Reducing power consumption for phone as a key (PAAK) vehicle system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10244476-B2
Application number	US-201715487302-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 13, 2017
Priority date	Apr 13, 2017
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

Method and apparatus are disclosed for reducing power consumption in a PAAK vehicle system. An example vehicle includes a main BLE module for communication with a mobile device acting as a vehicle key, a plurality of BLE antenna modules (BLEAMs), and a processor. The processor is configured for determining that the mobile device is within a threshold range of the vehicle for a threshold time period, and responsively reducing power consumption of one or more of the plurality of BLEAMs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a main BLE module for communication with a mobile device acting as a vehicle key;
a plurality of BLE antenna modules (BLEAMs); and
a processor for:
responsive to determining that the mobile device is within a threshold distance from the main BLE module to a location outside the vehicle for a threshold time period,
reducing a power consumption of one or more of the plurality of BLEAMs.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further for:
determining that the mobile device is not stationary during the threshold time period.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further for:
transmitting an instruction to the mobile device to reduce a power consumption of the mobile device.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein reducing the power consumption of one or more of the plurality of BLEAMs comprises turning off all BLEAMs.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein reducing the power consumption of one or more of the plurality of BLEAMs comprises turning off a subset of the BLEAMs.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further for:
determining a side of the vehicle on which the mobile device is located,
wherein reducing the power consumption of one or more of the plurality of BLEAMs comprises turning off one of more BLEAMs on a side opposite the determined side of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein reducing the power consumption of one or more of the plurality of BLEAMs comprises reducing a duty cycle of one or more BLEAMs.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further for:
determining that a user of the vehicle has attempted to access the vehicle; and
responsively increasing the power consumption of one or more of the plurality of BLEAMs.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further for:
determining that an increase in signal strength between the main BLE module and the mobile device has surpassed a threshold increase; and
responsively increasing the power consumption of one or more of the plurality of BLEAMs.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further for:
determining a reference signal strength between the main BLE module and the mobile device at a time the vehicle was last operated;
determining that a current signal strength is equal to the reference signal strength; and
responsively increasing the power consumption of one or more of the plurality of BLEAMs.

11. A method of reducing vehicle power consumption comprising:
establishing communication between a main BLE module of a vehicle and a mobile device acting as a vehicle key; and
responsive to determining, by a vehicle processor, that the mobile device is within a threshold distance from the main BLE module to a location outside the vehicle for a threshold time period,
reducing a power consumption of at least one BLE antenna module (BLEAM) of the vehicle,
wherein the vehicle comprises a main BLE module for communication with the mobile device and a plurality of BLEAMs.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining that the mobile device is not stationary during the threshold time period.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
transmitting an instruction to the mobile device to reduce a power consumption of the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein reducing the power consumption of at least one BLE antenna module (BLEAM) of the vehicle comprises turning off all BLEAMs.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining a side of the vehicle on which the mobile device is located,
wherein reducing the power consumption of at least one BLE antenna module (BLEAM) of the vehicle comprises turning off at least one BLEAM on a side opposite the determined side of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein reducing the power consumption of at least one BLE antenna module (BLEAM) of the vehicle comprises reducing a duty cycle of one or more BLEAMs.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining that a user of the vehicle has attempted to access the vehicle; and
responsively increasing the power consumption of at least one BLE antenna module (BLEAM) of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining that an increase in signal strength between the main BLE module and the mobile device has surpassed a threshold increase; and
responsively increasing the power consumption of at least one BLE antenna module (BLEAM) of the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining a reference signal strength between the main BLE module and the mobile device at a time the vehicle was last operated;
determining that a current signal strength is equal to the reference signal strength; and
responsively increasing the power consumption of at least one BLE antenna module (BLEAM) of the vehicle.

20. A vehicle comprising:
a main BLE module for receiving a signal from a mobile device acting as a vehicle key;
a plurality of BLE antenna modules (BLEAMs); and
a processor for:
responsive to determining that a strength of the signal is at or above a threshold level for a threshold time period, reducing a power consumption of one or more of the plurality of BLEAMs, the threshold level corresponding to a signal strength established when the mobile device is positioned outside the vehicle and at a predetermined distance from the main BLE module.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Elangovan Vivekanandh
• Mcnabb David
• Golgiri Hamid M

Classifications

• B60R2325/205

  Mobile phones · CPC title

• G07C2209/63

  Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle · CPC title

• G07C9/00309 Primary

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

• B60R2325/101

  Bluetooth® · CPC title

• B60R25/245

  where the antenna reception area plays a role · CPC title