FR2879984A1 - Remote motor vehicle access control unit e.g. electronic badge, localization assisting method for motor vehicle, involves controlling identification code verification and alarm unit activation upon reception of localization request signal - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves controlling the transmission of a localization request signal comprising an identification code and a specific localization request, by utilizing a processing unit (4) or an electronic badge (B). A verification of the identification code is controlled and activation of an audible alarm unit (8) of the electronic badge is controlled, upon reception of the localization request signal. An independent claim is also included for a system for access to a motor vehicle and implementing a method for assisting the localization of a remote motor vehicle access control unit.

Description

The invention relates to a method for assisting the localization of a housing of

  remote control of access to a motor vehicle. This vehicle is equipped with an access system, consisting of a central unit, embedded on the said vehicle and a set of at least two identical remote control units. The central unit and each

  said control units comprise transmission means capable of enabling them to communicate with a view to implementing access authorization procedures. This invention extends to an access system implementing this method.

  More and more motor vehicles are currently equipped with such hands-free access systems designed in particular to: - authorize an automatic unlocking of the doors of a vehicle following the identification of a control box by the unit central of this vehicle in a zone, called the opening zone, of predefined extent around said vehicle, - command an automatic locking of the doors of the vehicle in the absence of control boxes in the opening area.

  One of the advantages of such access systems lies in the automation of door locking and unlocking procedures that do not require any specific action on the part of the user.

  However, because users do not have to hold a remote control box in order to unlock the doors of their vehicle, it turned out that these control boxes were often misplaced by users, with for immediate inconvenience lost time, not negligible, devoted to the research of said boxes.

  The object of the invention is to overcome this drawback and its main objective is to provide a method of assisting the localization of remote control boxes making it possible to rapidly locate such boxes.

  For this purpose the invention is directed to a method for assisting in locating a remote access control unit for access to a motor vehicle according to which: each control unit is equipped with means for assisting the location of said control box, - the central unit and / or each control unit of triggering means for locating procedures are equipped, - and a locating procedure is programmed, when activating the means for triggering an element , central unit and / or control unit: É to command the transmission by said element, central unit or control box, of a location request signal comprising an identification code and a specific location request, and upon reception of this location request signal by a control box, to command a verification of the identification code and, after verification, to control the activation of the localising aid means said control box.

  According to the invention, a lost remote control unit can therefore be rapidly detected by implementing a location procedure, triggered either from the passenger compartment of the vehicle, or by using the second control box to be detected. distance conventionally provided with a vehicle.

  According to a first advantageous variant of implementation of the method according to the invention, aiming to make it possible to detect a lost control box in a vehicle or in the immediate vicinity of this vehicle, the triggering means of the localization procedures equip the central unit of the access system and are arranged so as to be activated by a person located in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

  In addition, according to this first variant embodiment and advantageously according to the invention, the central unit is equipped with transmission means comprising a transmitter of the low frequency type BF, and each of the control boxes for transmission means comprises a low frequency receiver type BF. Such transmission means correspond, in fact, to those conventionally integrated in the current access systems, so that the implementation of the method according to the invention requires only the integration of localization assistance means in In this respect, in the context of this first implementation variant, each control box is advantageously equipped with means for assisting the localization, consisting of sound alarm means, such as, in particular, a sounder or vibrator.

  According to a second advantageous variant of implementation of the method according to the invention, the triggering means of the location procedures equip each control box of the access system, so as to be activated by a person having in hand one of said control boxes.

  This second implementation variant aims to allow a remote search of a control box using the second control box conventionally provided. It should be noted that this variant of implementation applies not only to access systems called hands-free, but also to access systems comprising remote control boxes without hands-free function.

  According to this second variant, each control unit is equipped with transmission means comprising an RF radiofrequency transmitter / receiver. It should be noted that the current remote control units are already equipped with RF transmitters, so that the implementation of the method according to the invention only requires, for transmissions, the addition of an RF receiver .

  In addition, in the context of this second implementation variant, it is advantageously possible to equip each control unit with means for localization assistance consisting of audible alarm means, such as, in particular, a buzzer or buzzer.

  In the context of this second implementation variant, it is also possible to advantageously equip each of the control boxes, on the one hand with means for measuring the amplitude of the magnetic fields received by said box, and on the other hand with means for localization assistance consisting of audible or visual alarm means capable of delivering an evolutionary information representative of the variations of the amplitude of the magnetic fields received.

  This variant aims to provide the user with information representative of the distance between the control unit held in hand and the desired control box, and thus guide the user during his search.

  For this guidance, the visual evolutionary information can be provided by any conventional means of known type such as for example: sound means capable of delivering beeps whose intensity or frequency of transmission varies in a manner inversely proportional to the distance separating the two housings, - visual means capable of supplying a light signal of intensity inversely proportional to the distance separating the two housings, consisting for example of a row of diodes of the LED type which are gradually switched on.

  Finally, a third advantageous variant of implementation of the method according to the invention consists in combining the first two aforementioned variants and in equipping the central unit and each control unit with own means for triggering the location procedures.

  The invention extends to an access system to a motor vehicle comprising a central unit adapted to be embedded in said vehicle and at least two identical remote control units, said central unit and each of said housings control system comprising transmission means able to allow them to dialogue for the implementation of access authorization procedures. According to the invention, this access system is characterized in that: - each control unit comprises means for assisting the location of said control unit the central unit and / or each control unit comprises means for triggering of localization procedures, and the central unit and the control box are programmed to implement a procedure for locating the control boxes consisting, when activating the triggering means of a control unit, element, central unit or control unit: É to command the transmission by said element, central unit or control unit, of a location request signal comprising an identification code and a specific location request, É and upon reception of this location request signal by a control box, to command a verification of the identification code and, after verification, to control the activation of the means of assistance to the locating said control box.

  Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows with reference to the accompanying drawings which show by way of non-limiting examples two preferred embodiments. In these drawings: FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a vehicle equipped with a first variant of a hands-free access system according to the invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic top view showing two housings. remote control units adapted to integrate a second variant of hands-free access system according to the invention.

  The invention shown in the figures is a device usually known as the hands-free access system adapted to allow access to a vehicle V and possibly start the latter through the identification of a portable control unit to distance B commonly referred to as electronic badge.

  In the usual manner and as represented in FIG. 1, such a hands-free access system comprises, first of all, antennas such as 1 to 3 arranged inside (not shown) and outside the vehicle V , and connected to a central unit 4 embedded in said vehicle and equipped with a computer incorporating a low frequency transmitter BF and an RF radio receiver.

  It should be noted that for purposes of simplification, only three external antennas 1-3, for example positioned on the side doors and the door to access the trunk of the vehicle V, are shown in FIG. , the hands-free access device according to the invention also comprises, in a conventional manner, internal antennas and an RF reception antenna usually integrated in the central unit 4.

  The electronic badge B of this hands-free access system comprises, meanwhile, a calculator 6 incorporating a low frequency receiver BF and an RF radio frequency transmitter connected to antennas such as 7.

  As represented in FIG. 1, such access devices are adapted to delimit around a vehicle V a zone Zo, called an opening zone, with an extent defined by the low frequency transmission means BF of the Central Unit 4.

  It should be noted that the opening zone Zo schematized in FIG. 1 consists of a theoretical zone corresponding to an electromagnetically undisturbed environment.

  In the usual way, such hands-free access systems are notably designed so as to: - authorize an automatic unlocking of the doors of a vehicle V 15 following the identification of a control box B by the central unit 4 of this vehicle V in the opening zone Zo, and to order an automatic locking of the doors of the vehicle V in the absence of control boxes B in the opening zone Zo.

  The hands-free access systems according to the invention are, furthermore, designed to facilitate the location of a remote control unit lost by its user, and are programmed, for this purpose, to implement a procedure locating device consisting of: - to issue on command a location request signal comprising an identification code and a specific location request, - and on receipt of this location request signal by a control box, to order a verification of the location request signal; identification code and, after verification, to control the activation of means for assisting the location of said control box.

  According to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the delivery of the location request signal is controlled from triggering means 5 arranged in the passenger compartment of the vehicle V, and this signal is therefore transmitted via the vehicle. BF transmitter embedded in said vehicle.

  These triggering means may for example consist of either a specific button 5 located in the cabin of the vehicle V, or an existing button 5, in this case to design a specific activation procedure of this button to control the transmission the location signal.

  According to this first embodiment, in addition, the locating aid means integrated in the control box B consist of sound alarm means 8, such as in particular sounder or vibrator.

  This first embodiment of a hands-free access system according to the invention is particularly suitable for detecting a control box B mislaid in a vehicle V or in the immediate vicinity of this vehicle V. The second embodiment of the system of FIG. hands-free access according to the invention shown schematically in Figure 2, aims to allow a search, medium distance, an electronic badge BI using a second electronic badge B2 conventionally supplied with a vehicle V. For this purpose, the issuance of the location request signal is controlled from tripping means 13 integrated in each of the badges B1, B2.

  These triggering means may for example consist of either a specific button 13 located on each badge B1, B2 or an existing button 13, in this case to design a specific activation procedure of this button.

  As before, each of these electronic badges BI, B2 comprises a computer 10 integrating a low frequency receiver BF and an RF radio frequency transmitter connected to antennas such as 11. According to this embodiment, each badge BI, B2 also comprises a RF radiofrequency transmitter adapted to allow a dialogue between said badges, and in particular for transmitting the location request signal.

  Each of the badges BI, B2 also integrates, in a conventional way, an output 12 of the RSSI type (Receiver Signal Strength Indicator or textually indicating the power of the receiver signal) capable of enabling the analysis of the received field level, this an analysis function being managed by the computer 10 by means of an analog / digital port for the said output RSSI 12.

  On the basis of this analysis, the computer 10 is, furthermore, programmed to calculate a value representative of the amplitude of the received magnetic field, inversely proportional to the distance separating the two badges B1, B2.

  According to this second embodiment, the means of localization assistance consist of sound or visual alarm means capable of delivering an evolutionary information representative of the variations of the amplitude of the magnetic fields received and therefore of the variations in the distance separating the magnetic fields. two badges BI, B2.

  By way of example, these means of localization assistance consist of a row of LEDs 14 designed to gradually light up as the distance separating the two badges B1, B2 decreases.

  According to this principle, the user is therefore directly informed of the evolution of the distance separating him from the lost badge, and is therefore guided during his search.

  It should also be noted that the steps for measuring and processing the signals required by this second embodiment can be carried out: either at the level of the receiver badge with return transmission of information representative of the calculated distance to the issuer badge, - either at the transmitter badge after reception by the latter of an echo signal received from the receiving badge.

  As represented in FIG. 2, each of the badges B1, B2 can also integrate sound alarm means 15, such as, in particular, a buzzer or vibrator, allowing, with appropriate programming of the computers 10, to be able to combine the two localization procedures. objects of the invention.

  Finally, it should be noted that, although the above description only mentions RF and BF transmission means, it is nevertheless possible to use the method according to the invention using other types of transmission. hertzian transmission (microwave ...).

Claims (10)

  1 / A method for assisting the location of a remote control unit (B; B1, B2) for access to a motor vehicle (V) equipped with an access system composed of an onboard central unit ( 4) in said vehicle and a set of at least two identical remote control units (B; B1, B2), said central unit and each of said control units comprising transmission means (1-3 , 7; 11) adapted to enable them to communicate with a view to implementing access authorization procedures, the said method of assisting localization being characterized in that: - each control unit is equipped with B; B1, B2) means (8; 14, 15) for assisting the location of said control box - the central unit (4) and / or each control unit (B; B1, B2) is equipped. means for triggering (5; 13) localization procedures, and programming a location procedure consisting in activating the triggering means ( 5, 13) of an element, central unit and / or control unit: É to control the transmission by said element, central unit or control unit, of a location request signal comprising an identification code and a specific location query, E and upon receipt of this location request signal by a control box (B; B1, B2), to control a verification of the identification code and, after verification, to control the activation of the means for assisting the location (8; 14, 15) of said control box.   2 / A method of assisting the location according to claim 1 characterized in that the triggering means (5) locating procedures equip the central unit (4) of the access system and are arranged so as to be activated by a person in the passenger compartment of the vehicle (V).   3 / method of assisting the location according to claim 2 characterized in that the central unit (4) is equipped with transmission means comprising a transmitter of low frequency type BF, and each of the control boxes (B). transmission means comprising a low frequency receiver type BF.   4 / A method of assisting the location according to claim 3 characterized in that each control unit (B) is equipped with means for assisting the localization consisting of sound alarm means (8), such as in particular sounder or vibrator.   5 / method of assisting the location according to claim 1 characterized in that the triggering means (13) locating procedures equip each control unit (B1, B2) of the access system, so as to be activated by a person having in hand one of said control boxes.   6 / A method of assisting the location according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each of the control boxes (B1, B2) is equipped with transmission means comprising an RF radio frequency transmitter / receiver.   7 / method of assisting the location according to claim 6 characterized in that each control unit (B1, B2) is equipped with localization assistance means constituted by sound alarm means (15), such as such as noisemaker or vibrator.   8 / locating assistance method according to claim 6 characterized in that each of the control boxes (B1, B2) is equipped with measuring means (12) for the amplitude of the magnetic fields received by said housing , and locating aid means consisting of audible or visual warning means (14) capable of delivering an evolutionary information representative of the variations of the amplitude of the magnetic fields received.   9 / method of assisting the location according to claim 1, characterized in that the central unit (4) and each control unit (B; B1, B2) are equipped with their own means (5, 13) of triggering localization procedures.   10 / Access system to a motor vehicle comprising a central unit (4) adapted to be embedded in said vehicle and two identical remote control units (B; B1, B2), said central unit and each of said housings control system comprising transmission means (1-3, 7; 11) capable of enabling them to communicate for the purpose of implementing access authorization procedures, said access system being characterized in that: each control box (B; B1, B2) comprises means (8; 14, 15) for assisting the location of said control box - the central unit (4) and / or each control box (B B1, B2) comprise means for triggering (5; 13) localization procedures, and the central unit (4) and the control box (B; B1, B2) are programmed for implementation. a procedure for locating the control boxes consisting, when activating the triggering means (5; 13) d an element, central unit or control unit: to control the transmission by said element, central unit or control unit, of a location request signal comprising an identification code and a specific location request, É and upon receipt of this location request signal by a control box (B; B1, B2), to control a verification of the identification code and, after verification, to control the activation of the means for assisting the location (8; 14, 15) of said control box.