Antenna driving apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10152839-B2
Application number	US-201615131057-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2016
Priority date	Jul 30, 2015
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

An antenna driving apparatus includes: a direct current power source supplying direct current power to a human detecting IC detecting contact to a human detecting area by a user, the power source outputting a power source voltage to a first connecting line connected to a power source terminal of the IC and outputting a reference potential to a second connecting line connected to a GND terminal of the IC; an antenna driving circuit driving an antenna transmitting a signal to a portable device, the antenna driving circuit outputting a first antenna drive signal to the first connecting line and outputting an antenna drive signal; and a control unit performing switching control of the power source voltage and the antenna drive signal to be output to the first and second connecting lines and switching control of the antenna driving circuit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An antenna driving apparatus comprising:
a direct current power source configured to supply direct current power to a human detecting integrated circuit (IC) configured to detect contact to a human detecting area of a vehicle by a user of the vehicle, the direct current power source outputting a direct current power source voltage to a first connecting line electrically connected to a power source terminal of the human detecting IC and outputting a reference potential to a second connecting line electrically connected to a GND terminal of the human detecting IC;
an antenna driving circuit configured to drive an antenna that transmits a signal to a portable device carried by the user, the antenna driving circuit:
outputting an antenna drive signal generated by switching between a first state in which the direct current power source voltage is output to the first connecting line electrically connected to one end of the antenna and the reference potential is output to the second connection line electrically connected to the other end of the antenna and a second state in which the direct current power source voltage is output to the second connecting line and the reference potential is output to the first connecting line; and

a control unit configured to:
perform switching between a state in which the direct current power source voltage is supplied to the human detecting IC by outputting the direct power source voltage to the first connecting line and outputting the reference potential to the second connecting line and a state in in which the antenna drive signal is output to the antenna, and
perform switching control of the antenna driving circuit.

2. The antenna driving apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a step-up/step-down circuit configured to step up and step down the direct current power source voltage and output a stepped-up and stepped-down voltage,
wherein the second state of the antenna driving circuit is a state in which the stepped-up and stepped-down voltage is output to the second connecting line and the reference potential is output to the first connecting line.

3. The antenna driving apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a current measuring circuit configured to measure an antenna current flowing in the antenna; and
an antenna voltage variable circuit configured to:
vary the direct current power source voltage or a stepped-up/stepped-down voltage so that a measured value of the antenna current becomes equal to a current value required by the antenna, and
output a varied voltage,

wherein the second state of the antenna driving circuit is a state in which the varied voltage is output to the second connecting line and the reference potential is output to the first connecting line.

4. The antenna driving apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the current measuring circuit is connected to the first connecting line or the second connecting line in series, and
a damping resistance for regulating impedance of the antenna connected to the first connecting line or to the second connecting line in series is concurrently used as a resistance for measuring the antenna current.

5. The antenna driving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the direct current power source voltage and the antenna drive signal are output to the human detecting IC configured to continue an operation by using the antenna drive signal as a power source when the direct current power source voltage is not supplied.

6. The antenna driving apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the stepped-up and stepped-down voltage is only output to the second connecting line.

Assignees

• Aisin Seiki

Inventors

• Koizumi Takaaki
• Tabata Takehiro

Classifications

• G07C9/00309

  operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks · CPC title

• G07C2209/65

  using means for sensing the user's hand · CPC title

• H04B1/0458

  Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages (matching circuits in general H03H) · CPC title

• H01Q1/3283

  side-mounted antennas, e.g. bumper-mounted, door-mounted (mounted on windscreens H01Q1/1271) · CPC title

• H01Q1/3241

  particular used in keyless entry systems · CPC title