Vehicle electronic key system, vehicle authentication device

Abstract

To provide a vehicle electronic key system and a vehicle authentication device that can keep down the power consumption of a vehicle portable apparatus or an on-vehicle system in a configuration in which a mobile terminal can be used as a vehicle key in addition to the vehicle portable apparatus.SOLUTION: A smart key and a mobile terminal store key information used for authentication with a vehicle, and function as a key (key device) of the vehicle. Both smart key and mobile terminal use BLE communication for authentication and other communication with an on-vehicle system. A smart key 2 basically operates in a sleep mode in which BLE communication is disabled for power saving. The smart key 2 shifts to a state in which BLE communication is enabled in response to reception of a wake signal periodically transmitted from the vehicle. An on-vehicle system 1 stops periodically transmitting the wake signal when detecting that a mobile terminal 3 exists within a predetermined distance from the vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle electronic key system and a vehicle authentication device that can use a mobile terminal such as a smartphone as a vehicle key.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a mobile terminal such as a smartphone can be used as a key device. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which an in-vehicle system mounted on a vehicle performs position estimation and authentication processing of a mobile terminal by wireless communication compliant with Bluetooth (registered trademark), and executes locking / unlocking of the vehicle. Here, the key device refers to a device that functions as a vehicle key and proves the legitimacy of a person who intends to use the vehicle.

[0003] Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a configuration in which authentication processing by wireless communication is also performed with a vehicle portable device in addition to a mobile terminal. Here, the vehicle portable device is a dedicated device having a function as a vehicle key, and refers to what is called a key fob, a smart key, a key card, or the like. The vehicle portable device also corresponds to a key device. In Patent Document 2, communication with the vehicle portable device is performed using the LF (Low Frequency) band.

[0004] Note that Patent Documents 2-6 disclose various configurations for accurately estimating the position of a mobile terminal. For example, a configuration is disclosed in which communication devices are installed at a plurality of locations in a vehicle, and the position of the vehicle with respect to the mobile terminal is detected based on the communication status between the communication devices and the mobile terminal, such as the reception intensity and the signal flight time. The description contents of these prior art documents, such as the algorithm for determining the position of the mobile terminal and the configuration of the device / system, can be incorporated by reference as the explanation of the technical elements in this specification.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-214316 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-182149 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-26996 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-26998 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-158765 [Patent Document 6] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-73960 [Patent Document 7] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-141771 [Summary of the Invention] [Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

[0006] Even if a mobile terminal can be used as a key device, the sale / distribution of a vehicle mobile device is not necessarily abolished. The vehicle mobile device is expected to be sold / distributed as an accessory of the vehicle in the future as proof of being the owner or as a master key having a physical entity. Also, among users, there are assumed to be users who continue to use the vehicle mobile device as the key of the vehicle rather than the mobile terminal according to their preferences. That is, as an in-vehicle device, a configuration capable of communicating with both the vehicle mobile device and the mobile terminal is required.

[0007]

[0008] The present disclosure has been made based on the above viewpoints, and one of its purposes is to provide a vehicle electronic key system and a vehicle authentication device capable of suppressing power consumption in a vehicle-mounted system or a vehicle portable device in a configuration where a portable terminal can be used as a key for a vehicle in addition to the vehicle portable device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] The vehicle electronic key system disclosed herein is a vehicle electronic key system in which an in-vehicle system (1) performs predetermined vehicle control by performing short-range communication, which is wireless communication conforming to a predetermined communication standard using radio waves in a first frequency band, and the in-vehicle system includes a key information storage unit (M1) that stores information of a key device, a plurality of first communication units (7, 9) that are communication modules configured to be capable of performing short-range communication, at least one second communication unit (8) that is a communication module for transmitting a predetermined wake-up signal that temporarily changes a vehicle portable device (2), which is a dedicated device for operating the vehicle, to a state where short-range communication is possible, a communication control unit (F2) that controls operations of each of the first communication unit and the second communication unit, a position estimation unit (F3) that determines the position of the key device with respect to the vehicle based on a reception status of a signal from the key device in the plurality of first communication units, and an authentication processing unit (F4) that authenticates a user based on data received from the key device via the first communication unit. The key information storage unit is configured to be able to register both the vehicle portable device and a portable terminal (3), which is a general-purpose information processing device capable of performing short-range communication, as key devices. The communication control unit is configured to change the operation of the second communication unit according to the position of the portable terminal determined by the position estimation unit when the portable terminal is registered as a key device. That is, the position estimation unit determines whether the mobile terminal exists in a far - away area that is at a predetermined distance or more from the vehicle or in an area where the distance from the vehicle is less than the predetermined distance. When the position estimation unit determines that the mobile terminal exists in the far - away area, the communication control unit causes the second communication unit to periodically transmit a wake - up signal. On the other hand, when the position estimation unit determines that the mobile terminal exists in an area where the distance from the vehicle is less than the predetermined distance, the communication control unit makes the transmission interval of the wake - up signal longer than that when it is determined that the mobile terminal exists in the far - away area. 。

[0010] In a system that can use both a mobile terminal and a vehicle mobile device as vehicle keys, when the mobile terminal is near the vehicle, the in-vehicle system can authenticate the user by communicating with the mobile terminal. Therefore, when the mobile terminal is near the vehicle, the in-vehicle system does not need to communicate with the vehicle mobile device via short-range communication.

[0011] The vehicle electronic key system of the present disclosure was created by focusing on the above points. First, the vehicle mobile device of the present disclosure transitions to a state where it can temporarily perform short-range communication based on receiving a wake signal. In other words, when the vehicle mobile device does not receive a wake signal, it can maintain a state where it does not perform short-range communication. Therefore, power consumption in the vehicle mobile device can be suppressed. Also, the communication control unit changes the operation of the second communication unit, that is, the transmission control mode of the wake signal, according to the position of the mobile terminal. For example, the communication control unit can execute control such as stopping the transmission of the wake signal when the mobile terminal is near the vehicle. Since the vehicle mobile device maintains a state where it does not perform short-range communication based on the wake signal if the in-vehicle system does not transmit the wake signal, power consumption in the vehicle mobile device can be further suppressed. Also, the in-vehicle system can suppress power consumption by the amount that the wake signal is not transmitted.

[0012] In addition, the vehicle authentication device of the present disclosure is a vehicle authentication device that authenticates a user by performing short-range communication, which is wireless communication compliant with a predetermined communication standard using radio waves in a predetermined first frequency band. The vehicle authentication device includes a key information storage unit (M1) for storing key device information, a first communication control unit (F21) that controls a plurality of first communication units (7, 9), which are communication modules for performing short-range communication and are arranged at different positions in the vehicle, and a second communication control unit (F22) that controls at least one second communication unit (8), which is a communication module for transmitting a predetermined wake-up signal that temporarily transitions a vehicle portable device (2), which is a dedicated device for operating the vehicle, to a state capable of performing short-range communication. The vehicle authentication device also includes a position estimation unit (F3) that determines the position of the key device with respect to the vehicle based on the reception status of signals from the key device in the plurality of first communication units. The key information storage unit is configured to be able to register both the vehicle portable device and a portable terminal (3), which is a general-purpose information processing device capable of performing short-range communication, as key devices. The second communication control unit is configured to change the operation of the second communication unit (8) according to the position of the portable terminal determined by the position estimation unit when the portable terminal is registered as a key device.

[0013] According to the above vehicle authentication device, it is possible to suppress power consumption in the vehicle portable device or the in-vehicle system based on the same principle as the above vehicle electronic key system.

[0014] Note that the reference signs in parentheses described in the claims indicate the correspondence with the specific means described in the embodiments described later as one aspect, and do not limit the technical scope of the present disclosure.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015]

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of a vehicle electronic key system according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a vehicle electronic key system. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle electronic key system includes an in-vehicle system 1 and a smart key 2. Further, the vehicle electronic key system includes one or more mobile terminals 3 as optional elements. The in-vehicle system 1 is a system mounted on the vehicle Hv. The smart key 2 is a dedicated device as an electronic key of the vehicle Hv. The mobile terminal 3 is a general-purpose information processing terminal carried by the user of the vehicle Hv.

[0017] <Introduction> In the following description, the vehicle Hv is, as an example, a vehicle owned by an individual. Therefore, the user of the vehicle Hv refers to the owner and their family members, etc. Of course, the vehicle Hv may be a company-owned vehicle held by a company organization or a government-owned vehicle held by a public institution. When the vehicle Hv is a company-owned vehicle or a government-owned vehicle, a person belonging to the organization that manages the vehicle Hv can be the user. Furthermore, the vehicle Hv may be a vehicle provided for a rental service (so-called rental car) or a vehicle provided for a car-sharing service (so-called shared car). The vehicle Hv may also be a vehicle provided for a passenger transportation service such as a robot taxi. When the vehicle Hv is a vehicle provided for the above services (hereinafter referred to as a service vehicle), a person who has entered into a usage contract for those services and has the right to temporarily use the vehicle Hv based on a usage reservation for the service or the like can be the user.

[0018] In this embodiment, as an example, the vehicle Hv is an engine vehicle. However, the vehicle Hv may be an electric vehicle such as a plug-in hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle. The engine vehicle here refers to a vehicle equipped only with an engine as a power source, and the hybrid vehicle refers to a vehicle equipped with an engine and a motor as power sources. The electric vehicle refers to a vehicle equipped with only a motor as a drive source. The present disclosure is not limited to four-wheel vehicles and can be mounted on various vehicles capable of traveling on the road, such as trailers, two-wheel vehicles, and three-wheel vehicles. A bicycle with a motor can also be included in the two-wheel vehicles. In the present disclosure, as an example, the vehicle Hv is a vehicle with a driver's seat provided on the right side, but the vehicle Hv may also be a vehicle with a driver's seat provided on the left side. The front-back, left-right, and up-down directions in the following description are defined based on the vehicle Hv. The front-back direction corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle Hv. The left-right direction corresponds to the width direction of the vehicle Hv. The up-down direction corresponds to the height direction of the vehicle Hv.

[0019] <Overall Summary> The in-vehicle system 1, the smart key 2, and the mobile terminal 3 are each configured to be able to perform communication (hereinafter referred to as short-range communication) compliant with a predetermined short-range wireless communication standard in which the substantial communication range is, for example, from 5 m to 30 m and at most about 100 m. As the short-range communication standard here, for example, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy, Bluetooth is a registered trademark), Wi-Fi (registered trademark), ZigBee (registered trademark), etc. can be adopted. As the short-range communication method, UWB-IR (Ultra Wide Band - Impulse Radio) can also be adopted. The short-range communication is performed using high-frequency radio waves. Note that the high-frequency radio waves in the present disclosure refer to radio waves of 900 MHz or more, such as 2.4 GHz. The high-frequency radio waves include not only radio waves of 1 GHz or more but also sub-GHz band radio waves such as 920 GHz.

[0020] Here, the operation of each part will be described by taking as an example the case where the in-vehicle system 1, the smart key 2, and the mobile terminal 3 are each configured to be able to perform wireless communication (hereinafter referred to as BLE communication) compliant with the BLE standard. The details of the communication method such as communication connection and encrypted communication are carried out by the sequence defined in the BLE standard.

[0021] Note that hereinafter, the case where the BLE communication device 7 mounted on the vehicle Hv is set to act as a master in communication with the smart key 2 and the mobile terminal 3 will be described. The smart key 2 and the mobile terminal 3 act as slaves. A slave in BLE communication is a device that intermittently transmits an advertisement signal and performs data transmission and reception based on a request from the master. A slave is also referred to as a peripheral. A master is a device that controls the communication connection state and communication timing with the slave. A master is also referred to as a central. As another aspect, the smart key 2 and the mobile terminal 3 may be set to operate as masters in communication with the in-vehicle system 1.

[0022] Note that the advertising signal is a signal for notifying other devices of its own existence. The advertising signal can be called an advertising frame or an advertising packet. Signals transmitted and received by BLE, such as the advertising signal, contain source information. The source information is, for example, unique identification information (hereinafter referred to as the device ID) assigned to the mobile terminal 3. As the device ID, for example, a device address, a UUID (Universally Unique Identifier), etc. can be adopted. Note that the device address in Bluetooth can be represented by 48 bits. Also, the UUID can be represented by 128 bits. The device address may be a fixed public address or a random address. The public address corresponds to the MAC (Media Access Control) address in Ethernet (registered trademark).

[0023] The smart key 2 and the mobile terminal 3 hold key information for using the vehicle Hv and function as an electronic key for the vehicle Hv using the key information. The key information here is data used in the authentication process described later. The key information is data for proving that the person trying to access the vehicle Hv is a user, that is, the legitimacy of the person trying to access the vehicle Hv. The key information can be called an authentication key, an encryption key, or a key code. The key information can be, for example, a character string (value) obtained by encrypting a password set by the user by inputting it into a predetermined hash function. The key information may be generated based on the device ID. In the present disclosure, the smart key 2 and the mobile terminal 3 are also referred to as the key device Kd.

[0024] The key information can be different for each key device Kd. In the in-vehicle system 1, the key information for each key device Kd is stored and registered in association with the device ID. A plurality of key devices Kd may be distinguished by a key ID assigned by the vehicle Hv in the registration order instead of the device ID. The device ID is expressed, for example, in a length of about 48 bits / 128 bits, while the key ID can be expressed in several bytes such as 1 byte. The key information itself can be expressed as a bit string having a length of 1 byte or more. The longer the key information, the stronger its security, which is preferable. The key information can be expressed, for example, in 16 bytes or 27 bytes. According to the configuration where the key information is 27 bytes or less, all the key information can be transmitted in one packet in the BLE encrypted communication.

[0025] The in-vehicle system 1 performs automatic authentication processing by wireless communication with various key devices Kd. And, on the condition that the authentication is successful, it realizes a passive entry passive start system that performs vehicle control according to the user's position with respect to the vehicle Hv. The vehicle control here includes locking / unlocking of doors, power on / off, engine start, etc.

[0026] For example, when the in-vehicle system 1 can confirm that the key device Kd exists within the preset locking / unlocking area Lx with respect to the vehicle Hv, it executes control such as locking and unlocking of the door based on the user operation on the door button 5 described later. Also, when the in-vehicle system 1 can confirm that the key device Kd exists inside the vehicle compartment by wireless communication with the key device Kd, it executes the start control of the engine based on the user operation on the start button 6 described later.

[0027] The unlocking and locking area Lx is an area outside the vehicle cabin where, based on the presence of the key device Kd within this area, the in-vehicle system 1 executes predetermined vehicle control such as locking and unlocking the doors. The unlocking and locking area Lx can also be referred to as the outdoor operation area or the passive entry area. For example, areas near the driver's door, the passenger's door, and the trunk door are set as the unlocking and locking area Lx. The area near the door refers to the range within a predetermined operating distance from the outer door handle. The outer door handle refers to the gripping member provided on the outer surface of the door for opening and closing the door. The operating distance defining the size of the unlocking and locking area Lx is, for example, 1.5 m. Of course, the operating distance may be 1 m or 0.7 m. The operating distance is set to be less than 2 m from the perspective of crime prevention.

[0028] The authentication of the key device Kd by the in-vehicle system 1 can be implemented, for example, by the challenge-response method. Since the authentication process involves comparing the response code generated by the key device Kd based on the key information with the verification code held or dynamically generated by the vehicle Hv, it can also be referred to as the comparison process. The details of the authentication process will be described separately later. The fact that the authentication of the key device Kd is successful corresponds to determining that the person attempting to access the vehicle Hv is a legitimate user.

[0029] <Regarding the configuration of the in-vehicle system 1> Here, the configuration and operation of the in-vehicle system 1 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the in-vehicle system 1 includes a smart ECU 4, a door button 5, a start button 6, a BLE communication device 7, and an LF transmitter 8. The in-vehicle system 1 also includes a power supply ECU 11, a body ECU 12, a body actuator 13, a body sensor 14, a display 15, an input device 16, and a wide-area communication unit 17. The ECU in the member name is an abbreviation of Electronic Control Unit and means an electronic control device. LF is an abbreviation of Low Frequency.

[0030] The smart ECU 4 is connected to each of a plurality of door buttons 5, a start button 6, a plurality of BLE communication devices 7, and an LF transmitter 8 by dedicated signal lines. Further, the smart ECU 4 is communicably connected to a power supply ECU 11, a body ECU 12, a display 15, an input device 16, etc. via an in-vehicle network Nw. The in-vehicle network Nw is a communication network constructed within the vehicle Hv. As the standard of the in-vehicle network Nw, various standards such as Controller Area Network (hereinafter, CAN: registered trademark) and Ethernet can be adopted. Note that a part such as the body ECU 12 may be connected to the smart ECU 4 by a dedicated line without going through the in-vehicle network Nw. The connection form between devices can be changed as appropriate.

[0031] The smart ECU 4 estimates the position of the key device Kd in cooperation with the BLE communication device 7 or the like. Further, the smart ECU 4 realizes vehicle control according to the estimation result of the position of the key device Kd in cooperation with other ECUs. The smart ECU 4 is realized using a computer. That is, the smart ECU 4 includes a processor 41, a RAM 42, a storage 43, an I / O 44, and a bus line connecting these components. Further, the smart ECU 4 of the present embodiment incorporates one BLE communication device 7. The smart ECU 4 corresponds to a vehicle authentication device.

[0032] The processor 41 is hardware for arithmetic processing (in other words, an arithmetic core) coupled to a RAM (Random Access Memory) 42. The processor 41 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The processor 41 executes various processes for realizing the functions of each functional unit described later by accessing the RAM 42. The RAM 42 is a volatile storage medium. The storage 43 is configured to include a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory. Various programs executed by the processor 41 are stored in the storage 43. The execution of a program by the processor 41 corresponds to the execution of a method corresponding to the program, for example, a position estimation method. The I / O 44 is a circuit module for communicating with other devices. The I / O 44 is realized using analog circuit elements, ICs, and the like.

[0033] Device IDs for each key device Kd are registered in the storage 43. Further, communication device setting data indicating the mounting positions of the respective BLE communication devices 7 in the vehicle Hv are stored in the storage 43. The mounting position of each BLE communication device 7 can be expressed, for example, as a point on a vehicle coordinate system, which is a two-dimensional coordinate system parallel to both the width direction and the longitudinal direction of the vehicle Hv with an arbitrary position of the vehicle Hv as the center. The X-axis forming the vehicle coordinate system is set parallel to the vehicle width direction, and the Y-axis can be set parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The center of the vehicle coordinate system can adopt, for example, the center of the vehicle body or the center of the rear wheel axle.

[0034] Each BLE communication device 7 included in the in-vehicle system 1 is set with a unique communication device number. The communication device number functions as information for identifying a plurality of BLE communication devices 7. In the storage 43, the installation positions of the respective BLE communication devices 7 are stored in association with the communication device numbers as communication device setting data. The detailed functions of the smart ECU 4 will be described separately later.

[0035] The door button 5 is a button for the user to unlock and lock the door of the vehicle Hv. The door button 5 is provided on the outer door handle provided on each door or in the vicinity thereof. When the door button 5 is pressed by the user, it outputs an electrical signal indicating that fact to the smart ECU 4. Note that a touch sensor can also be adopted as a configuration for receiving at least one of the unlocking instruction and the locking instruction of the user. The touch sensor is a device that detects that the user is touching the door handle. The touch sensor can be provided on the outer door handle instead of the door button 5 or together with the door button 5.

[0036] The start button 6 is a push switch for the user to switch the driving power supply on / off. The driving power supply is a power supply for the vehicle Hv to run, and refers to the ignition power supply when the vehicle is an engine vehicle. When the vehicle Hv is an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, the driving power supply refers to the system main relay. The start button 6 can also be regarded as a switch for starting a drive source (for example, an engine). When the start button 6 is pushed by the user, it outputs an electrical signal indicating that fact to the smart ECU 4.

[0037] The BLE communication device 7 is a communication module for performing wireless communication with a key device Kd such as the smart key 2 or the key device Kd in accordance with the BLE standard. Each BLE communication device 7 includes a substrate 71, an antenna 72, a transceiver 73, and a communication microcomputer 74 as shown in FIG. 2. The substrate 71 is, for example, a printed circuit board. Electronic components constituting the BLE communication device 7 such as the antenna 72 are provided on the substrate 71. The antenna 72 is an antenna for transmitting and receiving radio waves in the frequency band used for BLE communication, that is, the 2.4 GHz band. The antenna 72 is electrically connected to the transceiver 73. The frequency band used in BLE communication corresponds to the first frequency band. The antenna 72 may be configured as an array antenna formed by arranging a plurality of antenna elements.

[0038] The transceiver unit 73 demodulates the signal received by the antenna 72 and provides it to the communication microcomputer 74. Also, the signal input from the smart ECU 4 via the communication microcomputer 74 is modulated and output to the antenna 72, and radiated as radio waves. The transceiver unit 73 is connected to the communication microcomputer 74 so as to be able to communicate with each other. The transceiver unit 73 includes a reception intensity detection unit 731 and a reception phase detection unit 732. The reception intensity detection unit 731 is configured to sequentially detect the intensity of the signal received by the antenna 72. A signal indicating the reception intensity detected by the reception intensity detection unit 731 or the measured value itself can also be called RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator / Indication). The reception intensity detected by the reception intensity detection unit 731 is sequentially provided to the communication microcomputer 74 in association with the device ID indicating the transmission source of the received signal.

[0039] Also, when the reception phase detection unit 732 is receiving a continuous wave (CW) signal for ranging, it detects the reception phase, which is the phase angle of the received signal with respect to the output signal of the local oscillator. The reception phase corresponds to, for example, the output value of the arctangent with the ratio of the Q (Quadrature-Phase) component to the I (In-Phase) component of the received signal as the input value. The magnitude of the I component corresponds to the intensity of the in-phase component of the received signal. The magnitude of the Q component corresponds to the intensity of the quadrature component of the received signal. The I component is obtained by multiplying the received signal by the carrier wave output by the local oscillator. Also, the Q component is obtained by multiplying the received signal by a phase shift signal whose phase is shifted by 90° from the output signal of the local oscillator. The phase shift signal can be obtained by passing the output signal of the local oscillator through a phase shift circuit, which is a circuit that shifts the phase by 90°. The local oscillator is a circuit that generates a sine wave or a cosine wave of the carrier frequency and is realized, for example, using a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO). The phase detected by the reception phase detection unit 732 is output to the communication microcomputer 74 in association with the frequency of the received signal. The reception phase may be specified based on the IQ signal whose frequency has been reduced to the baseband.

[0040] The communication microcomputer 74 is a microcomputer that controls the transfer of data with the smart ECU 4. The communication microcomputer 74 is implemented using a CPU, RAM, ROM (Read Only Memory), etc. The communication microcomputer 74 sequentially provides the received data input from the transceiver unit 73 to the smart ECU 4 or based on a request from the smart ECU 4. Further, the communication microcomputer 74 has a function of authenticating the key device Kd and performing encrypted communication with the key device Kd based on a request from the smart ECU 4. As the encryption method, various methods can be employed.

[0041] The communication microcomputer 74 outputs data indicating the reception intensity detected by the reception intensity detection unit 731 to the smart ECU 4 based on a request from the smart ECU 4. Note that the communication microcomputer may be configured to sequentially output the reception intensity data to the smart ECU 4 regardless of the presence or absence of a request from the smart ECU 4. The communication microcomputer 74 outputs reception phase information for each frequency to the smart ECU 4 based on a request from the smart ECU 4 or spontaneously.

[0042] At least one BLE communication device 7 is provided in the vehicle Hv. In this embodiment, as an example, one BLE communication device 7 is built into the smart ECU 4. Also, a plurality of BLE communication devices 7 are dispersedly arranged at a plurality of locations in the vehicle outside the smart ECU 4. In this embodiment, as an example, as shown in FIG. 3, BLE communication devices 7a to 7c, 7p to 7r, and 7x are provided.

[0043] The BLE communication device 7a is provided on the outer surface of the B-pillar in the right door. The BLE communication device 7b is provided on the outer surface of the B-pillar in the left door. For example, the BLE communication devices 7a and 7b are arranged in a region within 30 cm above the belt line among the B-pillars provided in the left and right doors. The belt line is a line along the lower end of the side window and can also be called the waist line. The BLE communication device 7c is arranged at the center in the left-right direction of the rear bumper.

[0044] The BLE communication devices 7a to 7c correspond to outdoor units of the BLE communication device 7 provided on the outer surface of the vehicle. The BLE communication devices 7a to 7c as outdoor units correspond to a configuration mainly for receiving signals from the key device Kd existing outside the vehicle. The outdoor unit is preferably arranged near the B-pillar or the outer door handle so that the signal from the key device Kd held by the user trying to board the vehicle Hv can be received well. In this embodiment, as an example, each outdoor unit forms an individual locking / unlocking area Lx. For example, the BLE communication device 7a forms the right area LxR which is the locking / unlocking area Lx on the right side of the vehicle. Also, the BLE communication device 7b forms the left area LxL which is the locking / unlocking area Lx on the left side of the vehicle. The BLE communication device 7c forms the rear area LxB which is the locking / unlocking area Lx at the rear of the vehicle.

[0045] Note that as the B-pillar, there are a door-side B-pillar provided in the door module and a body-side B-pillar as a pillar / frame provided in the roof portion of the vehicle body. The door-side B-pillar corresponds to the portion that abuts on the body-side pillar in the front-seat door or the rear-seat door. The B-pillar hereinafter mainly refers to the door-side B-pillar. Also, unless otherwise specified, the door-side B-pillar as the mounting position of the outdoor unit refers to the portion adjacent to the side window, that is, the portion above the lower end of the side window. As another aspect, the outdoor unit may be arranged in a portion below the window frame of the door-side B-pillar or in the body-side B-pillar. The B-pillar refers to the second pillar from the front among the pillars provided in the vehicle Hv. The B-pillar may also be called the center pillar. The third pillar from the front or the pillar located behind the rear seat is called the C-pillar. The A-pillar is the pillar in front of the first one and corresponds to the pillar located in front of the front seat.

[0046] The BLE communication device 7p is arranged at a position 0.1 m or more below the window part on the inner surface of the metal panel constituting the right front door. For example, the BLE communication device 7p is arranged in a region within 20 cm from the floor on the inner side surface of the right front door. The right front door refers to the door for the front seat on the right side. The BLE communication device 7q is arranged at a position corresponding to the BLE communication device 7p on the left side of the vehicle. That is, the BLE communication device 7q is arranged at a position 0.1 m or more below the window part on the inner surface of the metal panel constituting the left front door. The left front door refers to the door for the front seat provided on the left side of the vehicle. The BLE communication device 7r is provided on the back surface of the trunk room or the backrest part of the rear seat.

[0047] The BLE communication devices 7p to 7r correspond to the indoor units of the BLE communication device 7 provided in the vehicle interior. The BLE communication devices 7p to 7r as the indoor units correspond to a configuration mainly for receiving signals from the key device Kd existing in the vehicle interior.

[0048] The indoor unit is preferably provided at a position where the outside of the vehicle is out of sight. The out-of-sight area for a certain BLE communication device 7 is an area where the signal transmitted from the BLE communication device 7 does not directly reach. Note that the signal transmitted from the BLE communication device 7 can reach the out-of-sight area by being reflected by various structures. That is, even when the key device Kd exists out of sight of the BLE communication device 7, the two can perform wireless communication by reflection or diffraction on the structure.

[0049] The indoor unit is arranged at a position deviated from the position that forms a pair with the outdoor unit with a metal plate such as a door interposed therebetween. The position that forms a pair refers to a position in a front-back relationship with a metal body interposed therebetween. More specifically, a range where the distance from the outdoor unit is less than 20% of the target wavelength may correspond to the position that forms a pair with the outdoor unit. The position deviated from the position that forms a pair is a position that does not satisfy the above conditions. For example, the indoor unit is arranged at a position 20% or more, more preferably 40% or more away from the outdoor unit with respect to the target wavelength. The target wavelength here is the wavelength of the signal used for BLE communication and is about 122 mm. 20% of the target wavelength is about 2.5 cm, and 40% is about 5 cm. The above arrangement mode corresponds to a configuration in which the indoor unit is arranged at a position at least 10 cm or more away from the outdoor unit in the vertical or front-back direction.

[0050] The BLE communication device 7x is built into the smart ECU 4. FIG. 3 shows an example of a mode in which the smart ECU 4 is attached to the right C-pillar. The smart ECU 4 may be housed inside the instrument panel. As the housing location of the smart ECU 4, the inside of the upper surface portion of the instrument panel, the inside of the center garnish, etc. can be adopted. The BLE communication device 7x is preferably arranged at a position where it can communicate not only with the key device Kd existing inside the vehicle but also outside the vehicle. The smart ECU 4 including the BLE communication device 7x may be arranged at a position where the outside of the vehicle can be seen through a window portion, such as the ceiling portion inside the vehicle compartment. Also, the BLE communication device 7x may be arranged outside the smart ECU 4.

[0051] Note that the mounting positions of the BLE communication devices 7 described above are just examples and can be changed as appropriate. For example, the BLE communication devices 7a and 7b as outdoor units may be built into the outer door handles for the front seats, or may be arranged in the locker part under the door, etc. The locker part includes the inner part of the side sill cover. The mounting position of the BLE communication device 7c may be near the rear number plate, near the rear window, near the door handle for the trunk, etc. In the description of the mounting position of the BLE communication device 7, the "vicinity" of a certain member refers to a range within, for example, 30 cm from the member. For example, the vicinity of the number plate refers to a range within 30 cm from the number plate. The vicinity of the door handle includes the inside of the door handle.

[0052] The BLE communication devices 7p and 7q as indoor units may be arranged at the base of the vehicle body side B-pillar, near the feet of the driver's seat and the passenger seat. The base of the vehicle body side B-pillar refers to a part within 20 cm from the floor surface. The BLE communication devices 7p and 7q may be arranged near the inner door handle, on the door switch panel, in the door pocket, on the armrest, etc. The BLE communication device 7r may be buried in the center of the rear seat, etc.

[0053] Also, the number of BLE communication devices 7 provided in the vehicle-mounted system 1 may be 6 or less, or may be 8 or more. The vehicle-mounted system 1 may be provided with a BLE communication device 7 arranged near the front bumper / emblem.

[0054] Among the BLE communication devices 7 provided in the vehicle-mounted system 1, those used for data communication with the key device Kd are referred to as representative devices or gateway communication devices in the present disclosure. In the present disclosure, the BLE communication device 7x basically operates as a representative device. The setting of the representative device can be dynamically changed by the processor 41.

[0055] The smart ECU 4 uses one of the plurality of BLE communication devices 7 to perform key exchange protocol execution (so-called pairing) with the key device Kd. The device information, which is the information about the key device Kd obtained by pairing, is stored in the storage 43 and also in the non-volatile memory provided in the communication microcomputer 74 of each BLE communication device 7. The device information is, for example, a key exchanged by pairing, a device ID, etc. When the vehicle Hv is shared by a plurality of users, the device information for each of the key devices Kd held by each user is stored. Also, when the vehicle Hv is a service car, the smart ECU 4 may pre-acquire the device information corresponding to the user who has made a reservation from the management server that issues the key information and temporarily store it in a predetermined storage medium.

[0056] The BLE communication device 7x and thus the in-vehicle system 1 detect that the mobile terminal 3 is within the range where short-distance communication with the in-vehicle system 1 is possible by receiving signals transmitted from the mobile terminal 3 or the smart key 2, such as an advertisement signal or a scan response signal. The scan response signal corresponds to a response signal issued by a slave in response to a scan request signal issued by a master. Here, as an example, the in-vehicle system 1 detects the key device Kd existing around the vehicle in the passive scan method. The in-vehicle system 1 may search for the key device Kd by the active scan method involving the transmission of a scan request. The two types of scan methods may be used appropriately depending on the scene.

[0057] When the BLE communication device 7x receives an advertisement signal or a scan response signal from the key device Kd, it automatically establishes a communication connection with the key device Kd using the stored device information. Then, the smart ECU 4 performs encrypted data communication with the key device Kd. When the BLE communication device 7x establishes a communication connection with the key device Kd, it provides the device ID of the key device Kd with which it is communicating to the smart ECU 4 as connection device information.

[0058] In BLE communication, while the communication connection between devices is established, data transmission and reception are performed while sequentially changing 37 channels. The BLE communication device 7x, as a representative device, sequentially provides the communication control unit F2 with information indicating the channel used for communication with the key device Kd (hereinafter referred to as channel information). The channel information may be a specific channel number or a parameter indicating the transition rule of the used channel (so-called hopIncrement). HopIncrement is a number from 5 to 16 randomly determined at the time of communication connection. The channel information preferably includes the current channel number and HopIncrement.

[0059] Each BLE communication device 7 provided outside the smart ECU 4 is communicably connected to the smart ECU 4 via a dedicated communication line or the in-vehicle network Nw. Each BLE communication device 7 operates based on a control signal from the communication control unit F2 provided in the smart ECU 4. In addition, each BLE communication device 7 provides the smart ECU 4 with received data and information regarding the reception status of signals from the key device Kd. Information regarding the reception status of signals from the key device Kd will be described separately later.

[0060] The LF transmitter 8 is a device that transmits a signal of a predetermined frequency belonging to the LF band based on an instruction from the smart ECU 4. The LF band corresponds to the second frequency band. Here, the LF band refers to 30 kHz to 300 kHz. The frequencies of the LF band used for signal transmission from the in-vehicle system 1 to the smart key 2 are, for example, 125 kHz and 134 kHz. The wireless signal in the LF band is also hereinafter referred to as an LF signal. The LF transmitter 8 transmits a wake-up signal, for example, based on an input signal from the smart ECU 4. The wake-up signal is an LF signal for shifting the smart key 2 to the active mode. The LF transmitter 8 includes an LF transmission circuit and an LF transmission antenna. The LF transmission circuit is a circuit that performs predetermined signal processing such as digital-to-analog conversion, frequency conversion, and modulation. The LF transmission circuit may be provided in the smart ECU 4.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 3, the in-vehicle system 1 includes LF transmitters 8a and 8b as LF transmitters 8. The LF transmitter 8a is provided, for example, at the center in the vehicle width direction of the instrument panel or near the center console box. The LF transmitter 8b is buried in the seating surface of the rear seat. Note that the LF transmitter 8a may be provided on the ceiling. The LF transmitter 8b may be arranged in the trunk. The installation position and the number of the LF transmitters 8 can also be changed as appropriate. The transmission power and the mounting location of the LF transmitter 8 are set so that within 5 m from the vehicle including the vehicle interior becomes an effective communication area. The effective communication area refers to a range in which the wake signal propagates while maintaining a predetermined intensity.

[0062] The power supply ECU 11 is an ECU that controls the on / off state of the driving power supply mounted on the vehicle Hv. For example, the power supply ECU 11 sets the driving power supply to on based on an instruction signal from another ECU such as the smart ECU 4. When the vehicle Hv is an engine vehicle, the power supply ECU 11 starts the engine based on the above instruction signal.

[0063] The body ECU 12 is an ECU that controls the body actuators 13 based on requests from the smart ECU 4 or the user. The body ECU 12 is communicably connected to various body actuators 13 and various body sensors 14. The body actuators 13 here are, for example, door lock motors that constitute the lock mechanism of each door. The body sensors 14 include, for example, courtesy switches arranged for each door. The courtesy switch is a sensor that detects the opening and closing of the door. The body ECU 12 locks or unlocks each door by outputting a predetermined control signal to the door lock motor provided on each door of the vehicle Hv based on a request from the smart ECU 4, for example.

[0064] The display 15 is a device for displaying images. For example, based on an input from the smart ECU 4, the display 15 can display a screen for registering the key device Kd, a screen for deleting a registered key device Kd, and the like. As the display 15, for example, a liquid crystal display, an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) display, or the like can be adopted. The display 15 is, for example, a center display provided in the central region in the vehicle width direction of the instrument panel. The display 15 may be a meter display arranged in the front region of the driver's seat.

[0065] The input device 16 is a device for receiving a user's instruction operation on the in-vehicle system 1, more specifically, the smart ECU 4. As the input device 16, a steering switch or a touch panel laminated on the display 15 can be adopted. The display 15 and the input device 16 correspond to an interface for the user to register the mobile terminal 3 as the key device Kd or delete a device already registered as the key device Kd. The input device 16 outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the operation performed by the user on the device as an operation signal to the smart ECU 4. The operation signal output by the input device 16 indicates the content of the user's operation.

[0066] The wide-area communication unit 17 is a communication module for accessing the Internet by cellular communication or Wi-Fi communication. Here, cellular communication refers to 4G, 5G, etc. In the present disclosure, communication capable of accessing the Internet, such as 4G, 5G, and Wi-Fi, is also referred to as wide-area communication. When the vehicle Hv is a service car, the smart ECU 4 performs data communication with a management server arranged outside the vehicle via the wide-area communication unit 17. The management server can distribute data on the reservation status of the vehicle Hv and data on the user who has made a usage reservation to the smart ECU 4. The distribution data regarding the reserving person may include device information and key information of the mobile terminal 3 possessed by the user. The management server corresponds to an external server.

[0067] <Regarding the smart key 2> The smart key 2 is a dedicated device as an electronic key for accessing the vehicle Hv. The smart key 2 is a device provided to the owner together with the vehicle Hv when purchasing the vehicle Hv. The smart key 2 is basically possessed by the owner. The smart key 2 can be regarded as one of the accessories of the vehicle Hv. The smart key 2 can adopt various shapes such as a flat rectangular parallelepiped shape, a flat elliptical shape (so-called fob type), and a card type. The smart key 2 can be called a vehicle portable device, a key fob, a key card, an access key, etc.

[0068] The smart key 2 has, as operation modes, an active mode capable of BLE communication and a sleep mode which suppresses power consumption by limiting functions executable as compared with the active mode. The sleep mode corresponds to a state where, for example, power supply to the BLE communication unit 23 is stopped and its operation is stopped.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 4, the smart key 2 includes a key control unit 20, an operation unit 21, an LF reception unit 22, a BLE communication unit 23, and a built-in battery 24.

[0070] The operation unit 21 is a configuration for receiving user operations on the smart key 2. As the operation unit 21, a push switch or the like can be adopted. The operation unit 21 may include a plurality of switches. For example, the operation unit 21 may include a locking switch which is a switch for locking the door of the vehicle Hv and an unlocking switch which is a switch for unlocking the door of the vehicle Hv. Note that the operation unit 21 may be realized by a combination of a display and a touch panel. The smart key 2 provides a so-called remote keyless entry system that executes control such as locking / unlocking of the vehicle door by wirelessly transmitting a remote control signal corresponding to the switch operated by the user toward the smart ECU 4.

[0071] The LF reception unit 22 is configured to receive an LF signal, which is a radio signal of a predetermined frequency belonging to the LF band. The LF reception unit 22 is realized by using an antenna for receiving the LF signal and a circuit (so-called demodulation circuit) for demodulating the received signal. The LF reception unit 22 extracts the data included in the received signal by performing predetermined processes such as analog-to-digital conversion, demodulation, and decoding on the signal received by the antenna. Then, the extracted data is provided to the key control unit 20.

[0072] The BLE communication unit 23 is a communication module for BLE. The schematic configuration of the BLE communication unit 23 can be the same as that of the BLE communication device 7. The BLE communication unit 23 operates under the control of the key control unit 20. For example, the operating state of the BLE communication unit 23 is switched by the key control unit 20. The BLE communication unit 23 has an active state in which it can transmit and receive an advertisement signal or the like and a non-active state in which communication is impossible. The non-active state can be, for example, a state in which power is not supplied. The built-in battery 24 is a power source that supplies power for the operation of the smart key 2. The built-in battery 24 is a primary battery such as a lithium battery, for example.

[0073] The key control unit 20 is configured as a microcomputer including a CPU 201 and a memory 202. The key control unit 20 may be realized by using an IC (Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array). Key-related information is stored in the memory 202. The key-related information refers to, for example, key information and the corresponding vehicle ID.

[0074] The key control unit 20 is activated based on the reception of a wake signal having an intensity equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold value by the LF reception unit 22, and shifts the entire smart key 2 from the sleep mode to the active mode. Further, the key control unit 20 can also shift from the sleep mode to the active mode when the operation unit 21 is operated, in addition to when a wake signal is received. That is, the key control unit 20 activates the BLE communication unit 23 triggered by the reception of a wake signal or a user operation on the operation unit 21.

[0075] In the active mode, the key control unit 20 acquires information indicating the communication connection state with the in-vehicle system 1 and received data from the in-vehicle system 1 from the BLE communication unit 23. When the BLE communication unit 23 receives a challenge code, the key control unit 20 generates a response code using the key information stored in the memory 203 and transmits it to the BLE communication unit 23. When the operation unit 21 is operated, the key control unit 20 also causes the BLE communication unit 23 to transmit a control signal corresponding to the operation content.

[0076] In addition, in the active mode, when the state of not being communicatively connected to the in-vehicle system 1 continues for a certain period, and when the state of the operation unit 21 not being operated continues for a certain time, the key control unit 20 shifts the smart key 2 to the sleep mode.

[0077] <Regarding the mobile terminal 3> The mobile terminal 3 is a portable and general-purpose information processing device equipped with a BLE communication function. A digital key application 304, which is an application for functioning as an electronic key of the vehicle Hv, is installed. As the mobile terminal 3, for example, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a wearable device, etc. can be adopted. The wearable device is a device that is worn on the user's body and can adopt various shapes such as a wristband type, a wristwatch type, a ring type, a glasses type, an earphone type, etc.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 5, the mobile terminal 3 includes a terminal control unit 30, a display 31, a touch panel 32, a battery 33, a BLE communication unit 34, and a cellular communication unit 35.

[0079] The display 31 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. The display 31 displays an image according to an input signal from the terminal control unit 30. The touch panel 32 is a capacitive touch panel and is laminated on the display 31. The touch panel 32 and the display 31 correspond to an interface for the user to register key information in the mobile terminal 3 or pair the mobile terminal 3 with the in-vehicle system 1. The battery 33 is a secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery.

[0080] The BLE communication unit 34 is a communication module for performing BLE communication. The schematic configuration of the BLE communication unit 34 can be the same as that of the BLE communicator 7. The BLE communication unit 34 is connected to the terminal control unit 30 so as to be mutually communicable. The BLE communication unit 34 receives the data transmitted from the vehicle Hv and provides it to the terminal control unit 30, and modulates the data input from the terminal control unit 30 and transmits it to the vehicle Hv.

[0081] The cellular communication unit 35 is a communication module for connecting to the Internet via a radio base station, and is configured to be capable of performing wireless communication conforming to a standard such as 4G or 5G. The cellular communication unit 35 can receive, for example, a data package for installing the digital key application 304 from a predetermined server. Note that the cellular communication unit 35 is an optional element and may be omitted. Also, the mobile terminal 3 may be configured to be able to access the Internet via a Wi-Fi line instead of a cellular line such as 4G or 5G.

[0082] The terminal control unit 30 is configured as a computer including, for example, a processor 301, a RAM 302, a storage 303, etc. The digital key application 304 is installed in the storage 303 or the like. Further, key information is stored in the storage 303. Note that the digital key application 304 is an application for securely performing acquisition, storage, authentication processing, etc. of key information. The digital key application 304 is an optional element and may be omitted.

[0083] The terminal control unit 30 causes the BLE communication unit 34 to transmit an advertisement signal at a predetermined transmission interval. As another aspect, the mobile terminal 3 may be configured to transmit a scan response based on a request from the in-vehicle system 1, for example, a scan request. Further, when reception data is input from the BLE communication unit 34, the terminal control unit 30 generates a baseband signal corresponding to a response signal corresponding to the reception data and outputs it to the BLE communication unit 34. For example, when the BLE communication unit 34 receives a challenge code, a response code is generated using a predetermined procedure / function based on the challenge code and the key information. Then, a baseband signal including the response code is output to the BLE communication unit 34. The baseband signal output by the terminal control unit 30 to the BLE communication unit 34 is modulated by the BLE communication unit 34 and transmitted as a radio signal.

[0084] The terminal control unit 30 may be configured not to return a response code during a rest time zone set by the user. According to this configuration, the risk of successful authentication can be reduced in a situation where the user has no intention of using the vehicle Hv. The rest time zone can be manually set by the user so as to correspond to a time zone when there is no possibility of using the vehicle Hv. For example, the time zone when the user sleeps or the time zone when the user is going to school or work can be set as the rest time zone. The rest time zone may be automatically registered from the user's behavior history information. The user's behavior history can be specified based on the location information of the mobile terminal 3 such as GPS.

[0085] Further, the terminal control unit 30 may be configured not to return a response code when the mobile terminal 3 has been stationary for a certain period of time or more. Whether the mobile terminal 3 is stationary or not can be specified based on, for example, the outputs of an acceleration sensor or a gyro sensor provided in the mobile terminal 3.

[0086] In addition, when the operation of the BLE communication unit 34 can be controlled on an application-by-application basis, the terminal control unit 30 may stop transmitting advertisements during a rest period. According to such a configuration, it is possible to suppress power consumption due to unnecessary advertisements. Similarly, the transmission of advertisements may be stopped based on the fact that the mobile terminal 3 has been stationary for a certain period of time or more. Further, the terminal control unit 30 may be configured to prohibit communication connection with the in-vehicle system 1 based on the fact that it is a rest period or that it has been stopped for a certain period of time or more.

[0087] <Regarding the functions of the smart ECU 4> Here, the functions and operations of the smart ECU 4 will be described with reference to FIG. 6. The smart ECU 4 provides functions corresponding to various functional blocks shown in FIG. 6 by executing a program stored in the storage 43. That is, the smart ECU 4 includes, as functional blocks, a vehicle information acquisition unit F1, a communication control unit F2, a position estimation unit F3, an authentication processing unit F4, a vehicle control unit F5, and a device management unit F6. The communication control unit F2 includes a BLE control unit F21 and an LF control unit F22 as sub-functional units. The BLE control unit F21 corresponds to the first communication control unit, and the LF control unit F22 corresponds to the second communication control unit. In addition, the smart ECU 4 includes a key information storage unit M1.

[0088] The key information storage unit M1 is a storage medium for storing information on the smart key 2 and the mobile terminal 3 that can be used as the electronic key of the vehicle Hv. Information on at least one key device Kd is stored in the key information storage unit M1. For each key device Kd, the key information in the key information storage unit M1 is stored in association with a key ID, a device ID, a user ID, device type information, etc. The user ID is an identifier for identifying a plurality of users and is set for each user. The device type refers to whether it is the smart key 2 or the mobile terminal 3. Information such as an expiration date and authority may be associated and stored in the key information. Furthermore, personal setting information of the user for the in-vehicle environment such as the seat position may be associated with the key information.

[0089] The key information storage unit M1 is realized by using a part of the storage area provided in the storage 43. Note that the key information storage unit M1 may be realized by using a non-volatile storage medium physically independent of the storage 43. The key information storage unit M1 is configured such that writing, reading, deleting, etc. of data by the processor 41 can be performed.

[0090] The vehicle information acquisition unit F1 acquires various vehicle information indicating the state of the vehicle Hv from sensors, ECUs, switches, etc. mounted on the vehicle Hv. For example, the state of the vehicle power supply, the open / closed state of each door, the locked / unlocked state of each door, the presence or absence of pressing the door button 5, the presence or absence of pressing the start button 6, the shift position, etc. correspond to the vehicle information. The state of the vehicle power supply includes whether the driving power supply is on or not. The types of vehicle information are not limited to those described above. The output value of a brake sensor that detects the depression amount / depression force of the brake pedal and a signal indicating the operating state of the parking brake can also be included in the vehicle information.

[0091] Based on the various information described above, the vehicle information acquisition unit F1 identifies the current state of the vehicle Hv. For example, when the engine is off and all doors are locked, the vehicle information acquisition unit F1 determines that the vehicle Hv is parked. The conditions for determining that the vehicle Hv is parked may be appropriately designed, and various determination conditions can be applied. Note that obtaining the electrical signals from the door button 5 and the start button 6 corresponds to detecting the user operations on these buttons. The vehicle information acquisition unit F1 detects user operations on the vehicle Hv, such as opening and closing of the doors, pressing of the door button 5, pressing of the start button 6, and opening and closing of the doors.

[0092] The communication control unit F2 controls the operations of the BLE communication device 7 and the LF transmitter 8. The configuration for controlling the BLE communication device 7 corresponds to the BLE control unit F21, and the configuration for controlling the LF transmitter 8 corresponds to the LF control unit F22. The communication control unit F2 performs data communication with the key device Kd using the BLE communication device 7x. For example, the communication control unit F2 generates data addressed to the connected key device Kd and outputs it to the BLE communication device 7x. Thereby, a signal corresponding to the desired data is transmitted as radio waves. Also, the communication control unit F2 receives the data from the key device Kd received by the BLE communication device 7x. In this embodiment, as a more preferable aspect, the data communication between the smart ECU 4 and the key device Kd is performed in an encrypted manner.

[0093] Based on receiving the BLE signal transmitted from the key device Kd, the communication control unit F2 recognizes that the user is present around the vehicle Hv. Also, the communication control unit F2 obtains the device ID of the communication connection partner from the BLE communication device 7x. Even if the vehicle Hv is a vehicle shared by multiple users, the smart ECU 4 identifies the user present around the vehicle Hv based on the ID of the key device Kd to which the BLE communication device 7 is communicatively connected.

[0094] In addition, the communication control unit F2 controls the operation of the LF transmitter 8 based on the position information of the mobile terminal 3 estimated by the position estimation unit F3 described later. In other words, the communication control unit F2 varies the control mode of the LF transmitter 8 according to the position of the mobile terminal 3. Details regarding the control mode of the LF transmitter 8 will be described separately later.

[0095] In addition, the communication control unit F2 acquires data indicating the reception status of the signal from the key device Kd from each of the plurality of BLE communication devices 7. For example, the communication control unit F2 acquires data indicating the reception intensity and phase for each frequency as the reception status of the signal from the key device Kd. The communication control unit F2 provides data indicating the reception status of the signal from the key device Kd at each BLE communication device 7 to other functional / circuit modules such as the position estimation unit F3.

[0096] Note that the communication control unit F2 may acquire the arrival direction of the signal as information indicating the reception status of the signal from the key device Kd. The estimation of the arrival direction of the signal can be performed by various methods such as the MUSIC method and the ESPRIT method. The data acquisition in the present disclosure includes not only the mode of input from the outside but also the generation / detection by internal calculation. The reception intensity, phase, arrival direction, etc. can be referred to as reception characteristics.

[0097] The position estimation unit F3 estimates the position of the key device Kd based on the reception status of the signal from the key device Kd at each BLE communication device 7. In the present disclosure, the position of the key device Kd can also be expressed as the device position. Since the key device Kd corresponds to the user, estimating the device position is equivalent to estimating the user's position.

[0098] The position estimation unit F3 sequentially executes the process of estimating the device position at a predetermined estimation interval while at least one BLE communication device 7x is in communication connection with the key device Kd. The estimation interval can be set to 100 milliseconds. The estimation interval may also be 200 milliseconds, 150 milliseconds, etc. The position estimation process by the position estimation unit F3 will be described separately later.

[0099] In addition, when the position estimation unit F3 receives a signal from the key device Kd, even if there is no communication connection, it may be configured to estimate the position of the transmission source based on the received signal. When the position estimation unit F3 receives signals from a plurality of key devices Kd, it can perform the process of estimating the position for each of the plurality of key devices Kd in parallel. The position estimation unit F3 may be configured to determine the position not only for terminals registered as the key device Kd but also for unregistered terminals.

[0100] The authentication processing unit F4, in cooperation with the BLE communication device 7x, performs a process of confirming (in other words, authenticating) that the communication partner is the key device Kd. The communication for authentication is performed in an encrypted manner. The authentication process itself may be performed using various methods such as the challenge-response method. For example, the authentication processing unit F4 transmits a predetermined / randomly generated challenge code to the key device Kd. Also, a verification code is generated according to a predetermined procedure using key information corresponding to the device ID / key ID of the communication partner for the challenge code. Then, the response code returned from the communication partner and the verification code are compared, and based on the two being identical, it is determined that the authentication is successful.

[0101] The timing at which the authentication processing unit F4 performs the authentication process can be, for example, the timing when the communication connection between the BLE communication device 7 and the key device Kd is established. The authentication processing unit F4 may be configured to perform the authentication process at a predetermined cycle while the BLE communication device 7 and the key device Kd are in communication connection. Also, when the start button 6 is pressed by the user or when the door is opened or closed, etc., it may be configured to perform the communication for authentication using a predetermined user operation on the vehicle Hv as a trigger.

[0102] The vehicle control unit F5 is configured to execute vehicle control according to the device position and the state of the vehicle Hv in cooperation with the body ECU 12 and the like, on the condition that the authentication of the key device Kd by the authentication processing unit F4 is successful. The state of the vehicle Hv is determined by the vehicle information acquisition unit F1. The position of the key device Kd is determined by the position estimation unit F3. For example, when the vehicle control unit F5 determines that the key device Kd exists in the vehicle interior by the position estimation unit F3 and detects that the start button 6 has been pressed by the user, it starts the engine in cooperation with the power supply ECU 11. The vehicle interior can be called a passive start area.

[0103] The device management unit F6 is a functional unit that manages the devices registered as the key device Kd. The device management unit F6 registers / deletes the key device Kd based on a user operation. The device management unit F6 displays a key device management screen D1 on the display 15 based on, for example, an operation signal input from the input device 16. The key device management screen D1 can include, for example, a registration button B11, a deletion button B12, and a list display button B13 as shown in FIG. 7(A). The registration button B11 is a button image for registering the key device Kd. The deletion button B12 is a button image for deleting the registered key device Kd. The list display button B13 is a button image for displaying a list of the registered key devices Kd.

[0104] When the device management unit F6 detects, based on an operation signal, that for example the registration button B11 has been selected, it displays a device information input screen D2 for inputting, as shown in (B) of FIG. 7, the type of the device to be newly registered, which is the device to be registered. The device information input screen D2 includes, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, a smart key designation button B21 for inputting that the device to be newly registered is the smart key 2, and a general-purpose terminal designation button B22 for inputting that it is another device. Further, the device information input screen D2 may include a pairing start button B23 for starting pairing or the like after selecting the device type. The device information input screen D2 corresponds to an example of a device registration screen.

[0105] When registering a device, the device management unit F6 can obtain whether the smart key 2 is registered as the key device Kd by obtaining the type of the device to be registered. The type information of the key device Kd obtained by the device management unit F6 is stored in the key information storage unit M1 in association with the key information.

[0106] The smart key 2 can be registered as the key device Kd, for example, at a dealer shop or the like. However, whether to register the smart key 2 as the key device Kd is an arbitrary element. The registration of the smart key 2 as the key device Kd may be released / invalidated by a user operation. If the user / owner desires, only the mobile terminal 3 may be registered as the key device Kd in the key information storage unit M1. The terminal registered as the valid key device Kd in the key information storage unit M1 is also referred to as a daily use device. The daily use device refers to the key device Kd used in daily life.

[0107] <Regarding the method for determining the device position> Here, a method for estimating the position of the key device Kd will be described. Various methods can be adopted as the position estimation method. The determination of the device position, which is the position of the key device Kd, can be divided into, for example, an unlocking area determination process for determining whether it exists within the unlocking area Lx, and an inside / outside vehicle determination process for determining whether it exists inside the vehicle cabin. In the present disclosure, determining whether the key device Kd exists in the unlocking area Lx is also referred to as the unlocking area determination. In the present disclosure, determining whether it exists inside the vehicle cabin is also referred to as the inside / outside vehicle determination.

[0108] First, the unlocking area determination process will be described with reference to FIG. 8. The unlocking area Lx determination process includes steps S11 to S16 as an example. The unlocking area Lx determination unit process can be implemented, for example, on the condition that as a result of the inside / outside vehicle determination process described below, it is determined that the key device Kd does not exist inside the vehicle cabin, in other words, exists outside the vehicle. The unlocking area Lx determination process can be implemented at a predetermined cycle, such as every 200 milliseconds, on the condition that there is a key device Kd connected by communication. Note that not limited to FIG. 8, the flowcharts of the present disclosure are all examples, and the number of steps and the processing order included in each flowchart can be appropriately changed.

[0109] Step S11 is a step of causing each outdoor unit to perform ranging communication with the key device Kd. The ranging communication is communication for measuring the distance from the BLE communication device 7 to the key device Kd. The device distance, which is the distance from the BLE communication device 7 to the key device Kd, corresponds to the time of flight (ToF) of the signal. Specifying the device distance is equivalent to specifying the ToF. The device distance is calculated based on the two-frequency phase difference or the round-trip time (RTT). Here, as an example, the device distance is calculated using the two-frequency phase difference for each combination of multiple frequencies, that is, the multi-frequency phase difference information.

[0110] The two - frequency phase difference is the difference between the transmission - reception phase differences observed at two different frequencies. The transmission - reception phase difference is the phase angle of the received CW signal with respect to the transmitted CW signal. For example, each outdoor unit, as ranging communication, uses the key device Kd and transmits and receives CW signals to identify the transmission - reception phase difference at one frequency. As a method for calculating the transmission - reception phase difference at each frequency, various algorithms can be employed. In a configuration that uses the multi - frequency phase difference as the calculation material for the device distance, the ranging communication can be specifically understood as communication for identifying the transmission - reception phase difference for each frequency.

[0111] In BLE communication, the operating frequency changes over time due to frequency hopping. By transmitting and receiving CW signals as ranging communication at each frequency, the transmission - reception phase differences at multiple frequencies are collected. The processor 41 as the ToF - related value acquisition unit F23 calculates the two - frequency phase difference for each combination of frequencies by combining the transmission - reception phase differences for each frequency observed at the same outdoor unit. The processor 41 performs the calculation process of the two - frequency phase difference for each outdoor unit to obtain the multi - frequency phase difference information at each outdoor unit. Note that the calculation of the transmission - reception phase difference may be performed by the processor 41 based on the received phase information provided by each communication microcontroller 74.

[0112] Step S12 is a step of calculating the distance from each outdoor unit to the key device Kd. The position estimation unit F3 calculates the distance from each outdoor unit to the key device Kd based on the multi - frequency phase difference information for each outdoor unit collected in step S11. Note that the calculation process of the device distance may be performed by the communication microcontroller 74 of each BLE communication device 7 instead of the smart ECU 4. A part of the function of the position estimation unit F3 may be provided by the communication microcontroller 74.

[0113] Note that, if the two - frequency phase difference is Δφ, the propagation speed of the radio wave is C (3×10^8 m / sec), the difference between the two frequencies is Δf, and the distance to the key device Kd is L, then there is a relationship of L = C·Δφ / (2πΔf). However, the two - frequency phase difference for a set of frequencies may include errors due to multipath or the like. Also, the degree of influence of multipath varies for each frequency. From such circumstances, the processor 41 specifies the device distance based on two or more sets of two - frequency phase differences, that is, the transmission - reception phase differences at three or more frequencies. According to this configuration, an effect of improving the ranging accuracy can be expected.

[0114] Of course, the position estimation unit F3 may calculate the device distance based on RTT instead of the two - frequency phase difference. RTT is the time from transmitting a response request signal to receiving a response signal. When using RTT, the device distance for each outdoor unit can be specified by each outdoor unit individually transmitting and receiving a ranging signal with the key device Kd.

[0115] Based on the result of step S12, step S13 identifies the nearest outdoor unit, which is the BLE communicator 7 closest to the key device Kd among the outdoor units. Step S14 determines whether the distance from the nearest outdoor unit to the key device Kd is less than a predetermined value. As the predetermined value used in the determination process of step S14, for example, the aforementioned operating distance can be adopted. If the distance from the nearest outdoor unit to the key device Kd is less than the operating distance, the process proceeds to step S15, and it is determined that the key device Kd exists within the unlocking / locking area Lx. On the other hand, if the distance from the nearest outdoor unit to the key device Kd is greater than or equal to the operating distance, the process proceeds to step S16, and it is determined that the key device Kd is outside the unlocking / locking area Lx. Step S14 can be understood as a process of determining whether the minimum value among the distances for each of the plurality of BLE communicators 7 observed in step S12 is less than the operating distance.

[0116] In addition, the position estimation unit F3 may determine that the key device Kd exists within the locking / unlocking area Lx on the condition that, in addition to the distance from the nearest outdoor unit to the key device Kd being less than the operating distance, the reception intensity at the nearest outdoor unit is greater than the reception intensity at the indoor unit. The reception intensity at the indoor unit used here may be a representative value (for example, the maximum value) of the reception intensities at a plurality of indoor units, or may be the reception intensity at the indoor unit closest to the nearest outdoor unit.

[0117] Next, the inside / outside vehicle determination process will be described with reference to FIG. 9. The inside / outside vehicle determination process includes steps S21 to S26 as an example. Step S21 is a step of acquiring the reception intensity from each BLE communication device 7. The acquisition of the reception intensity can be executed at any time.

[0118] Note that, in specifying the reception intensity of the signal from the key device Kd, it is not necessary for all the BLE communication devices 7 to communicate and connect with the key device Kd. As shown in FIG. 10, the BLE communication devices 7 other than the BLE communication device 7x as the representative device may be configured to only observe the reception intensity of the signal from the key device Kd. Hereinafter, the BLE communication devices 7 other than the representative device will be referred to as observation devices. The observation devices can also be called eavesdropping devices. The observation devices correspond to the BLE communication devices 7 that only receive signals without transmitting signals. Sg_D shown in FIG. 10 indicates a signal transmitted from the key device Kd to the BLE communication device 7x / an unspecified number. Sg_D may be a data signal, an advertisement, or a CW signal.

[0119] By the way, since frequency hopping is performed during data communication, usually, only the BLE communication device 7x that is communication-connected can capture the data signal from the key device Kd. Therefore, the smart ECU 4 distributes the channel information and device ID acquired from the BLE communication device 7x as the representative device to each observation device as reference information.

[0120] Each observation device can recognize, based on the channel information shown in the reference information, which channel among the numerous channels available for BLE reception can receive the signal from the key device Kd. As a result, the observation device can detect and report the reception strength etc. of the signal from the key device Kd without establishing a communication connection. Also, even when the observation device is receiving signals from a plurality of devices, the observation device can identify which device's signal reception strength should be reported to the smart ECU 4 based on the device ID shown in the reference information. Note that the RSSI shown in FIG. 10 indicates the reception strength.

[0121] In this way, in the present disclosure, a method of using some of the BLE communication devices 7 as observation devices and determining the device position based on the reception status at the observation devices is also referred to as the sniffing method. According to the sniffing method, since it is possible to suppress the number of BLE communication devices 7 that the key device Kd communicates with to at least one, it is possible to suppress the power consumption of the key device Kd. Also, according to the sniffing method, since it is possible to collect in parallel indicators indicating the distances from a plurality of BLE communication devices 7 to the key device Kd, it is possible to improve the system responsiveness to the approach of the user having the key device Kd. Of course, as another aspect, each BLE communication device 7 may individually perform communication for distance measurement with the key device Kd and provide information such as reception strength and reception phase to the smart ECU 4.

[0122] Step S22 is a step of determining the indoor unit observation intensity (RSS_In) based on the reception strength of the signal from the key device Kd observed by at least one indoor unit within a recent fixed period. For example, as a preparation process for determining the indoor unit observation intensity, the position estimation unit F3 calculates an individual intensity representative value for each indoor unit. Then, the position estimation unit F3 adopts the maximum value of the individual intensity representative values for each indoor unit as the indoor unit observation intensity.

[0123] The individual strength representative value is a value that typically represents the reception strength of a signal from the key device Kd observed within a recent predetermined time in a single indoor unit. Here, as an example, the individual strength representative value is taken as the average value of the reception strengths within the most recent 100 milliseconds or 200 milliseconds. The sampling period of the reception strength for determining one individual strength representative value, or the indoor unit observation strength, can be changed as appropriate. Such an individual strength representative value corresponds to the moving average value of the reception strength.

[0124] The individual strength representative value may be calculated for a single predetermined frequency, or may be determined based on the reception strengths of multiple frequencies. The representative value may be the median or the maximum value instead of the average value. Furthermore, it may be the average value, median, or maximum value of the values excluding the outliers from the population. The outlier can be a value that is more than two or three times the standard deviation away from the average value or the median of the original population. As methods for determining outliers, various methods such as the Smirnov–Grubbs test and the Thompson test can be employed. Note that the individual strength representative value does not necessarily have to be determined based on the observed values at multiple time points. The individual strength representative value may be the observed value at any one time point, for example, the observed value of the latest reception strength.

[0125] Also, the indoor unit observation strength may be determined by methods other than the above. For example, in the same manner as steps S12 to S13, among the indoor units, the nearest indoor unit, which is the BLE communication device 7 closest to the key device Kd, is identified, and the individual strength representative value at the nearest indoor unit may be adopted as the indoor unit observation strength. Note that the nearest indoor unit may be the indoor unit closest to the nearest outdoor unit. The processor 41 may refer to the communication device setting data and adopt the indoor unit arranged at the position closest to the nearest outdoor unit as the nearest indoor unit.

[0126] Step S23 is a step of determining the outdoor unit observation strength (RSS_Out) based on the reception strength of a signal from the key device Kd observed in at least one outdoor unit within a recent certain time. The method for determining the outdoor unit observation strength itself can be the same as the method for determining the indoor unit observation strength.

[0127] In step S24, it is determined whether the indoor unit observed intensity (RSS_In) and the outdoor unit observed intensity (RSS_Out) satisfy the in-vehicle determination condition. The in-vehicle determination condition is a condition for determining that the key device Kd exists inside the vehicle. For example, when the internal-external difference value (ΔRSS) obtained by subtracting the outdoor unit observed intensity from the indoor unit observed intensity is greater than a predetermined difference threshold value (ThGap), the position estimation unit F3 determines that the key device Kd exists inside the vehicle (step S25). That is, when RSS_In - RSS_Out = ΔRSS > ThGap is satisfied, it is determined that the key device Kd exists inside the vehicle. Also, when the internal-external difference value is less than or equal to the difference threshold value, that is, when ΔRSS ≦ ThGap is satisfied, it is determined that the key device Kd exists outside the vehicle (step S26). The difference threshold value is, for example, 10 dB or 20 dB. The difference threshold value may be 0. A configuration with the difference threshold value being 0 corresponds to a configuration for determining that the key device Kd exists inside the vehicle based on the indoor unit observed intensity being greater than the outdoor unit observed intensity.

[0128] Also, even when the position estimation unit F3 satisfies ΔRSS ≦ ThGap, if the indoor unit observed intensity (RSS_In) exceeds a predetermined indoor determination value (ThIn), it may be determined that the key device Kd exists inside the vehicle. That is, when RSS_In > ThIn is satisfied, regardless of ΔRSS, it may be determined that the key device Kd exists inside the vehicle. The indoor determination value (ThIn) used here is a threshold value for the indoor unit observed intensity for determining that the key device Kd exists inside the vehicle. The indoor determination value is designed appropriately through tests and the like. The indoor determination value is set to a sufficiently large value so as to suppress the possibility of misjudgment. For example, the indoor determination value is set to a value approximately 10 dB smaller than the maximum value of the indoor unit observed intensity that can be observed when the key device Kd exists inside the vehicle.

[0129] In addition, even when ΔRSS>ThGap is satisfied, if the outdoor unit observation intensity (RSS_Out) exceeds the outdoor determination value (ThOut), the position estimation unit F3 may determine that the key device Kd exists outside the vehicle. That is, when RSS_Out>ThOut is satisfied, regardless of ΔRSS, it may be determined that the key device Kd exists outside the vehicle. The outdoor determination value (ThOut) used here is a threshold for the outdoor unit observation intensity for determining that the key device Kd exists outside the vehicle. The outdoor determination value is also designed appropriately through tests and the like. The outdoor determination value is set to a sufficiently large value so as to suppress the possibility of misjudgment. For example, the outdoor determination value is set to a value approximately 10 dB smaller than the maximum value of the outdoor unit observation intensity that can be observed when the key device Kd exists within the lock / unlock area Lx.

[0130] The determination result of the position of the key device Kd by the position estimation unit F3, that is, the device position information, is stored in the RAM 42. Also, the device position information is used by various programs / functional units by reference.

[0131] In addition, the position estimation unit F3 also sequentially stores the distance information between the nearest outdoor unit specified in steps S12 to S13 and the key device Kd in the RAM 42 as the device position information. That is, in the RAM 42, not only whether the key device Kd exists inside the vehicle, within the lock / unlock area Lx, or outside the lock / unlock area Lx, but also the distance information from the nearest communication device can be stored. The position estimation unit F3 may store the distance information not only from the nearest communication device but also from each other BLE communication device in the RAM 42. Each data may be stored together with a time stamp indicating the acquisition time.

[0132] When the BLE communication device 7x receives signals from a plurality of key devices Kd, the position estimation unit F3 specifies the relative position and distance of each key device Kd with respect to the vehicle Hv. In addition, the position estimation unit F3 can determine whether the device is the smart key 2 or the mobile terminal 3 based on the ID of the key device Kd connected for communication and the like.

[0133] Furthermore, the position estimation unit F3 also determines in which area among the far area, the middle area, the vicinity area, and the interior of the vehicle the mobile terminal 3 is located. The far area refers to, for example, an area that is 5 m or more away from the vehicle Hv. The vicinity area refers to within 2 m from the vehicle Hv. The middle area refers to the range between the far area and the vicinity area, that is, 2 m or more and less than 5 m from the vehicle Hv. Note that the division mode of the outside-vehicle area can be changed as appropriate. The middle area may be integrated with either the far area or the vicinity area. The distances defining the vicinity area and the far area can also be changed as appropriate. For example, the vicinity area may be defined as within 1.5 m from the vehicle Hv, or may be defined to coincide with the lock / unlock area Lx.

[0134] For example, based on the device position information stored in the RAM 42, when the mobile terminal 3 is not present inside the vehicle and there is a mobile terminal 3 whose distance from the nearest outdoor unit is less than 2 m, the position estimation unit F3 regards the mobile terminal 3 as being present in the vicinity area. Also, in a situation where the mobile terminal 3 is not present either inside the vehicle or in the vicinity area, when there is a mobile terminal 3 whose distance from the nearest outdoor unit is 2 m or more and less than 5 m, the position estimation unit F3 regards the mobile terminal 3 as being present in the middle area. When the mobile terminal 3 is not present in any of the interior of the vehicle, the vicinity area, and the middle area, the position estimation unit F3 determines that the mobile terminal 3 is present in the far area. Also, when the position estimation unit F3 cannot receive a signal from the mobile terminal 3, it also regards the mobile terminal 3 as being present in the far area.

[0135] <Regarding the control mode of the LF transmitter> Here, the control mode of the LF transmitter 8 by the communication control unit F2, specifically the transmission control mode of the wake signal, will be described with reference to FIG. 11. The communication control unit F2 changes the control mode for transmitting the wake signal based on the position of the mobile terminal 3 estimated by the position estimation unit F3. FIG. 11 shows an example thereof. Not transmitting the wake signal corresponds to not activating the smart key 2. Therefore, changing the transmission control mode of the wake signal corresponds to switching whether to activate the smart key 2 or not. The transmission of the wake signal is executed on the premise that it is not in communication connection with the smart key 2. It is preferable that the mobile terminal 3 hereinafter refers to the mobile terminal 3 for which the authentication process such as challenge response has already been successful.

[0136] Here, as an example, the communication control unit F2 changes the transmission mode of the wake signal when the mobile terminal 3 is present in the far region, the middle region, the near region, and inside the vehicle.

[0137] First, when it is determined that the mobile terminal 3 is in the far region, the communication control unit F2 periodically transmits the wake signal at a predetermined polling interval. The polling interval is, for example, 100 milliseconds, 150 milliseconds, 200 milliseconds, etc. The communication control unit F2 also transmits the wake signal when a predetermined user operation is detected. The user operation here refers to a predetermined operation behavior by the user for using the vehicle Hv, such as pressing the door button 5 or pressing the start button 6. In the present disclosure, transmitting the wake signal based on detecting a user operation on the door button 5, the start button 6, the touch sensor, etc. is also referred to as trigger transmission.

[0138] According to the above configuration, even when a user who only has the smart key 2 approaches the vehicle Hv without having the mobile terminal 3, the smart key 2 can be quickly shifted to the active mode, and the authentication process by BLE communication can be executed. Note that the user who only has the smart key 2 refers to a user who has the smart key 2 but does not have the mobile terminal 3. Of course, the user may hold objects other than the mobile terminal 3, such as a bag or an umbrella.

[0139] When the mobile terminal 3 is determined to be in the intermediate area, the communication control unit F2 transmits a wake signal at a predetermined polling interval. Also, the communication control unit F2 performs trigger transmission even under the condition that the mobile terminal 3 is determined to be in the intermediate area. The fact that the door button 5 or the like is pressed even though the mobile terminal 3 is still more than 2 m away from the vehicle Hv suggests the possibility that another user who only has the smart key 2 exists around the vehicle Hv, apart from the user who has the mobile terminal 3. According to the configuration in which trigger transmission is performed even in a situation where it has been detected that the mobile terminal 3 exists in the intermediate area, the possibility that the in-vehicle system 1 does not respond or the response is delayed to the vehicle operation by a legitimate user who only has the smart key 2 can be reduced.

[0140] Note that the polling interval when the mobile terminal 3 is in the intermediate area may be the same as or different from the polling interval when the mobile terminal 3 is in the far area. From the viewpoint of suppressing battery consumption of the smart key 2, when both the smart key 2 and the mobile terminal 3 exist around the vehicle, it is preferable to preferentially adopt the mobile terminal 3 as the communication partner. And the longer the polling interval of the wake signal is extended, the less likely the smart key 2 is to react. Due to such circumstances, when the mobile terminal 3 exists in the intermediate area, the polling interval may be set to be a predetermined amount (for example, 200 milliseconds) longer than when the mobile terminal 3 exists in the far area. According to the control mode, the possibility of unnecessarily activating the smart key 2, and thus the power consumption of the smart key 2, can be suppressed.

[0141] When it is determined that the mobile terminal 3 exists in the vicinity area, the communication control unit F2 stops the periodic transmission of the wake signal. Further, the communication control unit F2 executes trigger transmission only when specific transmission conditions are satisfied in a situation where it is determined that the mobile terminal 3 exists in the vicinity area.

[0142] For example, the communication control unit F2 executes trigger transmission on the condition that the position of the mobile terminal 3 does not match the position of the operation button in a situation where it is determined that the mobile terminal 3 exists in the vicinity area. When the position of the mobile terminal 3 matches the position of the operation button in a situation where the communication control unit F2 determines that the mobile terminal 3 exists in the vicinity area, the communication control unit F2 does not transmit the wake signal. The operation button position refers to the position of the button pressed by the user. When a touch sensor is applied instead of the button, the operation button position can be read as the touch position. The operation button position and the touch position are included in the concept of the operation member position.

[0143] The case where the position of the mobile terminal 3 does not match the position of the operation button corresponds to, for example, the case where the door button 5 for the driver's seat is pressed in a situation where the mobile terminal 3 is located at a position away from the driver's seat, such as near the passenger seat or the trunk. Also, in a situation where it is determined that the mobile terminal 3 exists outside the vehicle, when the start button 6 is pressed, it may also correspond to a case where the position of the mobile terminal 3 does not match the position of the operation button. When the communication control unit F2 detects that the door button 5 for the driver's seat has been pressed in a situation where it is determined that the mobile terminal 3 exists in the unlocking area Lx on the passenger seat side, the communication control unit F2 causes the LF transmitter 8 to transmit a wake signal.

[0144] According to the above configuration, when the positions of the operation button and the mobile terminal 3 are aligned, the smart key 2 is not raised. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the power consumption of the smart key 2. Also, when the positions of the operation button and the mobile terminal 3 are not aligned, in order to transmit a wake signal, it is possible to quickly respond to the button press of a user who only has the smart key 2. Furthermore, according to the above configuration, it is also possible to identify that there is a user who only carries the smart key 2, separate from the user corresponding to the detected mobile terminal 3. As a result, it is possible to accurately identify the passenger composition and the user who plays the role of the driver, etc.

[0145] Finally, when it is determined that the mobile terminal 3 exists in the vehicle interior, the communication control unit F2 stops the periodic transmission and the trigger transmission of the wake signal. Note that the wake signal transmission control mode may be the same whether the mobile terminal 3 is in the vicinity area or in the vehicle. For example, even when the mobile terminal 3 exists in the vehicle, the trigger transmission may be executed under predetermined conditions. According to this configuration, it is possible to reduce the risk that the vehicle Hv becomes unusable due to authentication failure of the mobile terminal 3 or the like. Also, when the mobile terminal 3 exists in the vicinity area or the vehicle interior, the transmission of the wake signal may be completely stopped.

[0146] <Connection-related processing> Here, the connection-related processing will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG. 12. The connection-related processing is a process for establishing a communication connection with the key device Kd approaching the vehicle Hv together with the user. The connection-related processing is executed, for example, at a predetermined scan interval in a state where the vehicle Hv is parked. The scan interval can be set to 100 milliseconds, 200 milliseconds, or the like. The connection-related processing includes steps S31 to S35. The connection-related processing is executed by the processor 41 in cooperation with the BLE communication device 7x and the LF transmitter 8.

[0147] First, in step S31, the communication control unit F2 causes the LF transmitter 8 to transmit a wake-up signal. As a result, if the smart key 2 is present around the vehicle, the smart key 2 can be shifted to a BLE communication-enabled state. However, as described above, if it has been detected that the mobile terminal 3 is present in the vicinity area by performing this process once, the transmission of the wake-up signal in step S31 can be omitted.

[0148] In step S32, the communication control unit F2 sets the BLE communication device 7x to the standby state and performs a search (so-called scanning) for the key device Kd. The standby state here refers to a state in which an advertisement signal can be received. If no key device Kd is detected as a result of the scanning in step S32, the processing after step S33 is omitted and this flow ends.

[0149] In step S33, the BLE communication device 7x is communicatively connected to the key device Kd detected by the scanning in step S32. The communication connection can be realized by exchanging a connection request and its response. The processor 41 identifies the communication partner based on the transmission source information etc. included in the advertisement signal etc. The detailed sequence from scanning to the start of communication connection and encrypted communication may be implemented in accordance with the BLE standard.

[0150] In step S34, for example, using a challenge code and the key information of the communication partner stored in the key information storage unit M1, an authentication process of the key device Kd is performed. As the challenge code, a random number of a predetermined length generated using a random number table etc. can be adopted. If the authentication is successful, the process proceeds to step S35 and enters the standby mode. The standby mode, as will be separately described with reference to FIG. 13, corresponds to a state in which unlocking / locking, switching on / off of the driving power source, etc. can be performed based on a user operation on the door button 5 etc. The standby mode corresponds to a state in which the processor 41 recognizes that the key device Kd is present around the vehicle in one aspect. The area around the vehicle includes the interior of the vehicle.

[0151] In this embodiment, as an example, an expiration date is set for the determination result of successful authentication. When the expiration date expires, re-authentication is performed. Since the authentication process can be omitted within the expiration date, the power consumption of the key device Kd and the smart ECU 4 can be suppressed. In addition, since the authentication process is executed for each expiration date, the risk of the vehicle Hv being used illegally can be reduced. The expiration date may be changed according to the scene such as whether the vehicle is running or not. Since the possibility of the key device Kd moving outside the vehicle compartment during running is small, the expiration date during running may be set to be a predetermined amount longer than that during parking. For example, the expiration date during parking may be set to 1 second, 3 seconds, 5 seconds, etc., while the expiration date during running may be set to 10 seconds, 30 seconds, etc. In addition, the authentication processing unit F4 may be configured to execute the authentication process again even if there is an expiration date remaining when a predetermined event such as opening and closing of the door is detected. Note that the smart ECU 4 may be configured to perform the authentication process for each operation and each event without maintaining the authentication success state.

[0152] On the other hand, when authentication fails, the re-authentication process may be executed again, or the in-vehicle equipment may be operated so that the user can recognize that the authentication has not been successful. For example, when the authentication has not been successful, a predetermined authentication failure image may be displayed on the display 15, or the lighting device provided on the side mirror or the like may be lit in a predetermined pattern. When the communication partner is the mobile terminal 3, a predetermined control signal may be transmitted to display an authentication failure screen on the display 31. The fact that the authentication has not been successful may be expressed by the color of the irradiation light of the welcome light that emits light toward the road surface around the door.

[0153] <Regarding the operation in standby mode> The operation of the smart ECU 4 in standby mode will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG. 13. In standby mode, the processor 41 sequentially executes steps S41 to S48 shown in FIG. 13 as an example.

[0154] During the standby mode, as step S41, the processor 41 sequentially acquires, from each BLE communication device 7, position estimation information which is information for specifying the position of the key device Kd. The position estimation information is, for example, the reception intensity. The reception phase can also be included in the position estimation information. Further, when it is determined that the key device Kd exists outside the vehicle compartment, the processor 41 can acquire, as the position estimation information, the two-frequency phase difference for each combination of frequencies, or the RTT, etc. from each outdoor device. The ToF-related value corresponds to a subordinate concept of the position estimation information.

[0155] Step S42 is a step in which the processor 41 (position estimation unit F3) determines the position of the key device Kd based on the position estimation information acquired from each BLE communication device 7 in step S41. Specifically, it determines whether it is inside the vehicle compartment, and when it is outside the vehicle compartment, whether it is within the locking / unlocking area Lx, etc. Further, when the key device Kd exists within the locking / unlocking area Lx, the processor 41 specifies in which of the right area LxR, the left area LxL, and the rear area LxB it exists according to the ID of the nearest communication device.

[0156] Step S43 is a step in which the processor 41 determines whether a user operation has been performed based on signals from the door button 5, the start button 6, the courtesy switch, etc. When a signal corresponding to the user operation is input, the processor 41, as step S44, executes vehicle control according to the member, device position, and vehicle Hv state that the user has operated. For example, when the vehicle Hv is in a locked state, the operation member is the door button 5, and the device position is also determined to be within the locking / unlocking area Lx, the processor 41 (vehicle control unit F5) unlocks the door. Further, when the operation member is the start button 6 and the device position is also determined to be inside the vehicle compartment, the processor 41 sets the driving power source to on. In addition, when the vehicle Hv is unlocked, the shift position is set to parking or neutral, the operation member is the door button 5, and the device position is determined to be within the locking / unlocking area Lx, the processor 41 locks the door.

[0157] Step S45 determines whether the expiration date of the authentication result has expired, that is, whether the elapsed time since the determination of successful authentication in Step S34 or Step S46 described later has reached a predetermined time or more. If the predetermined time has not elapsed since the last determination of successful authentication, that is, if it is within the expiration date, the process returns to Step S41. On the other hand, if the predetermined time has elapsed since the last determination of successful authentication, the processor 41 executes, as Step S46, the communication for authenticating the key device Kd again. That is, the processor 41 executes the re-authentication process.

[0158] And if it is determined that authentication is successful as a result of the re-authentication process in Step S46, the standby mode is continued. That is, the processes after Step S41 are sequentially executed. On the other hand, if authentication fails, the processor 41 releases the standby mode as Step S48. Note that the standby mode may be released based on the fact that the authentication process has failed continuously for a specified number of times. Also, the processor 41 may end the standby mode not only when authentication fails but also when it detects that the key device Kd has left a predetermined authentication state maintenance area. Ending the standby mode corresponds to discarding the authentication result. The authentication state maintenance area can be set in, for example, an area that integrates the vehicle interior and the lock / unlock area Lx.

[0159] <Operation Response When Device is Not Detected> Here, the temporary response process executed by the smart ECU 4 when a user operation on the door button 5 or the like is detected in a state where it is not determined that the key device Kd exists in the lock / unlock area Lx or the vehicle interior is described using the flowchart shown in FIG. 14. Note that the smart ECU 4 may execute the temporary response process on the condition that the position of the device and the position of the button operated by the user do not match. The temporary response process mainly corresponds to the vehicle operation by a user who only has the smart key 2. As an example of the temporary response process, it includes Steps S51 to S5A.

[0160] Step S51 is a step in which the processor 41 as the communication control unit F2 causes the LF transmitter 8 to transmit a wake-up signal in cooperation with the LF transmitter 8. Step S52 is a step of performing scanning in the same manner as in step S32. When the pre-registered smart key 2 is detected (YES in step S53), the communication control unit F2 causes the BLE communication device 7x to establish a communication connection with the smart key 2 as step S54.

[0161] In step S55, the authentication processing unit F4 performs authentication communication with the smart key 2, such as transmission and reception of challenge / response codes, using the BLE communication device 7x for encrypted communication. That is, step S55 is a step in which the processor 41 executes an authentication process. When the authentication process is successful (YES in step S56), the position estimation unit F3 executes a position determination process as step S57. The position estimation unit F3 may first execute an in-vehicle / out-of-vehicle determination process as the position determination process, for example, and then execute an appropriate lock / unlock area determination process based on the result. However, when it is clear that the smart key 2 does not exist inside the vehicle, such as when the vehicle Hv is in a parked state, the position estimation unit F3 may omit the in-vehicle / out-of-vehicle determination process and perform only the lock / unlock area determination process.

[0162] Step S58 determines whether or not the operation button position, which is the position of the button where the user operation that triggered this flow was performed, matches the position of the smart key 2 determined in step S57. For example, when the operation button is the driver's seat door button 5 and the position of the smart key 2 is the right area LxR, this corresponds to the case where the positions of both match.

[0163] When the positions of the operation button and the smart key 2 match (YES in step S58), the vehicle control unit F5 executes vehicle control according to the operation details, etc., such as unlocking the door (step S59). On the other hand, when the positions of the operation button and the smart key 2 do not match, step S5A is executed. Note that when the authentication process in step S56 fails, or when the smart key 2 is not found in step S53, the processor 41 also executes step S5A.

[0164] Step S5A is a step that executes a predetermined error process for the case where, despite detecting an operation on the vehicle Hv, a legitimate device / user has not been detected. For example, the processor 41 as the vehicle control unit F5 executes a process for notifying the user that the key device Kd cannot be found in the appropriate position, using in-vehicle equipment, etc. For example, as an error process, the processor 41 displays a predetermined authentication failure image on the display 15. Also, as an error process, the processor 41 may light the lighting device provided on the side mirror, etc. in a predetermined pattern. Additionally, the processor 41 may send a message indicating suspicion of unauthorized use of the vehicle to the specified email address or management server as the reporting destination.

[0165] <Regarding the management of the key device> Whether to routinely use the smart key 2 as the key device Kd depends on the user's preference. Among users, there are also users who use the mobile terminal 3 as the key device Kd and do not carry the smart key 2 at all. If there is no possibility of using the smart key 2 as the key to the vehicle Hv, transmitting the wake signal is an unnecessary operation. From such a perspective, the processor 41 may be configured to exclude the smart key 2 from the daily use devices and stop the periodic transmission of the wake signal when the smart key 2 has not been used for a certain period.

[0166] FIG. 15 shows an operation example of the processor 41 corresponding to the above technical idea. The flowchart shown in FIG. 15 can be executed, for example, every time the traveling power source is set to on, on the condition that the smart key 2 is registered in the key information storage unit M1 as a daily use device. The processor 41 sequentially executes steps S61 to S64 as shown in FIG. 15 based on the traveling power source being turned on.

[0167] Step S61 is a step in which the processor 41 reads out the last use date of the smart key 2 stored in the key information storage unit M1. As a premise, every time the processor 41 communicates and connects with the smart key 2, it stores the date in the key information storage unit M1 as the last use date.

[0168] In step S62, the last use date and the current date are compared to determine whether a predetermined invalidation time has been exceeded. The invalidation time can be, for example, one month, three months, six months, etc. If the invalidation period has exceeded since the last use date (step S62 YES), the processor 41 excludes the smart key 2 from the list of daily use devices as step S63.

[0169] Then, the setting parameters related to the control of the LF transmitter 8 are changed so that the transmission of the wake signal by the LF transmitter 8 is stopped, and this flow is ended (step S64). Note that the above description has been made assuming that there is only one smart key 2 associated with the vehicle Hv. However, as a spare key or the like, a plurality of smart keys 2 can be issued for one vehicle Hv. The plurality of smart keys 2 can also be distinguished by the key ID. Also, whether it is a daily use device or not is registered for each smart key 2. The stop of the wake signal transmission may be executed when no smart key 2 is set as a daily use device.

[0170] Rather than completely stopping the transmission of the wake signal, the processor 41 may change the polling interval based on whether the smart key 2 is included in the daily use device. For example, when the smart key 2 is not included in the daily use device, the polling interval may be set to a predetermined amount longer than when the smart key 2 is included in the daily use device. With this configuration, a power saving effect can also be obtained. Also, since polling is not completely stopped, even when the user brings a smart key 2 that is not normally used, the user's approach can be detected.

[0171] Further, instead of automatically excluding the smart key 2 from the daily use device, when the processor 41 has not observed an entry using the smart key 2 for a certain period, a registration cancellation proposal screen may be displayed on the display 15. The registration cancellation proposal screen is a screen that proposes canceling the registration of the smart key 2 as the key device Kd.

[0172] <Supplement on Transmission Control of LF Signal> When the vehicle Hv is a service vehicle such as a sharing car, the processor 41 may stop transmitting the wake signal during a preset LF pause time zone. The pause time zone is set to correspond to business hours, rental periods, etc. This is because it is highly likely that users of the service do not carry the smart key 2 and use a mobile terminal 3 such as a smartphone as a key. Vehicle attribute information indicating whether the vehicle Hv is a service vehicle such as a sharing car may also be stored in the storage 43. The LF pause time zone corresponds to the time zone during which the transmission of the wake signal is stopped. The setting data for the LF pause time zone may be stored in the storage 43 by manual input by a user / staff, etc. Note that the setting data for the LF pause period time zone may be distributed and stored from a management server. Further, when the vehicle Hv is a service vehicle such as a sharing car, the transmission / stop of the wake signal may be configured to be switchable by an instruction signal from the management server.

[0173] Also, even when the vehicle Hv is an owner's car, the LF rest time zone may be configured to be registrable. The communication control unit F2 stops transmitting the wake signal during the LF rest time zone registered by the user. The LF rest time zone can be manually set by the user so as to correspond to a time zone when there is no possibility of using the vehicle Hv. For example, the time zone when the user sleeps, the time zone when attending classes at school, or the working time zone can be set as the LF rest time zone. The LF rest time zone may be automatically registered from the usage history information of the vehicle Hv. The usage history information is information indicating the history of the time when the driving power source is turned on / off.

[0174] <Regarding effects, etc.> According to the above configuration, first, when the smart key 2 does not receive the wake signal, the BLE communication unit 23 is stopped. Since the BLE communication - enabled state is not always maintained, power consumption in the smart key 2 can be suppressed. Also, as for the in - vehicle system 1, scanning is performed after transmitting the wake signal. Therefore, even if the key device Kd possessed by the user is the smart key 2, a communication connection with the key device Kd accompanying the user's approach can be quickly established.

[0175] Also, when the mobile terminal 3 exists in the vicinity area or inside the vehicle compartment, the smart ECU 4 stops polling the wake signal. As a result, for example, when the user possesses both the smart key 2 and the mobile terminal 3, the mobile terminal 3 communicates with the BLE communication device 7, while the smart key 2 maintains the sleep mode. Thereby, power consumption in the smart key 2 can be further suppressed.

[0176] Also, in the above configuration, whether the communication partner is the mobile terminal 3 or the smart key 2, the authentication communication is carried out by the same communication method, that is, BLE communication. As a comparative configuration, it is assumed that communication with the mobile terminal 3 is performed by BLE, while communication with the smart key 2 is performed by a method other than BLE. The method other than BLE is a method that combines LF and RF (Radio Frequency), and the response code from the smart key 2 is obtained using radio waves in the RF band. Here, RF substantially refers to the UHF (Ultra High Frequency) band such as 315 MHz or 920 MHz in the technical field of vehicle electronic keys. In such a comparative configuration, the in-vehicle system 1 requires a receiver for RF in addition to the BLE communication device 7. As a result, the cost of the system may increase. In contrast to such a comparison, according to the present embodiment, since the authentication of the smart key 2 and the authentication of the mobile terminal 3 are performed using a common communication method, the cost can be reduced by the amount of the RF receiver.

[0177] As described above, the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications described hereinafter are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, various changes can be made and implemented without departing from the gist other than the following. For example, the following various modifications can be appropriately combined and implemented within a range where no technical contradiction occurs. Note that members having the same functions as those described in the above-described embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted. In addition, when only a part of the configuration is mentioned, the configuration of the above-described embodiment can be applied to other parts.

[0178] <Transmission Strength Adjustment Process> When the communication control unit F2 determines that the key device Kd exists within a predetermined distance from the vehicle Hv, the transmission power of the BLE communication device 7 may be changed to a suppression level that is lower than a predetermined standard level by a predetermined amount. According to this configuration, the power consumption in the in-vehicle system 1 can be reduced.

[0179] FIG. 16 shows an operation example of the processor 41 corresponding to the above technical idea. The flowchart shown in FIG. 16 can be sequentially executed on the condition that it is communicatively connected to the key device Kd. First, the processor 41 acquires, for example, the device position as a result of the lock / unlock area determination process (step S71). That is, the processor 41 acquires the device distance at each outdoor unit. Then, based on the presence of an outdoor unit whose device distance is less than a predetermined value (YES in step S72), the processor 41 causes the transmission power at each outdoor unit to be reduced from the standard level to the suppression level (step S73). Further, the processor 41 transmits an instruction signal for suppressing the transmission power by a predetermined amount to the key device Kd via the BLE communication device 7x (step S74).

[0180] The threshold value used in step S72 can be, for example, 2 m, 5 m, or the like. According to the configuration for performing the processes of steps S71 to S73, the power consumption of the in-vehicle system 1 can be reduced. Further, according to the configuration for performing step S74 on the condition that the key device Kd is present around the vehicle Hv, the power consumption at the key device Kd can also be suppressed.

[0181] Note that the adjustment of the transmission power may be performed in multiple stages, for example, according to the device position. Also, the communication control unit F2 may adjust the transmission power at the LF transmitter 8 in the same manner as the transmission power of the BLE signal according to the device position. For example, the transmission power of the LF signal may be decreased as the mobile terminal 3 is closer.

[0182] <Supplement to the position determination method> In the above, the position estimation unit F3 discloses an aspect of determining that the key device Kd is inside the vehicle based on the indoor unit observation intensity (RSS_In) being equal to or greater than the indoor determination value and the internal-external difference value (ΔRSS) being equal to or greater than the difference threshold value. However, this is just an example, and various algorithms can be adopted as an algorithm for determining whether the key device Kd is present inside the vehicle.

[0183] For example, based on the indoor unit observation intensity being equal to or greater than the indoor determination value and the outdoor unit observation intensity being less than the outdoor determination value, the position estimation unit F3 may determine that the key device Kd is present inside the vehicle cabin. In this determination algorithm, when the indoor unit observation intensity is equal to or greater than the indoor determination value and the outdoor unit observation intensity is less than the outdoor determination value, it is determined that the key device Kd is present inside the vehicle cabin. Also, when the indoor unit observation intensity is equal to or greater than the indoor determination value and the outdoor unit observation intensity is equal to or greater than the outdoor determination value, or when the indoor unit observation intensity is less than the indoor determination value, it may be determined that the key device Kd is present outside the vehicle cabin.

[0184] Furthermore, the position estimation unit F3 may be configured to determine whether the key device Kd is present inside the vehicle cabin by using two thresholds for the indoor unit observation intensity, namely, a high-level threshold and a low-level threshold. The high-level threshold is a threshold for determining that the key device Kd has entered the vehicle cabin from outside the vehicle based on the indoor unit observation intensity. The low-level threshold is a threshold for determining that the key device Kd has exited the vehicle cabin based on the indoor unit observation intensity. The high-level threshold may be the same as the aforementioned indoor determination value. The low-level threshold is preferably set to a value that is 10 dB or more lower than the high-level threshold.

[0185] In the above configuration, when the indoor unit observation intensity once becomes equal to or greater than the high-level threshold, the determination that the key device Kd is present inside the vehicle cabin is maintained until the indoor unit observation intensity becomes less than the low-level threshold. Also, when the indoor unit observation intensity once becomes less than the low-level threshold, the determination that the key device Kd is present outside the vehicle cabin is maintained until the indoor unit observation intensity becomes equal to or greater than the high-level threshold. In this case, the outdoor unit observation intensity is not used. Therefore, the process of calculating the outdoor unit observation intensity can be omitted.

[0186] The above described an example of a method for determining whether or not a key device Kd exists inside the vehicle interior. Regarding whether or not the key device Kd exists in the locking / unlocking area Lx, various determination algorithms can be applied in the same way as the determination of whether or not the key device Kd exists inside the vehicle interior. As a method for determining the key device Kd, for example, the methods disclosed in Patent Documents 3-6 can be incorporated by reference.

[0187] When the processor 41 periodically determines the position of the key device Kd, it may use both the latest determination result and the past determination result to finally determine the current position. For example, when the determination results for the past two times are outside the locking / unlocking area Lx and the latest determination result is inside the locking / unlocking area Lx, the final determination of the current position of the key device Kd is outside the locking / unlocking area Lx. On the other hand, for example, when the determination result of the time before last is outside the locking / unlocking area Lx and the determination results of the previous time and the latest time are inside the locking / unlocking area Lx, the final determination of the current position of the key device Kd is inside the locking / unlocking area Lx. Such a configuration corresponds to a configuration that determines the final device position by majority decision / averaging using the past determination result and the latest determination result as a population.

[0188] According to the configuration that determines the final current position by using both the latest determination result and the determination result before that, the risk of misjudging the device position due to momentary noise or the like can be reduced. Note that this technical idea is applicable not only to a configuration that determines the device position in area units, but also to a case where the position is determined by position coordinates, as will be described separately later. In a configuration that calculates the relative position coordinates of the key device Kd with respect to the vehicle Hv, the final position coordinates may be determined by weighted averaging the estimated results for a predetermined number of past times and the latest estimated result.

[0189] The processor 41 may change the number of ranging times according to whether the key device Kd to be a communication partner is the smart key 2 or the mobile terminal 3. For example, when the communication partner is the mobile terminal 3, ranging communication is continuously / regularly performed while the mobile terminal 3 is outside the vehicle cabin. On the other hand, when the communication partner is the smart key 2, ranging communication is performed only when a user operation on the vehicle Hv is detected. According to this configuration, since the communication frequency with the smart key 2 can be reduced, the power consumption of the smart key 2 can be suppressed.

[0190] Also, the processor 41 may change the communication frequency / communication interval according to whether the key device Kd to be a communication partner is the smart key 2 or the mobile terminal 3. For example, when the communication partner is the mobile terminal 3, communication is performed at a predetermined standard interval. On the other hand, when the communication partner is the smart key 2, communication is performed at a power-saving interval that is a predetermined amount longer than the standard interval. If the standard interval is 25 milliseconds, 50 milliseconds, 100 milliseconds, etc., the power-saving interval can be 200 milliseconds, 400 milliseconds, etc. The power-saving interval may be twice the standard interval or the like. Also with this configuration, the power consumption of the smart key 2 can be suppressed.

[0191] The position estimation unit F3 may be configured to calculate the relative two-dimensional / three-dimensional position coordinates of the key device Kd with respect to the vehicle Hv. For example, the position estimation unit F3 may identify the position of the key device Kd by the RSSI method that uses the reception intensity of the signal from the key device Kd. The RSSI method is a method of estimating the distance from each BLE communication device 7 to the key device Kd by using the characteristic that the electric field strength of the wireless signal attenuates according to the propagation distance, and estimating the device position based on the distances from each BLE communication device 7.

[0192] The position estimation unit F3 converts the reception intensity information of the signal from the key device Kd observed by each BLE communication device 7 into distance information, and generates distance information from each BLE communication device 7 to the key device Kd. Then, the position coordinates of the key device Kd are calculated by integrating the distance information from each BLE communication device 7 to the key device Kd. For example, based on the distances calculated from the reception intensities observed by three or more BLE communication devices 7 and the installation positions of these BLE communication devices 7, the position of the key device Kd relative to the reference point of the vehicle Hv is specified according to the principle of trilateration / triangulation. The conversion from reception intensity to distance information can be realized using a model formula such as the reception intensity decaying in inverse proportion to the cube or square of the distance. The position of the key device Kd relative to the vehicle Hv can be expressed as a point in the vehicle coordinate system.

[0193] In addition, as another aspect, the position estimation unit F3 may specify the position of the key device Kd relative to the vehicle Hv by using the AoA (Angle of Arrival) method that uses the arrival angle of the radio wave. Also, the position estimation unit F3 may specify the position coordinates of the key device Kd relative to the vehicle Hv by using the device distances from each BLE communication device 7 based on ToF / 2 - frequency phase difference / RTT. Additionally, the position of the key device Kd relative to the vehicle Hv may be specified by using the TDOA (Time Difference of Arrival) method that performs positioning using the time difference of arrival of the radio wave.

[0194] Also, the position estimation unit F3 may estimate the position coordinates of the device by combining a plurality of position estimation methods. For example, as shown in FIG. 17, the smart ECU 4 may estimate the device position by combining the RSSI method / ToF method and the AoA method. Sg_V shown in FIG. 17 indicates the signal transmitted by the in - vehicle system 1, specifically the BLE communication device 7x as a representative device. Sg_V may be a data signal designated with the key device Kd as the destination, or may be a scan request signal. Also, Sg_V may be a CW signal.

[0195] For example, the BLE communication devices 7a to 7c output the arrival angle (in other words, the arrival direction) and reception intensity of a signal from the key device Kd, while the BLE communication devices 7p to 7r output the reception intensity. The BLE communication device 7x performs ranging communication and provides the ToF itself or ToF-related values to the processor 41. In this case, the position estimation unit F3 can estimate the device position by combining the arrival direction observed by at least any one of the BLE communication devices 7a to 7c and 7x, and the reception intensity observed by at least any one of the BLE communication devices 7p to 7r. Of course, distance information from the BLE communication device 7x based on the ToF-related values may also be used in combination. Assume that the BLE communication device 7 for estimating the arrival direction is equipped with a plurality of antennas 72 as an array antenna. The BLE communication device 7 equipped with the array antenna can calculate the arrival direction by analyzing the reception results at, and report it to the smart ECU 4.

[0196] The plurality of BLE communication devices 7 may be configured to calculate at least any one of the reception intensity, arrival direction, and flight time by each individually performing wireless signal transmission and reception with the key device Kd.

[0197] In addition, the position estimation unit F3 may determine the position of the smart key 2 by complementarily using the reception intensity when the smart key 2 receives the wake signal and the communication status data of the plurality of BLE communication devices 7. In that case, the smart key 2 detects the reception intensity of the wake signal as the LF reception intensity, and transmits data indicating the LF reception intensity to the in-vehicle system 1 via BLE communication. The position estimation unit F3 may be configured to determine that it is within the lock / unlock area Lx or inside the vehicle cabin on the condition that the LF reception intensity observed by the smart key 2 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, for example. Even when the reception status of the BLE signal satisfies the condition that the smart key 2 can be considered to exist within the lock / unlock area Lx, the position estimation unit F3 may determine that the smart key 2 is outside the lock / unlock area Lx when the LF reception intensity is less than the predetermined threshold.

[0198] <Supplement to LF Control Using Device Position Information> The position estimation unit F3 may determine whether the user carrying the mobile terminal 3 is approaching the vehicle Hv based on the history of the position coordinates of the mobile terminal 3 or the history of the distance to the nearest communication device. The communication control unit F2 may stop the periodic transmission of the wake signal based on the determination that the user carrying the mobile terminal 3 is approaching the vehicle Hv. FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the smart ECU 4 corresponding to the technical idea.

[0199] Also, as shown in FIG. 19, when the LF transmitters 8 are dispersedly arranged, for example, at each of the driver's seat door, the front passenger seat door, and the trunk door, the LF transmitters 8 in the area where the mobile terminal 3 is not detected may be made to periodically transmit wake signals. For example, when it is determined that the mobile terminal 3 exists near the front passenger seat door, the LF transmitters 8 of the trunk door and the driver's seat door may be made to periodically transmit wake signals. According to such a configuration, it becomes possible to quickly respond even to the approach of a user who only has the smart key 2. Note that each LF transmitter 8 is designed such that the transmission range of the wake signal is different.

[0200] <Supplement on the method for detecting the transmission-reception phase difference> As methods for detecting the transmission-reception phase difference, there are an active two-way method, a passive two-way method, a one-way method, and the like. As shown in FIG. 20, in the active two-way method, the initiator and the reflector transmit and receive CW signals to each other to detect the phase difference between the transmission signal and the reception signal for each. Then, by collecting the phase differences observed by the reflector at the initiator, the transmission-reception phase difference is specified. The initiator is the device on the side that starts communication, in other words, the device on the side that requests a response. Also, the reflector is the device on the side that returns a response. Here, the BLE communication device 7 corresponds to the initiator, and the key device Kd corresponds to the reflector. Referring to the key device Kd. The reflector may also be called a responder. In the active two-way method, the key device Kd as the reflector separately transmits a phase report signal (RpSg) indicating the phase difference (θr) observed by itself from the CW signal.

[0201] CW_I shown in FIG. 20 is the CW signal transmitted by the initiator, with an initial phase of δi. CW_R is the CW signal transmitted by the reflector, with an initial phase of δr. Assuming the phase difference φ that should be originally observed according to the one-way distance between the initiator and the reflector, and the target frequency f, then θr = φ + δi - δr. Also, θi = φ - δi + δr. RpSg shown in FIG. 20 is the received phase report signal including information on the received phase (θr) observed by the reflector.

[0202] The initiator adopts the average value of the phase angle (θi) observed by itself and the phase angle (θr) observed by the reflector as the transmission-reception phase difference (φ). Here, since the phase difference due to one-way propagation is assumed, the average value of θi and θr is used as the transmission-reception phase difference. As another aspect, when assuming the phase difference due to round-trip propagation as the transmission-reception phase difference, the transmission-reception phase difference can be obtained from θi + θr = 2φ.

[0203] The phase differences (θi, θr) observed by each device may include the initial phases (δi, δr) when each device transmits a signal. However, in the average value of the phase differences observed by each device, the initial phase components at each device are canceled out. According to the above method, even if the initial phases of the CW signals emitted from individual devices are unknown, the transmission-reception phase difference can be calculated. Note that the key device Kd as the reflector may transmit the received phase report signal individually for each frequency, or may transmit the received phases at multiple frequencies together.

[0204] The passive two-way method is also a method in which the initiator and the reflector transmit and receive CW signals to and from each other as shown in Fig. 21. The difference from the active two-way method is that the reflector transmits the received phase of the CW signal transmitted from the initiator by reflecting it to the initial phase of the transmitted signal. For example, when the received phase in the reflector is θr, a CW signal expressed by z(t) = A·exp{-i(ωt + θr + 2πn)} is transmitted. A represents the amplitude. ω is the angular frequency corresponding to the target frequency (f) and has the relationship ω = 2πf. n is a natural number and corresponds to the interval from when the reflector receives the CW signal to when it transmits the CW signal.

[0205] According to the method as described above, the received phase observed by the initiator becomes substantially the same value as when receiving the CW signal reflected by a reflector such as a wall and returned. Therefore, the received phase observed by the initiator becomes a value in which the initial phase component at the initiator is canceled out. As a result, a transmission-reception phase difference is obtained. Note that the passive two-way method has an advantage that, compared with the active two-way method, the reflector does not need to transmit a phase reporting signal (RpSg).

[0206] The one-way method is a method that directly adopts the received phase of the CW signal transmitted from the key device Kd as the transmission-reception phase difference on the premise that the initial phase / local oscillator is synchronized between devices as shown in Fig. 22. Synchronization of the initial phase / local oscillator between devices can be realized, for example, by transmitting a predetermined synchronization signal. The method for specifying the transmission-reception phase difference is not limited to the above method, and various methods can be adopted. The key device Kd can be configured to operate according to the method adopted by the system.

[0207] <Supplement to the method for measuring ToF by the observation device> The estimation of the device distance / ToF using RTT may be carried out by referring to the method described in Patent Document 3. Instead of a plurality of BLE communication devices 7 communicating individually with the key device Kd, the distance from the observation device to the key device Kd may be calculated by a sniffing method. For example, the BLE communication device 7x as the representative device measures the RTT from when it transmits a response request signal until it receives a response signal from the key device Kd and reports it to the smart ECU 4. The observation device, which is a BLE communication device 7 other than the representative device, measures the reception interval from when it receives the response request signal issued by the representative device until it receives the response signal issued by the key device Kd and reports it to the smart ECU 4. The smart ECU 4 identifies the first flight time, which is the signal flight time between the key device and the representative device, based on the RTT. Further, the smart ECU 4 identifies the second flight time, which is the signal flight time between the key device and the observation device, based on the reception interval at the observation device and the first flight time. The first flight time and the second flight time respectively correspond to the ToF.

[0208] Alternatively, instead of a plurality of BLE communication devices 7 communicating individually with the key device Kd, the transmission-reception phase difference as a distance index from the observation device to the key device Kd may be calculated by a sniffing method. The observation device may identify the transmission-reception phase difference at the observation device by combining the reception phase of the CW signal emitted from the representative device and the reception phase of the CW signal emitted from the key device Kd.

[0209] <Modification Example of Mounting Pattern of Communication Device> The number and mounting locations of the BLE communication devices 7 and LF transmitters 8 in the in-vehicle system 1 may be in the form shown in FIG. 23. That is, the indoor unit may be only one BLE communication device 7p. For example, the BLE communication device 7p may be arranged on the floor between the driver's seat and the passenger seat, the center console, etc. so that radio waves are less likely to leak outside the vehicle. The LF transmitter 8 may be only one. The LF transmitter 8 may be arranged at the center of the indoor ceiling so that radio waves can propagate well outside the vehicle.

[0210] <Regarding Communication Methods Available for Estimating the Position of the Key Device Kd> The communication method for data communication between the in-vehicle system 1 and the mobile terminal 3 and the communication method used for specifying the device position may be different. For example, while BLE communication is used for data communication between the in-vehicle system 1 and the mobile terminal 3, UWB communication may be used for specifying the device position. UWB communication refers to communication of the UWB-IR (Ultra Wide Band - Impulse Radio) method. Hereinafter, a system configuration that uses UWB communication for estimating the position of the terminal is referred to as a UWB combined configuration.

[0211] In the UWB combined configuration, the smart key 2 and the mobile terminal 3 that can be the key device Kd are provided with a circuit module for transmitting and receiving impulse-shaped radio waves (hereinafter referred to as impulse signals) used in UWB communication in addition to the BLE communication unit. Further, the in-vehicle system 1 includes a plurality of UWB communication devices 9. The UWB communication device 9 is a communication module for receiving an impulse signal used in UWB communication. The impulse signal used in UWB communication is a signal with an extremely short pulse width, for example, 2 nanoseconds. UWB communication is sometimes also called ultra-wideband communication. The frequency bands available for UWB communication are, for example, 3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz, 3.4 GHz to 4.8 GHz, 22 GHz to 29 GHz, etc.

[0212] The in-vehicle system 1 includes, for example, UWB communication devices 9a to 9c, 9p to 9q as shown in FIG. 24. The UWB communication device 9a is provided on the outer surface of the B-pillar in the right door. The UWB communication device 9b is provided on the outer surface of the B-pillar in the left door. The UWB communication device 9c is arranged at the center in the left-right direction of the rear bumper. The UWB communication devices 9a to 9c correspond to outdoor units that are UWB communication devices 9 provided on the outer surface of the vehicle. The UWB communication device 9p is provided, for example, at a position a predetermined distance in front of the center of the indoor ceiling portion. The UWB communication device 9q is provided, for example, at a position a predetermined distance behind the center of the indoor ceiling portion.

[0213] The position estimation unit F3 estimates the distance from each of the plurality of UWB communication devices 9 to the key device Kd by transmitting and receiving the key device Kd and impulse signals from each of the plurality of UWB communication devices 9 in a predetermined order. The ToF method or the like can be adopted for the distance estimation. Then, the position of the key device Kd is estimated based on the distance information from each UWB communication device 9 to the key device Kd and the communication device setting data of each UWB communication device 9. Thus, even if the UWB communication device 9 is used instead of the BLE communication device 7, the estimation of the device position is possible. That is, the BLE communication device 7 in this specification can be implemented by replacing it with the UWB communication device 9. The BLE communication device 7 and the UWB communication device 9 correspond to the first communication unit, and the LF transmitter 8 corresponds to the second communication unit.

[0214] <Addendum> The devices, systems, and methods described in this disclosure may be implemented by a dedicated computer configured to program a processor to execute one or more functions embodied by a computer program. Also, the devices and methods described in this disclosure may be implemented using dedicated hardware logic circuits. Furthermore, the devices and methods described in this disclosure may be implemented by one or more dedicated computers configured by a combination of a processor that executes a computer program and one or more hardware logic circuits. For example, some or all of the functions provided by the smart ECU 4 may be implemented as hardware. Modes of implementing a certain function as hardware include modes of implementing using one or more ICs or the like. As the processor (computing core), a CPU, an MPU, a GPU, a DFP (Data Flow Processor), or the like can be adopted. Also, some or all of the functions provided by the smart ECU 4 may be implemented by combining multiple types of arithmetic processing units. Some or all of the functions provided by the processor 41 may be implemented using a system-on-chip (SoC), an FPGA, an ASIC, or the like. ASIC is an abbreviation for Application Specific Integrated Circuit. The computer program may be stored in a computer-readable non-transitory tangible storage medium as instructions to be executed by a computer. As the storage medium for the program, an HDD (Hard-disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), a flash memory card, or the like can be adopted.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0215] 1 Vehicle-mounted system, 2 Smart key (portable device for vehicle), 3 Portable terminal, Kd Key device, 4 Smart ECU (vehicle authentication device), 5 Door button (member), 6 Start button, 7 BLE communication device (first communication unit), 8 LF transmitter (second communication unit), 9 UWB communication unit (first communication unit), 15 Display, 16 Input device, 41 Processor, F2 Communication control unit, F21 BLE control unit (first communication control unit), F22 LF control unit (second communication control unit), F3 Position estimation unit, F4 Authentication processing unit, F5 Vehicle control unit, F6 Device management unit, M1 Key information storage unit

Claims

1. An in-vehicle system (1) is a vehicle electronic key system that executes predetermined vehicle control by performing short-range communication, which is wireless communication compliant with a predetermined communication standard using radio waves in a first frequency band, with a key device (Kd) that is a device used as a key for a vehicle, wherein the in-vehicle system includes: a key information storage unit (M1) that stores information of the key device; a plurality of first communication units (7, 9), which are communication modules configured to be capable of performing the short-range communication; at least one second communication unit (8), which is a communication module that transmits a predetermined wake-up signal for temporarily transitioning a vehicle portable device (2), which is a dedicated device for operating the vehicle, to a state in which the short-range communication is possible, the wake-up signal being a radio signal in a second frequency band different from the first frequency band; a communication control unit (F2) that controls operations of each of the first communication unit and the second communication unit; a position estimation unit (F3) that determines a position of the key device with respect to the vehicle based on reception status of signals from the key device at the plurality of first communication units; an authentication processing unit (F4) that authenticates a user based on data received from the key device via the first communication unit, and the key information storage unit is configured to be able to register both the vehicle portable device and a portable terminal (3), which is a general-purpose information processing device capable of performing the short-range communication, as the key device, the communication control unit is configured to change an operation of the second communication unit according to a position of the portable terminal determined by the position estimation unit when the portable terminal is registered as the key device, the position estimation unit determines whether the portable terminal exists in a far region that is a predetermined distance or more away from the vehicle or in a region where a distance from the vehicle is less than the predetermined distance based on reception status of signals from the portable terminal at the first communication unit, and the communication control unit causes the second communication unit to transmit the wake-up signal periodically when the position estimation unit determines that the portable terminal exists in the far region, and increases a transmission interval of the wake-up signal when the position estimation unit determines that the portable terminal exists in the region where the distance from the vehicle is less than the predetermined distance, as compared with a case where it is determined that the portable terminal exists in the far region. A vehicle electronic key system.

2. The vehicle electronic key system according to claim 1, wherein the position estimation unit determines whether the mobile terminal is present within a predetermined operation area set outside the vehicle compartment or within the vehicle compartment based on the reception status of signals from the mobile terminal in the plurality of first communication units, the communication control unit, when it is determined that the mobile terminal is not present in either the vehicle compartment or the operation area, causes the second communication unit to periodically transmit the wake signal, while when it is determined that the mobile terminal is present in the vehicle compartment or the operation area, stops the periodic transmission of the wake signal by the second communication unit. A vehicle electronic key system

3. The vehicle electronic key system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the position estimation unit determines whether a user carrying the mobile terminal is approaching the vehicle based on the history of the position of the mobile terminal, the communication control unit is configured to stop the second communication unit based on a determination that the user carrying the mobile terminal is approaching. A vehicle electronic key system

4. The vehicle electronic key system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the vehicle is provided with a plurality of second communication units arranged at different positions in the vehicle and having different transmission ranges of the wake signal, the position estimation unit specifies the position coordinates of the mobile terminal with respect to the vehicle based on the reception status of signals from the mobile terminal in the plurality of first communication units, the communication control unit is configured to cause the second communication unit whose transmission range does not include the position coordinates of the mobile terminal specified by the position estimation unit to periodically transmit the wake signal. A vehicle electronic key system

5. The vehicle electronic key system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the communication control unit, identifies the position of an operation member, which is the member operated by the user, based on an input signal from a member that can be operated by the user, and is configured to transmit the wake signal from the second communication unit based on a determination that the position of the operation member does not match the position of the mobile terminal. A vehicle electronic key system

6. The vehicle electronic key system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the in-vehicle system, It is provided with a device management unit (F6) that manages information on devices registered as the key device, The device management unit, Based on the operation signal of the user output from the input device (16), display a device registration screen, which is a screen for newly registering the key device, on a predetermined display (15), Based on the operation signal of the user from the input device while the device registration screen is being displayed, newly register the mobile terminal or the in-vehicle mobile device as the key device, Based on a signal from the input device as device type information, acquire whether the registration target device, which is a device newly registered as the key device, is the in-vehicle mobile device, A vehicle electronic key system configured to be able to save the device ID, which is an identifier of the registration target device, together with the device type information in the key information storage unit.

7. The vehicle electronic key system according to claim 6, The device management unit is configured to be able to delete the in-vehicle mobile device from the list of the key devices based on a signal from the input device. A vehicle electronic key system.

8. The vehicle electronic key system according to claim 6 or 7, The communication control unit is configured to change the operation of the second communication unit according to whether the in-vehicle mobile device is registered as the key device in the key information storage unit. A vehicle electronic key system.

9. The vehicle electronic key system according to claim 6 or 7, The communication control unit is configured not to operate the second communication unit when the in-vehicle mobile device is not registered as the key device in the key information storage unit. A vehicle electronic key system.

10. The vehicle electronic key system according to any one of claims 6 to 9, When the in-vehicle mobile device is registered as the key device in the key information storage unit and the in-vehicle mobile device has not performed the short-range communication for a predetermined period or more, the device management unit is configured to display on the display a screen that proposes deleting the in-vehicle mobile device from the list of the key devices. A vehicle electronic key system.

11. The vehicle electronic key system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, The vehicle electronic key system is configured such that the communication control unit stops the periodic transmission of the wake signal by the second communication unit during the rest time zone registered by the user.

12. The vehicle electronic key system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the communication control unit is configured to stop the second communication unit based on an instruction from an external server.

13. The vehicle electronic key system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the communication control unit is configured to reduce the transmission power in the first communication unit to a suppression level that is lower than a predetermined standard level by a predetermined amount when the mobile terminal is within a predetermined distance from the vehicle.

14. The vehicle electronic key system according to claim 13, wherein the position estimation unit executes a process of determining the position of the mobile terminal at a predetermined interval as long as a signal from the mobile terminal is being received, and is configured to determine the position of the mobile terminal by combining the past determination result and the latest determination result.

15. The vehicle electronic key system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the position estimation unit is also configured to determine the position of the vehicle portable device with respect to the vehicle based on the reception status of signals from the vehicle portable device in a plurality of the first communication units, and the communication control unit is configured to change the frequency of executing communication for determining the position depending on whether the communication partner is the vehicle portable device or the mobile terminal.

16. The vehicle electronic key system according to claim 15, wherein the position estimation unit acquires information indicating the reception intensity of the wake signal from the vehicle portable device, and is configured to determine the position of the vehicle portable device based on the reception intensity of the wake signal at the vehicle portable device in addition to the reception status of signals from the vehicle portable device in a plurality of the first communication units.

17. A vehicle authentication device that performs user authentication by implementing short-range communication, which is wireless communication compliant with a predetermined communication standard using radio waves in a predetermined first frequency band, with a key device (Kd) used as a key for a vehicle. A key information storage unit (M1) for storing information of the key device; A first communication control unit (F21) that controls a plurality of first communication units (7, 9), which are communication modules for performing the short-range communication and are arranged at different positions in the vehicle; A second communication control unit (F22) that controls at least one second communication unit (8), which is a communication module for transmitting a predetermined wake-up signal that is a radio signal in a second frequency band different from the first frequency band and that temporarily transitions the vehicle portable device (2), which is a dedicated device for operating the vehicle, to a state in which the short-range communication can be performed; A position estimation unit (F3) that determines the position of the key device with respect to the vehicle based on the reception status of signals from the key device in the plurality of first communication units; and The key information storage unit is configured to be able to register both the vehicle portable device and a portable terminal (3), which is a general-purpose information processing device capable of performing the short-range communication, as the key device; The vehicle authentication device, wherein when the portable terminal is registered as the key device, the second communication control unit is configured to change the operation of the second communication unit (8) according to the position of the portable terminal determined by the position estimation unit.

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