Electronic key apparatus, control method, and program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10857978-B2
Application number	US-201916711802-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2019
Priority date	Dec 21, 2018
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

An electronic key apparatus 100 used by a user of a vehicle in a smart entry system comprises a transceiver 110 configured to perform a radio communication with the vehicle, a sensor device including at least one of a GNSS receiver 161 and an acceleration sensor 162, and a controller 130 configured to control whether to set a transmission stop mode based on an output of the sensor device 160, the transmission stop mode being for causing the transceiver 110 to stop transmission of a radio signal used for unlocking the vehicle or starting a power source of the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic key apparatus used by a user of a vehicle in a smart entry system, the electronic key apparatus comprising:
a transceiver configured to perform a radio communication with the vehicle;
a sensor device including at least one of a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver and an acceleration sensor; and
a controller configured to control whether to set a transmission stop mode based on an output of at least one of the GNSS receiver and the acceleration sensor, the transmission stop mode being for causing the transceiver to stop transmission of a radio signal used for unlocking the vehicle or starting a power source of the vehicle, wherein
the controller is configured to;
detect a predetermined state based on the output of at least one of the GNSS receiver and the acceleration sensor; and
set the transmission stop mode in response to detecting the predetermined state.

2. The electronic key apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the predetermined state includes a state that the electronic key apparatus starts moving after the vehicle is stopped or locked.

3. The electronic key apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
after the electronic key apparatus starts moving, the controller is further configured to determine that the electronic key apparatus is stationary, and a distance between a stopping position of the vehicle and a current position of the electronic key apparatus exceeds a distance threshold, and
after the determination, the controller is further configured to cancel the transmission stop mode when the electronic key apparatus starts again moving and the distance is equal to or less than the distance threshold.

4. The electronic key apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
after the electronic key apparatus starts moving, the controller is further configured to determine that the electronic key apparatus is stationary, and the distance is equal to or less than the distance threshold,
after the determination, the controller is further configured to cancel the transmission stop mode when the electronic key apparatus starts again moving and moves to the stopping position.

5. The electronic key apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
after the electronic key apparatus starts moving, the controller is further configured to determine that the electronic key apparatus is not stationary, and the distance is equal to or less than the distance threshold after the distance exceeds the distance threshold,
in response to the determination, the controller is further configured to cancel the transmission stop mode.

6. The electronic key apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the distance threshold is a value equal to or greater than a reach distance of a radio signal transmitted from the vehicle to the electronic key apparatus.

7. The electronic key apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the transceiver is configured to perform the radio communication with the vehicle in order to lock the vehicle, and
the controller is further configured to specify, as the stopping position of the vehicle, a position of the electronic key apparatus when the vehicle is locked.

8. The electronic key apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the transceiver is configured to perform the radio communication with the vehicle in order to stop the power source of the vehicle, and
the controller is further configured to specify, as the stopping position, a position of the electronic key apparatus when the power source of the vehicle is stopped.

9. The electronic key apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the sensor device further includes an atmospheric pressure sensor,
the controller is further configured to calculate an atmospheric pressure difference between an atmospheric pressure at the stopping position of the vehicle and a current atmospheric pressure based on an output of the atmospheric pressure sensor, and
the predetermined state includes a state that regardless of the distance, the atmospheric pressure difference is greater than an atmospheric pressure difference threshold.

10. The electronic key apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the predetermined state includes a state that a distance between a stopping position of the vehicle and a current position of the electronic key apparatus exceeds a distance threshold.

11. The electronic key apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein
even when the distance is equal to or less than the distance threshold, the controller is further configured to set the transmission stop mode in response to the electronic key apparatus remaining stationary for a certain period of time after the vehicle is stopped or locked.

12. The electronic key apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein
the controller is further configured to cancel the transmission stop mode when the electronic key apparatus starts again moving and moves to the stopping position.

13. The electronic key apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein
the controller is further configured to cancel the transmission stop mode in response to the distance being equal to or less than the distance threshold.

14. The electronic key apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein
the distance threshold is a value equal to or greater than a reach distance of a radio signal transmitted from the vehicle to the electronic key apparatus.

15. The electronic key apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein
the transceiver is configured to perform the radio communication with the vehicle in order to lock the vehicle, and
the controller is further configured to specify, as the stopping position of the vehicle, a position of the electronic key apparatus when the vehicle is locked.

16. The electronic key apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein
the transceiver is configured to perform the radio communication with the vehicle in order to stop the power source of the vehicle, and
the controller is further configured to specify, as the stopping position, a position of the electronic key apparatus when the power source of the vehicle is stopped.

17. The electronic key apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein
the sensor device further includes an atmospheric pressure sensor,
the controller is further configured to calculate an atmospheric pressure difference between an atmospheric pressure at the stopping position of the vehicle and a current atmospheric pressure based on an output of the atmospheric pressure sensor, and
the predetermined state includes a state that regardless of the distance, the atmospheric pressure difference is greater than an atmospheric pressure difference threshold.

18. A method of controlling an electronic key apparatus used by a user of a vehicle in a smart entry system, the electronic key apparatus including a transceiver configured to perform a radio communication with the vehicle, and a sensor device including at least one of a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver and an acceleration sensor, the method comprising:
controlling whether to set a transmission stop mode based on an output of at least one of the GNSS receiver and the acceleration sensor, the transmission stop mode being for causing the transceiver to stop transmission of a radio signal used for unlocking the vehicle or starting a power source of the vehicle, wherein
the controlling includes:
detecting a predetermined state based on the output of at least one of the GNSS receiver and the acceleration sensor; and
setting the transmission stop mode in response to detecting the predetermined state.

Assignees

• Kyocera Corp

Inventors

• Yamaguchi Yuya

Classifications

• G01S19/49

  whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled · 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

• G07C2009/00555

  comprising means to detect or avoid relay attacks · CPC title

• G07C9/00309

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

• B60R25/209

  Remote starting of engine · CPC title