JPH03148352A - Keyless controller for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To precisely and speedily detect position of a card by calculating a distance to a receiving means from an electric wave hour of a micro wave sent from the card in a keyless controller for vehicle using a sending means (the card) which can send a specific cipher information. CONSTITUTION:In a system and others devised to release locking of steering simply by pressing a request switch provided adjacent to the steering when a driver has a card 1 as a portable sending means which can send a specific cipher information with a micro wave, a calculation means 5 to calculate a distance from the card 1 to a receiving means 3 to receive the micro wave sent from this card 1 is provided. Then, it is constituted so that the control processing concerning locking and unlocking of the steering is judged by a judging means 7 on the basis of a calculation result in this calculation means 5. Consequently, it is possible to speedily and precisely judge whether the card 1 exists in a car room or not.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a keyless control device for a vehicle that performs # control processing related to door and steering locks or locking without using a key. It is something.

(Prior art) In recent years, when a driver is in possession of a card that can transmit specific coded information, the door can be locked or unlocked simply by pressing a request switch provided on the outside handle of the door. Various systems have been developed that can do this. (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 63-4182) In such a system, when locking or unlocking the door, it is checked whether the encrypted information sent from the card is the encrypted information set in advance, and It becomes necessary to determine the location of the card, that is, whether the driver carrying the card is inside the vehicle or outside the vehicle.

For this reason, in conventional devices, communication is carried out between the card and a receiving section provided on the vehicle side at regular time intervals, and the location of the card is determined according to changes in the signal level received by the receiving section. There is. In other words, when the signal level received by the receiver is constant, it is determined that the card is inside the vehicle, and conversely, when the signal level is changing, it is determined that the card is outside the vehicle. I try to judge.

In other conventional devices, a so-called indoor-only antenna is provided inside the vehicle, which allows communication only when the card is in the vehicle, and this indoor-only antenna can receive encrypted information from the card. Sometimes, it is determined that the card is present in the vehicle interior and -1, and conversely, when the coded information from the card cannot be received, it is determined that the card is present outside the vehicle interior.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, in conventional devices that judge the location of a card according to changes in the signal level received by the receiving section, errors in judgment may occur due to the influence of noise such as electromagnetic noise. It takes time to detect the location of the card, and even if it is detected that the card has been left behind, there are cases where the driver is not alerted in time.

In addition, when an indoor-only antenna is installed, the level of the transmitted signal is low, so it is easily affected by metal objects inside the vehicle, making it difficult to determine whether a card is present in the vehicle. there were.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a keyless control device for a vehicle that can accurately and quickly detect the location of a card.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The means provided by the present invention for achieving the above object include a portable transmitting means 1 capable of transmitting microwaves as shown in FIG. a receiving means 3 for receiving the microwave transmitted from the transmitting means 1; a calculating means 5 for calculating the distance between the transmitting means 1 and the receiving means 3 based on the propagation time of the microwave; and calculation by the calculating means 5. The present invention also includes a determining means 7 for determining control processing related to locking or unlocking of the doors and steering wheel based on the results.

(Function) In the present invention, the receiving means 3 receives microwaves transmitted from the portable transmitting means 1. At this time, the calculating means 5 calculates the distance between the transmitting means 1 and the receiving means 3 based on the propagation time of the microwave. Thereby, it is possible to quickly and accurately determine whether the portable transmitting means 1 exists inside the vehicle interior or outside the vehicle interior. Such calculation means 5
Control processing related to locking or unlocking of the doors and steering wheel is determined based on the calculation results.

(Example) - An example according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

First, the overall configuration will be explained with reference to FIG.

The card 21 is a portable transmitting means for transmitting specific encrypted information using microwaves. An antenna 23 for door control is provided in the central part 13 of the vehicle 11 as shown in FIG. .

An antenna 25 for trunk control is built into the rear bumper, etc., and receives encrypted information transmitted from the card 21 when the card 21 is near the antenna 25. Also the ignition control river antenna 27
is provided outside the steering lock device to be described later and near the driver's seat, for example, in the central part 13 of the interior of the vehicle 11 as shown in FIG. , the cryptographic information transmitted from the card 21 is received.

Next, the control unit 29 and its peripheral devices will be explained in detail.

The antenna switching circuit 31 is connected to each of the antennas 23, 25, and 27, and selectively switches and connects a specific antenna from among the plurality of antennas. The transmission/reception switching circuit 33 is connected to the antenna switching circuit 31, and is also connected to the receiving circuit 35 and the transmitting circuit 37, respectively. This transmission/reception switching circuit 33 connects the antenna switching circuit 31 and the receiving circuit 35 at the reception timing, and connects the antenna switching circuit 31 and the reception circuit 35 at the transmission timing.
and the transmitting circuit 37 are connected. The control unit 39 has arithmetic processing means such as a microcomputer, and executes processes related to control related to opening and closing of doors and trunks and lock control of the steering wheel.

For example, the control unit 39 measures the propagation time of the microwave received via the antenna 23 or 27, and this total i1PI
a calculation means for calculating the distance from the card 21 to the antenna 23 or 27 based on the propagation time; and a determination means for determining the area where the card 21 exists based on the result calculated by the calculation means. have. Specifically, if the distance from the antenna 23 or 27 to the card 21 is less than a predetermined distance, it is determined that the card 21 is present in the vehicle interior area AB as shown in FIG. Conversely, if the distance from the antenna 23 or 27 to the antenna 21 exceeds the predetermined distance, the third
As shown in the figure, it is determined that the card 21 exists in the outside area AA of the vehicle. The control unit 39 transmits information on these determination results to the steering lock device 4 via the input/output circuit 47.
Send to 9.

Further, the control section 39 is connected to an interface circuit 43 via a reset circuit 41. Further, the control section 39 is connected to various detection sections via an interface circuit 45. Specifically, the interface circuit 45 includes a switch SWA for detecting the locked state of the door;
Vehicle speed sensor SNA and switch SWB for detecting whether the shift lever is in the parking position
, a switch SWC for detecting the open/closed state of the door, and an ignition switch SWD. Further, the ignition switch SWD is connected to the battery BTT. Also, the interface circuit 43
are connected to a door request switch SWE provided near the outside handle of the door and a trunk request switch SWF provided to the trunk print section.

Next, the internal configuration of the steering lock device 49 will be explained.

The $1111 section 51 has an arithmetic processing means such as a microcomputer, and processes the above-mentioned judgment result information input from the control unit 29 via the input/output circuit 53.
Various $1111 processes related to unlocking the steering wheel are executed based on various information such as code information. Further, the control section 51 is connected to the key request switch SWG via a reset circuit 55. Further, this key request switch SWG is connected to the reset circuit 41 via an interface circuit 43, and when the key request switch SWG is turned on, the control unit 51 is reset via the reset circuit 55, and at the same time, the reset circuit 4
1 to reset the control unit 39. The control unit 51 is also connected to a memory 57 that stores request codes for requesting various information from the control unit 29.

The verification section 59 is connected to the control section 51 and also to a memory 61 for storing the encryption code. The collation unit 59 collates the cryptographic code stored in the memory 61 and the cryptographic information obtained from the control unit 51 , and outputs matching information to the control unit 51 if both pieces of information match as a result of the collation. Further, the drive circuit 63 is connected to the control section 51 and also to the rough chillenoid 65. Control unit 5
1 is a drive circuit 63 based on the matching information from the matching section 59.
The Love Chillenoid 65 is operated through. Further, the switch SWH is configured to close only when an ignition key (not shown) is present in the accessory (hereinafter referred to as ACC) position or when the key is inserted into a key insertion slot provided in the steering lock device.

Further, the steering lock device W49 includes a locking means (not shown) for locking the steering, a releasing means for unlocking the locking means, and a regulating means for regulating the unlocking of the releasing means. ing. Further, the drive circuit 63 and the love chilenoid 65 described above form a restriction release means for releasing the restriction of the restriction means. Therefore, when the verification unit 59 finds that both pieces of encrypted information, that is, the encrypted code stored in the memory 61 and the encrypted information obtained from the control unit 29 match, the driving circuit 63
The latch solenoid 65 is configured to operate to release the restriction of the restriction means.

Next, control processing related to locking or unlocking the doors and steering wheel will be explained with reference to FIG.

First, a case where the ignition switch SWD is in the ACC position will be described. When the door is in a locked state, the door is unlocked only when the card 21 exists in the outside area, that is, the outside area AA of the vehicle. This can prevent illegal entry while driving. Further, when the door is in the unlocked state, the control of the door is stopped regardless of the position of the card 21. Further, the steering wheel is unlocked only when the card 21 is present in the inner area, that is, the vehicle interior area AB.

Next, if the ignition switch SWD is not in the ACC position,
For example, control when the device is in the lock position or the off position will be explained. Card 21 when the door is in rolling condition
The door is unlocked only when the door exists in the outside area, that is, the outside area AA of the vehicle.

This can serve as a measure to prevent theft by a third party if the card 21 is left behind in the vehicle.

Further, the door is locked only when the card 21 is present in the outside area, that is, the outside area AA of the vehicle when the door is in the unlocked state. Further, the steering wheel is unlocked only when the card 21 is present in the inside area, that is, the vehicle interior area AB.

Next, the operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 will be explained with reference to FIG.

In step 551, it is determined whether the ignition switch SWD has been turned on, and if it has been turned on, the process advances to step S53.

In step S53, the ignition switch SWD is set to A.
It is determined whether it has been rotated to the CC position, and the ACC
If it has been rotated to the position, the process advances to step S55. In step S55, it is determined whether the key request switch SWG has been turned on, and if the key request switch SWG has been turned on, the process returns to step S51 via X. If the key request switch SWG is not turned on in step S55, the process advances to step 857. In step S57, the door request switch SWE or the trunk request switch SWF is
It is determined whether or not the switches have been turned on, and if both switches have not been turned on, the process advances to step S59. In step S59, it is determined whether the door has changed from the open state to the closed state. If there is no change, the process returns to step S51 via X. Also step S
If the door changes from the open state to the closed state in step 59, the process proceeds to step 361, and by communicating with the card 21, the card 21 and the antenna are connected based on the propagation time of the microwave transmitted from the card 21. Measure the distance between 23 and 23. Subsequently, in step S63, it is determined whether the card 21 exists in the vehicle interior area AB, and if the card 21 exists in the vehicle interior area AB, the process proceeds to step S51 via X. Also, step S6
If the card 21 does not exist in the vehicle interior area AB in step S65, a warning is issued to the effect that the card 21 does not exist. Subsequently, the process returns from step S65 to step 551 via X''.

In step S57, the door request switch SWE
Alternatively, if the trunk request switch SWF is turned on, the process advances to step S67. Step S67
In this step, it is determined whether the door is in an open state, and if the door is in an open state, the process proceeds to step S69. In step S69, the distance between the card 21 and the antenna 23 is measured based on the propagation time of the microwave transmitted from the card 21 by communicating with the card 21.

Subsequently, in step S71, the card 21 is placed in the vehicle outside area A.
If the card 21 is present in the outside area AA, the process proceeds to step S73 and a warning is given that the door is not completely closed, that is, the door is ajar.

Subsequently, the process returns from step 373 to step S51 via X. Further, if the card 21 does not exist in the outside area AA in step S71, the card 21 is sent to step S71 via X.
Return to 51.

Next, if the door is not in the open state in step S67, the process advances to step S75. In step S75, it is determined whether the door is in the locked state, and if the door is not in the locked state, the process returns to step S51 via X. If the door is locked in step S75, the process advances to step S79, and by communicating with the card 21, the distance between the card 21 and the antenna 23 is determined based on the propagation time of the microwave transmitted from the card 21. Measure. Subsequently, in step S81, it is determined whether the card 21 exists in the outside area AA of the vehicle, and if the card 21 does not exist in the outside area AA of the vehicle, the process returns to step S51 via X. If the card 21 is present in the outside area AA in step S81, the process advances to step S83 and the door is unlocked. Subsequently, the process returns from step S83 to step S51 via X.

Next, in step S51, the ignition switch S
If the WD is not turned on, the process advances to step S85. In step S85, it is determined whether the ignition switch SWD has been turned to the ACC position.
If it is not rotated to the CCtZ position, the process advances to step S1 via A.

In step S1, it is determined whether the key request switch SWG has been turned on, and if the key request switch SWG has been turned on, the process advances to step S3. In step S3, the distance between the card 21 and the antenna 27 is measured according to the propagation time of the microwave transmitted from the card 21 by communicating with the card 21. Next, in step S5, it is determined whether or not the card 21 exists in the vehicle interior area AB. If the card 21 does not exist in the vehicle interior area AB, the process advances to step S7, and a buzzer is sounded to confirm that the card 21 is present in the vehicle interior area AB. Alert that it does not exist. If the card 21 is present in the vehicle interior area AB in step S5, the process advances to step S9 and data such as encrypted information is transmitted.

If the key request switch SWG is not turned on in step S1, the process advances to step S11. In step Sll, it is determined whether the door request switch SWE has been turned on, and if the door request switch SWE has been turned on, the process advances to step S13. In step 313, the distance between the card 21 and the antenna 23 is measured based on the propagation time of the microwave transmitted from the card 21 by communicating with the card 21. Next, in step 815, it is determined whether the card 21 exists in the outside area AA of the vehicle, and if the card 21 does not exist in the outside area AA of the vehicle, the process proceeds to step S51 via X. Further, if the card 21 is present in the outside area AA in step S15, step S15 is determined.
Proceed to step 17. In step 317, it is determined whether the door is closed, and if the door is closed, the process proceeds to step 519, where a warning is issued that the door is ajar, that is, the door is not completely closed. Subsequently, the process advances from step 519 to step S51 via X. If the door is closed in step S17, the process advances to step 521 and it is determined whether the door is locked. If the door is locked in step 521, the process advances to step S23 and the door is unlocked. Then step S2
3 to step S51 via X. If the door is not locked in step S21, the process advances to step S25 and the door is locked.

Subsequently, the process advances from step S25 to step S51 via X.

Next, in step S11, the door request switch S
If WE is not turned on, step SS27
Proceed to. In step S27, it is determined whether the trunk request switch SWF has been turned on, and if the trunk request switch SWF has not been turned on, the process proceeds to step 551 via X. Further, if the trunk request switch SWF is turned on in step S27, the process advances to step S29 and the card 21
communicate with. Subsequently, in step S31, it is determined whether or not the card 21 exists within a predetermined area, for example, near the antenna 25.
If 1 does not exist, the process advances to step 551 via X. If the card 21 is present within the predetermined area in step S31, the process advances to step S33 and the trunk is opened. Subsequently, the process advances from step S33 to step 851 via X.

Further, in step S85, the ignition switch S
If the WD is rotated to the ACC position, step S87
Proceed to. In step S87, it is determined whether the door is closed, and if the door is not closed, the process advances to step S91. Further, in step S87, if the door is closed, that is, if the door is turned without rotating the ignition switch SWD to the lock position, the process proceeds to step S89 and a warning is given that the steering wheel has been forgotten to be locked. Next, in step S91, it is determined whether the key request switch SWG has been turned on, and if the key request switch SWG has not been turned on, the process advances to step S57. Also, step S91
If the key request switch SWG is turned on in step S93, the process advances to step S93. In step S93, it is determined whether the door request switch SWE or the trunk request switch SWF has been turned on, and if any key request switch has been turned on, the process returns to step 551 via X. Further, in step S93, the door request switch SW
If both E and trunk request switch SWF are not turned on, the process advances to step S95. Step S
By communicating with the card 21, the 95i
The distance (1) between the card 21 and the antenna 23 is measured based on the propagation time of the microwave transmitted from the card 21 and the antenna 23. Next, in step 397, it is determined whether or not the card 21 exists in the vehicle interior area AB. If the card 21 does not exist in the vehicle interior area AB, the process advances to step S99 and a warning is issued to the effect that the card 21 does not exist. . Also, step S9
If the card 21 is present in the vehicle interior area AB in step S7, the process advances to step S101 and the vehicle speed is detected based on information from the vehicle speed sensor SNA. Then step S
In 103, it is determined whether the vehicle is in a running state, and if the vehicle is in a running state, the process returns to step S51 via X.
Return to Further, if the vehicle is not in a running state in step S103, the process advances to step S105.

In step S105, it is determined whether the shift lever is in the parking range, and if it is outside the parking range, the process returns to step S51 via X. If the shift lever is located in the parking range in step S105, the process advances to step S107 and data such as encryption information is transmitted. Subsequently, the process returns from step S107 to step S51 via X.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the antenna for controlling the door and the antenna for controlling the ignition are provided separately. If a single antenna is configured to serve both as the door control antenna and the ignition control antenna, the cost can be further reduced.

Further, by installing two such dual-purpose antennas at appropriate locations in the vehicle interior, the location of the card can be calculated with even higher accuracy.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the distance between the transmitting means and the receiving means is calculated based on the propagation time of the microwave transmitted from the transmitting means, and the distance between the door and the receiving means is calculated based on the calculation result. Since the control processing related to locking or unlocking of the steering wheel is determined, the location of the transmitting means can be detected accurately and quickly.

Furthermore, since the location of the transmitting means can be detected accurately and quickly in this way, control processing related to locking or unlocking the doors and steering wheel can be appropriately performed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a complaint response diagram, Fig. 2 is an overall configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an area inside the vehicle and an area outside the vehicle, and Fig. 4 is a door and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, which is an explanatory diagram showing control processing related to locking or unlocking the steering wheel. 1-transmission means 3...reception means 5-calculation means 7-judgment means

Claims (1)

[Claims] Portable transmitting means capable of transmitting microwaves; Receiving means receiving the microwaves transmitted from the transmitting means; Transmitting means and receiving means based on the propagation time of the microwaves. A keyless control device for a vehicle, comprising: a calculation means for calculating a distance; and a determination means for determining control processing related to locking or unlocking of doors and steering wheels based on the calculation result of the calculation means.