Vehicle Lock Control Using Confirmed Device Walk-Away Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle lock mechanisms with walk away locking (WAL) functions often lock the vehicle prematurely, preventing ingress or egress, due to limitations in detecting the presence of authorized users.
Innovation Solution
A control system that communicates with portable devices, identifies changes in the operating state of aperture closure members, classifies and tracks their location, and outputs a control signal to lock mechanisms when the devices move outside a predefined target zone, ensuring accurate activation of the WAL function.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If walk away locking function is activated based on simple proximity detection, then automatic locking is achieved, but the vehicle locks prematurely preventing ingress or egress
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary classification of portable devices into 'confirmed' status when they are detected within the target zone before the vehicle. This preliminary action ensures that only devices that have approached from outside are tracked for walk-away locking, preventing premature locking while maintaining automation. The classification happens in advance of the actual locking decision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the location of confirmed portable devices and provides feedback on their movement relative to the vehicle. This feedback mechanism allows the system to detect when a device moves from inside to outside the target zone, enabling automatic locking only when appropriate while preventing interference with ingress/egress operations.
2Measurement precision
If the system tracks all portable devices, then accurate location determination is achieved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different tracking qualities to different devices based on their classification. Only portable devices classified as 'confirmed' (those detected within the target zone) receive continuous location tracking. Other devices are not tracked, reducing system complexity and power consumption while maintaining precise location determination for the relevant devices.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of tracking all portable devices equally, the system applies partial tracking only to confirmed devices that are relevant to the walk-away locking function. This selective approach reduces the overall complexity and resource consumption of the tracking system while maintaining sufficient measurement precision for the intended application.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a control system (1) having one or more controller (21) for controlling a lock mechanism (2-n) associated with an aperture closure member (7-n) of a vehicle (3). The control system (1) is configured to communicate with two or more portable devices (4-n). The control system (1) identifies a change in the operating state of an aperture closure member (7-n), and communicates with the two or more portable devices (4-n) to determine a location of the two or more portable devices (4-n) in dependence on identification of the change in the operating state of the aperture closure member (7-n). The control system (1) classifies a first one of the two or more portable devices (4-n) located within a target zone (TZ-n) as a confirmed portable device (4-n); and tracks the location of the confirmed portable device (4-n). The control system (1) outputs a control signal (CS-n) for locking the lock mechanism (2-n) in dependence on a determination that the location of the confirmed portable device (4-n) changes from a location inside the target zone (TZ-n) to a location outside the target zone (TZ-n). The present disclosure also relates to a vehicle (3) incorporating the control system (1); and a method of controlling a lock mechanism (2-n) associated with an aperture closure member (7-n).