WO2017164215A1

WO2017164215A1 - Switch device

Info

Publication number: WO2017164215A1
Application number: PCT/JP2017/011364
Authority: WO
Inventors: 裕介浦野
Original assignee: 株式会社オートネットワーク技術研究所; 住友電装株式会社; 住友電気工業株式会社
Priority date: 2016-03-25
Filing date: 2017-03-22
Publication date: 2017-09-28
Also published as: JP2017175556A

Abstract

Provided is a switch device which enables a decrease in the number of components and a reduction in the weight of a device as a whole without a decrease in communication distance. The switch device is provided with: a switch unit that receives an operation for starting a vehicle accessory; a control substrate that performs control relating to wireless communication with a portable device; and a housing that houses the switch unit and the control substrate. The switch device performs wireless communication for authenticating the portable device via an antenna connected to the control substrate, and, upon the switch unit receiving an operation after authentication of the portable device, outputs a signal for starting the accessory. The antenna is provided with: a coil unit comprising a plurality of partially missing annular electrically conductive patterns coaxially formed on a circumferential surface of the housing; and a connection wiring unit connecting two open ends of each of the electrically conductive patterns to the control substrate.

Description

Switch device

The present invention relates to a switch device that receives an operation for starting a vehicle equipment.
This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-62341 filed on Mar. 25, 2016, and incorporates all the content described in the above Japanese application.

Conventionally, immobilizers are widely used as devices for preventing vehicle theft. The immobilizer performs an authentication process between the portable device carried by the user and the switch device mounted on the vehicle, and grants engine start permission to the engine ECU (Electronic Control Unit) only when the authentication is successful. . In the immobilizer authentication process, the ID code (identification information) stored in the portable device and the ID code stored in the switch device are collated, and if they match, it is determined that the authentication is successful. For this reason, a person who does not have a portable device whose ID code is registered in the immobilizer ECU in advance cannot start the engine of the vehicle, and the vehicle can be prevented from being stolen.

In such an immobilizer, an LF (Low Frequency) antenna is provided inside the switch device so that the engine can be started even when the battery remaining in the portable device is low. Have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2015-61099

However, the antenna device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a ferrite core and a coil in which a conductor is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the ferrite core. By using the ferrite core, the number of components increases, and the entire device There is a problem that the weight of the resin increases. Further, when the ferrite core is made small, the magnetic field strength becomes small, and there arises a problem that the communication distance becomes short.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a switch device capable of reducing the number of components and reducing the weight of the entire device without shortening the communication distance.

A switch device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a switch unit that receives an operation for starting vehicle equipment, a control board that performs control related to wireless communication with a portable device, and the switch unit and the control board. A housing for housing, performing wireless communication for authenticating the portable device through an antenna connected to the control board, and when the switch unit accepts the operation after the portable device is authenticated, A switch device that outputs a signal to be started, wherein the antenna includes a coil portion in which a plurality of annular conductive patterns that are partially missing are formed coaxially on the peripheral surface of the casing, and each conductive pattern And a connection wiring portion for connecting the two open ends to the control board.

According to the present application, the number of parts can be reduced without reducing the communication distance, and the weight of the entire apparatus can be reduced.

It is a mimetic diagram showing a schematic structure of an engine starting system concerning this embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the typical structure of a switch apparatus. It is a schematic diagram explaining the structure of the antenna of an immobilizer unit. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the control system of an immobilizer unit. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the control system of a portable device.

Embodiments of the present invention will be listed and described. Moreover, you may combine arbitrarily at least one part of embodiment described below.

A switch device according to an aspect of the present application accommodates a switch unit that receives an operation for starting vehicle equipment, a control board that performs control related to wireless communication with a portable device, and the switch unit and the control board. A wireless communication for authenticating the portable device through an antenna connected to the control board, and starting the equipment when the switch unit accepts the operation after the portable device is authenticated A switching device that outputs a signal to be transmitted, wherein the antenna includes a coil portion in which a plurality of annular conductive patterns lacking a part are coaxially formed on a peripheral surface of the casing, and each conductive pattern includes A connection wiring portion for connecting two open end portions provided to the control board.

In the above aspect, since the antenna of the switch device is configured by the conductive pattern formed on the peripheral surface of the casing, the conventional coil including a ferrite core and a conductor wound around the outer peripheral surface of the ferrite core Compared to the above, the number of parts can be reduced and the weight of the apparatus can be reduced. Moreover, in the said one aspect | mode, since several patterns are coaxially formed in the surrounding surface of a housing | casing, compared with the conventional coil which winds a conductor helically on the surrounding surface of a ferrite core, formation of a coil part Becomes easy.
Furthermore, in the conventional coil in which the conductor is spirally wound, since the two feeding points are formed at positions separated from each other, it is difficult to connect the feeding point to the control board. By connecting the open end portions of each conductive pattern formed in a specific manner, the feed point can be connected, and the feed point can be easily connected to the control board.

In the switch device according to one aspect of the present application, the casing is cylindrical, and the conductive pattern is formed on an outer peripheral surface or an inner peripheral surface of the casing.

In the above aspect, by forming a conductive pattern on the outer peripheral surface or inner peripheral surface of the housing, a ferrite core is not necessary, and the number of parts can be reduced and the weight of the apparatus can be reduced.

In the switch device according to one aspect of the present application, the equipment is an engine or a driving battery system provided in the vehicle.

In the above aspect, the present invention can be applied to an operation switch for starting a vehicle engine or a driving battery system.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings showing embodiments thereof.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of an engine start system according to the present embodiment. The engine start system according to the present embodiment includes a switch device 10 that is provided in a vehicle and receives an operation related to start of the vehicle engine, and a portable device 50 that is carried by a user of the vehicle.

The switch device 10 includes an immobilizer unit 20 (see FIG. 4) in order to perform wireless communication with the portable device 50. The switch device 10 is a cylindrical case 11 that accommodates a control board 30 (see FIG. 2) for the immobilizer unit 20, an annular bezel 12 that is attached to one end of the case 11, and a forward and backward movement with respect to the bezel 12. Is provided with a knob 13 for operating the switch. An antenna 24 connected to the control board 30 is formed on the peripheral surface of the case 11. The switch device 10 is configured to perform wireless communication with the portable device 50 by transmitting and receiving signals through the antenna 24.

The portable device 50 includes a battery 59 (see FIG. 5), and is configured to operate with electric power supplied from the battery 59. Further, when the remaining battery level of the portable device 50 is reduced, the portable device 50 is moved closer to the switch device 10 to receive radio waves transmitted from the antenna 24 of the switch device 10. It is comprised so that electric power can be induced to.

The immobilizer unit 20 of the switch device 10 performs authentication processing as to whether or not the mobile device is carried by a legitimate user by performing wireless communication with the mobile device 50. When the immobilizer unit 20 has succeeded in the authentication of the portable device 50 and receives a switch operation by the user through the knob 13 of the switch device 10, the immobilizer unit 20 outputs a control signal instructing start of the vehicle engine.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a schematic configuration of the switch device 10. As described above, the switch device 10 according to the present embodiment includes the cylindrical case 11, the annular bezel 12 attached to one end of the case 11, and the switch operating knob 13.

The bezel 12 is a member for attaching the switch device 10 to the dashboard D of the vehicle, and supports the switch operating knob 13 on the inner peripheral surface thereof together with the case 11 so as to be able to advance and retreat.

An inner case 14 is provided at the bottom of the case 11, and a control board 30 for the immobilizer unit 20 is provided above the inner case 14.

On the surface of the control board 30, for example, two

push button switches

31 and 32 are mounted. When the knob 13 described above is pressed after authentication of the portable device 50, the

switches

31 and 32 are activated. The vehicle engine is configured to start.

Further, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) 33 is mounted on the surface of the control board 30 and blinks when the vehicle engine is permitted to start, and lights when the vehicle engine is started. It is configured. A light guide unit (not shown) is disposed above the LED 33, and the light emitted from the LED 33 irradiates the knob 13 through the light guide unit so that the operation status of the switch device 10 can be visually confirmed. Has been.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of the antenna 24 of the immobilizer unit 20. The antenna 24 includes a coil portion 241 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the case 11, and a forward wiring portion 242 </ b> A and a return wiring portion 242 </ b> B that connect the coil portion 241 and the control board 30.

The coil portion 241 has a configuration in which annular conductive patterns 241-1, 241-2,..., 241-n (n ≧ 2) are partially arranged in a coaxial manner. Each of the conductive patterns 241-1 to 241-n is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the case 11 by depositing metal by, for example, selective plating using a resist pattern.

Each of the conductive patterns 241-1 to 241-n has two open end portions, one open end portion is connected to the forward wiring portion 242A, and the other open end portion is the return wiring portion 242B. It is connected to the. Similarly to the conductive patterns 241-1 to 241-n, the forward wiring part 242A and the return wiring part 242B are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the case 11 by depositing metal by a selective plating method using a resist pattern. Is. In the conductive patterns 241-1 to 241-n, an electric current output from the control board 30 according to the transmission signal flows through the forward wiring section 242A, so that an electromagnetic wave corresponding to the transmission signal is transmitted from the coil section 241. It is configured as follows.

Next, configurations of the immobilizer unit 20 and the portable device 50 will be described.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the immobilizer unit 20. The immobilizer unit 20 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, an outside communication unit 23, an in-vehicle communication unit 25, an input / output unit 26, and the like.

The control unit 21 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and the like. The CPU in the control unit 21 controls the operation of each hardware included in the immobilizer unit 20 by executing a control program stored in the ROM.

The storage unit 22 includes a nonvolatile memory such as an EEPROM (Electronically-Erasable-Programmable-Read-Only Memory), and stores, for example, authentication information necessary to authenticate the portable device 50.

The outside-vehicle communication unit 23 is connected to the antenna 24 described above, and transmits a signal to the outside through the antenna 24 according to an instruction from the control unit 21 and receives a signal transmitted from the portable device 50. For this reason, the vehicle communication unit 23 includes a signal generation circuit that generates a signal having a frequency in a specific frequency band in accordance with a control signal output from the control unit 21, an amplification circuit that amplifies the generated signal, and the like. Is transmitted to the outside through the antenna 24. Further, the vehicle exterior communication unit 23 includes a reception circuit that receives a signal from the portable device 50 input through the antenna 24, and outputs a signal received by the reception circuit to the control unit 21.

The in-vehicle communication unit 25 includes, for example, a CAN communication interface (CAN: Controller Area Network), and is communicably connected to an ECU such as the engine ECU 40 via a CAN bus. The in-vehicle communication unit 25 transmits and receives signals to and from the engine ECU 40 according to the CAN protocol. For example, the in-vehicle communication unit 25 sends a control signal for starting the vehicle engine to the CAN bus according to an instruction from the control unit 21. The engine ECU 40 that has acquired the control signal from the CAN bus controls the engine starter 41 to start the vehicle engine.

The input / output unit 26 is an interface for connecting the

switches

31 and 32 and the LED 33 described above. When a signal indicating that the

switches

31 and 32 are operated is input, the input / output unit 26 outputs the signal to the control unit 21. Further, the input / output unit 26 outputs, to the LED 33, a control signal for blinking the LED 33, a control signal for turning on the LED, a control signal for turning off the LED 33, and the like based on an instruction from the control unit 21.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the portable device 50. The portable device 50 includes, for example, a microcomputer 51, an engine start switch 52, an engine stop switch 53, an RF transmission unit 54, a transponder circuit unit 55, and the like, and is configured to operate with electric power supplied from the battery 59.

The microcomputer 51 includes a CPU, a ROM, and the like, and the CPU controls operations of the above-described hardware units by executing a control program stored in the ROM.

The engine start switch 52 is a switch that accepts an operation for starting the vehicle engine from a remote location of the vehicle. The engine stop switch 53 is a switch that accepts an operation to stop the vehicle engine from a remote location of the vehicle.

The RF transmission unit 54 includes a signal generation circuit that generates a signal having an RF band frequency from the control signal output from the microcomputer 51, an amplification circuit that amplifies the generated signal, and the like. It transmits to the outside from the antenna 54a. When the engine start switch 52 or the engine stop switch 53 is pressed by the user, the RF transmission unit 54 wirelessly transmits an operation signal for starting the engine or an operation signal for stopping the engine according to an instruction from the microcomputer 51. It is possible.

The transponder circuit unit 55 is connected to the transponder antenna 55a, and performs transponder communication with the switch device 10 through the transponder antenna 55a. Hereinafter, transponder communication performed between the switch device 10 and the portable device 50 will be described.

The in-vehicle communication unit 23 of the immobilizer unit 20 periodically transmits a request signal for requesting the portable device 50 to transmit authentication information (ID code) according to an instruction from the control unit 21.

On the other hand, when the remaining battery level of the battery 59 built in the portable device 50 runs out, the user performs an operation of bringing the portable device 50 closer to the switch device 10 of the vehicle as shown in FIG. When the portable device 50 is brought close to the switch device 10, the portable device 50 can receive the request signal periodically transmitted from the immobilizer unit 20 from the transponder antenna 55a.

The transponder circuit unit 55 connected to the transponder antenna 55a generates and starts a power supply voltage according to the received request signal, and supplies the generated power supply voltage to the microcomputer 51. In addition, the transponder circuit unit 55 outputs the received request signal to the microcomputer 51.

The microcomputer 51 that has received the request signal extracts the ID code unique to the vehicle key from the built-in ROM and outputs it to the transponder circuit unit 55. The transponder circuit unit 55 generates a response signal including the ID code acquired from the microcomputer 51 as a response signal to the request signal, and transmits the generated response signal to the outside from the transponder antenna 55a.

The immobilizer unit 20 receives the response signal transmitted from the portable device 50 by the antenna 24 and outputs the response signal to the control unit 21 through the external communication unit 23.

The control unit 21 that has acquired the response signal extracts an ID code unique to the vehicle key from the response signal, and when this matches the ID code stored in the storage unit 22, permits the vehicle engine to start. In order to notify the user that the start of the vehicle engine has been permitted, the control unit 21 outputs a control signal through the input / output unit 26, for example, thereby controlling the LED 33 to blink only for a certain period of time.

Next, when the user depresses the knob 13 of the switch device 10 for a certain time (while the LED 33 is blinking) and both the

switches

31 and 32 are activated, the control unit 21 passes through the in-vehicle communication unit 25. A control signal for instructing the engine ECU 40 to start the engine is output.

When the vehicle engine starts, the engine ECU 40 transmits a notification signal indicating that the vehicle engine has started to the immobilizer unit 20. When the control unit 21 of the immobilizer unit 20 receives a notification signal from the engine ECU 40 from the in-vehicle communication unit 25, the control unit 21 outputs a control signal through the input / output unit 26 to notify the user that the vehicle engine has started. For example, control for turning on the LED 33 is performed. The user can determine that the vehicle engine has started by confirming the light from the LED 33 irradiated to the knob 13 (or the light from the LED 33 leaking from the gap between the knob 13 and the bezel 12).

As described above, even when the remaining battery level of the portable device 50 is exhausted, a series of operations for starting the vehicle engine can be performed by bringing the portable device 50 closer to the switch device 10 of the vehicle.

The antenna 24 on the switch device 10 side used in such transponder communication between the portable device 50 and the immobilizer unit 20 is composed of conductive patterns 241-1 to 241-1 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the case 11 by, for example, selective plating. Since it is composed of 241-n, a ferrite core is unnecessary, and the number of parts can be reduced and the weight of the apparatus can be reduced. Further, since the conductive patterns 241-1 to 241-n can be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the case 11 by selective plating, it is compared with a conventional coil in which a conductor is spirally wound on the peripheral surface of the ferrite core. Thus, the coil portion 241 can be easily formed.

In addition, in the conventional coil in which the conductor is spirally wound around the peripheral surface of the ferrite core, since the two feeding points are formed at positions separated from each other, it is difficult to connect the feeding point to the control board. In the present embodiment, since the open ends of the conductive patterns 241-1 to 241-n formed coaxially are connected, the feed point can be connected. Easy to connect to.

In the present embodiment, the conductive patterns 241-1 to 201-n are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the case 11, but the coil portion 241 may be formed on the inner peripheral surface of the case 11. It is good also as a structure which forms the electroconductive pattern which comprises the coil part 241 in the outer peripheral surface of the knob 13 or the inner case 14. FIG.

In the present embodiment, the case 11 in which the coil portion 241 is formed has a cylindrical shape, but the shape of the case 11 does not have to be a cylindrical shape, and may be a cylindrical body having an arbitrary shape. .

In the present embodiment, the vehicle engine is started based on the transponder communication with the portable device 50. However, when the vehicle is an electric vehicle or the like driven by the power supplied from the drive battery, The driving battery may be operated based on transponder communication with the machine 50.

The embodiment disclosed this time should 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 10 Switch apparatus 11 Case 12 Bezel 13 Knob 14 Inner case 20 Immobilizer unit 21 Control part 22 Memory | storage part 23 Out-of-vehicle communication part 24 Antenna 25 In-vehicle communication part 26 Input / output part 30

Control board

31, 32 Switch 33 LED
40 Engine ECU
41 Engine Starter 50 Portable Machine 51 Microcomputer 52 Engine Start Switch 53 Engine Stop Switch 54 RF Transmitter 54a RF Transmit Antenna 55 Transponder Circuit 55a Transponder Antenna

Claims

A switch unit that accepts an operation for starting vehicle equipment; a control board that performs control related to wireless communication with a portable device; and a housing that houses the switch part and the control board. A switch device that performs wireless communication for authenticating the portable device through a connected antenna, and outputs a signal for starting the equipment when the switch unit accepts the operation after authentication of the portable device. ,
The antenna is
A coil part in which a plurality of annular conductive patterns lacking a part are coaxially formed on the peripheral surface of the housing; and
A switch device comprising: a connection wiring portion that connects two open end portions of each conductive pattern to the control board.
The housing is cylindrical,
The switch device according to claim 1, wherein the conductive pattern is formed on an outer peripheral surface or an inner peripheral surface of the casing.
The switch device according to claim 1, wherein the equipment is an engine or a battery system for driving provided in the vehicle.