Radio communication system, control device thereof, and control method thereof

Abstract

Provided are a radio wave communication system for a vehicle capable of switching between communication control and radar control, a control device thereof, and a control method thereof.　A radio wave communication system 100 installed in an automobile 1 comprises: an acquisition unit 20a that acquires state information regarding the state of the automobile 1; and an execution unit 20b that controls communication devices 10a to 10h, wherein forms of a communication network include a first form PAN1 in which communication is performed between the communication devices 10a to 10h and a mobile terminal U, and a second form PAN2 and a third form PAN3 in which communication is performed between the communication devices 10a to 10h, and the execution unit 20b performs control to switch the form of the communication network on the basis of the state information, executes a locking / unlocking process Sc in a state where the first form PAN1 is formed, and executes a radar process Sd in a state where the second form PAN2 and the third form PAN3 are formed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a radio communication system mounted on a vehicle and communicating by radio waves, a control device thereof, and a control method thereof.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a technology using radio waves of UWB (Ultra-Wideband), for example, there is a keyless entry system in which a communication device mounted on a vehicle communicates with a mobile terminal around the vehicle using UWB radio waves, and the lock provided on the vehicle is controlled to be locked and unlocked based on the communication (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Further, for example, there is a radar device that transmits UWB radio waves around a vehicle, receives reflected waves reflected by an object, and detects an object around the vehicle based on the reflected waves (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In technologies such as those described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, for example, when a keyless entry system and a radar device are mounted on the same vehicle as separate devices, communication devices and control devices that transmit and receive UWB radio waves are installed redundantly, which may compress the space inside the vehicle or cause interference between their radio waves.

[0005] The present invention has been made against the background of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a radio communication system for a vehicle, a control device thereof, and a control method thereof that can switch between communication control and radar control and execute them. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The control device for a radio communication system according to the present invention is a control device for a radio communication system mounted on a vehicle and comprising a plurality of communication devices that form a communication network using radio waves and communicate with a mobile terminal, comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires state information relating to the state of the vehicle; and an execution unit that performs control processing to control the plurality of communication devices, wherein the form of the communication network includes a first form in which the plurality of communication devices and the mobile terminal communicate, and a second form in which the plurality of communication devices communicate with each other, wherein the control processing includes communication processing that controls the plurality of communication devices to communicate with the mobile terminal, and radar processing that controls at least one of the plurality of communication devices to emit radio waves and detect an object based on the reflected waves generated when the radio waves are reflected by an object in the vicinity of the vehicle, wherein the execution unit performs control to switch the form of the communication network based on the state information, executes the communication processing when the first form is formed, and executes the radar processing when the second form is formed In addition, control is performed to switch the form of the communication network based on at least one of the following information as state information: information regarding the vehicle's driving speed, information regarding the seating status of the vehicle's seats, and information regarding the starting status of the vehicle's power. In the communication process, control is performed to lock and unlock the locks on the vehicle based on the communication results between the plurality of communication devices and the mobile terminal, thereby enabling the locking and unlocking of the vehicle's locks and the detection of objects around the vehicle. It is a control device.

[0007] With this configuration, the control device (20) can switch the configuration of the communication network formed by multiple communication devices (10a to 10h) and a mobile terminal (U) to a first configuration (PAN1), a second configuration (PAN2), or a third configuration (PAN3) based on status information, thereby switching the radio communication system (100) to operate as a radar system that detects objects using radio waves or a communication system that communicates using radio waves, according to the state of the automobile (1). In the radar system or the communication system, common communication devices (10a to 10h) and the control device (20) can be used, and the installation space and cost of the system can be reduced.

[0008] The radio communication system according to the present invention is a radio communication system mounted on a vehicle and comprising a plurality of communication devices that form a communication network using radio waves and communicate with a mobile terminal, comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires state information relating to the state of the vehicle; and an execution unit that performs control processing to control the plurality of communication devices, wherein the form of the communication network includes a first form in which the plurality of communication devices and the mobile terminal communicate, and a second form in which the plurality of communication devices communicate with each other, wherein the control processing includes communication processing that controls the plurality of communication devices to communicate with the mobile terminal, and radar processing that controls at least one of the plurality of communication devices to irradiate the area around the vehicle with radio waves and detect an object based on the reflected waves generated when the radio waves are reflected by the object, wherein the execution unit performs control to switch the form of the communication network based on the state information, executes the communication processing when the first form is formed, and executes the radar processing when the second form is formed. In addition, control is performed to switch the form of the communication network based on at least one of the following information as state information: information regarding the vehicle's driving speed, information regarding the seating status of the vehicle's seats, and information regarding the starting status of the vehicle's power. In the communication process, control is performed to lock and unlock the locks on the vehicle based on the communication results between the plurality of communication devices and the mobile terminal, thereby enabling the locking and unlocking of the vehicle's locks and the detection of objects around the vehicle. It is a radio communication system.

[0009] With this configuration, the radio communication system (100) can switch the configuration of the communication network formed by multiple communication devices (10a to 10h) and a mobile terminal (U) to a first configuration (PAN1) or a second configuration (PAN2, PAN3) based on status information, thereby switching the radio communication system (100) to operate as a radar system that detects objects using radio waves or a communication system that communicates using radio waves, in accordance with the state of the automobile (1).

[0010] The control method for a radio communication system according to the present invention is a control method for a radio communication system mounted on a vehicle and comprising a plurality of communication devices that form a communication network using radio waves and communicate with a mobile terminal, comprising: an acquisition step in which state information relating to the state of the vehicle is acquired by an acquisition unit; and an execution step in which control processing for controlling the plurality of communication devices is performed by an execution unit, wherein the form of the communication network comprises a first form in which communication is performed between the plurality of communication devices and the mobile terminal, and a second form in which communication is performed between the plurality of communication devices, wherein the control processing comprises communication processing that controls the plurality of communication devices to communicate with the mobile terminal, and radar processing that controls at least one of the plurality of communication devices to irradiate the area around the vehicle with radio waves and detect an object based on reflected waves generated by the reflection of the object, wherein in the execution step, the execution unit performs control to switch the form of the communication network based on the state information, the communication processing is performed when the first form is formed, and the radar processing is performed when the second form is formed. In addition, control is performed to switch the form of the communication network based on at least one of the following information as state information: information regarding the vehicle's driving speed, information regarding the seating status of the vehicle's seats, and information regarding the starting status of the vehicle's power. In the communication process, control is performed to lock and unlock the locks on the vehicle based on the communication results between the plurality of communication devices and the mobile terminal, thereby enabling the locking and unlocking of the vehicle's locks and the detection of objects around the vehicle. Control method.

[0011] With this configuration, by switching the form of the communication network formed by multiple communication devices (10a to 10h) and a mobile terminal (U) to a first form (PAN1) or a second form (PAN2, PAN3) based on state information, the radio communication system (100) can be switched and operated according to the state of the automobile (1) as either a radar system that detects objects using radio waves or a communication system that communicates using radio waves.

[0012] Furthermore, the present invention may have only the inventive features described in the claims of the present invention, or it may have the inventive features described in the claims of the present invention along with other features not described therein. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a radio communication system in an embodiment. [Figure 2]This is a diagram for explaining the arrangement of a communication device and an absorber. [Figure 3] This is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a control device. [Figure 4] This is a diagram for explaining a first form of a communication network. [Figure 5] This is a diagram for explaining second and third forms of a communication network. [Figure 6] This is a diagram for explaining the control flow of switching processing executed by a control device. [Figure 7] This is a diagram for explaining the control flow of terminal positioning processing executed by a control device. [Figure 8] This is a diagram for explaining the control flow of locking and unlocking processing executed by a control device. [Figure 9] This is a diagram for explaining the control flow of radar processing executed by a control device. [Figure 10] This is a diagram for explaining information on reflected waves extracted based on an intensity threshold value and a distance threshold value in filter processing. [Figure 11] This is a diagram for explaining information on reflected waves extracted based on a change amount with respect to a reference value in the distribution of the radio wave intensity of a received signal in a modified example of filter processing.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, examples of embodiments of a radio communication system, a control method for the radio communication system, and a control device for the radio communication system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the configurations, operations, etc. of the embodiments described below are examples, and the present invention is not limited to such configurations, operations, etc. Also, hereinafter, the same or similar descriptions will be appropriately simplified or omitted. Also, in each figure, the same or similar members or parts will be omitted from being labeled or will be labeled with the same reference numerals. Also, the details of the structure, etc. will be appropriately simplified or omitted in the illustration.

[0015] The radio communication system, control method, and control device according to this embodiment will be described by taking the case where they are applied to an automobile as a vehicle as an example. However, the present invention is not particularly limited to application to an automobile, and for example, it can be applied to other moving bodies such as four-wheel automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, etc.

[0016] <Embodiment> [Regarding the radio communication system and control device] The radio communication system 100 according to this embodiment will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 5. The radio communication system 100 is mounted on the automobile 1 and is a system that performs communication with the mobile terminal U and detects surrounding objects by transmitting radio waves to the surroundings of the automobile 1.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, the radio communication system 100 includes first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h that transmit radio waves for wireless communication, a control device 20 that controls the radio communication system 100, and a mobile terminal U that is carried and operated by a driver or the like of the automobile 1 and performs wireless communication with the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h.

[0018] The first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h are devices that communicate by transmitting and receiving signals transmitted by ultra-wideband (UWB) radio waves, and communicate based on the UWB communication protocol of the IEEE 802.15.4a / z standard, for example. Communication devices conforming to the IEEE 802.15.4a / z standard can implement a ranging function to measure the distance between communicating communication devices based on, for example, TDoA (Time DoA), PDoA (Phase Difference), TWR (Two-Way Ranging), etc. In TWR, the time of flight of the signal between two communication devices ((TA-T0) / 2) or the distance between the two communication devices can be calculated based on the time TA required for a predetermined process between one communication device and another communication device (for example, a process in which one communication device sends a predetermined notification to another communication device, the other communication device receives the notification, waits for a predetermined time T0, and then sends a reply notification). In communication using these communication devices, transmitted radio waves are reflected and diffracted, propagating along multiple paths and being received. As a result, the same signal may be received repeatedly at different arrival times due to differences in path distance, which can cause waveform distortion and phase shifts in the received signal (the so-called multipath effect). However, by processing the signal based on the time of flight of the radio waves or the distance between communication devices, as calculated above, it is possible to detect transmitted notifications.

[0019] Viewed from above the vehicle 1, the first communication device 10a and the second communication device 10b are installed, for example, in the central part of the front bumper of the vehicle 1, the third communication device 10c is installed in the left part of the front bumper of the vehicle 1, the fourth communication device 10d is installed in the right part of the front bumper of the vehicle 1, the fifth communication device 10e and the sixth communication device 10f are installed in the central part of the rear bumper of the vehicle 1, the seventh communication device 10g is installed in the left part of the rear bumper of the vehicle 1, and the eighth communication device 10h is installed in the right part of the rear bumper of the vehicle 1 (see Figure 1). In addition, the first communication device 10a is positioned above the second communication device 10b, and the first to fourth communication devices 10a to 10d are arranged so that the direction of radio wave transmission is towards the front of the vehicle 1. The fifth communication device 10e is positioned above the sixth communication device 10f, and the fifth to eighth communication devices 10e to 10h are positioned so that the direction of radio wave transmission is towards the rear of the vehicle 1 (see Figure 2). Note that the first to fourth communication devices 10a to 10h are sometimes collectively referred to simply as the communication device 10.

[0020] The first communication device 10a and the fifth communication device 10e are capable of wireless communication via radio waves with multiple communication devices set as communication targets by the control device 20 described later, and can communicate with one or more communication devices from the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h and the mobile terminal U. These first and fifth communication devices 10a and 10e are equipped with, for example, Full Function Devices (FFDs) as defined by the IEEE 802.15.4a / z standard, have a full protocol set implemented, can function as network coordinators, and can communicate with other FFDs and with RFDs described later. A network coordinator is a device that initiates a network connection, and only one can exist in a single network.

[0021] The second communication device 10b, the third communication device 10c, the fourth communication device 10d, the sixth communication device 10f, the seventh communication device 10g, and the eighth communication device 10g are capable of communicating by radio waves with one communication device set as a communication target by the control device 20, and can communicate with only one of the communication devices among the first communication device 10a, the fifth communication device 10e, and the mobile terminal U. These communication devices 10b, 10c, 10e, and 10f are communication devices equipped with, for example, RFDs (Reduced Function Devices) as defined by the IEEE 802.15.4a / z standard, and implement a minimal set of protocols limited to a star topology, enabling them to communicate only with the network coordinator.

[0022] The communication devices that each of the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h communicates with are controlled and switched by the control device 20, as will be described later.

[0023] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, in the automobile 1, the first to sixth absorbers 11a to 11f are arranged between the first communication device 10a and the second to fourth communication devices 10b to 10d, and between the fifth communication device 10e and the sixth to eighth communication devices 10f to 10h, to absorb the radio waves transmitted by the communication devices.

[0024] A planar first absorber 11a extending horizontally is positioned between the first communication device 10a and the second communication device 10b, a planar second absorber 11b extending vertically is positioned between the first communication device 10a and the third communication device 10c, and a planar third absorber 11c extending vertically is positioned between the first communication device 10a and the fourth communication device 10d (see Figure 2). As a result, the first communication device 10a is positioned within the space separated by the first to third absorbers 11a to 11c, reducing the direct incidence of radio waves S1 transmitted from the first communication device 10a to the second to fourth communication devices 10b to 10d, and also reducing the incidence of reflected waves generated by the reflection of radio waves transmitted from the first communication device 10a inside the automobile 1 to the second to fourth communication devices 10b to 10d, while making it easier for reflected waves S2 generated by the reflection of radio waves O1 outside the automobile 1 to occur to the second to fourth communication devices 10b to 10d.

[0025] A horizontally extending, planar fourth absorber 11d is positioned between the fifth communication device 10e and the sixth communication device 10f, a vertically extending, planar fifth absorber 11e is positioned between the fifth communication device 10e and the seventh communication device 10g, and a vertically extending, planar sixth absorber 11f is positioned between the fifth communication device 10e and the eighth communication device 10h (see Figure 2). As a result, the fifth communication device 10e is positioned within the space separated by the fourth to sixth absorbers 11d to 11f, reducing the direct incidence of radio waves S3 transmitted from the fifth communication device 10e to the sixth to eighth communication devices 10f to 10h, and also reducing the incidence of reflected waves generated by the reflection of radio waves transmitted from the fifth communication device 10e inside the automobile 1 to the sixth to eighth communication devices 10f to 10h, making it easier for reflected waves S4 generated by the reflection of radio waves O2 outside the automobile 1 to incident on the sixth to eighth communication devices 10f to 10h.

[0026] The mobile terminal U is a small, portable electronic device (e.g., a smartphone) that can be carried by the driver of the automobile 1, and can communicate wirelessly with the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h via radio waves. The mobile terminal U also has a function to accept operations from the driver, etc., and includes, for example, a lock button to receive a locking operation for locking the lock 2 provided on the door of the automobile 1, and an unlock button to receive an unlocking operation for unlocking the lock 2 (not shown). When a locking operation or unlocking operation is received, it can transmit a lock / unlock signal including operation information Ip related to the corresponding operation to the radio communication system 100 of the automobile 1 via radio waves. The mobile terminal U also includes, for example, an FFD (Full Function Device) as defined by the IEEE 802.15.4a / z standard, and can communicate with the FFDs and RFDs of the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h mentioned above.

[0027] The mobile terminal U may be configured to accept operations using means such as button switches or touch displays, or it may be configured to accept operations using voice recognition technology or jester recognition technology. Furthermore, the mobile terminal U only needs to have the function of communicating with the radio communication system 100 by radio waves, and may be a general-purpose information processing device that transmits and receives radio waves, such as a mobile phone, smartphone, or tablet PC, or it may be a dedicated device such as a remote control key.

[0028] As shown in Figure 3, the control device 20 comprises an acquisition unit 20a that acquires various information and an execution unit 20b that performs various control processes. The control device 20 is composed of electronic circuits including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. (not shown), and operates by receiving power from a battery etc. (not shown) provided in the automobile 1. Various programs stored in the storage device such as ROM are executed by the CPU, etc., thereby realizing functions such as the acquisition unit 20a and the execution unit 20b that perform various control processes described later. The control device 20 may be composed of dedicated hardware resources and software resources, or it may be composed of common hardware resources and software resources included in other control devices installed in the automobile 1. Furthermore, at least a part of the functions of the control device 20 may be composed of external hardware resources and software resources of the automobile 1 connected via a network or the like.

[0029] The control device 20 is electrically connected to the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h by signal lines, and can control each communication device by performing wired communication with the communication devices via the signal lines. The control device 20 is also electrically connected by signal lines to a locking / unlocking device 30 that locks and unlocks the door locks 2 of the automobile 1, and can control the locking / unlocking device 30 as described later. Furthermore, the control device 20 is electrically connected to the in-vehicle network CAN (Controller Area Network) to which various sensors and other control devices (not shown) of the automobile 1 are connected, and can acquire, for example, vehicle speed information Iv regarding the driving speed of the automobile 1 detected by the vehicle speed sensor 3, seating information Is regarding whether the driver's seat is occupied or not detected by the driver's seat seat sensor 4, and starting information Ig regarding the ON-OFF status (power starting state) of the power start switch (so-called ignition switch) of the automobile 1 detected by the ignition switch sensor 5. The control device 20 may also be configured to include various sensor devices such as a vehicle speed sensor.

[0030] The control device 20 can control and switch the configuration of the Personal Area Network (PAN) formed by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h and the mobile terminal U by transmitting control signals to the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h and the mobile terminal U. The configurations of the communication network formed by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h and the mobile terminal U include, for example, a first configuration PAN1 in which the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h and the mobile terminal U communicate with each other, a second configuration PAN2 in which the communication devices among the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h located on the front side of the automobile 1 communicate with each other, and a third configuration PAN3 in which the communication devices among the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h located on the rear side of the automobile 1 communicate with each other.

[0031] As shown in Figure 4, in the first form of the communication network, PAN1, the mobile terminal U functions as a central hub, and the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h are not connected to each other, but each of the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h is connected to the mobile terminal U. For example, a mobile terminal U equipped with FFD according to the IEEE 802.15.4a / z standard functions as a network coordinator (PAN Coordinator), and a communication network is formed in which each of the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h is connected to the mobile terminal U using a so-called star topology, thereby enabling wireless communication between each of the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h and the mobile terminal U.

[0032] As shown in Figure 5, in the second form of the communication network, PAN2, the mobile terminal U and the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h are not connected. Instead, the first to fourth communication devices 10a to 10d, which are configured to transmit radio waves in the forward direction of the automobile 1, are connected with the first communication device 10a as the central hub. For example, the first communication device 10a, which is equipped with FFD according to the IEEE 802.15.4a / z standard, functions as a network coordinator, and a communication network is formed in which the second to fourth communication devices 10b to 10d are connected to the first communication device 10a in a so-called star topology. As a result, wireless communication is performed between each of the second to fourth communication devices 10b to 10d and the first communication device 10a. In wireless communication between the second to fourth communication devices 10b to 10d and the first communication device 10a, radio waves S1 are emitted from the first communication device 10a in front of the automobile 1. A portion of the emitted radio waves S1 is reflected by the object O1, generating reflected waves S2. A portion of these reflected waves S2 returns to the communication devices and is received by the second to fourth communication devices 10b to 10d. A portion of the radio waves S1 emitted from the first communication device 10a may not be reflected and may be directly received by the second to fourth communication devices 10b to 10d.

[0033] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, in the third form of the communication network, PAN3, the mobile terminal U and the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h are not connected. Instead, the fifth to eighth communication devices 10e to 10h, which transmit radio waves in the rear direction of the vehicle 1, are connected with the fifth communication device 10e as the central hub. For example, a fifth communication device 10e equipped with FFD according to the IEEE 802.15.4a / z standard functions as a network coordinator, and a communication network is formed in which the sixth to eighth communication devices 10f to 10h are connected to the fifth communication device 10e in a so-called star topology, thereby enabling wireless communication between each of the sixth communication devices 10f to 10h and the fifth communication device 10e. In the wireless communication between each of the sixth to eighth communication devices 10f to 10h and the fifth communication device 10e, radio waves S3 are emitted from the fifth communication device 10e to the rear of the automobile 1, a portion of the emitted radio waves S3 is reflected by an object O2 to generate reflected waves S4, a portion of which returns to the communication device side and is received by the sixth to eighth communication devices 10f to 10h. A portion of the radio waves S3 emitted from the fifth communication device 10e may not be reflected and may be directly received by the sixth to eighth communication devices 10f to 10h.

[0034] The acquisition unit 20a of the control device 20 acquires signal information Isg related to the signals transmitted and received by each of the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h, vehicle speed information Iv related to the driving speed of the automobile 1, seating information Ist related to the driver's seating status, and starting information Ig related to the ON-OFF status of the automobile 1's power start switch (so-called ignition switch), and outputs these to the execution unit 20b. In addition, the acquisition unit 20a can acquire other information as appropriate for control processing in the control device 20.

[0035] The execution unit 20b is capable of executing various control processes, including, for example, switching processes, terminal positioning processes, locking / unlocking processes, and radar processes. The switching process is a process that switches the form of the communication network based on the state of the automobile 1 and the mobile terminal U, and then executes the locking / unlocking process, radar process, etc. The terminal positioning process is a process that obtains the distance between the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h and the mobile terminal U based on communication between the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h and the mobile terminal U. The locking / unlocking process includes a process of communicating with the mobile terminal U, and controls the locking / unlocking device 30 to lock or unlock the lock 2 based on the communication result. The radar process sets the form of the communication network to the second and third forms, controls the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h to communicate with each other, transmits radio waves S1 and S3 around the automobile 1, receives reflected waves S2 and S4 generated by reflection from objects, and detects objects based on the reflected waves. Details of these control processes will be described later.

[0036] The locking / unlocking device 30 includes an actuator that operates to lock and unlock the lock 2 of the automobile 1, and controls the operation of the actuator based on a control signal transmitted from the control device 20. The control signal includes an unlocking instruction signal to unlock the lock 2, which unlocks the lock 2, and a locking instruction signal to lock the lock 2, which locks the lock 2.

[0037] As described above, the radio communication system 100 of this embodiment comprises the first to eighth communication devices 10a to The configuration includes 10h and a control device 20. The control device 20 communicates with the mobile terminal U via the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h, controls the locking / unlocking device 30 based on the communication results between the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h and the mobile terminal U to lock and unlock the door lock 2 of the automobile 1, and controls the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h to communicate with each other so that objects around the automobile 1 can be detected based on the received reflected waves.

[0038] In this embodiment, the radio communication system 100 is configured to include first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h, but the number of communication devices, their installation locations, the direction of radio wave transmission, etc., are not limited to the above example. For example, the radio communication system 100 may be configured to include a number of communication devices and installation locations determined based on the shape and size of the automobile 1, the strength and transmission direction of the radio waves transmitted from the communication devices, etc. Also, the number, installation location, shape, etc. of absorbers can be determined based on the number and installation location of the communication devices, etc. In this embodiment, the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h are configured to irradiate radio waves in front of and behind the automobile 1, but for example, communication devices that irradiate radio waves to the sides of the automobile 1 may also be included.

[0039] In this embodiment, the lock 2, which is controlled by the locking / unlocking device 30, is installed on the door of the automobile 1. However, the lock may be installed in a location other than the door of the automobile 1. For example, the lock may be installed in the trunk of the automobile 1 or on the fuel filler cap of the automobile 1, or a combination of these configurations may be used.

[0040] [Regarding control methods for radio communication systems] As an example of the control method for the radio communication system 100 according to this embodiment, the control flow in the switching process Sa, terminal positioning process Sb, locking / unlocking process Sc, and radar process Sd, which are executed by the control device 20, will be explained with reference to Figures 6 to 10. The switching process Sa is a process that is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals (for example, every 0.01 seconds).

[0041] As shown in Figure 6, in the switching process Sa, first, an information acquisition process is performed, and various information is acquired by the acquisition unit 20a (Sa01). The various information acquired includes vehicle speed information Iv regarding the driving speed of the automobile 1 detected by the vehicle speed sensor 3, seating information Ist regarding the driver's seating status detected by the driver's seat sensor 4, and start information Ig regarding the ON-OFF status of the automobile 1's power start switch (so-called ignition switch) detected by the ignition switch sensor 5.

[0042] Subsequently, based on the vehicle speed information Iv, it is determined whether the driving speed v of the vehicle 1 exceeds a predetermined vehicle speed threshold Tv (for example, a value determined based on the reachable distance of the radio waves of the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h, such as 10 km / h) (Sa02). If it is determined that the driving speed v exceeds the vehicle speed threshold Tv (Y), a high-speed driving state flag indicating that the vehicle 1 is driving at a high speed exceeding the vehicle speed threshold Tv is stored in the memory area of ​​the control device 20 (for example, RAM, etc.) (Sa10). On the other hand, if it is determined that the driving speed v does not exceed the vehicle speed threshold Tv (N), it is determined whether the start switch (not shown) for starting the power of the vehicle 1 is in the On state based on the start information Ig (Sa03). If it is determined that the start switch is in the On state (Y), a low-speed driving state flag indicating that the vehicle 1 is driving at a low speed that does not exceed the vehicle speed threshold Tv is stored in the memory area of ​​the control device 20 (Sa11). On the other hand, if it is determined that the start switch is not in the On state (N), it is determined based on the seating information Ist whether or not the driver is seated in the driver's seat as the state of vehicle 1 (Sa04). If it is determined that the driver is seated (Y), a stationary state flag indicating that vehicle 1 is not moving and is stationary is stored in the memory area of ​​the control device 20 (Sa12).

[0043] In step Sa04, if it is determined that the driver is not seated (N), a terminal positioning process Sb, described below, is performed to measure the current distance Ld from the radio communication system 100 to the mobile terminal U (Sa05). Subsequently, distance information Id related to the current distance Ld between the radio communication system 100 and the mobile terminal U, generated by the terminal positioning process Sb, is acquired by the acquisition unit 20a, and it is determined whether the automobile 1 is within a predetermined distance from the mobile terminal U based on the distance information Id (Sa06). Specifically, it is determined whether the current distance Ld is less than a predetermined distance threshold Tl (for example, a value determined based on the reachable distance of the radio waves of the communication device 10, such as 20m) (Sa06). If it is determined that the current distance Ld to the mobile terminal U is below the distance threshold Tl (Y), then the control device 20 stores an operation waiting status flag in its memory area indicating that the car 1 is parked and the mobile terminal U is in the vicinity of the car 1 (for example, within the range up to the distance threshold Tl), and that it will wait until the mobile terminal U performs a locking or unlocking operation (Sa13). On the other hand, if it is determined that the current distance Ld to the mobile terminal U is not below the distance threshold Tl (N), then the control device 20 stores a waiting status flag in its memory area indicating that the car 1 is parked and the mobile terminal U is not in the vicinity of the car 1, and that the radio communication system 100 will be controlled to a waiting state (Sa07).

[0044] After one of the flags—high-speed driving state flag, low-speed driving state flag, stopped state flag, operation standby state flag, or standby state flag—is stored in the memory area of ​​the control device 20 based on the state of the vehicle 1 or the mobile terminal U (Sa10, Sa11, Sa12, Sa13, Sa07), a communication network switching process is executed to set and switch the communication network configuration based on these stored flags (Sa08).

[0045] In the communication network switching process, if the low-speed driving status flag is set, the first communication device 10a and the fifth communication device 10e installed in the vehicle 1 are set as network coordinators, respectively, and controlled to form the second and third forms of communication networks using the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h. As a result, a second form PAN2 communication network is formed in which the second to fourth communication devices 10b to 10d are connected as end devices to the network started by the first communication device 10a, which functions as a network coordinator, and a third form PAN3 communication network is formed in which the sixth to eighth communication devices 10f to 10h are connected as end devices to the network started by the fifth communication device 10e, which functions as a network coordinator.

[0046] On the other hand, if the stationary status flag or the operation standby status flag is set, the mobile terminal U is set as the network coordinator and controlled to form a first-mode communication network with the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h and the mobile terminal U. This forms a first-mode PAN1 communication network in which the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h are connected as end devices to a network initiated by the mobile terminal U, which functions as the network coordinator.

[0047] Furthermore, if the high-speed driving status flag or the standby status flag is set, none of the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h and the mobile terminal U are set as network coordinators. As a result, a communication network is not formed by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h and the mobile terminal U.

[0048] Subsequently, a mode switching process is executed to switch the operating mode of the radio communication system 100 based on the stored flags. In the mode switching process, if the high-speed driving state flag is set, a stop mode is set in which the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h are controlled to a stopped state, and if the standby state flag is set, a power saving mode is set in which the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h are controlled to a power saving state, and the system is switched accordingly. On the other hand, if the low-speed driving state flag is set, the radar mode is set and the radar processing described later is executed. Also, if either the stopped state flag or the operation standby state flag is set, the lock / unlock mode is set and the lock / unlock processing described later is executed.

[0049] The switching process ends when step Sa09 is completed. Subsequently, control processing based on the operating mode set in step Sa09 will be executed.

[0050] As described above, in the switching process Sa of this embodiment, the communication network formed by the mobile terminal U and the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h is switched to the first to third forms based on information regarding the state of the automobile 1 and the state of the mobile terminal U. Furthermore, based on this information, a locking / unlocking process including a communication process in which communication takes place between the mobile terminal U and the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h is performed, and a radar process that detects surrounding objects by transmitting radio waves from the first and fifth communication devices 10a and 10e to the vicinity of the automobile 1 and receiving reflected waves generated by reflection from objects with the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h, are switched and executed. This makes it possible to perform radar processing with functions different from communication using the common first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h that communicate with the mobile terminal U in the locking / unlocking process.

[0051] Next, the terminal positioning process Sb will be explained based on Figure 7. The terminal positioning process Sb is called and executed by the switching process described above.

[0052] As shown in Figure 7, in terminal positioning processing Sb, first, communication setting processing is performed (Sb01), and the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h are controlled so that a communication network is formed in the first form PAN1. After the communication network of the first form PAN1 is formed, positioning communication processing is performed (Sb02), and positioning signals are transmitted from the first communication device 10a and the fifth communication device to the mobile terminal U, and transmission information regarding the time the positioning signals were transmitted is stored in the memory area of ​​the control device 20. After that, the system waits until a reply signal is received from the mobile terminal U, and when the reply signal is received, reception information regarding the time the reply signal was received is stored in the memory area of ​​the control device 20.

[0053] Subsequently, distance calculation processing is performed (Sb03), and the time difference between the time the positioning signal was transmitted and the time the reply signal was received is calculated based on the transmitted and received information obtained in step Sb2. Then, the current distance Ld between the radio communication system 100 and the mobile terminal U is calculated based on this time difference, distance information Id related to the current distance Ld is generated, and the terminal positioning processing Sb is terminated. The generated distance information Id is referenced in the switching process described above.

[0054] Next, the locking / unlocking process Sc will be explained with reference to Figure 8. The locking / unlocking process Sc is a process that is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals (for example, every 0.01 seconds) when either the stopped state flag or the operation standby state flag is stored in the memory area of ​​the control device 20 and the locking / unlocking mode is set by the switching process Sa described above.

[0055] As shown in Figure 8, in the locking / unlocking process Sc, first, the terminal positioning process Sb described above is executed (Sc01), the current distance Ld from the radio communication system 100 (automobile 1) to the mobile terminal U is obtained, and distance information Id related to the current distance Ld is generated. Then, based on the distance information Id, it is determined whether the current distance Ld is below a predetermined distance threshold Tl (for example, a value determined based on the reachable range of the radio waves of the communication device 10, such as 20m) (Sc02). If it is determined that the current distance Ld to the mobile terminal U is below the distance threshold Tl, that is, if the mobile terminal U is within a predetermined range from the automobile 1 (Y), the communication waiting process is executed (Sc03). In the communication waiting process, the system waits until a communication signal from the mobile terminal U is received by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h. When a lock / unlock signal containing operation information Ip related to locking or unlocking operations on the mobile terminal U is received as a communication signal, the operation information Ip contained in the lock / unlock signal is stored in the memory area of ​​the control device 20.

[0056] Subsequently, it is determined whether or not a lock / unlock signal has been received (Sc04). If a lock / unlock signal has been received and operation information Ip is stored in the memory area of ​​the control device 20 (Y), a lock / unlock control process is executed to control the operation of the lock / unlock device 30 (Sc05). In the lock / unlock control process, it is determined whether a locking operation or an unlocking operation has been performed based on the operation information Ip. If it is determined that a locking operation has been performed based on the operation information Ip, the operation of the lock / unlock device 30 is controlled so that the lock 2 is locked. If it is determined that an unlocking operation has been performed based on the operation information Ip, the operation of the lock / unlock device 30 is controlled so that the lock 2 is unlocked.

[0057] The lock / unlock process Sc is terminated in the following cases: if it is determined in step Sc02 that the current distance Ld does not fall below a predetermined distance threshold Tl (N); if it is determined in step Sc04 that no lock / unlock signal has been received (N); or if the lock / unlock control process in step Sc05 has been completed.

[0058] Thus, in the locking / unlocking process Sc of this embodiment, communication takes place between the mobile terminal U and the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h in the first-mode communication network, and the locking / unlocking device 30 is controlled so that the lock 2 is locked or unlocked based on the operation information Ip related to the locking or unlocking operation included in the communication. The locking / unlocking process Sc of this embodiment corresponds to the communication process of the present invention.

[0059] Next, the radar processing Sd will be explained based on Figure 9. Radar processing Sd is a process that is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals (for example, every 0.01 seconds) when a low-speed driving state flag is stored in the memory area of ​​the control device 20 and the radar mode is set by the switching process Sa described above.

[0060] As shown in Figure 9, in radar processing Sd, first, with the second and third mobile communication networks formed by the aforementioned switching process, a search signal transmission and reception process is executed in which a search signal for searching for objects around the automobile 1 is transmitted and received (Sd01). In the search signal transmission and reception process, first, a search signal containing a timestamp regarding the transmission time and identification information that can identify the signal is transmitted by radio waves towards the vicinity of the automobile 1 from the first communication device 10a and the fifth communication device 10e, which operate as network coordinators in the second and third communication networks, respectively. Thereafter, the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h are kept waiting for a predetermined time in a state where they can receive radio waves. During this predetermined time, a portion of the reflected wave generated when a portion of the transmitted search signal is reflected by an object outside the automobile 1 is received by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h. Then, the communication device that received the reflected wave stores time information regarding the time the reflected wave was received, identification information contained in the reflected wave, and intensity information regarding the intensity of the received signal's radio waves in the memory area of ​​the communication device.

[0061] Subsequently, filtering is performed to extract information from the reflected waves received by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h (Sd02). In the filtering process, for example, as shown in Figure 10, for signals received by each communication device 10a to 10h after a search signal has been transmitted from the first communication device 10a and the fifth communication device 10e, the radio wave intensity SP of the received signal is compared with a predetermined intensity threshold Tp (for example, a value determined based on experiments conducted in advance, which is set as a value between the radio wave intensity value when the search signal transmitted from the first communication device 10a and the fifth communication device 10e is directly received by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h without being reflected by the inside of the car 1 or by objects, and the radio wave intensity value when the reflected wave generated after the search signal transmitted from the first communication device 10a and the fifth communication device 10e is reflected and attenuated by the inside of the car 1 or by objects is received by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h). Information about signals B1 to B3 whose received radio wave intensity SP is lower than the intensity threshold Tp is extracted as information about the reflected wave signal from objects.

[0062] Furthermore, in the filtering process, for example, as shown in Figure 10, after a search signal is transmitted from the first communication device 10a and the fifth communication device 10e, the radio wave flight distance Ds calculated based on the time difference between the transmission time and the reception time of the search signal is compared with a predetermined flight distance threshold Td (for example, a value determined based on the results of a prior experiment, which is set as a value between the distance between the first communication device 10a and the second to fourth communication devices 10b to 10d and the distance from the automobile 1 to objects O1 and O2 assumed to be detection targets). Information on signals B1 to B3 whose radio wave flight distance Ds is longer than the flight distance threshold Td is extracted as information on the reflected wave signals from the objects.

[0063] Subsequently, object detection processing is performed (Sd03), and based on the signal information extracted by the filtering process in step Sd02, the distance between the vehicle 1 and objects in its vicinity is calculated and output to an external device (not shown) as object information Io. Based on the object information Io, the external device can notify the driver of the presence of an object by outputting sound, images, video, etc. from its output device if an object is present in the vicinity of the vehicle 1, or display the position of the object relative to the vehicle 1 on a display device.

[0064] After the object detection process in step Sd03 is completed, the radar processing Sd is terminated.

[0065] In this embodiment, the radar processing involves the transmission of search signals by radio waves from the first communication device 10a and the fifth communication device 10e, which operate in the second and third communication networks, respectively, toward the vicinity of the automobile 1. The reflected waves generated when these search signals are reflected by an object are received as received signals by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h, and the object is detected based on the search signals and the received signals.

[0066] In the radar processing Sd of this embodiment, signals related to reflected waves are extracted from the signals received by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h by filtering. In this filtering process, signals A1 to A3 and B1 to B3 received by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h are filtered to extract signals that satisfy predetermined conditions (for example, the received radio wave intensity is lower than the intensity threshold Tp and the calculated distance is longer than the distance threshold Td2), thereby allowing for the extraction of signals related to reflected waves, such as those shown in Figure 10. Here, Figure 10 shows the relationship between the time of flight Di of radio waves between the communication device and an object, which is calculated based on the transmission and reception times of the transmitted and received signals, and the distribution of the radio wave intensity SP of the received signal received by the communication device 10. The horizontal axis represents the time of flight Di, and the vertical axis represents the radio wave intensity SP. A1 to A3 are examples of signals that are directly received by the communication device without being reflected, and B1 to B3 are examples of reflected wave signals that are generated when the search signal is reflected by an object outside of the automobile 1 and are received by the communication device. The intensity threshold Tp is set to a value between the radio wave signal intensity of the radio waves that are directly incident from the first communication device 10a to the second to fourth communication devices 10b to 10d and the radio wave signal intensity of the reflected wave signals that are transmitted from the first communication device 10a and then reflected by an object outside of the automobile 1 and incident by the second to fourth communication devices 10b to 10d, thereby filtering the radio wave signals that are directly incident from the first communication device 10a to the second to fourth communication devices 10b to 10d. The distance threshold Td2 is set to a value greater than the distance between the first communication device 10a and the second to fourth communication devices 10b to 10d, thereby filtering out radio wave signals that are directly incident from the first communication device 10a to the second to fourth communication devices 10b to 10d.

[0067] Furthermore, the signals received by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h may include reflected wave signals generated when the search signal is reflected inside the automobile 1. Such reflected wave signals generated inside the automobile 1 undergo significant attenuation due to one or more reflections and have a long flight time, and may pass through filtering by satisfying the aforementioned predetermined conditions (not shown). In contrast, for example, as shown in Figure 11, in an experimental environment conducted in advance (e.g., an anechoic chamber), with reflected waves from objects outside the automobile 1 not being received by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h, the distribution of radio wave intensity of the signals received by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h (i.e., direct wave signals A1 to A3 from the communication device transmitting the signal and internal reflected wave signals B1 to B3 generated by reflection inside the automobile 1) is acquired in advance and defined as a reference distribution, and in the actual environment, the first to By acquiring the distribution of radio wave intensity of the signals received by the eighth communication devices 10a to 10h (the aforementioned direct wave signals A1 to A3, the internal reflected wave signals B1 to B3, and the external reflected wave signals C1 to C3 from an object outside the automobile 1), and by detecting the difference from the reference distribution (for example, the increased portion, the external reflected wave signals C1 to C3) as being due to reflected waves generated by an object outside the automobile 1, information regarding reflected waves can be extracted from the signals received by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h (a modified example of filtering).

[0068] [Regarding the effects and benefits] If keyless entry systems and radar devices, which utilize conventional UWB radio waves, are installed as separate devices in the same vehicle, communication equipment and control devices that transmit and receive UWB radio waves will be installed redundantly. This could lead to space constraints within the vehicle and potential interference between the radio waves.

[0069] In contrast, the control device for the radio communication system of this embodiment is a control device 20 for a radio communication system 100 that is mounted on an automobile 1 as a vehicle and comprises first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h that form a communication network by radio waves and communicate with a mobile terminal U. The control device 20 comprises an acquisition unit 20a that acquires state information relating to the state of the automobile 1, and an execution unit 20b that executes control processing to control the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h. The form of the communication network is a first form PAN1 in which communication takes place between the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h and the mobile terminal U, and a second form PAN2 and a third form PAN3 in which communication takes place between the communication devices of the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h. The control process includes a locking / unlocking process Sc (communication process) which controls the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h to communicate with the mobile terminal U, and a radar process Sd which controls the detection of objects based on reflected waves generated when at least one of the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h (first communication device 10a, fifth communication device 10e) emits radio waves and is reflected by objects O1 and O2 around the automobile 1. The execution unit 20b controls the switching of the communication network configuration based on state information, executes the locking / unlocking process Sc (communication process) when the first configuration PAN1 is formed, and executes the radar process Sd when the second configuration PAN2 and third configuration PAN3 are formed.

[0070] With this configuration, the control device 20 can switch the form of the communication network formed by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h and the mobile terminal U to the first form PAN1, the second form PAN2, or the third form PAN3 based on state information, thereby switching the radio communication system 100 to operate as a radar system that detects objects using radio waves or a communication system that communicates using radio waves, according to the state of the automobile 1. The radar system or communication system can utilize the same first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h and the control device 20, thereby reducing the installation space and equipment costs of the system.

[0071] The execution unit 20b of the control device 20 in this embodiment is configured to perform control to switch the form of the communication network based on the following state information: vehicle speed information Iv regarding the driving speed of the automobile 1, seating information Ist regarding the seating status of the seats in the automobile 1, and starting information Ig regarding the starting status of the power supply of the automobile 1.

[0072] With this configuration, the execution unit 20b can switch the operation of the radio communication system 100 between the radar system and the communication system according to the state of the automobile 1.

[0073] The locking / unlocking process Sc performed by the control device 20 of this embodiment includes a communication process in which the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h communicate with the mobile terminal U, and the locking / unlocking process Sc is configured to perform control to lock or unlock the lock 2 provided by the automobile 1 based on the communication result between the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h and the mobile terminal U.

[0074] With this configuration, the control device 20 can communicate with the mobile terminal U via the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h, and can control the locking / unlocking device 30 based on the locking / unlocking signal transmitted from the mobile terminal U to lock / unlock the lock 2 of the automobile 1.

[0075] The radar processing Sd performed by the control device 20 of this embodiment includes a filtering process that extracts signals related to reflected waves based on intensity information Isp regarding the radio wave intensity of reflected waves received by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h and information regarding the flight distance of said reflected waves.

[0076] With this configuration, the control device 20 can extract the reflected wave signal from the information regarding the signals received by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h.

[0077] In a modified version of the filtering process performed by the control device 20 of this embodiment, the distribution of radio wave intensity of the received signal received in a state where reflected waves are not received by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h (for example, an experimental environment) is acquired in advance and used as a reference value. In a real environment, the filtering process includes extracting signals related to reflected waves based on the difference between the distribution of radio wave intensity received in a state where radio waves including reflected waves are received by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h (real environment) and the reference value.

[0078] With this configuration, the control device 20 can improve the accuracy of extracting signals from reflected waves from information about signals received by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h.

[0079] In this embodiment, the mobile terminal U has the function of a network coordinator that initiates network connection, and the communication device 10 includes a first communication device 10a and a fifth communication device 10e that have the function of a network coordinator, and second communication devices 10b to 10d and sixth communication devices 10f to 10h that do not have the function of a network coordinator. The first form of the communication network PAN1 is formed by connecting the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h as end devices to a network initiated by the mobile terminal U which functions as a network coordinator, the second form PAN2 is formed by connecting the second to fourth communication devices 10b to 10d as end devices to a network initiated by the first communication device 10a which functions as a network coordinator, and the third form PAN3 is formed by connecting the fourth to eighth communication devices 10f to 10h as end devices to a network initiated by the fifth communication device 10e which functions as a network coordinator.

[0080] With this configuration, the control device 20 can switch the communication network configuration from the first configuration PAN1 to the second configuration PAN2 and the third configuration PAN3 by performing control to switch the network coordinator from the mobile terminal U to the first communication device 10a and the fifth communication device 10e.

[0081] In this embodiment, the first to third absorbers 11a to 11c, which absorb radio waves, are positioned between the first communication device 10a and the second communication device 10b, between the first communication device 10a and the third communication device 10c, and between the first communication device 10a and the fourth communication device 10d. Furthermore, the fourth to sixth absorbers 11d to 11f, which absorb radio waves, are positioned between the fifth communication device 10e and the sixth communication device 10f, between the fifth communication device 10e and the seventh communication device 10g, and between the fifth communication device 10e and the eighth communication device 10h.

[0082] With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the direct incidence of radio waves transmitted from the first communication device 10a and the fifth communication device 10e onto the second to fourth communication devices 10b to 10d and the sixth to eighth communication devices 10f to 10h, thereby improving the accuracy of reflected wave detection by the control device 20.

[0083] The radio communication system of this embodiment is a radio communication system 100 that is mounted on an automobile 1 as a vehicle and comprises first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h that form a communication network by radio waves and communicate with a mobile terminal U, the radio communication system 100 comprises an acquisition unit 20a that acquires state information relating to the state of the automobile 1, and an execution unit 20b that executes control processing to control the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h, the form of the communication network includes a first form PAN1 in which communication takes place between the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h and the mobile terminal U, and second forms PAN2 and third forms PAN3 in which communication takes place between the communication devices of the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h, and control processing The system includes a locking / unlocking process Sc (communication process) that controls the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h to communicate with the mobile terminal U, and a radar process Sd that controls the detection of objects based on reflected waves generated when at least one of the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h (first communication device 10a, fifth communication device 10e) emits radio waves and is reflected by objects O1 and O2 around the automobile 1. The execution unit 20b controls the switching of the communication network configuration based on state information, executes the locking / unlocking process Sc (communication process) when the first configuration PAN1 is formed, and executes the radar process Sd when the second configuration PAN2 and third configuration PAN3 are formed.

[0084] With this configuration, the radio communication system 100 can switch the form of the communication network formed by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h and the mobile terminal U to the first form PAN1, the second form PAN2, or the third form PAN3 based on state information, thereby switching the radio communication system 100 to operate as a radar system that detects objects using radio waves or a communication system that communicates using radio waves, according to the state of the automobile 1. The radar system or communication system can utilize the same first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h and control device 20, thereby reducing the installation space and cost of the system.

[0085] The control method for the radio communication system of this embodiment is a control method for a radio communication system 100 that is mounted on an automobile 1 as a vehicle and comprises first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h that form a communication network by radio waves and communicate with a mobile terminal U, and includes an acquisition step of acquiring state information relating to the state of the automobile 1 by an acquisition unit 20a, and an execution step of executing a control process for controlling the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h by an execution unit 20b, and the form of the communication network includes a first form PAN1 in which communication takes place between the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h and the mobile terminal U, and a second form PAN2 and a third form PAN3 in which communication takes place between the communication devices of the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h, and control The process includes a locking / unlocking process Sc (communication process) which controls the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h to communicate with the mobile terminal U, and a radar process Sd which controls the detection of objects based on reflected waves generated when at least one of the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h (first communication device 10a, fifth communication device 10e) emits radio waves and is reflected by objects O1 and O2 around the automobile 1. In the execution step, the execution unit 20b controls the switching of the communication network configuration based on state information, executes the locking / unlocking process Sc (communication process) when the first configuration PAN1 is formed, and executes the radar process Sd when the second configuration PAN2 and third configuration PAN3 are formed.

[0086] With this configuration, the form of the communication network formed by the first to eighth communication devices 10a to 10h and the mobile terminal U can be switched to the first form PAN1, the second form PAN2, or the third form PAN3 based on state information, thereby allowing the radio communication system 100 to be switched and operated according to the state of the automobile 1 as either a radar system that detects objects using radio waves or a communication system that communicates using radio waves.

[0087] Although examples of embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to these examples, and any modifications or additions that do not depart from the spirit of the present invention are also included in the present invention.

Claims

1. A control device for a radio communication system mounted on a vehicle, comprising multiple communication devices that form a communication network using radio waves and communicate with mobile terminals, A unit that acquires status information relating to the state of the vehicle, An execution unit that performs control processing to control the plurality of communication devices, Equipped with, The form of the aforementioned communication network is A first embodiment in which communication takes place between the aforementioned plurality of communication devices and the aforementioned mobile terminal, A second form in which communication takes place between the aforementioned multiple communication devices, Includes, The aforementioned control process is: A communication process that controls the communication between the plurality of communication devices and the mobile terminal, Radar processing is performed to control the detection of an object based on the reflected waves generated when at least one of the plurality of communication devices emits radio waves and is reflected by an object in the vicinity of the vehicle. Includes, The execution unit is, Control is performed to switch the form of the communication network based on the state information, the communication processing is executed when the first form is formed, and the radar processing is executed when the second form is formed, and control is performed to switch the form of the communication network based on at least one of the following information as state information: information regarding the vehicle's driving speed, information regarding the seating status of the vehicle's seats, and information regarding the starting status of the vehicle's power. In the aforementioned communication process, Based on the communication results between the plurality of communication devices and the mobile terminal, control is performed to lock and unlock the locks on the vehicle. This enables the locking and unlocking of the vehicle's lock and the detection of objects in the vicinity of the vehicle. Control device.

2. In the radar processing, Control is performed to detect the object based on at least one of the following: information regarding the radio wave intensity of the received reflected wave or information regarding the flight distance of the reflected wave. The control device according to claim 1.

3. In the radar processing, Control for detecting the object is performed based on the difference between a reference value based on the distribution of radio wave intensity received when the reflected wave is not received by the multiple communication devices, and the distribution of radio wave intensity received when the radio wave including the reflected wave is received by the multiple communication devices. The control device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The mobile terminal is equipped with a network coordinator function for initiating a network connection, The aforementioned plurality of communication devices include a first communication device equipped with network coordinator functionality and a second communication device not equipped with network coordinator functionality. The first embodiment is formed by connecting the plurality of communication devices as end devices to a network initiated from the mobile terminal which functions as a network coordinator. The second embodiment is formed by connecting the second communication device as an end device to a network initiated by the first communication device, which functions as a network coordinator. The control device according to claim 1.

5. An absorber that absorbs radio waves is placed between the first communication device and the second communication device. The control device according to claim 4.

6. A radio communication system equipped with multiple communication devices mounted on a vehicle that form a communication network using radio waves and communicate with mobile terminals, A unit that acquires status information relating to the state of the vehicle, An execution unit that performs control processing to control the plurality of communication devices, Equipped with, The form of the aforementioned communication network is A first embodiment in which communication takes place between the aforementioned plurality of communication devices and the aforementioned mobile terminal, A second form in which communication takes place between the aforementioned multiple communication devices, Includes, The aforementioned control process is: A communication process that controls the communication between the plurality of communication devices and the mobile terminal, Radar processing is performed by having at least one of the plurality of communication devices emit radio waves around the vehicle and detect the object based on the reflected waves generated when the waves are reflected by the object. Includes, The execution unit is, Control is performed to switch the form of the communication network based on the state information, the communication processing is executed when the first form is formed, and the radar processing is executed when the second form is formed, and control is performed to switch the form of the communication network based on at least one of the following information as state information: information regarding the vehicle's driving speed, information regarding the seating status of the vehicle's seats, and information regarding the starting status of the vehicle's power. In the aforementioned communication process, Based on the communication results between the plurality of communication devices and the mobile terminal, control is performed to lock and unlock the locks on the vehicle. This enables the locking and unlocking of the vehicle's lock and the detection of objects in the vicinity of the vehicle. Radio communication system.

7. A control method for a radio communication system that is mounted on a vehicle and comprises multiple communication devices that form a communication network using radio waves and communicate with a mobile terminal, The acquisition step involves acquiring status information regarding the state of the vehicle by the acquisition unit, An execution step in which control processing for controlling the plurality of communication devices is performed by an execution unit, Includes, The form of the aforementioned communication network is A first embodiment in which communication takes place between the aforementioned plurality of communication devices and the aforementioned mobile terminal, A second form in which communication takes place between the aforementioned multiple communication devices, Includes, The aforementioned control process is: A communication process that controls the communication between the plurality of communication devices and the mobile terminal, Radar processing is performed by having at least one of the plurality of communication devices emit radio waves around the vehicle and detect the object based on the reflected waves generated when the waves are reflected by the object. Includes, In the execution step, the execution unit controls the switching of the communication network configuration based on the state information, and the communication processing is executed when the first configuration is formed, and the radar processing is executed when the second configuration is formed. The system is executed, and control is performed to switch the form of the communication network based on at least one of the following information as state information: information regarding the vehicle's speed, information regarding the seating status of the vehicle's seats, and information regarding the starting status of the vehicle's power. In the aforementioned communication process, Based on the communication results between the plurality of communication devices and the mobile terminal, control is performed to lock and unlock the locks on the vehicle. This enables the locking and unlocking of the vehicle's lock and the detection of objects in the vicinity of the vehicle. Control method.

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