Patent Description:
A motor vehicle may include a body a plurality of operating systems for controlling operation of the motor vehicle. The body may define an interior of the motor vehicle with an exterior region surrounding the body. Access-control means may be provided for locating an access device relative to the motor vehicle. Activation of one or more of the operating systems may be allowed in response to a determined location of the access device being within a predetermined region associated with the one or more operating systems.

In some embodiments, a plurality of anchors may be distributed along the body in predetermined positions of a coordinate system. Each anchor of the plurality of anchors may be configured to measure a distance between the respective anchor and the access device for gathering ranging data of the measured distances from the plurality of anchors. An initial region of interest where the access device is located may be identified based on the ranging data. The initial region of interest may be optimized based on overlapping points in the ranging data. An initial location of the access device may be determined as in the interior or in an exterior region around the motor vehicle based on the optimized region of interest. An optimum location of the access device relative to the motor vehicle in the coordinate system may be determined based on whether the access device is determined to be in the interior or in the exterior region.

Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.

Further advantages, features and possibilities of using the present disclosed embodiments emerge from the description below in conjunction with the figures.

The figures and descriptions provided herein may have been simplified to illustrate aspects that are relevant for a clear understanding of the herein described devices, systems, and methods, while eliminating, for the purpose of clarity, other aspects that may be found in typical devices, systems, and methods. Those of ordinary skill may recognize that other elements and/or operations may be desirable and/or necessary to implement the devices, systems, and methods described herein. Because such elements and operations are well known in the art, and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present disclosure, a discussion of such elements and operations may not be provided herein. However, the present disclosure is deemed to inherently include all such elements, variations, and modifications to the described aspects that would be known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

A motor vehicle <NUM> in accordance with the present disclosure is shown in <FIG>. The motor vehicle <NUM> includes a body <NUM> defining an interior <NUM> and a plurality of operating systems <NUM> for activating various functions of the motor vehicle <NUM> and for controlling operation of the motor vehicle <NUM>. One or more of the operating systems <NUM> can be used for activating and controlling operation of a drive unit <NUM> of the motor vehicle <NUM>, such as a gas, electric, and/or hybrid motor(s) for example. The operating systems <NUM> can be programmed to provide movement functions to the motor vehicle <NUM>, such as auto-parking and autonomous driving among others. The operating systems <NUM> can also be programmed to provide comfort functions in the motor vehicle <NUM>, such as light, sound, temperature, airflow, and seat configuration among others.

In an illustrative embodiment, the motor vehicle <NUM> also includes an exemplary access-control system <NUM> in accordance with the present disclosure used to control access to the various operating systems <NUM> of the motor vehicle <NUM> as suggested in <FIG>. The access-control system <NUM> includes a plurality of measuring devices or anchors <NUM> mounted on (or coupled within) the motor vehicle <NUM> for detecting a location of an access device <NUM>. In some embodiments, the access-control system <NUM> can operate as a passive keyless system with the access device <NUM> allowing activation of the operating systems <NUM> depending on a location of the access device <NUM> relative to the motor vehicle <NUM>. In some embodiments, the anchors <NUM> communicate wirelessly with the access device <NUM> over one or more frequencies, such as Ultra-Wide Band (UWB), for collecting ranging data of the measured distance from the access device <NUM> to each anchor <NUM>. In some embodiments, the measured distances are determined based on the Time of Flight (ToF), Difference Time of Flight (DToF), Angle of Arrival (AoA), and/or Received Signal Strength (RSS) of signals exchanged between the access device <NUM> and the anchors <NUM>. In some embodiments, the access-control system <NUM> is configured to provide two way ranging (TWR) measurements between the anchors <NUM> and the access control device <NUM>. A controller <NUM> uses the known positions of the anchors <NUM> and the collected ranging data to determine a position of the access device <NUM> relative to the motor vehicle <NUM>, such as through triangulation, trilateration, or multilateration.

In some embodiments, predetermined regions in and around the motor vehicle <NUM> are defined having one or more predetermined operating systems <NUM> associated therewith, and activation of the one or more operating systems <NUM> is allowed in response to the access device <NUM> being located in the associated region as suggested in <FIG>. In some embodiments, a relative location of the access device <NUM> to the motor vehicle <NUM> can dictate which functions of the motor vehicle <NUM> are available for activation. For example, in some embodiments, an auto-park function of the motor vehicle <NUM> can be activated when the access device <NUM> is located a predefined distance away from the motor vehicle <NUM> (e.g., about <NUM> meters). In some embodiments, a door <NUM> or trunk <NUM> of the motor vehicle <NUM> can be opened when the access device <NUM> is sufficiently close to the motor vehicle (e.g., about <NUM> meters). In some embodiments, the drive unit <NUM> of the motor vehicle <NUM> can be activated when the access device <NUM> is located in the interior <NUM> of the motor vehicle <NUM>.

The more precisely the location of the access device <NUM> can be determined, the more individualized the experience of a driver/passenger of the motor vehicle <NUM> can be made. For example, a plurality of seating positions, such as a driver's position <NUM> and passengers' positions <NUM>, are arranged in the interior <NUM> of the motor vehicle <NUM>. In some embodiments, each driver/passenger of the motor vehicle <NUM> can have a personal access device (e.g., smartphone, key fob, etc.) and their location relative to the motor vehicle <NUM> can change the functions of the motor vehicle <NUM> operating at that location (temperature, airflow, lights, sounds, seat configuration, etc.). Precise location determination of the access device <NUM> can also improve security and safety, and for compliance with regulations.

In the illustrative embodiment, the anchors <NUM> are arranged along the body <NUM> of the motor vehicle <NUM> in predetermined locations of a coordinate system <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. The known locations of the anchors <NUM> (e.g., by X, Y, Z coordinate in the coordinate system <NUM>) allows for ranging data between the access device <NUM> and the anchors <NUM> to be used in determining an optimum location of the access device <NUM> relative to the motor vehicle <NUM> (e.g., in the coordinate system <NUM>). Using the ranging data for all of the anchors <NUM> in determining the location of the access device <NUM> relative to the motor vehicle <NUM> can be computationally burdensome and require extensive time and resources to process.

An exemplary method <NUM> in accordance with the present disclosure for determining the optimum location of the access device <NUM> relative to the motor vehicle <NUM>, while minimizing the computational resources required and maximizing accuracy, is shown in <FIG>. The method <NUM> begins with a measurement operation <NUM> where ranging data between the access device <NUM> and the anchors <NUM> is gathered. In some embodiments, the ranging data includes one or more measured distances between the access device <NUM> and each anchor <NUM>. The one or more measured distances for an individual anchor <NUM> to the access device <NUM>, alone, does not provide an indication of direction. A first localization operation <NUM> is performed to determine a region of interest where the access device <NUM> is located with the highest probability. For example, the measured distances from each anchor <NUM> can be used to define a circle (2D area in the X-Y plane of the coordinate system <NUM> for example) or sphere (3D volume in the coordinate system <NUM> for example) around each anchor <NUM>. Intersecting and/or overlapping portions of the circles or spheres around the anchors <NUM> provide an indication of an approximate, initial location of the access device <NUM>. In some embodiments, data vectorization is used to determine the region of interest <NUM>, <NUM>.

The initial regions of interest <NUM>, <NUM> can assume different shapes and volumes depending on the initial location of the access device <NUM> as suggested in <FIG>. For example, with the access device <NUM> located in the exterior region <NUM>, overlapping ranging data <NUM>, <NUM> for two anchors 12a, 12b can be used to determine an initial region of interest <NUM> that is essentially diamond shaped (across the X-Y plane in the coordinate system <NUM> for example) as shown in <FIG>. In another example, with the access device <NUM> located in the interior <NUM>, overlapping ranging data <NUM>, <NUM> for two anchors 12c, 12d can be used to determine an initial region of interest <NUM> that is essentially shaped as a convex lens (across the X-Y plane in the coordinate system <NUM> for example) as shown in <FIG>. The different areas and shapes of the initial regions of interest <NUM>, <NUM> can present difficulties in determining an optimum location of the access device <NUM>.

An optimization operation <NUM> of the method <NUM> (shown in <FIG>) in accordance with the present disclosure filters the ranging data used in determining the initial regions of interest <NUM>, <NUM> to define optimized regions of interest <NUM>, <NUM>, respectively, as suggested in <FIG>. For example, an initial region of interest <NUM> including a plurality of potential locations <NUM> for the access device <NUM> in the coordinate system <NUM> is shown in <FIG>. This presents a significant amount of information to process for finding the optimum location <NUM> of the access device <NUM>. An optimized region of interest <NUM>, including a plurality of candidate locations <NUM> less than the number of potential locations <NUM> in the initial region of interest <NUM>, is shown in <FIG>. In some embodiments, the candidate locations <NUM> are determined based on overlapping points in the ranging data having a lowest error. In some embodiments, the optimization of the initial region of interest <NUM> can be different than the optimization of the initial region of interest <NUM> based on the determined initial location of the access device <NUM> (i.e., inside or outside of the motor vehicle <NUM>) because of the potential differences in shape and volume of the initial regions of interest <NUM>, <NUM> as suggested in <FIG>.

In some embodiments, the optimization operation <NUM> is based on correcting the ranging data. For example, the initial region of interest <NUM>, <NUM> is determined from the ranging data of the anchors <NUM> to the access device <NUM>. Prime candidate points are selected from within the region of interest and ranging data from the prime candidate points to the beacons is computed. A linear function is built between the original ranging data and the prime candidate ranging data, and the linear function is used to correct the original ranging data. The corrected ranging data can then be processed in finding the optimum location of the access device <NUM>. In some embodiments, the optimization operation <NUM> is based on searching for a minimum error in the initial region of interest <NUM>, <NUM>, such as using Gradient Descent or Exhaustive Search processes. In some embodiments, the minimum error is determined using the equation: <MAT>.

In an operation <NUM> of the method <NUM>, a determination is made whether the initial location of the access device <NUM> is inside (i.e., in the interior <NUM>) or outside (i.e., in an exterior region <NUM>) of the motor vehicle <NUM> based on the optimized region of interest from operation <NUM> as suggested in <FIG>. For example, based on the coordinate system <NUM> and known structures of the motor vehicle <NUM>, it can be determined that an initial location of the access device <NUM> is outside (i.e., in the exterior region <NUM>) of the motor vehicle <NUM> when the optimized region of interest <NUM> is outside of the motor vehicle <NUM>. In some embodiments, the optimized region of interest <NUM> is spaced apart from the motor vehicle <NUM> such that the initial location of the access device <NUM> can be determined with near certainty. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the optimized region of interest <NUM> overlaps with the interior <NUM> of the motor vehicle <NUM>, and a determination of the initial location of the access device <NUM> as being outside of the motor vehicle <NUM> can be made where a majority of the optimized region of interest <NUM> is located in the exterior region <NUM>.

In another example, based on the coordinate system <NUM> and known structures of the motor vehicle <NUM>, it can be determined that an initial location of the access device <NUM> is inside (i.e., in the interior <NUM>) of the motor vehicle <NUM> when the access device <NUM> (shown in phantom) is located in the optimized region of interest <NUM> inside of the motor vehicle <NUM>. In some embodiments, the optimized region of interest <NUM> is spaced apart from exterior region <NUM> of the motor vehicle <NUM> such that the initial location of the access device <NUM> can be determined with near certainty.

In some embodiments, at least a portion of the optimized region of interest <NUM> overlaps with the exterior region <NUM> of the motor vehicle <NUM>, and a determination of the initial location of the access device <NUM> as being inside of the motor vehicle <NUM> can be made where a majority of the optimized region of interest <NUM> is located in the interior <NUM>. In some embodiments, the optimized regions of interest <NUM>, <NUM> are compared relative to the ranging data for all anchors <NUM> to determine in which optimized region of interest <NUM>, <NUM> the access device <NUM> is located with highest probability.

A second localization operation <NUM> in the method <NUM> may be performed based on the determined initial location of the access device <NUM> and respective optimized region of interest <NUM>, <NUM> as suggested in <FIG>. In an operation <NUM> of the method <NUM>, the optimum location of the access device <NUM> relative to the motor vehicle <NUM> (e.g., in the coordinate system <NUM>) may be determined based on the second localization operation <NUM>. In some embodiments, the first and/or second localization operations <NUM>, <NUM> can be based on triangulation, trilateration, or multilateration, and use one or more data computation schemes, such as Total Least Squares (TLS), Constrained Total Least Squares (CTLS), and/or Centroid processes among others. In some embodiments, the second localization operation <NUM> performed when the initial location of the access device <NUM> is inside the motor vehicle <NUM> can be different than the second localization operation <NUM> performed when the initial location of the access device <NUM> is outside the motor vehicle <NUM>.

The optimum location of the access device <NUM> can then be used to allow or deny activation of one or more operating systems <NUM> of the motor vehicle <NUM>. The accuracy in 2D and 3D space can be affected by the number and distribution (X, Y, Z) of anchors <NUM> in the motor vehicle <NUM>, and the ranging performance of the anchors <NUM> and/or access device <NUM>. The structure of the body <NUM> can limit the locations where the anchors <NUM> can be mounted, and the structures and materials of the motor vehicle <NUM> can also affect the ranging performance of the anchors <NUM>.

An exemplary method <NUM> for determining the initial location of the access device <NUM> inside or outside of the motor vehicle <NUM> is shown in <FIG>. The method <NUM> begins with a data identification operation <NUM> where ranging data, anchor positions, and other definitions are identified for use in determining the initial location of the access device <NUM>. In some embodiments, certain anchors <NUM> are designated as "outside" anchors and come as "inside" anchors depending on their location on the motor vehicle <NUM>. For example, the anchors <NUM> closest to the exterior region <NUM> can be designated as the "outside" anchors and the remaining anchors <NUM> designated as the "inside" anchors. In a sorting operation <NUM>, the ranging data is sorted down to at least two anchors <NUM> (three in the illustrative embodiment) with the lowest measured distances to the access device <NUM>. In a bounding operation <NUM> of the method <NUM>, a boundary is determined where the lowest measured distance is used as a center point and a mean ranging value (e.g., from the three lowest measured distances) define a height and width of the boundary in 2D space or a height, width, and depth of the boundary in 3D space.

The ranging data for all anchors <NUM>, for the designated "outside" anchors, and for the designated "inside" anchors are processed in an operation <NUM> of the method <NUM> to define three arrays (i.e., IN, OUT, ALL) as suggested in <FIG>. An exemplary method <NUM> for determining the arrays is shown in <FIG>. The method <NUM> begins with a data identification operation <NUM> where ranging data, anchor positions, and other definitions are identified. Candidate point(s) are identified through operations <NUM>-<NUM>. The distance between a given point and each selected anchor is compared to an increasing ranging vector, and a counter for the point is increased when the distance is less than the ranging vector. The counter(s) of the candidate point(s) are equal to the number of selected anchors. The minimum error of the candidate point(s) is determined and output in operations <NUM>-<NUM>.

As discussed earlier, the arrangement of the anchors <NUM> can affect the size and orientation of the region of interest depending on whether the access device <NUM> is inside or outside of the motor vehicle <NUM> as suggested in <FIG>, <FIG>. This is compounded by the additional structures present inside the motor vehicle <NUM> as compared to outside of the motor vehicle <NUM> that can affect the ability of the anchors <NUM> to gather accurate readings. In the illustrative embodiment, the method <NUM> includes an error correcting process where the ranging information for the designated "inside" anchors is adjusted in an operation <NUM> and the array for the designated "inside" anchors is recalculated using the adjusted ranging information in an operation <NUM> as suggested in <FIG> and <FIG>. The number of candidate point(s) in the IN array and OUT array is each compared to the number of candidate point(s) in the ALL array in an operation <NUM>.

The initial location of the access device <NUM> as inside or outside of the motor vehicle <NUM> is determined in operations <NUM>-<NUM> based on the smallest difference in the comparison of the arrays from operation <NUM>. The initial location of the access device <NUM> as inside or outside the motor vehicle <NUM> determines the array used for finding the optimum location of the access device <NUM>. For example, in some embodiments, the IN array can be used in determining the optimum location of the access device <NUM> when the initial location of the access device <NUM> is determined to be inside the motor vehicle <NUM>. In some embodiments, the OUT array can be used in determining the optimum location of the access device <NUM> when the initial location of the access device <NUM> is determined to be outside the motor vehicle <NUM>. In some embodiments, the ALL array can be used in determining the optimum location of the access device <NUM> when the initial location of the access device <NUM> is determined to be outside the motor vehicle <NUM> as the overlapping candidate point(s) is already minimized as suggested in <FIG>. This minimizes the amount of information being processed for finding the optimum location of the access device <NUM>. One or more additional localization processes can then be performed to determine which of the candidate point(s) is the optimum location of the access device <NUM>.

In some embodiments, a computer program developed in the Python language can be used in accordance with the present disclosure, an example of which is included in the attached Appendix.

Thus, disclosed embodiments provide the technical effect of controlling access to operating systems of a motor vehicle, determining an optimal location of an access device relative to a motor vehicle through search space reduction to maximize accuracy and minimize use of computation resources, and allowing activation of one or more operating systems of the motor vehicle in response to the determined optimum location of the access device being within a predetermined region associated with the one or more operating systems. The disclosed embodiments provide an average localization error of the access device relative to the motor vehicle in 2D space of less than about <NUM> and in 3D space of less than about <NUM>. The systems and methods of the present disclosure also minimize the time required to determine the optimum location of the access device relative to the motor vehicle by minimizing variables affecting the localization process. The disclosed embodiments further allows less accurate (i.e., less expensive) signaling devices to be used in measuring distances between the access device and the motor vehicle while being able to determine the optimum location of the access device.

In illustrative embodiments, the ranging information from a set of anchors (transmitters; e.g., UWB) with known coordinates is used to localize an access device (receiver) relative to a motor vehicle. The anchors are mounted on the interior and exterior parts of the vehicle. The ranging information received from anchors is used to localize the receiver's location using a multilateration algorithm.

In illustrative embodiments, a localization solution minimizes the size of the ROI according to the anchors' configuration and the ranging information, and then the optimum point is located within the ROI. First, a high level localization is performed using interior anchors and exterior anchors. Second, based on the results of step <NUM>, it is determined whether the query point resides inside or outside the motor vehicle. Third, the ROI is optimized and the optimum solution for the localization problem is determined.

In illustrative embodiments, the ROI size (solution space) combined with the high level localization can be used as the main parameter for classifying the interior and exterior regions. The ROI is optimized (e.g., to make the ROI as small as possible) using an error correction scheme. The optimum (X,Y,Z) coordinate of the query point is located in the ROI.

In illustrative embodiments, <NUM> anchors, including <NUM> interior and <NUM> exterior anchors, are used and distributed on the motor vehicle's body.

In accordance with at least some embodiments, an initial region of interest may be identified based on ranging data from at least two anchors that have the lowest measured distances that define a center point of the initial region of interest. Moreover, optionally, a mean ranging value in the ranging data from those anchors may define a height and width of the region of interest. However, it should also be understood that, in accordance with at least some embodiments, this identification of the region of interest may be performed by sub-dividing a search space into sections, e.g., cubes, wherein identification of the region of interest may be repeated while relaxing the ranging error to obtain more convergences among a plurality of anchors. In such an implementation, the section(s) with the most coverage may define the region of interest.

In illustrative embodiments, an access device is used in a passive keyless entry (PKE) and/or passive keyless go (PKG) system of a motor vehicle.

It should be understood that some or all of the methodology explained above may be performed on, utilizing or with access to one or more servers, processors and associated memory. Unless specifically stated otherwise, and as may be apparent from the above description, it should be appreciated that throughout the specification descriptions utilizing terms such as "processing," "computing," "calculating," "determining," or the like, refer to the action and/or processes of a computer or computing system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulate and/or transform data represented as physical, such as electronic, quantities within the computing system's registers and/or memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computing system's memories, registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.

In a similar manner, the terms "controller" and "processor" may refer to any device or portion of a device that processes electronic data from registers and/or memory to transform that electronic data into other electronic data that may be stored in registers and/or memory.

References to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "example embodiment," "various embodiments," etc., may indicate that the embodiment(s) of the invention so described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Further, repeated use of the phrase "in one embodiment," or "in an exemplary embodiment," do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although they may.

Claim 1:
An access-control system for a motor vehicle, the access-control system (<NUM>) comprising:
a plurality of anchors (<NUM>) distributed in predetermined positions of a coordinate system;
an access device (<NUM>) configured to allow activation of one or more operating systems of the motor vehicle in response to the access device being located in one or more predetermined positions relative to the motor vehicle; and
a controller (<NUM>),
wherein each anchor of the plurality of anchors is configured to measure a distance between the respective anchor and the access device, and the controller is configured to gather ranging data of the measured distances from the plurality of anchors, identify an initial region of interest where the access device is located based on the ranging data, optimize the initial region of interest based on overlapping points in the ranging data, determine an initial location of the access device as in an interior of the motor vehicle or in an exterior region around the motor vehicle based on the optimized region of interest, and determine an optimum location of the access device relative to the motor vehicle in the coordinate system based on whether the access device is determined to be in the interior or in the exterior region, and
wherein the initial region of interest is identified based on ranging data from at least two anchors of the plurality of anchors having lowest measured distances, wherein a lowest measured distance defines a center point of the initial region of interest, and wherein a mean ranging value in the ranging data from the at least two anchors defines a height and width of the region of interest.