Vehicle control device

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a control program in which a risk that convenience of a user is impaired can be reduced when having a trouble in a communicator for start determination.SOLUTION: A smart ECU turns on power source for travelling a vehicle when a portable device of a user exists within a start area configured in the vehicle. The smart ECU normally determines whether the portable device exists within the start area based on receiving strength of a signal from the portable device in a first communicator being a specific BLE communication device arranged in the vehicle. The smart ECU determines that the portable device exists within the start area when trouble of the first communicator is detected and when receiving strength of a second communicator, which is another BLE communication device and configured as a proxy device in advance, is more than a specified value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a technology for implementing vehicle control that switches on a driving power source based on the reception status of a wireless signal transmitted from a portable device carried by a user. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an in-vehicle device that starts the engine when a start button provided on the vehicle is pressed, when it determines that a portable device is present inside the vehicle based on the reception strength of signals from the portable device at multiple in-vehicle antennas. Patent Document 1 also mentions a control mode that reduces the communication area of ​​the in-vehicle antenna when a failure of the exterior antenna is detected, with the aim of preventing erroneous determination that the portable device is present inside the vehicle when it is actually outside the vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-90159 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Patent Document 1 makes no mention of what happens if the indoor unit, which is a communication device equivalent to an in-vehicle antenna, fails. In a system that determines the location of a portable device based on the communication status with the portable device, if the indoor unit fails, it can become difficult to determine whether the portable device is present within the start area within the vehicle. The start area here refers to an area that permits the start of a drive source for running the vehicle, such as an engine or motor. In one aspect, the start area can also be interpreted as an area that permits the power source for running the vehicle to be turned on.

[0005] If a malfunction of a specific indoor unit makes it impossible to determine whether a portable device is present in the starting area, the user will be unable to drive the vehicle using the usual procedure. The usual procedure here refers to the procedure when the indoor unit is operating normally, such as pressing the start button while the brake pedal is depressed. The specific indoor unit refers to a communication device for start determination, i.e., an indoor unit used to determine whether a portable device is present in the starting area. If a malfunction of the specific indoor unit makes it impossible to determine whether a portable device is present in the starting area, the user may need to activate the driving power source using, for example, a mechanical key. This may result in reduced user convenience.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made based on the above-mentioned considerations or points of view, and one of its purposes is to provide a vehicle control device that can reduce the risk of impairing user convenience even if a failure occurs in a communication device for starting determination. Place The purpose is to provide. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The first vehicle control device disclosed herein is a vehicle control device that is connected to and used with a plurality of communication devices that are configured to be capable of wireless communication with a portable device carried by a vehicle user and that all use the same communication band, and the plurality of communication devices include a first communication device that is a specific communication device installed in the vehicle, and a second communication device that is a specific communication device other than the first communication device, The operation modes include a normal mode that is applied when no malfunction is detected in the first communication device, and a temporary mode that is applied when a malfunction is detected in the first communication device, a communication control unit (F2) that controls the operation of the plurality of communication devices and acquires data indicating the reception status of wireless signals from the portable device at the plurality of communication devices; a diagnosis unit (F22) that detects a malfunction of the first communication device based on an input signal from the first communication device or the absence of an input signal from the first communication device; and a vehicle control unit (F6) that switches the on / off state of a driving power source. a location determination unit (F3) that determines the location of the portable device relative to the vehicle based on the reception status of a signal from the portable device at the first communication device or the second communication device; a wireless authentication unit (F4) that performs wireless authentication processing to determine the legitimacy of a user through wireless communication with the portable device; and an additional authentication unit (F5) that performs additional authentication processing to determine the legitimacy of a user using biometric information or a passcode. Equipped with When the normal mode is applied, the position determination unit: First communication device in Data indicating signal reception status from a mobile device satisfies certain normal area determination conditions In this case, it is determined that a portable device is present in the starting area (SA) in the vehicle cabin, and if the temporary mode is applied, Second communication device inData indicating the signal reception status from the mobile device satisfies a predetermined temporary area determination condition that differs from the normal area determination condition. If the mobile device is in the starting area, The vehicle control unit When the normal mode is applied, the location determination unit determines that the portable device is present in the start area, and the driving power supply is permitted to be switched on if the wireless authentication process is successful. On the other hand, when the temporary mode is applied, the location determination unit determines that the portable device is present in the start area, and the wireless authentication process is successful, and in addition, the additional authentication process is successful, the driving power supply is permitted to be switched on. . A second vehicle control device included in the present disclosure is a vehicle control device that is used in connection with a plurality of communication devices that are configured to be capable of wireless communication with a portable device carried by a user of the vehicle and that all use the same communication band, and the plurality of communication devices include a first communication device that is a specific communication device installed in the vehicle, and a second communication device that is a specific communication device other than the first communication device, and the vehicle control device has, as operation modes, a normal mode that is applied when no malfunction is detected in the first communication device, and a temporary mode that is applied when a malfunction is detected in the first communication device, and includes a communication control unit (F2) that controls the operation of the plurality of communication devices and acquires data indicating the reception status of wireless signals from the portable device in the plurality of communication devices, a diagnosis unit (F22) that detects a malfunction of the first communication device based on an input signal from the first communication device or no signal being input from the first communication device, a vehicle control unit (F6) that switches the on / off state of a power source for driving, and a position determination unit (F3) that determines the position of the portable device relative to the vehicle based on the reception status of signals from the portable device in the first communication device or the second communication device, and at least one and a processor (41) for determining whether the user has pressed the start button a predetermined number of times or more within a predetermined time period, based on an input signal indicating whether a start button for switching on the driving power source has been pressed. When detecting that the user has pressed the start button a predetermined number of times or more within a predetermined time period, the processor is configured to switch the operation mode to the temporary mode. A third vehicle control device included in the present disclosure is a vehicle control device that is used in connection with a plurality of communication devices that are configured to be capable of wireless communication with a portable device carried by a user of the vehicle and that all use the same communication band, the plurality of communication devices including a first communication device that is a specific communication device installed in the vehicle, and a second communication device that is a specific communication device other than the first communication device, and the vehicle control device is provided with, as operation modes, a normal mode that is applied when no malfunction is detected in the first communication device, and a temporary mode that is applied when a malfunction is detected in the first communication device, and includes a communication control unit (F2) that controls the operation of the plurality of communication devices and acquires data indicating the reception status of wireless signals from the portable device in the plurality of communication devices, a diagnosis unit (F22) that detects a malfunction in the first communication device based on an input signal from the first communication device or the absence of an input signal from the first communication device, a vehicle control unit (F6) that switches the on / off state of a power source for driving, and a diagnostic unit (F7) that detects a malfunction in the first communication device based on the reception status of signals from the portable device in the first communication device or the second communication device. The vehicle control unit is configured to switch on the power source for traveling on the condition that the position determination unit determines that the portable device is present in the starting area (SA) in the vehicle cabin when data indicating the reception status of a signal from the portable device in the first communication device satisfies a specific normal area determination condition, and when the temporary mode is applied, the position determination unit determines that the portable device is present in the starting area when data indicating the reception status of a signal from the portable device in the second communication device satisfies a specific temporary area determination condition that is different from the normal area determination condition. The vehicle control unit is configured to switch on the power source for traveling on the condition that the position determination unit determines that the portable device is present in the starting area (SA), and when the temporary mode is applied, the processor is configured to send a message indicating that the temporary mode has been entered to a pre-registered device, email address, or phone number. A fourth vehicle control device included in the present disclosure is a vehicle control device that is used in connection with a plurality of communication devices that are configured to be capable of wireless communication with a portable device carried by a user of the vehicle and that all use the same communication band, the plurality of communication devices including a first communication device that is a specific communication device installed in the vehicle, and a second communication device that is a specific communication device other than the first communication device, and that has, as operation modes, a normal mode that is applied when no malfunction is detected in the first communication device, and a temporary mode that is applied when a malfunction is detected in the first communication device, and that includes a communication control unit (F2) that controls the operation of the plurality of communication devices and acquires data indicating the reception status of wireless signals from the portable device in the plurality of communication devices, a diagnosis unit (F22) that detects the malfunction of the first communication device based on an input signal from the first communication device or the absence of an input signal from the first communication device, a vehicle control unit (F6) that switches the on / off state of a power source for driving, and a position determination unit (F3) that determines the position of the portable device relative to the vehicle based on the reception status of signals from the portable device in the first communication device or the second communication device. and at least one processor (41), wherein the position determination unit, when the normal mode is applied, determines that the portable device is present in a start area (SA) in the vehicle cabin if data indicating the reception status of a signal from the portable device in the first communication device satisfies a specific normal area determination condition, and when the temporary mode is applied, determines that the portable device is present in the start area if data indicating the reception status of a signal from the portable device in the second communication device satisfies a predetermined temporary area determination condition different from the normal area determination condition, and the vehicle control unit is configured to switch on the running power source on the condition that the position determination unit has determined that the portable device is present in the start area (SA), an upper limit is set on the number of temporary start permits, which is the number of times the running power source can be set on in the temporary mode, and the processor is configured not to transition to the temporary mode if the number of remaining temporary start permits, which is the remaining number of times the running power source can be set on in the temporary mode, is 0, even if a malfunction is detected in the first communication device.

[0008] According to the above vehicle control device, even if a malfunction occurs in the first communication device, as long as the second communication device is operating normally, the user can turn on the driving power supply using the same operating procedure as usual. In other words, even if a malfunction occurs in the communication device that determines whether a portable device is present in the starting area, it is possible to reduce the risk of loss of user convenience. The same applies to the vehicle control method and control program.

[0009] In addition, the first aspect of the present disclosure 5 The vehicle control device is a vehicle control device that is used in connection with a plurality of communication devices that are configured to be capable of wireless communication with a portable device carried by a vehicle user and that all use the same communication band, and the plurality of communication devices include a first communication device that is a specific communication device installed in the vehicle, and a second communication device that is a specific communication device other than the first communication device, The operation modes include a normal mode that is applied when no malfunction is detected in the first communication device, and a temporary mode that is applied when a malfunction is detected in the first communication device, a communication control unit (F2) that controls the operation of the plurality of communication devices and acquires data indicating the reception status of the wireless signal from the portable device in the plurality of communication devices; a diagnosis unit (F22) that detects a malfunction of the first communication device based on an input signal from the first communication device or no signal being input from the first communication device; and a diagnosis unit (F23) that detects a malfunction of the first communication device based on the input signal from the portable device in the first communication device or the second communication device. Signal a location determination unit (F3) that determines the location of the portable device relative to the vehicle based on the reception conditions; at least one processor (41); The position determination unit includes: When normal mode is applied When data indicating a reception status of a signal from the portable device at the first communication device satisfies a specific normal area determination condition, the portable device is determined to be present in a start area within the vehicle cabin; When temporary mode is appliedIf data indicating the reception status of a signal from the portable device at the second communication device satisfies a predetermined temporary area determination condition different from the normal area determination condition, the portable device is deemed to be present in the activation area. death , The processor determines whether the user has pressed the start button a predetermined number of times or more within a predetermined time based on an input signal indicating whether the start button, which is a button for switching on the driving power source, has been pressed, and switches the operation mode to the temporary mode when it detects that the user has pressed the start button a predetermined number of times or more within the predetermined time. It is structured as follows. A sixth vehicle control device included in the present disclosure is a vehicle control device that is used in connection with a plurality of communication devices that are configured to be capable of wireless communication with a portable device carried by a user of the vehicle and that all use the same communication band, and the plurality of communication devices include a first communication device that is a specific communication device installed in the vehicle, and a second communication device that is a specific communication device other than the first communication device, and the vehicle control device has, as operation modes, a normal mode that is applied when no malfunction is detected in the first communication device, and a temporary mode that is applied when a malfunction is detected in the first communication device, and includes a communication control unit (F2) that controls the operation of the plurality of communication devices and acquires data indicating the reception status of wireless signals from the portable device in the plurality of communication devices, a diagnosis unit (F22) that detects a malfunction of the first communication device based on an input signal from the first communication device or the absence of an input signal from the first communication device, and and at least one processor (41). When the normal mode is applied, the position determination unit determines that the mobile device is present in a starting area within the vehicle cabin if data indicating the reception status of signals from the mobile device at the first communication device satisfies a specific normal area determination condition, while when the temporary mode is applied, the position determination unit determines that the mobile device is present in the starting area if data indicating the reception status of signals from the mobile device at the second communication device satisfies a specific temporary area determination condition that is different from the normal area determination condition. When the temporary mode is applied, the processor is configured to send a message indicating that the temporary mode has been entered to a pre-registered device, email address, or phone number. A seventh vehicle control device included in the present disclosure is a vehicle control device that is used in connection with a plurality of communication devices that are configured to be capable of wireless communication with a portable device carried by a user of the vehicle and that all use the same communication band, and the plurality of communication devices include a first communication device that is a specific communication device installed in the vehicle, and a second communication device that is a specific communication device other than the first communication device, and the vehicle control device is equipped with, as operation modes, a normal mode that is applied when no malfunction is detected in the first communication device, and a temporary mode that is applied when a malfunction is detected in the first communication device, and includes a communication control unit (F2) that controls the operation of the plurality of communication devices and acquires data indicating the reception status of wireless signals from the portable device in the plurality of communication devices, a diagnosis unit (F22) that detects a malfunction in the first communication device based on an input signal from the first communication device or no signal being input from the first communication device, and a diagnostic unit (F23) that performs diagnostics for the vehicle based on the reception status of signals from the portable device in the first communication device or the second communication device. and at least one processor (41). When the normal mode is applied, the position determination unit determines that the portable device is present in a start area within the vehicle cabin if data indicating the reception status of a signal from the portable device at the first communication device satisfies a specific normal area determination condition, while when the temporary mode is applied, the position determination unit determines that the portable device is present in the start area if data indicating the reception status of a signal from the portable device at the second communication device satisfies a predetermined temporary area determination condition that is different from the normal area determination condition. An upper limit is set on the number of temporary start permit attempts, which is the number of times the traveling power source can be set to on in the temporary mode, and the processor is configured not to switch to the temporary mode if the number of remaining temporary start attempts, which is the remaining number of times the traveling power source can be set to on in the temporary mode, is 0, even if a malfunction is detected in the first communication device.

[0012] Note that the symbols in parentheses in the claims indicate a correspondence with the specific means described in the embodiments described below as one aspect, and do not limit the technical scope of the present disclosure. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a vehicle electronic key system; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a BLE communication device. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a location where a BLE communication device is installed. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a smart ECU. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart of an unlocking control process. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart of an operation mode control process. [Figure 7] 4 is a flowchart illustrating a start-up control process in a normal mode. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a start control process in a temporary mode. [Figure 9] A diagram for explaining the relationship between the locking / unlocking area judgment value and the temporary start area judgment value. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing the relationship between the locking / unlocking area and the temporary threshold exceeding area. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a sequence for applying a temporary mode based on a user operation on a vehicle. [Figure 12]10 is a flowchart showing an example of a sequence for notifying a user of the remaining number of times that the traveling power source can be set to on in temporary mode. [Figure 13] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of a smart ECU that performs different processes depending on the remaining number of times that the running power source can be set to on in temporary mode. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a modified example of the system configuration. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a modified example of the system configuration. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a modified example of the system configuration. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of 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 portable device 2. The in-vehicle system 1 is a system installed in the vehicle Hv. The portable device 2 is a device carried by the user of the vehicle Hv. There may be multiple portable devices 2.

[0015] <Preface> In the following description, the vehicle Hv is, as an example, a four-wheeled vehicle owned by an individual. The user of the vehicle Hv refers to the owner, their family, etc. The vehicle Hv may be a company car owned by a company organization or an official car owned by a public institution. If the vehicle Hv is a company car or official car, the user may be a person belonging to the organization that manages the vehicle Hv. The vehicle Hv may be a vehicle provided for a rental service (a so-called rental car), or a vehicle provided for a car sharing service (a so-called shared car). If the vehicle Hv is a vehicle provided for the above services (hereinafter referred to as a service vehicle), the user may be a person who has signed a service contract for those services and has the authority to temporarily use the vehicle Hv based on a service reservation, etc.

[0016] An example of a hybrid vehicle is an engine vehicle. An engine vehicle refers to a vehicle that has only an engine as a drive source. Engine vehicles also include diesel vehicles. In another aspect, a hybrid vehicle may be an electric vehicle. The concept of an electric vehicle includes not only electric vehicles but also hybrid vehicles and fuel cell vehicles. An electric vehicle is a vehicle that has only a motor as a drive source. A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that has an engine and a motor as a power source. Hybrid vehicles also include plug-in hybrid vehicles. Furthermore, a hybrid vehicle may be any vehicle that has a driver's door, and can be installed in a variety of vehicles that can travel on roads, such as trailers, tank trucks, and convertibles.

[0017] The vehicle Hv is a vehicle with the driver's seat on the right side. In another embodiment, the vehicle Hv may be a vehicle with the driver's seat on the left side. In the following description, the front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-to-down directions are defined based on the vehicle Hv unless there is a note regarding the reference direction (i.e., basically). The various flowcharts shown in this disclosure are all examples, and the number of steps constituting the flowcharts and the order in which the processes are executed can be changed as appropriate. In addition, the following description can be changed as appropriate to conform to the laws, regulations, and customs of the area in which the vehicle Hv is used.

[0018] <Overview> Both the in-vehicle system 1 and the portable device 2 are configured to be capable of short-range communication. Here, short-range communication refers to communication conforming to a predetermined short-range wireless communication standard in which the actual communication distance is, for example, 5 m to 30 m, and at most approximately 100 m. Examples of short-range communication standards that can be adopted here include Bluetooth (registered trademark) and Wi-Fi (registered trademark). The Bluetooth standard may be Bluetooth Classic or BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy). Various Wi-Fi standards can be adopted, such as IEEE802.11n, IEEE802.11ac, and IEEE802.11ax (so-called Wi-Fi 6). IEEE (registered trademark) is an abbreviation for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Alternatively, UWB-IR (Ultra Wide Band - Impulse Radio) can be adopted as a communication method between the in-vehicle system 1 and the portable device 2, in other words, as a short-range communication method. Furthermore, the in-vehicle system 1 and the portable device 2 may be configured to be capable of wireless communication using radio waves in the LF (Low Frequency) band, such as 125 kHz or 134 kHz.

[0019] In this embodiment, the operation of each part will be described using an example in which the in-vehicle system 1 and the portable device 2 are configured to be able to perform wireless communication conforming to the BLE standard (hereinafter referred to as BLE communication). In the following, the term "BLE communication" can be replaced with "short-range communication." Details of the communication sequence, such as establishing a communication connection and starting encrypted communication, are performed in accordance with the BLE standard.

[0020] In the following, a case will be described in which the in-vehicle system 1 is configured to act as a master in communication with the portable device 2, and the portable device 2 is configured to act as a slave. By receiving an advertising signal from the portable device 2, the in-vehicle system 1 establishes a communication connection with the portable device 2 and detects the presence of the portable device 2 (and thus the user) in the vicinity of the in-vehicle system 1. The advertising signal is a signal for notifying (i.e., advertising) other devices of its own presence. In another aspect, the portable device 2 may be configured to act as a master in communication with the in-vehicle system 1.

[0021] <About Mobile Device 2> The portable device 2 is a portable, general-purpose information processing terminal equipped with a BLE communication function. Various communication terminals, such as a smartphone or a wearable device, can be used as the portable device 2. A wearable device is a device worn on the user's body and can take various forms, such as a wristband, a watch, a ring, glasses, or earphones. The portable device 2 of the present disclosure may be realized by separating it into a motherboard (main unit) such as a smartphone and a wearable device.

[0022] The mobile device 2 includes a display, a BLE communication module, and a device control unit. The display is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. The display displays an image according to an input signal from the device control unit. The BLE communication module is a communication module for performing BLE communication.

[0023] The device control unit is configured to execute various types of arithmetic processing. The device control unit is configured as a computer equipped with, for example, a processor, RAM (Random Access Memory), storage, etc. The device control unit causes the BLE communication module to transmit an advertising signal at a predetermined transmission interval. In addition, when the BLE communication module receives a connection request from the in-vehicle system 1, the device control unit performs communication connection processing with the in-vehicle system 1.

[0024] The portable device 2 is configured to function as an electronic key for the vehicle Hv using predetermined key information. The key information here is data used in the authentication process described below. The key information is data used to verify that the person attempting to access the vehicle Hv is the user, that is, to verify the legitimacy of the person attempting to access the vehicle Hv. The key information may be called an authentication key, an encryption key, or a key code. The key information may be, for example, a character string (value) obtained by encrypting a password set by the user using a predetermined hash function. The key information may be generated based on a device ID. The device ID is an identification number assigned to each portable device 2.

[0025] The portable device 2 performs authentication processing via wireless communication based on the establishment of a communication connection with the in-vehicle system 1. For example, when the BLE communication module receives a challenge code, the device control unit generates a response code using a predetermined procedure / function based on the challenge code and key information. Then, in cooperation with the BLE communication module, the device control unit returns a response signal, which is a wireless signal including the response code, to the in-vehicle system 1.

[0026] The portable device 2 may be a smart key, which is a dedicated device used as an electronic key for the vehicle Hv. The smart key is a device that is transferred to the owner together with the vehicle Hv when the vehicle Hv is purchased. The smart key can be considered one of the accessories to the vehicle Hv. The smart key can have a variety of shapes, such as a flat rectangular parallelepiped type, a flat ellipsoid type (a so-called fob type), or a card type. The smart key may be called a vehicle portable device, a key fob, a key card, an access key, or the like.

[0027] <Configuration of In-Vehicle System 1> This section describes the configuration and operation of the in-vehicle system 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the in-vehicle system 1 includes a smart ECU 4, multiple door buttons 5, a start button 6, and multiple BLE communication devices 7. The in-vehicle system 1 also includes a power supply ECU 11, a body ECU 12, body-related actuators 13, body-related sensors 14, a display 15, an input device 16, and a biometric authentication device 17. The ECU in the component names is an abbreviation for Electronic Control Unit, and refers to an electronic control device.

[0028] The smart ECU 4 is connected to the door button 5, the start button 6, and the BLE communication device 7 via dedicated signal lines. The smart ECU 4 is also connected to the power supply ECU 11, the body ECU 12, and the like so that they can communicate with each other via an in-vehicle network Nw. The in-vehicle network Nw is a communication network built inside the vehicle Hv. A variety of standards can be adopted for the in-vehicle network Nw. The connection configuration between devices shown in FIG. 1 is an example, and the specific connection configuration between devices can be changed as appropriate.

[0029] The smart ECU 4 is an ECU that determines the device position relative to the vehicle Hv in cooperation with the BLE communication device 7 and the like, and performs vehicle control according to the device position determination result. In this disclosure, the device position means the position of the portable device 2. The smart ECU 4 corresponds to the vehicle control device. Since the portable device 2 corresponds to the user, determining the device position corresponds to determining the user's position. The smart ECU 4 is located in the instrument panel. The smart ECU 4 may be attached to the interior side of the right or left C-pillar. The C-pillar refers to the third pillar from the front among the pillars equipped on the vehicle Hv.

[0030] The smart ECU 4 is implemented 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. The smart ECU 4 of this embodiment includes one BLE communication device 7 in its housing.

[0031] The processor 41 is hardware (i.e., a computing core) for arithmetic processing coupled to a RAM (Random Access Memory) 42. The processor 41 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The processor 41 accesses the RAM 42 to execute various processes for implementing the functions of each functional unit (described later). The RAM 42 is a volatile storage medium. The storage 43 includes a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory. The storage 43 stores a control program executed by the processor 41. Execution of the control program by the processor 41 corresponds to execution of a vehicle control method corresponding to the control program. The I / O 44 is a circuit module for communicating with other devices. The storage 43 registers a device ID for each portable device 2. The storage 43 also stores communication device setting data indicating the installation position of each BLE communication device 7 in the vehicle Hv. The installation 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 centered at an arbitrary position on the vehicle Hv and parallel to both the width direction and the longitudinal direction of the vehicle Hv. The X axis of the vehicle coordinate system can be set parallel to the vehicle width direction, and the Y axis can be set parallel to the vehicle front-rear direction. The center of the coordinate system can be any location, such as the center of the vehicle body or the installation position of the smart ECU 4. Details of the smart ECU 4 will be described separately later.

[0032] The door button 5 is a switch that allows the user to unlock and lock the doors of the vehicle Hv. The door button 5 is provided on an outer door handle provided on each door. The outer door handle refers to a gripping member provided on the outer surface of the door for opening and closing the door. When pressed by the user, the door button 5 outputs an electric signal indicating this to the smart ECU 4. Note that a touch sensor can also be used as a configuration for receiving at least one of the user's unlock command and lock command. The touch sensor can be provided on the outer door handle instead of or together with the door button 5.

[0033] The start button 6 is a push switch that the user uses to turn the driving power source on and off. The driving power source is the power source for driving the vehicle HV, and if the vehicle is an engine vehicle, it refers to the ignition power source. If the vehicle HV is an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle, the driving power source refers to the system main relay. The start button 6 can be interpreted as a switch for starting the drive source (e.g., the engine). When the user pushes the start button 6, it outputs an electrical signal indicating this to the smart ECU 4.

[0034] The BLE communication device 7 is a communication module for performing wireless communication with the mobile device 2 in accordance with the BLE standard. As shown in FIG. 2, each BLE communication device 7 includes an antenna 71, a transceiver unit 72, and a communication microcomputer 73. The antenna 71 is a metal body for transmitting and receiving radio waves in the frequency band used in BLE communication, i.e., the 2.4 GHz band. The antenna 71 is electrically connected to the transceiver unit 72. The antenna 71 may be configured as an array antenna having a plurality of antenna elements arranged in an array.

[0035] The transceiver 72 demodulates the signal received by the antenna 71 and provides it to the communication microcomputer 73. The transceiver 72 also modulates a signal input from the smart ECU 4 via the communication microcomputer 73, outputs the modulated signal to the antenna 71, and radiates it as a radio wave. The transceiver 72 is connected to the communication microcomputer 73 so as to be able to communicate with each other. In addition to the modulation / demodulation circuit, the transceiver 72 includes a reception strength detection unit 721. The reception strength detection unit 721 is configured to sequentially detect the strength of the signal received by the antenna 71. The signal indicating the reception strength detected by the reception strength detection unit 721 or the measurement value itself may also be called RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator / Indication). The reception strength detected by the reception strength detection unit 721 is output to the communication microcomputer 73 together with a device ID indicating the sender of the received signal and frequency information of the received signal.

[0036] The communication microcomputer 73 is a microcomputer that controls the exchange of data with the smart ECU 4. The communication microcomputer 73 is realized using a CPU, RAM, ROM (Read Only Memory), etc. The communication microcomputer 73 provides the received data input from the transmitter / receiver 72 to the smart ECU 4 sequentially or based on a request from the smart ECU 4. The communication microcomputer 73 outputs data indicating the reception strength detected by the reception strength detection unit 721 to the smart ECU 4 based on a request from the smart ECU 4 or spontaneously.

[0037] A plurality of BLE communicators 7 are provided in the vehicle Hv. As an example, the in-vehicle system 1 of this embodiment includes BLE communicators 7a, 7b, 7c, 7p, and 7x as the BLE communicators 7, as shown in FIG. 3 . The BLE communicator 7x is built into the smart ECU 4, while the other BLE communicators 7 are arranged outside the smart ECU 4. Each BLE communicator 7 provided outside the smart ECU 4 is connected to the smart ECU 4 via a dedicated communication line or an in-vehicle network Nw so as to be able to communicate with the smart ECU 4.

[0038] Each BLE communicator 7 operates based on a control signal from the smart ECU 4. Each BLE communicator 7 also provides the smart ECU 4 with received data and data related to the reception status of signals from the portable device 2. In the present disclosure, signals from the portable device 2 are also referred to as device signals. Each BLE communicator 7 is assigned a unique communicator number. The communicator number functions as information for identifying multiple BLE communicators 7. The storage 43 stores the installation location of each BLE communicator 7 in association with the communicator number as communicator setting data. The installation location of each BLE communicator 7 and its role will be described separately below.

[0039] The power supply ECU 11 is an ECU that controls the on / off state of the running power supply installed in the vehicle Hv. For example, the power supply ECU 11 switches the running power supply from off to on based on a command signal from the smart ECU 4. If the vehicle Hv is an engine vehicle, the power supply ECU 11 starts the engine based on a command signal from the smart ECU 4.

[0040] The body ECU 12 is an ECU that controls the body system actuators 13 based on requests from the smart ECU 4 or the user. The body ECU 12 is communicatively connected to various body system actuators 13 and various body system sensors 14. Here, the body system actuators 13 are, for example, door lock motors that constitute the locking mechanisms of the doors. The body system sensors 14 include courtesy switches disposed on each door. The courtesy switches are sensors that detect the opening and closing of the doors. Based on a request from, for example, the smart ECU 4, the body ECU 12 locks or unlocks each door by outputting a predetermined control signal to a door lock motor provided on each door of the vehicle Hv.

[0041] The display 15 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. The display 15 displays an image according to an input signal from the smart ECU 4. The display 15 is disposed, for example, in the central region of the instrument panel in the vehicle width direction or in the region in front of the driver's seat. The display 15 corresponds to an in-vehicle display.

[0042] The input device 16 is a device for receiving a user's instruction operation for the smart ECU 4. As the input device 16, for example, a touch panel laminated on the display 15 can be adopted. The input device 16 may be a mechanical switch provided on a steering wheel, an instrument panel, or the like. The input device 16 outputs an electrical signal corresponding to an 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. The display 15 and the input device 16 correspond to an interface for the user to input a predetermined passcode or the like to the smart ECU 4. The display 15 and the input device 16 are collectively also referred to as an in-vehicle HMI. HMI is an abbreviation for Human Machine Interface.

[0043] The biometric authentication device 17 is a device that authenticates a user using the user's biometric information, such as a fingerprint or a face image. The biometric authentication device 17 may be a device that authenticates a user using a vein pattern of a hand or finger or an iris pattern. Further, the biometric authentication device 17 may be a device that identifies a user using features of uttered speech, such as a voiceprint. The biometric authentication device 17 is driven, for example, based on an instruction from the smart ECU 4. The biometric authentication device 17 outputs the authentication result of the user to the smart ECU 4. Note that the biometric authentication device 17 may be only a device for acquiring biometric information used for user authentication (that is, a reader). In that case, the smart ECU 4 performs user authentication processing by comparing the biometric information acquired by the biometric authentication device 17 with the pre-registered biometric information.

[0044] <Regarding the mounting position and role of the BLE communication device> Here, regarding each BLE communication device 7, its mounting position and role will be described while referring to FIG. 3. As described above, the in-vehicle system 1 of the present embodiment includes BLE communication devices 7a, 7b, 7c, 7p, and 7x. Note that the BLE communication devices 7a, 7b, 7c, 7p, and 7x all correspond to communication devices compliant with the same communication standard, in other words, communication devices using the same communication band.

[0045] The BLE communication device 7a is a BLE communication device 7 provided on the outer door handle for the driver's seat. The BLE communication device 7a can be called a right-side communication device. The BLE communication device 7b is a BLE communication device 7 provided on the outer door handle for the passenger's seat. The BLE communication device 7b can be called a left-side communication device. The BLE communication device 7c is a BLE communication device 7 provided near the trunk door. The BLE communication device 7c can be called a rear communication device. The BLE communication devices 7a, 7b, and 7c correspond to outdoor units that are BLE communication devices 7 arranged on the exterior surface of the vehicle Hv.

[0046] The BLE communication devices 7a, 7b, and 7c are each arranged at a desired position outside the vehicle cabin so as to form a locking / unlocking area EA. The locking / unlocking area EA is an area where the in-vehicle system 1 executes predetermined vehicle control, such as locking or unlocking the doors, based on the presence of the portable device 2 within the area. The locking / unlocking area EA is a type of exterior operation area and can also be called a passive entry area. For example, the locking / unlocking area EA is set to a range within a predetermined operation distance from the exterior door handles provided on the driver's door, passenger door, and trunk door. The operation distance that defines the size of the locking / unlocking area EA is, for example, 1.5 m. Of course, the operation distance may be 1 m or 0.7 m. The operation distance is set to be shorter than 2 m from a security standpoint. The BLE communication devices 7a, 7b, and 7c correspond to locking / unlocking area forming devices.

[0047] The BLE communication device 7p is a BLE communication device 7 arranged inside the vehicle cabin. The BLE communication device 7p is arranged in the center of the instrument panel in the vehicle width direction or in front of the driver's seat so as to form a start area SA around the driver's seat. The BLE communication device 7p can be called an indoor unit. In particular, the BLE communication device 7p can be called a front indoor unit.

[0048] The start area SA is an area in which the in-vehicle system 1 performs vehicle control to switch the driving power source from off to on based on the presence of the portable device 2 within the area. In other words, the start area SA is an area in which the start of the drive source is permitted. The start area SA is a type of interior operating area and can also be called a passive start area. For example, the start area SA is set to within 0.5 m from the center of the instrument panel in the vehicle width direction. The smart ECU 4 may be configured to treat an interior area within a certain distance from the BLE communication device 7p as the start area.

[0049] The BLE communication device 7p may be located near the shift lever, near the start button 6, or on the center console. Near the start button 6 includes the back side of the start button 6 and the inside of the start button 6. The BLE communication device 7p may be located near the steering column cover or at the driver's feet. The BLE communication device 7p may be located on the interior side of the driver's door, such as in a door pocket or at the base of the B-pillar on the driver's side. The B-pillar refers to the second pillar from the front of the pillars provided on a hybrid vehicle. The B-pillar may also be called the center pillar. The base of the B-pillar refers to the part within 0.2 m from the floor.

[0050] In the present disclosure, a BLE communication device 7 that forms the starting area SA, such as the BLE communication device 7p, is also referred to as a starting area forming device. The BLE communication device 7p corresponds to the first communication device. In addition, in this embodiment, the BLE communication devices 7a and 7b are set as proxy devices. A proxy device is a BLE communication device 7 that forms a temporary starting area only when a malfunction occurs in the starting area forming device. For example, among the BLE communication devices other than the starting area forming device, the BLE communication device 7 that is closest to the starting area forming device is set as the proxy device. There may be multiple proxy devices, and here, the BLE communication devices 7a and 7b are set as proxy devices. The BLE communication devices 7a and 7b as proxy devices correspond to the second communication device.

[0051] The BLE communicator 7x is a BLE communicator 7 built into the smart ECU 4. The BLE communicator 7x is used for data communication with the portable device 2. In the present disclosure, a communicator used for data communication with the portable device 2 is also referred to as a gateway communicator. The gateway communicator can also be referred to as a representative device, a central device, a data communication device, etc. The BLE communicator 7x may be located outside the housing of the smart ECU 4. The settings of the gateway communicator may be dynamically changed by the smart ECU 4. For example, if the smart ECU 4 detects a malfunction of the BLE communicator 7x, it may cause the BLE communicator 7p to function as the gateway communicator. The starting area formation device and the gateway communicator may be the same BLE communicator 7.

[0052] When the BLE communicator 7x receives an advertising signal from the portable device 2, it automatically establishes a communication connection with the portable device 2 using the stored device information. After the communication connection is established, the smart ECU 4 starts encrypted data communication with the portable device 2. When the BLE communicator 7x establishes the communication connection with the portable device 2, it provides the processor 41 with the device ID of the portable device 2 with which it is connected as connected device information.

[0053] The smart ECU 4 uses the BLE communicators 7 other than the BLE communicators 7x as communicators for determining the device position (i.e., for position determination). In one aspect, the BLE communicators 7 for position determination correspond to the BLE communicators 7 for measuring the distance to the portable device 2. In this disclosure, the BLE communicators 7 for position determination are also referred to as observation devices. In this embodiment, the BLE communicators 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7p correspond to the observation devices. Note that the observation devices can also be called distance finders or satellite communication devices. Of course, in another aspect, the smart ECU 4 may cause each of the multiple BLE communicators 7 to communicate data with the portable device 2.

[0054] In BLE communication, once a communication connection between devices is established, data is sent and received while successively changing among 37 channels. In other words, frequency hopping is performed during data communication after the connection is established. Therefore, normally, only the BLE communication device 7x that is connected to the device can capture the data signal from the mobile device 2. The observation device will not be able to observe the device signal.

[0055] In order to cope with such a situation, the BLE communication device 7x of this embodiment sequentially provides the smart ECU 4 with information indicating the channel to be used for communication with the portable device 2 (hereinafter referred to as channel information). The channel information may be a specific channel number or a parameter indicating a transition rule for the channel to be used (so-called hop increment). The hop increment is a number between 5 and 16 that is randomly determined when a communication connection is established. The channel information preferably includes the current channel number and the hop increment.

[0056] The smart ECU 4 distributes the channel information and device ID acquired from the BLE communication device 7x to each observation device as reference information. Each observation device can recognize, based on the channel information indicated in the reference information, which of the many channels available for BLE it should use to receive the device signal. As a result, the observation device can detect and report the reception strength of the device signal, etc., without a communication connection.

[0057] In the present disclosure, a method for determining a device location based on the reception status at an observation device of a signal sent from the portable device 2 to the gateway communication device is also referred to as a sniffing method. The sniffing method allows the number of BLE communication devices 7 with which the portable device 2 is connected for communication to be limited to a minimum of one, thereby reducing power consumption at the portable device 2. Furthermore, the sniffing method allows indicators indicating the distance to the portable device 2 to be collected in parallel from multiple BLE communication devices 7, thereby improving system responsiveness to the approach of a user carrying the portable device 2. Of course, in another embodiment, each BLE communication device 7 may individually perform bidirectional communication with the portable device 2 and provide information such as reception strength to the smart ECU 4.

[0058] <About the Smart ECU4 functions> The functions and operations of the smart ECU 4 will be described below with reference to Figure 4. The smart ECU 4 provides functions corresponding to the various functional blocks shown in Figure 5 by executing programs stored in the storage 43. Specifically, the smart ECU 4 includes, as functional units, a vehicle information acquisition unit F1, a communication control unit F2, a position determination unit F3, a wireless authentication unit F4, an additional authentication unit F5, and a vehicle control unit F6. The communication control unit F2 includes, as sub-functional units, an intensity collection unit F21 and a diagnosis unit F22. The smart ECU 4 also includes a key information storage unit M1.

[0059] The key information storage unit M1 is a storage medium for storing information about a portable device 2 used as an electronic key for the vehicle Hv. Information about at least one portable device 2 is stored in the key information storage unit M1. Key information for each portable device 2 is stored in the key information storage unit M1 in association with a key ID, a device ID, a user ID, etc. The user ID is an identifier for identifying multiple users and is set for each user. Information such as an expiration date, authority, and seat position may be associated with and stored as key information. The key information storage unit M1 is realized using a part of the storage area of ​​the storage 43. Note that the key information storage unit M1 may also be realized using a non-volatile storage medium that is physically independent from the storage 43. The key information storage unit M1 is configured to allow the processor 41 to write, read, delete, and so on data.

[0060] The vehicle information acquisition unit F1 acquires various vehicle information indicating the state of the vehicle Hv and user operations on the vehicle Hv from sensors, ECUs, switches, etc. mounted on the vehicle Hv. The vehicle information includes, for example, the state (on / off) of the driving power supply, the open / closed state of each door, the locked / unlocked state of each door, the pressed state of the door buttons 5 and start button 6, and the shift position. The output value of a brake sensor that detects the amount / force of depression of the brake pedal and a signal indicating the actuation state of the parking brake may also be considered vehicle information. Note that acquiring electrical signals from the door buttons 5 and start button 6 corresponds to detecting user operations on these buttons. In one aspect, the vehicle information acquisition unit F1 corresponds to a configuration that detects user operations on the vehicle Hv, such as pressing the door button 5, opening / closing the doors, pressing the start button 6, etc.

[0061] The vehicle information acquisition unit F1 acquires the current state of the vehicle Hv based on the various pieces of information described above. For example, the vehicle information acquisition unit F1 determines that the vehicle Hv is parked when the running power supply is off and all doors are locked. The conditions for determining that the vehicle Hv is parked can be designed as appropriate, and a variety of determination conditions can be applied. Note that "acquire" in this disclosure also includes generating / detecting / determining by internal calculation based on data input from other devices / sensors, etc. This is because the functional layout within the system is subject to change as appropriate.

[0062] The communication control unit F2 controls the operation of the BLE communication device 7. For example, at the time of user registration, the communication control unit F2 executes a key exchange protocol (so-called pairing) with the portable device 2 using the BLE communication device 7x. Device information about the portable device 2 acquired through pairing is stored in the storage 43 and also in a non-volatile memory provided in the communication microcomputer 73 of each BLE communication device 7. The device information includes, for example, a key exchanged through pairing and a device ID.

[0063] The communication control unit F2 acquires the device ID of the portable device 2 connected for communication from the BLE communication device 7x. The smart ECU 4 identifies users present in the vicinity of the vehicle Hv based on the received device ID. If the vehicle Hv is shared by multiple users, device information for each portable device 2 owned by each user is stored. If the vehicle Hv is a service car, the smart ECU 4 may acquire device information corresponding to the user who has reserved use in advance from a digital key server that issues key information and temporarily store the device information in a predetermined storage medium.

[0064] The communication control unit F2 detects that the portable device 2 is within a range where short-distance communication with the in-vehicle system 1 is possible by receiving a signal, such as an advertising signal, transmitted from the portable device 2 via the BLE communication device 7x. That is, the BLE communication device 7x detects the portable device 2 present around the vehicle using a passive scan method. The in-vehicle system 1 may also search for the portable device 2 using an active scan method that involves transmitting a scan request. The two types of scan methods may be used differently depending on the situation. For example, the passive scan method may be used when waiting while parked, while the active scan method may be used when a predetermined verification event occurs, such as pressing the door button 5.

[0065] The communication control unit F2 performs data communication with the portable device 2 using the BLE communication device 7x. For example, the communication control unit F2 generates data addressed to the connected portable device 2 and outputs it to the BLE communication device 7x. This causes a signal corresponding to the desired data to be transmitted as radio waves. The communication control unit F2 also receives data from the portable device 2 that has been received by the BLE communication device 7x.

[0066] While the vehicle Hv is parked, the communication control unit F2 keeps the BLE communication device 7x acting as the gate communication device in a state where it can receive device signals (a so-called standby state), while transitioning the observation device to a sleep state. The sleep state is, for example, a state in which the signal reception function is stopped. The sleep state also includes a state in which the power is turned off. This makes it possible to suppress dark current while the vehicle Hv is parked.

[0067] Additionally, the communication control unit F2 acquires the reception strength for each frequency of the device signal from each BLE communication device 7. The configuration for acquiring the reception strength for each frequency and each communication device corresponds to the strength collection unit F21. The communication control unit F2 may be configured to temporarily change the gateway communication device to determine the position of the portable device 2.

[0068] The communication control unit F2 also includes a diagnosing unit F22 as a sub-functional unit. The diagnosing unit F22 determines whether the BLE communication device 7 to be diagnosed is operating normally, in other words, whether a malfunction has occurred. The communication control unit F2 periodically determines whether, for example, the BLE communication device 7x is operating normally. Furthermore, the communication control unit F2 diagnoses an observation device such as the BLE communication device 7p periodically or when the BLE communication device 7x establishes a connection with the mobile device 2. Of course, the diagnosing unit F22 may also periodically diagnose the observation device. If the smart ECU 4 is configured to be able to execute multiple arithmetic processes in parallel, for example, when the smart ECU 4 has multiple processors, the diagnosing unit F22 may simultaneously (in parallel) diagnose the multiple BLE communication devices 7.

[0069] Note that a malfunction in the BLE communication device 7p includes not only an abnormality in the internal circuitry or communication microcontroller 73 of the BLE communication device 7p, but also a disconnection or poor connection in the communication line connecting the BLE communication device 7p and the smart ECU 4. A disconnection in the communication line connecting the BLE communication device 7p and the smart ECU 4 or a poor connection in the connector also corresponds to a malfunction in the BLE communication device 7p. The same applies to malfunctions in other BLE communication devices 7. A BLE communication device 7 that cannot communicate normally with the smart ECU 4 corresponds to a malfunctioning BLE communication device 7.

[0070] The diagnosis unit F22 can detect a malfunction of the BLE communication device 7 using various methods, such as a watchdog timer method or a homework answer method. The watchdog timer method is a method in which, when a watchdog timer provided in the smart ECU 4 expires without being cleared by a watchdog pulse input from the BLE communication device 7, it is determined that a malfunction has occurred in the BLE communication device 7. A watchdog timer may be provided for each BLE communication device 7.

[0071] In the homework response method, the smart ECU 4 sends a predetermined monitoring signal to the machine to be diagnosed and determines whether the machine is operating normally based on whether the response returned from the machine to be diagnosed is correct. The machine to be diagnosed refers to the BLE communication device 7 to be diagnosed. In the homework response method, the BLE communication device 7 as the machine to be diagnosed generates response data corresponding to the monitoring signal input from the smart ECU 4 and returns it to the smart ECU 4. If the response data returned from the machine to be diagnosed differs from the correct data corresponding to the transmitted monitoring signal, or if a response signal is not returned from the smart ECU 4 within a predetermined time limit, the diagnosis unit F22 determines that the machine to be diagnosed is not operating normally. The homework response method is a type of communication check.

[0072] Alternatively, the diagnostic unit F22 may detect a malfunction of the observation device based on the reception strength or round-trip time (RTT) obtained by wireless communication between the BLE communication device 7x and the observation device to be diagnosed. The RTT is the time from transmitting a response request signal to receiving a response signal. The diagnostic unit F22 may detect a malfunction of the observation device based on whether the reception strength of a signal from the gateway communication device observed by the observation device is outside a pre-registered normal range or whether the RTT is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Each BLE communication device 7 may have a self-diagnostic function and be configured to output an error signal when an internal error is detected. In this case, the diagnostic unit F22 may determine that a malfunction has occurred in a certain BLE communication device 7 based on the input of an error signal from that BLE communication device 7. The diagnostic unit F22 may also determine that a malfunction has occurred in that communication device based on the absence of an input signal from that BLE communication device 7.

[0073] In this embodiment, the diagnosis unit F22 diagnoses each of the observation devices and the gateway communication device, but this is not limited to this. The diagnosis unit F22 may be configured to diagnose only the BLE communication device 7p as the starting area forming device. Narrowing the diagnosis target reduces the processing load on the smart ECU 4.

[0074] The smart ECU 4 of this embodiment has a normal mode and a temporary mode as operation modes for controlling the on / off of the running power supply. The temporary mode is an operation mode when the diagnosis unit F22 detects a malfunction in the BLE communication device 7p serving as a starting area formation device. The normal mode is an operation mode when no malfunction is detected in the BLE communication device 7p. The smart ECU 4 transitions from the normal mode to the temporary mode when the diagnosis unit F22 detects a malfunction in the BLE communication device 7p. Furthermore, when the diagnosis unit F22 confirms that the BLE communication device 7p is operating normally, the smart ECU 4 returns from the temporary mode to the normal mode.

[0075] The normal mode and the temporary mode differ in the data (materials) / algorithm used to determine whether the portable device 2 is within the start area SA. The temporary mode corresponds to an operation mode that permits turning on of the driving power by pressing the start button 6, based on the reception status of the device signal at the proxy device satisfying predetermined temporary area determination conditions, even if a malfunction occurs in the BLE communication device 7p. The operation of the smart ECU 4 in the normal mode and the temporary mode will be described separately later.

[0076] The position determination unit F3 determines the device position based on the reception status of the device signal at each BLE communication device 7. The position determination unit F3 determines whether or not the portable device 2 is present within the locking / unlocking area EA based on the reception strength of the device signal observed at the outdoor unit. In addition, in the normal mode, the position determination unit F3 determines whether or not the portable device 2 is present in the starting area SA based on the reception strength of the device signal observed at the BLE communication device 7p. In the temporary mode, the position determination unit F3 determines whether or not the portable device 2 is present in the starting area SA based on the reception strength of the device signal observed at a predetermined BLE communication device 7 other than the BLE communication device 7p.

[0077] Determining that the portable device 2 is present in the start area corresponds to determining that a device position condition, which is a condition related to the device position among the start conditions that are conditions for starting the drive source, is satisfied. The start conditions include, in addition to the device position condition, successful authentication of the portable device 2 / user and a vehicle state condition, which is a condition related to the vehicle state. Examples of the vehicle state conditions that constitute the start conditions include that the brake pedal is depressed and that the shift position is set to park or neutral.

[0078] The wireless authentication 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 portable device 2. Communication for authentication is performed in an encrypted form. The authentication process itself may be performed using various methods, such as a challenge-response method. For example, the wireless authentication unit F4 transmits a predetermined / randomly generated challenge code to the portable device 2. The wireless authentication unit F4 then generates a verification code using the challenge code and key information corresponding to the device ID / key ID of the communication partner in a predetermined procedure. The wireless authentication unit F4 then compares the response code returned from the communication partner with the verification code, and determines that the authentication is successful if the two match. This authentication process can also be referred to as a verification process, since it involves comparing the response code generated by the portable device 2 based on the key information with a verification code stored or dynamically generated by the smart ECU 4. Successful authentication of the portable device 2 corresponds to determining that the person attempting to access the vehicle Hv is an authorized user.

[0079] The timing at which the wireless authentication unit F4 performs the authentication process may be, for example, the timing at which a communication connection is established between the BLE communication device 7 and the portable device 2. The wireless authentication unit F4 may be configured to perform the authentication process at a predetermined cycle while the communication connection is maintained between the BLE communication device 7 and the portable device 2. The smart ECU 4 may also perform communication for the authentication process in response to a predetermined user operation on the vehicle Hv, such as when the door button 5 or the start button 6 is pressed by the user.

[0080] The additional authentication unit F5 is configured to authenticate that the occupant is a legitimate user using a method other than wireless authentication. If authentication by the wireless authentication unit F4, i.e., authentication via wireless communication with the portable device 2, is considered to be the first stage of authentication processing, the additional authentication unit F5 corresponds to a configuration that performs the second stage of authentication. In the present disclosure, the authentication processing by the additional authentication unit F5 is also referred to as the additional authentication processing. The additional authentication unit F5 performs the additional authentication processing when the temporary mode is applied and it detects that the user has unlocked and entered the vehicle Hv. The additional authentication processing is realized, for example, in cooperation with the biometric authentication device 17. Specifically, the additional authentication processing includes displaying an authentication request screen on the display 15 requesting biometric authentication to be performed and activating the biometric authentication device 17. The additional authentication unit F5 obtains the user authentication result from the biometric authentication device 17. The request for biometric authentication may be realized by outputting a predetermined voice message from a speaker.

[0081] The additional authentication process may also be a process of determining the legitimacy of the user based on the input of a passcode. For example, when the additional authentication unit F5 detects that the temporary mode is applied and that the user has unlocked and entered the vehicle Hv, it requests the user to input a predetermined passcode. The passcode may be dynamically generated or may be a code registered in advance by the user. The passcode may be a code (so-called password) set during user registration.

[0082] For example, the additional authentication unit F5 dynamically generates a one-time passcode, which is a passcode that is valid only once, based on the transition to the temporary mode, and transmits the one-time passcode to the portable device 2 via BLE communication. Then, the additional authentication unit F5 displays an input screen for the one-time passcode on the display 15. The additional authentication unit F5 may determine the legitimacy of the passenger using the passcode input by the user.

[0083] The vehicle control unit F6 is configured to execute vehicle control in cooperation with the body ECU 12 and the like according to the position of the portable device 2 (in other words, the user) and the state of the vehicle Hv, provided that at least the wireless authentication unit F4 has successfully authenticated the portable device 2. For example, when the position determination unit F3 determines that the portable device 2 is in the locking / unlocking area EA and the vehicle control unit F6 detects that the door button 5 has been pressed by the user, the vehicle control unit F6 unlocks the door in cooperation with the body ECU 12. When the position determination unit F3 determines that the portable device 2 is in the starting area SA and the vehicle control unit F6 detects that the start button 6 has been pressed by the user, the vehicle control unit F6 switches the running power supply from off to on in cooperation with the power supply ECU 11.

[0084] The smart ECU 4 described above performs unlocking control processing, operation mode control processing, and start control processing, as will be described below.

[0085] <About unlocking control processing> Here, the unlocking control process performed by the smart ECU 4 will be described using the flowchart shown in Fig. 5. The unlocking control process is a process for unlocking all doors or specific doors of the vehicle Hv in response to the door button 5 pressed by the user. The unlocking control process corresponds to a sequence for providing a passive entry function.

[0086] The unlocking control process may be executed when the BLE communication device 7x receives a device signal while the vehicle Hv is locked. The unlocking control process is executed, for example, every 200 milliseconds (periodically) as long as the device signal is received while the vehicle Hv is locked. The unlocking control process includes, for example, steps S101 to S108.

[0087] S101 is the step of starting up the observation devices. That is, by inputting a predetermined control signal to each observation device, it transitions from a sleep state to a standby state. Note that if the observation device is already started, S101 can be omitted. Also, the observation device that is started up in the unlocking control process may be only the outdoor unit. The indoor unit may remain in a sleep state.

[0088] S102 is a step in which the reception strength of the device signal is acquired from each observation unit. In the figure, RSS_x indicates the outdoor unit observation strength, which is the reception strength at the outdoor unit. Using the reception strength for each outdoor unit acquired in S102, the processor 41 determines whether or not there is an outdoor unit among the multiple outdoor units whose outdoor unit observation strength (RSS_x) is equal to or greater than a predetermined lock / unlock area determination value (Th_x1) (S103).

[0089] If there is no outdoor unit whose outdoor unit observation intensity is equal to or greater than the lock / unlock area determination value, the processor 41 sets the lock / unlock area flag to OFF and ends this flow (S104). On the other hand, if there is an outdoor unit whose outdoor unit observation intensity is equal to or greater than the lock / unlock area determination value, the processor 41 sets the lock / unlock area flag to ON (S105). The lock / unlock area flag is a processing flag that indicates whether the portable device 2 is present in the lock / unlock area EA. Setting the lock / unlock area flag to ON corresponds to determining that the portable device 2 is present in the lock / unlock area EA. The above processing corresponds to the processing in which the position determination unit F3 determines that the portable device 2 is present in the lock / unlock area EA when there is an outdoor unit whose reception intensity is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

[0090] S106 is a step in which the processor 41 determines whether the door button 5 has been pressed based on an input signal from the door button 5. If the door button 5 has been pressed, the process proceeds to S107. On the other hand, if the door button 5 has not been pressed, the process ends. Note that if the processor 41 detects that the door button 5 has been pressed while the lock / unlock area flag is off, the processor 41 may display a key-not-detected image on the display 15. The key-not-detected image is an image indicating that the portable device 2 has not been found near the door.

[0091] S107 is a step for determining whether the wireless authentication process is successful. The wireless authentication process may be executed when the door button 5 is pressed, or may be executed before the door button 5 is pressed, triggered by a communication connection with the portable device 2. If the wireless authentication process is successful, the processor 41 unlocks each door (S108). If the wireless authentication process is not successful, the process ends this flow. At this time, the processor 41 may display an authentication failure image on the display 15. The authentication failure image is an image indicating that the user authentication (wireless authentication) has failed.

[0092] The locking / unlocking area determination value (Th_x1) used in the above flow is a parameter for determining whether the portable device 2 is present in the locking / unlocking area EA, and its specific value can be designed as appropriate. The reception strength for each outdoor unit used for comparison with the locking / unlocking area determination value may be the average, median, or maximum value of the reception strength of the device signal observed in the same indoor unit within a certain period of time.

[0093] <Operation mode control processing> Here, the operation mode control process performed by the smart ECU 4 will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG. 6. The operation mode control process corresponds to a process for switching from the normal mode to the temporary mode. The operation mode control process can be executed, for example, when the doors of the vehicle Hv are unlocked in the unlock control process described above. Of course, the operation mode control process may also be executed when triggered by receiving an advertisement from the portable device 2, establishing a communication connection with the portable device 2, or succeeding in wireless authentication processing of the portable device 2. A variety of conditions can be used as the execution condition for the operation mode control process.

[0094] The operation mode control process includes, for example, steps S201 to S207. S201 is a step of activating an observation device that is in a dormant state. Note that the observation device activated in S201 may be only the BLE communication device 7p as the activation area forming device.

[0095] S202 is a step in which the diagnostic unit F22 determines whether the BLE communicator 7p is operating normally. As described above, whether the BLE communicator 7p is operating normally can be determined by various methods, such as checking communication via wired or wireless connections. If no malfunction is detected in the BLE communicator 7p as a result of the diagnostic process in S202 (S203 NO), the normal mode is applied. Note that a case in which no malfunction is detected in the BLE communicator 7p corresponds to a case in which it is confirmed that the starting area formation device is operating normally. On the other hand, if a malfunction is detected in the BLE communicator 7p as a result of the diagnostic process in S202 (S203 YES), the processor 41 transitions to the temporary mode.

[0096] Furthermore, when the mode is shifted to the temporary mode, the processor 41 performs a malfunction notification process (S207). The malfunction notification process is a process of displaying a malfunction notification image on the display 15, which is an image indicating that the BLE communication device 7p is not operating normally or is operating in the temporary mode. The malfunction notification process may also be a process of outputting a voice message from a speaker indicating that the BLE communication device 7p is not operating normally or is operating in the temporary mode. Note that the malfunction notification process may include displaying a predetermined image on the display of the portable device 2 connected to the smart ECU 4 via BLE communication.

[0097] Furthermore, the malfunction notification process may include sending a temporary mode application notification, which is a message indicating that the system has entered temporary mode, to a device / notification destination pre-registered in the smart ECU 4 via a center / server. The destination of the temporary mode application notification may be expressed as an email address, a telephone number, a device ID, a device token of a vehicle management app, or the like. The vehicle management app is an application that enables the status of the vehicle hybrid vehicle to be checked on an external device such as the mobile device 2 by linking with a server or the like. A device registered as a destination of the temporary mode application notification corresponds to a vehicle-linked device, which is a device linked to the smart ECU 4 (and ultimately the vehicle hybrid vehicle). For example, a device on which the vehicle management app is installed and which has completed linking with the smart ECU 4 / vehicle hybrid vehicle is a vehicle-linked device.

[0098] Note that communication with the BLE communicator 7p may occasionally (temporarily) fail due to poor connector contact, noise, or the like. For such reasons, the processor 41 may periodically diagnose the BLE communicator 7p while operating in the temporary mode. By periodically diagnosing the BLE communicator 7p, if the malfunction of the BLE communicator 7p is accidental, the BLE communicator 7p can return to normal mode over time. Note that, in order to prevent erroneous diagnosis due to accidental reasons, the processor 41 may be configured to determine that a malfunction has occurred in the BLE communicator 7p when communication with the BLE communicator 7p fails a predetermined number of times in succession.

[0099] <Start control process in normal mode> Here, the start control process in the normal mode, which is performed by the smart ECU 4, will be described using the flowchart shown in Figure 7. The start control process corresponds to the process of switching the vehicle Hv to a state in which the vehicle Hv can run, i.e., the process of switching the running power supply from off to on. The start control process can be executed periodically, for example, based on the unlocking control process described above, in which the doors of the vehicle Hv are unlocked. Of course, the start control process may also be executed periodically based on the condition that the brake pedal is depressed, for example.

[0100] The startup control process in normal mode includes, for example, steps S301 to S308. S301 is a step for starting up an observation device that is in a dormant state. Note that the observation device started up in S301 may be only the BLE communication device 7p as the starting area forming device. The observation device to be started up can be selected depending on the conditions for determining that the portable device 2 is present in the starting area SA.

[0101] S302 is a step of acquiring the reception strength of the device signal from the BLE communication device 7p. In the figure, RSS_d indicates the reception strength at the BLE communication device 7p as the activation area forming device. The processor 41 determines whether the reception strength (RSS_d) at the BLE communication device 7p acquired in S302 is equal to or greater than a predetermined activation area determination value (Th_d1) (S303).

[0102] If the reception strength at the BLE communication device 7p is less than the start-up area determination value, the processor 41 sets the start-up area flag to OFF and ends this flow (S304). On the other hand, if the reception strength at the BLE communication device 7p is equal to or greater than the start-up area determination value, the processor 41 sets the start-up area flag to ON (S305).

[0103] The start area flag is a processing flag that indicates whether the portable device 2 is present in the start area SA. Setting the start area flag to on corresponds to determining that the portable device 2 is present in the start area SA. The above processing corresponds to the processing in which the position determination unit F3 determines that the portable device 2 is present in the start area SA when the reception strength at the BLE communication device 7p is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

[0104] S306 is a step in which processor 41 determines whether or not start button 6 has been pressed, based on an input signal from start button 6. If start button 6 has been pressed, the process proceeds to S307. On the other hand, if start button 6 has not been pressed (NO in S306), this flow ends.

[0105] S307 is a step for determining whether the wireless authentication process has been successful. As described above, the wireless authentication process may be executed in response to pressing of the start button 6, or may be executed in advance in response to a communication connection with the portable device 2. If the wireless authentication process has been successful, the processor 41 switches the driving power supply from off to on (S308).

[0106] The start area judgment value (Th_d1) used in the judgment process of S303 is a parameter for determining that the portable device 2 is present in the start area SA based on the reception strength at the BLE communication device 7p, and its specific value can be designed as appropriate. The reception strength at the BLE communication device 7p used for comparison with the start area judgment value may be the average, median, or maximum of the reception strength of the device signal observed at the BLE communication device 7p within a fixed period of time. It may also be the average reception strength for each frequency. The judgment process of S306 may determine whether the start button 6 has been pressed with the brake pedal depressed.

[0107] <Start control process in temporary mode> Here, the startup control process in the temporary mode performed by the smart ECU 4 will be described using the flowchart shown in Figure 8. The startup control process in the temporary mode includes, as an example, steps S401 to S409. S401 is a step for starting up the observation device that is in a dormant state, similar to S301. Note that the observation device started up in S401 may be only the proxy device, specifically only the BLE communication devices 7a and 7b.

[0108] S402 is a step of acquiring the reception strength of the device signal from each of the BLE communication devices 7a and 7b, which serve as the proxy devices. In the figure, RSS_a refers to the reception strength at the BLE communication device 7a. In the figure, RSS_b refers to the reception strength at the BLE communication device 7b. For simplicity, the reception strength (RSS_a) at the BLE communication device 7a is also referred to as the right-side reception strength, and the reception strength (RSS_b) at the BLE communication device 7b is also referred to as the left-side reception strength. The processor 41 determines whether both the right-side reception strength and the left-side reception strength acquired in S302 are equal to or greater than the temporary start area determination value (Th_x2) (S403). In this embodiment, the temporary area determination condition is met when both the right-side reception strength and the left-side reception strength are equal to or greater than the temporary start area determination value. S403 corresponds to a step of determining whether data indicating the reception status of the device signal at the proxy device satisfies the temporary area determination condition.

[0109] If at least one of the right-side reception strength and the left-side reception strength is less than the temporary start-area determination value, the processor 41 sets the start-area flag to OFF and ends this flow (S404). On the other hand, if both the right-side reception strength and the left-side reception strength are equal to or greater than the temporary start-area determination value, the processor 41 sets the start-area flag to ON (S405).

[0110] The reception strength at the BLE communication device 7a used in the determination process in S403 may be the average, median, or maximum value of the reception strength of the device signal observed at the BLE communication device 7a within a fixed period of time. The same applies to the reception strength at the BLE communication device 7b.

[0111] Furthermore, the temporary start area judgment value (Th_x2) used in the judgment process of S403 is a parameter for judging that the portable device 2 is present in the start area SA based on the reception strength at the proxy device. The specific value of the temporary start area judgment value can be designed appropriately within a range smaller than the locking / unlocking area judgment value (Th_x1) as shown in Fig. 9. For example, the temporary start area judgment value (Th_x2) is set to a value approximately 10 dB to 20 dB smaller than the locking / unlocking area judgment value (Th_x1).

[0112] Lowering the threshold for area determination for reception strength is equivalent to expanding the area to be determined, as shown in Figure 10. The two-dot chain line in Figure 10 indicates the range where the reception strength is equal to or greater than the temporary start area determination value, i.e., the outline of the temporary threshold exceeding area. The temporary start area determination value (Th_x2) is set so as to include at least a portion of the original start area.

[0113] The location where the reception strengths of both BLE communication devices 7a and 7b may be equal to or greater than the temporary start-up area judgment value corresponds to the overlapping portion of the temporary over-threshold area TA_a formed by the BLE communication device 7a and the temporary over-threshold area TA_b formed by the BLE communication device 7b in FIG. 10. The processor 41 of this embodiment treats the overlapping area of ​​the temporary over-threshold area TA_a and the temporary over-threshold area TA_b as the start-up area SA in the temporary mode. The above processing corresponds to the processing in which the position determination unit F3 determines that the portable device 2 is present in the start-up area SA when the reception strengths of both BLE communication devices 7a and 7b are equal to or greater than a predetermined temporary start-up area judgment value that is smaller than the lock / unlock area judgment value. The start-up area SA in the temporary mode can also be called the temporary start-up area.

[0114] S406 is a step in which the processor 41 determines whether the start button 6 has been pressed based on an input signal from the start button 6. If the start button 6 has been pressed, the process proceeds to S407. On the other hand, if the start button 6 has not been pressed (NO in S406), the process ends. The determination process in S406 may determine whether the start button 6 has been pressed with the brake pedal depressed.

[0115] S407 is a step for determining whether the wireless authentication process is successful. If the wireless authentication process is successful, the processor 41 proceeds to S408 and determines whether the additional authentication process is successful. Display of the authentication request screen in the additional authentication process may be triggered by pressing the start button 6, or may be executed in advance by being triggered by a communication connection with the portable device 2. Furthermore, a request for execution of additional authentication may be executed when the door is unlocked while the temporary mode is applied or when the brake pedal is depressed.

[0116] If the additional authentication process is successful (YES in S408), the processor 41 proceeds to S409 and switches the driving power supply from off to on. On the other hand, if the additional authentication process fails, the processor 41 issues a predetermined start-cannot-start notification and then ends this flow. The start-cannot-start notification is a process that notifies the user by displaying an image or outputting a voice message that starting is not possible because the conditions for turning on the driving power supply are not met. The information output in the start-cannot-start notification may include the reason why the driving power supply cannot be set to on, such as the portable device 2 not being found within a predetermined area, a malfunction occurring in the BLE communication device 7p, or a failure in the additional authentication.

[0117] <Effects, etc.> The processor 41 operates in normal mode when no malfunction is detected in the BLE communicator 7p. That is, the processor 41 as the position determination unit F3 determines that the portable device 2 is present in the start area SA when the reception strength of the device signal observed by the BLE communicator 7p is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Furthermore, on the condition that it has been determined that the portable device 2 is present in the start area SA and that the wireless authentication process has been successful, the processor 41 switches on the driving power when the user presses the start button 6.

[0118] On the other hand, if a malfunction is detected in the BLE communication device 7p, the processor 41 operates in a temporary mode. That is, if data indicating the communication status with the portable device 2 at the BLE communication device 7 previously set as a proxy device satisfies a predetermined temporary area determination condition, the location determination unit F3 determines that the portable device 2 is present within the start area SA. Specifically, if the reception strengths of the BLE communication devices 7a and 7b, which are originally intended to form the locking / unlocking area EA, are both equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the location determination unit F3 determines that the portable device 2 is present within the start area SA.

[0119] With this configuration, even if a malfunction occurs in the BLE communication device 7p that originally formed the starting area SA, it is possible to detect that the portable device 2 is present in the starting area SA. As a result, even if a malfunction occurs in the original starting area forming device, the user can drive the vehicle Hv. As a result, the user can drive the vehicle Hv to a dealer shop or repair shop and have the BLE communication device 7p repaired.

[0120] The operation in the temporary mode corresponds to determining whether the portable device 2 is present in the start area SA using the BLE communication device 7, which is not used to determine whether the portable device 2 is present in the start area SA in the normal mode. In other words, the configuration described above corresponds to changing the device position condition for switching on the driving power supply between the normal mode and the temporary mode.

[0121] However, depending on the settings of the temporary area determination conditions, the start area SA in temporary mode may be larger than the original start area SA. In other words, the temporary start area formed in temporary mode may not be as precise as the original start area. As a result, the accuracy and reliability of device position determination in temporary mode may be lower than in normal mode.

[0122] To address this issue, in the above embodiment, in temporary mode, the processor 41 permits turning on of the driving power supply on the condition that it determines that the portable device 2 is present in the start area SA, and that the additional authentication process is also successful in addition to the success of the wireless authentication process. In this way, when temporary mode is applied, security can be enhanced by including the success of the additional authentication process in the start conditions. This is because the additional authentication process requires the user to operate the vehicle. According to the configuration of this embodiment, even if a malfunction occurs in the start area formation device, the risk of a third party (i.e., a user) illegally turning on the driving power supply can be reduced.

[0123] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications described below are also included within the technical scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, various modifications other than those described below can be implemented without departing from the gist of the present disclosure. For example, the various supplements and modifications described below can be implemented in appropriate combinations as long as no technical contradictions arise. Note that components having the same functions as the components described above are given the same reference numerals, and their description may be omitted. Furthermore, when only a portion of the configuration is mentioned, the above description can be applied to the other portions.

[0124] [Variation (1)] The processor 41 may transition to the temporary mode not only when the diagnosis unit F22 detects a malfunction of the BLE communication device 7p, but also, for example, when it detects a specific user behavior. The specific behavior here refers to the behavior of repeating the start operation a predetermined number of times within a short period of time. For example, the processor 41 may apply the temporary mode when it detects that the start operation has been performed three or more times within 10 seconds. The start operation is an operation for turning on the driving power supply, such as pressing the start button 6 while depressing the brake pedal. The specific content of the start operation can be changed as appropriate.

[0125] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing sequence corresponding to this modified example. This processing flow can be performed in parallel with or in combination with the various processes described above. As shown in FIG. 11, when processor 41 detects that start button 6 has been pressed multiple times in normal mode (YES in S601), it determines whether the brake pedal is being depressed. If start button 6 is pressed a specified number of times with the brake pedal being depressed (YES in S602), processor 41 transitions to temporary mode (S603).

[0126] Furthermore, when processor 41 detects that start button 6 has been pressed multiple times without the brake pedal being depressed (NO in S602), it displays an operation guide screen on display 15 (S604). The operation guide screen is a screen that shows a specified starting operation. For example, in S604, processor 41 causes display 15 to display an image indicating that start button 6 should be pressed while the brake pedal is being depressed.

[0127] If no malfunction is detected in the BLE communication device 7p and if it is not detected that the start button 6 has been pressed multiple times, the normal mode is maintained (S610).Even if the start button 6 has been pressed multiple times, the normal mode is also maintained if it is detected that the foot brake has been left on.

[0128] The above configuration is based on the following idea. High-frequency radio waves used in BLE and other technologies have a tendency to travel in a straight line, making them less susceptible to deflection. Furthermore, high-frequency radio waves are easily attenuated by the human body. Therefore, depending on how the portable device 2 is held and where it is placed, the reception conditions for the device signal at the BLE communication device 7p may not satisfy the normal area determination conditions. In other words, even if there is no malfunction in the BLE communication device 7p, the normal area determination conditions may not be satisfied, and as a result, the driving power may not be switched on even if the user performs the correct starting operation.

[0129] This modified example was created with a focus on the above-mentioned problem, and by switching to the temporary mode when a specific user behavior is detected, it is possible to set the driving power source to on even when the BLE communication device 7p cannot communicate well with the portable device 2 due to the radio wave environment. This is because in the temporary mode, different decision-making materials (communication device) / algorithms are applied to guide the driving source than in the normal mode. Note that high-frequency radio waves in this disclosure are not limited to radio waves of 1 GHz or higher, but also include radio waves in the sub-gigahertz band such as 920 MHz.

[0130] <Variation (2)> An upper limit may be set on the number of times the temporary mode can be applied. This is because the temporary mode is merely a temporary measure to enable driving to a repair shop, etc. Furthermore, if the temporary mode could be implemented without limit, there is a higher risk that repair of the BLE communication device 7p will be postponed. In order to encourage the user to take prompt action such as repair in response to a malfunction of the BLE communication device 7p, it is preferable that the number of times temporary start permission, which is the number of times the driving power source can be switched on in the temporary mode, be limited to a few times, for example, three times.

[0131] For example, as shown in FIG. 12 , upon transition from normal mode to temporary mode, the processor 41 decrements by one the remaining number of temporary start attempts, which is the remaining number of times the running power supply can be switched on in temporary mode (S701). Note that the remaining number of temporary start attempts may be updated not when transitioning to temporary mode, but when the running power supply is actually set to on in temporary mode. Then, upon switching to temporary mode, the processor 41 performs processing to notify the user of the remaining number of temporary start attempts. The remaining number of temporary start attempts may be included in a message that is displayed / output as audio, for example, as part of the malfunction notification processing described above. The remaining number of temporary start attempts may be transmitted to the vehicle-linked device via a server or the like. The remaining number of temporary start attempts may be managed separately for each user in the storage 43 or the like. Upon confirming that the BLE communication device 7p is operating normally, the processor 41 resets the remaining number of temporary start attempts for each user to an arbitrary initial value greater than or equal to 1, such as 3 or 5.

[0132] Furthermore, the processor 41 may be configured to check the remaining number of temporary starts when a malfunction is detected in the BLE communication device 7p, and to transition to the temporary mode on condition that the remaining number of temporary starts is 1 or more. The processor 41 may be configured not to transition to the temporary mode when the remaining number of temporary starts is 0.

[0133] The processor 41 may be configured to change its behavior depending on the remaining number of temporary starts when a malfunction is detected in the BLE communication device 7p. For example, as shown in FIG. 13, when the processor 41 detects a malfunction in the BLE communication device 7p, it checks the remaining number of temporary starts. If the remaining number of temporary starts is two or more (YES in S801), it notifies the remaining number in a predetermined manner (S802). Then, the processor 41 transitions to the temporary mode in S803.

[0134] Furthermore, when the processor 41 detects a malfunction of the BLE communication device 7p and the remaining number of times for temporary start is 1 (YES in S804), it executes a final warning process (S805) and then transitions to temporary mode (S803). The final warning process is a process for notifying the user in a stronger manner than the normal notification that the next time the driving power will not be turned on in temporary mode. The normal notification manner for the remaining number of times for temporary start refers to the notification manner when the remaining number is 2 or more, such as S802.

[0135] Furthermore, if the remaining number of temporary starts is 0 (NO in S804), the processor 41 cancels the transition to the temporary mode (S806). Then, the processor 41 guides the user to other starting methods. For example, if the vehicle Hv is configured to be started with a mechanical key, the processor 41 displays an image on the display 15 that shows the starting method using the mechanical key. Also, if the vehicle Hv is configured to be started via NFC communication with the portable device 2, the processor 41 may display an image on the display 15 that shows the starting method via NFC communication. Additionally, if the remaining number of times is 0, the processor 41 may display a road service phone number as a guide image. Here, road service refers to a service in which a service staff member visits the vehicle Hv and tows it to a repair shop or repairs it on the spot.

[0136] <Variation (3)> In the above-described embodiment, both BLE communication devices 7a and 7b are used as proxy devices, but the combination of BLE communication devices 7 used as proxy devices is not limited to this. The proxy device may be only the BLE communication device 7a, as shown in Fig. 14. In other words, the proxy device may be only the BLE communication device 7 that forms the driver's seat locking / unlocking area EA.

[0137] Furthermore, if the in-vehicle system 1 includes a BLE communicator 7q as an indoor unit other than the BLE communicator 7p, as shown in FIG. 15, the BLE communicator 7q may be used as a proxy unit. The BLE communicator 7q is, for example, an indoor unit located near the seating surface or foot area of ​​a rear seat. To distinguish it from the BLE communicator 7p as a front indoor unit, the BLE communicator 7q may be referred to as a rear indoor unit. The two-dot chain line in FIG. 15 conceptually illustrates the temporary threshold exceedance area TA formed by the BLE communicator 7q. The BLE communicator 7q is a BLE communicator 7 that determines whether the portable device 2 is present in the vehicle to prevent the portable device 2 from being locked inside the vehicle. The BLE communicator 7q is a BLE communicator 7 that is not used to determine whether the portable device 2 is present in the activation area in normal mode. Alternatively, the processor 41 may be configured to use a BLE communicator 7x as a gateway communicator as a proxy unit.

[0138] <Variation (4)> In the above-described embodiment, the start area is formed using only the BLE communicator 7p, but this is not limiting. The in-vehicle system 1 may be configured to form the start area SA using multiple indoor units. For example, the start area may be formed using the BLE communicators 7p and 7q. In other words, the processor 41 may be configured to determine whether the portable device 2 is present in the start area SA based on the reception status of device signals from the BLE communicators 7p and 7q in the normal mode. In this case, the normal mode is an operating mode when it is confirmed that both the BLE communicators 7p and 7q are operating normally. The temporary mode is an operating mode when a malfunction is detected in either or both of the BLE communicators 7p and 7q.

[0139] <Variation (5)> The processor 41 determines whether the portable device 2 is present in the start-up area SA by using not only the reception status of the BLE communication device 7p but also the reception status of the outdoor unit. For example, in the normal mode, the processor 41 may determine that the portable device 2 is present in the start-up area SA when the reception strength of the BLE communication device 7p is equal to or greater than a start-up area determination value and the reception strengths of the BLE communication devices 7a and 7b are both less than predetermined thresholds.

[0140] <Variation (6)> In the above-described embodiment, the device location is determined using the reception strength of the BLE communication device 7p. However, the material (index) for determining the device location is not limited to this. The processor 41 may determine the device location based on a ToF (Time of Flight)-related value generated by causing a specific BLE communication device 7 to perform distance measurement communication with the portable device 2. The ToF-related value is a parameter indicating the flight time of a signal transmitted from the portable device 2 until it is received by the BLE communication device 7. The ToF-related value is a parameter different from the reception strength. Specifically, the ToF-related value is the RTT or the two-frequency phase difference. The distance measurement communication can be rephrased as communication for measuring the RTT or the two-frequency phase difference. The RTT and the two-frequency phase difference correspond to the measurement results of the distance to the portable device 2, and therefore can be called distance measurement values.

[0141] The RTT in which the mobile device 2 is the communication partner is measured as the time from when the BLE communication device 7 transmits a response request signal to the mobile device 2 until the BLE communication device 7 receives a response signal from the mobile device 2. The processor 41 may use, as the RTT, a value obtained by performing a predetermined correction process, such as subtracting an estimated value of the response processing time required by the mobile device 2, from the time elapsed from when the signal is actually transmitted until when it is received.

[0142] The two-frequency phase difference is a parameter determined by transmitting and receiving continuous wave (CW) signals between the BLE communication device 7 and the portable device 2, and is the difference between the transmission and reception phase differences observed at each of the two frequencies. The transmission and reception phase difference at a certain frequency corresponds to the phase difference between a CW signal of a target frequency transmitted to a target and a CW signal of the target frequency returned from the target.

[0143] The transmit / receive phase difference may also be simply referred to as the phase angle. The transmit / receive phase difference can be determined, for example, by having the BLE communication device 7 and the portable device 2 transmit and receive CW signals to each other, detecting the phase difference between the transmitted signal and the received signal, and calculating the average value of the phase differences observed between the two devices. The processor 41 may use the received phase of the CW signal transmitted from the portable device 2 as the transmit / receive phase difference, assuming that the initial phases / local oscillators of the devices are synchronized. Synchronization of the initial phases / local oscillators of the devices can be achieved, for example, by transmitting a predetermined synchronization signal. The two-frequency phase difference corresponds to the amount of change in the transmit / receive phase difference due to a change in frequency.

[0144] Based on instructions from the processor 41, each BLE communication device 7 performs communication for distance measurement with the portable device 2, generates a ToF-related value, and reports it to the processor 41. The processor 41 calculates the distance from a certain BLE communication device 7 to the portable device 2 based on the ToF-related value observed by that BLE communication device 7. The generation (calculation) of the ToF-related value may be performed by the processor 41. The functional arrangement can be changed as appropriate.

[0145] In the present modification, in the normal mode, the processor 41 calculates the distance from the BLE communicator 7p to the portable device 2 by causing the BLE communicator 7p to perform communication for distance measurement with the portable device 2. Then, when the distance measurement value starting from the BLE communicator 7p is less than a predetermined start area determination value, the processor 41 determines that the portable device 2 is in the start area.

[0146] On the other hand, in the temporary mode, the processor 41 calculates the distance from the BLE communicators 7a, 7b to the portable device 2 by having each of the BLE communicators 7a, 7b perform communication for distance measurement with the portable device 2. That is, in the temporary mode, the processor 41 acquires a measured distance value from at least one of the proxy devices to the portable device 2 by having the proxy devices perform communication for distance measurement. Then, if the measured distance value starting from each proxy device is less than a predetermined temporary start area determination value, the portable device 2 is determined to be in the start area.

[0147] The processor 41 may use both the distance measurement value and the reception strength to determine whether the portable device 2 is in the start-permitted area and, therefore, whether the normal / temporary area determination condition is satisfied. For example, in normal mode, the processor 41 determines that the portable device 2 is in the start-permitted area if the distance measurement value originating from the BLE communication device 7p is less than a first predetermined value and the reception strength is equal to or greater than a second predetermined value. On the other hand, in temporary mode, the processor 41 may determine that the portable device 2 is in the start-permitted area if the distance measurement value originating from a predetermined proxy device is less than a third predetermined value and the reception strength at the proxy device is equal to or greater than a fourth predetermined value. The first predetermined value for the distance measurement value may be set to, for example, 0.5 m, and the third predetermined value may be set to, for example, 1.2 m. The fourth predetermined value for the reception strength may be set to a value approximately 15 dB smaller than the second predetermined value.

[0148] The data indicating the reception status of the device signal in the BLE communication device 7 may include the reception strength, a ToF-related value (distance measurement value), and the direction of arrival of the radio wave. For example, the processor 41 may determine the device position by using the arrival direction angle of the device signal together with the distance measurement value or reception strength.

[0149] <Variation (7)> The number and arrangement of the BLE communication devices 7 in the present disclosure are merely examples and can be changed as appropriate. The BLE communication devices 7a and 7b may be arranged on the outer surfaces of the B-pillars and C-pillars. The B-pillars of the vehicle Hv can be divided into door-side B-pillars that are provided in the door modules and body-side B-pillars that serve as supports / frames that comprise the roof of the vehicle body. The door-side B-pillars correspond to the portions of the front door or rear door that abut against the body-side pillars. The outdoor unit can be located in the portion of the door-side B-pillar that is adjacent to the side window, i.e., the portion above the bottom edge of the side window.

[0150] Furthermore, there may be multiple indoor units. For example, the in-vehicle system 1 may include BLE communication devices 7p, 7s, 7s, and 7r as indoor units, as shown in FIG. 16. The BLE communication device 7s is a BLE communication device 7 disposed on the right side of the vehicle interior, for example, on the interior side of the right B-pillar or the interior side of the driver's door. The BLE communication device 7r is a BLE communication device 7 disposed on the left side of the vehicle interior, for example, on the interior side of the left B-pillar or the interior side of the passenger door. The BLE communication devices 7s and 7r can be attached to the interior side of the B-pillar on the vehicle body side, at least 0.1 m below the bottom edge of the side window.

[0151] <Variation (8)> The processor 41 may identify position coordinates relative to the vehicle Hv by combining distance measurements from multiple BLE communication devices 7 and the mounting positions of each BLE communication device 7 in the vehicle Hv, and determine whether the portable device 2 is present in the starting area based on the position coordinates. The position coordinates of the portable device 2 may be expressed in a vehicle coordinate system or the like. The position coordinates of the portable device 2 can be calculated using the principles of triangulation or trilateration. In the present disclosure, the process of calculating the device position coordinates is also referred to as a detailed position estimation process.

[0152] For example, if no malfunction is detected in any of the indoor units, BLE communication devices 7p, 7q, 7r, and 7s, the processor 41 operates in normal mode. That is, the processor 41 combines the distance measurement results of the BLE communication devices 7p, 7q, 7r, and 7s to calculate the position coordinates of the portable device 2 inside the vehicle. Then, the processor 41 determines that the portable device 2 is present within the start area if the calculated device position coordinates fall within the start area. This configuration corresponds to a configuration in which the device position coordinates calculated based on distance measurement values ​​from multiple indoor units are within the start area as a normal area determination condition.

[0153] On the other hand, if a malfunction is detected in any of the BLE communication devices 7p, 7q, 7r, and 7s, the processor 41 switches to temporary mode and determines that the portable device 2 is present in the start area if the reception strength of an indoor unit in which no malfunction is detected is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. This configuration corresponds to a configuration in which the reception strength of any of the indoor units is equal to or greater than a start area determination value is adopted as the temporary area determination condition. Of course, the temporary area determination condition set by the processor 41 in temporary mode may be the presence of an indoor unit whose distance measurement value is less than a predetermined value, instead of or in parallel with the presence of an indoor unit whose reception strength is equal to or greater than the predetermined value.

[0154] <Additional remarks> The apparatus, system, and method described herein may be implemented by a special-purpose computer including a processor programmed to execute one or more functions embodied in a computer program. The apparatus and method described herein may also be implemented using dedicated hardware logic circuits. The apparatus and method described herein may also be implemented by one or more special-purpose computers configured by combining a processor executing a computer program with one or more hardware logic circuits. For example, some or all of the functions of the processor 41 may be implemented as hardware. Implementations of certain functions as hardware include implementations using one or more integrated circuits (ICs). Examples of processors (computational cores) include CPUs, MPUs, GPUs, and DFPs (Data Flow Processors). Some or all of the functions of the processor 41 may be implemented by combining multiple types of computational processing devices. Some or all of the functions of the processor 41 may also be implemented using a system-on-chip (SoC), FPGA, ASIC, etc. FPGA stands for Field-Programmable Gate Array. ASIC stands for Application Specific Integrated Circuit. The computer program may be stored as instructions to be executed by a computer on a computer-readable non-transitory tangible storage medium. Examples of storage media for the computer program (control program) include a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), and flash memory. [Explanation of symbols]

[0155] 1 In-vehicle system, 2 Portable device, 4 Smart ECU (vehicle control device), 7 BLE communication device, 7p First communication unit, 7a·7b·7q Second communication unit, 41 Processor, 43 Storage, 15 Display (in-vehicle display), 17 Biometric authentication device, F1 Vehicle information acquisition unit, F2 Communication control unit, F21 Strength collection unit, F22 Diagnosis unit, F3 Position determination unit, F4 Wireless authentication unit, F5 Additional authentication unit, F6 Vehicle control unit, SA Starting area

Claims

1. A vehicle control device is connected to and used with a plurality of communication devices that are configured to be capable of wireless communication with a portable device carried by a vehicle user, and that all use the same communication band, the plurality of communication devices include a first communication device that is a specific communication device installed in the vehicle, and a second communication device that is a specific communication device other than the first communication device; The communication device includes, as operation modes, a normal mode that is applied when no malfunction is detected in the first communication device, and a temporary mode that is applied when a malfunction is detected in the first communication device, a communication control unit (F2) that controls the operation of the plurality of communication devices and acquires data indicating the reception status of the wireless signal from the portable device at the plurality of communication devices; a diagnostic unit (F22) that detects a malfunction of the first communication device based on an input signal from the first communication device or the absence of a signal being input from the first communication device; a vehicle control unit (F6) that switches the on / off state of the driving power source; a position determination unit (F3) that determines a position of the portable device relative to the vehicle based on a reception status of a signal from the portable device at the first communication device or the second communication device; a wireless authentication unit (F4) that performs wireless authentication processing to determine the legitimacy of the user through wireless communication with the portable device; an additional authentication unit (F5) that performs additional authentication processing to determine the legitimacy of the user using biometric information or a passcode; The position determination unit When the normal mode is applied, if data indicating a reception status of a signal from the portable device in the first communication device satisfies a specific normal area determination condition, it is determined that the portable device is present in a start area (SA) in the vehicle interior; When the temporary mode is applied, if data indicating a reception status of a signal from the portable device at the second communication device satisfies a predetermined temporary area determination condition different from the normal area determination condition, the portable device is considered to be present in the activation area; The vehicle control unit When the normal mode is applied, if the location determination unit determines that the portable device is present in the start area and the wireless authentication process is successful, the driving power source is permitted to be switched on; When the temporary mode is applied, the vehicle control device is configured to permit the driving power source to be switched on if the location determination unit determines that the portable device is present in the starting area, and in addition to the wireless authentication process being successful, the additional authentication process is also successful.

2. A vehicle control device comprising at least one processor (41) according to claim 1, The processor: determining whether the user has pressed the start button a predetermined number of times or more within a predetermined time period, based on an input signal indicating whether a start button, which is a button for switching on the driving power source, has been pressed; The vehicle control device is configured to switch the operation mode to the temporary mode when it is detected that the user has pressed the start button a predetermined number of times or more within a predetermined time period.

3. A vehicle control device is connected to and used with a plurality of communication devices that are configured to be capable of wireless communication with a portable device carried by a vehicle user, and that all use the same communication band, the plurality of communication devices include a first communication device that is a specific communication device installed in the vehicle, and a second communication device that is a specific communication device other than the first communication device; The communication device includes, as operation modes, a normal mode that is applied when no malfunction is detected in the first communication device, and a temporary mode that is applied when a malfunction is detected in the first communication device, a communication control unit (F2) that controls the operation of the plurality of communication devices and acquires data indicating the reception status of the wireless signal from the portable device at the plurality of communication devices; a diagnostic unit (F22) that detects a malfunction of the first communication device based on an input signal from the first communication device or the absence of a signal being input from the first communication device; a vehicle control unit (F6) that switches the on / off state of the driving power source; a position determination unit (F3) that determines a position of the portable device relative to the vehicle based on a reception status of a signal from the portable device at the first communication device or the second communication device; at least one processor (41); The position determination unit When the normal mode is applied, if data indicating a reception status of a signal from the portable device in the first communication device satisfies a specific normal area determination condition, it is determined that the portable device is present in a start area (SA) in the vehicle interior; When the temporary mode is applied, if data indicating a reception status of a signal from the portable device at the second communication device satisfies a predetermined temporary area determination condition different from the normal area determination condition, the portable device is considered to be present in the activation area; the vehicle control unit is configured to switch on the driving power source on condition that the position determination unit determines that the portable device is present in the starting area (SA), The processor: determining whether the user has pressed the start button a predetermined number of times or more within a predetermined time period, based on an input signal indicating whether a start button, which is a button for switching on the driving power source, has been pressed; The vehicle control device is configured to switch the operation mode to the temporary mode when it is detected that the user has pressed the start button a predetermined number of times or more within a predetermined time period.

4. A vehicle control device comprising at least one processor (41) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The vehicle control device is configured such that, when the temporary mode is applied, the processor sends a message indicating that the temporary mode has been entered to a pre-registered device, email address, or telephone number.

5. A vehicle control device is connected to and used with a plurality of communication devices that are configured to be capable of wireless communication with a portable device carried by a vehicle user, and that all use the same communication band, the plurality of communication devices include a first communication device that is a specific communication device installed in the vehicle, and a second communication device that is a specific communication device other than the first communication device; The communication device includes, as operation modes, a normal mode that is applied when no malfunction is detected in the first communication device, and a temporary mode that is applied when a malfunction is detected in the first communication device, a communication control unit (F2) that controls the operation of the plurality of communication devices and acquires data indicating the reception status of the wireless signal from the portable device at the plurality of communication devices; a diagnostic unit (F22) that detects a malfunction of the first communication device based on an input signal from the first communication device or the absence of a signal being input from the first communication device; a vehicle control unit (F6) that switches the on / off state of the driving power source; a position determination unit (F3) that determines a position of the portable device relative to the vehicle based on a reception status of a signal from the portable device at the first communication device or the second communication device; at least one processor (41); The position determination unit When the normal mode is applied, if data indicating a reception status of a signal from the portable device in the first communication device satisfies a specific normal area determination condition, it is determined that the portable device is present in a start area (SA) in the vehicle interior; When the temporary mode is applied, if data indicating a reception status of a signal from the portable device at the second communication device satisfies a predetermined temporary area determination condition different from the normal area determination condition, the portable device is considered to be present in the activation area; the vehicle control unit is configured to switch on the driving power source on condition that the position determination unit determines that the portable device is present in the starting area (SA), The vehicle control device is configured such that, when the temporary mode is applied, the processor sends a message indicating that the temporary mode has been entered to a pre-registered device, email address, or telephone number.

6. A vehicle control device comprising at least one processor (41) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, an upper limit is set on the number of times that the traveling power source can be set to on in the temporary mode; The processor: The vehicle control device is configured not to transition to the temporary mode when the number of remaining temporary starts, which is the remaining number of times that the driving power source can be set to on in the temporary mode, is 0, even if a malfunction is detected in the first communication device.

7. A vehicle control device is connected to and used with a plurality of communication devices that are configured to be capable of wireless communication with a portable device carried by a vehicle user, and that all use the same communication band, the plurality of communication devices include a first communication device that is a specific communication device installed in the vehicle, and a second communication device that is a specific communication device other than the first communication device; The communication device includes, as operation modes, a normal mode that is applied when no malfunction is detected in the first communication device, and a temporary mode that is applied when a malfunction is detected in the first communication device, a communication control unit (F2) that controls the operation of the plurality of communication devices and acquires data indicating the reception status of the wireless signal from the portable device at the plurality of communication devices; a diagnostic unit (F22) that detects a malfunction of the first communication device based on an input signal from the first communication device or the absence of a signal being input from the first communication device; a vehicle control unit (F6) that switches the on / off state of the driving power source; a position determination unit (F3) that determines a position of the portable device relative to the vehicle based on a reception status of a signal from the portable device at the first communication device or the second communication device; at least one processor (41); The position determination unit When the normal mode is applied, if data indicating a reception status of a signal from the portable device in the first communication device satisfies a specific normal area determination condition, it is determined that the portable device is present in a start area (SA) in the vehicle interior; When the temporary mode is applied, if data indicating a reception status of a signal from the portable device at the second communication device satisfies a predetermined temporary area determination condition different from the normal area determination condition, the portable device is considered to be present in the activation area; the vehicle control unit is configured to switch on the driving power source on condition that the position determination unit determines that the portable device is present in the starting area (SA), an upper limit is set on the number of times that the traveling power source can be set to on in the temporary mode; The processor is configured to prevent the vehicle control device from transitioning to the temporary mode when the remaining number of temporary starts, which is the remaining number of times the driving power source can be set to on in the temporary mode, is 0, even if a malfunction is detected in the first communication device.

8. The vehicle control device according to claim 6 or 7, the processor updates the remaining number of temporary starts each time the traveling power source is set to on in the temporary mode; and notifying the user of the remaining number of temporary starts every time the temporary mode is applied.

9. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The second communication device is a locking / unlocking area forming device for forming an unlocking area outside the vehicle compartment, which is an area for unlocking the door, The position determination unit In the temporary mode, the vehicle control device determines that the portable device is present in the start area when the reception strength at the locking / unlocking area forming device is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

10. 10. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle control device is used in connection with a plurality of the communication devices as the second communication device, The vehicle control device, in the temporary mode, wherein the location determination unit determines that the portable device is present in the starting area by combining communication states between the portable device and the plurality of second communication devices.

11. A vehicle control device comprising at least one processor (41) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, The vehicle control device is configured such that, when the temporary mode is applied, the processor displays on an in-vehicle display (15) an image indicating that a malfunction has occurred in the first communication device.

12. A vehicle control device is connected to and used with a plurality of communication devices that are configured to be capable of wireless communication with a portable device carried by a vehicle user, and that all use the same communication band, the plurality of communication devices include a first communication device that is a specific communication device installed in the vehicle, and a second communication device that is a specific communication device other than the first communication device; The communication device includes, as operation modes, a normal mode that is applied when no malfunction is detected in the first communication device, and a temporary mode that is applied when a malfunction is detected in the first communication device, a communication control unit (F2) that controls the operation of the plurality of communication devices and acquires data indicating the reception status of the wireless signal from the portable device at the plurality of communication devices; a diagnostic unit (F22) that detects a malfunction of the first communication device based on an input signal from the first communication device or the absence of a signal being input from the first communication device; a position determination unit (F3) that determines a position of the portable device relative to the vehicle based on a reception status of a signal from the portable device at the first communication device or the second communication device; at least one processor (41); The position determination unit When the normal mode is applied, if data indicating a reception status of a signal from the portable device at the first communication device satisfies a specific normal area determination condition, it is determined that the portable device is present in a start area within the vehicle cabin; When the temporary mode is applied, if data indicating a reception status of a signal from the portable device at the second communication device satisfies a predetermined temporary area determination condition different from the normal area determination condition, the portable device is considered to be present in the activation area; The processor: determining whether the user has pressed the start button a predetermined number of times or more within a predetermined time period based on an input signal indicating whether a start button, which is a button for switching on a driving power source, has been pressed; The vehicle control device is configured to switch the operation mode to the temporary mode when it is detected that the user has pressed the start button a predetermined number of times or more within a predetermined time period.

13. A vehicle control device is connected to and used with a plurality of communication devices that are configured to be capable of wireless communication with a portable device carried by a vehicle user, and that all use the same communication band, the plurality of communication devices include a first communication device that is a specific communication device installed in the vehicle, and a second communication device that is a specific communication device other than the first communication device; The communication device includes, as operation modes, a normal mode that is applied when no malfunction is detected in the first communication device, and a temporary mode that is applied when a malfunction is detected in the first communication device, a communication control unit (F2) that controls the operation of the plurality of communication devices and acquires data indicating the reception status of the wireless signal from the portable device at the plurality of communication devices; a diagnostic unit (F22) that detects a malfunction of the first communication device based on an input signal from the first communication device or the absence of a signal being input from the first communication device; a position determination unit (F3) that determines a position of the portable device relative to the vehicle based on a reception status of a signal from the portable device at the first communication device or the second communication device; at least one processor (41); The position determination unit When the normal mode is applied, if data indicating a reception status of a signal from the portable device at the first communication device satisfies a specific normal area determination condition, it is determined that the portable device is present in a start area within the vehicle cabin; When the temporary mode is applied, if data indicating a reception status of a signal from the portable device at the second communication device satisfies a predetermined temporary area determination condition different from the normal area determination condition, the portable device is considered to be present in the activation area; The vehicle control device is configured such that, when the temporary mode is applied, the processor sends a message indicating that the temporary mode has been entered to a pre-registered device, email address, or telephone number.

14. A vehicle control device is connected to and used with a plurality of communication devices that are configured to be capable of wireless communication with a portable device carried by a vehicle user, and that all use the same communication band, the plurality of communication devices include a first communication device that is a specific communication device installed in the vehicle, and a second communication device that is a specific communication device other than the first communication device; The communication device includes, as operation modes, a normal mode that is applied when no malfunction is detected in the first communication device, and a temporary mode that is applied when a malfunction is detected in the first communication device, a communication control unit (F2) that controls the operation of the plurality of communication devices and acquires data indicating the reception status of the wireless signal from the portable device at the plurality of communication devices; a diagnostic unit (F22) that detects a malfunction of the first communication device based on an input signal from the first communication device or the absence of a signal being input from the first communication device; a position determination unit (F3) that determines a position of the portable device relative to the vehicle based on a reception status of a signal from the portable device at the first communication device or the second communication device; at least one processor (41); The position determination unit When the normal mode is applied, if data indicating a reception status of a signal from the portable device at the first communication device satisfies a specific normal area determination condition, it is determined that the portable device is present in a start area within the vehicle cabin; When the temporary mode is applied, if data indicating a reception status of a signal from the portable device at the second communication device satisfies a predetermined temporary area determination condition different from the normal area determination condition, the portable device is considered to be present in the activation area; an upper limit is set on the number of times that the running power source can be set to on in the temporary mode; The processor is configured to prevent the vehicle control device from transitioning to the temporary mode when the remaining number of temporary starts, which is the remaining number of times the driving power source can be set to on in the temporary mode, is 0, even if a malfunction is detected in the first communication device.

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