EP3100242A1

EP3100242A1 - Mobile device for a keyless access or actuation system for motor vehicles

Info

Publication number: EP3100242A1
Application number: EP14821617.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mirko Schindler
Original assignee: Huf Huelsbeck and Fuerst GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Huf Huelsbeck and Fuerst GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2014-01-29
Filing date: 2014-12-19
Publication date: 2016-12-07
Also published as: DE102014101086A1; CN106104637A; US20170050615A1; WO2015113710A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a mobile communication device (2) which is designed to communicate via a public communication network. The communication device further has an interface (15) for short-range high-frequency communication. The mobile communication device (2) has an LF coil arrangement (10a, 10b, 10c) with at least three receiving coils for low-frequency (LF) signals, each of the LF receiving coils being oriented in different spatial directions. The LF coil arrangement (10a, 10b, 10c) is coupled to a control unit (14) in the mobile communication device (2) such that the interface (15) can be actuated for high-frequency communication dependent on a signal received via the LF coil arrangement (10a, 10b, 10c).

Description

Mobile device for a keyless entry or exit

Actuation system for motor vehicles

The invention relates to a mobile communication device, for example a mobile phone or a tablet computer, which is used with a keyless entry system for a vehicle.

In the prior art keyless access and

Starting systems (keyless-entry, keyless-go) known for vehicles. Such systems, in the event that the user carries an electronic credential (ID transmitter), allow the release of vehicle functions, such as door opening. This is done without the user having to actively start an authorization dialog. The vehicle key or ID transmitter can do this

prefabricated components, for example, so-called front-ends for low-frequency communication, such as ready-to-use components from NXP

Semiconductors N.V.

The known keyless entry systems work in such a way that when approaching a user to a vehicle

low-frequency (LF) dialogue between the vehicle side and a mounted there antennas and the user

entrained vehicle key is initiated. First, the vehicle transmits a low-frequency wake-up signal, which receives the key and then a high-frequency

Authorization communication between key and vehicle performed. By LF in this context is a signal in the range of several kilohertz to several hundred kilohertz, e.g. 125 KHz to understand.

The key is a three-dimensional key

Low frequency antenna (3D-LF) and a radio-frequency antenna (RF) arranged. The 3D LF antenna has several coils in

different spatial directions, for example along the X, Y and Z axes of a Cartesian coordinate system in three-dimensional space.

Such a structure is for example the EP 2 429 033 again, where the LF coil arrangement in a suitable manner

is described.

In addition, it is known in the art to be mobile

Communication devices that provide the user with additional functions independent of the vehicle to couple with a vehicle. For example, the coupling of cellular telephones over low-range radio (e.g., Bluetooth) to automobiles is known, combining functions of the vehicle with functions of the mobile device. It is also known that

Access authorization to a vehicle using mobile phones.

The object of the invention is to provide access to vehicles

Help of multifunctional mobile devices to further improve and secure.

This object is achieved by the device having the features of claim 1.

According to the invention it is provided that a mobile device in

Shape of a mobile phone or a portable mobile computer is equipped with an additional antenna arrangement.

For this purpose, the mobile device is a three-dimensional

Assigned antenna arrangement, for example, a 3D LF front-end, as described in the aforementioned document

EP 2 429 033 is disclosed.

This addition to hardware components of a mobile device extends the capabilities of the mobile device for access control. Another, also usable example of such a three-dimensional

Low-frequency antenna arrangement can also be taken from WO 2005/088560.

The introduction of such a SD low-frequency antenna arrangement makes it possible to wake the mobile phone with an on-board emitted wake-up signal. Furthermore, the precise location of the mobile device with the therein

arranged 3D LF front end by the vehicle possible. The Location with such an antenna package is known in the art. In order to trigger the respective desired and / or permissible keyless functionality, it is necessary that the locking system can wake up the key and determine the respective location of the key. For keyless systems today

known design, the awakening is made by emitting a magnetic wake-up field via low-frequency LF antennas on the vehicle. Next is an essential one

Quality feature the exact demarcation between the interior and the exterior of the vehicle. For this

Demarking measurements use several antennas, which are controlled one after the other, to determine the position of the

electronic key to locate.

Due to the different orientation of the antenna coils in a 3d-LF arrangement, a locating signal in

different strength, depending on the location and position of the

Mobile device registered by the different coils. By this location detection with short range can

For example, a test will be performed which

Vehicle door is closest to the operator and whether it is to unlock or whether an operator is already in the

Vehicle interior is located and is entitled to start the engine.

The addition of the mobile device to a 3D LF front-end allows the complete transfer of functionality of one of the functions previously arranged in the vehicle key into a mobile communication device. The authorization dialog provided in previous keyless entry or keyless-go methods can be carried out via the communication means for high-frequency communication that are present in any case in the mobile device. Radio frequency in this context means a frequency range above 10 MHz (for example NFC interfaces), in particular above 1 GHz. For example, position determination using the 3D LF front-end can first take place. The actual authorization takes place via short-range communication via Bluetooth between the vehicle and the mobile device in order to initiate the authorization dialog

handle. The main advantage over previous ones Concepts of access to a vehicle with mobile devices is that an additional hardware component in the mobile device facilitates the reliable location location in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle and the security of the entire

Access system increased.

On the other hand, the system offers significant comfort advantages over concepts in which, for example, the mobile device must be brought into the immediate vicinity of a vehicle component in order to bring about legitimation, for example by means of NFC communication.

The user can carry the mobile device with the device according to the invention, for example, in a bag and the communication dialog between the mobile device and the vehicle runs in the same way as in previous keyless entry systems, but without entrainment of the additional

Vehicle key to require.

In a development of the invention, the 3D-LF coil arrangement is present in a module for expansion

Mobile devices trained. In this way, mobile devices can be extended by the inventive function. The 3d LF module may be used e.g. be paired with the device via a connector interface on the mobile device and exchange data with this device. In this embodiment, by decoupling the module, the function can also be removed again, e.g. to the mobile device without access to the

To use a vehicle or e.g. to rent.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying figures.

Figure 1 shows schematically the signal paths between the vehicle and the mobile phone according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 shows in a schematic way the

Functional components of an embodiment of the invention.

In FIG. 1, a vehicle 1 is shown, which a user approaches with a mobile telephone 2 in order to gain access to the vehicle. The mobile phone 2 has a 3D-LF coil arrangement, as will be explained below. at Approaching the user to the vehicle 1, for example when approaching the hand of the user to the door handle of the driver's door, the transmission of a wake-up signal in the vehicle

Low frequency range (LF) triggered. This wake-up signal is shown here by the arrow 5. The wake-up signal is emitted either from one or more LF transmit coils on the vehicle.

In the mobile phone 2, the LF signal 5 is received, wherein the arranged in different spatial directions LF coils each receive different signal strengths, depending on how their position in space to the radiated signal 5. However, since the coils are arranged in a 3D arrangement, that is, for example, at right angles to each other in all three spatial directions or at least obliquely to each other, is at each position of the

Device 2, a reception of the LF signal possible, provided that the mobile phone 2 is in the emission area of the signal 5 which is usually the case at most a few meters around the vehicle.

With the antenna arrangement in the mobile telephone 2 means for measuring the field strength of the received LF signal are arranged. For this purpose, for example, a RSS chip (Radio Signal Strength Chip) coupled to the LF coils. Such a chip may detect a signal strength indication (RSSI) from the received LF signal, for example, the RSSI signal may be in

logarithmic dependence on the field strength of the LF signal. The RSSI signal then allows the

Location of the mobile phone relative to the vehicle.

By the wake-up signal 5, the mobile phone in a

Authorization mode in which it talks about another,

Radio interface, such as a Bluetooth connection, with the vehicle 1 enters into dialogue. This radio communication with higher frequency is shown here by the arrow 6. Vehicles nowadays regularly have a Bluetooth interface. Via the Bluetooth connection, the RSSI data can be delivered to the vehicle, which then has a

Check performs whether the location of the mobile phone a

Authorization at all warrants. Furthermore, authorization data stored in the vehicle and in the mobile telephone can be stored be checked and exchanged to the legitimacy of the

Mobile phones 2 for the access of the vehicle 1 to check. Such an authorization dialog usually has a

Training the phone on the vehicle, as known in the art. In this case, the vehicle is presented to the vehicle 2 as a legitimate means of access and stored there - but such a process, also called pairing, is known.

However, a significant inventive element in this context is the processing of the LF signals directly in the

Phone 2 by a corresponding coil arrangement, which significantly increases the security of access control.

The LF signal transmission and thus performed

In the past, positioning has proved to be an extremely reliable safety feature in accessing the vehicle. By equipping the mobile phone with such a coil arrangement, be it in the telephone itself or by a couplable module, access security can be substantially increased.

FIG. 2 schematically shows the functional components of both the vehicle 1 and the mobile telephone 2, insofar as they are relevant to the device according to the invention. The vehicle 1 includes an LF transmitter 7, in this example a 125 KHz transmitter, which is coupled to a microcontroller 8. Also with the microcontroller 8, a Bluetooth interface 9 is coupled to a high-frequency

Authorization dialogue with the mobile phone 2 perform.

While the vehicle-mounted arrangement has at least one LF transmission coil 10, the mobile telephone 2 with its 3D LF front end receives information in three spatial directions

Reception coils IIa, IIb, 11c. These are with one

Receiving unit 12 coupled to the 125 KHz range, to which in turn a device 13 is coupled to detect the wake-up signal. This device 13 is in extreme

energy-saving way to operate analogous to the previously known ID encoders and awakens the mobile phone with its other components incidentally only if, in fact via the LF radio link a corresponding wake-up signal from

Vehicle 1 is received.

A microcontroller 14 is coupled to the 125 KHz receiving device 12, wherein the microcontroller 14 can also perform a signal strength evaluation with the chip device 14. The microcontroller 14 awakens in the present LF wake-up signal arranged in the mobile phone 2 Bluetooth interface 15 and starts an authorization dialog with the Bluetooth interface 9 in the vehicle. 1

It becomes clear that the usual functionality of a

Mobile phones 2 is improved according to the invention by a corresponding receiving antenna arrangement together with a corresponding receiver. The security of an access method to the vehicle with a mobile phone equipped in this way is significantly higher than the legitimacy alone via a Bluetooth interface, since an additional signal path and the accurate orientation of the mobile device as access means are possible.

Claims

claims

1. Mobile communication device (2), which for

Communication is formed via a public communication network,

wherein the communication device further comprises an interface (15) for short-range radio frequency communication,

characterized,

the mobile communication device (2) has an LF

Coil arrangement (10a, 10b, 10c) with at least three

Receiving coils for low-frequency (LF) signals, wherein the LF receiver coils each in different

Spatial directions are oriented,

wherein the LF coil assembly (10a, 10b, 10c) with a

Control unit (14) in the mobile communication device (2) is coupled such that in response to a signal received via the LF coil arrangement (10a, 10b, 10c) the

Interface (15) for high-frequency communication can be controlled.

2. A mobile communication device according to claim 1, wherein the LF coil arrangement (10a, 10b, 10c) is coupled to means (14) for determining the signal strength of the received LF signals.

3. Mobile communication device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the interface for high-frequency communication is designed as a Bluetooth interface or as an NFC interface.

4. Mobile communication device according to one of

preceding claims, wherein the LF coil assembly is formed as part of a module which is coupled to a mobile communication device via a standard interface.

5. Mobile communication device according to claim 4, wherein the module with the mobile communication device via a

Connector is coupled for data transmission.

6. Mobile communication device according to one of

preceding claims, wherein the LF coil arrangement is adapted to receive signals at a frequency of 125 kHz.