JP2017085454A - Electronic key detection system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic key detection system which achieves a search of an electronic key for executing two-way communication with on-vehicle equipment while reducing a wasteful cost, using a device other than the on-vehicle equipment.SOLUTION: The electronic key system includes: a smart phone 3 which executes an application 33 acquired from the outside of self-equipment; and terminal radio equipment 4 connectable to the smart phone 3. The terminal radio equipment 4 executes two-way communication between itself and an electronic key which returns a response signal when receiving a request signal transmitted from the on-vehicle equipment loaded on a vehicle. The application 33 causes a mobile telephone to execute request transmission processing for transmitting a request signal from the terminal radio equipment 4 connected to the smart phone 3, and notification processing for notifying presence of the electronic key on the basis of the response signal received from the electronic key by the terminal radio equipment 4 connected to the mobile telephone.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic key detection system that performs an electronic key search by performing bidirectional communication between an electronic key and a mobile phone connected to a wireless device.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a portable device search device that searches for a portable device using a transmission / reception function of the portable device when the portable device as an electronic key that performs two-way communication with an in-vehicle device is lost. ing. In the portable device search device disclosed in Patent Document 1, when searching for a portable device, a transmission request signal similar to that transmitted by an in-vehicle device is transmitted to the portable device, and a response signal from the portable device is received. In this case, the mobile device is notified that it exists in the detection area.

  In order to transmit a transmission request signal similar to that transmitted by the in-vehicle device to the portable device, the portable device search device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a transmission request in addition to the antenna, the oscillator, and the like similar to the in-vehicle device. A control device for generating signals and the like is provided.

JP 2005-220728 A

  However, it takes a lot of cost to provide the portable device search device disclosed in Patent Document 1 with a control device that generates a transmission request signal in addition to an antenna, an oscillator, and the like similar to those in the vehicle-mounted device. The portable device search device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a device having only a function of searching for a portable device, and it is wasteful to cost such a device.

  The present invention has been made based on this situation, and the object of the present invention is to use a device other than the vehicle-mounted device to search for an electronic key for performing bidirectional communication with the vehicle-mounted device. An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic key detection system that can be realized with reduced costs.

  The above object is achieved by a combination of the features described in the independent claims, and the subclaims define further advantageous embodiments of the invention. Reference numerals in parentheses described in the claims indicate a correspondence relationship with specific means described in the embodiments described later as one aspect, and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. .

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a mobile phone (3) having a calculation unit (31) for executing an application (33) acquired from the outside of its own device, and a terminal radio (4) connectable to the mobile phone. The terminal radio is bidirectional with the electronic key (2) that returns a response signal when receiving a request signal transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device (10) mounted on the vehicle (1). The application has a request transmission process for transmitting a request signal from the terminal radio connected to the mobile phone, and a response signal received from the electronic key by the terminal radio connected to the mobile phone. This is an application for causing a mobile phone to execute a notification process for notifying the presence of an electronic key.

  According to the above configuration, even if it is a mobile phone, by connecting a terminal radio, it is possible to transmit a request signal and receive a response signal with the electronic key via this terminal radio. In addition, the mobile phone can notify the presence of the electronic key based on the transmission of the request signal and the reception of the response signal from the electronic key by an application acquired from the outside of the device itself. As described above, since the mobile phone can be used for searching for the electronic key, useless cost can be suppressed as compared with the case where a device dedicated to searching for the electronic key is used. As a result, the search for the electronic key that performs bidirectional communication with the in-vehicle device can be realized while reducing useless cost while using a device other than the in-vehicle device.

It is a figure showing the utilization condition of the radio | wireless communications system as 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of the vehicle equipment 10 with which the radio | wireless communications system which concerns on 1st Embodiment is provided. It is a block diagram of the electronic key 2 with which the radio | wireless communications system which concerns on 1st Embodiment is provided. It is a block diagram of the terminal radio | wireless machine 4 with which the radio | wireless communications system which concerns on 1st Embodiment is provided. It is a flowchart showing the action | operation of the application 33 which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a figure showing the positional relationship of the smart phone 3 and electronic key 2 which concern on 2nd Embodiment.

<First Embodiment>
Hereinafter, the configuration of the wireless communication system according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, an example of the usage status of the electronic key detection system according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  The in-vehicle device 10 used in the vehicle 1 has a wireless communication function and transmits a request signal to the electronic key 2.

  The electronic key 2 has a wireless communication function, and transmits a response signal including an electronic key ID for identifying the electronic key 2 when receiving a request signal transmitted by the in-vehicle device 10. The in-vehicle device 10 authenticates the regular electronic key 2 by collating the electronic key ID registered in advance with the electronic key ID included in the response signal. Car control such as preparing for unlocking.

  The smartphone 3 corresponds to the mobile phone in the claims, and for example, an application for detecting an electronic key is introduced by distribution from a server, and a request signal is generated and notification that the detection of the electronic key 2 is successful is performed. The smartphone 3 stores an electronic key ID to be detected. The electronic key ID may be configured to be stored in the smartphone 3 by, for example, having the smartphone 3 input by a dealer of the vehicle 1.

  The terminal wireless device 4 is a wireless communication device that performs DA conversion, modulation, and transmission of a request signal, and reception, demodulation, and AD conversion of a response signal. The terminal wireless device 4 is used by connecting to the smartphone 3.

  Next, an example of the configuration of the in-vehicle device 10 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the in-vehicle device 10 includes a vehicle-side control unit 11, an LF transmission unit 12, and an RF reception unit 13.

  The vehicle side control unit 11 generates a request signal and causes the LF transmission unit 12 to transmit the request signal. The LF transmission unit 12 modulates and amplifies and transmits the request signal generated by the vehicle side control unit 11. The frequency used for transmission is, for example, a 100 kHz band, and the modulation method is, for example, an amplitude shift keying method. The RF receiver 13 receives the response signal transmitted from the electronic key 2, demodulates it, and outputs it to the vehicle-side controller 11. Further, when a response signal is input from the RF receiver 13, the vehicle-side controller 11 collates the electronic key ID included in the response signal with the electronic key ID stored in the in-vehicle device 10.

  Next, an example of the configuration of the electronic key 2 will be described with reference to FIG. The electronic key 2 includes an LF receiver 21, a controller 22, and an RF transmitter 23.

  The LF receiver 21 demodulates the received signal according to a communication protocol similar to the communication protocol used when the in-vehicle device 10 transmits a request signal. When acquiring the signal demodulated by the LF receiver 21, the controller 22 determines whether or not a request signal is included. If it is determined that the request signal is included, a response signal including the electronic key ID is generated and output to the RF transmitter 23. The RF transmission unit 23 modulates and amplifies the response signal generated by the control unit 22 and transmits it. The frequency used for transmission is, for example, the 300 MHz band.

  Then, an example of a structure of the smart phone 3 and the terminal radio | wireless machine 4 is demonstrated using FIG. A configuration including the smartphone 3 and the terminal wireless device 4 corresponds to the electronic key detection system in the claims. The smartphone 3 includes a calculation unit 31, a memory 32, a female microUSB terminal (hereinafter referred to as a female terminal) 34, and a display 35. The terminal wireless device 4 includes a male microUSB terminal (hereinafter, male terminal) 41, a terminal transmission unit 42, and a terminal reception unit 43. An application 33 is stored in the memory 32.

  First, the configuration of the smartphone 3 will be described. The calculation unit 31 executes the application 33 stored in the memory 32. The memory 32 stores an application 33 introduced by connecting to a server that distributes the application 33 using a communication device (not shown) included in the smartphone 3 and an electronic key ID included in the response signal by the electronic key 2 to be detected. Yes.

  The application 33 is an application for detecting an electronic key. When the application 33 is executed by the calculation unit 31, it generates a request signal, detects the electronic key 2 based on the response signal, displays on the display 35, and the like. The application 33 generates a request signal similar to the request signal generated by the in-vehicle device 10 and transmits the request signal through the terminal wireless device 4. Further, the application 33 analyzes the signal received by the terminal radio 4 and determines whether or not the response signal includes the electronic key ID. If the response signal includes the electronic key ID, information indicating that the electronic key 2 used in the vehicle 1 has been detected is displayed on the display 35.

  The female terminal 34 is a terminal to which a microUSB plug can be connected. The female terminal 34 outputs the request signal generated by the calculation unit 31 to the terminal wireless device 4 connected by the female terminal 34. Further, the female terminal 34 transmits a signal input from the terminal wireless device 4 connected by the female terminal 34 to the calculation unit 31. The display 35 is a display device included in the smartphone 3.

  Next, the configuration of the terminal wireless device 4 will be described. The male terminal 41 is a microUSB plug for connecting to the female terminal 34 of the smartphone 3. The male terminal 41 transmits a request signal input from the smartphone 3 connected to the male terminal 41 to the terminal transmission unit 42. The male terminal 41 outputs the signal received by the terminal receiving unit 43 to the smartphone 3 connected to the male terminal 41.

  The terminal transmitter 42 modulates and amplifies the request signal input from the smartphone 3 through the male terminal 41 and wirelessly transmits the request signal. A communication protocol such as a frequency and a modulation method for transmission is the same as the communication protocol used when the LF transmission unit 12 transmits a request signal. The transmission range in which the request signal is transmitted is, for example, a relatively narrow range having a radius of less than 1 m.

  The terminal receiver 43 receives and demodulates the response signal transmitted by the electronic key 2. And it outputs to the smart phone 3 through the male terminal 41. Processing at the time of reception and demodulation is the same as that of the RF receiver 13.

  Next, the operation of the calculation unit 31 that executes the application 33 that detects the electronic key 2 will be described with reference to FIG. When the terminal wireless device 4 is connected to the smartphone 3 and the application 33 is activated on the smartphone 3, the processing of each step is executed from step S1 (hereinafter, step is omitted).

  In S1, a request signal is generated, and the request signal is transmitted to the terminal wireless device 4. The process of S1 corresponds to the request transmission process in the claims. When the request signal is transmitted from the terminal wireless device 4, if the electronic key 2 exists within the transmission range of the request signal, a response signal is returned from the electronic key 2 that has received the request signal.

  In S2, if the terminal radio 4 receives a response signal, the process proceeds to S3, and if not received, the process returns to S1. As an example, if a response signal is not received until a specified time has elapsed since the request signal is transmitted, it is only necessary that the response signal is not received.

  In S3, the electronic key ID included in the response signal is collated with the electronic key ID stored in the memory 32. If both electronic key IDs match, the process proceeds to S4, and if they do not match, the process returns to S1. In S4, information indicating that the electronic key 2 has been detected is displayed on the display 35, and the processing shown in the flowchart ends. The processes in S2 to S4 correspond to the notification process in the claims.

  As an example of information indicating that the electronic key 2 has been detected, it may be information indicating that the electronic key 2 has been detected, or information indicating that the electronic key 2 exists within a predetermined range, for example, less than 1 m in radius. There may be.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment described above, when the terminal wireless device 4 is connected to the smartphone 3 and the application 33 is activated, a request signal similar to the request signal generated by the vehicle-side control unit 11 of the in-vehicle device 10 is obtained. The calculation part 31 produces | generates. And the terminal radio | wireless machine 4 transmits the request signal which the application 33 produced | generated based on the communication protocol similar to the communication protocol at the time of the LF transmission part 12 transmitting a request signal. Thereby, the request signal similar to the request signal which the vehicle equipment 10 transmits using the smart phone 3 can be transmitted. The terminal radio 4 receives the response signal, demodulates it, and outputs it to the smartphone 3. Thus, according to 1st Embodiment, even if it is the smart phone 3, by transmitting the terminal radio | wireless machine 4, it transmits a request signal between the electronic keys 2 via the terminal radio | wireless machine 4, and a response signal Reception is possible.

  The smartphone 3 can acquire a response signal from the electronic key 2 via the terminal wireless device 4. In addition, the smartphone 3 detects that the electronic key 2 is within the transmission range of the request signal from the terminal wireless device 4 based on the reception of the response signal by the application 33 acquired from the outside of the smartphone 3. Then, the presence of the electronic key 2 can be notified. As described above, since the smartphone 3 can be used for searching for the electronic key 2, useless cost can be suppressed as compared with a case where a device dedicated to searching for the electronic key 2 is used.

  As described above, the transmission range in which the request signal is transmitted from the terminal wireless device 4 is a relatively narrow range having a radius of, for example, less than 1 m. Therefore, the user can easily narrow down the range in which the electronic key 2 exists. Search becomes easy.

  Moreover, according to 1st Embodiment, only when the response signal of the electronic key 2 with which electronic key ID is memorize | stored in the smart phone 3 is received, the information which shows having detected the electronic key 2 is displayed. Therefore, detection can be performed by narrowing down the electronic key 2 in which the electronic key ID is stored in the smartphone 3 (that is, registered) to the detection target. Therefore, the electronic key 2 that is not a detection target, such as the electronic key 2 possessed by another person, can be prevented from being disturbed, and the user of the system is the owner of the detected electronic key 2 To help show.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment will be described. In the following description of the second embodiment, elements having the same reference numerals as those used so far are the same as elements having the same reference numerals in the previous embodiments unless otherwise specified. Further, when only a part of the configuration is described, the above-described embodiment can be applied to the other parts of the configuration.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the electronic key 2 and the smartphone 3 to which the terminal wireless device 4 is connected in the wireless communication system as the second embodiment.

  The terminal receiver 43 in the second embodiment has a function of measuring received signal strength in addition to the function of the terminal receiver 43 in the first embodiment by including an RSSI circuit. Further, the terminal receiving unit 43 outputs the measured received signal strength to the smartphone 3 through the male terminal 41.

  In addition, the antenna 44 included in the terminal receiving unit 43 has directivity. It is desirable that the antenna directivity pattern of the terminal receiving unit 43 is a directivity pattern narrowed down in a certain direction as indicated by an ellipse 400 in FIG. That is, it is preferable to have unidirectional directivity. As an example, the directivity in the arrangement direction from the smartphone 3 toward the terminal wireless device 4 is preferably unidirectional directivity. This is because the arrangement direction from the smartphone 3 toward the terminal wireless device 4 is considered to most closely match the image of the search direction for the user who searches the electronic key 2 by connecting the terminal wireless device 4 to the smartphone 3. .

  The directivity in the direction orthogonal to the arrangement direction from the smartphone 3 toward the terminal wireless device 4 is preferably omnidirectional. In order to make the directivity in the arrangement direction from the smartphone 3 toward the terminal wireless device 4 and the directivity in the direction orthogonal to the arrangement direction the above-described directivity, for example, a patch antenna is used as the antenna 44.

  Note that the unidirectional directivity in the present embodiment means that the gain of the side lobe is sufficiently small with respect to the main lobe, for example, the gain of the side lobe with respect to the main lobe is half or less.

  Furthermore, the memory 32 included in the smartphone 3 stores transmission power when the electronic key 2 transmits a response signal in addition to the electronic key ID of the electronic key 2. The transmission power may be stored in the smartphone 3 by having the smartphone 3 input by the dealer of the vehicle 1 like the electronic key ID, for example.

  Here, taking the case shown in FIG. 6 as an example, the case where the position of the electronic key 2 is at the position P1 with respect to the smartphone 3 is compared with the case where the position is at the position P2. The antenna 44 has a smaller gain in the direction of the position P2 than the gain in the direction of the position P1. Therefore, the received signal strength of the response signal received from the electronic key 2 is smaller when the electronic key 2 is at the position P2 than when the electronic key 2 is at the position P1.

  That is, when the direction of the smartphone 3 is changed and the position of the electronic key 2 with respect to the smartphone 3 is changed, the received signal strength of the response signal changes, and the direction in which the gain becomes maximum is directed to the position of the electronic key 2. Received signal strength is maximized.

  The application 33 displays the magnitude of the received signal strength of the response signal input from the terminal wireless device 4 on the display 35. Further, the application 33 calculates the distance from the electronic key 2 on the assumption that the electronic key 2 is in the direction in which the gain of the antenna 44 is maximized, and displays the distance on the display 35. Specifically, the attenuation rate of the signal strength is obtained by comparing the transmission power of the electronic key 2 and the received signal strength of the response signal, and the attenuation rate increases as the communication distance increases. The distance from the electronic key 2 is calculated from a predetermined relationship.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment described above, not only the presence of the electronic key 2 but also a rough direction and distance are utilized by utilizing the change in the received signal strength of the response signal by changing the orientation of the smartphone 3. Detectable. Specifically, since the received signal strength is maximized when the direction in which the gain of the antenna 44 is maximized is directed to the position of the electronic key 2, the direction of the electronic key 2 with respect to the terminal radio 4 can be specified. Further, the terminal when the direction of the electronic key 2 can be specified by calculating the distance when the electronic key 2 is assumed to be in the direction in which the antenna gain is maximized by using the received signal strength of the response signal. It becomes possible to know the distance from the wireless device 4 to the electronic key 2.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, The following modification is also contained in the technical scope of this invention, Furthermore, the summary other than the following is also included. Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope.

<Modification 1>
In the first embodiment, the terminal wireless device 4 includes a male terminal 41 and is connected to a female terminal 34 included in the smartphone 3. However, a mobile phone such as the smartphone 3 includes various connectors that can be used as a connection unit including a female phone terminal used for connecting headphones or the like. Therefore, it is good also as what replaces with a male side microUSB terminal and the terminal for connecting to those connectors, such as a male side phone terminal.

<Modification 2>
In the first embodiment, the terminal wireless device 4 includes a male terminal 41. Therefore, similarly, the terminal wireless device 4 may be manufactured as a device that includes a microUSB plug as a male terminal and shares the microUSB plug with a device connected to a mobile phone such as the smartphone 3. For example, it may be manufactured as a device that has at least one function such as a mouse receiver, a USB card reader, or a one-segment tuner and a function as the terminal wireless device 4 and can switch each function.

<Modification 3>
In 1st Embodiment, although the structure which alert | reports by displaying the information which shows having detected the electronic key 2 on the display 35 was shown, it does not necessarily restrict to this. For example, information indicating that the electronic key 2 has been detected may be output as audio from a speaker of the smartphone 3.

<Modification 4>
In 1st Embodiment, although the structure which uses the smart phone 3 as a mobile telephone of a claim was shown, it does not necessarily restrict to this. For example, a mobile phone other than a smartphone may be used.

<Modification 5>
In 2nd Embodiment, although the structure which detects both the distance from the terminal radio | wireless machine 4 to the electronic key 2 and the direction of the electronic key 2 with respect to the terminal radio | wireless machine 4 was shown, it does not necessarily restrict to this. For example, it is good also as a structure which detects only one.

<Modification 6>
In the first embodiment, the application 33 is introduced into the smartphone 3 by connecting to the server using a communication device included in the smartphone 3, but may be installed at an automobile store.

<Modification 7>
In the first embodiment, the electronic key ID is printed and distributed when the vehicle 1 is purchased. However, the correspondence between the electronic key ID and the vehicle 1 and the electronic key 2 is stored at an automobile manufacturer or an automobile dealer. The electronic key 2 may be distributed when the key is lost.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1: Vehicle 2: Electronic key 3: Smartphone 4: Terminal wireless device 10: In-vehicle device 11: Vehicle side control unit 12: LF transmission unit 13: RF reception unit 21: LF reception unit 22: Control unit 23: RF transmission unit 31 : Calculation unit 32: Memory 33: Application 34: Female terminal 35: Display 41: Male terminal 42: Terminal transmission unit 43: Terminal reception unit 44: Antenna

Claims (4)

A mobile phone (3) including a calculation unit (31) for executing an application (33) acquired from the outside of the own device;
A terminal radio (4) that can be connected to the mobile phone;
The terminal radio performs two-way communication with the electronic key (2) that returns a response signal when receiving a request signal transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device (10) mounted on the vehicle (1). Is something that can be
The application is based on a request transmission process for transmitting the request signal from the terminal radio connected to the mobile phone, and the response signal received from the electronic key by the terminal radio connected to the mobile phone. An electronic key detection system, which is an application for causing the mobile phone to execute a notification process for notifying the presence of the electronic key. In claim 1,
The electronic key is transmitted by including an electronic key ID enabling the electronic key to be specified in the response signal,
The application detects the presence of the electronic key when the electronic key ID included in the received response signal matches the electronic key ID of the electronic key to be detected, which is stored in advance in the mobile phone. An electronic key detection system that alerts you. In claim 1 or 2,
The mobile phone includes a memory (32) that stores in advance transmission power when the electronic key transmits the response signal.
The terminal radio includes a terminal receiver (43) that receives the response signal transmitted from the electronic key and measures the received signal strength of the response signal.
The terminal receiving unit, when receiving the response signal, outputs the measured received signal strength of the response signal to the mobile phone,
The application further calculates a distance from the terminal radio to the electronic key using the received signal strength measured by the terminal receiver and the transmission power of the electronic key stored in the memory. Electronic key detection system that detects and informs. In claim 3,
The terminal receiving unit includes an antenna (44) having unidirectional directivity,
The application further detects the direction of the electronic key with respect to the terminal radio using the received signal strength measured by the terminal receiver and the transmission power of the electronic key stored in the memory. An electronic key detection system for informing the user.

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