EP3837678A1

EP3837678A1 - Portable device, method and system for finding vehicle

Info

Publication number: EP3837678A1
Application number: EP18929936.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kai BAIER
Original assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
Current assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
Priority date: 2018-08-16
Filing date: 2018-08-16
Publication date: 2021-06-23
Also published as: EP3837678A4; WO2020034129A1; CN112534484A

Abstract

A portable device (2) for finding a vehicle (1), as well as a suitable method, which is at least partially executed in the portable device (2), as well as a system for finding a vehicle (1). For this purpose, the portable device (2) has at least one signal receiving means (21) which is configured to receive a signal (S) sent out by the vehicle (1) and to determine therefrom a distance between signal receiving means (21) and a device sending the signal (S), and at least one indicating means (22) which is configured to output an indication depending on the determined distance.

Description

[Title established by the ISA under Rule 37.2] PORTABLE DEVICE, METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FINDING VEHICLE

The disclosure relates to a portable device, a method and a system for finding a vehicle.
Finding a vehicle is often only possible with manual operation. For example, after pressing the opener button on the car key, a short indication tone will sound and/or the lights on the vehicle will be switched on. It has also been recognized in the German patent applications DE102012214601A1, DE102014224999A1 that it would be advantageous to detect an approach of an authorized user, e.g. a driver of a vehicle, for example, so as to activate a greeting function. Such a greeting may be turning on of the internal or external lighting, or playing of an acoustic greeting or a horn, as e.g. obligating in USA.
However, these systems are still in need of improvement, e.g. to better find the vehicle or to achieve an improved personalization.
Therefore, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a corresponding device as well as a method and a system by which an improved finding of the vehicle is possible. According to the present disclosure, this object is achieved by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matters of the dependent claims.
Proposed is a portable device for finding a vehicle, wherein the device has at least one signal receiving means which is configured to receive a signal sent out by the vehicle and thus also the associated signal strength, and to determine therefrom a distance between the signal receiving means and a device sending the signal; and at least one indicating means which is configured to output an indication depending on the determined distance or the received signal strength. By means of the possibility to determine a distance of a user from his vehicle or a corresponding signal receiving device such as a portable device, an improved finding of the vehicle can become possible. Here, the distance can be determined depending on the signal strength, which depends on the proximity of the user to the vehicle. The device sending the signal (short for signal sending device) is implemented e.g. in a portable device carried by the user, e.g. Smart phone or a vehicle key.
In one embodiment, upon reaching a predetermined value of the determined distance or the signal strength, the indication is terminated. Thus, it can be indicated that the user has arrived at the vehicle and it is avoided that the indication remains active, although the vehicle is already found.
In one embodiment, the smaller the distance between the signal receiving means and a device sending the signal, or the higher the received signal strength, the more intensive the indication becomes. Thus, a simple and understandable indication can be made that the user is approaching the vehicle.
In one embodiment, the indication is an optical and/or acoustic and/or haptic indication. In one embodiment, the haptic indication is a vibration of the device. Due to the different possibilities of the indication, different requirements can be met and conditions can be taken into account.
In one embodiment, the portable device is a mobile phone having the signal receiving means and an indicating means for indication. The signal receiving means and the indicating means may be separate means or means already existing in the mobile telephone. Alternatively, the portable device is a vehicle key having the signal receiving means and indicating means. By using an apparatus that the user already takes with him anyway, the acceptance is increased, but less material is required to provide the device.
Further proposed is a method for finding a vehicle, which is at least partially implemented as a software application at least partially in a previously described portable device, and wherein a signal sent out by the vehicle and thus the associated signal strength are received and processed in such a way, that a distance between the signal receiving means and a device sending the signal is determined therefrom, and an indication is output depending on the determined distance or the received signal strength.
In one embodiment, the indication is an optical and/or acoustic and/or haptic indication, wherein the smaller the distance or the higher the received signal strength, the indication becomes more intensive, and/or wherein upon reaching a predetermined value of the signal strength, the indication is terminated ,
In one embodiment, the portable device is a mobile phone or a vehicle key.
Furthermore, a system for finding a vehicle is proposed that has at least one vehicle and the described portable device. The vehicle has at least one signal sending means which is configured to send a signal to the outside of the vehicle.
Further features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from the following description of embodiments of the disclosure, with reference to the figures of the drawing, which shows the inventive details, and from the claims. The individual features can be realized individually or for several in any combination in a variant of the disclosure.
So far, starting from the vehicle, an indication of its location is carried out, e.g. by means of light signals or acoustic signals. However, this must be initialized by the user, e.g. by pressing a button of the vehicle key. By indicating the location of the vehicle by a portable device rather than by the vehicle, an automated indication of the vehicle location can be carried out, as soon as the portable device is in the vicinity of the vehicle.
As a portable device, a mobile terminal apparatus such as a mobile phone or smart phone but also the vehicle key with corresponding equipment can be used. As a basic equipment of the portable device, it is sufficient if it has a signal receiving means and a corresponding indicating device, as described in more detail below. The signal receiving means should be able to process the received data such that a signal is output to the indicating means, by which the proximity to the location of the vehicle can be determined. However, additionally a processing means can be provided to process the received data, that is to say, the processing then takes place separately to the signal receiving means.
Vehicles are now increasingly equipped with signal sending means such as WiFi, namely wireless communication possibility, Bluetooth etc. In this case, these signal sending means can also send to an area outside the vehicle, so that the signal can be received by a apparatus such as the described portable device outside the vehicle via corresponding signal receiving means. In the case of a mobile phone or smart phone, the receiving interface, namely signal receiving means, already existing in the apparatus can be used for this purpose. In another portable device e.g. the vehicle key, it can be necessary that it must be retrofitted accordingly, i.e. a corresponding signal receiving means, e.g. a WiFi interface or a Bluetooth receiver must be installed.
The similar situation applies to the indicating means, that is to say, it is possible to use indicating means already installed in the portable device, or they can be equipped afterwards. In the case of a mobile phone or smart phone, the indication can be used to provide an optical indication of the location of the vehicle, e.g. by indicating an arrow in the direction of the location. Also, the speaker function may be used to provide an acoustic signal, or the vibration function may be used to provide a haptic signal. Also, a combination of optical and/or acoustic and/or haptic signal may be used to indicate the location of the vehicle.
The signaling can be designed variable in its intensity depending on the distance between the portable device and the vehicle. Here, a haptic indication, e.g. a vibration, at a greater distance may have a slower frequency than at a small distance to the vehicle. The closer the portable device is to the vehicle, an optical indication may flash faster and/or brighter, and an acoustic indication may become louder. The terms large distance and small distance are dependent on the type of the signal, the receiver in the portable device, i.e. the associated sending or receiving range, but also e.g. user-set personalized values. For example, it can either be preset or set by the user that the indication should be made from a distance of 10 m from the vehicle. The distance can also be chosen smaller or larger. It can also be chosen individually depending on the situation, when the vehicle is equipped to recognize the current situation. For example, when searching for the vehicle in a parking garage, the indication can be made at a distance of 10 m, and when picking up a user by a driver or an automatic driving vehicle, the indication can be made at a distance of 50 m, if this is allowed by the vehicle's signaling and the receiving power of the portable device.
The distance to the vehicle may be determined by the signal strength, i.e. the stronger the signal, the closer the portable device is to the vehicle. In this case, it is advantageous if the type of the signal is known, e.g. WiFi or Bluetooth. It is also advantageous to know the arrangement of the signal generator on the vehicle. It can be determined therefrom at which distance the portable device is from the vehicle and from which direction it approaches. Thus, it can be determined which indication intensity is indicated as well as from which signal strength it is determined that the portable device is on the vehicle or close enough to the vehicle so that signaling can be terminated.
The signaling is advantageously increased in its intensity, as the portable device approaches the vehicle closer, that is to say, the smaller the distance between the portable device and the vehicle, namely, the higher the signal strength becomes, as described above. The termination of signaling may occur when the portable device is within a predetermined distance from the vehicle, e.g. within 2 m, wherein this can also be set individually by the user. The distance between the portable device and the vehicle may be defined differently. It can be e.g. the distance between a signal generator and the portable device, or between the outer end of the vehicle, from the direction of which the portable device approaches, and the portable device, or between another defined point or location on the vehicle and the portable device. This definition may be dependent on the existing equipment of the vehicle and on the used portable device, that is to say, depending on the available information about the signal, on the signal itself or other settings, e.g. presets by the manufacturer or the user.
For example, if the signal generator is located in the region of the windshield of the vehicle, a signal can be emitted in all directions around the vehicle. It should be noted that the vehicle has a certain extent in the longitudinal and transverse directions. Therefore, upon detecting from which direction the portable device is approaching, the distance is taken account of, from which it is determined that the portable device is on the vehicle or close enough to the vehicle, so as to terminate the signaling. This can be done by a separate processing device, which is located in the portable device or in the vehicle, or by information sent along with the signal and processed in the portable device accordingly. For this propose, the portable device, e.g. the vehicle key, can have a corresponding processing device, or said processing device is integrated in the signal receiving means.
Advantageously, the portable device and signal generator of the vehicle can identify with each other via a secure connection and connect or communicate accordingly. Such methods are e.g. known from the WLAN field.
In order to avoid unwanted actions of the vehicle, different measures can be provided. For example, an indication can be provided after leaving the vehicle by a time delay. Also, it can be determined that the portable device is moving away from the vehicle and thus no indication should be carried out. In that case, it would be advantageous, if a prior determination is made, that the portable device is in or near the vehicle, e.g. within a radius of less than 2 m, before it moves away therefrom. Thus, it can be avoided that for a user who searches his vehicle and moves away from it, no indication is made.
In addition, when a mobile phone or a smart phone is used, a tone or a vibration type different from telephone calls, which is characteristic of the search of the vehicle, may be used.
In addition, other functions may be activated on or in the vehicle when it has been detected that the portable device is approaching the vehicle. The vehicle can be e.g. automatically unlocked when the portable device is located within a predetermined distance, e.g. less than 3 m from the vehicle. Also, the air conditioning, the radio, the engine, etc. can be started. It can also be detected which portable device is approaching and thus who the driver will be. This can be done when the portable device is assigned to a user and thus certain settings can be assigned to the user, as it is now often the case. Thus, in addition to the type of the indication and the distance settings, settings adapted to the corresponding driver, e.g. seat adjustment or radio and air conditioning settings can be made at the same time.
In principle, at least part of the described functionality can be provided via a software application at least partially in the portable device. This software application serves to process the signals and select a suitable indication type, e.g. depending on the detected user and/or the detected situation, e.g. parking garage, parking lot, picking up the user, etc. The software application may be carried out partially in the portable device and e.g. partially in the vehicle, depending on what information is provided by the vehicle. If e.g. already prepared information is transferred from the vehicle to the portable device, it can e.g. only be implemented in the portable device, which indication type is to be selected. However, much of the information can be also determined by the portable device so that the software application must perform the processing in the portable device. At least, the software application in the portable device must adjust the indication according to the signal strength.
Finding the vehicle with the proposed portable device is particularly helpful when the vehicle is parked, for example, in a parking garage or a larger parking lot, when many similar vehicles are in the vicinity of the vehicle, or even if the vehicle is not used for a longer time and the user does not remember exactly where he has left it. Also, it may be helpful that the portable device indicates the location of the vehicle when the vehicle is used by several persons and is parked at different locations. Thus, a new user can find the vehicle more easily even if a description of the location has been made by a pre-user.
Also, by the indication that the portable device is approaching the vehicle, the case that the vehicle approaches the portable device is included. Thus, in the case of picking up a user, e.g. by a chauffeur or other driver, but also by an automatic driving vehicle, a user can be prepared for the arrival of the vehicle. Thus, he can, e.g. say goodbye to a conversation partner or to stand at an appointed place for picking up, without having to wait there for an unnecessary long time. This can be particularly advantageous when it rains and the pickup should take place in the open air.
Further, through the direct, advantageously secured, communication between vehicle and portable device, an improper use e.g. of a function to unlock the vehicle may be largely avoided.
In addition to the indication possibility of the portable device, indications may still be carried out by the vehicle, e.g. turn on the light, even in a welcome mode operated light signals, a horn, music, etc.
Advantageous embodiments of the disclosure will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of important components needed to find the vehicle and to carry out the method, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figures 2a and 2b exemplarily show an embodiment and the indication intensity at a great distance from the vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIGS. 3a and 3b exemplarily show an embodiment and the indication distance at a small distance to the vehicle, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.
In the following description of the figures, the same elements or functions are provided with the same reference signs.
Figure 1 shows the interaction of the described system comprising vehicle 1 and portable device 2. In order to communicate with the portable device 2, the vehicle 1 has a signal sending means or a signal generator 11 which sends corresponding signals S, e.g. WiFi or Bluetooth, to the outside of the vehicle 1 for finding the vehicle 1. The signal strength is shown in the figures by the arcuate lines spaced apart at different distances from each other. The portable device 2, which can be e.g. a mobile phone, e.g. a smart phone, or the vehicle key, has at least one signal receiving means 21 and a indicating means 22. The indicating means 22 may consist of several parts, e.g. of a display for optical indication and/or a sound output unit such as a speaker for acoustic indication and/or a haptic device through which a vibration can take place.
FIGS. 2a, 2b and 3a, 3b schematically show how the signal strength affects the behavior of a portable device communicating via a haptic indication. This means that the basic procedure of the method is shown here. In Figure 2a, the distance A between the vehicle 1 and the portable device 2 is large and thus the signal strength of the signal sent out by the signal generator 11 of the vehicle 1 is relatively weak, which is represented by the greater distance between the arcs of the signal S, in any case weaker than at the smaller distance as shown in Figure 3a. FIG. 2b shows that, at the large distance A, a slower frequency of the vibration than at a small distance is used. At a smaller distance, that is to say with a higher signal strength, as shown by the arcs of the signal S, which are closer to each other, a higher frequency is used, as shown in FIG. 2b.

Claims

A portable device (2) for finding a vehicle (1) , said portable device (2) comprising:

- at least one signal receiving means (21) which is configured to receive a signal (S) sent out by the vehicle (1) and to determine therefrom a distance between the signal receiving means (21) and a device sending the signal (S) ,

- at least one indicating means (22) which is configured to output an indication depending on the determined distance.
Portable device (2) according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the signal receiving means (21) and the device sending the signal (S) is determined based on a detected signal strength of the signal (S) .
Portable device (2) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein upon reaching a predetermined distance, the indication is terminated.
Portable device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the smaller the distance between signal receiving means (21) and a device sending the signal (S) , the more intensive the indication is.
Portable device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the indication is an optical and/or acoustic and/or haptic indication.
Portable device (2) according to claim 5, wherein the haptic indication is a vibration of the portable device (2) .
Portable device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, which is a mobile telephone having the signal receiving means (21) and indicating means (22) for indication, or wherein the portable device (2) is a vehicle key comprising the signal receiving means (21) and indicating means (22) .
A method for finding a vehicle, which is at least partially implemented as a software application at least partially in a portable device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a signal sent out by the vehicle (1) is received and processed in such a way, that a distance between signal receiving means (21) and a device sending the signal (S) is determined therefrom, and an indication is output depending on the determined distance.
The method according to claim 8, wherein the indication is an optical and/or acoustic and/or haptic indication, wherein the smaller the distance, the more intensive the indication is, and/or wherein upon reaching a predetermined value of the distance, the indication is terminated.
The method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the portable device (2) is a mobile phone or a vehicle key.
System for finding a vehicle (1) , comprising at least:

- a vehicle (1) having at least one signal sending means (11) configured to send a signal to the outside of the vehicle (1) , and

- a portable device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.