JP2016030892A - Communication system for vehicle, on-vehicle unit, mobile unit and computer program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication system for a vehicle that accurately detects whether a mobile unit is inside or outside of the vehicle, regardless of whether the vehicle door is open or closed.SOLUTION: A communication system for a vehicle includes an on-vehicle unit 1 and a mobile unit 2. The on-vehicle unit 1 transmits signals from a plurality of transmission antennas (3) installed on the vehicle. The mobile unit 2 measures a received signal intensity of the signals transmitted from each of the plurality of transmission antennas (3), and transmits a response signal that contains the received signal intensity of each signal. The on-vehicle unit 1 receives the response signal. The on-vehicle unit 1 has stored in its memory a plurality of inside/outside the vehicle judgment data for each of open/closed states of the vehicle door, for judging whether the mobile unit 2 is inside or outside the vehicle, and detects the open/closed state of the vehicle door and selects one of the inside/outside the vehicle data based on the detected result. Then, the on-vehicle unit 1 judges whether the mobile unit 2 is inside or outside the vehicle, based on the received signal intensity contained in the received response signal and the selected inside/outside the vehicle judgment datum.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present application relates to a vehicle communication system, an in-vehicle device and a portable device that constitute the vehicle communication system, and a computer program.

A vehicle communication system that locks and unlocks a vehicle door without using a mechanical key has been put into practical use. Specifically, a keyless entry system that locks or unlocks a vehicle door by wireless remote control using a portable device possessed by the user, a user who possesses the portable device only approaches the vehicle or holds the door handle The Smart Entry (registered trademark) system that unlocks vehicle doors has been put into practical use.
Further, a vehicle communication system that starts a vehicle engine without using a mechanical key has been put into practical use. Specifically, a smart start system in which a user having a portable device starts an engine simply by pressing an engine start button has been put into practical use.
In the above communication system, the in-vehicle device communicates with the portable device by radio signal, and after performing authentication, performs control related to predetermined operations such as unlocking, locking, engine starting, etc. In order to prevent unauthorized operation, Before carrying out the operation, it is confirmed that the portable device is in a predetermined position. As a method for confirming the position of the portable device, methods described in Patent Documents 1, 2, 3, and the like are known.

  In Patent Document 1, position detection is performed by transmitting a signal from a vehicle interior antenna and a vehicle exterior antenna to the vehicle interior and the vehicle exterior, and determining the position of the mobile device depending on which signal the mobile device responds to. A method is disclosed.

Patent Document 2 discloses a keyless entry device in which a portable device receives signals transmitted from a plurality of antennas provided in a vehicle, and determines the position of the portable device from the received signal strength of each signal received by the portable device. Has been. The in-vehicle device according to Patent Document 2 stores in advance data for determining the position of the portable device. Specifically, portable devices are arranged at a plurality of locations along the inside of the vehicle interior / exterior boundary surface, for measuring the received signal intensity transmitted from a plurality of transmission antennas connected to the vehicle-mounted device (for determining the position of the portable device). ) Is received by the portable device, and the received signal strength of the signal is measured. Similarly, the portable device is arranged at a plurality of locations along the outside of the vehicle interior / exterior boundary surface, and the portable device receives signals for reception signal strength measurement transmitted from a plurality of transmission antennas connected to the vehicle-mounted device. Then, the received signal strength of the signal is measured. The in-vehicle device measures the vehicle interior data group including a plurality of received signal strengths measured along the inside of the vehicle interior / exterior boundary surface and the mobile device along the outside of the vehicle interior / exterior boundary surface. A vehicle exterior data group including a plurality of received signal strengths is stored in advance.
During the operation of the keyless entry system, the portable device measures the received signal strength of signals transmitted from the plurality of transmitting antennas, and transmits the measured received signal strength to the in-vehicle device. The in-vehicle device receives the received signal strength transmitted from the portable device, and determines whether the received signal strength measured by the portable device is closer to the vehicle interior data group or the vehicle exterior data group based on the Mahalanobis distance. When the received signal strength is close to the vehicle interior data group, the in-vehicle device determines that the portable device is in the vehicle interior, and when it is close to the vehicle interior data group, the mobile device is determined to be outside the vehicle interior.

  Patent Document 3 discloses a keyless entry device having the same configuration as Patent Document 2. In the keyless entry device according to Patent Document 3, the signal transmitted from the transmission antenna is affected by the movement of the door mirror provided in the vehicle, and the received signal intensity measured by the portable device changes. For this reason, the keyless entry device individually stores the first data groups measured by placing the portable device along the inside of the vehicle when the door mirror is opened and closed. Similarly, the keyless entry device individually stores the second data group measured by arranging the portable device along the outside of the vehicle when the door mirror is opened and closed. The keyless entry device detects the open / closed state of the door mirror. When the door mirror is open, whether the portable device is in the vehicle interior using the first and second data groups obtained with the door mirror open. When the door mirror is closed, the first and second data groups obtained with the door mirror closed are used to determine whether the portable device is in the vehicle interior.

Japanese Patent No. 448236 Japanese Patent No. 4673234 Japanese Patent No. 4673230

However, in order to accurately determine the position of the portable device using the method of Patent Document 1, transmission is performed from the vehicle interior antenna and vehicle interior antenna so that the outside and the interior are clearly distinguished on the vehicle interior / exterior boundary surface. It is necessary to adjust the physical strength of the signal to be adjusted, and there is a problem that such adjustment is physically difficult.
In order to prevent the keyless entry device from erroneously detecting the position of the portable device and accidentally locking or unlocking the door, it is necessary to suppress as much as possible a signal leaking out of the vehicle interior antenna. For example, according to a standard established by an organization that evaluates the prevention of vehicle theft, a vehicle needs to satisfy a predetermined standard value in both the opened state and the closed state of the vehicle. It is required to accurately determine whether or not the user is in the room. However, when the back door of the vehicle is opened, the signal from the vehicle interior antenna tends to leak out of the vehicle interior, so that the adjustment is difficult.

  Moreover, in patent document 2, the vehicle interior data group and the vehicle exterior data group of the received signal strength which were measured by arranging the portable device along the inside and outside of the vehicle interior / exterior boundary surface with the vehicle door closed. Since the position of the portable device is determined by using this, the received signal strength varies depending on the open / closed state of the vehicle door, and the position determination of the portable device may be erroneous.

  Further, in Patent Document 3, the position of the portable device can be accurately determined even when the positions of the door mirror, the seat, the handle, etc. are changed. A technique for accurately determining whether or not the vehicle is in the passenger compartment is not disclosed.

  An object of the present application is to receive a signal transmitted from a plurality of antennas on a vehicle side by a portable device, and to determine the position of the portable device using the received signal strength of the signal measured by the portable device. Provided is a vehicle communication stem capable of accurately determining whether or not a portable device is in a vehicle interior regardless of the open / closed state of the vehicle, an in-vehicle device and a portable device constituting the vehicle communication system, and a computer program There is.

  A vehicle communication system according to an aspect of the present invention includes an in-vehicle device that transmits signals from a plurality of antennas provided in a vehicle, a signal transmitted from the on-vehicle device, and a response signal corresponding to the received signal The portable communication system includes a measuring unit that measures received signal strengths of signals transmitted from the plurality of antennas, and each signal measured by the measuring unit. A transmission unit that transmits a response signal including the received signal strength of the in-vehicle device, the in-vehicle device included in the in-vehicle reception unit that receives the response signal transmitted from the portable device, and the response signal received by the in-vehicle reception unit A storage unit that stores each of a plurality of vehicle interior / exterior determination information for determining whether or not the portable device is in a vehicle interior for each open / closed state of the vehicle door based on the received signal strength, and the door Open / close state of A detection unit that knows, a selection unit that selects any one of the vehicle interior / exterior determination information stored in the storage unit based on a detection result of the detection unit, and a response signal received by the in-vehicle reception unit A vehicle interior / exterior determination unit that determines whether the portable device is in the vehicle interior based on the received signal strength included and the vehicle interior / exterior determination information selected by the selection unit.

  An in-vehicle device according to an aspect of the present invention is an in-vehicle device that transmits signals from a plurality of antennas provided in a vehicle and receives response signals transmitted from a portable device in response to the signals. Based on the in-vehicle receiving unit that receives a response signal including the received signal strength of the signal transmitted from the antenna in the portable device, and the received signal strength included in the response signal received by the in-vehicle receiving unit, A storage unit that stores each of a plurality of vehicle interior / exterior determination information for determining whether or not the vehicle is in the vehicle interior for each open / closed state of the vehicle door, a detection unit that detects the open / closed state of the door, and the detection A selection unit that selects any one of the vehicle interior / exterior determination information stored in the storage unit based on a detection result of the unit, a received signal strength included in the response signal received by the in-vehicle reception unit, and the selection Select Based on the vehicle interior outside determination information, the portable device, and a determining vehicle interior outdoor decision unit whether the vehicle compartment.

  A portable device according to one aspect of the present invention is a portable device that receives a plurality of signals transmitted from a vehicle and transmits a response signal corresponding to the received signal, and measures the received signal strength of the plurality of signals. A measurement unit that performs measurement, a storage unit that stores each of a plurality of vehicle interior / exterior determination information for determining whether or not the vehicle is inside the vehicle interior, and a signal transmitted from the vehicle A detection unit that detects an open / closed state of the door, and a selection unit that selects any one of the vehicle interior / exterior determination information stored in the storage unit based on a detection result of the detection unit; A vehicle interior / exterior determination unit that determines whether the vehicle is in the vehicle interior based on the received signal strength measured by the measurement unit and the vehicle interior / exterior determination information selected by the selection unit.

  A computer program according to one embodiment of the present invention is a computer that determines whether or not a portable device is in a vehicle interior based on received signal strength of a signal transmitted from a plurality of antennas provided in the vehicle and received by the portable device. A selection unit that selects any one of a plurality of vehicle interior / exterior determination information prepared for each open / closed state of the vehicle door based on the open / closed state of the door. Then, based on the received signal strength and the vehicle interior / exterior determination information selected by the selection unit, the portable device is caused to function as a vehicle interior / exterior determination unit that determines whether the portable device is in the vehicle interior.

  Note that the present application can be realized not only as a vehicle communication system, an in-vehicle device, and a portable device including such a characteristic processing unit, but also as a vehicle communication method using such characteristic processing as a step. The program can be realized as a program for causing a computer to execute such steps. Also, it may be realized as a semiconductor integrated circuit that realizes part or all of a vehicle communication system, an in-vehicle device and a portable device, or may be realized as another system including a vehicle communication system, an in-vehicle device and a portable device. it can.

  According to the above, in the position determination of the portable device using signals received from the plurality of antennas on the vehicle side received by the portable device and using the received signal strength of the signal measured by the portable device, the door of the vehicle Provided is a vehicle communication system capable of accurately determining whether a portable device is in a vehicle interior regardless of the open / closed state of the vehicle, an in-vehicle device and a portable device constituting the vehicle communication system, and a computer program. It becomes possible.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of a vehicle communication system according to a first embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the example of 1 structure of vehicle equipment. It is a block diagram which shows one structural example of a portable device. It is a conceptual diagram which shows 1st vehicle interior space information (1st vehicle interior / exterior determination information). It is a conceptual diagram which shows 2nd vehicle interior space information (2nd vehicle interior / exterior determination information). It is a conceptual diagram which shows the 1st area | region which concerns on 1st vehicle interior space information. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the sample extraction location which concerns on the 1st area | region which concerns on 1st vehicle interior space information. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the 2nd area | region which concerns on 1st vehicle interior space information. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the sample extraction location which concerns on a 2nd area | region. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the 3rd area | region and 4th area | region which concern on 1st vehicle interior space information. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the area | region corresponding to 1st vehicle interior space. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the process with respect to an operation request. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a vehicle interior / exterior determination subroutine according to the first embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of the control part which concerns on selection of spatial information. It is a graph which shows distribution of received signal strength. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a control unit according to selection of spatial information in the second embodiment. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a control unit according to selection of spatial information in the third embodiment. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a control unit related to selection of spatial information in Modification 2 of Embodiment 3. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a vehicle interior / exterior determination subroutine in the fourth embodiment.

[Description of Embodiment of the Present Invention]
First, embodiments of the present invention will be listed and described. Moreover, you may combine arbitrarily at least one part of embodiment described below.

(1) A vehicle communication system according to an aspect of the present invention includes an in-vehicle device that transmits signals from a plurality of antennas provided in a vehicle, a signal transmitted from the in-vehicle device, and a response to the received signal. A communication system for a vehicle including a portable device for transmitting the response signal, wherein the portable device measures a received signal strength of a signal transmitted from each of the plurality of antennas, and the measurement unit performs measurement. A transmission unit that transmits a response signal including the received signal strength of each signal, the in-vehicle device receives the response signal transmitted from the portable device, and the response received by the in-vehicle reception unit A storage unit that stores each of a plurality of vehicle interior / exterior determination information for determining whether or not the portable device is in a vehicle interior for each open / closed state of the vehicle door based on a received signal strength included in the signal; Opening and closing the door A detection unit for detecting a state, a selection unit for selecting any one of the vehicle interior / exterior determination information stored in the storage unit based on a detection result of the detection unit, and a response received by the in-vehicle reception unit A vehicle interior / exterior determination unit that determines whether or not the portable device is in the vehicle interior based on the received signal strength included in the signal and the vehicle interior / exterior determination information selected by the selection unit.

In this application, the vehicle-mounted device transmits signals from a plurality of antennas provided in the vehicle. This signal is a signal for determining the position of the portable device. The portable device receives the signal transmitted from each antenna, measures the received signal strength of each signal, and transmits a response signal including the received signal strength obtained by the measurement to the in-vehicle device. The received signal strength of each signal varies depending on the position of the portable device with respect to the vehicle. The in-vehicle device receives the response signal transmitted from the portable device.
The storage unit of the in-vehicle device has a plurality of vehicle interior / exterior determination information for determining whether the portable device is in the vehicle interior as information for determining whether the portable device is in the vehicle interior. Is stored for each door open / close state.
The detection unit of the in-vehicle device detects the open / closed state of the door, and the selection unit selects any one of the plurality of vehicle interior / exterior determination information based on the detection result of the detection unit. Then, the vehicle interior / exterior determination unit of the vehicle-mounted device is configured so that the portable device is installed in the vehicle interior based on the received signal strength included in the response signal received by the vehicle-mounted reception unit and the vehicle interior / exterior determination information selected by the selection unit. It is determined whether or not there is. The determination of the position of the portable device by the vehicle interior / exterior determination unit is referred to as vehicle interior / exterior determination.
Therefore, the in-vehicle device accurately determines whether the portable device is in the vehicle interior regardless of the open / closed state of the vehicle door by selecting the vehicle interior / exterior determination information corresponding to the open / closed state of the vehicle door. be able to.
In addition, it is not limited to the case where the door of a vehicle is one, The structure which a memory | storage part memorize | stores the vehicle interior / exterior determination information according to the open / closed state of each of several doors is also contained in this aspect. The detection unit detects open / closed states of a plurality of doors, and the selection unit selects any one of the vehicle interior / exterior determination information stored in the storage unit based on a detection result relating to the open / closed state of each door.

(2) Preferably, the detection unit is configured to detect the opening degree of the door, and the selection unit is configured to select vehicle interior / exterior determination information corresponding to the opening degree detected by the detection unit.

According to the present application, the in-vehicle device selects vehicle interior / exterior determination information corresponding to the opening degree of the door of the vehicle, and determines whether or not the portable device is in the vehicle interior. The door opening need not be an angle that changes in small increments, and there is no need for the vehicle interior determination information to correspond one-to-one for each angle. The opening degree of the door may be an angle having a width such as 10 degrees or 20 degrees. For example, the opening degree of the door is set to 0 degree when the door is fully closed, and the first vehicle interior / exit determination state is selected according to the open state where the opening degree is 0 degree to less than 45 degrees. May be configured such that the second vehicle interior / exterior determination state is selected according to the open state of 45 degrees or more, and the third vehicle interior / exterior determination state is selected according to the fully closed state of the door. .
Therefore, it is possible to accurately determine whether or not the portable device is in the passenger compartment regardless of the opening degree of the vehicle door. For example, even if the door of the vehicle is about half open, the in-vehicle device selects the vehicle interior / exterior determination information according to the opening of the door, so whether or not the portable device is in the vehicle interior. Can be determined with high accuracy.

(3) Some of the antennas are provided on a door of the vehicle, and the other antennas are provided on a non-movable part of the vehicle. The vehicle interior / exterior determination unit is configured such that the detection unit opens the door. In a case where a state is detected, it is preferable to determine whether or not the portable device is in a vehicle interior based on the received signal strength of a signal transmitted from the other antenna.

  When the door of the vehicle opens and the position of the antenna provided at the door changes greatly, the received signal strength of the signal from the antenna measured by the portable device also changes greatly. If the received signal strength changes greatly, there is a possibility that the determination of the inside / outside of the portable device will be erroneous. Therefore, in the present application, when the vehicle door is in the open state, the inside / outside determination of the interior of the portable device is performed using the received signal strength of the signal from the antenna provided in the non-movable part of the vehicle. Therefore, it can be determined with higher accuracy whether or not the portable device is in the passenger compartment.

(4) It is preferable that the detection unit is configured to estimate an open / closed state of the door based on a received signal strength included in a response signal received by the in-vehicle receiving unit.

According to the present application, the detection unit of the in-vehicle device estimates the open / closed state of the door based on the received signal strength included in the response signal from the portable device received by the in-vehicle reception unit. When the vehicle door is open, the signal leaking from the passenger compartment to the outside of the passenger compartment tends to increase, and the received signal strength tends to increase. For this reason, the open / closed state of the door can be estimated from the received signal strength.
Therefore, it is possible to accurately determine whether the portable device is in the vehicle interior by selecting the vehicle interior / exterior determination information without using a signal from the open / closed state sensor for detecting the open / closed state of the door. .
The received signal strength may be a received signal strength of a signal for position determination of a portable device, or may be a received signal strength of a signal separately transmitted from an in-vehicle device.

(5) Some of the antennas are provided on the door of the vehicle, other antennas are provided on a non-movable part of the vehicle, and the detection unit detects opening / closing of the door, When the detection unit detects the open state of the door, based on the received signal strength of the signal transmitted from the other antenna, whether the portable device is within a predetermined range of the door in the open state A position determination unit that determines whether the portable device is within the predetermined range by the position determination unit, the partial antenna provided in the door in an open state A configuration in which the opening degree of the door is estimated on the basis of the received signal strength of the signal transmitted from is preferable.

According to the present application, when the door provided with the antenna is in the open state, the position determination unit determines the predetermined range of the door in the open state based on the received signal strength of the signal from the other antenna in the fixed position. It is determined whether or not there is a portable device. When the portable device is within the predetermined range, the received signal strength varies due to opening / closing of the door, which may affect the determination of the inside / outside of the portable device.
When it is determined that the portable device is within the predetermined range, the detection unit estimates the opening degree of the door based on the received signal strength of the signal from the partial antenna provided on the door to be opened and closed. Since some of the antennas are provided on the door of the vehicle, the received signal strength of the signal from the antenna measured by the portable device varies greatly depending on the open / closed state of the vehicle door. The change in received signal strength is larger than the received signal strength of signals from other antennas. Therefore, the detection unit can accurately detect the opening degree of the door based on the received signal strength of the signal from the antenna provided in the door that is opened and closed.

(6) The vehicle interior / exterior determination unit determines, for each region, whether each vehicle is inside a plurality of different regions that commonly include the vehicle interior space related to the vehicle interior / exterior determination information. And the structure provided with the determination part which determines whether the said portable machine exists inside the whole area | region is preferable.

In this application, the area inside / outside determination unit of the in-vehicle device determines, for each area, whether or not the portable device is inside each of a plurality of different areas. Hereinafter, the determination by the area internal / external determination unit is referred to as internal / external determination. The plurality of regions include a common vehicle interior space, and a part of the boundary of each region precisely follows a boundary of a part of the vehicle interior space where the inside / outside determination is desired. It does not completely coincide with the boundary of the space. For this reason, the man-hour required for parameter creation for determining whether the portable device is located inside or outside the boundary surface in each region can be reduced.
The determination unit of the present application determines whether or not the portable device is inside the entire area. For example, when the portable devices are inside the common vehicle interior space, the portable devices are all determined to be inside in the inside / outside determination in the plurality of regions. When the portable device is outside the common vehicle interior space, it is determined that the portable device is outside at least one of the plurality of regions. The plurality of areas are created so that, when all are combined, the mobile device is accurately aligned with the boundary of the area where it is desired to determine whether the portable device is inside or outside of the passenger compartment. In the area, it is possible to accurately determine whether the portable device is located inside or outside. Hereinafter, the determination of the position of the portable device by the determination unit is referred to as vehicle interior / exterior determination.
Note that the vehicle interior space of the present application does not need to completely coincide with the vehicle interior space, and does not need to include the entire vehicle compartment without omission.
In addition, it is not necessary to accurately determine the interior / exterior of the portable device in all the interior / exterior boundaries of the interior space of the vehicle interior, and if there is no problem, there is a portion of the interior / external boundary where the accuracy of exterior / exterior determination is poor. Embodiments are also included in the embodiments of the present application.

(7) An in-vehicle device according to an aspect of the present invention is an in-vehicle device that transmits a signal from a plurality of antennas provided in a vehicle and receives a response signal transmitted from a portable device in response to the signal, Based on the received signal strength included in the response signal received by the in-vehicle receiving unit, and the in-vehicle receiving unit that receives the response signal including the received signal strength of the signal transmitted from each of the plurality of antennas in the portable device, A storage unit for storing each of a plurality of vehicle interior / exterior determination information for determining whether or not the portable device is in the vehicle interior for each door open / closed state of the vehicle, and a detection unit for detecting the door open / closed state A selection unit that selects any one of the vehicle interior / exterior determination information stored in the storage unit based on a detection result of the detection unit, and a received signal intensity included in the response signal received by the in-vehicle reception unit And the selector Based on the-option the vehicle interior outside determination information, the portable device, and a determining vehicle interior outdoor decision unit whether the vehicle compartment.

  In the present application, similarly to the aspect (1) of the present invention, the vehicle-mounted device selects the vehicle interior / exterior determination information according to the open / close state of the vehicle door, thereby regardless of the open / closed state of the vehicle door. Whether or not the portable device is in the vehicle compartment can be determined with high accuracy.

(8) A portable device according to one aspect of the present invention is a portable device that receives a plurality of signals transmitted from a vehicle and transmits a response signal corresponding to the received signal, and receives the plurality of signals. A measurement unit for measuring the strength, a storage unit for storing each of a plurality of vehicle interior / exterior determination information for determining whether or not the vehicle is in the vehicle interior for each open / closed state of the door of the vehicle, and transmission from the vehicle A selection unit that detects the open / closed state of the door based on a signal to be selected, and a selection that selects one of the vehicle interior / exterior determination information stored in the storage unit based on a detection result of the detection unit And a vehicle interior / exterior determination unit that determines whether the vehicle is in the vehicle interior based on the received signal strength measured by the measurement unit and the vehicle interior / exterior determination information selected by the selection unit.

In the present application, the storage unit of the portable device, as in the aspect (1) of the present invention, determines whether the portable device is in the vehicle interior as information for determining whether the portable device is in the vehicle interior. Each of the plurality of vehicle interior / exterior determination information for determining whether or not is stored for each door open / close state of the vehicle.
The detection part of a portable machine detects the opening / closing state of the door of a vehicle based on the signal transmitted from a vehicle. When the signal transmitted from the vehicle includes information indicating the open / closed state of the vehicle door, the detection unit detects the open / closed state of the vehicle door based on the information included in the signal. Moreover, you may comprise a detection part so that the opening / closing state of the door of a vehicle may be detected based on the received signal strength of the signal transmitted from a vehicle.
The portable device detects the open / closed state of the door, and the selection unit selects any one of the plurality of vehicle interior / exterior determination information based on the detection result of the detection unit. The vehicle interior / exterior determination unit of the portable device determines whether the portable device is in the vehicle interior based on the received signal strength measured by the measurement unit and the vehicle interior / exterior determination information selected by the selection unit. To do.
Therefore, as in the aspect (1) of the present invention, the portable device selects the vehicle interior / exterior determination information according to the open / close state of the vehicle door, so that the portable device can be operated regardless of the open / closed state of the vehicle door. Whether it is in the room can be determined with high accuracy.

(9) A computer program according to one embodiment of the present invention is based on the received signal strength of a signal transmitted from a plurality of antennas provided in a vehicle and received by the portable device, and whether the portable device is in the vehicle interior. A computer program for determining whether or not the computer selects any one of a plurality of vehicle interior / exterior determination information prepared for each open / closed state of the vehicle door based on the open / closed state of the door And a vehicle interior / exterior determination unit that determines whether or not the portable device is in the vehicle interior based on the received signal strength and the vehicle interior / exterior determination information selected by the selection unit.

According to the present application, a computer that executes the computer program of the present application selects any one of a plurality of vehicle interior / exterior determination information. Then, the computer determines whether the portable device is in the vehicle interior based on the received signal strength of the signal transmitted from the plurality of antennas provided in the vehicle and received by the portable device and the selected interior / exterior determination information. Determine whether or not.
Accordingly, as in the case of the aspect (1) of the present invention, whether the portable device is in the vehicle interior regardless of the open / closed state of the vehicle door by selecting the vehicle interior / exterior determination information according to the open / closed state of the vehicle door. Whether or not can be determined with high accuracy.

[Details of the embodiment of the present invention]
Specific examples of a vehicle communication system, an in-vehicle device, a portable device, and a computer program according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited to these illustrations, is shown by the claim, and intends that all the changes within the meaning and range equivalent to a claim are included.
(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of a vehicle communication system according to the first embodiment. The vehicle communication system according to the first embodiment is configured between an in-vehicle device 1 that transmits and receives various signals using a plurality of transmission antennas (3) and a reception antenna 4 provided in the vehicle C, and the in-vehicle device 1. And a portable device 2 for transmitting and receiving signals.
The plurality of transmission antennas (3) include, for example, a first transmission antenna 31 provided on the driver side pillar, a second transmission antenna 32 provided on the passenger side pillar, and a third transmission provided on the back door. The antenna 33 includes a fourth transmission antenna 34 provided at the front of the vehicle C. The receiving antenna 4 is provided at an appropriate location of the vehicle C. In the first embodiment, the right side in the traveling direction of the vehicle C is the driver seat side, and the left side in the traveling direction is the passenger seat side.
The in-vehicle device 1 sequentially transmits signals for determining the position of the portable device 2 from the plurality of transmission antennas (3) using radio signals. The portable device 2 receives a signal transmitted from each transmission antenna (3), and measures the received signal strength of each received signal. The portable device 2 transmits a response signal including the measured received signal strength to the in-vehicle device 1 using a wireless signal. The in-vehicle device 1 receives the response signal transmitted from the portable device 2, performs a vehicle interior / exterior determination of the portable device 2 based on the received signal strength included in the received response signal, and performs predetermined processing according to the determination result. Run. For example, the vehicle-mounted device 1 executes processing such as locking or unlocking the door of the vehicle C (hereinafter referred to as a vehicle door), starting the engine, and warning of forgetting to lock the vehicle door.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the in-vehicle device 1. The in-vehicle device 1 includes a control unit 11 that controls the operation of each component of the in-vehicle device 1. The control unit 11 is provided with an in-vehicle receiving unit 12, an in-vehicle transmitting unit 13, a switch 13a, and a storage unit 14.

  The control unit 11 is a microcomputer having, for example, one or a plurality of CPUs (Central Processing Units), a multi-core CPU, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), an input / output interface, a time measuring unit 11a, and the like. The CPU of the control unit 11 is connected to the in-vehicle receiving unit 12, the in-vehicle transmitting unit 13, and the storage unit 14 through an input / output interface. The control unit 11 controls the operation of each component by executing a computer program 10a (described later) stored in the storage unit 14, and performs predetermined processing according to vehicle interior / exterior determination of the portable device 2 and vehicle interior / exit determination. Execute.

The storage unit 14 is a nonvolatile memory such as an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM) or a flash memory. The storage unit 14 stores a computer program 10 a for executing the vehicle interior / exterior determination of the portable device 2 by the control unit 11 controlling the operation of each component of the in-vehicle device 1. In addition, the storage unit 14 determines whether or not the portable device 2 is in the vehicle interior based on the received signal strength included in the response signal from the portable device 2 as information for determining whether the portable device 2 is in or out of the vehicle interior. A plurality of vehicle interior / exterior determination information for determination is stored for each open / close state of the vehicle door. The vehicle door is a back door of the vehicle C, for example. Hereinafter, in the first embodiment, the vehicle door is described as being a back door. Details of the vehicle interior / exterior determination information will be described later. In FIG. 2, the control unit 11 and the storage unit 14 are illustrated as separate components, but the storage unit 14 may be provided inside the control unit 11.
The computer program 10a according to the first embodiment may be recorded on the recording medium 10 in a computer-readable manner. The storage unit 14 stores a computer program 10a read from the recording medium 10 by a reading device (not shown). The recording medium 10 is a CD (Compact Disc) -ROM, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) -ROM, an optical disc such as a BD (Blu-ray (registered trademark) Disc), a flexible disc, a magnetic disc such as a hard disc, a magnetic optical disc, and a semiconductor memory. Etc. Further, the computer program 10a according to the first embodiment may be downloaded from an external computer (not shown) connected to a communication network (not shown) and stored in the storage unit 14.

  A receiving antenna 4 is connected to the in-vehicle receiving unit 12. The in-vehicle receiving unit 12 receives a response signal transmitted wirelessly from the portable device 2 through the receiving antenna 4. The in-vehicle receiving unit 12 is a circuit that removes a carrier wave component from the received response signal or the like, extracts the received signal, and outputs the extracted received signal to the control unit 11. As a carrier wave, an Ultra High Frequency band (UHF band) of 300 MHz to 3 GHz is used, but it is not limited to this frequency band.

  The in-vehicle transmission unit 13 modulates the signal output from the control unit 11 into a radio signal using a carrier wave, and carries the radio signal from one transmission antenna (3) selected by the control unit 11 and the switch 13a. This is a circuit for transmitting to the machine 2. A low frequency band (LF band) of 30 kHz to 300 kHz is used as a carrier wave, but the carrier wave is not limited to this frequency band.

In addition, a door open / close state signal indicating the open / close state of the vehicle door is input from the body ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 5 to the control unit 11 of the in-vehicle device 1. An open / close state sensor 5a is connected to the body ECU 5. The open / close state sensor 5a is, for example, a switch that is turned on / off by opening / closing of a vehicle door, for example, a courtesy switch. The body ECU 5 can detect the opening / closing state of the vehicle door based on the on / off state of the opening / closing state sensor 5a, and outputs a door opening / closing state signal indicating the opening / closing state of the vehicle door to the control unit 11 of the in-vehicle device 1.
Further, the vehicle ECU 5 includes an open / close state sensor 5a that detects an opening degree of the vehicle door, for example, an angle based on a state in which the vehicle door is closed, and the body ECU 5 transmits a door open / close state signal indicating the detected angle to the control unit 11. You may comprise so that it may input into. The details of the configuration for detecting the opening degree of the vehicle door and determining whether the portable device 2 is inside or outside the vehicle will be described in the second embodiment.
Furthermore, you may comprise the vehicle equipment 1 so that the opening degree of a vehicle door may be estimated based on the received signal strength of the signal which was transmitted from the transmission antenna (3) and the portable device 2 received. In particular, the opening degree of the vehicle door can be accurately estimated by using the received signal strength of the signal from the transmission antenna (3) provided on the vehicle door to be opened and closed. The details of the configuration for estimating the opening degree of the vehicle door based on the received signal strength of the signal from the transmission antenna (3) and determining whether the portable device 2 is inside or outside the vehicle will be described in Embodiment 3.
The controller 11 can recognize the open / closed state of the vehicle door from the input door open / closed state signal. Further, a request signal corresponding to an operation state of a vehicle door request switch (not shown) is input to the control unit 11. The control unit 11 can recognize the operation state of the vehicle door request switch based on the input request signal. The vehicle door request switch is, for example, a switch for locking or unlocking a vehicle door on the driver's seat side or the passenger seat side, and is provided on a door handle outside the driver seat or outside the passenger seat. In place of the push button, a contact sensor for detecting the contact of the user's hand with the door handle may be provided. Moreover, the control part 11 may acquire directly the request signal corresponding to operation of a vehicle door request switch, and may acquire via door ECU, other ECUs, etc.
The control unit 11 illustrates a vehicle door control command for controlling the unlocking or locking of the vehicle door according to the operation state of the vehicle door request switch and the situation such as whether or not the portable device 2 is in the vehicle interior. Not output to the door ECU. The door ECU locks or unlocks the vehicle door in accordance with a vehicle door control command from the control unit 11. Further, the control unit 11 outputs a warning command to a warning device (not shown) if necessary according to the situation. For example, when the vehicle door request switch is operated with the portable device 2 in the vehicle compartment, the control unit 11 outputs a warning command to the warning device. The warning device issues a predetermined warning to the user of the vehicle C using sound or light according to the warning command.

  Furthermore, an engine start signal corresponding to the operation state of an engine start switch (not shown) is input to the control unit 11 of the in-vehicle device 1. The controller 11 can recognize the operation state of the engine start switch based on the input engine start signal. The control unit 11 outputs an engine control command for starting or stopping the engine to an engine ECU (not shown) according to the operation state of the engine start switch and the situation such as whether or not the portable device 2 is in the passenger compartment. . The engine ECU starts or stops the engine in accordance with an engine control command from the control unit 11.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the portable device 2. The portable device 2 includes a control unit 21 that controls the operation of each component of the portable device 2. The control unit 21 includes a transmission unit 22, a reception unit 23, a signal strength measurement unit 23b, a switch 23c, and a storage unit 24.

  The control unit 21 is a microcomputer having, for example, one or a plurality of CPUs, a multi-core CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an input / output interface, a timer, and the like. The CPU of the control unit 21 is connected to the transmission unit 22 and the reception unit 23 via an input / output interface. The control unit 21 executes the control program stored in the storage unit 24 to control the operation of each component, and transmits various types of processing necessary for determining whether the portable device 2 is inside or outside the vehicle to the in-vehicle device 1. Execute.

  The storage unit 24 is a nonvolatile memory similar to the storage unit 14. The storage unit 24 stores a control program for determining whether the portable device 2 is inside or outside the vehicle by controlling the operation of each component of the portable device 2. According to the control program, the control unit 21 executes a process of transmitting a response signal including information necessary for vehicle interior / exterior determination to the in-vehicle device 1. The storage unit 24 stores a portable device identifier for identifying the portable device 2. In FIG. 3, the control unit 21 and the storage unit 24 are illustrated as separate components, but the storage unit 24 may be provided inside the control unit 21.

  A triaxial antenna 23a in which three coils are arranged in directions orthogonal to each other is connected to the receiving unit 23 via a switch 23c. The receiving unit 23 receives a radio signal transmitted from the in-vehicle device 1 through the three-axis antenna 23a and the switch 23c. Three radio signals received by the three-axis antenna 23a are input to the switch 23c. The switch 23 c selects one radio signal according to the control of the control unit 21. The receiving unit 23 is a circuit that removes a carrier wave component from the radio signal selected by the switch 23c, extracts the received signal, and outputs the extracted received signal to the control unit 21. A low frequency band (LF band) of 30 kHz to 300 kHz is used as a carrier wave, but is not limited to this frequency band.

The portable device 2 receives a radio signal transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device 1 through the three-axis antenna 23a, measures the received signal strength of the radio signal selected by the switch 23c, and controls the measured received signal strength to the control unit 21. The signal strength measuring unit 23b that outputs to
The control unit 21 selects each of the three radio signals from the triaxial antenna 23a in accordance with the timing at which the radio signal for signal strength measurement is transmitted from the in-vehicle device 1, and signals the received signal strength of the selected radio signal. The intensity is measured by the intensity measuring unit 23b. That is, the control unit 21 measures not the received signal strength in the amplitude direction of the radio signal transmitted from the in-vehicle device 1 but the received signal strength components in the three orthogonal directions of the three-axis antenna 23a. The control unit 21 performs vector calculation from the measured received signal strength component, and calculates the received signal strength in the amplitude direction of the radio signal transmitted from the in-vehicle device 1. Therefore, the control unit 21 can obtain a constant received signal strength regardless of the orientation or posture of the portable device 2 with respect to the vehicle C. Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the received signal strength calculated by vector calculation is referred to as received signal strength.
In addition, although the example which the control part 21 calculates received signal strength was demonstrated here, the received signal strength of each signal received through the triaxial antenna 23a is transmitted to the vehicle equipment 1 from the portable device 2, and control of the vehicle equipment 1 is carried out. The unit 11 may calculate the received signal strength.

  The transmission unit 22 is a circuit that modulates the response signal or the like input by the control unit 21 using a carrier wave and transmits a radio signal through the transmission antenna 22a. A low frequency band (LF band) of 30 kHz to 300 kHz is used as a carrier wave, but the carrier wave is not limited to this frequency band.

  Next, a plurality of vehicle interior / exterior determination information stored in the storage unit 14 of the in-vehicle device 1 will be described. The vehicle interior / exterior determination information is information that defines a space that follows the inner surface of the vehicle interior R. Based on the received signal strength, whether the mobile device 2 is inside the space, that is, the mobile device 2 is in the vehicle interior. This is information for determining whether or not there is. In this embodiment, the vehicle interior / exterior determination information is referred to as vehicle interior space information. The storage unit 14 includes first vehicle interior space information for determining whether or not the portable device 2 is in the vehicle interior based on the received signal strength measured in a state where the vehicle door is fully closed, and the vehicle door Based on the received signal strength measured in the fully opened state, second vehicle interior space information for determining whether or not the portable device 2 is in the vehicle interior is stored.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing first vehicle interior space information (first vehicle interior / exit determination information). 4A is a plan view of the first vehicle interior space 60a when the vehicle door is fully closed, and FIG. 4B is an elevation view of the first vehicle interior space 60a when the vehicle door is fully closed. The first vehicle interior space 60a is a three-dimensional space that follows the inner surface of the vehicle interior R as shown in FIG. The first vehicle interior space information is information defining the first vehicle interior space 60a, and the control unit 11 receives the signals transmitted from the plurality of transmission antennas (3) when the vehicle door is fully closed. Based on the received signal strength measured by the machine 2 and the first vehicle interior space information, it can be determined whether or not the portable device 2 is inside the first vehicle interior space 60a.
The horizontal axis of the graph shown in FIG. 4 indicates the position of the vehicle C in the front-rear direction, and the vertical axis indicates the electromagnetic field strength of the signal transmitted from the transmission antenna (3). The specific electromagnetic field intensity of the signal transmitted from the third transmitting antenna 33 provided on the back door, which is one of the vehicle doors, is indicated by a curve indicated by a broken line. FIG. 4B shows the electromagnetic field intensity near the luggage floor of the vehicle C. FIG. 4C shows the electromagnetic field intensity near the glass surface of the vehicle C.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing second vehicle interior space information (second vehicle interior / exit determination information). FIG. 5A is a plan view of the second vehicle interior space 60b when the vehicle door is fully open, and FIG. 5B is an elevation view of the second vehicle interior space 60b when the vehicle door is fully open. The second vehicle interior space 60b is a three-dimensional space that follows the inner surface of the vehicle interior R as shown in FIG. The second vehicle interior space information is information that defines the second vehicle interior space 60b, and the control unit 11 receives the received signal intensity measured by the portable device 2 that has received each signal transmitted from the plurality of transmission antennas (3). Based on the second vehicle interior space information, it can be determined whether or not the portable device 2 is inside the second vehicle interior space 60b.
The horizontal axis of the graph shown in FIG. 5 indicates the position of the vehicle C in the front-rear direction, and the vertical axis indicates the electromagnetic field strength of the signal transmitted from the third transmission antenna 33 provided on the back door. The specific electromagnetic field intensity of the signal transmitted from the third transmitting antenna 33 is indicated by a curve indicated by a broken line. FIG. 5B shows the electromagnetic field strength in the vicinity of the luggage floor. When the vehicle door is fully open, the electromagnetic field strength is lower than that in FIG. To do. FIG. 5C shows the electromagnetic field strength in the vicinity of the glass surface. When the vehicle door is fully open, the electromagnetic field strength outside the vehicle compartment is higher than in the fully closed state diagram 4C. Depending on the open / closed state of the vehicle door, the received signal strength of the third transmitting antenna 33 measured by the portable device 2 varies greatly. When the third transmission antenna 33 attached to the vehicle door is used for the vehicle interior / exit determination of the portable device 2 and the vehicle interior / space information same as when the vehicle door is fully closed is used for the vehicle interior / exterior determination when the vehicle door is fully open, Near the luggage floor, even if the portable device 2 exists in the passenger compartment, the rate of misjudgment that the portable device 2 is outside the vehicle compartment increases. To increase. In the former case, there is a problem that the engine is not started even though the portable device 2 is inside the vehicle interior, and in the latter case, a problem that the engine is started even though the portable device 2 is outside the vehicle interior occurs.

  Note that the first vehicle interior space 60a and the second vehicle interior space 60b are similar spaces, but need not be completely coincident. For example, the first vehicle interior space 60a is configured to be narrower than the second vehicle interior space 60b to prevent erroneous determination that the portable device 2 outside the vehicle interior is in the vehicle interior with the vehicle door closed. You may comprise so that it may do.

Here, an example of the first and second vehicle interior space information will be specifically described. The entity of the first and second vehicle interior space information is, for example, a statistical value. The memory | storage part 14 memorize | stores the statistical value which prescribes | regulates the several different area | region including the common 1st vehicle interior space 60a as 1st vehicle interior space information. In the first embodiment, the first vehicle interior space information includes statistical values that define the first region, the second region, the third region, and the fourth region.
Similarly, the memory | storage part 14 memorize | stores the statistical value which prescribes | regulates the several area | region which includes the common 2nd vehicle interior space 60b as 2nd vehicle interior space information. In the first embodiment, the second vehicle interior space information includes statistical values that define the first region, the second region, the third region, and the fourth region. Since the content of the second vehicle interior space information is the same as that of the first vehicle interior space information, the following mainly describes the first vehicle interior space information.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing the first region 61a related to the first vehicle interior space information. FIG. 6A is a plan view of the first region 61a, and FIG. 6B is an elevation view of the first region 61a. The first region 61a is a three-dimensional space, has a boundary surface that follows the right inner surface of the vehicle interior R as shown in FIG. 6, and has a shape that includes the common first vehicle interior space 60a. Therefore, the left side wall, the rear wall, and the windshield portion constituting the vehicle interior R are also included in the first region 61a. In FIG. 6, the hatched portion is the common first vehicle interior space 60a. The common first vehicle interior space 60a is a space in which the portable device 2 can be arranged, for example, by a user in the vehicle interior.
Since the boundary surface of the first region 61a and the inner surface of the passenger compartment R do not completely coincide with each other, even if the inside / outside determination of the portable device 2 in the first region 61a is performed, the inside / outside determination of the portable device 2 is performed. Cannot be performed accurately. However, since at least a part of the boundary surface of the first region 61a substantially coincides with the right inner surface of the passenger compartment R, the portable device 2 is limited to the case where the portable device 2 is in the vicinity of the right side wall of the vehicle C. The vehicle interior / exterior determination can be performed with high accuracy.

  FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing a sample extraction location related to the first region 61a related to the first vehicle interior space information. The statistical value that defines the first region 61a is calculated in the manufacturing process of the vehicle communication system, and the storage unit 14 stores the calculated statistical value. The statistical value is calculated based on the sample value of the received signal strength measured by the portable device 2 that has received each signal transmitted from the plurality of transmitting antennas (3). Note that the device for measuring the sample value of the received signal strength is not necessarily the portable device 2, and is not particularly limited as long as it is a measuring device that can measure the signal strength corresponding to the received signal strength measured by the portable device 2. It is never done.

  The sample value of the received signal strength is obtained by placing the portable device 2 at a specific location inside or outside the vehicle C and measuring the received signal strength. Hereinafter, a set of received signal strengths measured at a plurality of locations is referred to as a sample group. The storage unit 14 uses, as statistical values defining the first region 61a, a first statistical value based on a sample group characterizing the inside of the first region 61a, and a second statistical value based on a sample group characterizing the outside of the first region 61a, Remember.

FIG. 7A shows an arrangement of the portable device 2 for obtaining a sample value from which the first statistical value is calculated. Specifically, the portable devices 2 are arranged at a plurality of locations along the vehicle interior side on the right side surface of the vehicle interior R and at a plurality of locations along the vehicle interior side and the vehicle exterior side on the left side surface, and the mobile device 2 is installed at each location. Measure the received signal strength of the received signal. Then, a first statistical value is calculated based on the measured sample value of the received signal strength. A broken ellipse indicates a place where the portable device 2 is to be placed.
Since there are four transmission antennas (3) in the first embodiment, the received signal strength measured by the portable device 2 at one location is four. Accordingly, the received signal strength samples obtained at each location are vector quantities, and the sample group is a group of samples that are vectors. A vector having four received signal strengths as components is called a received signal strength vector.
Incidentally, although the sample group characterizes the inside of the first region 61a, the sample group includes the sample value of the received signal intensity measured outside the passenger compartment, as shown in FIG. 7A. This is because the first region 61a includes the entire first vehicle interior space 60a. When the sample group does not include sample values measured on the vehicle interior side and vehicle exterior side on the left side surface, the sample group is biased to the sample value of the received signal intensity measured on the right side surface of the vehicle C. Resulting in. If the sample group is biased to the sample value measured on the right side surface of the vehicle C, the left side portion of the first vehicle interior space 60a will deviate from the range of the first region 61a characterized by the sample group. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the portable device 2 is arranged at a location as shown in FIG. 7A, and sample values of received signal strength are collected.

  The first statistical value is, for example, the average vector and inverse variance covariance matrix of the sample group that characterizes the inside of the first region 61a. The average vector of the sample group is expressed by the following formulas (1) and (2). A black circle shown in FIG. 7A indicates a conceptual position of the average vector.

  The variance-covariance matrix of the sample group that characterizes the inside of the first region 61a is expressed by the following equations (3) and (4). The inverse variance / covariance matrix is an inverse matrix of the variance / covariance matrix expressed by the following equation (3), and the storage unit 14 stores the inverse variance / covariance matrix.

  FIG. 7B shows an arrangement of the portable device 2 for obtaining a sample value from which the second statistical value is calculated. Specifically, the portable device 2 is arranged at a plurality of locations along the outside of the passenger compartment on the right side surface of the passenger compartment R, and the received signal strength of the signal received by the portable device 2 is measured at each location. Then, a second statistical value is calculated based on the measured sample value of the received signal strength. The second statistical value is the average vector and inverse variance covariance matrix of the sample group that characterizes the outside of the first region 61a. The mean vector and inverse variance covariance matrix, which are the second statistical values, are expressed by the above formulas (1) to (4), similarly to the first statistical value. A black circle shown in FIG. 7B indicates a conceptual position of the average vector of the sample group.

  FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing the second region 62a related to the first vehicle interior space information. 8A is a plan view of the second region 62a, and FIG. 8B is an elevation view of the second region 62a. The second area 62a is a three-dimensional space, has a boundary surface that follows the left side surface of the vehicle interior R as shown in FIG. 8, and has a shape that includes the common first vehicle interior space 60a. Therefore, the right side wall, the rear wall, and the windshield portion constituting the vehicle interior R are also included in the second region 62a. In FIG. 8, the hatched portion is the common first vehicle interior space 60a.

  The storage unit 14 uses, as statistical values defining the second region 62a, a first statistical value based on a sample group characterizing the inside of the second region 62a, and a second statistical value based on a sample group characterizing the outside of the second region 62a, Remember.

  FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram showing a sample extraction location related to the second region 62a. The sample value of the received signal strength for calculating the first statistical value and the second statistical value defining the second region 62a is obtained by arranging the portable device 2 at a specific location inside and outside the vehicle C shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B. And measuring the received signal strength.

  FIG. 9A shows an arrangement of the portable device 2 for obtaining a sample value from which the first statistical value is calculated. Specifically, the portable devices 2 are arranged at a plurality of locations along the vehicle interior side on the left side surface of the vehicle interior R, and at a plurality of locations along the vehicle interior side and the vehicle exterior side of the right side surface. Measure the received signal strength of the received signal. Then, a first statistical value is calculated based on the measured sample value of the received signal strength. The first statistical value is an average vector and inverse variance covariance matrix of a sample group that characterizes the inside of the second region 62a.

  FIG. 9B shows an arrangement of the portable device 2 for obtaining a sample value from which the second statistical value is calculated. Specifically, the portable device 2 is arranged at a plurality of locations along the outside of the passenger compartment on the left side of the passenger compartment R, and the received signal strength of the signal received by the portable device 2 is measured at each location. Then, a second statistical value is calculated based on the measured sample value of the received signal strength. Similar to the first statistical value, the second statistical value is an average vector and inverse variance covariance matrix of a sample group that characterizes the outside of the second region 62a.

  FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing the third region 63a and the fourth region 64a related to the first vehicle interior space information. The third area 63a and the fourth area 64a are three-dimensional spaces. As shown in FIG. 10A, the third region 63a has a boundary surface that follows the inner surface on the rear side of the vehicle interior R, and has a shape that encompasses the entire common first vehicle interior space 60a. As shown in FIG. 10B, the fourth region 64a has a boundary surface that follows the inner surface on the front side of the vehicle interior R, and has a shape that encompasses the entire common first vehicle interior space 60a.

  FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram showing a region corresponding to the first vehicle interior space 60a. In FIG. 11, a hatched range is a region corresponding to the first vehicle interior space 60a. The first to fourth regions 61a, 62a, 63a, and 64a include a common first vehicle interior space 60a, and the boundary surfaces of the first to fourth regions 61a, 62a, 63a, and 64a are the vehicle interiors. Since it follows the right side surface, left side surface, rear surface, and front surface of R, the spaces inside all of the first to fourth regions 61a, 62a, 63a, and 64a substantially coincide with the first vehicle interior space 60a.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure for an operation request. When there is an operation request from the outside, the in-vehicle device 1 and the portable device 2 execute the following processing. The operation request is, for example, a request for locking or unlocking a vehicle door by operating a vehicle door request switch, a request for starting or stopping an engine by operating an engine start switch, and the like. For example, when a request signal corresponding to the operation of the vehicle door request switch is input to the in-vehicle device 1, and when an engine start signal corresponding to the operation of the engine start switch is input to the portable device 21, the in-vehicle device 1 starts processing. .

  The control unit 11 of the in-vehicle device 1 causes the in-vehicle transmission unit 13 to transmit a wakeup signal from the transmission antenna (3) (step S101).

  The control unit 21 of the portable device 2 that has received the wake-up signal by the receiving unit 23 starts from the sleep state to the active state, and transmits its own portable device identifier to the in-vehicle device 1 by the transmission unit 22 (step S102). .

  The control unit 11 of the in-vehicle device 1 receives the portable device identifier transmitted from the portable device 2 by the in-vehicle reception unit 12. And the control part 11 produces the data for authentication using the received portable device identifier, and transmits the challenge signal containing this data from the transmission antenna (3) by the vehicle-mounted transmission part 13 (step S103).

  When the control unit 21 receives the challenge signal at the reception unit 23, confirms the validity of the in-vehicle device 1 using data included in the received challenge signal, and confirms that the in-vehicle device 1 is valid, The in-vehicle device 1 creates data for authenticating the portable device 2, and transmits a response signal including the data to the in-vehicle device 1 by the transmission unit 22 (step S104).

  The control unit 11 of the in-vehicle device 1 receives the response signal transmitted from the portable device 2 by the in-vehicle reception unit 12, and authenticates the portable device 2 using the data included in the received response signal (step S105). . If it is determined that the authentication is successful (step S105: YES), the control unit 11 executes a subroutine for determining whether the portable device 2 is inside or outside the vehicle (step S106). That is, the control unit 11 determines whether the portable device 2 is in the vehicle interior or outside the vehicle interior. The result of the vehicle interior / exterior determination is represented by a numerical value. For example, when the portable device 2 is in the vehicle interior, the numerical value of the vehicle interior / exterior determination result is 1;

  Next, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the result of the vehicle interior / exterior determination matches the expected value determined in advance according to the content of the operation request (step S107). For example, the expected value for the operation of unlocking the vehicle door by the operation of the vehicle door request switch is 0, and the expected value for the operation of starting the engine is 1.

  When it is determined that the result of the vehicle interior / exterior determination matches the expected value (step S107: YES), the control unit 11 receives the operation request and executes a process according to the operation request (step S108). ). For example, when an operation of the vehicle door request switch is performed, a process of outputting a vehicle door control signal for instructing locking or unlocking of the vehicle door to the door ECU is executed. When the engine start switch is operated, a process of outputting an engine control command for starting or stopping the engine to the engine ECU is executed.

  When it is determined that the vehicle interior / exterior determination result does not match the expected value (step S107: NO), or when it is determined that authentication of the portable device 2 has failed (step S105: NO), the control unit 11 Rejects the operation request, executes a process related to the request rejection (step S109), and finishes the process. The process related to request rejection is, for example, a process of generating a warning sound when the engine start switch operation is performed and the portable device 2 is not in the passenger compartment. Note that the processing related to request rejection is not essential.

  FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a vehicle interior / exterior determination subroutine according to the first embodiment. The control unit 11 of the in-vehicle device 1 causes the in-vehicle transmission unit 13 to sequentially transmit a signal for measuring the received signal strength for the vehicle interior / exterior determination from each of the plurality of transmission antennas (3) (step S111).

  The control unit 21 of the portable device 2 receives the signal transmitted from each transmission antenna (3) by the reception unit 23, and acquires the received signal strength of each signal measured by the signal strength measurement unit 23b. And the control part 21 transmits the response signal containing the measured received signal strength to the vehicle equipment 1 in the transmission part 22. FIG.

  The control unit 11 of the in-vehicle device 1 receives the response signal transmitted from the portable device 2 by the in-vehicle reception unit 12 (step S112). And the control part 11 selects the space information required in order to determine whether the portable device 2 exists in a vehicle interior (step S113). Specifically, the control unit 11 selects either the first vehicle interior space information or the second vehicle interior space information stored in the storage unit 14. Next, based on the received signal strength included in the response signal received by the in-vehicle receiving unit 12, the control unit 11 has the portable device 2 inside each of the first to fourth regions 61a, 62a, 63a, and 64a. The process which determines whether it is for every area | region is performed in step S114-step S119. The processing from step S114 to step S119 is performed for each of the first to fourth regions 61a, 62a, 63a, and 64a. The processing mainly related to the first region 61a will be described as a representative example.

  The control unit 11 selects a statistical value of one area among the first to fourth areas 61a, 62a, 63a, 64a related to the selected first vehicle interior space information or second vehicle interior space information, that is, the first statistics. The value and the second statistical value are read from the storage unit 14 (step S114). For example, when 1st vehicle interior space information is selected by step S113, the control part 11 reads the 1st statistical value and 2nd statistical value of the 1st area | region 61a which concern on 1st vehicle interior space information from the memory | storage part 14. FIG.

  And the control part 11 is based on the received signal intensity | strength contained in the response signal received by step S112, and the 1st statistics value read by step S114, and the sample group which concerns on the said received signal intensity | strength and this 1st statistics value Is calculated (step S115). When the first statistical value of the first area 61a is read in step S114, the control unit 11 calculates the statistical distance between the received signal strength included in the response signal and the sample group characterizing the inside of the first area 61a. The statistical distance is, for example, the Mahalanobis distance. The Mahalanobis distance is expressed by the following formula (5).

  Next, the control unit 11 determines the received signal strength and the sample group related to the second statistical value based on the received signal strength included in the response signal received in step S112 and the second statistical value read in step S114. Is calculated (step S116). When the second statistical value of the first region 61a is read in step S114, the control unit 11 calculates the statistical distance between the received signal strength included in the response signal and the sample group that characterizes the outside of the first region 61a. The statistical distance is, for example, the Mahalanobis distance.

  Then, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the portable device 2 is inside the one region by comparing the statistical distance calculated in step S115 and the statistical distance calculated in step S116 (step S117). For example, when the statistical distance to the sample group characterizing the inside of the first region 61a is shorter than the statistical distance to the sample group characterizing the outside of the first region 61a, the control unit 11 indicates that the portable device 2 is inside the first region 61a. It is determined that When the statistical distance to the sample group characterizing the outside of the first area 61a is shorter than the statistical distance to the sample group characterizing the inside of the first area 61a, the control unit 11 indicates that the portable device 2 is outside the first area 61a. Is determined.

When it is determined that the portable device 2 is outside the one region (step S117: NO), the control unit 11 determines that the portable device 2 is outside the passenger compartment (step S118) and ends the subroutine processing.
When it determines with the portable device 2 being inside the said 1 area | region (step S117: YES), the control part 11 determines whether the inside / outside determination of the portable device 2 in all the areas was complete | finished (step S119). . That is, all the inside / outside determination of the portable device 2 in the first region to the fourth region 61a, 62a, 63a, 64a related to the first vehicle interior space information or the first region to the fourth region related to the second vehicle interior space information is completed. Determine whether or not. If it is determined that there is an area where the inside / outside determination of the portable device 2 has not been completed (step S119: NO), the control unit 11 returns the process to step S114, and the portable device 2 in another region where the inside / outside determination is not performed. The inside / outside determination process is executed.

  When it is determined that the inside / outside determination of the portable device 2 in all areas is completed (step S119: YES), the control unit 11 determines that the portable device 2 is in the vehicle interior (step S120), and ends the subroutine processing.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the control unit 11 related to selection of spatial information. The control unit 11 detects the open / closed state by receiving the door open / closed state signal output from the body ECU 5 (step S131). And the control part 11 determines whether the vehicle door is closed based on the received door opening / closing state signal (step S132). When it determines with the vehicle door being closed (step S132: YES), the control part 11 selects the 1st vehicle interior space information (step S133), and complete | finishes the process which concerns on selection of space information. When it determines with the vehicle door being open (step S132: NO), the control part 11 selects 2nd vehicle interior space information (step S134), and complete | finishes the process which concerns on selection of space information.

FIG. 15 is a graph showing the distribution of received signal strength. The horizontal axis represents the received signal strength of the signal transmitted from the first transmitting antenna 31, and the vertical axis represents the received signal strength of the signal transmitted from the second transmitting antenna 32. For ease of explanation, FIG. 15 shows a two-dimensional distribution of received signal strength. FIG. 15 plots the received signal strength measured by receiving the signals transmitted from the first transmitting antenna 31 and the second transmitting antenna 32 by the portable device 2 by arranging the portable devices 2 at a plurality of locations inside and outside the vehicle interior. It is a graph. The lower side of the graph corresponds to the outside of the passenger compartment on the driver's seat side, the left side corresponds to the outside of the passenger seat side, and the central portion and the upper right portion correspond to the passenger compartment.
Here, in order to simplify the explanation using a two-dimensional graph, the samples obtained inside and outside the first region 61a and the second region 62a of the first vehicle interior space 60a are two received signal intensities. That is, although it will be described as including the received signal intensity from the first transmitting antenna 31 on the driver's seat side and the received signal intensity from the second transmitting antenna 32 on the passenger seat side, it goes without saying that It is not limited to processing using received signal strength.

G1out indicates a range of received signal strength that can be measured by the portable device 2 arranged outside the passenger compartment on the driver's seat side, and G1in indicates a received signal that can be measured by the portable device 2 arranged in the passenger compartment on the driver's seat side. The range of intensity is shown.
G2out indicates the range of the received signal intensity that can be measured by the portable device 2 arranged outside the passenger compartment on the passenger side, and G2in indicates the received signal that can be measured by the portable device 2 arranged in the passenger compartment on the passenger seat side. The range of intensity is shown.

[Explanation of driver's seat area]
A broken line that protrudes upward and downward is a set of received signal strengths in which the statistical distance between the inner sample group and the outer sample group in the first region 61a of the first vehicle interior space 60a is equal. It is distinguished by the set whether it is located inside or outside the one region 61a. A range sandwiched between an upward convex broken line and a downward convex broken line related to the first vehicle interior space 60a corresponds to the inside of the first region 61a related to the first vehicle interior space 60a.
As shown in FIG. 15, the range G1out of the received signal intensity measured outside the passenger compartment on the driver's seat side is completely outside the first region 61a (lower side in FIG. 15) by the broken line in the first passenger compartment space 60a. It will be determined that However, the inner side (center side in FIG. 15) includes G2in measured in the passenger compartment side cabin and G2out measured outside the passenger seat side cabin. That is, the first region 61a includes a common first vehicle interior space 60a, and distinguishes between the inside and the outside as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B.

[Explanation of passenger side area]
The dotted lines protruding left and right are a set of received signal strengths in which the statistical distance between the inner sample group and the outer sample group of the second region 62a in the first vehicle interior space 60a is equal. Whether the two regions 62a are located inside or outside the two regions 62a is distinguished by the set. A range sandwiched between a dotted line protruding rightward and a dotted line protruding leftward in the first vehicle interior space 60a corresponds to the inside of the second region 62a in the first vehicle interior space 60a.
As shown in FIG. 15, the range G2out of the received signal intensity measured outside the passenger compartment on the passenger side is not leaked by the dotted line related to the first passenger compartment space 60a, and is outside the second region 62a (left side in FIG. 15). It will be determined that there is. However, the inner side (center side in FIG. 15) includes G1in measured in the driver's seat side cabin and G1out measured outside the driver's seat side cabin. That is, the second region 62a includes a common first vehicle interior space 60a, and distinguishes the inside and the outside as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B.

[First region 61a and second region 62a]
In step S119 and step S120, in order to determine that the portable device 2 exists inside the common first vehicle interior space 60a, the inside / outside determination in the first region 61a and the inside / outside determination in the second region 62a It needs to be judged. Therefore, by step S119 and step S120, the vehicle interior / exterior determination as to whether the portable device 2 is inside or outside the first vehicle interior space 60a is accurately performed at the driver seat side side boundary and the passenger seat side side boundary. Is possible.

[Third region 63a and fourth region 64a]
As described above, it has been explained that the vehicle interior / exterior determination of the portable device 21 can be accurately performed at the boundary between the driver's seat side surface and the passenger seat side surface of the first vehicle interior space 60a. It is also possible to add inside / outside determination at the boundary. For example, in addition to the third region 63a and the fourth region 64a that follow the vehicle rear boundary and the vehicle front boundary of the first vehicle interior space 60a, the inside and outside of the portable device 2 in the first region to the fourth regions 61a, 62a, 63a, 64a You may comprise so that determination may be performed. In this case, the vehicle interior / exterior determination as to whether the portable device 2 is inside or outside the first vehicle interior space 60a is accurate at the driver's seat side surface boundary, passenger seat side surface boundary, vehicle rear boundary, and vehicle front boundary. It is possible to realize well.
Although the details of the vehicle interior / exterior determination described above have been described for the first vehicle interior space 60a, the vehicle interior / exterior determination in the second vehicle interior space 60b has the same function and effect.

  According to the vehicle communication system, the in-vehicle device 1, the portable device 2, and the computer program 10a according to the first embodiment configured as described above, the intensity of the signal leaking from the vehicle interior to the vehicle exterior depending on the open / close state of the vehicle door. Even if is changed, it can be accurately determined whether or not the portable device 2 is in the passenger compartment.

  The storage unit 14 also includes first vehicle interior space information for performing vehicle interior / exterior determination when the vehicle door is fully closed, and second vehicle interior space information for performing vehicle interior / exterior determination when the vehicle door is fully open. Is stored. Accordingly, it is possible to minimize the amount of information that must be stored in the storage unit 14 in order to make the determination as to whether the portable device 2 is inside or outside the vehicle.

  Furthermore, the inside / outside determination of the portable device 2 in the first area to the fourth area 61a, 62a, 63a, 64a of the first and second vehicle interior spaces 60b is performed, respectively, to determine whether the area is inside the entire area. Thus, the inside / outside determination of the portable device 2 can be performed with high accuracy.

  Furthermore, the in-vehicle device 1 performs a vehicle interior / exterior determination of the portable device 2 using the first statistical value and the second statistical value that characterize the inside and the outside of the first region 61a and the second region 62a, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, the first statistical value and the second statistical value are received signals measured at a plurality of locations along the vehicle interior side and vehicle interior outside of the right inner surface and the left inner surface of the vehicle C. It is calculated based on the sample group of intensity. By using the sample group as a sample group for calculating the first statistical value and the second statistical value, the first region 61a and the second region 62a are compared with the case of generating a huge sample group at random. It is possible to effectively reduce the man-hours required to create a statistical value for determining whether the portable device 2 is inside or outside.

  Furthermore, the in-vehicle device 1 calculates a statistical distance from the sample group characterizing the inside and outside of the first to fourth regions 61a, 62a, 63a, 64a based on the first statistical value and the second statistical value. By comparing the calculated statistical distances, the vehicle interior / exterior determination of the in-vehicle device 1 can be performed. Specifically, the inside / outside determination of the portable device 2 can be performed with high accuracy by simple calculations such as calculating the Mahalanobis distance and comparing the Mahalanobis distances.

In the first embodiment, the back door is illustrated as an example of the vehicle door. However, the present invention may be applied to the opening and closing of the door on the driver's seat, the door on the passenger seat, and the door on the rear seat. That is, the vehicle interior space information for determining whether or not the portable device 2 is in the vehicle interior for each of the open / closed states of the doors on the driver's side, the passenger's side, and the rear seat is the storage unit 14. Remember me. And the control part 11 of the vehicle equipment 1 each detects the opening / closing state of each door, selects any one of the vehicle interior space information which the memory | storage part 14 memorize | stores based on the detection result, The vehicle interior of the portable device 2 An outside determination is made. With this configuration, the in-vehicle device 1 can select the vehicle interior space information corresponding to the open / closed states of the plurality of doors of the vehicle C, and accurately determine whether the portable device 2 is in the vehicle interior. it can.
Of course, you may comprise so that the vehicle interior space information according to each combination of the opening / closing state of the several door of the vehicle C may be memorize | stored in the memory | storage part 14. FIG.

Further, the received signal strengths of the sample groups from which the first statistical value and the second statistical value that characterize the inside and the outside of the first region 61a and the second region 62a, respectively, are shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. In the example described above, the measurement point is an example. For example, the sample group from which the first statistical value related to the first region 61a is calculated is at least a plurality of locations along the vehicle interior side on the right side surface of the passenger compartment R and a plurality of locations along the vehicle exterior side. It is sufficient if the first region 61a includes the common first vehicle interior space 60a. The same applies to the second region 62a, the third region 63a, and the fourth region 64a.
Even when the first statistical value and the second statistical value obtained in this manner are used, the same effects as those of the above-described vehicle communication system are obtained.

  In the first embodiment, the interior / exterior determination of the portable device 2 is mainly illustrated when the driver's seat request switch 51 is operated. However, the present invention is applied to various processes that require the interior / exterior determination of the portable device 2. can do. For example, it is possible to confirm whether the portable device 2 is in the passenger compartment when starting the prime mover, whether the portable device 2 is in the passenger compartment during operation of the prime mover, and preventing the portable device 2 from being confined in the passenger compartment. The present invention can be applied to various processes such as position confirmation of the portable device 2.

  Furthermore, the example in which the inside / outside determination of the first to fourth regions 61a, 62a, 63a, and 64a is performed based on the Mahalanobis distance has been described, but the Mahalanobis distance is an example of a statistical distance, and the measured received signal strength and the specific As long as the degree of approximation with the sample group can be determined, other arbitrary statistical values such as statistical distance and similarity may be used.

  Furthermore, the example in which the vehicle interior / exterior determination is performed by the inside / outside determination of the first region to the fourth region 61a, 62a, 63a, 64a has been described, but the first region to the fourth region 61a, 62a, 63a, 64a is an example. The vehicle communication system can be arbitrarily modified as long as it is configured to perform the inside / outside determination using a region having a boundary surface that follows a part of the inner surface of the first vehicle interior space 60a. For example, the inside / outside determination of the portable device 2 may be performed using any two or three of the first to fourth regions 61a, 62a, 63a, and 64a. Moreover, you may perform the vehicle interior / exterior determination of the portable device 2 using the 2 or more other area | region where a shape differs from this Embodiment 1. FIG.

  Furthermore, in the vehicle communication system according to the first embodiment, the mean vector and the inverse variance covariance matrix are stored in the storage unit 14 as statistical values that characterize the inside and outside of the first to fourth regions 61a, 62a, 63a, 64a. However, the content and the storage method are not particularly limited as long as the information allows the inside / outside determination of each area. For example, the storage unit 14 may store an average vector and a variance-covariance matrix, or may store a sample group itself. The information such as the statistical value may be information in a different form from the computer program 10a, or may be information incorporated in the computer program 10a.

  Furthermore, the sample group extraction location shown in FIGS. 7 and 9 is an example, and has a boundary surface that follows a part of the inner surface of the first vehicle interior space 60a, and includes the entire first vehicle interior space 60a. If a region can be defined, a statistical value of the region may be calculated using a sample group of received signal strengths measured at other locations.

(Embodiment 2)
The vehicle communication system, the in-vehicle device 1, the portable device 2, and the computer program according to the second embodiment are different from the first embodiment in the vehicle interior space information stored in the storage unit 14 and the vehicle interior space information selection process. Hereinafter, mainly the differences will be described. Since other configurations and operational effects are the same as those of the first embodiment, the corresponding portions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The vehicle C is provided with an opening sensor for detecting the opening of the vehicle door as an open / close state sensor 5a, and the body ECU 5 detects the opening of the vehicle door based on a signal from the open / close state sensor 5a. The open / close state sensor 5a irradiates, for example, light or sound waves on a moving body that moves according to the opening degree of the vehicle door, and the opening degree of the vehicle door depends on the intensity or direction of the light or sound wave reflected by the moving body. Is detected. Moreover, you may employ | adopt the rotation switch from which an on-off state changes with opening / closing of a vehicle door as the opening / closing state sensor 5a. The open / close state sensor 5a is not limited to the above-described configuration. Further, the increment of the opening degree of the vehicle door is not particularly limited, and may be appropriately determined in increments of 20 degrees, increments of 30 degrees, and the like. In the second embodiment, the opening degree is detected using a rotary switch in which the on / off state of the switch changes every 30 degrees. The body ECU 5 outputs a door opening / closing state signal indicating the detected opening degree of the vehicle door to the control unit 11. The door opening / closing state signal output from the body ECU 5 is input to the control unit 11 of the in-vehicle device 1. The control unit 11 can detect the opening degree of the vehicle door based on the received door open / close state signal.

The memory | storage part 14 has memorize | stored the several vehicle interior space information (vehicle interior / exterior determination information) which changes for every opening degree of a vehicle door. For example, the storage unit 14 is vehicle interior space information for determining whether the portable device 2 is inside or outside the vehicle when the opening degree of the vehicle door is 0 degrees, which is fully closed, and is portable when the opening degree is 0 degrees to 30 degrees. Vehicle interior space information for determining the interior / exterior of the vehicle 2, vehicle interior space information for performing the vehicle interior / exterior determination of the portable device 2 in a state where the opening degree is 30 degrees to 60 degrees, and the vehicle door is 60 degrees The vehicle interior space information and the like for determining whether the portable device 2 is outside or inside the vehicle in the fully opened state are stored. The creation method of each vehicle interior space information is the same as the method described in the first embodiment, and the only difference is the opening degree of the vehicle door when obtaining a sample value for creating the vehicle interior space information.
For example, the sample value for creating the vehicle interior space information for performing the vehicle interior / exterior determination of the portable device 2 in the state where the opening degree is 0 degree to 30 degrees is that the opening degree of the vehicle door is 0 degree to 30 degrees. For example, the measurement may be performed at 15 degrees. Similarly, the sample value for creating the vehicle interior space information for performing the vehicle interior / exterior determination with the opening degree of 30 degrees to 60 degrees may be measured by setting the opening degree of the vehicle door to 45 degrees. The sample values may be measured in the same manner for other openings.

  FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the control unit 11 according to selection of spatial information in the second embodiment. The control unit 11 of the in-vehicle device 1 receives the door open / close state signal output from the body ECU 5, and detects the opening degree of the vehicle door based on the door open / close state signal (step S231). And the control part 11 selects the vehicle interior space information according to the opening degree of the detected vehicle door (step S232), and complete | finishes the process which concerns on selection of space information. For example, when the opening degree of the vehicle door is 30 degrees to 60 degrees, the vehicle interior space information corresponding to the opening degrees 30 degrees to 60 degrees is selected.

  According to the second embodiment, the control unit 11 of the in-vehicle device 1 selects the vehicle interior space information according to the opening degree of the vehicle door and determines whether the portable device 2 is outside the vehicle interior. Regardless, it can be accurately determined whether or not the portable device 2 is in the passenger compartment.

(Modification)
In the above-described second embodiment, the example in which the opening / closing state sensor 5a detects the opening degree of the vehicle door in increments of 30 degrees has been described. However, the opening / closing state sensor that can accurately detect the opening degree of the vehicle door in smaller increments. The vehicle interior space information may be selected by comparing the preset threshold value with the detected opening degree. For example, the open / close state sensor 5a can detect the opening degree of the vehicle door in increments of 1 degree, and the storage unit 14 of the in-vehicle device 1 stores 45 degrees as a threshold value. Moreover, the memory | storage part 14 has memorize | stored the 1st vehicle interior space information according to the opening degree of less than 45 degree | times, and the 2nd vehicle interior space information according to the opening degree of 45 degree | times or more. The control unit 11 compares the opening detected by the open / close state sensor 5a with the threshold value, and when the detected opening is less than 45 degrees, selects the first vehicle interior space information and detects the detected opening. When the angle is 45 degrees or more, the second vehicle interior space information is selected.
In the modified example configured as described above, whether or not the portable device 2 is in the vehicle interior can be accurately determined regardless of the opening degree of the vehicle door, as in the second embodiment.

(Embodiment 3)
The vehicle communication system, the vehicle-mounted device 1, the portable device 2, and the computer program according to the third embodiment eliminate the open / closed state sensor 5a and estimate the opening degree of the vehicle door from the received signal strength measured by the portable device 2. However, the differences will be mainly described below. Since other configurations and operational effects are the same as those of the second embodiment, the corresponding portions are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the control unit 11 according to the selection of spatial information in the third embodiment. The control unit 11 of the in-vehicle device 1 extracts the received signal strength included in the received response signal transmitted from the portable device 2 (step S331). And the control part 11 specifies the opening degree of a vehicle door based on the extracted received signal strength (step S332). The received signal strength included in the response signal is plural, but the opening degree of the vehicle door may be specified using one specific received signal strength, or the opening degree of the vehicle door may be specified using the plural received signal strengths. May be specified. For example, the vehicle door is opened at different openings, and one or a plurality of sample values of the received signal intensity measured by the portable device 2 at each opening are stored in advance in the storage unit 14 according to the opening. The control unit 11 can specify the opening degree according to the response signal by calculating the similarity between the sample value of each opening degree stored in the storage unit 14 and the received signal intensity included in the response signal.

  Next, the control unit 11 selects vehicle interior space information corresponding to the specified opening degree of the vehicle door (step S333), and ends the process related to the selection of the space information.

According to the third embodiment, the opening degree of the vehicle door is estimated based on the received signal strength of the signal transmitted from the in-vehicle device 1 and received by the portable device 2. And the vehicle equipment 1 selects vehicle interior space information based on the estimation result of the opening degree based on received signal strength, and performs the vehicle interior / exterior determination of the portable device 2. Therefore, the vehicle interior space information is selected without using a signal from the open / closed state sensor for detecting the open / closed state of the vehicle door, and it is accurately determined whether or not the portable device 2 is in the vehicle interior. it can.
Moreover, an open / closed state sensor for detecting the opening degree of the vehicle door is unnecessary, and the vehicle communication system of the present application can be configured at low cost.

(Modification 1)
A vehicle communication system that detects the opening degree of the vehicle door based on the received signal strength of the signal from the transmission antenna (3), the vehicle-mounted device 1, the portable device 2, and a modification 1 of the computer program will be described.

  In the first modification, some of the transmission antennas (3), for example, the third transmission antenna 33, are provided on the back door, which is one of the vehicle doors. The other first transmission antenna 31, second transmission antenna 32, and fourth transmission antenna 34 are provided in a non-movable part of the vehicle C, for example, a pillar. Here, the inside / outside determination of the interior of the portable device 2 in consideration of the influence of opening and closing of the vehicle door provided with the third transmission antenna 33 will be described.

  The control unit 11 of the in-vehicle device 1 extracts the received signal strength included in the received response signal transmitted from the portable device 2, particularly the received signal strength of the signal from the third transmitting antenna 33 provided on the back door. And the control part 11 specifies the opening degree of a vehicle door based on the extracted received signal strength. Next, the control unit 11 selects vehicle interior space information corresponding to the specified opening degree of the vehicle door.

  In addition, when making the opening and closing of each of the several vehicle door provided in the vehicle C into a problem, it is good to provide a transmission antenna (3) in each vehicle door. The control unit 11 can detect that each vehicle door is opened based on a vehicle door request switch input from the body ECU 5 to the control unit 11. When the control unit 11 detects the opening degree of the opened vehicle door, the received signal strength of the signal from the transmission antenna (3) provided in the opened vehicle door among the received signal strengths included in the received response signal. And the opening degree of the vehicle door may be estimated based on the received signal strength.

Further, the configuration in which all the received signal strengths of signals from the plurality of transmission antennas (3) are used when the portable device 2 performs the vehicle interior / exterior determination has been described, but some transmission antennas (3 ) Is provided, the control unit 11 performs a vehicle interior / exterior determination of the portable device 2 based on the received signal intensity from the non-movable part of the vehicle C, for example, the transmission antenna (3) provided in the pillar. May be.
For example, the third transmission antenna 33 is provided at the back door, which is one of the vehicle doors, and the other first transmission antenna 31, second transmission antenna 32, and fourth transmission antenna 34 are provided at the non-movable part of the vehicle C. Think if you are. In this case, when it is detected that the back door is in the open state, the control unit 11 is based on the received signal strength of signals from the other first transmission antenna 31, second transmission antenna 32, and fourth transmission antenna 34. Then, the inside / outside determination of the portable device 2 is performed. Of course, the vehicle interior space information for performing the vehicle interior / exterior determination of the portable device 2 when the back door is in the open state is the signal received from the transmission antenna (3) provided in the non-movable part of the vehicle C. It is created based on the strength, and the storage unit 14 stores the vehicle interior space information.

  According to the first modification, the received signal strength of the signal from the transmission antenna (3) provided on the vehicle door that opens and closes greatly changes depending on the opening degree of the vehicle door, so the control unit 11 is provided on the vehicle door. Based on the received signal strength of the signal from the transmitting antenna (3), the opening degree of the vehicle door can be estimated with higher accuracy.

  Further, even when the vehicle door is opened and the position of the transmission antenna (3) provided on the vehicle door is greatly changed, the transmission antenna (3) provided on the non-movable part of the vehicle C is used. Since it is the structure which performs the vehicle interior / exterior determination of the portable device 2, it can determine more accurately whether the portable device 2 exists in a vehicle interior.

In addition, when the vehicle door is opened, the configuration for performing the vehicle interior / exterior determination of the portable device 2 based on the received signal strength of the signal from the transmission antenna (3) provided in the non-movable part of the vehicle C is implemented. The present invention can be applied not only to the third embodiment but also to other embodiments.
In the above example, the example in which the received signal strength of the signal from the transmission antenna (3) provided in the non-movable part of the vehicle C is extracted from the received signal strength included in the response signal. When the vehicle door is opened, the in-vehicle device 1 may be configured to transmit a signal only from the transmission antenna (3) provided in the non-movable part of the vehicle C and obtain the received signal strength of each signal.

(Modification 2)
A vehicle communication system that detects the opening degree of the vehicle door based on the received signal strength of the signal from the transmission antenna (3), the vehicle-mounted device 1, the portable device 2, and a modification 2 of the computer program will be described.

In the second modification, as in the first modification, a part of the transmission antennas (3), for example, the third transmission antenna 33 is provided on the back door which is one of the vehicle doors. The other first transmission antenna 31, second transmission antenna 32, and fourth transmission antenna 34 are provided in a non-movable part of the vehicle C. Here, the inside / outside determination of the interior of the portable device 2 in consideration of the influence of opening and closing of the vehicle door provided with the third transmission antenna 33 will be described.
The open / close state sensor 5a according to the second modification is a switch that is turned on / off by opening / closing the vehicle door, for example, a courtesy switch.

  FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the control unit 11 related to the selection of spatial information in the second modification of the third embodiment. The control unit 11 of the in-vehicle device 1 extracts the received signal strength that is transmitted from the portable device 2 and included in the received response signal (step S351). And the control part 11 detects the opening / closing state of a vehicle door by receiving the door opening / closing state signal output from body ECU5 (step S352), and determines whether there exists an opened vehicle door (step). S353).

  When it determines with there being an open state vehicle door (step S353: YES), the control part 11 specifies the vehicle door in an open state (step S354). And the control part 11 determines whether the portable device 3 exists in the predetermined range of the vehicle door in an open state based on the received signal strength of the signal transmitted from the transmitting antenna (3) at a fixed position. (Step S355). In the second modification, the transmission antennas (3) at the fixed positions are the first transmission antenna 31, the second transmission antenna 32, and the fourth transmission antenna. The predetermined range of the vehicle door is a range in which the received signal intensity of the signal from the transmission antenna (3) varies depending on the opening / closing of the vehicle door, and the determination of the inside / outside of the portable device 3 is affected. The storage unit 14 stores the relationship between the received signal strength of the signal from the transmission antenna (3) at a fixed position and the predetermined range, and the control unit 11 uses the relationship to make the portable device 3 It is determined whether it is within a predetermined range.

  When it determines with the portable device 3 being in the said predetermined range (step S355: YES), the control part 11 is from the transmission antenna (3) provided in the vehicle door in an open state, ie, the 3rd transmission antenna 33. The opening degree is estimated based on the received signal strength of the signal (step S356). Next, the control unit 11 selects vehicle interior space information corresponding to the estimated opening degree of the vehicle door (step S357), and ends the process related to the selection of the space information.

  When it is determined that there is no open vehicle door (step S353: NO), or when it is determined that the portable device 3 is not within the predetermined range (step S355: NO), the control unit 11 performs a predetermined vehicle interior space. Information is selected (step S358), and the process related to the selection of spatial information is completed. The predetermined vehicle interior space information is information used when determining whether the portable device 3 is in or out of the vehicle interior with the vehicle door closed.

According to the second modification, when there is a vehicle door in the open state, based on the received signal strength of the signal transmitted from the transmission antenna (3) at the fixed position, the vehicle door in which the portable device 3 is in the open state is used. It is determined whether it is in the vicinity, that is, within a predetermined range. When it is determined that the portable device 3 is within the predetermined range, the control unit 11 opens the vehicle door based on the received signal strength of the signal from the transmission antenna (3) provided on the vehicle door in the open state. The degree can be estimated. Since the portable device 3 is within a predetermined range of the vehicle door in the open state, the opening degree of the vehicle door is accurately determined based on the received signal strength of the signal from the transmission antenna (3) provided on the vehicle door. Can be estimated.
As described above, according to the second modification, the opening degree of the vehicle door is accurately estimated without using the signal from the opening / closing state sensor for detecting the opening / closing state of the vehicle door, and the vehicle interior space information is selected. It is possible to accurately determine whether or not the portable device 2 is in the passenger compartment.
Moreover, an open / closed state sensor for detecting the opening degree of the vehicle door is unnecessary, and the vehicle communication system of the present application can be configured at low cost.
In addition, although the example which provides the transmission antenna (3) in a back door was demonstrated in the modification 2, you may comprise so that a transmission antenna (3) may be provided in each of several vehicle doors. Also in this case, the control unit 11 similarly specifies the vehicle door in the open state, and determines whether or not the portable device is within a predetermined range of the vehicle door in the open state. When it is determined to be within the predetermined range, the opening degree of the vehicle door may be estimated based on the received signal strength of the signal from the transmission antenna (3) provided on the vehicle door in the predetermined range. .

(Embodiment 4)
The vehicle communication system, the vehicle-mounted device 1, the portable device 2, and the computer program according to the fourth embodiment perform the inside / outside determination in the first and second vehicle interior spaces 60b using discriminants instead of statistical values. is there. The vehicle communication system and the computer program 10a according to the fourth embodiment include the contents of the first vehicle interior space information and the second vehicle interior space information stored in the storage unit 14 of the vehicle-mounted device 1, and the processing procedure of the control unit 11. However, the differences will be mainly described below. Since other configurations and operational effects are the same as those of the first embodiment, the corresponding portions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

The storage unit 14 of the in-vehicle device 1 has the portable device 2 inside or outside the first region 61a related to the first vehicle interior space 60a depending on the received signal strength of the signals transmitted from the plurality of transmission antennas (3). A discriminant for determining whether or not there is stored. The received signal strength is measured by the signal strength measuring unit 23b of the portable device 2 as in the first embodiment. The first area 61a is one area where the inside / outside determination of the portable device 2 is performed by the control unit 11, and includes the first vehicle interior space 60a where it is desired to determine whether the portable device 2 is inside or outside.
In other words, the storage unit 14 stores a discriminant that discriminates the received signal strength measured outside the passenger compartment on the driver's seat side and the received signal strength measured at other locations. The discriminant is, for example, an approximate expression of a curve connecting received signal intensities at which the Mahalanobis distances between a sample group characterizing the inside of the first region 61a and a sample group characterizing the outside of the first region 61a are equal. The discriminant when performing the inside / outside determination of the portable device 2 in the first region 61a is expressed by the following equation (7).

  Similarly, the storage unit 14 stores a discriminant for determining whether it is inside or outside the second region 62a to the third region 63a related to the first vehicle interior space 60a according to the received signal strength. doing. Further, the storage unit 14 stores a discriminant for determining whether it is inside or not inside the first region to the fourth region related to the second vehicle interior space 60b according to the received signal strength. ing.

  FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a vehicle interior / exterior determination subroutine according to the fourth embodiment. The in-vehicle device 1 performs the same processing (step S111 to step S113) as the first embodiment related to the measurement of the received signal strength, the reception of the response signal, and the selection of the spatial information in steps S411 to S413.

Next, the control unit 11 of the in-vehicle device 1 selects one of the first to fourth regions 61a, 62a, 63a, and 64a related to the selected first vehicle interior space information or second vehicle interior space information. The discriminant is read from the storage unit 14 (step S414). And the control part 11 performs the inside / outside determination of the portable apparatus 2 in the said 1 area | region using the received signal strength contained in the received response signal, and the discriminant read in step S414 (step S415). For example, when the received signal strength vector is two-dimensional, the function value Y obtained by substituting one received signal strength included in the response signal into χ ₁ in the above equation (7) and the other included in the response signal The inside / outside determination can be carried out by comparing the received signal strengths.

  Hereinafter, the same processes (steps S117 to S120) as those in the first to fourth embodiments relating to the inside / outside determination of the portable device 2 and the vehicle interior / exterior determination in each region are executed in steps S415 to S418.

According to the fourth embodiment, the inside / outside determination of the portable device 2 in the first region 61a and the second region 62a is performed using a polynomial adjusted so that each region includes the first vehicle interior space 60a or the second vehicle interior space 60b. Therefore, it can be accurately determined whether the portable device 2 is located inside or outside the first vehicle interior space 60a or the second vehicle interior space 60b. Further, as in the first embodiment, the number of steps required for creating the discriminant can be suppressed.
The dimension and format of the discriminant according to the fourth embodiment are not particularly limited. In the fourth embodiment, the example in which the first and second vehicle interior space information of the first embodiment is used as a discriminant is described. However, the vehicle interior space information according to the second to third embodiments may be replaced by a discriminant. it can.

(Embodiment 5)
In the first to fourth embodiments, the example in which the in-vehicle device 1 performs the vehicle interior / exterior determination of the portable device 2 has been described, but the portable device 2 itself may perform the vehicle interior / exterior determination. The configuration of the vehicle communication system according to the fifth embodiment is the same as the configuration of the first to fourth embodiments, and includes the in-vehicle device 1 and the portable device 2. The portable device 2 of the fifth embodiment stores a plurality of vehicle interior space information corresponding to the open / closed state of the vehicle door and the computer program of the present application in the storage unit 24.
In the vehicle communication system according to the fifth embodiment, the control unit 21 of the portable device 2 executes the processes in steps S111 to S120 described in FIG. 11 or the processes in steps S411 to S418 described in FIG. The determination result is transmitted to the in-vehicle device 1. The specific processing procedure is as follows.

  The in-vehicle device 1 sequentially transmits signals from a plurality of transmission antennas (3). The control unit 21 of the portable device 2 receives the signal transmitted from each transmission antenna (3) by the reception unit 23, and acquires the received signal strength of each signal measured by the signal strength measurement unit 23b. The in-vehicle device 1 transmits a signal indicating the open / closed state of the vehicle door to the portable device 2, and the portable device 2 receives the information transmitted from the in-vehicle device 1. Next, the control unit 21 selects vehicle interior space information based on the open / closed state of the vehicle door indicated by the received signal, and reads the selected vehicle interior space information from the storage unit 24.

And the control part 21 determines whether the portable device 2 exists in a vehicle interior based on the measured received signal strength and the read vehicle interior space information. And the control part 21 of the portable device 2 transmits the response signal containing the vehicle interior / exterior determination result of the portable device 2 to the vehicle-mounted device 1 by the transmission unit 22.
The in-vehicle device 1 receives the response signal transmitted from the portable device 2 and executes predetermined processing according to the vehicle interior / exterior determination result included in the received response signal. For example, the in-vehicle device 1 executes a locking or unlocking process of the vehicle door.

  According to the fifth embodiment, as in the first to fourth embodiments, it can be accurately determined whether or not the portable device 2 is in the passenger compartment regardless of the open / closed state of the vehicle door.

  The embodiment disclosed this time is to be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the meanings described above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 In-vehicle machine 2 Portable machine 3 Transmission antenna 4 Reception antenna 5 Body ECU
5a Open / close state sensor 10 Recording medium 10a Computer program 11 Control unit 12 In-vehicle receiving unit 13 In-vehicle transmitting unit 13a Switch 14 Storage unit 21 Control unit 22 Transmitting unit 22a Transmitting antenna 23 Receiving unit 23a Triaxial antenna 23b Signal strength measuring unit 23c Switching Device 24 storage unit 31 first transmission antenna 32 second transmission antenna 33 third transmission antenna 34 fourth transmission antenna 60a first vehicle interior space 60b second vehicle interior space 61a first region 62a second region 63a third region 64a first 4 areas C Vehicle R Car compartment

Claims (9)

A vehicle communication system comprising: an in-vehicle device that transmits signals from a plurality of antennas provided in a vehicle; and a portable device that receives a signal transmitted from the in-vehicle device and transmits a response signal corresponding to the received signal. There,
The portable device is
A measurement unit for measuring the received signal strength of the signal transmitted from each of the plurality of antennas;
A transmission unit that transmits a response signal including the received signal strength of each signal measured by the measurement unit, and
The in-vehicle device is
An in-vehicle receiver that receives a response signal transmitted from the portable device;
Based on the received signal strength included in the response signal received by the in-vehicle receiving unit, a plurality of vehicle interior / exterior determination information for determining whether or not the portable device is in the vehicle interior is opened / closed in the vehicle door. A storage unit for storing each state;
A detection unit for detecting the open / closed state of the door;
A selection unit that selects any one of the vehicle interior / exterior determination information stored in the storage unit based on a detection result of the detection unit;
Car interior / exterior determination for determining whether or not the portable device is in the vehicle interior based on the received signal strength included in the response signal received by the in-vehicle receiver and the vehicle interior / exterior determination information selected by the selection unit. And a vehicle communication system. The detector is adapted to detect the opening of the door,
The selection unit includes:
The vehicle communication system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle interior / exterior determination information corresponding to the opening detected by the detection unit is selected. Some of the antennas are provided on the door of the vehicle, and the other antennas are provided on a non-movable part of the vehicle.
The vehicle interior / exterior determination unit
The detection unit determines whether or not the portable device is in a vehicle interior based on a received signal strength of a signal transmitted from the other antenna when the detection unit detects an open state of the door. The vehicle communication system described. The detector is
The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the door open / closed state is estimated based on a received signal strength included in a response signal received by the in-vehicle receiving unit. Some of the antennas are provided on the door of the vehicle, the other antennas are provided on a non-movable part of the vehicle, and the detection unit is configured to detect opening and closing of the door,
Furthermore, when the detection unit detects the open state of the door, based on the received signal strength of the signal transmitted from the other antenna, whether the portable device is within a predetermined range of the door in the open state A position determination unit for determining whether or not,
The detector is
When the position determination unit determines that the portable device is within the predetermined range, based on the received signal strength of the signal transmitted from the partial antenna provided in the door in the open state, The vehicle communication system according to claim 2, wherein the opening degree of the door is estimated. The vehicle interior / exterior determination unit
A region inside / outside determination unit that determines, for each region, whether or not it is inside each of a plurality of different regions that commonly include the vehicle interior space related to the vehicle interior / exterior determination information;
The vehicle communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: a determination unit that determines whether or not the portable device is inside the entire region. An in-vehicle device that transmits a signal from a plurality of antennas provided in a vehicle and receives a response signal transmitted from a portable device in response to the signal,
An in-vehicle receiver that receives a response signal including a received signal strength of the signal transmitted from each of the plurality of antennas in the portable device;
Based on the received signal strength included in the response signal received by the in-vehicle receiving unit, a plurality of vehicle interior / exterior determination information for determining whether or not the portable device is in the vehicle interior is opened / closed in the vehicle door. A storage unit for storing each state;
A detection unit for detecting the open / closed state of the door;
A selection unit that selects any one of the vehicle interior / exterior determination information stored in the storage unit based on a detection result of the detection unit;
Car interior / exterior determination for determining whether or not the portable device is in the vehicle interior based on the received signal strength included in the response signal received by the in-vehicle receiver and the vehicle interior / exterior determination information selected by the selection unit. In-vehicle device with A portable device that receives a plurality of signals transmitted from a vehicle and transmits a response signal according to the received signals,
A measurement unit for measuring the received signal strength of the plurality of signals;
A storage unit that stores each of a plurality of vehicle interior / exterior determination information for determining whether or not the vehicle is in the vehicle interior for each open / closed state of the vehicle door;
Based on a signal transmitted from the vehicle, a detection unit that detects an open / closed state of the door;
A selection unit that selects any one of the vehicle interior / exterior determination information stored in the storage unit based on a detection result of the detection unit;
A portable device comprising: a vehicle interior / exterior determination unit that determines whether the vehicle is in the vehicle interior based on the received signal strength measured by the measurement unit and the vehicle interior / exterior determination information selected by the selection unit. A computer program for causing a computer to determine whether or not the portable device is in the passenger compartment based on the received signal strength of a signal transmitted from a plurality of antennas provided in the vehicle and received by the portable device,
The computer,
A selection unit that selects any one of a plurality of vehicle interior / exterior determination information prepared for each opening / closing state of the vehicle door based on the opening / closing state of the door;
A computer program for functioning as a vehicle interior / exterior determination unit that determines whether or not the portable device is in a vehicle interior based on the received signal strength and the vehicle interior / exterior determination information selected by the selection unit.

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