TWI890080B - Wireless vehicle control device and system - Google Patents

Abstract

A wireless vehicle control device is disposed on a vehicle and comprises a first communication module, a second communication module and a central management unit. The first communication module is configured to detect a first communication signal of a wearable device, and the first communication module comprises at least one ultra-wideband communication unit. The second communication module is configured to detect a second communication signal of the wearable device, wherein the communication range of the second communication module is smaller than the communication range of the first communication module. The central management unit is connected to the first communication module and the second communication module, and is configured to pair with the wearable device according to the first communication signal. When the central management unit determines that a distance corresponding to the first communication signal is not greater than a preset distance, the central management unit activates the second communication module for detection, and controls at least one vehicle lock of the vehicle according to the second communication signal.

Description

Wireless vehicle control devices and systems

The present invention relates to a wireless vehicle control device and system.

The limitations of traditional car keys have come under scrutiny in recent years. Besides the need to carry an extra set of keys, they are also small and easily lost. Theft, rather than loss, presents even greater concerns, leading to the growing trend of using mobile phones as car keys. While mobile car key technology is more convenient, efficient, and time-saving than traditional handheld car keys, security concerns still necessitate removing the phone and then unlocking it with a password or facial recognition. If both hands are already occupied, or the phone is tucked away in a bag or pocket, unlocking the car door adds an extra step.

In view of the above, the present invention provides a wireless vehicle control device and system.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a wireless vehicle control device, mounted on a vehicle, includes a first communication module, a second communication module, and a central management unit. The first communication module, comprising at least one ultra-wideband communication unit, is configured to detect a first communication signal from a wearable device. The second communication module is configured to detect a second communication signal from the wearable device, wherein the communication range of the second communication module is smaller than that of the first communication module. The central management unit is connected to the first communication module and the second communication module and is used to pair with the wearable device based on the first communication signal. When it is determined that a distance corresponding to the first communication signal is not greater than a preset distance, the central management unit activates the second communication module for detection and controls at least one vehicle lock based on the second communication signal.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a wireless vehicle control system includes a wireless vehicle control device and a wearable device. The wireless vehicle control device is mounted on a vehicle and includes a first communication module, a second communication module, and a central management unit. The first communication module is configured to detect a first communication signal and includes at least one ultra-wideband communication unit. The second communication module is configured to detect a second communication signal, wherein the communication range of the second communication module is smaller than that of the first communication module. The central management unit is connected to the first communication module and the second communication module and is used to connect according to the first communication signal. When it is determined that a distance corresponding to the first communication signal is not greater than a preset distance, the central management unit activates the second communication module for detection and controls at least one vehicle lock of the vehicle according to the second communication signal. The wearable device is used to control at least one vehicle lock of the vehicle and includes a third communication module and a fourth communication module. The third communication module is used to generate the first communication signal and includes an ultra-wideband communication unit. The fourth communication module is used to generate the second communication signal, wherein the communication range of the fourth communication module is smaller than the communication range of the third communication module.

Through the above-mentioned structure, the wireless vehicle control device and system disclosed in this application utilizes ultra-wideband sensors for precise positioning. When the wearable device reaches a suitable distance from the vehicle door, the communication unit with a smaller communication range is activated to unlock the door. This achieves a similar effect to induction door opening, allowing the user to simply use the wearable device for sensing, eliminating the inconvenience of traditional car keys and mobile phone smart car keys.

The above description of the present disclosure and the following description of the embodiments are intended to demonstrate and explain the spirit and principles of the present invention, and to provide further explanation of the scope of the patent application of the present invention.

The following detailed description of the features and advantages of the present invention is sufficient to enable anyone skilled in the relevant art to understand the technical content of the present invention and implement it accordingly. Based on the disclosure, patent application scope, and drawings in this specification, anyone skilled in the relevant art can easily understand the relevant objectives and advantages of the present invention. The following examples are intended to further illustrate the concepts of the present invention in detail and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way.

Please refer to FIG1 , which is a block diagram of a wireless vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG1 , the wireless vehicle control device 1 may include a central management unit 10, a first communication module 11, and a second communication module 12. The first communication module 11 is used to detect a first communication signal from a wearable device 2 and includes at least one ultra-wideband (UWB) communication unit. The second communication module 12 is used to detect a second communication signal from the wearable device 2, wherein the communication range of the second communication module 12 is smaller than the communication range of the first communication module 11. The central management unit 10 is connected to the first communication module 11 and the second communication module 12 and is used to pair with the wearable device 2 based on the first communication signal. When it is determined that a distance corresponding to the first communication signal is not greater than a preset distance, the central management unit 10 activates the second communication module 12 for detection and controls at least one vehicle lock based on the second communication signal.

The wearable device 2 may include a smartwatch, smart bracelet, or other wearable smart device. Compared to a smartphone, the wearable device 2 is more convenient to use and can reduce the number of steps required to control the opening/closing of a vehicle lock, as described below. In this example, the wireless vehicle control device 1 is mounted on a vehicle and connected to at least one vehicle lock (not shown). Specifically, the wireless vehicle control device 1 can be mounted inside the vehicle near a door and connected to the corresponding vehicle lock of the door, but the present invention is not limited to this.

The central management unit 10 of the wireless vehicle control device 1 may include one or more computers such as a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, a programmable logic controller, or a microcontroller to execute various process operations of the wireless vehicle control device 1. The first communication module 11 includes at least one ultra-wideband communication unit. Specifically, the first communication module 11 may include multiple ultra-wideband communication units, each of which includes an ultra-wideband signal transceiver that can be used to receive and transmit ultra-wideband signals. The second communication module 12 may include a second communication unit with a communication range smaller than that of the ultra-wideband communication unit. For example, the second communication unit may be a near-field communication (NFC) unit. It should be noted that the central management unit 10 can be co-located with the first communication module 11 and the second communication module 12 on a single motherboard, with the central management unit 10 being connected to the first communication module 11 and the second communication module 12 via a wired connection. Alternatively, the central management unit 10 can be co-located with the first communication module 11 and the second communication module 12 on separate motherboards, with the central management unit 10 being connected to the first communication module 11 and the second communication module 12 via a wireless connection. This is not a limitation of the present invention.

Please refer to Figure 2 in conjunction with Figure 1. Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a wireless vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 2, the central management unit of the wireless vehicle control device can execute the following: Step S1: detecting a first communication signal from a wearable device via a first communication module; Step S2: establishing a connection with the wearable device based on the first communication signal; Step S3: determining whether a distance corresponding to the first communication signal is greater than a preset distance; if so, returning to Step S2; if not, executing Step S4: activating a second communication module for detection; and Step S5: controlling at least one vehicle lock of the vehicle based on the second communication signal.

In step S1, the first communication module 11 continuously detects surrounding space and transmits the detected first communication signal to the central management unit 10. In this example, the ultra-wideband communication unit of the first communication module 11 has a communication range of approximately 10 meters. In other words, the central management unit 10 can only receive the first communication signal from the wearable device 2 when the user carrying the wearable device 2 approaches the first communication module 11 and reaches the aforementioned communication range. In step S2, the central management unit 10 can connect to the wearable device 2 based on the detected first communication signal. Specifically, before step S1, the wearable device 2 can pre-pair with the wireless vehicle controller 1. The pairing operation includes: the wireless vehicle controller 1 detects a first communication signal sent by the wearable device 2 and stores identification information of the first communication signal. In this way, in step S2, the central management unit 10 can recognize the identification information of the detected first communication signal and connect to the wearable device 2.

In step S3, the central management unit 10 may calculate the distance between the first communication module 11 and the wearable device 2 using time-of-flight (ToF) based on the first communication signal and determine whether the distance is greater than a preset distance, where the preset distance may be associated with the communication range of the second communication module 12. Specifically, if the calculated distance is greater than the preset distance, the central management unit 10 may determine that the distance between the wearable device 2 and the second communication module 12 is beyond the communication range of the second communication module 12. Therefore, the central management unit 10 does not activate the second communication module for detection, while maintaining the connection between the first communication module 11 and the wearable device 2.

In step S4, when the central management unit 10 calculates the distance between the first communication module 11 and the wearable device 2 using time-of-flight (ToF) based on the first communication signal and determines that the distance is no greater than a preset distance, the central management unit 10 determines that the distance between the wearable device 2 and the second communication module 12 is within the communication range of the second communication module 12 and activates the second communication module 12 for detection. In step S5, the central management unit 10 controls at least one vehicle lock using the second communication signal from the wearable device 2 detected by the second communication module 12. For example, the user can select an operation related to the vehicle lock through the interface of the wearable device 2, so that the second communication signal can carry specific operation information (on/off and the specific position of the vehicle lock). The central management unit 10 then performs control operations based on this second communication signal.

Please refer to Figure 3 in conjunction with Figure 2. Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a wireless vehicle control device according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 3, when there are multiple candidate devices surrounding the wireless vehicle control device, the central management unit of the wireless vehicle control device may, before step S2, execute the following: Step S11: Detecting multiple identification communication signals from the multiple candidate devices using a first communication module; and Step S12: Identifying the first communication signal. Specifically, the central management unit may pre-store identification information of the paired wearable device, and then identify the first communication signal of the wearable device from multiple communication signals to be identified from multiple candidate devices based on the identification information, so as to establish a connection in step S2.

Please refer to Figure 4, which is a schematic diagram illustrating a vehicle, a wireless vehicle control device, and a wearable device. As shown in Figure 4, a central management unit 10 is installed on vehicle C, and an ultra-wideband communication unit (UWB) and a near-field communication unit (NFC) are installed at locations corresponding to each vehicle door (and the corresponding door lock). (i.e., the left front door corresponds to the first ultra-wideband communication unit (UWB1) and the first near-field communication unit (NFC1); the left rear door corresponds to the second ultra-wideband communication unit (UWB2) and the second near-field communication unit (NFC2); the right front door corresponds to the third ultra-wideband communication unit (UWB3) and the third near-field communication unit (NFC3); and the right rear door corresponds to the fourth ultra-wideband communication unit (UWB4) and the fourth near-field communication unit (NFC4). Each NFC unit has its own communication range. For example, the communication range of the second NFC unit NFC2 covers the area immediately surrounding the left rear door. Wearable device 2 is used to send a first communication signal and a second communication signal to open a specific door.

As shown in Figure 4, the communication range R of the NFC unit is approximately 10 centimeters, and the wearable device 2 is not yet within the communication range of the NFC unit. When the wearable device 2 approaches any UWB communication unit within 10 meters, the central management unit 10 can connect and pair with the wearable device 2 via the UWB communication unit. Furthermore, the central management unit 10 can be configured to calculate location information based on the multiple distances of the first communication signal relative to multiple UWB communication units and, based on this location information, determine whether to activate the second communication module for detection. This calculation of location information can be achieved using triangulation, which will not be elaborated here.

As the distance between the wearable device 2 and the vehicle continues to decrease, the central management unit 10 can continuously update the distance or location information, maintain the connection between the wearable device 2 and the ultra-wideband communication unit, and determine whether to activate the near-field communication unit for detection. Specifically, when the wearable device 2 is within a specific range of a specific vehicle door, the central management unit 10 can obtain location information through the above method and, based on the location information, activate a corresponding one of the near-field communication units for detection. For example, when the second near-field communication unit NFC2 detects the second communication signal from the wearable device 2, the central management unit 10 can control the vehicle lock of the left rear door of vehicle C based on the second communication signal. It should be noted that in this example, the UWB communication unit and the NFC unit are adjacently located, so that the distance measured via the first communication signal can represent the distance between the wearable device 2 and the NFC unit. However, in other embodiments, the UWB communication unit and the NFC unit can be located in different locations, and the central management unit 10 can perform additional calculations on the distance obtained based on the first communication signal to determine whether the wearable device 2 is close to the NFC unit.

Please refer to Figure 5, which is a block diagram of a wireless vehicle control system according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 5, the wireless vehicle control system includes a wireless vehicle control device 1 and a wearable device 2. Wearable device 2 is used to control at least one vehicle lock and includes a third communication module 21 and a fourth communication module 22. Third communication module 21 is used to generate a first communication signal and includes an ultra-wideband communication unit. Fourth communication module 22 is used to generate a second communication signal, wherein the communication range of fourth communication module 22 is smaller than the communication range of third communication module 21. A wireless vehicle control device 1 is mounted on a vehicle and includes a central management unit 10, a first communication module 11, and a second communication module 12. The first communication module 11 is used to detect a first communication signal from a wearable device 2 and includes at least one ultra-wideband communication unit. The second communication module 12 is used to detect a second communication signal from the wearable device 2. The communication range of the second communication module 12 is smaller than that of the first communication module 11. The central management unit 10 is connected to the first communication module 11 and the second communication module 12 and is used to pair with the wearable device 2 based on the first communication signal. When it determines that a distance corresponding to the first communication signal is not greater than a preset distance, it activates the second communication module 12 for detection and controls at least one vehicle lock based on the second communication signal.

In this example, the second communication module 12 of the wireless vehicle control device 1 may include at least one first near-field communication unit 121, and other related operations are the same as the aforementioned embodiment. The second ultra-wideband communication unit 211 of the wearable device 2 may continuously send a first communication signal to allow the first ultra-wideband communication unit 111 to perform detection. The second near-field communication unit 221 of the wearable device 2 may continuously send a second communication signal to allow the first near-field communication unit 121 to perform detection. In addition, the wearable device 2 may also have a processing unit similar to the central management unit 10, such as a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, a programmable logic controller or a microcontroller, so as to be controlled by the user to control whether to send the first communication signal and the second communication signal.

Please refer to Figure 6, which is a block diagram of a wireless vehicle control device according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. As shown in Figure 6, the wireless vehicle controller 3 includes a central management unit 30, a first communication unit 31, a second communication unit 32, a connector 33, a system base chip 34, a transceiver 35, and a security element 36. The central management unit 30, the first communication unit 31, the second communication unit 32, the connector 33, the system base chip 34, the transceiver 35, and the security element 36 can be connected to the same motherboard MB. The motherboard MB can be a control board located between the driver's seat and the passenger seat.

The central management unit 30, first communication unit 31, and second communication unit 32 of the wireless vehicle controller 3 can be the same as the central management unit 10, first communication module 11, and second communication module 12 of the embodiment of Figure 1 and are not further described here. The first communication unit 31 is connected to the central management unit 30 via a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART). The second communication unit 32 is connected to the central management unit 30 via an integrated circuit (I2C). The system-based chip 34 can be a power management IC (PMIC). The system base chip 34 is used to power the wireless vehicle controller 3 and perform power management. It receives voltage from the battery (VBAT) from the connector 33, connects to the central management unit 30 via the serial peripheral interface (SPI), and provides power (PWR) to the central management unit 30. The transceiver 35 connects to the connector 33 via the controller area network with flexible data rate (CAN FD) and to the system base chip 34 via the controller area network (CAN bus). The transceiver 35 can be a local interconnect network (LIN) transceiver. The security element 38 is connected to the central management unit 30 via an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) and is used to execute encryption and decryption algorithms for communication signals, such as asymmetric algorithms.

In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the wireless vehicle control device and system of the present invention can be applied to a vehicle-mounted device, such as a self-driving car, an electric car, or a semi-autonomous car.

Through the above-described structure, the wireless vehicle control device and system disclosed in this application utilizes ultra-wideband sensors for precise positioning. When the wearable device reaches a suitable distance from the vehicle door, the communication unit with a smaller communication range is activated to unlock the door. This achieves a sensor-activated door unlocking effect similar to a phased and continuous recognition confirmation system, allowing the user to simply use the wearable device for sensing, eliminating the inconvenience of traditional car keys and mobile phone smart car keys.

Although the present invention is disclosed above with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, they are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications and enhancements that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention are within the scope of patent protection of the present invention. Please refer to the attached patent application for the scope of protection defined by the present invention.

1: Wireless Vehicle Controller 10, 30: Central Management Unit 11: First Communication Module 111: First UWB Communication Unit 12: Second Communication Module 121: First Near-Field Communication Unit 2: Wearable Device 21: Third Communication Module 211: Second UWB Communication Unit 22: Fourth Communication Module 221: Second Near-Field Communication Unit 3: Wireless Vehicle Controller 31: First Communication Unit 32: Second Communication Unit 33: Connector 34: System Base Chip 35: Transceiver 36: Secure Element S1-S5, S11-S12: Steps C: Vehicle UWB1: First UWB Communication Unit UWB2: Ultra-wideband (UWB) 2 UWB3: Ultra-wideband (UWB) 3 UWB4: Ultra-wideband (UWB) 4 NFC1: Near-field communication (NFC) 1 NFC2: Near-field communication (NFC) 2 NFC3: Near-field communication (NFC) 3 NFC4: Near-field communication (NFC) 4 R: Communication range MB: Mainboard

Figure 1 is a block diagram of a wireless vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the wireless vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the wireless vehicle control device according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a vehicle, a wireless vehicle control device, and a wearable device. Figure 5 is a block diagram of a wireless vehicle control system according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 is a block diagram of a wireless vehicle control device according to one or more embodiments of the present invention.

1: Wireless Vehicle Controller

10: Central Management Unit

11: First Communication Module

12: Second communication module

2: Wearable devices

Claims (8)

A wireless vehicle control device, mounted on a vehicle, comprises: A first communication module for detecting a first communication signal from a wearable device, the first communication module comprising at least one ultra-wideband communication unit; A second communication module for detecting a second communication signal from the wearable device, wherein the communication range of the second communication module is smaller than the communication range of the first communication module; and A central management unit connected to the first communication module and the second communication module. The central management unit is configured to connect to the wearable device based on the first communication signal. When determining that a distance corresponding to the first communication signal is not greater than a preset distance, the central management unit activates the second communication module for detection and controls at least one vehicle lock of the vehicle based on the second communication signal. When determining that the distance corresponding to the first communication signal is greater than the preset distance, the central management unit deactivates the second communication module for detection and maintains the connection between the first communication module and the wearable device. The at least one UWB communication unit is a plurality of UWB communication units, and the central management unit is further configured to calculate location information based on a plurality of distances of the first communication signal relative to the UWB communication units, and activate the second communication module to perform detection based on the location information. A wireless vehicle control device as described in claim 1, wherein the central management unit pre-stores identification information corresponding to the wearable device, and the central management unit is used to identify the first communication signal of the wearable device from multiple communication signals to be identified respectively from multiple candidate devices based on the identification information to establish a connection. The wireless vehicle control device as described in claim 1, wherein the second communication module includes at least one near field communication unit. A wireless vehicle control device as described in claim 1, wherein the second communication module includes multiple near-field communication units, the at least one vehicle lock is a plurality of vehicle locks, the near-field communication units respectively correspond to the vehicle locks, and the central management unit is further used to calculate position information based on a distance of the first communication signal relative to the first communication module, and brake a corresponding one of the near-field communication units for detection based on the position information. A wireless vehicle control system comprises: A wireless vehicle control device, mounted on a vehicle, comprising: A first communication module for detecting a first communication signal, the first communication module comprising at least one ultra-wideband communication unit; A second communication module for detecting a second communication signal, wherein the communication range of the second communication module is smaller than the communication range of the first communication module; and A central management unit connected to the first communication module and the second communication module, the central management unit configured to establish a connection based on the first communication signal and, when determining that a distance corresponding to the first communication signal is not greater than a preset distance, activate the second communication module for detection and control at least one vehicle lock of the vehicle based on the second communication signal. When determining that the distance corresponding to the first communication signal is greater than the preset distance, the second communication module is deactivated for detection and the connection between the first communication module and the wearable device is maintained; and A wearable device configured to control the at least one vehicle lock of the vehicle, comprising: a third communication module for generating the first communication signal, the third communication module comprising an ultra-wideband communication unit; and a fourth communication module for generating the second communication signal, wherein the communication range of the fourth communication module is smaller than the communication range of the first communication module; wherein the at least one ultra-wideband communication unit of the first communication module is a plurality of ultra-wideband communication units, and the central management unit is further configured to calculate location information based on a plurality of distances of the first communication signal relative to the ultra-wideband communication units of the first communication module, and activate the second communication module to perform detection based on the location information. A wireless vehicle control system as described in claim 5, wherein the central management unit pre-stores identification information corresponding to the wearable device, and the central management unit is used to identify the first communication signal of the wearable device from multiple communication signals to be identified respectively from multiple candidate devices based on the identification information to establish a connection. The wireless vehicle control system as described in claim 5, wherein the fourth communication module includes a near field communication unit, and the second communication module includes at least one near field communication unit. A wireless vehicle control system as described in claim 5, wherein the second communication module includes multiple near-field communication units, the at least one vehicle lock is a plurality of vehicle locks, the near-field communication units of the second communication module correspond to the vehicle locks respectively, and the central management unit is further used to calculate position information based on a distance relative to the first communication module from the first communication signal, and brake a corresponding one of the near-field communication units of the second communication module for detection based on the position information.