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EP-4736144-A1 - LOCALIZATION MODULES, VEHICLE ACCESS SYSTEMS, COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, VEHICLES AND METHODS

EP4736144A1EP 4736144 A1EP4736144 A1EP 4736144A1EP-4736144-A1

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to localization modules, vehicle access systems, communication systems, motor vehicles and methods. A localization module is configured to receive data from internal vehicle transceivers based on first or second communication modes with a portable device, to determine parameters indicative of a position of the portable device based on the received data, and to correct one or more parameters based on the first communication mode which are less precise than a parameter based on the second communication mode. Also disclosed are methods and systems based on the combination of BLE and UWB technologies.

Inventors

  • Rodríguez Martínez, Rubén
  • Albesa Querol, Joan

Assignees

  • Idneo Technologies, S.A.U.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240626

Claims (19)

  1. 1. A vehicle access system comprising a localization module (14), a plurality of internal transceivers configured to communicate in a first communication mode and an internal transceiver configured to communicate in a second communication mode, wherein the internal transceivers are configured to be arranged in the vehicle (1) and include a first internal transceiver (2) configured to communicate in the first communication mode, a second internal transceiver (5) configured to communicate in the second communication mode and a third internal transceiver (2A, 2B) configured to communicate in the first communication mode,, wherein the second internal transceiver (5) is configured to refrain from communicating in the second communication mode (6) until the portable device (9) has been authenticated, wherein the localization module (14) is configured to receive first data from the first internal transceiver (2), wherein the first data is based on a communication between the first internal transceiver (2) and a first external transceiver (4) of a portable device (9) in the first communication mode (3), and wherein the localization module (14) is configured to determine, based on the first data, a first parameter (10) indicative of a position of the first external transceiver (4) relative to the first internal transceiver (2), wherein the localization module (14) is further configured to receive second data from the second internal transceiver (5), wherein the second data is based on a communication between the second internal transceiver (5) and a second external transceiver (7) of the portable device (9) in the second communication mode (6), and is further configured to determine, based on the second data, a second parameter (11) indicative of a position of the second external transceiver (7) relative to the second internal transceiver (5), wherein the localization module (14) is further configured to receive third data from the third internal transceiver (2A, 2B), wherein the third data is based on a communication between the third internal transceiver (2A, 2B) and the first external transceiver (4) in the first communication mode (3), and to determine, based on the third data, a third parameter (10A, 10B) indicative of a position of the first external transceiver (4) relative to the third internal transceiver (2A, 2B), wherein the second parameter (11) based on communication in the second communication mode (6) is more precise than the first (10) and the third (10A, 10B) parameters based on communication in the first communication mode (3), wherein the localization module (14) is further configured to, based at least on the second parameter (11), calibrate at least the first internal transceiver (2) and the third internal transceiver (2A, 2B) configured to be arranged in the vehicle and configured to operate in the first communication mode (3), wherein the localization module is further configured to determine a position of the portable device based on data received from the internal transceivers configured to communicate in the first communication mode regardless of the position of the portable device.
  2. 2. The vehicle access system according to claim 1 , wherein after the calibration of the at least first (2) and third (2A, 2B) internal transceivers, the localization module is configured to determine the position of the portable device based on data received from the calibrated first internal transceiver (2) based on a communication between the first internal transceiver (2) and the first external transceiver (4) of the portable device (9) in the first communication mode (3) and based on data received from the calibrated third internal transceiver (2A, 2B) based on a communication between the first internal transceiver (2) and the first external transceiver (4) of the portable device (9) in the first communication mode (3), and wherein the localization module (14) is configured to use data received from the second internal transceiver (5) based on communications in the second communication mode (6) for calibration purposes only.
  3. 3. The vehicle access system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the second internal transceiver (5) is further configured to be at least temporarily inactive, optionally to switch off or to enter an energy saving mode, at least after the calibration of the first (2) and third (2A, 2B) internal transceivers.
  4. 4. The vehicle access system of any of claims 1 - 3, wherein the first communication mode (3) is Bluetooth low energy, BLE, and/or wherein the second communication mode (6) is ultra-wide band, UWB.
  5. 5. The vehicle access system of any of claims 1 — 4, wherein calibrating comprises determining a corrected first parameter (12) indicative of the position of the first external transceiver (4) relative to the first internal transceiver (2) based on the second parameter and further comprises determining a corrected third parameter (12A, 12B) indicative of the position of the first external transceiver (4) relative to the third internal transceiver (2A, 2B) based on the first (10) and second (11) parameters.
  6. 6. The vehicle access system according to any of claims 1 - 5, wherein the first (2) and second (5) internal transceivers are arranged adjacent to each other, and optionally wherein the localization module (14) comprises the first internal transceiver (2) and the second internal transceiver (5).
  7. 7. The vehicle access system according to claim 6, wherein the localization module (14) is further configured to, before determining the corrected first parameter (12) and/or the corrected third parameter (12A, 12B), determine that the first parameter (10) and the second parameter (11) differ in more than a predetermined difference threshold.
  8. 8. The vehicle access system of claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the localization module (14) is further configured to determine the corrected first parameter (12) by making the corrected first parameter (12) equal to the second parameter (11).
  9. 9. The vehicle access system of any of claims 6 - 8, wherein the localization module (14) is configured to determine the corrected third parameter (12A, 12B) using a look-up table.
  10. 10. The vehicle access system of any of claims 6 - 9, wherein the localization module (14) is configured to determine the corrected third parameter (12A, 12B) by using a difference or quotient between the first (10) and the second (11) parameters as an error factor, optionally an error percentage.
  11. 11 . The vehicle access system according to any of claims 6 - 10, further comprising an Electronic Control Unit, ECU, (8) for the vehicle (1), and optionally wherein the ECU comprises the localization module (14).
  12. 12. The vehicle access system according to claim 11 , further configured to detect, based at least on the corrected first parameter (12) and/or the corrected third parameter (12A, 12B), that the portable device (9) is positioned at a distance from the vehicle (1) which is below a predetermined action threshold, and in response to the detection cause (25) an action related to the vehicle (1), and optionally wherein the action related to the vehicle (1) is locking or unlocking at least one vehicle door, turning on or off a vehicle engine, extending or folding at least one side mirror of the vehicle (1), switching on or off one or more vehicle lights, honking, or regulating a temperature or a humidity level inside the vehicle (1).
  13. 13. A vehicle (1) comprising the vehicle access system according to any of claims 1 - 12 arranged in the vehicle (1).
  14. 14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the vehicle comprises more transceivers configured to communicate in the first communication mode than transceivers configured to communicate in the second communication mode, and optionally wherein the vehicle comprises two or less transceivers configured to communicate in the second communication more.
  15. 15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the vehicle comprises a single transceiver configured to communicate in the second communication mode.
  16. 16. A method (20) comprising: authenticating a portable device (9) based on a communication between an internal transceiver (2, 2A, 2B) arranged in a vehicle (1) and a first external transceiver (4) of the portable device (9) in a first communication mode, wherein a second internal transceiver (5) arranged in the vehicle (1) refrains from communicating in a second communication mode (6) until the portable device (9) has been authenticated; receiving first data from a first internal transceiver (2) arranged in a vehicle (1), wherein the first data is based on a communication between the first internal transceiver (2) and the first external transceiver (4) of a portable device (9) in the first communication mode (3), and determining (21), based on the first data, a first parameter (10) indicative of a position of the first external transceiver (4) relative to the first internal transceiver (2); receiving second data from a second internal transceiver (5) arranged in the vehicle (1), wherein the second data is based on a communication between the second internal transceiver (5) and a second external transceiver (7) of the portable device (9) in the second communication mode (6), and determining (22), based on the second data, a second parameter (11) indicative of a position of the second external transceiver (7) relative to the second internal transceiver (5); receiving third data from a third internal transceiver (2A, 2B) arranged in the vehicle (1), wherein the third data is based on a communication between the third internal transceiver (2A, 2B) and the first external transceiver (4) in the first communication mode (3), and determining, based on the third data, a third parameter (10A, 10B) indicative of a position of the first external transceiver (4) relative to the third internal transceiver (2A, 2B); wherein the second parameter (11) based on communication in the second communication mode (6) is more precise than the first (10) and third (10A, 10B) parameters based on communication in the first communication mode (3), and the method further comprising: calibrating (23) at least the first (2) and the third (2A, 2B) internal transceivers (2, 2A, 2B) arranged in the vehicle and configured to operate in the first communication mode (3) based at least on the second (11) parameter, and determining a position of the portable device based on data received from the internal transceivers configured to communicate in the first communication mode regardless of the position of the portable device.
  17. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein after the calibration (23) of the at least first (2) and third (2A, 2B) internal transceivers, the position of the portable device (9) is determined based on data received from the calibrated first internal transceiver (2) based on a communication between the first internal transceiver (2) and the first external transceiver (4) of the portable device (9) in the first communication mode (3) and based on data received from the calibrated third internal transceiver (2A, 2B) based on a communication between the first internal transceiver (2) and the first external transceiver (4) of the portable device (9) in the first communication mode (3), and wherein data received from the second internal transceiver (5) based on communications in the second communication mode (6) is used for calibration purposes only.
  18. 18. The method of claim 16 or 17, wherein data received from the second internal transceiver (5) based on communications in the second communication mode (6) is not used for positioning the portable device (9) before and after the calibration (23).
  19. 19. The method of any of claims 16 - 18, further comprising receiving information from one or more inertial sensors of the portable device, and wherein determining the position of the portable device is based at least partially on the information received from the inertial sensors of the portable device.

Description

LOCALIZATION MODULES, VEHICLE ACCESS SYSTEMS, COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, VEHICLES AND METHODS [0001] The present application claims the benefit of European patent application EP 23 382 653.6 filed on June 27, 2023. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The present disclosure relates to localization modules, vehicle access systems, communication systems, and methods, in particular for determining a position of a portable device with respect to the vehicle. The present disclosure further relates to motor vehicles. BACKGROUND [0003] Key systems for unlocking and locking a motor vehicle such as a car have evolved in the last decades from being metallic keys which are inserted and rotated in a lock of the door of the driver to remote key systems. Remote key systems aim to perform the functions of a standard motor vehicle key, but without physical contact between the “key” and the vehicle. For example, a remote keyless system (RKS) or remote keyless entry (RKE) can control access to the motor vehicle by pressing a button on a remote when being in proximity of the vehicle. And passive keyless entry (PKE) or passive entry passive start (PEPS) systems can operate automatically when the user is in proximity of the vehicle. For example, the motor vehicle can be unlocked when a user approaches or when the handle of the driver’s door is pulled. And the vehicle can be locked when the user walks away or for example touches the driver’s door when leaving the vehicle. [0004] A PKE/PEPS system can also be configured to perform other actions related to the vehicle, for example extending/folding the side mirrors of the vehicle, starting the vehicle (i.e. turning on the engine of the vehicle), switching on the vehicle lights and others. [0005] A PKE/PEPS system may use low-frequency (LF), e.g. 130 kHz, signals and ultra-high-frequency (UHF), e.g. 868 MHz, signals to exchange unique key access codes between the key and the vehicle. For example, a unique access code can be stored in the key. Once an electronic module of the vehicle such as an electronic control unit determines that an identification key is valid, and once the key is in the vicinity of the vehicle, the vehicle allows access to the user, e.g. the driver. The key can be a portable device such as a remote or a mobile phone. If the key/portable device is a mobile phone, then Bluetooth low energy (BLE) may be used as the communication mode between the electronic control unit of the vehicle and the key/portable device. [0006] The PKE/PEPS system may also measure the distance between the vehicle and the key/portable device, determining for instance whether the key is inside or outside the vehicle. In some examples, if the key is outside the vehicle, the user may enter the vehicle, but the engine may not be turned on until the user is inside the vehicle. [0007] BLE technology allows authentication of a user’s smartphone as well as to determine a position and distance between the user and the motor vehicle, e.g. between the user and a main or master BLE transceiver, in particular based on “received signal strength indication” (RSSI). Knowing if a signal is getting stronger or weaker indicates for example whether the key is moving towards or away from the vehicle. A vehicle may comprise further BLE transceivers, i.e. anchor or slave BLE transceivers, which can help to determine such distance by for example triangulation or trilateration. [0008] US2022/0314934 A1 discloses a system and method for determining a location of a portable device relative to an object. The system and method may include operating in two modes: 1) a first mode in which an antenna output, such as a received signal strength indicator, satisfies a mode transition criterion that is dynamic, and 2) a second mode in which, with the mode transition criterion being satisfied, the location of the portable device is determined. [0009] Calculations based on RSSI and BLE technology are rather sensitive to the environment around the vehicle and the smartphone. Weather conditions such as rain or snow, objects such as walls or other vehicles, and others may deteriorate the precision of the determined distance. In this regard, it should be noted that PKE/PEPS systems that work with technologies or protocols which use RSSI also suffer from these same disadvantages of a potential lack of accuracy. As should be apparent, the correct determination of the position of a user or a distance of a user to the vehicle is important for performing actions such as locking or unlocking doors etc. [0010] With the increase of self-driving vehicles, the need or desire for precise positioning of a user (their key or portable device) has increased as well. E.g. when a self-driving vehicle approaches a potential passenger, it is preferable that the vehicle stops in the correct position, and with the passenger door in front of the passenger, such that the passenger does not need to walk to the vehicle or door when it has come to a stop. [0011] A known