Position determination system and position determination method

Abstract

The smart ECU (2) generates a measurement value by averaging the reception strength of the device signal observed by the plurality of inner anchor points in a state where the user device is disposed at a predetermined inner set position. A smart ECU (2) determines a correction value on the basis of the difference between a pre-registered reference value indicating the communication characteristics of a reference device and a measured value, and stores the correction value in a characteristic data storage unit. The smart ECU (2) uses the stored correction value to correct the reception strength observed in the actual communication, and determines whether or not there is a mobile device in the vehicle.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-144710, filed in Japan on September 6, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to techniques for determining the position of a mobile device relative to a vehicle. Background Technology

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration that determines whether a portable device is inside a vehicle based on the fact that the received power (i.e., received strength) of a signal transmitted from a portable device by an in-vehicle antenna is above a specified value.

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-214316

[0006] In recent years, in-vehicle systems have been developed that can use common mobile devices such as smartphones as vehicle keys. These systems communicate with mobile devices via Near Field Communication (hereinafter referred to as SRWC). SRWC stands for Bluetooth Low Energy (a registered trademark) or Wi-Fi (a registered trademark). The in-vehicle system can determine the location of the mobile device based on the received strength of the SRWC signal transmitted from it.

[0007] However, smartphones may vary in transmission power and antenna configuration (i.e., directionality) depending on the model or type. The user's mobile device (hereinafter referred to as the user equipment) may differ from the reference device. Here, the reference device refers to the mobile device used by the manufacturer to set a threshold for received signal strength. In the process of determining the location of the user equipment by comparing the received signal strength from the user equipment with the threshold designed using the reference device, misjudgments of location may occur due to the communication characteristics of each mobile device. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This disclosure is made based on the above circumstances, and one of its purposes is to provide technology that can reduce concerns about misjudging the location of mobile devices.

[0009] The location determination system disclosed herein is an in-vehicle system equipped with a communication unit and a control unit. The communication unit is capable of wirelessly communicating with a mobile device used by a user in the vehicle via a specified communication method. The control unit determines the position of the mobile device relative to the vehicle based on the received signal strength received by the communication unit from the mobile device. The control unit includes: a threshold storage unit that registers a threshold for the received signal strength used to determine the position of the mobile device, the threshold being a threshold designed based on the communication characteristics of a specified reference device; and a characteristic data storage unit that stores data representing the communication characteristics of the mobile device. The control unit is configured to: acquire the received signal strength from the communication unit; generate characteristic data representing the difference between the communication characteristics of the mobile device and the reference device based on the received signal strength detected when the mobile device is positioned in a specified location and store it in the characteristic data storage unit; and determine the position of the mobile device based on the characteristic data stored in the characteristic data storage unit, the received signal strength detected by the communication unit, and the threshold.

[0010] Based on the above configuration, the location of the mobile device is determined using characteristic data representing the differences in communication characteristics between the user's mobile device and the reference device. This reduces concerns about misjudging location due to differences in the communication characteristics of each mobile device.

[0011] Furthermore, the location determination method included in this disclosure includes: acquiring the received signal strength from the mobile device from a communication device configured to wirelessly communicate with the mobile device via a predetermined communication method; accessing a threshold storage unit that registers a threshold for the received signal strength for determining the location of the mobile device, and reading the threshold from the threshold storage unit, wherein the threshold storage unit is a threshold designed based on the communication characteristics of a predetermined reference device; generating characteristic data representing the communication characteristics of the mobile device based on the received signal strength detected when the mobile device is configured in a predetermined location; storing the generated characteristic data in a characteristic data storage unit; and determining the location of the mobile device based on the characteristic data stored in the characteristic data storage unit, the received signal strength detected by the communication device, and the threshold.

[0012] Furthermore, the reference numerals in parentheses in the technical solutions indicate the correspondence between the specific units described in the embodiments described later as a method, and do not limit the technical scope of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the overall structure of a vehicle's electronic key system.

[0014] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing an example of the mounting position of an anchor point.

[0015] Figure 3 It is a flowchart used to illustrate the general workings of an intelligent ECU.

[0016] Figure 4 This is a flowchart used to illustrate the overview of the position determination process.

[0017] Figure 5 This is a functional block diagram of the intelligent ECU.

[0018] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of the location determination process.

[0019] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of the feature learning process. Detailed Implementation

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described using the accompanying drawings. This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described below. The configurations disclosed below can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the spirit of the matter. Various modifications can be appropriately combined and implemented without creating technical inconsistencies. This disclosure also includes undisclosed configurations formed by combining multiple modifications. In the following description, components with the same function are sometimes given the same reference numerals, and their specific descriptions are omitted. Where only a part of the configuration is mentioned, descriptions from other locations may be applied to other parts.

[0021] <Overall Composition>

[0022] like Figure 1 As shown, the vehicle electronic key system of this embodiment includes an in-vehicle system 1 and a user device 9. The in-vehicle system 1 is a system installed in the vehicle Hv. The in-vehicle system 1 includes an intelligent ECU 2. ECU stands for Electronic Control Unit; it refers to an electronic control device. In the following description, the in-vehicle system 1 and the vehicle Hv can be used interchangeably. The in-vehicle system 1 is a system that determines the position of the user device 9 and controls the locking state of the vehicle Hv's doors based on the determination result. The in-vehicle system 1 is equivalent to a position determination system.

[0023] User equipment 9 is a wireless communication terminal (i.e., a mobile device) carried by the user. User equipment 9 is associated with intelligent ECU 2. That is, the device information of user equipment 9 is registered in intelligent ECU 2. The device information includes the device's identification number (hereinafter referred to as the device ID). The device ID can be a device address or a UUID (Universally Unique Identifier), etc. Multiple user equipment 9 devices can also be registered in intelligent ECU 2.

[0024] Both the intelligent ECU2 and the user equipment 9 include a short-range communication module. The short-range communication module is a communication module capable of implementing short-range communication. Here, short-range communication refers to communication following a wireless communication standard with a practical communication range of 5m to 50m, and a maximum of approximately 100m. Short-range communication can be Bluetooth (registered trademark), LowEnergy (hereinafter referred to as Bluetooth LE), Wi-Fi (registered trademark), etc. In the following description and accompanying drawings, short-range communication is sometimes referred to as SRWC (Short Range Wireless Communication). Furthermore, in this disclosure, signals transmitted and received via short-range communication are sometimes referred to as short-range communication signals or SRWC signals. In particular, SRWC signals transmitted from the user equipment 9 are also referred to as device signals.

[0025] The following explanation uses Bluetooth LE with Short Range Communication (SRWC) as an example to illustrate the operation of each component. Furthermore, it is assumed that User Equipment 9 operates as a peripheral device in Bluetooth LE, and Intelligent ECU 2 operates as the central device. The roles of User Equipment 9 and Intelligent ECU 2 can be interchanged. SRWC can be a communication method capable of using multiple frequencies (i.e., channels). SRWC can be a communication method incorporating channel hopping technology.

[0026] <In-vehicle System>

[0027] In addition to the intelligent ECU 2, the vehicle system 1 also includes multiple anchor points 3, an in-vehicle display 4, input devices 5, and device detection units 6, among other devices. The intelligent ECU 2 is connected to the multiple anchor points 3 via dedicated communication cables. The intelligent ECU 2 connects to the in-vehicle display 4, input devices 5, and device detection units 6 via the in-vehicle network. The in-vehicle network is a communication network built within the vehicle's Hv (Hardware Vehicle). The in-vehicle network standard can be any standard such as Controller Area Network (CAN is a registered trademark), Ethernet (a registered trademark), or FlexRay (a registered trademark). The connection methods between devices can be appropriately modified.

[0028] The intelligent ECU2 determines the device's location through cooperation with the anchor point 3. The anchor point 3, as described later, is a wireless communication module used for ranging communication with the user equipment 9. In this disclosure, ranging communication refers to wireless communication used to measure the distance between communication devices based on the time-of-flight of a signal or the phase information of a received signal.

[0029] The intelligent ECU2 can perform vehicle control functions corresponding to the determined device location. In this disclosure, device location refers to the relative position of user device 9 with respect to the vehicle's Hv. Determining the device location is equivalent to determining the user's location. The recording of the device location can be replaced by the user's location. The intelligent ECU2 controls the actions of anchor point 3. Vehicle control here can be switching the door's locked state (e.g., unlocking) or switching the vehicle's power supply on / off.

[0030] The intelligent ECU2 includes a processor 21, memory 22, storage 23, a wireless communication module 24, and an in-vehicle communication unit 25. The processor 21 can be a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MPU (Micro Processing Unit). The processor 21 functions as a control unit. The memory 22 can be a volatile storage medium such as RAM (Random Access Memory). The memory 22 can be a component used to temporarily store received data from other in-vehicle devices, calculation results from the processor 21, programs, etc. The storage 23 is a rewritable non-volatile storage medium. The storage 23 is implemented using at least one non-transitory tangible storage medium, such as semiconductor memory, magnetic media, or optical media. The storage 23 can be stored using various types of storage media, such as ROM (Read Only Memory) and flash memory.

[0031] The memory 23 may store the device ID of the user equipment 9, anchor point data, and authentication data. The anchor point data represents the mounting positions of multiple anchor points 3 in the vehicle Hv. The authentication data may be data used to authenticate the user equipment 9 (e.g., a key code).

[0032] The memory 23 stores a device response program executed by the processor 21. The device response program may be a program for implementing at least a portion of the functions of the intelligent ECU 2. Executing the device response program by the processor 21 is equivalent to executing a position determination method.

[0033] The wireless communication module 24 is a short-range communication module built into the intelligent ECU2. The wireless communication module 24 includes an antenna for SRWC, transmitting and receiving circuitry, and an SRWC controller. The transmitting and receiving circuitry performs signal processing, including modulation and demodulation. The SRWC controller is a microcomputer that performs SRWC data processing.

[0034] While the driving power supply is set to off, the wireless communication module 24 is also supplied with power from the vehicle battery. Using the power supplied from the vehicle battery, the wireless communication module 24 periodically scans for connection attempts with the user equipment 9. Scanning is a state where it can receive SRWC signals. After receiving an advertising signal from the user equipment 9, the wireless communication module 24 sends a connection request to the user equipment 9 and establishes a communication connection. The wireless communication module 24 can be understood as an SRWC module acting as a gateway for communication between the user equipment 9 and the vehicle (Hv). In this disclosure, the wireless communication module 24 is also referred to as a gateway module. Furthermore, the wireless communication module 24 can also be configured outside the intelligent ECU 2.

[0035] The in-vehicle communication unit 25 is a circuit for the processor 21 to communicate with multiple anchor points 3. Additionally, the in-vehicle communication unit 25 may also include circuitry for the processor 21 to communicate with other in-vehicle devices via an in-vehicle network. The in-vehicle communication unit 25 may include a PHY chip, etc., that conforms to the communication standards of the in-vehicle network.

[0036] The intelligent ECU2 establishes a communication connection with the user equipment 9 using the wireless communication module 24 and performs wireless authentication processing via SRWC. Wireless authentication processing is the process of authenticating (i.e., verifying) the user equipment 9 through wireless communication. Authentication can be implemented using any method, such as challenge-response.

[0037] After establishing a communication connection with the user equipment 9, the intelligent ECU 2 enables each anchor point 3 to perform ranging communication with the user equipment 9. The intelligent ECU 2 acquires data representing the results of the ranging communication (hereinafter referred to as ranging result data) from the multiple anchor points 3. The ranging result data includes the ID of the user equipment 9 that underwent ranging, data representing the distance from the anchor point 3 to the user equipment 9, and the received signal strength of the equipment. In this disclosure, the value representing the distance from the anchor point 3 to the user equipment 9 determined through ranging communication is sometimes recorded as a ranging value.

[0038] The intelligent ECU2 determines whether the user equipment 9 is located inside the vehicle, in the nearby area, or in a distant area based on the ranging values ​​and reception strength provided from each anchor point 3. The nearby area refers to the area outside the vehicle within a specified distance (e.g., 1.5m) from the vehicle's Hv. The distant area refers to the area outside the vehicle that is outside the nearby area. The method for determining the device's location will be detailed later.

[0039] The intelligent ECU2 can also be configured to calculate the device position coordinates by combining distance measurements provided from multiple anchor points 3. The device position coordinates refer to the position coordinates of the user device 9 in a two-dimensional / three-dimensional coordinate system based on the specified position of the vehicle (Hv). The device position coordinates can be calculated using methods similar to three-point or multi-point positioning in the fields of GPS or position estimation.

[0040] As described above, each anchor point 3 is a device for performing ranging communication with the user equipment 9. The configuration and function of the anchor point 3 can be the same as those of the wireless communication module 24. The anchor point 3 is configured to implement SWRC (i.e., Bluetooth LE). The anchor point 3 includes an antenna for SWRC, a transmit / receive circuit, and an SRWC controller. Based on instructions from the intelligent ECU 2, the SRWC controller of the anchor point 3 performs ranging communication with the user equipment 9, generates ranging result data, and sends (reports) the ranging result data to the intelligent ECU 2.

[0041] Ranging methods using Bluetooth LE can include Channel Sounding (CS) ranging. CS ranging is a method of determining distance based on the phase difference of the received CW (Continuous Wave) signals from multiple channels. CS ranging is sometimes referred to as High Accuracy Distance Measurement (HADM) or phase difference ranging. Anchor point 3 can be configured to transmit and receive a continuous wave (CW) signal of a specified waveform, in addition to the modulated signal used for data communication, as a ranging signal. The waveform of the CW signal can be either a sine wave or a triangular wave. Specific methods for CS ranging will be described later.

[0042] Alternatively, the ranging method can also be based on Round Trip Time (RTT). In RTT, the user equipment 9 measures the elapsed time from sending a polling signal toward anchor point 3 to receiving a response signal from anchor point 3 as the RTT. The user equipment 9 can calculate the ranging value based on the RTT measured through ranging communication and send it to the intelligent ECU 2 via SRWC. The polling signal is a signal requesting a response (reply) from the responder. The response signal can be considered an acknowledgment signal.

[0043] In the ranging communication of this embodiment, the user equipment 9 operates as an initiator, and the anchor point 3 operates as a responder. The initiator is the device that undertakes the main role in ranging communication. The role distribution in ranging communication can be appropriately changed. Multiple anchor points 3 can also independently act as initiators to conduct ranging communication with the user equipment 9.

[0044] The vehicle-mounted system 1 can have multiple anchor points 3. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle system 1 of this embodiment includes anchor points 3a, 3b, 3c, 3p, and 3q. Anchor point 3a is an anchor point 3 built into the outer door handle for the right front seat. Anchor point 3a can also be located on the right B-pillar, right rearview mirror, right sill, or the right edge of the roof. Anchor point 3a can be considered a right anchor point or a first anchor point. Anchor point 3b is an anchor point 3 built into the outer door handle for the left front seat. Anchor point 3b can also be located on the left B-pillar, left rearview mirror, left sill, or the left edge of the roof. Anchor point 3b can be considered a left anchor point or a second anchor point. Anchor point 3c is an anchor point 3 located in the center of the rear bumper, the trunk handle, or the upper or lower end of the rear window. Anchor point 3c can be considered a rear anchor point or a third anchor point.

[0045] Anchor points 3p and 3q are anchor points 3 located inside the vehicle. Anchor point 3p is located in the passenger compartment, positioned at the front compared to anchor point 3q. Anchor point 3p can be located on the dashboard, the upper part of the windshield, or the center console, etc. Anchor point 3p can be considered a front anchor point or a fourth anchor point inside the passenger compartment. Anchor point 3q is located in the passenger compartment, positioned at the rear compared to anchor point 3p. Anchor point 3q can be located in the center of the rear seats, on the roof above the rear seats, or in a rearward location such as the trunk. Anchor point 3q can be considered a rear anchor point or a fifth anchor point inside the passenger compartment. The anchor point 3 placement shown here is an example and can be appropriately modified.

[0046] Anchor points 3a-3c are all installed on the exterior of the vehicle's Hv (Hard Vehicle), so they can be considered outdoor units or outer anchor points. Anchor points 3a-3c are equivalent to outer communication units. Anchor points 3p and 3q are installed inside the vehicle, so they can be considered indoor units or inner anchor points. Anchor points 3p and 3q are equivalent to inner communication units. Anchor point 3 starts in response to an instruction from the intelligent ECU 2 and performs ranging communication. Anchor point 3 moves to a power-saving state based on an instruction from the intelligent ECU 2. The power-saving state can be a state that reduces power consumption and stops some or all functions. In addition, the wireless communication module 24 can also be used as anchor point 3. The wireless communication module 24 can be understood as one of multiple inner anchor points.

[0047] The in-vehicle display 4 is a display installed inside the vehicle. The in-vehicle display 4 displays images corresponding to the instruction signals input from the intelligent ECU 2. The in-vehicle display 4 can be a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic EL display. The in-vehicle display 4 can be configured to display multiple colors.

[0048] Input device 5 is a device used to receive user instructions for operation on vehicle system 1 (mainly intelligent ECU 2). Input device 5 may be a touch panel superimposed on vehicle display 4. In addition, user equipment 9 and vehicle system 1 may also be configured so that user equipment 9 functions as input device 5. Vehicle system 1 may have multiple types of devices as input devices 5.

[0049] The input device 5 outputs an electrical signal, i.e., an operation signal, corresponding to the user's operation to the intelligent ECU 2. The operation signal contains information indicating the content of the user's operation. The intelligent ECU 2 receives a registration instruction for the communication characteristics of the user equipment 9 via the input device 5. In this disclosure, the signal indicating that a registration operation for the communication characteristics of the user equipment 9 has been performed is also recorded as a registration instruction signal. The intelligent ECU 2 may also display a characteristic registration guidance image, described later, on the vehicle display 4 based on receiving the registration instruction signal.

[0050] The device detection unit 6 is a device that detects the designated location (hereinafter referred to as the inner setting position) where the user equipment 9 is placed inside the vehicle. The inner setting position may be on the center console SC or on a bracket for the user equipment 9 mounted on the dashboard.

[0051] The device detection unit 6 can be a device that detects the user equipment 9 by establishing a communication connection with it via a communication distance of less than 0.1m. The device detection unit 6 can be an NFC (Near Field Communication) module configured at an inner predetermined location. Here, NFC refers to communication with a distance of a few centimeters to tens of centimeters. Specific NFC standards can be ISO / IEC 18092 (NFCIP-1), ISO / IEC 21481 (NFCIP-2), ISO / IEC 14443, or ISO / IEC 18092. After the device detection unit 6 connects to the user equipment 9 via NFC, the intelligent ECU 2 can identify that the user equipment 9 has been placed at the inner predetermined location.

[0052] In other embodiments, the device detection unit 6 can be a wireless charger positioned at an internal location. The intelligent ECU 2 can identify when the user device 9 is placed in a designated location within the vehicle after the wireless charger begins supplying power to the user device 9. Furthermore, the wireless charging method can be any method such as Qi, AirFuel Inductive / Resonant, etc. Conversely, the location of the wireless charger or NFC module within the vehicle can also be set as an internal location.

[0053] In addition, the device detection unit 6 can also detect whether the user device 9 is placed in a designated location inside the vehicle by analyzing images captured by a camera inside the vehicle. This device detection unit 6 outputs a signal indicating whether the user device 9 is placed in the designated location inside the vehicle to the intelligent ECU 2. Furthermore, the device detection unit 6 is an arbitrary element and can be omitted. The device detection unit 6 can be understood as a type of onboard sensor.

[0054] In addition to the above, the intelligent ECU2 can also connect directly or indirectly to various in-vehicle devices. For example, the intelligent ECU2 can connect to the power ECU, cellular module, and other vehicle-related devices via the in-vehicle network or using a dedicated cable to enable communication. The power ECU controls the switching on / off of the vehicle's power supply. The vehicle power supply is the power source that is switched on when the vehicle is in motion. The cellular module is a communication module that implements 4G, 5G, and other cellular communication technologies. Vehicle-related devices include headlights, door lock motors, and power window motors.

[0055] The intelligent ECU2 controls the locking / unlocking of the vehicle doors based on (i) the presence of user equipment 9 in the vicinity, (ii) authentication of user equipment 9, and (iii) a prescribed user action. The user action for locking / unlocking can be touching the outer door handle or placing a foot in the detection area formed below the door. The intelligent ECU2 can be understood as an ECU providing a passive entry function. The passive entry function is the function of locking / unlocking the vehicle door (Hv) in response to a prescribed user action.

[0056] Furthermore, the intelligent ECU2 can also be divided into multiple ECUs. For example, the intelligent ECU2 can be divided into an ECU for determining the location of the device and an ECU for performing vehicle control functions such as unlocking. The functional configuration within the vehicle system 1 can be appropriately modified.

[0057] <User Equipment 9>

[0058] User equipment 9 can be a general-purpose information processing terminal with SRWC functionality. User equipment 9 can be a smartphone or a wearable device. User equipment 9 functions as a key to the vehicle's HV by implementing wireless authentication using SRWC with the intelligent ECU2. User equipment 9 can be a mobile device, a key device, etc. User equipment 9 can also be a dedicated device that functions as a wireless key to the vehicle's HV. Dedicated devices can be called smart keys, remote keys, key cards, access keys, etc.

[0059] The user equipment 9 in this embodiment is rectangular in shape, with defined left, right, up, and down directions. The user equipment 9 has an upper end, a lower end, a left edge, and a right edge, which serve as the edges corresponding to the four sides of the rectangular shape.

[0060] User equipment 9 includes a device display 91, an input device 92, an antenna 93, an RF (radio frequency) core 94, and a controller 95. The antenna 93 and the RF core 94 are electrically connected via a communication line or conductor pattern. Furthermore, the device display 91, the input device 92, and the RF core 94 are connected to the controller 95 in a manner capable of communicating with each other. Additionally, user equipment 9 may include a battery, a power receiving circuit for receiving power from a wireless charger, and a communication module for NFC.

[0061] The device display 91 is a device that displays an image corresponding to the image signal input from the controller 95. The device display 91 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic EL display, etc. The input device 92 is a device for receiving user instructions on the user device 9. The input device 92 may be a touch panel overlaid on the device display 91. The input device 92 outputs an electrical signal, i.e., an operation signal, corresponding to the user's operation to the controller 95. The operation signal contains information indicating the content of the user's operation on the user device 9.

[0062] The controller 95 can be configured to receive an instruction via the input device 92 to register the communication characteristics of the user equipment 9 with the intelligent ECU 2. The controller 95 can also be configured to, based on receiving the registration instruction via the input device 92, cooperate with the vehicle system 1 to begin processing (hereinafter referred to as characteristic learning processing) the registration of the user equipment 9's communication characteristics. The controller 95 can, based on receiving the registration instruction via the input device 92, send an SRWC signal equivalent to a registration instruction signal to the intelligent ECU 2. The intelligent ECU 2 can be configured to receive the registration instruction using the input device 92 (user equipment 9).

[0063] The feature learning process may include displaying a feature registration guide image on the device display 91 or the vehicle display 4, or both. The feature registration guide image shows the user the operating sequence for registering the communication features of the user device 9 with the intelligent ECU 2. The feature registration guide image includes images indicating the position and orientation of the user device 9 during communication feature registration. The feature registration guide image may contain multiple patterns / images. Hereafter, the vehicle display 4 and the device display 91 will be collectively referred to as "displays." The term "display" can be understood as either the vehicle display 4 or the device display 91, or both.

[0064] Antenna 93, RF core 94, and controller 95 constitute the configuration for implementing SRWC. Antenna 93, RF core 94, and controller 95 can also be mounted on a single circuit board. Antenna 93 is an antenna element used to transmit and receive radio waves in the frequency band (e.g., the 2.4 GHz band) used by SRWC.

[0065] The RF core 94 is a circuit module that processes wireless signals for transmission and reception. The RF core 94 may include modulation circuitry, demodulation circuitry, frequency conversion circuitry, amplification circuitry, and a local oscillator. The RF core 94 is connected to the antenna 93 and the controller 95. The RF core 94 demodulates the signals received through the antenna 93 and provides them to the controller 95. Additionally, the RF core 94 modulates the transmission data input from the controller 95 and radiates it as radio waves from the antenna 93. The RF core 94 can be implemented as an IC chip (i.e., a transmit / receive IC).

[0066] The RF core 94, like the anchor point 3, is configured to transmit and receive CW signals for each channel used for ranging. The RF core 94 provides the receiver phase information and receiver strength for each channel to the controller 95. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the controller 95 generates the ranging value based on the receiver phase information for each channel, but the functional configuration within the user equipment 9 is not limited to this. It is also possible that the RF core 94 calculates the ranging value based on the receiver phase information for each channel.

[0067] The controller 95 is a microcomputer that controls the overall operation of the user equipment 9. The controller 95 includes a processor E1, memory E2, storage E3, and a communication interface E4. The processor E1 can be a CPU. Memory E2 is a volatile storage medium such as RAM. Storage E3 is a recording device containing non-volatile storage media such as flash memory. Storage E3 can contain various types of storage media, including ROM (Read-Only Memory) and flash memory. The communication interface E4 is a circuit module used for communication between the processor E1 and other components such as the device display 91, input device 92, and RF core 94.

[0068] The device control program is stored in memory E3. This program contains instructions related to device characteristic learning and processing. Additionally, communication data is stored in memory E3. This communication data is used for wireless communication with the vehicle Hv. The communication data may include parameters received from the intelligent ECU2 via pairing, such as the device ID. Furthermore, the communication data may include the vehicle Hv's identification number (hereinafter referred to as the vehicle ID). The vehicle ID is equivalent to the identification information of the vehicle / in-vehicle system being communicated with. The vehicle ID can be considered a system ID. The vehicle ID can be a VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). The communication data may also contain the key code used for wireless authentication with the vehicle Hv.

[0069] The controller 95 is configured to periodically perform advertising using an RF core 94 and an antenna 93. Advertising is the process of transmitting advertising signals using a designated channel. The advertising signals are wireless signals used to notify other devices of their presence. Upon receiving a connection request from a vehicle Hv in response to an advertising request, the controller 95 establishes a communication connection with the vehicle Hv. Based on the established communication connection with the vehicle Hv, the controller 95 can perform SRWC-based authentication processing (i.e., wireless authentication).

[0070] <Summary of Position Determination>

[0071] When user equipment 9 is located far from the vehicle's Hv (i.e., outside the SRWC area), intelligent ECU2 cannot connect to user equipment 9 via SRWC. Without connecting to user equipment 9 via SWRC, intelligent ECU2 sets anchor point 3 to a resting state and does not perform position determination. Without a communication connection with user equipment 9, intelligent ECU2 periodically scans to search for user equipment 9. Without a communication connection with intelligent ECU2, user equipment 9 periodically sends advertising signals.

[0072] If user device 9 enters the SRWC area of ​​vehicle Hv as the user moves, intelligent ECU 2 can receive advertising signals from user device 9. After receiving the advertising signals from user device 9, intelligent ECU 2 sends a connection request signal to user device 9. Thus, user device 9 and intelligent ECU 2 enter a communication connection state. Figure 3 S11). The communication connection status can be understood as the status of the SRWC link establishment. The connection request signal is a signal that requests a communication connection.

[0073] In a communication connection state, the intelligent ECU2 and the user equipment 9 transmit and receive wireless signals for connectivity confirmation or perform encrypted data communication at predetermined intervals (e.g., connection intervals). Subsequently, the intelligent ECU2 periodically obtains the received signal strength of the device from the wireless communication module 24.

[0074] The intelligent ECU2 keeps anchor point 3 in a dormant state until the received signal strength of the device exceeds the specified start-up strength (S12 No). Alternatively, this process can end if the received signal strength does not exceed the start-up strength but the communication connection between the user equipment 9 and the intelligent ECU2 is interrupted.

[0075] When the received signal strength of the device exceeds the specified start-up strength (S12 Yes), the intelligent ECU2 activates all anchor points 3 and enables the anchor points 3 to establish ranging communication with the user equipment 9 (S13). Thereafter, position determination processing is performed periodically until the termination condition is met (S14). The position determination processing includes the anchor points 3 establishing ranging communication with the user equipment 9.

[0076] The activation strength used in step S12 is a threshold for the received signal strength used to initiate ranging communication. For example, the activation strength can be determined based on the received signal strength of an SRWC signal transmitted from a predetermined reference device located at a predetermined position outside the vehicle. For example, the activation strength can be set based on the received signal strength observed by the wireless communication module 24 when the reference device is located at a distance of Hv10m from the vehicle.

[0077] A reference device is a device used to determine a threshold for reception strength used to determine the location of a device. The reference device can be any model of iPhone (registered trademark) or Android (registered trademark) terminal. The reference device can be any type of user equipment 9 commonly sold. The user equipment 9 can be selected by the designer for use as the reference device. The activation strength can be set based on the reception strength observed when the reference device actually communicates with the intelligent ECU2 as a test.

[0078] The termination condition can be the disconnection of the communication connection between the intelligent ECU2 and the user equipment 9. Alternatively, the intelligent ECU2 can determine that the termination condition is met if the vehicle's speed (Hv) is above a specified value. If the termination condition is met (S15 is yes), the intelligent ECU2 moves all anchor points 3 to a resting state and terminates the periodic position determination.

[0079] like Figure 4As shown, the device location can be determined using both the ranging value and the received signal strength. Furthermore, the received signal strength used in the following description can be understood as a value corrected using the characteristic data described later. The location determination process includes determining whether the minimum observed distance obtained as a result of ranging communication exceeds a predetermined nearby determination distance (S21). If the minimum observed distance obtained as a result of ranging communication exceeds the predetermined nearby determination distance (S21 Yes), the intelligent ECU2 can determine that the user equipment 9 exists in a distant area (S22).

[0080] The minimum observation distance refers to the minimum distance measured by multiple anchor points 3. Figure 4 In this context, "Dmin" represents the minimum observation distance. "Dn" represents the proximity detection distance. The proximity detection distance defines the nearby area outside the vehicle. For example, the proximity detection distance can be set to 1.0m, 1.5m, 2m, etc. The nearby area can be understood as the area where automatic vehicle locking / unlocking (HV) can be implemented. The nearby area can also be considered the passive entry area.

[0081] On the other hand, if the minimum distance measured (Dmin) is below the nearest determination distance (Dn), the intelligent ECU2 determines whether the maximum value of the inner intensity exceeds the specified indoor determination value (S23). Here, the maximum value of the inner intensity refers to the maximum value of the received intensity observed from the inner anchor point. "PinMax" in the figure represents the maximum value of the inner intensity. Additionally, "Pin" in the figure represents the indoor determination intensity.

[0082] If the minimum observation distance is below the nearby determination distance and the maximum inner strength does not exceed the prescribed indoor determination strength (S23 No), the intelligent ECU2 can determine that the device is located in the nearby area (S24). On the other hand, if the minimum observation distance is below the nearby determination distance and the maximum inner strength exceeds the prescribed indoor determination strength (S23 Yes), the intelligent ECU2 can determine that the device is located inside the vehicle (S24).

[0083] The indoor determination strength is a threshold used to determine the reception strength of user equipment 9 within the vehicle. It can be determined based on the reception strength of the SRWC signal transmitted from a reference device positioned at an inner location within the vehicle, at an inner anchor point. The indoor determination strength can be preset through testing using the reference device.

[0084] certainly, Figure 4The method for determining the device location shown is the same as the method described above, but it is not a limitation. The condition for determining that user equipment 9 is inside the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the in-vehicle determination condition) may include the value obtained by subtracting the maximum value of the outer intensity from the maximum inner intensity, i.e., the inner and outer intensity being above a specified intensity difference threshold (e.g., 10 dB). Here, the maximum outer intensity refers to the maximum received intensity observed from multiple outer anchor points. Alternatively, the in-vehicle determination condition may also include the minimum distance measured at the in-vehicle anchor points, i.e., the minimum inner distance being less than a specified indoor determination distance (e.g., 1.0 m).

[0085] The conditions for determining that a device is located in the vicinity can also be appropriately modified (hereinafter referred to as the vicinity determination condition). The vicinity determination condition may also include the maximum value of the outer intensity being above the specified vicinity determination intensity. The vicinity determination intensity can be set based on the results of observational tests using the reception intensity of a reference device.

[0086] The various parameters mentioned above used to determine the location of the device (hereinafter referred to as location determination parameters) can be registered in the memory 23 of the intelligent ECU2. The location determination parameters include starting intensity, indoor determination intensity, intensity difference threshold, nearby determination intensity, nearby determination distance, and part or all of the indoor determination distance.

[0087] <The Problem of Position Determination Accuracy>

[0088] Mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and wearable devices that may become user equipment 9 may be manufactured by multiple manufacturers. Depending on the manufacturer and model, the strength and directionality of the SRWC signal transmitted by user equipment 9 may vary. This is because the antenna configuration and transmission power settings differ depending on the manufacturer and model.

[0089] Furthermore, even user equipment 9 of the same model may have different communication characteristics due to manufacturing errors. These communication characteristics can be understood as directional or transmission characteristics. Moreover, the communication characteristics of user equipment 9 may be affected by attachments such as protective covers. This can lead to variations in communication characteristics depending on the user equipment 9. In a hypothetical configuration that determines the device's location by comparing the actual received signal strength from user equipment 9 with a threshold designed based on a reference device, the device's location may be misjudged. Therefore, the intelligent ECU 2 of this embodiment incorporates a mechanism that learns the difference in communication characteristics between user equipment 9 and a reference device and uses the learned results for location determination.

[0090] <Functions of Intelligent ECU>

[0091] like Figure 5As shown, the intelligent ECU2 includes an intensity acquisition unit F1, a characteristic learning unit F2, a correction unit F3, a position determination unit F4, and a ranging unit F5 as functional modules. Some or all of these functional modules can be discovered by the processor 21 executing a device control program. The intelligent ECU2 includes a reference value storage unit M1, a threshold storage unit M2, and a characteristic data storage unit M3. These storage units can be implemented using the storage area of ​​the memory E3. The reference value storage unit M1, threshold storage unit M2, and characteristic data storage unit M3 can be installed in the same storage medium, or some of these storage units can be installed in other storage media. The intelligent ECU2 can be configured to access the reference value storage unit M1, threshold storage unit M2, and characteristic data storage unit M3, and perform data reading, writing, or deletion. The intelligent ECU2 is equivalent to a control unit.

[0092] The reference value storage unit M1 is a storage medium / area that stores data representing the communication characteristics of the reference device. The data representing the communication characteristics of the reference device includes data on the reception strength observed from the inner anchor point when the reference device is inside the vehicle. The data representing the communication characteristics of the reference device also includes data on the reception strength observed from the outer anchor point when the reference device is located in the vicinity.

[0093] In this embodiment, the data representing the communication characteristics of the reference device includes an inner reference value and an outer reference value. The inner reference value can be the average received strength of the SRWC signal from the reference device observed by multiple inner anchor points when the reference device is configured in an inner set position. In other examples, the inner reference value can also be the received strength of the SRWC signal from the reference device detected by a designated anchor point 3 when the reference device is configured in an inner set position. The designated anchor point 3 can be, for example, anchor point 3p or wireless communication module 24.

[0094] The outer reference value can be the maximum received strength of the SRWC signal from the reference device observed by multiple outer anchor points when the reference device is configured in a specified outer setting position. The outer setting position is a specified measurement position outside the vehicle. The outer setting position can be a location 1.5m away to the right from the outer door handle of the right front seat. In other embodiments, the outer setting position can also be a location 0.1m away from the outer door handle of the right front seat or the lower end of the side window glass. The received strength used to determine the outer reference value can be the received strength of the direct wave (hereinafter referred to as the direct wave strength). The direct wave refers to the SRWC signal transmitted from the mobile device that arrives at the anchor point 3 without being reflected by other objects. Basically, the propagation path of the reflected wave is longer than that of the direct wave. Therefore, the direct wave is received by the anchor point 3 earlier than the reflected wave. The anchor point 3 can report the strength of the device signal received first in a ranging communication as the direct wave strength to the processor 21. In addition, the anchor point 3 may receive signals with the reflected wave superimposed on the direct wave over time. Anchor point 3 can also use digital signal processing methods such as the MUSIC method or ESPRIT method to extract the direct wave from the received signal and obtain its received strength. The direct wave can be considered the first-reach path.

[0095] In other examples, the outer reference value can also be the received strength of the SRWC signal from the reference device detected by a specified outer anchor point when the reference device is configured in the outer set position. The specified outer anchor point can be anchor point 3 (i.e., anchor point 3a), which is located closest to the outer set position.

[0096] In addition to the inner and outer reference values, the reference value storage unit M1 can also store gateway reference values. Gateway reference values ​​are the received signal strength from the reference device detected by the wireless communication module 24 when the reference device is configured at the outer set position. Gateway reference values ​​can be understood as parameters that form the basis for the activation strength. Various reference values ​​are equivalent to assumed values ​​for the received signal strength transmitted from the reference device.

[0097] The threshold storage unit M2 is a storage medium / area that stores location determination parameters such as activation intensity and indoor detection intensity. Location determination parameters related to reception intensity can be set based on inner and outer reference values.

[0098] The characteristic data storage unit M3 is a storage medium / area that stores data representing the difference in communication characteristics between the user equipment 9 and the reference equipment. The difference in communication characteristics can be understood as the difference in signal strength (i.e., received signal strength). The data representing this difference in communication characteristics can be a correction value γ. When the received signal strength of the SRWC signal from the reference equipment observed under the same conditions (hereinafter referred to as the reference value) is set as α, and the received signal strength (observed value) of the equipment is set as β, the correction value γ can be β-α.

[0099] The characteristic data storage unit M3, for example, registers a value for correcting the received signal strength observed through the inner anchor point, namely, the inner correction value γ1. The inner correction value γ1 can be the value obtained by subtracting the reference value α1 from the measured value β1. The reference value α1 can be an inner reference value. The measured value β1 can be the average of the received signal strength detected by multiple inner anchor points when the user equipment 9 is configured in the inner set position. The measured value β1 can also be the received signal strength of the device detected by a specified anchor point 3. The inner correction value γ1 corresponds to a correction value assuming the user equipment 9 is located inside the vehicle.

[0100] In addition to the inner correction value γ1, an outer correction value γ2 can be registered in the characteristic data storage unit M3. This is a value used to correct the received signal strength observed from the outer anchor point. The outer correction value γ2 is a correction value assuming the user equipment 9 is located outside the vehicle. The outer correction value γ2 can be the value obtained by subtracting the reference value α2 from the measured value β2. The reference value α2 can be an outer reference value. The measured value β2 can be the maximum value of the direct wave intensity detected by multiple outer anchor points when the user equipment 9 is configured in the outer set position. The reference value α2 and the measured value β2 can also be the direct wave intensity observed by a specified outer anchor point when the reference device and the user equipment 9 are configured in the outer set position. The specified outer anchor point can be anchor point 3 (i.e., anchor point 3a) located closest to the outer set position.

[0101] Gateway correction values ​​can be registered in the characteristic data storage unit M3. The gateway correction value can be the value obtained by subtracting the gateway reference value from the device signal detected by the wireless communication module 24 when the user equipment 9 is configured in the external set position. The gateway correction value can be used to correct the reception strength or activation strength used in the determination of step S12. The data stored in the characteristic data storage unit M3 is updated by the characteristic learning unit F2. Hereinafter, the dataset representing the communication characteristics of a user equipment 9 will also be referred to as characteristic data. Characteristic data can be understood as data containing various correction values ​​such as internal correction values. Characteristic data can be described as correction data or differential data, etc. The various correction values ​​and their calculation methods described above are just one example. The types of correction values ​​generated by the intelligent ECU2 and their calculation methods can be appropriately changed.

[0102] The strength acquisition unit F1 is configured to acquire data representing the received signal strength of the device from the wireless communication module 24 and the anchor point 3. The received signal strength data acquired by the strength acquisition unit F1 is temporarily stored in the memory E2. The characteristic learning unit F2, the correction unit F3, and the position determination unit F4 refer to the received signal strength data stored in the memory E2.

[0103] The feature learning unit F2 generates feature data for user equipment 9 and stores it in the feature data storage unit M3. The feature learning unit F2 acquires feature data such as internal correction values ​​by performing the feature learning process described later. The feature data can be associated with the device ID of user equipment 9 for storage. The feature learning unit F2 can be configured to store feature data from multiple user equipment 9s in the feature data storage unit M3. The device feature data of each user equipment 9 can be distinguished using the device ID, etc.

[0104] The correction unit F3 is configured to correct the received strength acquired by the strength acquisition unit F1 using characteristic data stored in the characteristic data storage unit M3. The correction unit F3 corrects the received strength observed from the inner anchor point using an inner correction value. For example, when the received strength detected by the inner anchor point is set as ρ1, the correction unit F3 corrects the received strength using ρ1 - γ1. For convenience, the corrected received strength is also referred to as the corrected strength. ρ1 can be the maximum value of the inner strength. The correction unit F3 can also be configured to correct the received strength observed from multiple inner anchor points separately.

[0105] The correction unit F3 can correct the received strength observed from the outer anchor point using an outer correction value. For example, when the received strength detected by the outer anchor point is set to ρ2, the correction unit F3 corrects the received strength using ρ2 - γ2. ρ2 can be the maximum value of the outer strength. The correction unit F3 can also be configured to correct the received strength observed from multiple outer anchor points separately.

[0106] The correction unit F3 can also use the gateway correction value to correct the reception strength used for the activation determination of anchor point 3. The reception strength used for the activation determination of anchor point 3 is the reception strength of the wireless communication module 24. In this disclosure, the reception strength of the device signal detected by the wireless communication module 24 is also referred to as the gateway strength. The corrected gateway strength can be the value obtained by subtracting the gateway correction value from the gateway strength.

[0107] The location determination unit F4 determines the device location based on the corrected reception strength and the ranging value. The ranging unit F5 controls the ranging communication between the anchor point 3 and the user equipment 9. The ranging unit F5 activates the anchor point 3 based on the uncorrected gateway strength exceeding the activation strength, enabling it to conduct ranging communication with the user equipment 9.

[0108] <Example of mobile device operation>

[0109] Here we use Figure 6 , Figure 7 The flowchart shown illustrates the operation of the intelligent ECU2. Figure 6 The process shown is equivalent to using Figure 3 as well as Figure 4 The position determination process, as explained, integrates feature learning processing and received strength correction processing. Figure 6 The series of processes shown can be called position determination related processing. Position determination related processing is as follows: Figure 6 The process may include steps S101 to S111. In the following description of the process, the processor 21 can be replaced by the intelligent ECU 2, the intensity acquisition unit F1, the characteristic learning unit F2, the correction unit F3, the position determination unit F4, or the ranging unit F5.

[0110] It can begin after the wireless communication module 24 receives the advertising signal from the user equipment 9. Figure 6 The process is as follows. Step S101 is the step of sending a connection request signal to the user equipment 9 to establish a communication connection with the user equipment 9. Step S102 is the step of the processor 21 determining whether the characteristic data of the user equipment 9 in the communication connection between the intelligent ECU 2 and the user equipment 9 is stored in the characteristic data storage unit M3. The case where the characteristic data of the user equipment 9 is not stored in the characteristic data storage unit M3 may be, for example, the first time the location determination process is performed after the intelligent ECU 2 and the user equipment 9 are paired. In car-sharing services, the case where the user is using a vehicle that the user has never used before for the first time may also result in the characteristic data not being stored.

[0111] If the characteristic data of user equipment 9 is not stored in the characteristic data storage unit M3, step S102 is rejected and the process proceeds to step S103. On the other hand, if the characteristic data of user equipment 9 is stored in the characteristic data storage unit M3, step S102 is accepted and the process proceeds to step S106. Furthermore, if a constant period has elapsed since the last characteristic learning process, step S102 may also be rejected, and steps S103 to S105 may be performed.

[0112] Step S103 is the step where the processor 21 performs the consent confirmation process. The consent confirmation process involves asking the user whether to register the characteristic data of the user device 9 with the intelligent ECU 2 (i.e., the vehicle Hv). The consent confirmation process may include displaying an image (hereinafter referred to as the consent confirmation screen) on the display containing a message asking whether to register the characteristic data with the vehicle Hv. The processor 21 obtains the result of the consent confirmation process via the input devices 5 and 92, which is the user's answer indicating whether to register the characteristic data with the vehicle. Based on the user's operation, the input devices 5 and 92 send a response signal to the processor 21 indicating that the characteristic data will be registered with the vehicle. This response signal is equivalent to a registration instruction signal.

[0113] If the processor 21 receives a registration indication signal (S104 Yes), it executes step S105. On the other hand, if the processor 21 does not receive a registration indication signal as a result of the intent confirmation process (S104 No), it causes the process to proceed to step S106.

[0114] Step S105 is the step of performing feature learning processing. Feature learning processing is as follows: Figure 7 The diagram includes steps S201 to S208. In this disclosure, steps S201 to S206 are also referred to as intensity measurement processing. Intensity measurement processing may include simultaneously / sequentially measuring the received signal strength of the device at each frequency using multiple in-vehicle anchor points. Intensity measurement processing may include inner-side intensity measurement processing and outer-side intensity measurement processing. Inner-side intensity measurement processing is the process of measuring the received signal strength of the device when the user equipment 9 is positioned in an inner-side designated location. Outer-side intensity measurement processing is the process of measuring the received signal strength of the device when the user equipment 9 is positioned outside the vehicle (e.g., in an outer-side designated location).

[0115] Step S201 is the step of displaying a feature registration guide image on the display. The feature registration guide image may include an image showing the user equipment 9 configured in an initial setting position. The initial setting position refers to the position where the user equipment 9 should be set first among a plurality of setting positions preset in the intelligent ECU 2. In this embodiment, the initial setting position is the inner setting position. In other embodiments, the initial setting position may be the outer setting position.

[0116] The feature registration guide image may include a setup completion button. The setup completion button is used to input to the intelligent ECU 2 that the user device 9 has been configured to the specified setting position. Step S201 may include outputting an audio message guiding the user device 9 to the inner setting position. If step S201 is executed, the process proceeds to step S202. In this disclosure, the processor 21's use of audio or image to request the user to configure the user device 9 to the setting position is also referred to as the specified position.

[0117] Step S202 is the step where the processor 21 confirms that the user equipment 9 is configured at a designated location. This designated location can be understood as an inner setting location. The processor 21 can confirm that the user equipment 9 is configured at the designated location based on user operations on the input devices 92 and 5. The processor 21 can determine that the user equipment 9 is configured at the designated location based on the user pressing the setting completion button. The processor 21 can also determine whether the user equipment 9 is configured at the designated setting location based on the distance values ​​observed from multiple anchor points 3. If the position of the user equipment 9, estimated based on the distance values, deviates from the designated setting location, the processor 21 can also display an image on the display requesting adjustment of the user equipment 9's position. In addition, the processor 21 can confirm that the user equipment 9 is configured at the inner setting location based on a signal from the device detection unit 6.

[0118] If the processor 21 confirms that the user equipment 9 is configured to the designated location (S203 Yes), the process proceeds to step S204. If it cannot confirm that the user equipment 9 is configured to the designated location (S203 No), the processor 21 may also re-display the feature registration guide image. If the processor 21 fails to confirm that the user equipment 9 is configured to the designated location even after a constant time has elapsed since the feature registration guide image was displayed, it may interrupt the feature learning process and execute step S106.

[0119] Step S204 is the step of implementing test communication. Test communication can be communication used to monitor the signal reception strength of the equipment at each anchor point 3. Test communication can be communication where each anchor point 3 listens to (sniffs) the communication between the wireless communication module 24 and the user equipment 9. Test communication can also be multiple anchor points 3 independently implementing SRWC communication with the user equipment 9. Test communication can also include the anchor point 3 detecting the reception strength of each channel by sequentially switching channels. Alternatively, test communication can be ranging communication between the user equipment 9 and the anchor points 3. If the test communication is completed, the process proceeds to step S205.

[0120] Step S205 is the step where processor 21 collects communication results from anchor points 3. For example, processor 21 can receive the received strength of each channel from each anchor point 3 as a communication result. The communication result may also include ranging values. The communication result is associated with data representing measurement conditions and stored in memory 22. The measurement conditions represent the position of user equipment 9 when the test communication is performed. The measurement conditions may also include the orientation of user equipment 9 when the test communication is performed. Later, the orientation of user equipment 9 may also be recorded as equipment orientation. If step S205 is completed, the process proceeds to step S206.

[0121] Step S206 is the step of determining whether the intensity measurement processing under all predetermined measurement conditions has been completed. The feature learning process may include a process of enabling multiple anchor points 3 to detect the received signal strength of the device under multiple measurement conditions where the position or orientation of the user equipment 9 is different.

[0122] If the strength measurement process under all measurement conditions is not completed (S206 No), the process returns to step S201, and the processor 21 can display a characteristic registration guide image for performing the strength measurement process under the unmeasured conditions. For example, if the processor 21 has completed the inner strength measurement process but not the outer strength measurement process, it can perform steps S201 to S205 after changing the specified position to the outer set position.

[0123] Furthermore, the intensity measurement process at the outer setting position can include observing the reception intensity of the user equipment 9 when it is configured in different orientations at the outer setting position. For example, the feature learning process can include collecting the reception intensity of the user equipment 9 when it is configured in the first to fifth orientations at the outer setting position. The first orientation can be an orientation where the screen of the user equipment 9 is horizontal and the upper part faces the vehicle Hv. The second orientation can be an orientation where the screen of the user equipment 9 is horizontal and the lower part faces the vehicle Hv. The third orientation can be an orientation where the screen of the user equipment 9 is horizontal and the left edge faces the vehicle Hv. The fourth orientation can be an orientation where the screen of the user equipment 9 is horizontal and the right edge faces the vehicle Hv. The fifth orientation can be an orientation where the screen or the back of the user equipment 9 faces the vehicle Hv. The first to fifth orientations used in the outer intensity measurement process can be referred to as the outer first to fifth orientations. Each orientation only needs to be different from the others. Furthermore, the combination of device orientations for which test communication should be implemented in the outer intensity measurement process can be only the first to fourth orientations, or only the first and fifth orientations. The combination of device orientations for which test communication should be implemented can be appropriately designed.

[0124] Furthermore, the outer side setting position is not limited to one location. A first outer side setting position and a second outer side setting position can be set in the intelligent ECU2. The first outer side setting position can be within 0.1m of the center of the driver's side side window. The second outer side setting position can be a location 1.5m to the side of the driver's side outer door handle. The processor 21 can perform intensity measurement processing in the order of the inner side setting position, the first outer side setting position, and the second outer side setting position.

[0125] The posture of the user equipment 9 at the first outer setting position can be a posture with the screen facing the inside of the vehicle. The measurement posture at the first outer setting position can be one mode or multiple modes. The measurement posture at the second outer setting position can be either the five modes of the first to fifth postures mentioned above, or the four modes of the first to fourth postures.

[0126] If the intensity measurement processing under all conditions is completed (S206 is yes), the processing proceeds to step S207. Step S207 is the step in which the processor 21 generates characteristic data based on the received intensity data collected through the above processing. As described above, the processor 21 generates various correction values ​​based on the difference between the reference value α observed under the same conditions and the measured value β.

[0127] The measured value β1 used in calculating the inner correction value can be the average value of the received signal strength of each channel detected by multiple inner anchor points when the user equipment 9 is configured in the inner set position. In this disclosure, the average value of the received signal strength of each channel is also recorded as the average value of the signal strength or the average value of the frequency across multiple frequencies. Assuming there are three inner anchor points and the received signal strength is observed through ten channels, β1 can be the average value of thirty samples of received signal strength. The reference value α2 and the measured value β2 used in calculating the outer correction value can be the maximum value of the direct wave strength of each channel and each outer anchor point.

[0128] Steps S201 to S205 described above can be designed to collect data for generating the desired correction value. Step S206 can be a step of performing prescribed computational processing on the received strength data collected through steps S201 to S205 to generate a correction value corresponding to the device location determination method. The computational processing may include excluding outliers, calculating averages, subtraction operations, etc.

[0129] If the generation of characteristic data is complete, the process proceeds to step S207. Step S207 involves saving the characteristic data generated in step S206 to the characteristic data storage unit M3.

[0130] If the above feature learning and processing are completed, then processing will proceed to... Figure 6 Step S106. Furthermore, the setting position for the intensity measurement processing in the feature learning process can be either an inner setting position or an outer setting position. The combination of positions of the configured user equipment 9 can be appropriately changed based on the correction value used as the generated object. It can be configured so that the correction value used as the generated object in the feature learning process can be selected by the user through a confirmation process.

[0131] Step S106 is the step where the processor 21 monitors the gateway strength. Step S106 is equivalent to step S12 described above. If characteristic data is stored in the characteristic data storage unit M3, step S106 may include the processor 21 correcting the received strength (gateway strength) detected by the wireless communication module 24 according to the gateway correction value. The gateway strength compared with the startup strength can be the corrected gateway strength. The processor 21 executes step S107 based on the corrected gateway strength above the startup strength. Furthermore, if characteristic data is stored in the characteristic data storage unit M3, the gateway strength compared with the startup strength can be an uncorrected value.

[0132] Step S107 is a step of performing communication for position determination. This communication can be ranging communication between each anchor point 3 and the user equipment 9. Step S107 may include activating the anchor point 3. Step S107 may also include the intelligent ECU 2 and the user equipment 9 exchanging ranging communication settings via SRWC. The ranging communication settings include the execution interval of the ranging communication, etc. As described later, step S107 is executed periodically until a predetermined termination condition is met. Each time step S107 is executed, the processor 21 executes step S108.

[0133] Step S108 is the step where the processor 21 obtains the results of ranging communication, such as the received strength and ranging value, from each anchor point 3. If step S108 is completed, the process proceeds to step S109. Step S109 is the step of correcting the collected received strength based on the characteristic data. Step S109 may include correcting the received strength observed from the outer anchor points using an outer correction value. Additionally, step S109 may include correcting the received strength observed from the inner anchor points using an inner correction value. Step S109 may include correcting the maximum value of the outer strength and the maximum value of the inner strength.

[0134] If step S109 is completed, the process proceeds to step S110. Step S110 is the step of determining the device position using the corrected maximum inner strength value and the corrected maximum outer strength value. A summary of step S110 can be applied... Figure 4 The following explanation applies. If step S110 is completed, the process proceeds to step S111. Furthermore, if no characteristic data is registered at the time of executing step S110, the processor 21 can perform location determination using the uncorrected reception strength. The situation where no characteristic data is registered at the time of executing step S110 refers to situations such as a failure of characteristic registration processing and a situation where no registration indication signal is received as a result of intent confirmation processing (S104 No), etc.

[0135] Step S111 is the step to determine whether the termination condition is met. Step S111 is equivalent to S15. If the termination condition is met, processor 21 puts anchor point 3 to sleep. Processor 21 repeatedly executes steps S107 to S111 until the termination condition is met.

[0136] Furthermore, the processor 21 can perform processing corresponding to user actions based on the latest device location determination results. For example, if the processor 21 determines that the device is in the vicinity and detects the user's unlocking operation, it will unlock the door. When the vehicle control execution functions are set in a different ECU than the intelligent ECU 2, the intelligent ECU 2 can periodically send data containing the device location determination results and device ID / user information to other ECUs.

[0137] <Effect>

[0138] The aforementioned intelligent ECU2 generates characteristic data representing the differences in communication characteristics between the user equipment 9 and the reference device through communication with the actual user equipment 9. Furthermore, the intelligent ECU2 uses the received signal strength of the device, corrected using this characteristic data, to determine the device location. This reduces concerns about misjudging the device location due to differences in communication characteristics between the user equipment 9 and the reference device.

[0139] The inner correction value is calculated based on the average of the received signal strength observed from multiple in-vehicle anchor points. Based on experimental results, the developers of this disclosure found that, due to the multipath environment inside the vehicle, the orientation of the user equipment 9 is less likely to affect the average received signal strength of the multiple anchor points 3. By determining the composition of the correction value based on the average received signal strength observed from multiple in-vehicle anchor points, the influence of equipment orientation on the correction value can be reduced.

[0140] Furthermore, the propagation path may differ depending on the frequency. The degree of influence of the reflected wave may also vary depending on the frequency. By generating correction values ​​based on the received intensity at multiple frequencies, it is possible to set the correction values ​​to more appropriate levels.

[0141] In addition, the intelligent ECU2 automatically performs a confirmation process when the user is using the vehicle Hv for the first time, or when the intelligent ECU2 has not registered the characteristic data of the user device 9. Furthermore, if, as a result of the confirmation process, a response instructing the user to begin characteristic learning processing is received, the user is taught the operating sequence by displaying a characteristic registration guidance image. Based on this configuration, the user can perform the communication characteristic registration process without confusion (simply).

[0142] <Variation Example>

[0143] Processor 21 can also be configured to perform a confirmation process after a constant period (e.g., six months or one year) has elapsed since the registration of the characteristic data. An expiration date can also be set for the characteristic data. Processor 21 can also be configured to automatically delete characteristic data whose expiration date has expired. Processor 21 can be configured to perform a confirmation process after a predetermined number of internal / external determination failures (e.g., once or twice). Internal / external determination failures can be input from the user via input devices 5 and 92. Additionally, processor 21 can also determine an internal / external determination failure if the device is located outside the vehicle (e.g., in a nearby area) and a predetermined number of start-up operations have been performed within a constant time period. The start-up operation is used to connect the vehicle's power supply. The start-up operation can be performed by pressing the start switch (i.e., the power switch) while depressing the brake pedal.

[0144] The measured value β1 used in calculating the inner correction value can be the value obtained by subtracting nearby measured values ​​from the inner measured value. Here, the inner measured value can be the average of the received signal strength observed by the in-vehicle anchor point when the user equipment 9 is configured in the inner set position. The nearby measured value can be the average of the received signal strength observed by the in-vehicle anchor point when the user equipment 9 is configured in the first outer set position. The average value can be the average of the strength at multiple frequencies. When the measured value β1 is the value obtained by subtracting nearby measured values ​​from the inner measured value, the reference value α1 can also be a value calculated under the same conditions. That is, the reference value α1 can also be the value obtained by subtracting nearby measured values ​​from the inner measured value observed using a reference device.

[0145] The above describes the mode of correcting the received strength using characteristic data. However, the object of correction may not be the received strength, but rather thresholds such as the starting strength, indoor determination strength, strength difference threshold, and nearby determination strength. The processor 21 can also determine the device location by comparing the threshold corrected based on the characteristic data with the actual received strength.

[0146] The processor 21 may also have the function of receiving data representing the device's posture, i.e., posture-related data, from the user equipment 9 and determining whether the user equipment 9 has adopted a specified posture. The posture-related data may include some or all of the detection results from the magnetic sensor, accelerometer, and gyroscope sensor. If the processor 21 detects that the user equipment 9 has not adopted a specified posture based on the received posture-related data, it may perform processing to display an image on the display requesting adjustment of the device's posture.

[0147] Processor 21 can also perform intensity measurement processing to determine the inner correction value when there are no passengers in the vehicle and all doors are closed. Since the vehicle interior becomes a multipath environment due to the closed doors, the effect of device posture can be mitigated. Furthermore, device signals may be attenuated by the human body. Ensuring the vehicle interior is empty reduces the influence of the human body on the inner correction value. Based on the above, processor 21 can also, after placing the user device 9 in the inner preset position, request the user to leave the vehicle and close all doors. This request can be notified to the user using a screen display or an audio message.

[0148] The processor 21 can determine that all doors are closed based on the output signals of onboard sensors (such as door light switches). Alternatively, during the internal strength measurement process, if the processor 21 detects that some doors are open based on the output signals of the onboard sensors, it can display an image on the onboard display 4 requesting that all doors be closed.

[0149] The processor 21 can detect whether there are passengers in the vehicle based on the output signals of onboard sensors such as seating sensors or in-vehicle cameras. The processor 21 can also, during the interior intensity measurement process, if it detects that there are passengers in the vehicle based on the output signals of the onboard sensors, output an image / sound request for passengers to disembark.

[0150] In the external intensity measurement process, the processor 21 can also instruct the user to hold the user equipment 9 so that it is positioned between the vehicle Hv and the user. This positional relationship reduces concerns about signal attenuation due to the human body. Furthermore, the user's body can act as a barrier against reflected waves from walls, etc. The processor 21 can instruct the user to stand facing the vehicle Hv and hold the user equipment 9 in a prescribed posture during the external intensity measurement process. By instructing the user to stand facing the vehicle Hv during the external intensity measurement process, it is expected that the intensity of the direct wave can be increased while suppressing reflected waves. Instructions / requirements to the user can be implemented via image display or sound output.

[0151] The intensity measurement process at the inner setting position may include observing the received intensity of the user equipment 9 when it is configured in different orientations at the inner setting position. For example, the intensity measurement process at the inner setting position may be performed in a mode where the user equipment 9 is configured in a first inner orientation and in a second inner orientation. The first inner orientation may be an orientation in which the screen of the user equipment 9 faces upward. The second inner orientation may be an orientation in which the screen of the user equipment 9 faces downward.

[0152] Furthermore, the inner side setting position is not limited to one location. The intelligent ECU2 can have a first inner side setting position and a second inner side setting position. If the first inner side setting position is on the center console, the second inner side setting position can be the center of the rear seats, or even the trunk.

[0153] As described above, processor 21 can calculate a correction value by averaging the received signal strength measured under multiple measurement conditions with different physical states (position / oral orientation) of user equipment 9. Based on this configuration, the accuracy of the correction value can be improved.

[0154] The above describes a method for determining the outer correction value based on the reception strength observed from the outer anchor point when the user equipment 9 is positioned at a predetermined location outside the vehicle (e.g., a second outer designated location), but it is not limited to this method. The outer correction value can also be determined based on the reception strength observed when the user equipment 9 is present at any location outside the vehicle. However, the reception strength may attenuate depending on the distance between the communication devices. In this case, without specifying the device location in the outer strength measurement process, the processor 21 can correct the reception strength based on the ranging value. The processor 21 can determine the outer correction value based on the reception strength of the outer anchor point corrected according to the ranging value.

[0155] The above describes a method for determining the inner correction value based on the reception strength observed from the inner anchor point when the user equipment 9 is positioned in a predetermined location within the vehicle (e.g., an inner set position), but it is not limited to this method. The inner correction value can also be determined based on the reception strength observed when the user equipment 9 is present in any location within the vehicle.

[0156] The intelligent ECU2 (i.e., processor 21) can be configured to send a characteristic report to a designated server via cellular communication based on the performance of characteristic learning processing. The characteristic report is a dataset containing characteristic data from the user equipment 9. In addition to characteristic data, the characteristic report may also include vehicle type information (Hv) and the model information of the user equipment 9. The server can be a server managed by the vehicle manufacturer or a car-sharing service operator. The server can also be considered a central hub. Alternatively, the user equipment 9 can also send the characteristic report in place of the processor 21. The user equipment 9 can be configured to acquire characteristic data from the intelligent ECU2 via SRWC.

[0157] The server can statistically generate correction values ​​corresponding to vehicle type and model combinations based on feature reports received from multiple intelligent ECUs 2 or user devices 9, and distribute them to user devices 9. For example, the server can generate various correction values ​​for a combination by averaging the feature data shown in multiple feature reports for the same vehicle type and model combination. This configuration improves the accuracy of the correction values. Furthermore, based on the server's configuration for generating and distributing correction values ​​as described above, feature data can be registered even in user devices 9 / intelligent ECUs that have not undergone feature learning processing. Moreover, in the case of a server used for car-sharing services, the server can also pre-distribute correction values ​​suitable for the combination of user device 9 and service vehicle to the vehicle reserved by the user. According to this system, location determination accuracy can also be improved in vehicles used by users for the first time. As a result, user convenience is improved.

[0158] <CS Ranging>

[0159] This section provides supplementary information on CS ranging. CS ranging processing includes the steps of collecting the received phase of each channel, calculating the phase change coefficient based on the received phase of each channel, and calculating the distance data (i.e., the ranging value) based on the phase change coefficient.

[0160] The received phase of each channel can be collected by transmitting and receiving CW signals simultaneously through anchor point 3 and user equipment 9 while switching channels sequentially. Anchor point 3 and user equipment 9 can collect the received phase of all channels available in SRWC, or they can collect the received phase of a specified number of channels (e.g., ten).

[0161] The phase change coefficient is a parameter representing the degree of received phase change due to frequency variations. It can also be called the phase change degree, phase offset, or phase-frequency correlation coefficient. Anchor 3 can calculate a regression line representing the relationship between frequency and received phase based on the received phase of each channel, and use the slope of this regression line as the phase change coefficient. This is because the slope of the regression line represents the amount of change in the received phase displacement relative to the frequency. For example, the regression line and its slope can be calculated using various methods such as the least squares method. Furthermore, Anchor 3 can also calculate the phase difference, differential frequency, and phase change degree for combinations of frequencies where the received phase can be observed. Anchor 3 can also use the average or median of the phase change degree for each frequency combination as the phase difference change coefficient. The phase difference is the difference between the received phases observed at two frequencies. The differential frequency is the difference between two frequencies, and the phase change degree is the value obtained by dividing the phase difference by the differential phase difference. The phase change coefficient is equivalent to a parameter that averages the phase change degree across combinations of multiple frequencies. The phase change degree and the phase change coefficient correspond to the amount of phase angle displacement caused by changes in the used frequency.

[0162] The distance measurement value can be calculated based on the phase change coefficient using the following relationships. The relationship between the device distance (D), differential frequency (Δf), and phase difference (Δφ) is D∝C·Δφ / (2π·Δf). The relationship between the phase change coefficient (α), differential frequency (Δf), and phase difference (Δφ) is α=Δφ / Δf. Based on the above relationships, the device distance at anchor point 3 can be calculated using D=k·C·α / 2π. In the formula, the parameter “C” represents the propagation speed of radio waves (3×10⁸ m / sec). The parameter “k” is a design value and is set to 1.0 or 0.5. When D is the one-way distance, k can be set to 0.5. Alternatively, when D is the round-trip distance, k can be set to 1.

[0163] Furthermore, multiple anchor points 3 can detect the received phase of each channel either by independently sending and receiving CW signals to user equipment 9, or by employing a listening (sniffing) technique to collect the received phase of each channel. Listening / sniffing is a technique where multiple anchor points 3 use channel information provided by the gateway module to listen to the communication between user equipment 9 and the gateway module. The gateway module is one of the multiple SRWC modules mounted on the vehicle Hv that serves to conduct bidirectional communication with user equipment 9. The gateway module can be a wireless communication module 24. Channel information represents the information about the channel used for data communication between the gateway module and user equipment 9. Channel information can be a specific channel number or a parameter representing the migration rule of the used channel (the so-called frequency hopping increment). Preferred channel information includes the currently used channel number and the frequency hopping increment.

[0164] In short-range communications such as Bluetooth LE, frequency hopping occurs after a communication connection is established, so typically only the gateway module that establishes the communication connection can capture data signals from user equipment 9. In contrast, according to the snooping technique, channel information is distributed across each anchor point 3, so anchor points 3 can also capture data signals from user equipment 9. This is because anchor points 3, by referring to the channel information, can identify which of the many channels available for short-range communication can receive signals from user equipment 9. As a result, anchor points 3 can detect the received signal strength, received phase, and received time from user equipment 9 even without a communication connection. Therefore, based on the configuration employing snooping technology, it has the advantage of allowing multiple SRWC modules to perform ranging value calculation and received signal strength detection in parallel. While the method of anchor point 3 calculating the ranging value has been described in this supplement, the processor 21 can also collect the received phase information of each channel from anchor points 3 to calculate the ranging value.

[0165] <Communication Method>

[0166] The data communication method between User Equipment 9 and Intelligent ECU2 is not limited to Bluetooth LE; it can also be Bluetooth Classic, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), EnOcean (registered trademark), Zigbee (registered trademark), etc. The wireless protocol used for data communication (communication connection) can be considered the first wireless protocol, while the wireless protocol used for ranging communication can be considered the second wireless protocol.

[0167] Ranging communication can also be performed using communication methods other than Bluetooth LE. For example, anchor point 3 can also be configured to perform ranging communication via UWB communication. UWB communication is wireless communication using the UWB-IR (Ultra-Wide Band - Impulse Radio) method. Anchor point 3 and user equipment 9 can be configured to transmit and receive impulse pulse-shaped radio waves (hereinafter referred to as impulse pulse signals) used in UWB communication. The impulse pulse signals used in UWB communication can be signals with a pulse width of an extremely short time (e.g., 2 nsec) and a bandwidth of 500 MHz (strictly speaking, 499.2 MHz) or more (i.e., ultra-wideband). UWB signals can be understood as signals exchanged through UWB communication.

[0168] <Postscript (1)>

[0169] This disclosure also includes the following technical concepts. Furthermore, methods, procedures, and computer-readable recording media storing programs corresponding to the following technical concepts are also included within the scope of this disclosure.

[0170] [Technical Idea 1] A location determination system is a vehicle-mounted system equipped with a communication unit (3) and a control unit (2).

[0171] The aforementioned communication device (3) is configured to enable wireless communication with the mobile device used by the user of the vehicle via a specified communication method.

[0172] The control unit (2) determines the position of the mobile device relative to the vehicle based on the received signal strength from the mobile device received by the communication device.

[0173] The aforementioned control unit includes:

[0174] The threshold storage unit (M2) registers a threshold value for the received signal strength used to determine the location of the mobile device, the threshold value being a threshold designed based on the communication characteristics of a specified reference device; and

[0175] The feature data storage unit (M3) is used to store data representing the communication characteristics of the aforementioned mobile device.

[0176] The above control unit is configured to be implemented as follows:

[0177] The received signal strength is obtained from the aforementioned communication device;

[0178] Based on the received signal strength detected when the mobile device is configured in a specified position, characteristic data representing the difference in communication characteristics between the mobile device and the reference device is generated and stored in the characteristic data storage unit; and

[0179] The location of the mobile device is determined based on the characteristic data stored in the characteristic data storage unit, the reception strength detected by the communication device, and the threshold.

[0180] The aforementioned specified location does not indicate a precise place; it can be understood as a specified area with a diameter of approximately 0.5 meters. Furthermore, the specified location can also be inside or outside the vehicle. The aforementioned threshold can be either the starting intensity or a threshold used for determining whether an area is inside or outside, similar to an indoor threshold.

[0181] [Technical Idea 2] Based on the position determination system described in Technical Idea 1, wherein,

[0182] The aforementioned communication units are communication units installed inside the vehicle, i.e., interior communication units (3p, 3q).

[0183] The above-mentioned designated locations refer to the designated locations inside the vehicle.

[0184] The above communication method is a communication method that can use multiple frequencies.

[0185] The above control unit is configured to be implemented as follows:

[0186] The received signal strength at multiple frequencies is obtained from the aforementioned inner communication device;

[0187] Calculate the average received strength for each of the aforementioned frequencies; and

[0188] The aforementioned characteristic data is generated based on the above average value.

[0189] [Technical Idea 3] Based on the position determination system described in Technical Idea 2, wherein,

[0190] The above control unit is configured to be implemented as follows:

[0191] The received strength of each of the aforementioned frequencies is obtained when the aforementioned mobile device is configured in the aforementioned predetermined position in a first posture;

[0192] Acquire the reception strength of each of the aforementioned frequencies when the aforementioned mobile device is configured in a second posture different from the aforementioned first posture at the aforementioned predetermined position; and

[0193] The aforementioned characteristic data is generated based on the average of the received strength of each of the aforementioned frequencies obtained when the aforementioned mobile device is configured in the aforementioned first posture at the aforementioned predetermined position, and the received strength of each of the aforementioned frequencies obtained when the aforementioned mobile device is configured in the aforementioned second posture at the aforementioned predetermined position.

[0194] [Technical Idea 4] The position determination system described in Technical Idea 2 or 3, wherein,

[0195] The aforementioned communication equipment includes multiple interior communication units (3p, 3q) configured inside the vehicle.

[0196] The above control unit is configured to be implemented as follows:

[0197] Acquire the received signal strength of each of the aforementioned frequencies detected by the plurality of aforementioned inner communication devices, respectively, when the aforementioned mobile device is configured in the aforementioned predetermined position; and

[0198] The aforementioned characteristic data is generated based on the average value of the received strength at each of the aforementioned frequencies detected by the multiple aforementioned inner communication devices.

[0199] [Technical Idea 5] A position determination system based on any one of Technical Ideas 1-4, wherein,

[0200] The aforementioned communication units are communication units installed inside the vehicle, i.e., interior communication units (3p, 3q).

[0201] The above-mentioned designated locations are those inside the vehicle.

[0202] The aforementioned control unit is configured as follows:

[0203] Based on signals from onboard sensors, determine whether there are passengers inside the vehicle; and

[0204] If it is determined that there are no passengers in the vehicle, the aforementioned communication device is made to perform wireless communication for generating the aforementioned characteristic data.

[0205] [Technical Idea 6] A position determination system based on any one of Technical Ideas 1-5, wherein,

[0206] The aforementioned communication units are communication units installed inside the vehicle, i.e., interior communication units (3p, 3q).

[0207] The above-mentioned designated locations are those inside the vehicle.

[0208] The aforementioned control unit is configured as follows:

[0209] Based on signals from onboard sensors, determine whether all doors of the aforementioned vehicles are closed;

[0210] Based on signals from vehicle-mounted sensors, input devices installed in the vehicle, the mobile device, or the communication device, determine whether the mobile device is configured at the specified location; and

[0211] When it is determined that all the aforementioned doors are closed and the aforementioned mobile device is positioned at the aforementioned designated location, the aforementioned communication device is made to perform wireless communication for generating the aforementioned characteristic data.

[0212] [Technical Idea 7] A position determination system based on any one of Technical Ideas 1-6, wherein,

[0213] The aforementioned characteristic data represents the difference between the assumed value of the received strength of the signal transmitted from the aforementioned reference device and the aforementioned received strength of the signal transmitted from the aforementioned mobile device.

[0214] [Technical Idea 8] A position determination system based on any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 7, wherein,

[0215] The aforementioned communication device includes a communication device disposed on the outside of the aforementioned vehicle, namely an external communication device (3a).

[0216] The above-mentioned designated locations refer to the designated locations outside the vehicle.

[0217] The control unit is configured to generate the characteristic data based on the received intensity of the signal equivalent to a direct wave among the received intensity detected when the device is positioned at the specified location.

[0218] [Technical Idea 9] Based on the position determination system described in Technical Idea 8, wherein,

[0219] The above control unit is configured to be implemented as follows:

[0220] The received strength of the direct wave is obtained when the aforementioned mobile devices are configured in different postures at the aforementioned predetermined positions; and

[0221] The aforementioned characteristic data is generated based on the maximum value of the aforementioned reception strength for each of the aforementioned postures.

[0222] [Technical Idea 10] According to the position determination system described in Technical Idea 8 or 9, wherein,

[0223] The aforementioned communication unit includes a plurality of external communication units disposed on the exterior of the aforementioned vehicle.

[0224] The above control unit is configured to be implemented as follows:

[0225] With the aforementioned mobile device configured in the aforementioned predetermined position, the received strength of the aforementioned direct wave detected by the plurality of aforementioned external communication devices is acquired; and

[0226] The aforementioned characteristic data is generated based on the maximum value of the received intensity of the direct wave detected by the multiple aforementioned external communication devices.

[0227] [Technical Idea 11] Based on any one of the position determination systems recorded in Technical Ideas 8-10, wherein,

[0228] The above control unit is configured to be implemented as follows:

[0229] The aforementioned external communication device performs ranging communication, which is a wireless communication used to measure the distance to the aforementioned mobile device;

[0230] The distance measurement value representing the distance from the external communication device to the mobile device is obtained from the external communication device or the mobile device and used as the result of the distance measurement communication.

[0231] The received signal strength is corrected based on the above ranging values ​​and the above characteristic data; and

[0232] The aforementioned characteristic data was generated using the modified received strength.

[0233] <Postscript (2)>

[0234] The flowcharts shown in this disclosure are merely examples, and the number of steps constituting the flowcharts and the order of execution can be appropriately varied. The controls shown in the flowcharts can be combined / executed in parallel without contradiction. Acquisition, determination, detection, generation, and calculation are interchangeable. Acquiring certain data by a device also includes generating that data based on signals input from other devices / sensors.

[0235] The apparatus, system, and methods described herein can also be implemented using a dedicated computer configured with a processor programmed to perform one or more functions embodied in a computer program. The apparatus and methods described herein can also be implemented using dedicated hardware logic circuits. The apparatus and methods described herein can also be implemented using one or more dedicated computers composed of a processor executing a computer program and one or more hardware logic circuits. The processor can be any computing core such as a CPU, MPU, GPU, or DFP (Data Flow Processor). The processor of this disclosure can be understood as an apparatus that performs prescribed processing based on input signals, generating and outputting signals / data different from the input signals. Some or all of the functions of an intelligent ECU can also be implemented using any of a system-on-chip (SoC), integrated circuit (IC), and field-programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0236] A computer program contains instructions that can be executed by a computer. Computer programs can be stored on non-transferory tangible storage media that a computer can read. These media can include various types such as HDDs (Hard-disk Drives), SSDs (Solid State Drives), and flash memory.

Claims

1. A location determination system, which is a vehicle-mounted system equipped with a communication unit (3) and a control unit (2), The aforementioned communication mechanism enables wireless communication with mobile devices used by vehicle users through specified communication methods. The control unit determines the position of the mobile device relative to the vehicle based on the received signal strength from the mobile device received by the communication device. The aforementioned control unit includes: The threshold storage unit (M2) registers a threshold value for the received signal strength used to determine the location of the mobile device, the threshold value being a threshold designed based on the communication characteristics of a specified reference device; and The feature data storage unit (M3) is used to store data representing the communication characteristics of the aforementioned mobile device. The aforementioned control unit is configured to perform the processing: The received signal strength is obtained from the aforementioned communication device; Based on the received signal strength detected when the mobile device is configured in a specified position, characteristic data representing the difference in communication characteristics between the mobile device and the reference device is generated and stored in the characteristic data storage unit; and The location of the mobile device is determined based on the characteristic data stored in the characteristic data storage unit, the reception strength detected by the communication device, and the threshold.

2. The position determination system according to claim 1, wherein, The aforementioned communication units are communication units installed inside the vehicle, i.e., interior communication units (3p, 3q). The above-mentioned designated locations refer to the designated locations inside the vehicle. The above communication method is a communication method that can use multiple frequencies. The above control unit is configured to implement: The received signal strength at multiple frequencies is obtained from the aforementioned inner communication device; Calculate the average received strength for each of the aforementioned frequencies; and The aforementioned characteristic data is generated based on the above average value.

3. The position determination system according to claim 2, wherein, The above control unit is configured to implement: The received strength of each of the aforementioned frequencies is obtained when the aforementioned mobile device is configured in the aforementioned predetermined position in a first posture; The reception strength of each of the aforementioned frequencies is obtained when the aforementioned mobile device is configured in a second posture different from the aforementioned first posture at the aforementioned predetermined position. as well as The aforementioned characteristic data is generated based on the average of the received strength of each of the aforementioned frequencies obtained when the aforementioned mobile device is configured in the aforementioned first posture at the aforementioned predetermined position, and the received strength of each of the aforementioned frequencies obtained when the aforementioned mobile device is configured in the aforementioned second posture at the aforementioned predetermined position.

4. The position determination system according to claim 2, wherein, The aforementioned communication equipment includes multiple interior communication units (3p, 3q) configured inside the vehicle. The above control unit is configured to implement: Acquire the received signal strength of each of the aforementioned frequencies detected by the plurality of aforementioned inner communication devices, respectively, when the aforementioned mobile device is configured in the aforementioned predetermined position; and The aforementioned characteristic data is generated based on the average value of the received strength at each of the aforementioned frequencies detected by the multiple aforementioned inner communication devices.

5. The position determination system according to claim 1, wherein, The aforementioned communication units are communication units installed inside the vehicle, i.e., interior communication units (3p, 3q). The above-mentioned designated locations are those inside the vehicle. The aforementioned control unit is configured as follows: Based on signals from onboard sensors, determine whether there are passengers inside the vehicle; and If it is determined that there are no passengers in the vehicle, the aforementioned communication device is made to perform wireless communication for generating the aforementioned characteristic data.

6. The position determination system according to claim 1, wherein, The aforementioned communication units are communication units installed inside the vehicle, i.e., interior communication units (3p, 3q). The above-mentioned designated locations are those inside the vehicle. The aforementioned control unit is configured as follows: Based on signals from onboard sensors, determine whether all doors of the aforementioned vehicles are closed; Based on signals from vehicle-mounted sensors, input devices installed in the vehicle, the mobile device, or the communication device, determine whether the mobile device is configured at the specified location; and When it is determined that all the aforementioned doors are closed and the aforementioned mobile device is positioned at the aforementioned designated location, the aforementioned communication device is made to perform wireless communication for generating the aforementioned characteristic data.

7. The position determination system according to claim 1, wherein, The aforementioned characteristic data represents the difference between the assumed value of the received strength of the signal transmitted from the aforementioned reference device and the aforementioned received strength of the signal transmitted from the aforementioned mobile device.

8. The position determination system according to claim 1, wherein, The aforementioned communication device includes a communication device disposed on the outside of the aforementioned vehicle, namely an external communication device (3a). The above-mentioned designated locations refer to the designated locations outside the vehicle. The control unit is configured to generate the characteristic data based on the received intensity of the signal equivalent to a direct wave among the received intensity detected when the device is positioned at the specified location.

9. The position determination system according to claim 8, wherein, The above control unit is configured to implement: The received strength of the direct wave is obtained when the aforementioned mobile devices are configured in different postures at the aforementioned predetermined positions; and The aforementioned characteristic data is generated based on the maximum value of the aforementioned reception strength for each of the aforementioned postures.

10. The position determination system according to claim 8, wherein, The aforementioned communication unit includes a plurality of external communication units disposed on the exterior of the aforementioned vehicle. The above control unit is configured to implement: With the aforementioned mobile device configured in the aforementioned predetermined position, the received strength of the aforementioned direct wave detected by the plurality of aforementioned external communication devices is acquired; and The aforementioned characteristic data is generated based on the maximum value of the received intensity of the direct wave detected by the multiple aforementioned external communication devices.

11. The position determination system according to claim 8, wherein, The above control unit is configured to implement: The aforementioned outer communication device performs ranging communication, which is a wireless communication used to measure the distance to the aforementioned mobile device; The distance measurement value representing the distance from the external communication device to the mobile device is obtained from the external communication device or the mobile device and used as the result of the distance measurement communication. The received signal strength is corrected based on the above ranging values ​​and the above characteristic data; and The aforementioned characteristic data was generated using the modified received strength.

12. A method for determining a position, wherein, Include: The received signal strength from the aforementioned mobile device is obtained from the communication device, which is configured to conduct wireless communication with the mobile device through a specified communication method; Access the threshold storage unit (M2) that registers the threshold for the received strength used to determine the location of the aforementioned mobile device, and read the threshold from the threshold storage unit. The threshold is a threshold designed based on the communication characteristics of a specified reference device. Based on the received strength detected when the mobile device is configured in a specified location, characteristic data representing the communication characteristics of the mobile device is generated. The generated characteristic data is saved in the characteristic data storage unit (M3); and The location of the mobile device is determined based on the characteristic data stored in the characteristic data storage unit, the reception strength detected by the communication device, and the threshold.

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