Wireless key for unlocking a vehicle and / or for releasing a function of the vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a wireless key (1) for unlocking a vehicle and / or for releasing a function of the vehicle. The wireless key (1) has a sensor (10) for detecting a movement, an analysis unit (20), and a transceiver (30) which is designed to signal the availability of the transceiver as a connection partner and to wirelessly transmit data to a connection partner and / or receive data from the connection partner, wherein the transceiver (30) has at least one operating mode (A, B) and at least one sleep mode (C, D) in which the energy requirement of the transceiver (30) is lower than in the at least one operating mode (A, B). The analysis unit (20) is designed to switch the transceiver (30) from the operating mode (A, B) to the sleep mode (C, D) when no movements are detected by the sensor (10) within a specified interval and from the sleep mode (C, D) to the operating mode (A, B) when a movement is detected by the sensor (10).

Description

[0001] Radio key for unlocking the vehicle and / or enabling a function of the vehicle

[0002] Description:

[0003] The invention relates to a radio key for unlocking the vehicle and / or for enabling a function of the vehicle.

[0004] A variety of different radio keys for unlocking or operating vehicles are already known in the art. A mobile phone, for example, can serve as such a radio key.

[0005] However, the fundamental problem is that the necessary radio connection between the vehicle and the remote key requires a relatively high power consumption from the remote key, so its battery must be large or it will drain relatively quickly. As a result, current remote keys are subject to certain limitations and must be correspondingly large.

[0006] In particular, it is usually not possible to provide a comparatively small key fob that takes over the function of such a radio key and can also be referred to as a smart fob.

[0007] The invention is therefore based on the object of overcoming the aforementioned disadvantages and providing a radio key for unlocking a vehicle and / or for enabling a function of the vehicle with the lowest possible energy requirement on the part of the mobile device.

[0008] This problem is solved by the combination of features according to patent claim 1.

[0009] According to the invention, a radio key for unlocking a vehicle and / or for enabling a function of the vehicle is therefore proposed, wherein enabling a function also includes triggering a function of the vehicle. The radio key has a sensor for motion detection, an evaluation unit, and a transceiver, wherein the transceiver is designed to signal its availability as a connection partner and to wirelessly send data to a connection partner and / or receive data from the connection partner. It should be noted that by signaling its availability, the transceiver assumes the advertising role, which is usually not the case in the prior art. A vehicle or a transceiver of a vehicle with which the radio key can connect and which is accordingly a connection partner, therefore preferably assumes the scanning role to establish the connection.According to the invention, the transceiver provides at least one operating mode and at least one sleep mode, in which the energy requirement of the transceiver is lower than in the at least one operating mode. The evaluation unit is configured to switch the transceiver from the at least one operating mode to the at least one sleep mode if no movement is detected by the sensor within a predetermined interval, and to switch the transceiver from the at least one sleep mode to the at least one operating mode if movement is detected by the sensor.

[0010] The combination of advertising roll and shutdown in the absence of movement allows significant energy savings compared to the state of the art, so that the battery of the radio key can be made smaller or have a longer service life while maintaining the same size.

[0011] This means that a small radio key or a smart fob can be provided as a radio key.

[0012] An advantageous development provides that the radio key further comprises an actuatable switching element for enabling the function of the vehicle. The evaluation unit is further configured to switch the transceiver from the at least one sleep mode to the at least one operating mode when the switching element is actuated.

[0013] In addition, the transceiver can have a first sleep mode and a second sleep mode, wherein the energy requirement of the transceiver is lower in the first sleep mode than in the at least one operating mode and lower in the second sleep mode than in the first sleep mode. Furthermore, the evaluation unit is designed to switch the transceiver from the first sleep mode to the second sleep mode if no movement is detected by the sensor within a predetermined second interval. According to a further advantageous variant, the transceiver is designed to disconnect a connection to the connection partner in the first sleep mode and to stop signaling availability as a connection partner.

[0014] The transceiver is preferably designed to connect to the connection partner more quickly after switching from the first sleep mode to the operating mode than after switching from the second sleep mode to the operating mode.

[0015] The transceiver can be an NFC and / or BLE and / or UWB transceiver.

[0016] Preferably, the transceiver is also designed to send advertiser events on at least one advertiser channel, at least until a connection is established, in order to thereby signal in particular the availability as a connection partner.

[0017] The sensor can also be a motion sensor or an acceleration sensor.

[0018] A further aspect of the invention relates to a method for saving energy in a radio key according to the invention. The evaluation unit switches the transceiver from operating mode to sleep mode if no movement is detected by the sensor within a predetermined interval. Furthermore, the transceiver is switched from sleep mode to operating mode if movement is detected by the sensor.

[0019] The features disclosed above can be combined in any way, as long as this is technically possible and they do not contradict each other. Other advantageous developments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims or are presented in more detail below, together with the description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the figure. It shows:

[0020] Fig. 1 Radio key.

[0021] The figure is exemplary schematic and shows a smart fob 1, which can be a radio key 1.

[0022] The smart fob or radio key 1 has a sensor 10, a transceiver 30, and an evaluation unit 20. In the illustrated variant, a user-operable switching element 40 is also provided. Sensor 10, transceiver 30, and switching element 40 are each connected to the evaluation unit 20, so that the evaluation unit 20 can evaluate the respective data or signals and at least control the transceiver.

[0023] Furthermore, the radio key 1 has a battery 50, although an accumulator or a power generator can also be provided instead or in addition. The battery 50 supplies current or energy-consuming components of the radio key 1 and, due to the energy-saving design of the radio key 1, can be particularly small, thus achieving a small installation space and / or a long battery life.

[0024] To allow for a particularly long battery life and a small battery, the transceiver 30 assumes the advertising role when establishing the connection, i.e., it does not function as the master itself, but leaves this role to its connection partner, in particular the vehicle. Four modes for the transceiver are stored in the evaluation unit 20, into which it is switched depending on a movement detected by the sensor 10.

[0025] These are a first operating mode A, a second operating mode B, a (first) sleep mode C and a deep sleep mode or second sleep mode D.

[0026] In the first operating mode A, no connection has yet been established with a connection partner and the transceiver 30 transmits advertiser signals on at least one of, in particular, three advertiser channels.

[0027] In the second operating mode B, a connection has been established and the radio key 1 exchanges data with its connection partner, i.e. the vehicle, via its transceiver 30.

[0028] In the first sleep mode C, the transmission of advertiser signals is stopped and a connection with the connection partner is terminated. However, transceiver 30 is not switched off, or at least not completely, so a quick switch to the first operating mode A is possible.

[0029] The second sleep mode or deep sleep mode D provides that in addition to the first sleep mode C, the transceiver 30 is switched off, so that an initialization of the transceiver 30 is necessary before changing to the first operating mode A and the change to the first operating mode A takes longer than starting from the first sleep mode C.

[0030] If a connection is established with the connection partner starting from the first operating mode A, a switch to the second operating mode B occurs automatically.

[0031] If no movement is detected by the sensor 10 in the first operating mode A or the second operating mode B for a predetermined period of time or within a predetermined interval, the system switches from the respective operating mode A, B to the first sleep mode C.

[0032] If no movement is detected by the sensor 10 in the first sleep mode C for a predetermined second period of time or within a predetermined second interval, the system switches from the first sleep mode C to the second sleep mode D. If, however, the sensor 10 detects movement or actuation of the switching element 40, the system switches from the first sleep mode C back to the first operating mode A so that a connection can be established again. Each detected movement or actuation of the switching element 40 resets a timer for determining the expiration of the first or second period of time.

[0033] The invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments described above. Rather, a number of variants are conceivable that utilize the solution presented even in fundamentally different embodiments.

Claims

Claims: Radio key (1) for unlocking a vehicle and / or for enabling a function of the vehicle, wherein the radio key (1) comprises a sensor (10) for motion detection, an evaluation unit (20) and a transceiver (30) configured to signal its availability as a connection partner and to wirelessly transmit data to and / or receive data from a connection partner, wherein the transceiver (30) has at least one operating mode (A, B) and at least one sleep mode (C, D) in which the energy consumption of the transceiver (30) is lower than in the at least one operating mode (A, B), wherein the evaluation unit (20) is configured to switch the transceiver from the operating mode (A, B) to the sleep mode (C, D) if no motion is detected by the sensor (10) within a predetermined interval, and to switch the transceiver (30) from the sleep mode (C, D) to the operating mode (A, B).when the sensor (10) detects movement. Radio key according to claim 1, further comprising an actuable switching element (40) for enabling the function of the vehicle, wherein the evaluation unit (20) is configured to switch the transceiver (30) from the at least one sleep mode (C, D) to the at least one operating mode (A, B) when the switching element (40) is actuated. Radio key according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the transceiver (30) has a first sleep mode (C) and a second sleep mode (D), wherein the energy consumption of the transceiver (30) in the first sleep mode (C) is lower than in the at least one operating mode (A, B) and in the second sleep mode (D) is lower than in the first sleep mode (C), wherein the evaluation unit (20) is configured to switch the transceiver (30) from the first sleep mode (C) to the second sleep mode (D) if no movement is detected by the sensor (10) within a predetermined second interval. Radio key according to the preceding claim, wherein the transceiver (30) is configured to disconnect a connection to the communication partner in the first sleep mode (C) and to stop signaling availability as a communication partner.A radio key according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the transceiver (30) is configured to connect to the communication partner more quickly after switching from the first sleep mode (C) to the operating mode (A, B) than after switching from the second sleep mode (C) to the operating mode (A, B). A radio key according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the transceiver (30) is an NFC and / or BLE and / or UWB transceiver. A radio key according to the preceding claim, wherein the transceiver (30) is configured to send advertiser events on at least one advertiser channel. A radio key according to any of the preceding claims. wherein the sensor (10) is a motion sensor or an acceleration sensor. Method for saving energy on a radio key according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the transceiver (30) is switched by the evaluation unit (20) from the at least one operating mode (A, B) to the at least one sleep mode (C, D) when no movement is detected by the sensor (10) within a predetermined interval, and wherein the transceiver (30) is switched by the at least one Sleep mode (C, D) is switched to at least one operating mode (A, B) when motion is detected by the sensor (10).

Images