BLE Passive Vehicle Access With Role-Switched Key Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transportation vehicle key systems, particularly those using BLUETOOTH Low Energy (BLE) technology, face challenges with high energy consumption and compatibility issues when using smartphones as keys, making them inefficient for miniature electronic devices like radio keys or wearables.
Innovation Solution
A transportation vehicle system and electronic vehicle radio key that utilize a BLE system with a control unit to manage BLE signals, allowing the vehicle to act as both a master and slave device, enabling efficient communication and authentication with multiple mobile devices, including smartphones and radio keys, while minimizing energy consumption by adjusting transmission intervals and roles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If smartphones are used as vehicle keys with BLE technology, then access control functionality is achieved, but energy consumption becomes excessively high for miniature devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional master-slave role assignment in BLE communication. Instead of the smartphone acting as master (which consumes high energy), the vehicle acts as master and the radio key as slave. This role reversal allows the compact radio key to use minimal energy while the vehicle, with its larger power supply, handles the energy-intensive master operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of BLE communication by adjusting transmission intervals and power levels based on the device role. The vehicle (master) uses higher transmission power and can afford more frequent communications, while the radio key (slave) uses lower power and transmits only when necessary, significantly reducing its energy consumption.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the vehicle acts as both master and slave in BLE communication, then compatibility with multiple device types is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle's BLE system is designed with multi-functionality to act as both master and slave depending on the connected device type. When a smartphone connects, the vehicle acts as master; when a radio key connects, the vehicle acts as slave. This universal design allows a single system to support multiple device types without requiring separate hardware configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts its role (master or slave) based on the type of device being accessed. The control unit detects the device type and switches the BLE operational mode accordingly, allowing the system to adapt its behavior in real-time without manual configuration or physical changes.
3Use of energy by moving object
If transmission intervals are adjusted to minimize energy consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but communication response time may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic transmission intervals optimized for energy efficiency. The radio key transmits authentication data at specific intervals rather than continuously, and the vehicle's master controller checks for incoming signals periodically. This periodic approach significantly reduces energy consumption compared to continuous transmission while maintaining acceptable response times for access control operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A transportation vehicle having a BLUETOOTH® Low Energy (BLE) system to send and receive BLE advertising signals, BLE connection request signals and BLE data signals via at least one antenna, a central locking system to lock or unlock at least one vehicle door of the transportation vehicle, and a control unit to activate the BLE system and to activate the central locking system based on the BLE data signals. Also disclosed is an electronic vehicle radio key and a system for passive access to a transportation vehicle including a transportation vehicle, an electronic vehicle radio key and a smartphone. The system allows a user passive access to the transportation vehicle, both with the aid of the electronic vehicle radio key and with the aid of the smartphone.