such as Figure 7 As shown, the vehicle body intelligent device first controls N first antennas to be turned on in sequence, and sends a scanning signal to the car key through the first antennas in the turned-on state. When the car key receives the scanning signal, the car key sends a scanning response signal to the vehicle body intelligent device, that is, steps S701, S702 and S703 are executed.

[0183] After the vehicle's intelligent device receives N scan response signals, it determines the second target antenna based on the signal strength or signal-to-noise ratio of the N scan response signals and controls the second target antenna to be in the open state, enabling the vehicle's intelligent device to connect to the car key through the second target antenna. At this time, the car key sends authentication information to the vehicle's intelligent device. After receiving the authentication information, the vehicle's intelligent device determines whether the car key is valid based on the authentication information, i.e., it executes steps S704, S705, S706, and S707. If the car key is invalid, the vehicle's intelligent device re-executes step S701.

[0184] When the vehicle key is deemed legitimate, the vehicle intelligent device determines M target antennas based on the signal strength or signal-to-noise ratio of N scan response signals. Then, based on the scan response signals corresponding to the M target antennas, it determines the location of the vehicle key, i.e., executes steps S708 and S709.

[0185] After determining the location of the car key, the vehicle's intelligent device checks whether the key's location is within a preset range, i.e., it executes step S710. Simultaneously, the car key sends execution information to the vehicle's intelligent device, i.e., it executes step S711.

[0186] After receiving the execution information, if the location of the car key is within the preset range, the vehicle intelligent device will control the vehicle to perform the target action according to the execution information, i.e., execute step S712; if the location of the car key is outside the preset range, step S709 will be executed again.

[0187] For example, such as Figure 8As shown, the vehicle's intelligent device first determines the second target antenna based on the deployment locations of N first antennas in the vehicle. Then, it controls the second target antenna to be in an "on" state, enabling the vehicle's intelligent device to connect to the car key via the second target antenna. Afterward, the vehicle's intelligent device sends a scanning signal to the car key every third preset time interval. Upon receiving the scanning signal, the car key sends a scan response signal and authentication information to the vehicle's intelligent device, i.e., steps S801, S802, S803, S804, and S805 are executed. The third preset time interval is configured by the designer based on experience; for example, it can be 1ms, 2ms, or 5ms.

[0188] After receiving the authentication information, the vehicle's intelligent device determines whether the car key is valid based on the authentication information, i.e., it executes step S806. If the car key is invalid, the vehicle's intelligent device re-executes step S803.

[0189] When the car key is valid, the vehicle intelligent device determines M target antennas from N first antennas. Then, the vehicle intelligent device controls the i-th target antenna (i.e., the first target antenna) to be turned on and sends a first test signal to the car key through the i-th target antenna. The car key receives the first test signal and sends a first test response signal to the vehicle intelligent device, i.e., steps S807, S808 and S809 are executed.

[0190] After receiving the first test response signal, the vehicle intelligent device executes step S810 to update i to i-1, and then re-executes step S808 until i = 0, that is, until the vehicle intelligent device receives M first test response signals.

[0191] After receiving M first test response signals, the vehicle intelligent device determines the location of the car key based on these signals, i.e., executes step S811. After determining the location of the car key, the vehicle intelligent device checks whether the key's location is within a preset range, i.e., executes step S812. Simultaneously, the car key sends execution information to the first signal processing module, i.e., executes step S813.

[0192] After receiving the execution information, if the location of the car key is within the preset range, the vehicle intelligent device will control the vehicle to perform the target action according to the execution information, i.e., execute step S814; if the location of the car key is outside the preset range, step S807 will be executed again.

[0193] In the above embodiments, the vehicle body intelligent device sends a scanning signal to the car key via a second target antenna to determine whether the car key is present around the vehicle body, but it is not limited to this. For example, after the second signal processing module of the car key is awakened by the motion sensor, the car key can also send a scanning signal to the vehicle body intelligent device to wake up the vehicle body intelligent device. After receiving the scanning signal, the vehicle body intelligent device sends a scanning response signal to the car key. After receiving the scanning response signal, the car key sends authentication information to the vehicle body intelligent device.

[0194] This embodiment also provides a vehicle body intelligent device and a vehicle key for implementing the above embodiments and preferred embodiments; details already described will not be repeated. As used below, the term "module" can refer to a combination of software and / or hardware that implements a predetermined function. Although the device described in the following embodiments is preferably implemented in software, hardware implementation, or a combination of software and hardware, is also possible and contemplated.

[0195] This embodiment provides a vehicle body intelligent device, such as Figure 9 As shown, the vehicle's intelligent devices may include:

[0196] The first control module 901 is used to control the first target antenna to be in the open state and to send a first signal to the car key through the first target antenna. The first target antenna is one of M target antennas, and the target antennas are at least three of N antennas in the vehicle intelligent device, M≤N, and M and N are integers greater than or equal to 3.

[0197] The second control module 902 is used to, after receiving the second signal from the car key, reselect one target antenna from the M target antennas as the first target antenna, return to the step of controlling the first target antenna to be in the open state and sending the first signal to the car key through the first target antenna, until all M target antennas receive the second signal from the car key.

[0198] The first determining module 903 is used to determine the position of the car key based on all the second signals.

[0199] In some alternative embodiments, the apparatus further includes:

[0200] The second determining module is used to select the target antenna with the highest signal strength from the M target antennas as the first target antenna;

[0201] Or, used to select the target antenna with the lowest signal strength among M target antennas as the first target antenna;

[0202] Alternatively, it can be used to randomly select a target antenna from M target antennas as the first target antenna.

[0203] In some alternative embodiments, the apparatus further includes:

[0204] The marking module is used to add a selected identifier to the selected target antenna to indicate that it has been selected;

[0205] The second control module 902 includes:

[0206] The first control unit is used to reselect an unidentified target antenna from among the M target antennas as the first target antenna.

[0207] In some alternative implementations, the second control module 902 includes:

[0208] The second control unit is used to select the target antenna whose signal strength is lower than that of the first target antenna as the first target antenna according to the signal strength of the M target antennas;

[0209] Alternatively, it can be used to select a target antenna whose signal strength is higher than that of the first target antenna based on the signal strength of the M target antennas;

[0210] Alternatively, it can be used to randomly select one target antenna from M target antennas as the first target antenna.

[0211] In some alternative implementations, the second control module 902 includes:

[0212] The third control unit is used to select, according to the signal strength of the M target antennas, the target antenna whose signal strength is lower than that of the first target antenna and which is not identified, as the first target antenna;

[0213] Or, it is used to select, based on the signal strength of M target antennas, a target antenna whose signal strength is higher than that of the first target antenna and which is not identified, as the first target antenna;

[0214] Alternatively, it can be used to randomly select one unmarked target antenna from M target antennas as the first target antenna.

[0215] In some alternative implementations, the first determining module 903 includes:

[0216] The first determining unit is used to determine the distance between each first target antenna and the car key based on the signal strength or phase of all the second signals.

[0217] The second determining unit is used to determine the position of the car key based on the distance between each first target antenna and the car key.

[0218] In some alternative embodiments, the apparatus further includes:

[0219] The first receiving module is used to receive the execution information sent by the car key;

[0220] The execution module is used to execute the target action based on the execution information.

[0221] In some alternative implementations, the first receiving module includes:

[0222] The first receiving unit is used to control the target antenna with the highest signal strength to be in the open state, and to receive the execution information sent by the car key through the target antenna with the highest signal strength.

[0223] In some alternative implementations, the target actions include: opening the vehicle door, starting the engine, adjusting the seat position, adjusting the rearview mirror position, opening the vehicle window, opening the trunk, and / or playing music.

[0224] This embodiment provides a car key, such as Figure 10 As shown, the car key includes:

[0225] The second receiving module 1001 is used to receive a first signal sent by the vehicle intelligent device through the first target antenna, wherein the first target antenna is one of M target antennas, the M target antennas are at least three of N antennas in the vehicle intelligent device, M≤N, and M and N are integers;

[0226] The first transmitting module 1002 is used to send a second signal to the vehicle's intelligent device.

[0227] In some alternative embodiments, the apparatus further includes:

[0228] The second sending module is used to send authentication information to the vehicle's intelligent devices.

[0229] In some alternative embodiments, the apparatus further includes:

[0230] The third sending module is used to send execution information to the vehicle's intelligent devices.

[0231] Further functional descriptions of the above modules and units are the same as those in the corresponding embodiments described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0232] In this embodiment, the vehicle body intelligent device and the car key are presented in the form of functional units. Here, a unit refers to an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a processor and memory that execute one or more software or fixed programs, and / or other devices that can provide the above-mentioned functions. The vehicle body intelligent device is equivalent to the first signal processing module described above, and the car key is equivalent to the second signal processing module described above.

[0233] This invention also provides a keyless entry system for a vehicle, including the vehicle body intelligent device and the vehicle key provided in any of the above embodiments.

[0234] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and such modifications and variations all fall within the scope defined by the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of determining the position of a key, characterized in that The method is applied to a vehicle body intelligent device, and the method comprises: controlling a first target antenna to be in an open state and sending a first signal to a vehicle key through the first target antenna, wherein the first target antenna is one of M target antennas, the M target antennas are at least three of N antennas in the vehicle body intelligent device, M≤N, and M and N are integers; after receiving a second signal sent by the vehicle key based on the first signal, reselecting one target antenna from the M target antennas as a first target antenna, returning to the step of controlling the first target antenna to be in an open state and sending a first signal to a vehicle key through the first target antenna, until all the M target antennas receive the second signal sent by the vehicle key; determining the position of the vehicle key based on all the second signals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, Before the step of controlling the first target antenna to be in an open state and sending a first signal to a vehicle key through the first target antenna, the method further comprises: selecting a target antenna with the highest signal strength from the M target antennas as a first target antenna; or, selecting a target antenna with the lowest signal strength from the M target antennas as a first target antenna; or, randomly selecting a target antenna from the M target antennas as a first target antenna.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, Before the step of reselecting one target antenna from the M target antennas as a first target antenna, the method comprises: adding a selected identifier to a selected target antenna; correspondingly, the step of reselecting one target antenna from the M target antennas as a first target antenna comprises: reselecting one unmarked target antenna from the M target antennas as a first target antenna.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, The step of reselecting one target antenna from the M target antennas as a first target antenna comprises: selecting a target antenna with a signal strength lower than that of the first target antenna from the M target antennas as a first target antenna according to the signal strengths of the M target antennas; or, selecting a target antenna with a signal strength higher than that of the first target antenna from the M target antennas as a first target antenna according to the signal strengths of the M target antennas; or, randomly selecting a target antenna from the M target antennas as a first target antenna.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein, The step of reselecting one unmarked target antenna from the M target antennas as a first target antenna comprises: selecting a target antenna with a signal strength lower than that of the first target antenna and unmarked from the M target antennas as a first target antenna according to the signal strengths of the M target antennas; or, selecting a target antenna with a signal strength higher than that of the first target antenna and unmarked from the M target antennas as a first target antenna according to the signal strengths of the M target antennas; or, randomly selecting a target antenna from the M target antennas as a first target antenna.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, The step of determining the position of the vehicle key based on all the second signals comprises: determining the distances between each first target antenna and the vehicle key based on the signal strengths or phases of all the second signals; determining the position of the vehicle key based on the distances between each first target antenna and the vehicle key.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, The method further comprises: receiving execution information sent by the car key; performing a target action based on the execution information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, The receiving execution information sent by the car key comprises: the target antenna with the highest signal strength is in an open state, and the execution information sent by the car key is received through the target antenna with the highest signal strength.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein, The target action comprises: opening a car door, starting an engine, adjusting a seat position, adjusting a rearview mirror position, opening a car window, opening a trunk, and / or playing music.

10. A vehicle body intelligence device characterized by comprising: The car body intelligent device comprises: a first control module configured to control a first target antenna to be in an open state and send a first signal to the car key through the first target antenna, wherein the first target antenna is one of M target antennas, the target antennas are at least three of N antennas in the car body intelligent device, M≤N, and M and N are integers greater than or equal to 3; a second control module configured to, after receiving a second signal sent by the car key based on the first signal, reselect one target antenna from the M target antennas as the first target antenna, return to the step of controlling the first target antenna to be in an open state and sending the first signal to the car key through the first target antenna, and repeat until all the M target antennas receive the second signal from the car key; a first determination module configured to determine the position of the car key based on all the second signals.

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