Keyless vehicle systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10377343-B2
Application number	US-201715595408-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2017
Priority date	Oct 12, 2015
Publication date	Aug 13, 2019
Grant date	Aug 13, 2019

Abstract

A keyless vehicle entry and start system for motor vehicles includes an input device such as a keypad and a backup electrical power supply to unlock the door latch in the event the primary power supply fails, thereby eliminating the need for a lock cylinder. The door latch system is configured to supply electrical power from the primary electrical power supply to unlock the latch upon receiving a signal from a mobile phone, and to supply electrical power from the backup electrical power supply to unlock the latch if an authorized code is input via the keypad. The system is configured to communicate with a portable wireless device such as a smartphone utilizing various frequency bands. The system permits entry and operation of a vehicle utilizing only a smartphone.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of providing keyless entry and operation of a vehicle, the method comprising:
providing a vehicle having a latch, the latch including an electrically powered lock, wherein the vehicle further includes an exterior vehicle handle, and a keyless vehicle ignition system including a user input feature;
providing the vehicle with a body control module, a PEPS control module, and an integrated vehicle control and communication system, the control and communication system including first and second wireless transmitters and receivers, wherein the first transmitter and the first receiver are configured to transmit and receive short range wireless signals to and from, respectively, a smartphone, and wherein the second transmitter and second receiver are configured to transmit and receive cellular wireless signals from the smartphone;
causing the control and communication system to operate in a dormant mode in which short range wireless signals are not sent or received by the first transmitter and first receiver, respectively;
causing the smartphone to determine a distance between the smartphone and the vehicle;
causing the smartphone to send a cellular wireless wakeup signal to the second receiver if the distance is less than an outer wakeup zone distance;
configuring the smartphone to generate a wireless security signal to thereby authorize the smartphone;
causing the control and communication system to enable transmitting and receiving short range wireless signals to the smartphone utilizing the first transmitter and receiver, respectively, upon receiving a wakeup signal;
causing the control and communication system to determine if the smartphone has entered an inner door-enabling zone, wherein the inner door-enabling zone is defined by an inner distance from the vehicle that is less than the outer wakeup zone distance;
causing the control and communication system to send short range challenge signals to the smartphone upon determining that the smartphone has entered the inner door-enabling zone;
activating the body control module and the PEPS module upon verification that the smartphone is authorized;
causing the control and communication system to unlock the latch if an authorized wireless security signal is received from an authorized smartphone; and
causing the control and communication system to permit vehicle operation if an authorized security signal is received and the user input feature is actuated.

2. The method of claim 1 , including:
providing an exterior identification device;
configuring the exterior identification device to permit manual entry of a security code.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the vehicle control and communication system includes a GPS system; and including:
configuring the second transmitter to transmit cellular wireless signals including GPS data concerning a location of the vehicle; and
configuring the smartphone to receive the cellular wireless signals and to determine a location of the smartphone relative to the vehicle utilizing the GPS data.

4. The method of claim 3 , including:
configuring the vehicle control and communication system to transmit and receive wireless signals at about 824-896 MHz and/or 1850-1990 MHz.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Krishnan Venkatesh

Classifications

• B60R2325/103

  Near field communication [NFC] · CPC title

• B60R2325/205

  Mobile phones · CPC title

• E05B81/78

  as part of a hands-free locking or unlocking operation · CPC title

• E05B77/00

  Vehicle locks characterised by special functions or purposes (locks specially adapted for bicycles E05B71/00; locking arrangements for non-fixed vehicle roofs B60J7/185) · CPC title

• B60R25/24

  using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user · CPC title