Vehicle UWB Ranging Initiation via Multi-Sensor Approach Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current ultra-wide band ranging systems in vehicles require a user action or ranging intent from user equipment to initiate the ranging process, leading to increased energy consumption and a suboptimal user experience, as they lack the ability to autonomously detect a person's approach and initiate the ranging session based on that detection.

Innovation Solution

The system improves ultra-wide band ranging by using sensor data from microphones, ultrasonic sensors, radar sensors, Bluetooth low energy sensors, or cameras to determine a person's approach to the vehicle and initiate the ranging session independently, eliminating the need for a ranging intent from user equipment and optimizing energy consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the vehicle waits for a ranging intent from user equipment to initiate UWB ranging, then the system ensures accurate user initiation, but the user experience deteriorates and energy consumption increases due to passive waiting and fallback mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser experienceVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle performs preliminary detection of the user's approach using sensors (camera, radar, ultrasonic, microphone, or Bluetooth) before the UWB ranging session is actually needed. This preliminary detection triggers the ranging session proactively, eliminating the need for the user to initiate it manually and reducing energy consumption by avoiding unnecessary fallback mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If the vehicle continuously monitors for user approach to initiate UWB ranging, then the user experience improves through passive triggering, but the system complexity increases due to multiple sensor integration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser experienceVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle utilizes existing multi-functional sensors (camera, radar, ultrasonic, microphone, Bluetooth) that serve multiple purposes - both for general vehicle operations and for detecting user approach. This eliminates the need for dedicated additional sensors, reducing system complexity while enabling passive UWB ranging initiation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If the vehicle initiates UWB ranging without validating user approach, then the ranging session starts quickly, but false initiation occurs leading to unnecessary energy consumption

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveranging session initiation speedVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously receives feedback from multiple sensors about the user's presence and approach. This feedback is processed to determine whether the user is actually approaching the vehicle, providing a validation mechanism that prevents false initiation of UWB ranging sessions while maintaining quick response time when genuine approach is detected.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4336216A1Methods for improving an ultra-wide band ranging session, apparatus, vehicle and computer program
Publication Date: 2024.03.13 BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AG
  • EP4336216A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4336216A1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4336216A1 patent drawing

AI summary

Embodiments relate to a method (100) for improving an ultra-wide band ranging session of a vehicle. The method comprises obtaining (110) sensor data indicative of an approach of a person to the vehicle. Further, the method (100) comprises determining (120) an approach of the person to the vehicle based on the sensor data and initiating (130) the ultra-wide band ranging session based on the determined approach.