Key fobs for vehicle remote park-assist

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11275368-B2
Application number	US-201916372340-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 1, 2019
Priority date	Apr 1, 2019
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

Method and apparatus are disclosed for key fobs for vehicle remote park-assist. An example key fob for a vehicle includes buttons including a lock button, an unlock button, and a trigger button. The example key fob also includes an antenna and a controller. The controller is configured to transmit, via the antenna, a lock signal responsive to detecting the lock button is pressed. The controller is configured to transmit, via the antenna, an unlock signal responsive to detecting the unlock button is pressed. The controller is configured to transmit, via the antenna, a remote-start signal responsive to detecting a remote-start combination of the buttons is pressed. The controller is configured to transmit, via the antenna, a remote park-assist (RePA) signal to initiate RePA of the vehicle responsive to detecting a RePA combination of the buttons is pressed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A key fob for a vehicle, the key fob comprising:
buttons including a lock button, an unlock button, and a trigger button;
an antenna; and
a controller configured to transmit, via the antenna:
a lock signal responsive to detecting the lock button is pressed;
an unlock signal responsive to detecting the unlock button is pressed;
a remote-start signal responsive to detecting a remote-start combination of the buttons is pressed;
a remote-start stop signal responsive to detecting the trigger button is pressed a first time;
a remote park-assist (RePA) signal to initiate RePA of the vehicle responsive to detecting a RePA combination of the buttons is pressed; and
an exit signal to deactivate the RePA responsive to detecting that the trigger button is pressed a first predefined number of times,
wherein the controller is further configured to receive a signal indicative of the RePA combination being pressed, the RePA combination comprising a combination of the unlock button and the trigger button.

2. The key fob of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive a signal indicative of the remote-start combination being pressed, the remote-start combination comprising a combination of the lock button and the trigger button.

3. The key fob of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive a signal indicative of a sequence indicative of the remote-start combination being pressed, and wherein the sequence comprises the lock button being pressed and subsequently the trigger button being pressed a second predefined number of times.

4. The key fob of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive a signal indicative of a sequence indicative of the RePA combination being pressed, and wherein the sequence comprises the unlock button being pressed and subsequently the trigger button being pressed a third predefined number of times.

5. The key fob of claim 1 , wherein, upon initiating RePA, the controller is configured to transmit, via the antenna, a forward signal to instruct the vehicle to autonomously perform a forward motion for RePA responsive to detecting a forward combination of the buttons is pressed.

6. The key fob of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive a signal indicative of the forward combination being pressed, the signal further indicative of the unlock button and another predefined button of the buttons being simultaneously pressed.

7. The key fob of claim 6 , wherein the buttons further include an alert button, wherein the other predefined button includes the alert button, and wherein the controller is configured to transmit, via the antenna, an alert signal responsive to detecting the alert button is pressed.

8. The key fob of claim 1 , wherein, upon initiating RePA for the vehicle, the controller is configured to transmit, via the antenna, a reverse signal to instruct the vehicle to autonomously perform a reverse motion for RePA responsive to detecting a reverse combination of the buttons is pressed.

9. The key fob of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive a signal indicative of the reverse combination being pressed, the signal further indicative of the lock button and another predefined button of the buttons being simultaneously pressed.

10. The key fob of claim 1 , wherein, when RePA is initiated, the controller is configured to transmit, via the antenna, the exit signal to instruct the vehicle to deactivate RePA responsive to detecting an exit combination of the buttons is pressed, the exit combination comprising the trigger button.

11. The key fob of claim 1 , wherein each of the buttons is labeled for both RePA functions and non-RePA functions.

12. A vehicle system, comprising:
a vehicle including:
an autonomy unit; and
a communication module; and
a key fob including:
buttons including a lock button, and an unlock button, and a trigger button;
an antenna; and
a controller configured to transmit, via the antenna:
a lock signal responsive to the lock button being pressed;
an unlock signal responsive to the unlock button being pressed;
a remote-start signal responsive to detecting a remote-start combination of the buttons is pressed;
a remote-start stop signal responsive to detecting the trigger button is pressed a first time;
a remote park-assist (RePA) signal to initiate the autonomy unit to perform RePA responsive to a RePA combination of the buttons being pressed; and
an exit signal to deactivate the RePA responsive to detecting that at least the trigger button is pressed a first predefined number of times,
wherein the controller is further configured to receive a signal indicative of the RePA combination being pressed, the RePA combination comprising a combination of the unlock button and the trigger button.

13. The vehicle system of claim 12 , wherein the vehicle includes a horn and the buttons of the key fob further include an alert button, wherein the controller is further configured to:
detect a signal indicative of the alert button being pressed to cause the horn to emit an alert; and
transmit an alert signal via the antenna responsive to the signal indicative of the alert button being pressed.

14. The vehicle system of claim 13 , wherein the vehicle includes a command controller that is configured to prevent the horn from emitting the alert when RePA of the vehicle is initiated.

15. The vehicle system of claim 13 , wherein the controller of the key fob is configured to send a forward signal responsive to detecting a signal indicative of the alert button and the unlock button being pressed simultaneously, wherein the autonomy unit is to perform a forward motive function responsive to the communication module receiving the forward signal while RePA is initiated.

16. The vehicle system of claim 15 , wherein the controller of the key fob is configured to stop sending the forward signal responsive to a signal indicative of the alert button and the unlock button having stopped being pressed simultaneously, wherein the autonomy unit is to autonomously stop the vehicle when the communication module stops receiving the forward signal.

17. The vehicle system of claim 15 , wherein the controller of the key fob is configured to send a slow-stop signal responsive to a signal indicative of the alert button being released before release of the unlock button, wherein the autonomy unit is to gradually decelerate the vehicle to a stop when the communication module receives the slow-stop signal.

18. The vehicle system of claim 15 , wherein the controller of the key fob is configured to send a reverse signal responsive to a signal indicative of the alert button and the unlock button being pressed simultaneously, wherein the autonomy unit is to perform a reverse motive function responsive to the communication module receiving the reverse signal while RePA is initiated.

19. A method for initiating vehicle functions utilizing a key fob that includes buttons, the method comprising:
detecting, via a processor, that a lock button of the key fob is pressed;
transmitting, via the processor, a lock signal via an antenna of the key fob in response to detecting that the lock button of the key fob is pressed;
detecting, via the processor, that an unlock button of the key fob is pressed;
transmitting, via the processor, an unlock signal via the antenna in response to detecting that the unlock button of the key fob is pressed;
detecting, via the processor, that a remote-start combination of

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Van Wiemeersch John Robert
• Lavoie Erick Michael
• King Daniel M
• Hassani Ali
• Chatten Alyssa

Classifications

• B60R25/04

  operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor · CPC title

• G05D1/021

  specially adapted to land vehicles · CPC title

• G05D1/0016 Primary

  characterised by the operator's input device (input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00) · CPC title

• B60W50/00

  Details of control systems for road vehicle drive control not related to the control of a particular sub-unit {, e.g. process diagnostic or vehicle driver interfaces} · CPC title

• E05B81/76

  Detection of handle operation; Detection of a user approaching a handle; Electrical switching actions performed by door handles · CPC title