JP2017065596A - Switch device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a switch device capable of ensuring a communication area of an antenna.SOLUTION: A switch device 16 is equipped with a knob 17 which is an operation place in the switch device 16. The knob 17 can be rotated, and is operated, for example, when a state of a vehicle power supply is switched. The knob 17 is provided with a grip portion 19 gripped when operating the knob 17, and the grip portion 19 is provided with an antenna 12 for near-field communication . When an electronic key is held up to the antenna 12, and authentication by the near-field communication is established, engine start by the operation of the knob is permitted.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a switch device including an antenna capable of wireless communication with an electronic key.

  Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, a switch device 81 that is operated when starting an engine in a vehicle is well known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The switch device 81 is provided with a knob 82 that can be rotated, and an electronic key (not shown) is brought close to the knob 82 so that the antenna 83 located behind the knob 82 is authenticated wirelessly. The engine is switched to start by the turning operation of the knob 82.

JP 2009-121279 A

  By the way, the conventional antenna 83 includes a coil antenna that is wound a plurality of times so as to circulate around the rotation axis Lp of the knob 82 at a position behind the knob 82. For this reason, when the antenna 83 forms a communication area, the knob 82 becomes an obstacle and there is a problem that a sufficient communication area cannot be secured.

  The objective of this invention is providing the switch apparatus which can ensure the communication area of an antenna.

  The switch device that solves the above problem allows the communication partner to communicate with the electronic key in a state where wireless authentication is established between the electronic key and the antenna for near-field communication provided in the electronic key communication partner. In a configuration in which an operation corresponding to the operation is executed by the communication partner when the provided rotary operation type knob is operated, the knob includes a gripping part to be picked when the knob is rotated. Provided, and the antenna is provided in the grip portion.

  According to this configuration, since the antenna is provided in the grip portion of the knob in the switch device, a near-field communication area formed by the antenna can be provided around the knob. Therefore, it is possible to secure a communication area of the antenna in the switch device including the antenna.

In the switch device, the antenna is preferably a bar antenna. According to this configuration, a small antenna called a bar antenna is sufficient.
In the switch device, it is preferable that the grip portion has a plate shape protruding toward the front side, and the antenna is embedded in the grip portion with an antenna axis extending along a width direction of the grip portion. According to this configuration, it is advantageous to effectively use the arrangement space when the antenna is arranged in the grip portion of the knob.

  In the switch device, it is preferable that the knob can be rotated after being pushed in, and the antenna starts communication at a timing when the knob is pushed. According to this configuration, communication can be started at a suitable timing when the knob is operated in the antenna provided in the knob.

  In the switch device, when authentication with the electronic key is established in near-field communication through the antenna, it is possible to switch the power state of the vehicle as the communication partner by turning the knob. Preferably it is. According to this configuration, when the user operates the knob to start the engine of the vehicle, a situation in which the engine is not activated due to the fact that the wireless authentication is not established despite the possession of the authorized electronic key is less likely to occur. Therefore, it is not necessary to confuse the user when starting the engine.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the communication area of an antenna can be ensured in the switch apparatus provided with the antenna.

The block diagram of the electronic key system of one Embodiment. The front view of a switch apparatus. The side view of a switch apparatus. Sectional drawing of a knob. (A) is a schematic diagram when the knob is pushed and operated, and (b) is a schematic diagram when the knob is picked and rotated. Sectional drawing of the switch apparatus of another example. The front view of the conventional switch apparatus. The side view of a switch apparatus.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the switch device will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 1 includes an electronic key system 3 that performs wireless authentication with the electronic key 2. The electronic key system 3 of this example is a kind of immobilizer system that performs authentication between the vehicle 1 and the electronic key 2 through near-field communication. Hereinafter, this authentication is referred to as “immobilizer verification”, and the communication is referred to as “immobilizer communication”. Near field communication includes, for example, RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) and NFC (Near Field Communication).

  The vehicle 1 includes a verification ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 4 that performs authentication (immobilizer verification) with the electronic key 2, a body ECU 5 that manages the power supply of the in-vehicle electrical components, and an engine ECU 6 that controls the operation of the engine 7. Prepare. These ECUs are connected through a communication line 8 in the vehicle. The communication line 8 includes a CAN (Controller Area Network) and a LIN (Local Interconnect Network). In the verification ECU 4, an electronic key ID (transponder code) unique to the key used for immobilizer verification is written and stored in a memory (not shown). The body ECU 5 controls the operation of the door lock mechanism 9 that is a mechanism portion that switches between locking and unlocking of the door (vehicle door).

  The vehicle 1 includes an antenna 12 that performs near-field communication in the vehicle 1. The antenna 12 is connected to the verification ECU 4, and the operation is managed by the verification ECU 4. The antenna 12 transmits and receives radio waves in an LF (Low Frequency) band, for example. The electronic key 2 is also provided with an antenna (not shown) capable of near-field communication.

  The vehicle 1 includes a switch device 16 that is operated when the operation state of the communication partner 13 (the vehicle 1 in this example) of the electronic key 2 is switched. The switch device 16 of this example is operated when the power state of the vehicle 1 is switched. Examples of the power state of the vehicle 1 include IG off, ACC on, IG on, and engine start.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the switch device 16 includes a knob 17 serving as an operation location in the switch device 16 and a knob support portion 18 that supports the knob 17 so as to be movable. The knob 17 is fitted into a hole 20 a of the panel 20 provided on the vehicle body side, and is assembled to a knob support portion 18 located on the back side of the panel 20. The knob 17 of this example can be pushed in in the protruding direction of the knob 17 (X-axis direction in FIG. 3). In this pushed-in state, the knob 17 rotates around an axis La extending in the pushing direction (arrow A direction in FIG. 3). Dynamic operation is possible.

  The knob 17 is provided with a grip portion 19 that is picked when the knob 17 is operated, and the antenna 12 is provided on the grip portion 19. The antenna 12 in this example is a bar antenna. The grip portion 19 has a plate shape protruding toward the front side (+ X axis direction in FIG. 3), and the antenna 12 is gripped in a direction in which the antenna axis Ly is along the width direction of the grip portion 19 (Y axis direction in FIG. 2). It is embedded in the part 19. The antenna axis Ly corresponds to a line along the magnetic flux passing through the bar antenna coil. The knob 17 can be turned after being pushed, and the antenna 12 starts authentication communication at the timing when the knob 17 is pushed. The antenna 12 can be formed in the grip portion 19 to form a communication area E for near-field communication in the entire area around the knob 17.

  As shown in FIG. 4, an antenna accommodating portion 22 that can accommodate the antenna 12 is formed inside the knob 17. The antenna housing portion 22 is formed in a shape that matches the outer diameter shape of the antenna 12 that is a bar antenna. The antenna 12 is pulled out of the knob 17 through a wiring 23 formed in the knob 17, and is electrically connected to the verification ECU 4 by a wire through the wiring 23.

Next, the operation of the switch device 16 will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5A, when the knob 17 is pushed, this pushing operation is detected by a detection unit (microswitch, sensor, etc .: not shown) of the switch device 16. When the detection ECU detects that the knob 17 has been pushed, the verification ECU 4 activates the antenna 12 and starts near-field communication. As a result, a communication area E for near-field communication is formed around the knob 17.

  As shown in FIG. 5B, when the electronic key 2 is held over the knob 17 and the electronic key 2 enters the communication area E of the antenna 12, the electronic key 2 (near field communication tag) is in the near field. The drive radio wave Sv is received by type communication and activated. The activated electronic key 2 performs two-way communication by near-field communication with the antenna 12 and performs authentication of whether or not the electronic key ID is valid. At this time, the transponder code Sid is transmitted from the electronic key 2 to the antenna 12, and whether the transponder code Sid is correct or not is confirmed. In addition, you may include challenge response authentication in the authentication at this time. At this time, if the authentication is established, the operation of the vehicle 1 is permitted. If the authentication is not established, the operation of the vehicle 1 is not permitted. Therefore, if the knob 17 is turned while the authentication is established, the power state of the vehicle 1 is changed.

  In the case of this example, since the antenna 12 is provided on the knob 17, the communication area E for near-field communication is uniformly formed over the entire area around the knob 17. Thereby, since the radio wave of the antenna 12 reaches anywhere around the knob 17, it is possible to secure a wide communication area E of the antenna 12. For this reason, for example, when an operation such as holding the electronic key 2 and picking the knob 17 is performed, communication is established regardless of the position of the electronic key 2, which is advantageous for ensuring user operability. Become.

According to the configuration of the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) Since the antenna 12 is provided in the grip portion 19 of the knob 17, the communication area E for near-field communication formed by the antenna 12 can be provided around the knob 17. Therefore, the communication area E of the antenna 12 can be secured in the switch device 16 including the antenna 12.

  (2) The antenna 12 is a bar antenna in which a coil is wound around a magnetic material (for example, ferrite or the like). Therefore, in this example, the antenna 12 on the vehicle 1 side can be a small antenna called a bar antenna.

  (3) The grip portion 19 of the knob 17 has a plate shape protruding toward the front side (driver's seat side), and the antenna 12 is embedded in the grip portion 19 with the antenna axis Ly extending along the width direction of the grip portion 19. ing. Therefore, when the antenna 12 is disposed on the grip portion 19 of the knob 17, the antenna 12 can be disposed by making the best use of the placement space that can exist on the grip portion 19.

  (4) The knob 17 can be turned after being pushed in, and the antenna 12 starts communication at the timing when the knob 17 is pushed. Therefore, communication can be started at a suitable timing when the knob 17 is operated in the antenna 12 provided in the knob 17.

  (5) When the wireless authentication between the electronic key 2 and the antenna 12 is established, the power supply state (engine start switching) of the vehicle 1 can be performed by turning the knob 17. Therefore, when the user operates the knob 17 to start the engine 7 of the vehicle 1, a situation in which the engine 7 is not activated due to the fact that the wireless authentication is not established despite having the regular electronic key is less likely to occur. Therefore, it is not necessary to confuse the user when starting the engine.

Note that the embodiment is not limited to the configuration described so far, and may be modified as follows.
As shown in FIG. 6, the antenna 12 is not limited to being connected to the verification ECU 4 by wire (wired harness), but may have a structure in which the electrode 31 is connected in contact.

The knob 17 is not limited to a structure that can be rotated after being pushed, but may be a structure that simply rotates, for example.
The antenna 12 may take any orientation when housed in the grip portion 19 of the knob 17.

The antenna 12 is not limited to a bar antenna, and may be changed to another type of antenna.
-The shape of the holding part 19 should just be a shape which a user can pick with a finger | toe etc. FIG.

As the authentication performed between the vehicle 1 and the electronic key 2, various authentications can be adopted as long as the authentication can confirm whether the electronic key 2 is valid.
-Near field type communication is not limited to RFID or NFC, but may be any communication method with a small communication area.

The electronic key 2 can be changed to another terminal such as a high function mobile phone.
The communication partner 13 is not limited to the vehicle 1, and may be any device that authenticates with the electronic key 2 and is permitted or executed.

  The switch device 16 is not limited to being applied to the engine switch device of the vehicle 1 and can be used for other devices and apparatuses.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle which is an example of a communication other party, 2 ... Electronic key, 12 ... Antenna, 13 ... Communication other party, 16 ... Switch apparatus, 17 ... Knob, 19 ... Holding part, Ly ... Antenna axis.

Claims (5)

In a state where wireless authentication is established between the electronic key and the near-field communication antenna provided at the communication partner of the electronic key, a rotary operation type knob provided at the communication partner is provided. When operated, in the switch device in which the operation according to the operation is executed by the communication partner,
A switch device, wherein the knob is provided with a gripping portion that is picked when the knob is rotated, and the antenna is provided in the gripping portion. The switch device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is a bar antenna. 3. The switch according to claim 1, wherein the grip portion has a plate shape protruding toward the front side, and the antenna is embedded in the grip portion with an antenna axis extending along a width direction of the grip portion. apparatus. The knob can be rotated after being pushed in,
The switch device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna starts communication at a timing when the knob is pushed. The power supply state of the vehicle as the communication partner can be switched by a turning operation of the knob when authentication with the electronic key is established in near-field communication through the antenna. The switch device according to any one of 4.

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