JP2001027063A - Transmitter for controlling automobile door lock - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a transmitter for controlling automobile door lock capable of more accurately eliminating a transmitting error for rolling code. SOLUTION: A transmitter for controlling an automobile door lock has a EEPROM 2 storing the number of operations as rolling codes in the three storing regions (1), (2) and (3), an adding section which sequentially perform increment for these rolling codes, and a message creating section which creates a message containing coded rolling codes. This message creating section is able to adequately repair the rolling codes even though erroneous rolling codes are stored in part (in (3) for example) of three storing regions (1), (2),(3) of the EEPROM2. Therefore, even though there is an error due to deformed data in part of a plurality of stored rolling codes, adequate rolling codes can be transmitted so that the transmission error can be prevented more definitively.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention belongs to the technical field of a transmitter of a remote control device for operating a door lock of a vehicle from outside the vehicle. The technical field to which the present invention belongs is sometimes called a wireless door lock or a keyless entry.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 9, a conventional automobile door lock control transmitting device has a built-in memory for storing a code (called a rolling code) for counting the number of operations. Is incremented each time an operation signal is transmitted. Upon transmission, an identification code unique to the transmission device, an encrypted rolling code, operation information including an operation command, and a transmission signal in which transmission information is scrambled are transmitted. The reason for including the rolling code in the transmission signal is to prevent theft in which the transmission signal is intercepted by a malicious person and the same transmission signal is transmitted later to open the door lock of the automobile.

[0003] On the other hand, in the receiving device provided in the automobile, every time the transmission signal is normally received, the decrypted rolling code is stored in a memory, and is referred to at the next reception as an index of the number of receptions. Therefore, it is determined that normal reception has been performed not only when the transmission signal is normally decoded but also when the value of the rolling code whose decryption has been decrypted is larger than the previous value. Therefore,
Even if a malicious person sends the same transmission signal as before,
Since the value of the rolling code is not incremented, the receiving device does not determine that a normal transmission signal has been received, and theft is prevented.

[0004] However, it is often the case that the receiving device could not receive the signal even though the transmitting device for controlling the door lock of the automobile was operated several times. Therefore, in order to cope with such a case, when the rolling code has increased by 2 or more from the previous value, the receiving device side updates the rolling code indicating the number of receptions and updates the transmission signal as a normal one. It is designed to accept.

[0005] By the way, when the battery voltage of the transmitting device for controlling the door lock of the automobile decreases, the rolling code is not incremented or written into the memory normally.
The rolling code may not increase from the previous value. In such a case, the receiving device does not determine that a normal transmission signal has been received, and the operator suddenly has an impression that the vehicle door lock control function has failed.
For the purpose of avoiding such inconvenience, a typical automobile door lock control transmitting device is provided with a protection circuit for detecting a drop in battery voltage, as shown in FIG. When detecting that the battery voltage has dropped below the specified value during operation, the protection circuit notifies the operator of the fact and stops the transmission function.

However, since the protection circuit is an analog circuit provided separately from the microcomputer, the provision of the protection circuit inevitably increases the cost and weight and volume of the hardware alone. Therefore, as a prior art, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H8-303078 discloses FIG.
As described above, there is disclosed a technique capable of preventing a transmission error of a rolling code even when a battery voltage is reduced without providing a protection circuit.

[0007] The memory of the prior art vehicle door lock control transmitting device includes a plurality of rolling code areas for storing a plurality of rolling codes, respectively, and a check area for checking a writing error in the area. Are formed. The check area is formed by the same number as the plurality of rolling code areas, and each check area corresponds to each rolling code area.
Then, the flag in the check area is laid down immediately before the writing to the rolling code area is started, and the flag in the check area is set immediately after the writing to the rolling code area is completed. Then, the battery voltage gradually decreases, and when the rolling code is not written normally due to insufficient battery voltage for writing to the memory while the rolling code is being written to the rolling code area, the flag in the check area is set to sleep. Will remain.

Therefore, according to the prior art, it is possible to determine whether the rolling code in the corresponding rolling code area is normal by checking whether the flag in the check area is standing or sleeping. As a result, when the result is not normal, the writing error of the rolling code can be eliminated only by reading the previous normal rolling code and adding an appropriate value.

[0009]

However, in the above-described prior art, there are cases where the operation is effective and cases where the operation is invalid, and it is not always possible to completely eliminate the error in writing the rolling code.

[0010] That is, the above-mentioned conventional technique is characterized in that when the battery voltage gradually decreases, the battery voltage is insufficient for writing to the memory while the rolling code is being written to the rolling code area, and the rolling code is not normally written. Is valid. However, it is not effective when there is a fluctuation in the battery voltage and only writing to the rolling code area is not normal, or when data is garbled in the rolling code area due to the effects of static electricity or charge loss in the memory, etc. Was. In other words, in the prior art, the correctness of the rolling code is determined by the flag in the check area.
With respect to an error occurring only in the rolling code area, the related art cannot effectively prevent a rolling code transmission error.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle door lock control transmitting device that can more reliably eliminate a rolling code transmission error than the prior art.

[0012]

In order to solve the above problems, the inventor has invented the following means.

(First Means) A first means of the present invention is a transmitting apparatus for controlling a door lock of an automobile according to the first aspect. That is, in this means, the memory has a plurality of storage areas in which the number of operations (rolling code) is stored. The operation count adding unit has a cyclic storage logic for circulating through these storage areas and storing the number of operations in the memory. On the other hand, the message generation unit has an operation number restoration logic that appropriately restores the operation number even if an incorrect operation number is stored in a part of the storage area of the memory.

Here, it is desirable to use a non-volatile memory such as an EEPROM that does not require a memory holding operation, but any other type of memory may be used as long as a rolling code can be stored. . Further, in this specification, the operation means including the cyclic storage logic is referred to as an operation number adding unit, and the logical operation means including the operation number recovery logic is referred to as a message generation unit.

Therefore, in this means, the number of operations (rolling code) is sequentially stored in a plurality of storage areas (rolling code areas) in the memory by the operation of the cyclic storage logic of the operation number adding unit. At this time, an error rarely occurs in one or some of the plurality of storage areas due to a decrease in battery voltage, garbled data, or the like. But,
By the operation of the operation count restoration logic of the message generator, even if an incorrect operation count is stored in a part of the storage area of the memory, the operation count is properly restored. The operation of the specific operation number restoration logic will be described in detail in an embodiment described later. If the operation number restoration logic is properly set, an incorrect operation number is stored in a part of the memory area of the memory. Even if it is, the number of operations can be properly restored by the operation of the operation number restoration logic.

As a result, the present means does not require a check area unlike the prior art, and can reproduce an appropriate rolling code based on the rolling code itself already stored in the rolling code area. Therefore, it is possible to effectively cope with an error occurring only in the rolling code area, and it is possible to prevent a transmission error of the rolling code. Further, since this means can be implemented only by rewriting the software of the microcomputer built in the automobile door lock control transmitting device and does not require a protection circuit,
There is also an advantage that cost increase hardly occurs.

Therefore, according to the transmitting apparatus for controlling the door lock of the vehicle of the present invention, almost no cost increase occurs.
There is an effect that the transmission error of the rolling code can be more reliably eliminated than in the above-described related art. In addition, unlike the above-mentioned normal technology,
Since a plurality of rolling code areas are sequentially rewritten, there is also an effect of extending the rewriting life of the memory even when the number of times of rewriting compensation of the memory is limited.

(Second Means) A second means of the present invention is an automobile door lock control transmitting device according to the second aspect.

In this means, since the number of storage areas is three, as will be described in detail in the embodiment, even if an incorrect value is stored in the rolling code stored in up to two of them, The transmitting device for controlling the vehicle door lock according to this means operates normally. If an incorrect value is written to all three storage areas, it may not work properly and a recovery operation may be necessary. You can say no.

Therefore, it is possible to virtually completely eliminate the writing error of the rolling code without requiring a large memory capacity.

Therefore, according to this means, in addition to the effect of the above-described first means, there is an effect that a configuration having the most excellent cost performance can be obtained.

[0022]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a transmission apparatus for controlling a vehicle door lock according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Embodiment 1] (Configuration of Embodiment 1) As shown in FIG. 1, a transmission apparatus for controlling an automobile door lock according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, together with a corresponding receiver, has a key operation unit 1. , EEPROM 2, an operation number adding unit 3, a message generating unit 4, a modulating unit 5, and a transmitting unit 6.

The key operation unit 1 is an operation unit operated by an operator to specify desired operation information.
The ROM 2 is a memory for storing the number of operations of the key operation unit 1 in a predetermined storage area (rolling code area). The operation number adding unit 3 is a digital arithmetic unit that increments or updates the operation number stored in the rolling code of the EEPROM 2 every time the key operation unit 1 is operated. Similarly, the message generation unit 4 is configured to operate the key operation unit 1
This is a digital operation means for generating a message including the operation information from the user and the number of operations (rolling code). That is, the message generation unit 4 is a digital operation unit that generates a digital signal in which the identification code unique to the transmission device, the encrypted rolling code, the operation information by the operation of the key operation unit 1, and the transmission information are scrambled. . The operation number adding unit 3 and the message generating unit 4
Is realized by software using the same CPU. Further, the modulation unit 5 is a modulation circuit that modulates the message generated by the message generation unit 4 according to a predetermined rule, and the transmission unit 6 is a transmission circuit that transmits the message modulated by the modulation unit 5 on a carrier wave. It is.

On the other hand, the receiving device mounted on the automobile has a receiving unit 16, a demodulating unit 15, a message decoding unit 14, a receiving number adding unit 13, an EEPROM 12, and a driving unit 11, and according to the message received from the transmitting device. Drive the door lock and the like. At this time, the reception number adding unit 13
It has a function of incrementing a rolling code stored in a single rolling code storage area in the EEPROM 12 every time message reception is normally performed. Further, when the rolling code included in the received and decrypted message is larger than the predicted value, the number-of-times-of-reception adding unit 13 causes the rolling code stored in the EEPROM 12 to be skipped and updated, and the rolling code on the transmitting device side to be updated. It also has a function to synchronize with. On the other hand, if the currently received rolling code is not larger than the previously received rolling code, the message decoding unit 14 determines that an incorrect signal has been received, and prevents the receiving device from responding. Has a security function.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the vehicle door lock control transmitting apparatus according to the present embodiment, the EEPROM 2 has three storage areas (rolling code areas) for storing the number of operations (rolling codes). And
The number-of-operations adding section 3 (see FIG. 1) sequentially traverses these storage areas to determine the number of operations (rolling code) as EEP.
It has a cyclic storage logic for storing in the ROM 2. on the other hand,
The message generation unit 4 (see FIG. 1) has operation number recovery logic for properly recovering the operation number even if an incorrect operation number is stored in a part of the storage area of the EEPROM 2. The operation of the operation count restoration logic and the like will be specifically described in detail in the following operation and effect.

(Operation and Effect of First Embodiment) Since the transmitting apparatus for controlling the door lock of the vehicle of the present embodiment has the above-described configuration, it operates as follows.

That is, the number of operations (rolling code) is sequentially stored in three storage areas (rolling code areas) in the EEPROM 2 by the operation of the cyclic storage logic of the operation number adding unit 3. On this occasion,
Errors rarely occur in one or several of the plurality of storage areas due to a decrease in battery voltage, garbled data, or the like. However, due to the operation of the operation number recovery logic of the message generator 4, even if an erroneous rolling code is stored in a part of the rolling code area of the EEPROM 2, the rolling code is properly recovered. Hereinafter, regarding the repair action of this rolling code,
The explanation will be made in different cases.

First, as shown in FIG. 3, when a normal rolling code is stored in all of the rolling code areas, the largest value stored last is used for transmission. Thereafter, the rolling code is incremented to increase the value by one and stored in the next rolling code area. That is, in the case of FIG. 3, since the values of 8, 9, and 10 are stored in the respective rolling code areas in the order of,, all are read once to confirm that the rolling code is normal. . After the confirmation, the largest value 10 previously stored in the rolling code area is used for transmission, then incremented to 11 and stored in the next rolling code area.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, when one of the rolling code areas has an error,
In accordance with the writing order of the rolling code area, a serial number or a skipping rolling code is stored. This can be easily determined by reading each rolling code from all the rolling code areas. In this case, the larger of the serial number or the one-by-one rolling code is used for transmission. However, if it is determined that there is an error in the previously stored rolling code area, the larger rolling code among the serial number rolling codes is incremented by one to be the transmission rolling code. Then, the rolling code area having the error is restored, and the rolling code used for the current transmission is incremented and stored in the rolling code area in the next order. By performing such an operation, even when an error occurs in one of the rolling code areas, the transmission apparatus for controlling the vehicle door lock according to the present embodiment corrects the error and operates normally. be able to.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, it is possible, although extremely rare, that there are errors in two of the rolling code areas. In this case, after reading out all the rolling codes, the maximum rolling code among them is incremented regardless of whether it is correct or not, and the resulting rolling code is used as a transmission rolling code. Then, as described above, if the received rolling code is larger than the predicted value, the receiving apparatus has a function corresponding to the skip update, and the receiving apparatus functions normally. The rolling code area in the next order stores a value obtained by incrementing the maximum rolling code, and two of the three rolling codes are serial numbers. Then, since it is equivalent to the case where one of the above-mentioned rolling code areas has an error, a normal operation can be obtained in the same manner as described above.

Similarly, although this is unlikely to happen,
Assuming that there is an error in all of the three rolling code areas, the largest rolling code is used for transmission as in the case where there are errors in the two areas described above. Then, with a probability of about seven-eighths, the transmitted rolling code is larger than the rolling code expected by the receiving device, so that the receiving device usually operates normally. In rare cases, a rolling code smaller than the one expected by the receiving device may be stored in all of the wrong rolling code areas.In this case, the door is manually opened and the reset operation is performed. Should be performed. In any case, it can be said that such a case is unlikely to occur stochastically, so that there is no inconvenience in actual operation.

Finally, as shown in FIG. 6, it is possible that the same value is stored in all the rolling code areas, which is unlikely to occur. Even in such a case, if the operator uses the transmitting device after performing the reset operation, there is no particular problem. However, when used without performing a reset operation, the value of the rolling code area is used for transmission, and is then incremented and stored in the rolling code area.

In the above description, it has been clarified what kind of operation is performed on the rolling code area in all cases. Next, with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 7, the main points of the entire operation of the vehicle door lock control transmitting device of the present embodiment will be described.

First, when the key operation unit 1 is operated, the logic starts, and in a processing step S1, the EEPROM is operated.
The values of three rolling codes are read from all of the two rolling code areas. Then, in decision step S2, it is determined whether or not all three rolling codes have values arranged in a normal order. If it is determined that the values are normal, in processing step S3, the largest rolling code among the three is determined. The code is encrypted for transmission.

Conversely, if it is determined in decision step S2 that all three rolling codes are not normal, the logic proceeds to decision step S4, where up to two of the three rolling codes are normal. It is determined whether there is. As a result, if it is determined that up to two are normal, in step S5, the one with the larger value of the two normal rolling codes is encrypted for transmission. In the processing step S5, when it is determined that the rolling code to be encrypted is not the value stored previously, the rolling code is incremented and then encrypted for transmission. However, since the operation is performed twice even without such a determining operation and an incrementing operation, the operation is not necessarily required, and may be omitted from the logic.

Conversely, if it is determined in decision step S4 that even two of all the rolling codes are not arranged in a normal order, the logic proceeds to decision step S6, where all three rolling codes are the same. It is determined whether it is a value. If it is determined in determination step S6 that all three rolling codes have the same value, in processing step S7, the rolling code stored in the rolling code area is encrypted for transmission. If not, the logic proceeds to processing step S3,
As described above, the largest rolling code of the three different ones is encrypted for transmission.

After the appropriate rolling code has been encrypted for transmission as described above, the logic proceeds to successive processing steps S8-S11. That is, EEPROM2
Each operation of reading the identification code from the identification code area, generating a message, transmitting the message, incrementing the rolling code adopted for transmission, and storing the result in the next rolling code area is performed in order.
Thus, the transmission of the message and the updating of the rolling code area are performed.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8, the logic of the receiving apparatus starts when a message is received from the transmitting apparatus. Is confirmed. Then, in processing step S22, the EEPROM 12
The identification code is read from the identification code area (see FIG. 1), and in a determination step S23, the received identification code is collated with the received identification code to confirm that the message is a message received from a transmission device unique to the corresponding automobile. . Then, in the processing step S24, the previously received rolling code is read from the rolling code area of the EEPROM 12, and in the determination step S25, it is confirmed that the currently received rolling code is larger than the previous value. Finally, in a processing step S26, the currently received rolling code is written in the rolling code area of the EEPROM 12, and in a processing step S27, a door lock operation or the like is performed according to the operation information in the received message.

Conversely, the judgment step S2 of the above process
If it is determined in any of 1, S23, and S25 that there is an abnormality, the receiving device determines that a normal message has not been received. As a result, in the receiving device, the rolling code is not updated, and no operation is performed.

As described above in detail, in the transmission apparatus for controlling the door lock of the vehicle according to the present embodiment, even if there is an error in a part of the three rolling code areas of the EEPROM 2 (see FIG. 1), the operation number recovery logic is performed. , An appropriate rolling code is transmitted. As a result, the vehicle door lock control transmitting apparatus of the present embodiment transmits an appropriate rolling code based on the past rolling code itself stored in the rolling code area without requiring a check area unlike the related art. can do. Therefore, it is possible to effectively cope with an error occurring only in the rolling code area, and it is possible to prevent a rolling code transmission error. Further, the present embodiment can be implemented only by rewriting the software of the microcomputer built in the automobile door lock control transmitting device, and unlike the ordinary technology, does not require a protection circuit, so that there is almost no increase in cost. It also has

Therefore, according to the transmission apparatus for controlling the vehicle door lock of this embodiment, there is an effect that the transmission error of the rolling code can be more reliably eliminated with almost no increase in cost. Further, since the three rolling code areas are sequentially rewritten, there is also an effect that the rewriting life of the EEPROM 2 is tripled as compared with the above-described ordinary technique using only one rolling code area.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an automobile door lock control transmitting apparatus according to a first embodiment together with its receiving apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a rolling code area according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an operation of a message generation unit and the like in the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an operation of a message generation unit and the like in the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an operation of a message generation unit and the like in the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating an operation of a message generation unit and the like in the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the transmitting apparatus for controlling the door lock of the vehicle as the first embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the receiving apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of a memory in a conventional technique.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing that a conventional technology has a protection circuit;

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing that there is no protection circuit in the prior art.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: Key operation unit (as operation unit) 2: EEPROM
(As a memory) 3: Operation count adder 4: Message generator 5: Modulator 6: Transmitter

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2E250 AA21 BB08 BB65 DD06 EE08 FF24 FF36 HH01 JJ03 KK03 LL01 TT03 5K048 AA06 BA42 BA52 BA53 DA01 DB01 DC01 EA16 EB02 HA04 HA06 HA34

Claims (2)

[Claims] An operation unit operated by an operator to specify desired operation information, a memory for storing the number of operations of the operation unit in a predetermined storage area, and the number of operations stored in the storage area An operation number adding unit that increments the number of operations for each operation of the operation unit; a message generation unit that generates a message including the operation information and the number of operations; a modulation unit that modulates the message according to a predetermined rule; And a transmission unit for transmitting the message on a carrier wave. The transmission device for car door lock control, wherein the memory has a plurality of the storage areas in which the operation times are stored, and the operation times addition unit. Has a cyclic storage logic for circulating through the storage area and storing the number of operations in the memory, wherein the message generation unit includes a part of the storage area in the memory. Incorrect motor vehicle door lock control transmission apparatus characterized by having a number of operations repair logic the manipulation number to repair properly the manipulation times be stored. 2. The transmission device for controlling a vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the number of said storage areas is three.