Abstract:
In an in-vehicle device remote control system, a vehicle-side device determines in which detection area an electronic key exists based on a response signal transmitted from the key in response to request signals, and a control door to be operated in correspondence to the detection area in which the key exists. The vehicle-side device notifies a user that the key is an authorized one by light, sound, display or the like on the determined control door. With this operation, it is readily recognized by the user because the user is approaching the control door.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application relates to and incorporates herein by reference Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-169118 filed on Jun. 19, 2006. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to an in-vehicle device remote control system and method, and more particularly to a system and method having a function of conducting bidirectional communication between a vehicle-side device and a mobile device. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A conventional system that remotely controls an in-vehicle device conducts bidirectional communication between a vehicle-side device and a mobile device to determine whether the mobile device is an authorized (regular) mobile device carried by a user. For example, this system is disclosed in JP 2000-104429A. This type of remote control system is known as a smart key system, which has a transmitter as the vehicle-side device and conducts a bidirectional communication between the transmitter and the mobile device. As the transmitter, there are normally provided plural transmitters having detection areas different from each other. For example, three transmitters are so disposed as to define the detection areas in a given range outside a right door, a given range outside a left door, and a given range outside a trunk door, respectively. If additional detection areas at the left and right sides of the vehicle are defined as front and rear areas, five transmitters are provided. 
         [0004]    Transmission request signals are transmitted to the detection areas from the plural transmitters, respectively. When a mobile device exists within the detection areas in which the transmission request signals are transmitted and received, the transmission request signal is received by the mobile device, and the mobile device transmits a given response signal responsive to the received transmission request signal. The response signal is received by a receiver equipped in the vehicle, and a given matching process is conducted on the response signal by a vehicle-side device. Then, when matching can be made, it is determined that the mobile device that has transmitted the response signal is an authorized mobile device. As a result, an operating state of the in-vehicle device such as a door lock mechanism is controlled based on the determination result. 
         [0005]    In the conventional remote control system, it is sometimes difficult that the user recognizes whether the control of the in-vehicle has been conducted based on the determination as a result of the matching, even if it is determined that the device is the authorized mobile device. Under this circumstance, in the remote control system where an in-vehicle device to be controlled is a door lock mechanism, when the door is locked based on the determination that the mobile device that has approached the vehicle and entered the detection area is an authorized mobile device, it is proposed that a compartment lamp is lighted to notify that the door is unlocked, or foot lamps disposed on side mirrors for illuminating the foot areas of front seat doors are lighted to notify that the door is unlocked. 
         [0006]    In either of those cases, the same notification operation is executed without distinguishing in the detection area of which transmitter the mobile device exists. However, it is difficult that the user recognizes the fact that the compartment lamp is lighted without closely approaching the vehicle, except for night. Also, even if the foot lamps that are disposed on the side mirrors are lighted, it is difficult to recognize this fact unless the user is present at a position relatively close to the front seat door. For this reason, for example, when the user carrying the mobile device approaches the vehicle toward the rear seat doors, it is not always easy to recognize that the mobile device is determined as the authorized mobile device, and the door is unlocked. Thus, the conventional remote control system is not sufficiently satisfactory to users. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    An object of the present invention is to provide an in-vehicle device remote control system and method that enable a user to readily recognize that a mobile device is accepted as an authorized device for using a vehicle. 
         [0008]    According to one aspect, an in-vehicle device remote control system has a vehicle-side device mounted in a vehicle and a mobile device carried by a user for communication with the vehicle-side device. The vehicle-side device includes a plurality of transmitters, a receiver and a control unit. The transmitters are disposed at a plurality of given positions of the vehicle and transmit transmission request signals, which form different detection areas outside doors of the vehicle. The mobile device transmits a response signal in response to the transmission request signal when entering the detection areas. The receiver receives the response signal of the mobile device. The control unit executes a given matching process with respect to the response signal of the mobile device for determining that the mobile device is an authorized mobile device when matching is confirmed. The control unit controls an operation state of the in-vehicle device based on a determination that the mobile device is the authorized mobile device. The control unit determines a detection area in which the mobile device exists based on the response signal of the mobile device and the transmission request signals of the transmitters and sets a door corresponding to the determined detection area as a control door. The control device has a memory that stores a notifying operation with respect to each control door. The control device executes the notifying operation of the control door determined based on storage contents of the memory device. 
         [0009]    According to another aspect, a plurality of response request signals are transmitted from a vehicle in different directions in surrounding areas of the vehicle so that a response signal is received from a mobile device in response to any one of the response request signals. A location of the mobile device is determined based on a relation between transmitted response request signals and a received response signal. A reception of the response signal is notified to an outside of the vehicle by a device provided near a door which is closest to a determined location of the mobile device. 
         [0010]    According to a further aspect, a plurality of response request signals are transmitted from a vehicle in different directions in surrounding areas of the vehicle so that a response signal is received from a mobile device in response to any one of the response request signals. An environment condition of the vehicle is determined. A reception of the response signal is notified to an outside of the vehicle in a mode variable with a determined environment condition of the vehicle. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing an in-vehicle device remote control system according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing transmitters and detection areas that are formed by the transmitters; 
           [0014]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are schematic views showing a state in which a light source disposed on a door emits a light, respectively; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view showing an example in which a window display device is disposed on a driver&#39;s seat door, and an image is displayed on the window of the driver&#39;s seat door; 
           [0016]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  are schematic views showing an example of a moving unit, respectively; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart showing processing executed in response to a response signal when a vehicle is parked and doors are locked. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , an in-vehicle device remote control system  10  includes a vehicle-side device  100  mounted in a vehicle, and an electronic key  200  that is employed as a mobile device and carried by a user of a vehicle. 
         [0019]    The vehicle-side device  100  has a transmitter  102 . In this embodiment, the transmitter  102  has first to fifth transmitters  102   a  to  102   e  as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0020]    The first transmitter  102   a  is disposed at a right front seat door (D seat door indicating a driver&#39;s seat-side door) or in the vicinity of the D seat door, so that a first detection area  104   a  is defined or formed on a right side of the D seat door (outside of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction). The second transmitter  102   b  is disposed at a right rear seat door (DR seat door indicating a driver&#39;s rear-side door) or in the vicinity of the DR seat door, so that a second detection area  104   b  is formed on a right side of the DR seat door. The third transmitter  102   c  is disposed at a left front seat door (P seat door indicating a passenger&#39;s seat-side door) or in the vicinity of the P seat door, so that a third detection area  104   c  is formed on a left side of the P seat door. The fourth transmitter  102   d  is disposed at a left rear seat door (PR seat door indicating a passenger&#39;s rear seat door) or in the vicinity of the PR seat door, so that a fourth detection area  104   d  is formed on a left side of the PR seat door. The fifth transmitter  102   e  is disposed at a luggage door (LG door) or in the vicinity of the luggage door, so that a fifth detection area  104   e  is formed in the rear of the luggage door. Each of the five detection areas  104   a  to  104   e  is, for example, about 0.7 to 1.0 meters in radius from the corresponding transmitter  102   a  to  102   e.    
         [0021]    Returning to  FIG. 1 , an electronic control unit (ECU)  106  is a computer having a central processing unit (CPU)  108  and a memory  110 . The CPU  108  executes various processing according to programs that have been stored in the memory  110  in advance. For example, when the vehicle is parked and the doors are locked, the CPU  108  outputs a request signal that is a transmission request signal to those five transmitters  102   a  to  102   e  in order or sequentially at every given period that is set to a short period of time such as about 0.3 seconds. When the request signal is supplied to the transmitters  102   a  to  102   e , the transmitters  102   a  to  102   e  sequentially transmit the request signal to the detection areas  104   a  to  104   e.    
         [0022]    When the key  200  is present in the detection areas  104   a  to  104   e  to which the request signal has been transmitted, a response signal that is a response signal is returned from the key  200 . A receiver  112  is located at a given position of the interior of the vehicle to receive the response signal. Then, the response signal that has been received by the receiver  112  is output to the ECU  106 . 
         [0023]    Since the CPU  108  outputs the request signal to those five transmitters  102   a  to  102   e  in order in the given period as described above, it is possible for the CPU  108  to determine from which detection area  104  the response signal has been transmitted, that is, in which detection area  104  the key  200  is present, by determining the time point at which the response signal has been supplied. Then, a door corresponding to the determined detection area  104  is determined to a control door that is to be controlled or unlocked. 
         [0024]    In this embodiment, the detection areas  104  are provided outside the respective doors, respectively, and one door corresponds to one detection area  104 . Therefore, the corresponding door is the control door. However, it is possible that the detection area  104  is so adapted as to cover the outer area of each pair of front and rear seat doors. In this case, the pair of doors are determined as the doors corresponding to the detection area, that is, the control door. 
         [0025]    Touch sensors  114  are disposed on door outside handles of the four seat-side doors (D seat door, P seat door, DR seat door, PR seat door), respectively. Each of the touch sensors  114  detects that the user touches the corresponding handle, and then supplies a signal indicative of this fact to the ECU  106 . A luggage door switch  116  is a switch that is operated by the user when opening the luggage door. The luggage door switch  116  is so positioned as to be exposed to the outside of the vehicle on the luggage door. Thus, when the luggage door switch  116  is depressed or touched by the user, a signal indicative of this fact is supplied to the ECU  106 . 
         [0026]    A microphone  118  is located at a given portion of the vehicle in order to detect the magnitude of sound in the periphery of the vehicle. A navigation device  120  has a function of detecting the present position of the vehicle, and map data, and executes travel route guide operation based on the detected present position and the map data. Also, the navigation device  120  checks whether the vehicle is positioned indoors or outdoors based on whether the detected present position is within a given building on the map data or not. A clock  122  sequentially outputs a signal indicative of the present time to the ECU  106 . 
         [0027]    A door lock mechanism  124  is a mechanism that locks the seat-side doors and the luggage door, and controlled by the ECU  106  to make those doors unlocked. Also, the seat-side doors can be made locked under the control of the ECU  106 . The luggage door can be also made locked under the control from the ECU  106 . 
         [0028]    A light source  126  emits a light to notify the user that the door lock mechanism  124  changes from the lock state to the unlock state, or conversely that the door lock mechanism  12  changes from the unlock state to the lock state. The light source  126  is, for example, a foot lamp that is disposed for each of the doors, and illuminates the foot of the user who is going to open the door, or an optical fiber which is disposed on an edge portion of each of the doors, and a LED that is disposed on one end of the optical fiber. 
         [0029]      FIG. 3A  shows a state in which a foot lamp as the light source  126  emits a light, and  FIG. 3B  shows a state in which an optical fiber as the light source  126  emits a light. It is unnecessary that the light source  126  is disposed on the door or in the vicinity of the door. The light source  126  can be disposed on the front end of the vehicle or the rear end of the vehicle. Therefore, head lights or tail lights can be used as the light sources  126 . 
         [0030]    A window display device  128  is a device that makes a window display mode disposed on each of the doors different in the mode viewed from the outside, and is used for the above notifying operation as with the light source  126 . As the window display device  128 , there can be used a device that displays an image on the window by using the same structure as that of a known head-up display.  FIG. 4  is a diagram showing an example in which the window display device  128  is disposed on the D seat door, and an image is displayed on the window of the D seat door. In  FIG. 4 , “Open!” indicating that the door has been unlocked is displayed. As the window display device  128 , there can be used a device that merely changes the light transmission of the window, and for example, the light transmission of the window can be made higher than the normal one based on the fact that the door has been unlocked. 
         [0031]    A moving unit  130  is used for the above notifying operation, and a member that is capable of being viewed from the outside of the vehicle can be used as the moving unit  130 .  FIGS. 5A and 5B  show examples of the moving unit  130 . The moving units  130  in  FIG. 5A  are triangular pyramids disposed on a roof of the vehicle, which are rotatably moved in the forward and backward directions of the vehicle with the lower ends as the rotation center. Also, the moving units  130  shown in  FIG. 5B  are formed of wipers of the headlights. The moving unit  130  can be additionally provided as exemplified in  FIG. 5A , and can be formed of existing members provided for another intended purpose as exemplified in  FIG. 5B . As the former example, the moving unit  130  may be integrated with a roof antenna so that the roof antenna is driven to move for notification to the outside. Also, as the latter example, wipers of the front window or the rear window may be used as the moving unit  130 . 
         [0032]    A speaker  132  may also be used for the above notifying operation, and is so adapted as to output a voice toward the outside of the vehicle. It is preferable to provide the speaker  132  in each of the doors, but the number of speakers is less than the number of windows such that the speakers  132  are disposed on the left side and the right side of the vehicle one by one. Also, only one speaker  132  can be provided. 
         [0033]    It is not always necessary to dispose all of devices  126 ,  128 ,  130  and  132  for the above notifying operation, but only parts of those devices can be provided. The operation of those devices  126 ,  128 ,  130  and  132  is controlled by the ECU  106 . The memory  110  of the ECU  106  functions as a memory device, and the contents of the notifying operation are stored in the memory  110  for each of the control doors. 
         [0034]    As the notifying operation, (1) the light source  126  corresponding to the control door is made to emit a light in a given light emission pattern, (2) a given display is outputted from the window display device  128  corresponding to the control door, (3) a given voice is outputted from the speaker  132  corresponding to the control door, and (4) the moving unit  130  corresponding to the control door is made movable in a given movable pattern. 
         [0035]    The light emission pattern of the above notifying operation (1) may include not only blinking in a given period, but also merely lighting. Also, the light emission patterns may be made different from each other depending on the control doors. In this event, even when the number of light sources  126  corresponding to the control doors is smaller than the number of doors (for example, only one), the control contents can be made different according to the control doors. Also, when the light source  126  is formed of plural LEDs, and only parts of the light source  126  can be lighted, a portion of the light source  126  to be lighted can be made different according to the control doors. 
         [0036]    The display of the above notifying operation (2) can be set to one kind in advance, but it is preferable that the display contents can be changed. Also, the voice of the above notifying operation (3) can be also set to one kind in advance, but can be preferably changeable. When the display contents and the voice can be changed, the display contents and the voice can be changed within plural options that are set in advance, but it is more preferable that the user is capable of setting favorite display contents and voice. 
         [0037]    As an example of the above notifying operation (4), the moving unit  130  is disposed in each of the control doors, and the moving unit  130  corresponding to the control door is movable, but the movable pattern of the moving unit  130  can be made different according to the control doors. In this case, the number of moving units  130  can be smaller than the number of control doors. 
         [0038]    In this embodiment, plural notifying operations are set for one control door, and one notifying operation is selected from the plural set notifying operations based on the brightness of the surroundings, the vehicle position (indoors or outdoors), and the noises of the surrounding, and executed. 
         [0039]    The notifying operations (1) to (4) can be combined together and used. As an example when the notifying operations are combined together, the light source  126  corresponding to the control door (for example, headlights in the case of the front seat, and taillights in the case of the rear seat) is lighted, and an image is displayed on the control door. 
         [0040]    An input key  134  is operated when the contents of the notifying operation which are stored in the memory  110  are changed by the user. With the operation of the input key  134 , the image that is displayed on the window can be changed to user&#39;s favorite image, or the voice that is outputted from the speaker  132  can be changed to user&#39;s favorite music or voice. 
         [0041]    The key  200  includes a receiver  202  as a receiving section that receives a request signal transmitted from the transmitter  102 , and a transmitter  204  as a transmitting section that transmits the response signal. The key  200  has an ECU (not shown), and the response signal that is sent from the transmitter  204  is generated by the ECU in response to the request signal that is received by the receiver  202 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart showing processing that is executed by the CPU  108  based on a fact that the response signal is supplied to the ECU  106  from the receiver  112  when a vehicle is parked and doors are locked Referring to  FIG. 6 , at step S 10 , matching of a code included in the response signal and specific to a mobile device  200  is conducted. Then, at step S 20 , it is checked whether the code of the mobile device  200  has matched with a code stored in the memory  110  and specific to a vehicle. When the determination is NO, this routine is completed. On the other hand, when the determination is YES, it indicates that the key  200  that has sent the response signal is an authorized key. The processing is further continued, and the control is advanced to step S 30 . At step S 30 , it is further checked whether the time is daytime. The determination is conducted based on the signal from the clock  122 . At step S 30 , the brightness surrounding the vehicle is determined. It is possible that a brightness sensor is provided to detect the brightness surrounding the vehicle in fact, and checks whether the brightness is bright or dark. 
         [0043]    When it is determined that it is the nighttime (NO), the control is advanced to step S 90 , and the light source  126  is selected for a notifying operation by lighting. On the other hand, when it is determined that the time is daytime (YES), the control is advanced to step S 40 , and it is further checked whether the present position is outdoor. The determination is conducted based on the information from the navigation device  120 . 
         [0044]    When it is determined that the present position is indoor (NO) at step S 40 , the control is advanced to step S 80 , and the window display device  128  is selected for a notifying operation by a visual display. On the other hand, when it is determined that the present position is outdoor (YES), the control is advanced to step S 50 , and it is further checked whether the noise surrounding the vehicle is large. The determination is conducted based on whether the signal that is determined by the microphone  118  being larger than a reference signal. 
         [0045]    When it is determined that the noise is large (YES) at step S 50 , the control is advanced to step S 60 , and the moving unit  130  is selected for the notifying operation by a moving member. On the other hand, when it is determined that the noise is small (NO), the control is advanced to step S 70 , and the speaker  132  is selected for a notifying operation by sound. 
         [0046]    When any one of steps S 60 , S 70 , S 80  and S 90  is executed, the control is advanced to step S 100 , and a door whose code matching is acceptable is determined. The determination is conducted based on the response signal received by the receiver  112  responding to the request signal from which transmitter  102  as described above. Also, a door that is determined based on this determination is a control door. 
         [0047]    Then, the control is advanced to steps S 110  to S 150  in response to the determined door (that is, control door) whose matching is acceptable. Steps S 110  to S 150  execute notifying operation by selected devices  126 ,  128 ,  130  and  132 , and the operation of a type that is determined at steps S 60  to S 90  is executed among various operations that are stored as the door control operation in the memory  110 . For instance, if the light source  126  is selected at step S 90  and the control door is determined to be the D seat door, a light source on the D seat door is activated at step S 110 . 
         [0048]    In subsequent step S 160 , it is checked whether the touch sensor  114  has been touched or not, and whether the luggage door switch  116  has been operated or not, within a given time after it has been determined that the matching has been confirmed at step S 20 . This step S 160  is for checking whether an operation for opening door has been made. When it is determined that the touch sensor  114  has been touched or it is determined that the luggage door switch  116  has been operated, the determination is YES at step S 160 . This routine is completed after step S 170  corresponding to the operation control has been executed. On the other hand, when it is determined that this determination is NO, this routine is immediately completed. 
         [0049]    At step S 170 , the seat-side door is unlocked when the touch sensor  114  has been touched. Also, when the luggage door switch  116  has been operated, the luggage door is unlocked. 
         [0050]    According to this embodiment, when the request signal is transmitted by the transmitter  102 , and the key  200  is present within the detection area  104  of the transmitter  102 , the response signal is transmitted from the key  200 , and the response signal is received by the receiver  112 . Then, at step S 100 , the detection area  104  in which the key  200  exists is determined based on the response signal responding to the request signal that has been transmitted by which transmitter  102 , and the door corresponding to the detection area  104  is a control door. Then, the notifying operation that is determined based on that control door is executed (steps S 110  to S 150 ). For that reason, since it is easy to recognize that the matching has been accepted as compared with a case where the same notifying operation is executed even if where the use who carries the key  200  is positioned, the system is easily used by the user. 
         [0051]    In particular, the doors are unlocked when the vehicle is parked. In this case, since it is predicted that the user is going to open the door (that is, control door) whose matching has been confirmed, the possibility that the awareness of the user is paid to that door is high. Accordingly, when the notifying operation that has been determined based on the control door is executed, the user can easily recognize that the matching has been confirmed. 
         [0052]    Also, in the case of nighttime when notification using light is effective, the light source  126  is used for the notifying operation. Also, under the circumstances where the noises in the periphery of the vehicle are small, and the notification using the voice is effective, the notifying operation using the voice is executed. In this way, since the notifying operation is made different according to each of the control doors, but also the control operation is further made different according to the fact that the environments surrounding the vehicle are different from each other, the user can easily recognize that the matching has been accepted. 
         [0053]    The embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. 
         [0054]    For example, in the above embodiment, the request signal is transmitted from the transmitter  102  in a given period, and it is checked whether matching is confirmed or not at the time of detecting the touch sensor  114  has been touched, or the luggage door switch  116  has been operated. Alternatively, it is possible to transmit the request signal based on the fact that the signal from the touch sensor  114  or the luggage door switch  116  has been inputted. Also, although the request signal is transmitted from the transmitters  102   a  to  102   d  corresponding to the seat-side door in the given period, the request signal may be transmitted from the transmitter  102   e  corresponding to the luggage door switch  116  after it is detected that the luggage door switch  116  has been operated. Also, in the above embodiment, the door lock mechanism is unlocked. However, when the door lock mechanism is locked, it is possible to execute a given notifying operation according to each of the control doors.