On-vehicle apparatus control system, on-vehicle control device, and portable machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9965912-B2
Application number	US-201615211059-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2016
Priority date	Jul 23, 2015
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

An on-vehicle apparatus control system includes: a first on-vehicle switch and a second located farther from an on-vehicle reception unit than the first on-vehicle switch; an on-vehicle control device; and a portable machine. In a case where the on-vehicle switches is operated, the on-vehicle control device transmits a response request signal to the portable machine, the portable machine returns a response signal, and the on-vehicle control device controls an on-vehicle apparatus. The on-vehicle apparatus control system further includes a level switch. In a case where the first on-vehicle switch is operated, the level switch switches transmission intensity of a portable machine transmission unit or reception sensitivity of an on-vehicle reception unit to a first level, and in a case where the second on-vehicle switch is operated, the level switch switches the transmission intensity or the reception sensitivity to a second level higher than the first level.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An on-vehicle apparatus control system comprising:
a plurality of on-vehicle switches disposed on an outer surface of a vehicle;
an on-vehicle control device mounted on the vehicle and comprising an on-vehicle transmission unit and an on-vehicle reception unit; and
a portable machine carried by a user and comprising a portable machine transmission unit and a portable machine reception unit,
wherein in a case where one of the on-vehicle switches is operated,
the on-vehicle control device causes the on-vehicle transmission unit to transmit a response request signal,
the portable machine causes the portable machine transmission unit to return a response signal in response to reception of the response request signal in the portable machine reception unit, and
the on-vehicle control device causes the on-vehicle reception unit to receive the response signal, and controls an on-vehicle apparatus mounted on the vehicle on a basis of the response signal,

wherein the on-vehicle switches comprise:
a first on-vehicle switch; and
a second on-vehicle switch located at a position farther from the on-vehicle reception unit than the first on-vehicle switch,

wherein the on-vehicle apparatus control system further comprises a level switch that switches transmission intensity of a signal transmitted from the portable machine transmission unit, or reception sensitivity of a signal received by the on-vehicle reception unit,
wherein in a case where the first on-vehicle switch is operated, the level switch switches the transmission intensity or the reception sensitivity to a first level, and
wherein in a case where the second on-vehicle switch is operated, the level switch switches the transmission intensity or the reception sensitivity to a second level higher than the first level.

2. The on-vehicle apparatus control system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the portable machine further comprises a portable machine switch that operates the on-vehicle apparatus, and causes the portable machine transmission unit to transmit a remote control signal when the portable machine switch is operated,
wherein the on-vehicle control device causes the on-vehicle reception unit to receive the remote control signal, and controls the on-vehicle apparatus on a basis of the remote control signal, and
wherein during a normal time in which the on-vehicle switches are not operated, the level switch switches the transmission intensity or the reception sensitivity to a third level higher than the second level.

3. An on-vehicle control device mounted on a vehicle, the on-vehicle control device comprising:
an on-vehicle transmission unit; and
an on-vehicle reception unit,
wherein in a case where one of a first on-vehicle switch disposed on an outer surface of the vehicle and a second on-vehicle switch disposed on the outer surface of the vehicle and farther from the on-vehicle reception unit than the first on-veil/de switch is operated,
the on-vehicle transmission unit transmits a response request signal to a portable machine carried by a user, and
the on-vehicle reception unit receives a response signal transmitted from the portable machine in response to reception of the response request signal in the portable machine, and an on-vehicle apparatus mounted on the vehicle is controlled on a basis of the response signal, and

wherein in a case where the first on-vehicle switch is operated, transmission intensity of a signal transmitted from the portable machine or reception sensitivity of a signal received by the on-vehicle reception unit is set to a first level, and
wherein in a case where the second on-vehicle switch is operated, the transmission intensity or the reception sensitivity is set to a second level higher than the first level.

4. The on-vehicle control device according to claim 3 ,
wherein the on-vehicle transmission unit transmits the response request signal to the portable machine:
in a case where the first on-vehicle switch is operated, the response request signal comprising information for recognizing the first on-vehicle switch so as to allow the portable machine to set signal transmission intensity to a first level; and
in a case where the second on-vehicle switch is operated, the response request signal comprising information for recognizing the second on-vehicle switch so as to allow the portable machine to set signal transmission intensity to a second level higher than the first level.

5. The on-vehicle control device according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a level switch that switches reception sensitivity of a signal received by the on-vehicle reception unit,
wherein in a case where the first on-vehicle switch is operated, the level switch switches the reception sensitivity to a first level, and
wherein in a case where the second on-vehicle switch is operated, the level switch switches the reception sensitivity to a second level higher than the first level.

6. The on-vehicle control device according to claim 5 ,
wherein in a case where a portable machine switch disposed in the portable machine is operated, the on-vehicle reception unit receives a remote control signal transmitted from the portable machine, and the on-vehicle apparatus is controlled on a basis of the remote control signal, and
wherein during a normal time in which the first on-vehicle switch and the second on-vehicle switch are not operated, the level switch switches the reception sensitivity to a third level higher than the second level.

7. A portable machine carried by a user, the portable machine comprising:
a portable machine transmission unit; and
a portable machine reception unit,
wherein in a case where one of a first on-vehicle switch disposed on an outer surface of a vehicle and a second on-vehicle switch disposed on the outer surface of the vehicle and farther from an on-vehicle reception unit than the first on-vehicle switch is operated,
the portable machine reception unit receives a response request signal transmitted from an on-vehicle control device mounted on the vehicle, and
the portable machine transmission unit transmits a response signal to the on-vehicle control device so as to allow the on-vehicle control device to control an on-vehicle apparatus mounted on the vehicle,

wherein the portable machine further comprises a level switch that switches transmission intensity of a signal transmitted from the portable machine transmission unit,
wherein if the portable machine reception unit receives the response request signal from the on-vehicle control device, information included in the response request signal for recognizing an operated on-vehicle switch is referred to,
wherein in a case where the operated on-vehicle switch is the first on-vehicle switch, the level switch switches the transmission intensity to a first level, and
wherein in a case where the operated on-vehicle switch is the second on-vehicle switch, the level switch switches the transmission intensity to a second level higher than the first level.

8. The portable machine according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a portable machine switch which operates the on-vehicle apparatus,
wherein in a case where the portable machine switch is operated, the portable machine transmission unit transmits a remote control signal to the on-vehicle control device so as to allow the on-vehicle control device to control the on-vehicle apparatus, and
wherein during a normal time in which the on-vehicle switches are not operated, the level switch switches the transmission intensity to a third level higher than the second level.

Assignees

• Yamamoto Masahiro
• Atsumi Yoichi
• Omron Automotive Electronics

Inventors

• Yamamoto Masahiro
• Atsumi Yoichi

Classifications

• G07C9/00309

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

• G07C9/00714 Primary

  with passive electrical components, e.g. resistor, capacitor, inductor · 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

• G07C2009/00769

  with data transmission performed by wireless means · CPC title

• B60R2325/108

  Encryption · CPC title