Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
  • G07C9/00—Individual registration on entry or exit
  • G07C9/00174—Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys
  • G07C9/00563—Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
  • G07C9/00—Individual registration on entry or exit
  • G07C9/00174—Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys
  • G07C9/00182—Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
  • G07C9/00—Individual registration on entry or exit
  • G07C9/00174—Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys
  • G07C9/00182—Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
  • G07C2009/00261—Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks the keyless data carrier having more than one function
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
  • G07C9/00—Individual registration on entry or exit
  • G07C9/00174—Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys
  • G07C2009/00753—Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys operated by active electrical keys
  • G07C2009/00769—Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys operated by active electrical keys with data transmission performed by wireless means
  • G07C2009/00793—Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys operated by active electrical keys with data transmission performed by wireless means by Hertzian waves

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method and a key for setting at least one driver-specific parameter of a motor vehicle and a correspondingly designed motor vehicle.
• the key of a motor vehicle is not only used to unlock the door or to actuate the ignition lock, but is also usually used to wirelessly activate or deactivate an immobilizer and / or to open or close a central locking system of the motor vehicle. Furthermore, the key is the only part of a motor vehicle that a driver carries with him after parking or parking the motor vehicle and connects him to the motor vehicle.
• DE 195 13 498 C1 discloses a motor vehicle with a key, which offers expanded communication options with the motor vehicle.
• the key can receive radio messages from the motor vehicle and communicate them to the driver.
• US Pat. No. 6,386,007 B1 discloses a key unit by means of which the driver can determine the direction in which the motor vehicle is viewed from the key, in order to be able to find his vehicle more easily after parking.
• a vehicle key system with a key which has a fingerprint sensor in order to enable the key to be used only by authorized persons.
• an attachment unit is also provided within the motor vehicle, in which the key is arranged in the attachment unit, in order to prevent the motor vehicle from being able to be used without a key by transmitting suitable data, for example by intercepting a proper data transmission between Keys and motor vehicle were obtained.
• the present invention is therefore based on the object of providing a method and a key for setting driver-specific parameters of a motor vehicle, the driver being more user-friendly or requiring as few operations as possible by the driver to readjust the motor vehicle to adapt to his wishes.
• the key of the motor vehicle determines a biometric characteristic of the driver, sends personalization information of the driver to the motor vehicle or to a control unit in the motor vehicle, whereupon driver-specific parameters of the motor vehicle are set as a function of the personalization information.
• the key can transmit the personalization information to the motor vehicle wirelessly, via a contact connection, via inductive coupling or via light signals or the like.
• the driver's fingerprint, an optical feature of the driver's rainbow skin or a driver's speech pattern can be considered as biometric features.
• the driver's fingerprint is preferably used, since it can be determined without being impaired by optical or acoustic environmental influences.
• the driver's biometric feature is e.g. B. determined if he wants to open the motor vehicle with the key and / or put it into operation. On this occasion, data is usually sent from the key to the motor vehicle anyway, so that the personalization information can also be transmitted. Furthermore, it is usually only from this point in time that the driver-specific settings need to be made.
• the determination of the driver's biometric feature and thus the determination of the current personalization information is a separate step, which is not repeated if the motor vehicle is to be opened and / or put into operation using the key. Since the determination of the biometric feature and the comparison with existing biometric features u. U. can be time-consuming or prone to errors, it makes sense not to repeat this step in each case if the motor vehicle is to be opened and / or put into operation using the key. Another advantage of separating this step is that the key can transmit the current personalization information to the motor vehicle even if the operator has not touched the key. It is possible that the motor vehicle opens and z. B. deactivates an immobilizer without the authorized driver touching the key ("keyless entry").
• the current personalization information can also be communicated to the key via its own interface, so that the key can advantageously be personalized even without ascertaining a biometric feature, and can also be personalized for a driver whose biometric feature is not in the key is saved, d. H. in this case the personalization information is communicated to the key by programming.
• the key has a locking actuating element with which the driver opens or closes the central locking and / or activates or deactivates an immobilizer. If the driver wants to use the vehicle, he will generally use the locking actuating element anyway (if the motor vehicle does not have a system with "keyless entry", see above), so that the driver's biometric feature can be determined on this occasion.
• the locking actuation element advantageously comprises a fingerprint sensor. As soon as the driver puts his finger on the locking actuating element as usual in order to open the motor vehicle or to deactivate the immobilizer, the fingerprint can be determined automatically in this way and personalization information can be obtained for the driver who next wants to use the motor vehicle. Before the driver gets in, driver-specific parameters of the motor vehicle can be set as a function of the driver.
• These parameters can be, for example, settings within the motor vehicle depending on the dimensions of the driver, such as seat settings, settings of the mirrors, the steering wheel, etc. Furthermore, these settings can also include a selection of transmitters stored in a radio receiver. The Parameters also relate to the allocation of station memory locations in a radio receiver.
• the parameters can relate to the acoustic settings. It is also conceivable that the parameters are person-specific settings of a communication system, such as an address book or a telephone number list.
• different security levels can be provided, according to which an operator is able to perform operator actions.
• the different security levels can be set in particular, whereby they can be set both via the key itself and via control elements in the motor vehicle.
• a security level can be provided in which all operating actions of each operator are made possible without verification of the biometric feature. If the biometric feature is not recognized, the parameters are of course not adjusted to the driver.
• Such a security level can also be referred to as a guest mode if, for example, the use of the motor vehicle is to be temporarily made possible for a stranger for a short time without extensive settings having to be made.
• the parameters are advantageously set such that they are suitable for an average operator, in particular without previous knowledge of the operation of the motor vehicle.
• the driver's seat, the steering wheel and the mirrors as well as other elements to be matched to the size and shape of the operator are adjusted to an average sized and shaped operator.
• Any address book or other collection with personal data of an authorized user is preferably locked in guest mode so that it cannot be viewed by the operator who should only be allowed to use the motor vehicle temporarily.
• a user mode in which at least some or all of the operating functions enable only one registered user who has successfully identified himself via the biometric feature.
• the identity of the user is known and user-specific settings can be made in the motor vehicle.
• the motor vehicle it can also be provided in this security level that the motor vehicle can only be started up after the biometric feature has been successfully identified.
• the motor vehicle remains usable even for non-registered users, in which case no user-specific settings are made due to the missing identification of the user, settings being made for an unidentified user as well as in the guest mode that are suitable for an average user. You can choose any of the settings that are only possible in user mode after successful identification. In this case, several user modes can also be provided, in each of which a different selection of functions requires successful identification of the user.
• Switching between the individual security levels is advantageously also linked to successful identification of a registered user in order to prevent unauthorized persons from being able to set a security level with lower security.
• the security mechanisms when switching the security level can be independent of the security level set in each case, so that both in the guest mode and in a user mode the same secure procedure is always required to change the security level.
• the security level in particular to a security level of higher security, can be changed by any operator without prior identification. This could, for example, ensure that an operator who should only be permitted to use the motor vehicle temporarily increases the security level after use and thus prevents use of the motor vehicle by unauthorized persons who cannot be successfully identified from this point on ,
• an operator must successfully identify himself before changing the security level by recognizing the biometric feature. After the operator has been granted access, for example, after a fingerprint has been recognized, the key should be set up in such a way that the operator can change the security level as quickly as possible with as few operator actions as possible. This can do justice to the situation that an operator hands over the key to an unregistered person so that he can use the vehicle for a short time without the person having access to the user-specific data in the motor vehicle.
• the key further comprises a device for determining the location of the motor vehicle.
• the direction in which the motor vehicle is located from the key is determined.
• the direction in which the beard of the key extends is preferably selected as the reference direction.
• the result of the direction determination can be displayed by the key in such a way that an optical display increases in its intensity up to a maximum value depending on how closely the reference direction of the key matches the direction in which the key looks Motor vehicle is located.
• This pointing direction or reference direction is marked on the outside of the key and corresponds in particular to the direction in which the beard of the key extends.
• the optical display can be, for example, a lighting element that increases in intensity, a flashing element that increases in flashing frequency, or an alphanumeric display. In the case of a flashing display, the flashing may change to a steady light as soon as the direction of the key pointing corresponds with sufficient accuracy to the vehicle direction in which the vehicle is located from the key.
• the direction of the vehicle can also be displayed by means of a movable pointer or a ring of several lighting elements.
• An acoustic message is also conceivable, whereby a tone can increase in pitch or intensity, or an acoustic pulse is emitted with increasingly smaller intervals, whereby the pulse sequence can change to a continuous tone as soon as the key's pointing direction with sufficient accuracy the direction of the vehicle.
• Such a key can advantageously also include a display for status data of the vehicle.
• the status display can also be of a very simple design, so that it can only display a few and in particular two different statuses and only enables the driver to be informed whether everything is in order in the motor vehicle.
• a two-color light-emitting diode can be provided which lights up green as long as everything is in order in the motor vehicle and red lights up as soon as a fault occurs.
• a malfunction can be, for example, an attempt to break open, towing, generally changing the location of the motor vehicle or damage to the windows, for example.
• the status of the motor vehicle is preferably not displayed continuously, but at intervals in order to discharge a battery of the key as little as possible.
• it can be provided for the power supply to the key that a rechargeable battery is arranged within the key and is charged as soon as the key is inserted in the motor vehicle.
• Contacts or an inductive coupling by means of coils can be provided for charging the rechargeable battery within the key.
• the status data can be, for example, the tire pressure, the mileage, the switching status of the parking lights and / or other lights, the status of the handbrake, the tank level or levels of other operating materials or the state of charge of the battery.
• the status data can also be shown on a display or output as a voice message.
• the status data can be transmitted to the key at least in part at the time the vehicle leaves the vehicle. This can advantageously be implemented in a technically simple manner.
• status data for the key can be transmitted as long as it is still in the ignition lock or is still in the vicinity.
• the transmission can take place via contacts, induction coils or light signals.
• the key can be conventionally used to get in and out. Furthermore, biometric authorization for access to the vehicle and also for personalization of the vehicle is also conceivable. With regard to localization of the vehicle, it is also conceivable as a further invention that either the key or the vehicle itself determines the vehicle position and transmits the position data to a mobile navigation system that the user of the vehicle can take with him. This can be a known GPS system, and a portable computer, such as a PDA, can also be used for navigation. The transmission of the vehicle position can take place when the motor vehicle is parked, when leaving the motor vehicle or even later on request by the driver, for example if the driver wants to find his way back to the vehicle from his current location.
• data can be read from the key as well as transmitted to it.
• vehicle data can be transferred from the key to a personal organizer, a portable computer or a PDA. This is useful, for example, when visiting a workshop so that data can already be read in without access to the motor vehicle.
• data could already be transmitted wirelessly during a service acceptance (completion of a service order in a workshop), so that information about the motor vehicle and possibly also about the owner or the user is already available in the workshop.
• Access to the data stored in the key can be restricted depending on the recipient, whereby a workshop should have access to all data.
• This can, for example, facilitate the process of adding a new user with his settings to the database of the motor vehicle.
• an operator who has stored specific settings in a first motor vehicle can also transmit this information to a second vehicle in which the user-specific information is transmitted from the key of the first vehicle to the key of the second vehicle. This can happen, for example, if an operator buys a new motor vehicle and would like to take over the information stored in the old vehicle with little effort.
• This procedure also lends itself to car rental companies, with the information of a specific user being stored at the car rental company and transferred from the car rental company to the key when renting a motor vehicle before the rental so that the customer already finds his personal information stored in the rented vehicle when renting.
• the key has both a flat display or a display and a flat sensor, for example a fingerprint sensor
• the key can be at least essentially flat, the display being arranged on one side and the flat sensor being arranged on the other side is. This is possible because when the sensor is actuated to determine the biometric feature, the display does not generally have to be used at the same time, since when the sensor is actuated, the operator is only expected to receive feedback as to whether the identification was successful or not is also possible with a small optical element, for example an LED.
• the key By arranging the display on one side and the sensor on the other side, the key can be made smaller or the surface of the key can be better utilized in order to be able to accommodate the largest possible display even on a small key.
• FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a motor vehicle with an assigned key (front) according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention
• FIG. 2 shows the relative arrangement between the key and the motor vehicle for determining the motor vehicle location
• Figure 3 shows the back of the key.
• FIG. 1 shows a motor vehicle 1 with a control device 8 installed inside.
• an assigned key 2 is shown in FIG. 1, both the key 2 and the control unit 8 having radio transmission means by means of which wireless data transmission between the key 2 and the control unit 8 is made possible.
• the key 2 has a locking actuating element 3, which is actuated by finger pressure and is used to lock or unlock an immobilizer of the motor vehicle 1 and to open or close a central locking of the motor vehicle 1.
• the locking actuation element 3 further comprises a fingerprint sensor, so that a fingerprint or at least fingerprint information can be determined simultaneously when the locking actuation element 3 is actuated with a finger. As soon as the driver actuates the locking actuation element 3 on the key 2 in order to lock or open the car, fingerprint information is automatically present within the key 2.
• a green LED 9 flashes if the fingerprint or fingerprint information is known to the key 2 and a red LED 10 if no matching fingerprint or fingerprint information could be found in the key 2.
• the determined fingerprint information is converted in key 2 into personalization information, which represents an identifier for the driver.
• personalization information represents an identifier for the driver.
• different fingerprints or fingerprint information of different drivers are stored in the key 2 together with assigned personalization information, so that the individual drivers can be distinguished from one another on the basis of their fingerprints or fingerprint information.
• the driver is recognized by the key 2 on the basis of his fingerprint and personalization information corresponding to the driver is transmitted to the control unit 8 in the motor vehicle 1.
• the determination of biometric features such. B. a fingerprint, and the associated comparison with existing fingerprints or fingerprint information can be time-consuming and error-prone, is provided in a variant of the embodiment to independently process the step of determining the fingerprint or fingerprint information and the associated determination of the associated personalization information .
• the driver places his corresponding fingertip in a fingerprint sensor 14, which determines a corresponding fingerprint.
• the key 2 stores the corresponding current personalization information which the key 2 has in all corresponding situations (e.g.
• Locking actuating element 3 which in this variant does not include a fingerprint sensor
• Locking actuating element 3 which in this variant does not include a fingerprint sensor
• the u. U. time-consuming and error-prone determination of the fingerprint or the fingerprint information and the associated comparison with existing fingerprints or fingerprint information when the key 2 is operated for example to B. to open the motor vehicle 1 or to put it into operation.
• the key 2 it is possible for the key 2 to send the current personalization information to the motor vehicle 1 without the key 2 being touched beforehand.
• the motor vehicle 1 unlocks as soon as the motor vehicle 1 recognizes that the key 2 with authorized current personalization information is in the immediate vicinity of the motor vehicle 1 (“keyless entry”).
• the motor vehicle 1 sends out a signal as soon as a handle of the motor vehicle 1 is gripped or actuated. If an authorized key 2 is in the reception area of this signal, this key 2 then sends its current personalization information to the motor vehicle 1.
• the learning of a new assignment from a new fingerprint or fingerprint information to an associated new personalization information should only be able to be initiated by a main authorized person who has to authenticate himself beforehand with his fingerprint. Since the administration of the biometric features and associated personalization information requires complex dialog guidance, this administration (deletion, modification, creation) is not carried out using the key 2, but rather is implemented by a corresponding device in the motor vehicle 1, from where the personalization information is then stored the key 2 is transmitted. A complete reset is only possible by a workshop. B. appears useful when selling the motor vehicle 1. If administration of the assignment of fingerprints or fingerprint information to associated personalization information is carried out, the red 10 and green 9 light-emitting diodes of the key 2 flash. eg in a workshop or a car rental office.
• control unit 8 Before the motor vehicle 1 is put into operation, the control unit 8 contains information about which driver will use the motor vehicle 1. Based on this information control unit 8 enters driver-specific parameters as stored in control unit 8 for the corresponding driver. These parameters include, in particular, settings of the driver's seat, the rear view mirrors, transmitters stored in a radio receiver, data from a communication directory, telephone numbers from a telephone number list or settings from an automatic climate control system. Since the control unit 8 receives the personalization information required for setting driver-specific parameters from the key 2 before the driver gets into the motor vehicle 1, there is sufficient time to make mechanical adjustments that take a certain amount of time, such as adjusting the driver's seat. This has the advantage that the driver's seat is already adjusted before the driver gets into the motor vehicle 1.
• the key 2 also has a motor vehicle locating actuation element 4, with which a special function of the key 2 can be activated, according to which a vehicle direction can be determined in which the motor vehicle 1 is located as seen from the key 2. It is determined within the key 2 to what extent a pointing direction, which is defined in relation to the housing of the key 2, corresponds to the vehicle direction in which the motor vehicle 1 is seen from the key 2.
• the pointing direction of the key 2 is preferably the direction in which a beard 7 of the key 2 extends.
• the degree of correspondence between the pointing direction and the vehicle direction is displayed by a vehicle direction display element 5.
• the vehicle direction display element 5 is a light-emitting diode which emits or flashes light signals spaced apart in time.
• the driver of the motor vehicle 1 switches it off and moves away from it, he can at least determine the direction in which the motor vehicle 1 is seen from the key 2 by pressing the vehicle finder actuation element 4 on the key 2. For this purpose, the driver only has to swivel the key 2 while the vehicle finder actuation element 4 is pressed until the light signals of the vehicle direction display element 5 change into permanent lights. As soon as this is the case, the beard 7 points in the direction in which the motor vehicle 1 is located.
• the key 2 is able to record and play back a short voice recording (eg of 30 seconds) via a microphone 15. This makes it possible, for. B. to save the parking location of the motor vehicle 1 as a reminder as a voice recording in the key 2 and listen if necessary.
• a short voice recording eg of 30 seconds
• the key 2 also has a display 11 and a status display 6.
• the status display 6 is a light-emitting diode and indicates whether everything is in order in the motor vehicle 1.
• the display 11 gives more detailed information about the motor vehicle 1 and shows the following: parking light (status) • find the fill level of the tank
• the switchover between the individual status information is carried out by repeatedly pressing (toggling) an information key 12, the display 11 being activated when the information key 12 is pressed for the first time, and first of all displaying superordinate information indicating the current authorized user and brief information about contain the general condition of the vehicle.
• the general vehicle condition is displayed with a "smile" ( ⁇ ) when the information available to the key 2 is the motor vehicle 1 say that everything is satisfactory. If the information key 12 is no longer pressed for a certain period of time, the display 11 goes out.
• control unit 8 monitors various possible malfunctions, such as damage to the motor vehicle 1, an attempt to break open, a change in the location of the motor vehicle 1 or whether the motor vehicle 1 is being towed. As soon as one of the monitored faults occurs, the control unit 8 detects a fault. The control device 8 thus differentiates between a proper state and a malfunction and indicates this for the key 2 by means of the status display 6. It can be provided that the control unit 8 transmits signals to the key 2 as long as the motor vehicle 1 is in the proper state, so that the key 2 indicates the fault in the absence of these signals. This has the advantage that if the radio connection between the key 2 and the control unit 8 is interrupted, the correct state is not erroneously displayed.
• control unit 8 can also only display the fault in the key 2, so that the key 2 indicates the correct state in the absence of such information.
• the control unit 8 displays both the correct state and the fault in the case of the key 2, so that the latter can safely indicate both states and, as a third state, an interruption in the radio connection.
• the status display 6 can be a two-color light-emitting diode, a color being assigned to the correct condition or the malfunction. In order to use as little energy as possible, the status display 6 can also display the respective status with the aid of short flashes of light.
• An interruption in the radio connection can be indicated, for example, by a faster flashing frequency or alternating flashing of the two colors.
• the various states of proper condition, malfunction and interruption of the radio connection can be indicated by different blinking frequencies from the status display 6.
• FIG. 2 schematically shows the relative arrangement of the key 2 and the motor vehicle 1 when determining the vehicle direction.
• the pointing direction of the key 2 is shown by means of a chain line and the direction of the vehicle by means of a broken line.
• the vehicle direction and the pointing direction together form the angle ⁇ , which is determined by the key 2.
• the vehicle direction display element 5 is activated as a function of the determined angle ⁇ .
• the angle ⁇ has a value range from 0 to 180 °, so that the vehicle direction display 5 cannot be used to distinguish whether the pointing direction runs past the left or right of the motor vehicle 1 at an angle ⁇ other than zero.

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

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• 2003
  • 2003-11-06 EP EP03810449A patent/EP1563466B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2003-11-06 AT AT03810449T patent/ATE345554T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2003-11-06 WO PCT/EP2003/012411 patent/WO2004042664A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 2003-11-06 DE DE50305711T patent/DE50305711D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 2005
  • 2005-04-28 US US11/117,748 patent/US20050237150A1/en not_active Abandoned

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