Access system and access verification method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12172601-B2
Application number	US-202117928986-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2021
Priority date	Jun 5, 2020
Publication date	Dec 24, 2024
Grant date	Dec 24, 2024

Abstract

An access system comprises a control unit in a vehicle, and a portable electronic device comprising a battery and a switch or a button. The portable electronic device comprises a transponder unit wirelessly supplied with power by the control unit. The control unit transmits a request signal to the portable electronic device. The portable electronic device checks, upon receipt of the request signal, whether supplying power by the battery is possible, provides wireless power supply by the control unit to the transponder unit, transmits a response signal to the control unit when supplying power by the battery is not possible, and when supplying power by the battery is possible and the switch or button was actuated within a specific time period around the receipt of the request signal. The vehicle is unlocked if the portable electronic device is recognized as belonging to the vehicle based on the response signal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An access system comprising a control unit arranged in a vehicle, and a portable electronic device, wherein:
the portable electronic device comprises a battery, which is designed configured to supply various further components of the portable electronic device with power;
the portable electronic device also comprises a transponder unit, configured to be wirelessly supplied with power by the control unit;
the control unit is configured to send a request signal to the portable electronic device;
the portable electronic device is configured to check, upon receipt of the request signal, whether supplying power by the battery is possible;
the portable electronic device is also configured to provide a wireless power supply to the transponder unit by the control unit and to send a response signal to the control unit when supplying power by the battery is not possible; and
the portable electronic device is also configured to send the response signal to the control unit when supplying power by the battery is possible and a switch or a button of the portable electronic device has been actuated by a user within a specific time period before or after the receipt of the request signal;
wherein the vehicle is unlocked if the portable electronic device is recognized based on of the response signal as belonging to the vehicle.

2. The access system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the vehicle remains locked if the control unit does not receive the response signal or a valid response signal within a specific time period after sending of the request signal from the portable electronic device.

3. The access system of claim 2 , wherein the control unit either
emits request signals at regular intervals; or
emits the request signal only in response to a triggering event.

4. The access system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the specific time period before or after the receipt of the request signal is a few seconds or a few minutes.

5. The access system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the portable electronic device is either a vehicle key, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet, a smartwatch, a laptop, or a personal digital assistant.

6. The access system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the portable electronic device is either a vehicle key, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet, a smartwatch, a laptop, or a personal digital assistant.

7. The access system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit either
emits request signals at regular intervals; or
emits the request signal only in response to a triggering event.

8. The access system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the triggering event includes actuation of a door handle of the vehicle or detection of an approach by the portable electronic device to the vehicle.

9. The access system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the specific time period before or after the receipt of the request signal is a few seconds or a few minutes.

10. The access system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the portable electronic device is either a vehicle key, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet, a smartwatch, a laptop, or a personal digital assistant.

11. The access system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the portable electronic device is either a vehicle key, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet, a smartwatch, a laptop, or a personal digital assistant.

12. The access system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the specific time period before or after the receipt of the request signal is a few seconds or a few minutes.

13. The access system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the portable electronic device is either a vehicle key, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet, a smartwatch, a laptop, or a personal digital assistant.

14. The access system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the portable electronic device is either a vehicle key, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet, a smartwatch, a laptop, or a personal digital assistant.

15. The access system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the specific time period before or after the receipt of the request signal is a few seconds or a few minutes.

16. The access system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the portable electronic device is either a vehicle key, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet, a smartwatch, a laptop, or a personal digital assistant.

17. The access system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein supplying power by the battery is possible if state of charge of the battery exceeds a predefined limit value.

18. The access system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the portable electronic device is either a vehicle key, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet, a smartwatch, a laptop, or a personal digital assistant.

19. A method for access verification in a vehicle, wherein the vehicle has an access system that comprises a control unit arranged in the vehicle, and a portable electronic device, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a battery and is configured to supply various components of the portable electronic device with power, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a transponder unit, which can be wirelessly supplied with power by the control unit, the method comprising:
emitting a request signal from the control unit to the portable electronic device;
upon receipt of the request signal, checking by the portable electronic device whether supplying power by the battery is possible;
if supplying power by the battery is not possible, providing a wireless power supply of the transponder unit by the control unit and sending a response signal from the portable electronic device to the control unit; and
sending the response signal from the portable electronic device to the control unit when supplying power by the battery is possible and a switch or a button of the portable electronic device has been actuated by a user within a specific time period before or after the receipt of the request signal; and
unlocking the vehicle if the portable electronic device is recognized based on the response signal as belonging to the vehicle.

20. A vehicle that has an access system that comprises a control unit arranged in the vehicle, and a portable electronic device, wherein:
the portable electronic device comprises a battery, which is configured to supply various further components of the portable electronic device with power;
the portable electronic device comprises a transponder unit, which can be wirelessly supplied with power by the control unit;
the control unit is configured to send a request signal to the portable electronic device;
the portable electronic device is configured to check, upon receipt of the request signal, whether a supplying power by the battery is possible;
the portable electronic device is also configured to provide a wireless power supply to the transponder unit by the control unit and to send a response signal to the control unit when supplying power by the battery is not possible; and
the portable electronic device is also configured to send a response signal to the control unit when supplying power by the battery is possible and a switch or a button of the portable electronic device has been actuated by a user within a specific time period before or after the receipt of the request signal;
wherein the vehicle is unlocked if the portable electronic device is recognized as belonging to the vehicle based on the response signal.

Assignees

• Continental Automotive Tech Gmbh

Inventors

• Sass Dieter
• Froitzheim Herbert

Classifications

• G07C9/00309

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

• B60R25/245

  where the antenna reception area plays a role · CPC title

• B60R25/241 Primary

  whereby access privileges are related to the identifiers · CPC title

• B60R25/243 Primary

  with more than one way to gain access · CPC title