JPH10306639A - Automobile keyless entry device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To promote power conservation of a controlling circuit for an automobile keyless entry device. SOLUTION: An automobile keyless entry device is equipped with an RF receiving circuit section 5 for receiving a user code transmitted from a key device 6 possessed by a user, a main controlling circuit section 4 for identifying the received user code and, at the same time, for controlling unlocking/locking operation and a sendor module 2 for detecting an approaching state and a contacting state. A second transistor Q2 is provided between power source circuit 3 and RF receiving circuit 5, the second transistor Q2 is turned ON only in the case the human body in a specific area is detected, and power voltage is supplied to the RF receiving circuit 5. Accordingly, power conservation of the keyless entry device can be promoted without supplying dark current unnecessarily.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a keyless entry device for an automobile, which unlocks a door lock device when it recognizes that a user code is legitimate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a keyless entry device for a vehicle, a user code is stored in a key device carried by a user, and the same user code is stored in a vehicle, so that the user can operate a door or the like. The key device side user code transmitted from the key device at the time of opening is collated with the vehicle side user code, and if they match, it is determined that the access is made by an authorized user, and the door lock device is unlocked. In some cases, the user can subsequently open the door.

In the transmission and reception of a user code in the keyless entry device as described above, a unidirectional type in which transmission is performed by operating a switch provided in the key device to perform code recognition, and a code recognition in which transmission and reception are performed between the two devices. There is a two-way type to do. In any of these cases, in the conventional keyless entry device, it is necessary to enable the reception circuit of the control unit as the door lock control means provided on the vehicle side to always be able to receive the signal. Some power supply voltages are supplied.

[0004]

However, in the above keyless entry device, since the dark current flowing through the receiving circuit is relatively large, even if the voltage is intermittently supplied, the current consumed by the dark current is only large. However, since the receiving circuit operates intermittently, for example, a header pulse is provided at the head of the transmission code from the user-side transmitter, and the receiving circuit is started by the trigger signal.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve such a problem and improve the power saving of a control circuit of a keyless entry device for an automobile, in the present invention, a user code transmitted by a user is transmitted. User code receiving circuit for receiving a user code transmitted from the device, user code identification means for identifying whether or not the user code is valid, and the user code received by the user code identification means A keyless entry device for an automobile having a door lock control means for unlocking the door lock device when it recognizes that the human body is a proper one, in order to detect a proximity state where the human body is within a predetermined area with respect to the vehicle body. A power supply voltage is supplied to the user code receiving circuit only when the proximity sensor and the proximity state of the human body are detected by the proximity sensor. Was that provided the power-saving control means to so that. Further, when the proximity sensor detects the proximity state of the human body, a lamp control circuit for turning on at least one of a room lamp and a foot lamp is provided, or the human body contacts a predetermined portion of the vehicle body. And a contact sensor for detecting that the proximity of the human body is detected by the proximity sensor, and when the contact of the human body is detected by the contact sensor, the door lock control means unlocks the door lock device. An automatic unlock circuit for causing the human body to go out of the predetermined area after the door lock device is unlocked by the automatic unlock circuit is detected by the proximity sensor. When recognized, an automatic lock circuit for locking the door lock device by the door lock control means is provided. Good.

With this configuration, the power supply voltage is supplied to the user code receiving circuit only when the proximity sensor detects that a human body has entered a predetermined area. No dark current flows.
Furthermore, keyless operation is achieved by turning on the room lamp and foot lamp when approaching the human body, unlocking the door lock device when touching the outer handle, and securely locking the vehicle even if you stop and get off. The functionality of the entry device can be improved.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to specific examples shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control unit 1 provided on an automobile to which the present invention is applied. As shown in the figure, the control unit 1 includes a vehicle-mounted battery BT and a sensor for forming each detection signal from a proximity and contact sensor provided on a door handle, for example, into a waveform that can be processed by the CPU and outputting the waveform. The module 2, the door switch DRSW, the motors M used for the actuators constituting the door lock devices, and, for example, the room lamp LP are connected to each other. Note that a foot lamp that illuminates the feet may be connected instead of the room lamp, or both may be connected in parallel.

In the control unit 1, a power supply circuit 3 for supplying a power supply voltage from the battery BT to each circuit or element, and a main control circuit section 4 for controlling by a CPU
And an RF receiving circuit section 5 as a user code receiving circuit for performing RF bidirectional communication with the key device 12. Also, for the sensor module 2, the first
Via the transistor Q1 and the RF receiving circuit 5
Are supplied with respective power supply voltages via the second transistor Q2.

The proximity sensor may be, for example, a pyroelectric infrared sensor, an infrared reflection sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or the like.
In consideration of detecting the grip of the outer handle, a thin mechanical switch, a pressure detection sensor such as a piezoelectric element, or the like may be used. When the sensors are detected, a proximity sensor detection signal is output from the output terminal SO1 of the sensor module 2, and a contact sensor detection signal is output from the output terminal SO2.

Each detection signal is supplied to the first and second input terminals I of the main control circuit 4 functioning as user code identification means.
1. Input to I2. The main control circuit 4 is provided with third and fourth input terminals I3 and I4. The third input terminal I3 receives a signal received from the RF receiving circuit unit 5, and receives a fourth input terminal I3. A switch signal from a door switch DRSW that can detect a door open state is input to the terminal I4.

The main control circuit 4 is provided with first to fifth output terminals. The first transistor Q1 is turned on / off by an output signal from the first output terminal. The second transistor Q2 is turned on / off by an output signal from the output terminal O2.

The third and fourth output terminals O3 and O3
The on / off control of the third and fourth transistors Q3 and Q4 is performed by the output signal from the fourth transistor 4, and the third and fourth transistors Q3 and Q4 are connected correspondingly according to the on / off of the transistors Q3 and Q4. First and second relays RY
1. RY2 is driven. In the illustrated example, the first relay RY
1 when the power supply voltage is supplied to the motor M via the first relay RY2, and when the power supply voltage is supplied to the motor M via the second relay RY2. Is the motor M in the direction of locking the door lock device.
Is designed to rotate. Each of these transistors Q
The door lock control means is constituted by the 3 · Q4, the relays RY1 · RY2, and the main control circuit unit 4.

The fifth output terminal O of the main control circuit 4
The fifth transistor Q5 is turned on / off by the output signal from
The room lamp LP is turned off when the fifth transistor Q5 is turned on. An antenna 5a is connected to the RF receiving circuit unit 5 and, for example, a key-type key device (RF bidirectional transmitter) 6 held by a user and the RF receiving circuit unit 5 via the antenna 5a. Can transmit and receive a user code (ID code) signal.

The operation of the circuit constructed as described above will be described below with reference to the flow charts of FIGS. First, in the first step ST1, the main control circuit unit 4
The output signal from the output terminal O1 is output intermittently to operate the sensor module 2 intermittently. This allows
The standby state is maintained by preventing the waste of continuously flowing current to each sensor of each proximity / contact.

In the next second step ST2, a detection state by the proximity sensor (a state in which a human body enters a predetermined area)
It is determined whether or not the first step S
Returning to T1, the process proceeds to the third step ST3 in the case of the detection state. When the process proceeds from the second step ST2 to the third step ST3, since the human body has entered a predetermined area, the third transistor ST3 is used in the third step ST3 to confirm the user first. By turning on Q2, the power supply voltage is supplied to the RF receiving circuit section 5 to bring it into the operating state. Thus, the user code can be exchanged with the key device 6 owned by the user. In this way,
The main control circuit section 4 and the second transistor Q2 constitute a power saving control means.

In a fourth step ST4, for example, the user code for confirmation stored in advance in the main control circuit section 4 matches the user code transmitted from the key device 6, and the user is a legitimate user. If it is recognized, the process proceeds to the fifth step ST5, and if there is no mismatch or the code cannot be confirmed, the process proceeds to the sixth step ST6. In the sixth step ST6, the supply of the power supply voltage to the RF receiving circuit unit 5 is stopped, and the process returns to the first step ST1.

When the operation proceeds to the fifth step ST5, the room lamp LP is turned on for, for example, 10 seconds to inform the user that the vehicle-side device has recognized the proper user code, and the operation proceeds to the seventh step ST7. In the seventh step ST7, the supply of the power supply voltage to the RF receiving circuit unit 5 is stopped in order to eliminate unnecessary current consumption since the user is once recognized as an authorized user.

In the next eighth step ST8, the presence or absence of the proximity state of the human body is determined again. If it is determined that the state is not the proximity state, the user recognition is reset. When it is determined that it is in the state, the process proceeds to a ninth step ST9.

In a ninth step ST9, it is determined whether or not the human body is in a state of substantially gripping, for example, the outer handle (contact state). This determination is performed using the contact sensor as described above. That is, the above-described pressure sensor or the like is provided on the outer handle, and when a pressure due to gripping is detected, a detection signal is output from the sensor, and the contact state can be determined based on whether or not the detection signal is input.

If it is determined in the ninth step ST9 that the vehicle is not in the contact state, the process returns to the eighth step ST8, and confirmation is again made from the proximity state. If it is determined in the ninth step ST9 that the door is in the contact state, it means that the authorized user is about to open the door. In order to enable the door to be opened without turning the key, the next step is performed. In step ST10, the door lock device is unlocked.

Then, in the next eleventh step ST11, it is determined whether or not the door has been actually opened in the on / off state of a door switch used for lighting an access lamp provided inside the door. In other words, when the door is actually opened, the door switch turns on,
Therefore, the present flow control ends.

If it is determined in the eleventh step ST11 that the door switch is not turned on, the process proceeds to a twelfth step ST12, where the proximity state is determined again.
If it is determined that the vehicle is in the proximity state, the process returns to the eleventh step ST11, and the opening and closing of the door is continuously checked.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the twelfth step ST12 that the vehicle is not in the proximity state, it means that the user once approaches and grasps the outer handle but leaves without opening the door. The process proceeds to a thirteenth step ST13, where the door lock device is locked.

According to the above-mentioned flow control, the supply of the power supply voltage to the RF receiving circuit unit 5 for recognizing the user code is not performed during standby, and when the approach of the human body is detected by the proximity sensor, the RF reception is performed. Since the power supply voltage is supplied to the circuit section 5, it is possible to prevent the dark current from flowing unnecessarily.

In the above description of the circuit configuration, the case where the proximity and contact sensors are separately provided has been described. For example, the outer handle is formed in a hollow shape by gas injection molding, and the parallel cable is accommodated in the hollow portion. The difference in distance between the user and the outer handle at the time of access to the outer handle (near position and grip state) can be determined based on the difference in capacitance of the parallel cable that changes according to the distance. In that case, the above operation can be performed with only one sensor (parallel cable).

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, the power supply voltage is supplied to the user code receiving circuit only when it is detected that a human body has entered a predetermined area. It is possible to improve power saving without flowing dark current. Furthermore, by turning on the room lamp and the foot lamp when the human body approaches, it is possible to inform the user that the vehicle-side device has recognized the authorized user code, and the user's confidence can be obtained. It is possible to suitably confirm the safety of the feet.
In addition, by unlocking the door lock device when the outer handle is touched, the unlocking is performed only after confirming the user's intention to get on, so that the automatic unlocking can be ensured and the door can be opened. Since the operation is performed by a series of operations at the time, the operability when the door is opened is good. In addition, by automatically locking when leaving without opening the door, it is possible to prevent forgetting to lock, and there is no need to perform any locking operation when leaving, improving the comfort of automatic opening operation. There is no loss. Thus, the functionality of the keyless entry device can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit of an automobile keyless entry device to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a part of a control flow according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another part of the control flow based on the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Control unit 2 Sensor module 3 Power supply circuit 4 Main control circuit part 5 RF receiving circuit part 5a Antenna 6 Key device

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI H02J 7/00 302 H02J 7/00 302D

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A user code receiving circuit for receiving a user code transmitted from a user code transmitter owned by a user, and a user code identifying means for identifying whether or not the user code is legitimate. A keyless entry device for an automobile having door lock control means for unlocking a door lock device when the received user code is recognized by the user code identification means as being legitimate; A proximity sensor for detecting a proximity state in an area of the user, and power saving control means for supplying a power supply voltage to the user code receiving circuit only when the proximity state of the human body is detected by the proximity sensor. And a keyless entry device for an automobile. 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a lamp control circuit for turning on at least one of a room lamp and a foot lamp when the proximity sensor detects the proximity state of the human body. Keyless entry device. 3. A contact sensor for detecting that the human body has contacted a predetermined portion of the vehicle body, a proximity state of the human body is detected by the proximity sensor, and a contact of the human body is detected by the contact sensor. 3. The keyless entry device for an automobile according to claim 1, further comprising an automatic unlock circuit for causing the door lock control means to unlock the door lock device. 4. The door lock control means when the proximity sensor recognizes that the human body has gone out of the predetermined area after the door lock device is unlocked by the automatic unlock circuit. 4. The keyless entry device for an automobile according to claim 1, further comprising an automatic lock circuit for locking the door lock device.