Method and network for pre-conditioning at least one component of a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12084076-B2
Application number	US-202017766152-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2020
Priority date	Jan 15, 2020
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

An identification key associated with a motor vehicle is carried by a user as the user moves outside of the motor vehicle. When the identification key enters the reception range of short-range transceiver units, position data of the identification key are ascertained and transmitted via a far-field transceiver unit which is not included in the identification key. The receiver of the transmitted position data ascertains a movement vector for the identification key from the position data. If the movement vector meets at least one predefinable activation criterion, preconditioning of at least one component of the motor vehicle is activated.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for preconditioning at least one component of a motor vehicle, with which a first identification key is associated, comprising:
providing a plurality of short-range transceiver units;
ascertaining first position data of the first identification key carried by a user while the user moves outside of the motor vehicle as soon as the first identification key enters a reception range of a first one of the short-range transceiver units, the first short-range transceiver unit ascertaining the first position data of the first identification key;
transmitting the first position data via a first far-field transceiver unit not disposed in the first identification key;
ascertaining second position data of the first identification key, as soon as the first identification key enters the reception range of at least one further short-range transceiver unit among the short-range transceiver units, the further short-range transceiver unit ascertaining the second position data of the first identification key;
transmitting the second position data via a second far-field transceiver unit;
receiving at least the first and second position data by a third far-field transceiver unit;
ascertaining at least one movement vector for the first identification key from at least the first and second position data;
checking whether the movement vector meets at least one predefinable activation criterion for activating the preconditioning of the at least one component of the motor vehicle; and
when the checking is affirmative, activating the preconditioning of the at least one component of the motor vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the short-range transceiver units are permanently installed in at least one of respective motor vehicles, respective second identification keys and respective infrastructure elements.

3. The method according to claim 2 ,
wherein the first and second far-field transceiver units are disposed in the at least one of respective motor vehicles, respective second identification keys and respective infrastructure elements, and/or
wherein the first and second position data are initially transmitted serially by the short-range transceiver units in the at least one of respective motor vehicles, respective second identification keys and respective infrastructure elements, and a network element having both short-range and far-field transceiver units.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein at least the first and second position data are transmitted to the third far-field transceiver unit of a central data processing apparatus providing a backend server that performs the ascertaining.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the short-range transceiver units and the first, second and third far-field transceiver units form a communication network to the central data processing apparatus.

6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising:
transmitting from the central data processing apparatus, by way of the third far-field transceiver unit, at least one of the position data of the first identification key and the movement vector to a fourth far-field transceiver unit associated with the first motor vehicle;
transmitting, from the fourth far-field transceiver unit, the at least one of the position data and the movement vector to a control apparatus of the first motor vehicle; and
wherein the control apparatus performs the checking and activating.

7. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the central data processing apparatus performs the checking and activating.

8. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising:
transmitting from the central data processing apparatus, by way of the third far-field transceiver unit, at least one of the position data of the first identification key and the movement vector to a fourth far-field transceiver unit associated with the first motor vehicle;
transmitting, from the fourth far-field transceiver unit, the at least one of the position data and the movement vector to a control apparatus of the first motor vehicle; and
wherein the control apparatus performs the checking and activating.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first identification key and the further identification keys are one of a vehicle key, a chip card and a mobile terminal.

10. The method according to claim 9 , the activating the preconditioning is of at least one of:
an air-conditioning apparatus;
a unit bearing mounting drive and auxiliary units;
a chassis bearing in a wheel-motor vehicle body transmission chain;
a vehicle battery;
a catalytic converter;
a vehicle tank; and
a power electronics component.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the checking is of a predefinable activation criterion, including at least one of:
within a predefinable distance radius of the first motor vehicle, while a direction of the movement vector, including both direction and speed, over a predefinable period of time meets a predefinable direction criterion, and
a sequence of movement patterns learned and are stored in at least one of the central data processing system and the control apparatus of the first motor vehicle.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising varying, as a parameter of the preconditioning, power supplied to the at least one component of the motor vehicle depending on the sequence of movement patterns.

13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising:
transmitting, by at least one of the short-range transceiver units and the first, second, third and fourth far-field transceiver units of the network, relevant data to the central data processing apparatus;
predicting, by the central data processing apparatus from the relevant data, a speed of movement for the first identification key until arrival of the first identification key at the first motor vehicle; and
establishing, by at least one of the central data processing apparatus and the control apparatus of the first motor vehicle, an activation time of the at least one component of the motor vehicle depending on the speed of movement.

14. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising:
transmitting, by at least one of the short-range transceiver units and the first, second and third far-field transceiver units, relevant data to the central data processing apparatus;
predicting, by the central data processing apparatus from the relevant data, a speed of movement for the first identification key until arrival of the first identification key at the first motor vehicle; and
establishing, by at least one of the central data processing apparatus and the control apparatus of the first motor vehicle, an activation time of the at least one component of the motor vehicle depending on the speed of movement.

15. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the checking is of a predefinable activation criterion, including at least one of:
within a predefinable distance radius of the first motor vehicle, while a direction of the movement vector, including both direction and speed, over a predefinable period of time meets a predefinable direction criterion, and
a sequence of movement patterns learned and are stored in at least one of the central data processing system and the control apparatus of the first motor vehicle.

16. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising varying, as a parameter of the preconditioning, power supplied to the at least one component of the motor vehicle depending on the sequence of movement patterns.

17. The method according to cl

Assignees

• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Vollmann Stefan
• Meyer Christian

Classifications

• G07C5/008

  communicating information to a remotely located station (transmission systems for measured values G08C) · CPC title

• B60W2040/0809

  Driver authorisation; Driver identity check · CPC title

• B60W40/105

  Speed · CPC title

• B60W40/08

  related to drivers or passengers · CPC title

• B60W2554/4041

  Position · CPC title