Patent ID: 12257975

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Advantages and features of the disclosure, as well as a method and devices for achieving them, will be made clear by the embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below and may be implemented in various different forms, only the disclosed embodiments are provided such that the disclosure of the invention is complete, and to fully inform those of ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosure belongs, the scope of the present disclosure, and the disclosure is only defined by the scope of the claims.

Terms used in the disclosed specification will be briefly described, and the disclosure will be described in detail.

In the disclosed specification, general terms currently widely used as possible are selected while considering the functions in the disclosure, but these terms may vary depending on the intention or precedent of a person skilled in the art, the emergence of new technology, and the like. In addition, in a specific case, there may be a term arbitrarily selected by the applicant, and in this case, the meaning will be described in detail in the corresponding description of the disclosure. Therefore, the terms used in the disclosure should be defined based on the meaning of the terms and the overall content of the disclosure, not just the names of the terms.

Throughout the specification, when it is described that a part “includes” an element, it means that the element may further include other elements, not excluding the other elements unless specifically stated otherwise. The term ‘part’ used in this specification may be implemented as software or hardware such as FPGA and ASIC, and the term ‘part’ perform certain functions. However, the ‘part’ is not limited to software or hardware. The ‘part’ may be configured to be provided on an addressable storage medium or configured to reproduce one or more processors. Thus, as an example, the ‘part’ includes components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components and task components, processes, functions, properties, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays and variables. The functionality provided within the components and ‘parts’ may be combined into a smaller number of components and ‘parts’ or further divided into additional components and ‘parts’.

Hereinafter, embodiments of a vehicle and a control method of the vehicle will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that a person skilled in the art to which the disclosure belongs may easily implement the embodiments. In order to clearly explain the disclosure, parts not related to the explanation will be omitted from the drawings. In addition, in the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same components, and overlapping descriptions thereof will be omitted.

FIG.1illustrates an exterior of a vehicle according to an embodiment, andFIG.2is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the vehicle according to an embodiment.

Referring toFIGS.1and2, a vehicle1may include a reader100provided to perform communicating with a digital key200, a controller150provided to perform indirectly communicating with the digital key200through the reader100, and an access starting-up system160provided to be controlled by the controller150.

According to various embodiments, the digital key200may include a short-range communication module.

For example, the digital key200may include an NEC module capable of performing NFC.

The digital key200may include not only a card-type key having the short-range communication module, but also various electronic devices having the short-range communication module.

For example, the digital key200may further include a user terminal device (e.g., smartphone), but an electronic device having the short-range communication module is not limited thereto.

The digital key200may have its own power supply device, but may perform communicating with the vehicle1using power derived from the reader100without the own power supply device.

For example, when the digital key200is implemented as a card key type, the card-type digital key200may perform communicating with the vehicle1using power derived from the reader100without its own power supply device.

As another example, when the digital key200is implemented as a smartphone, the digital key200may have its own power supply device.

The reader100may exchange data with the digital key200by performing short-range communication (e.g., NFC) with the digital key200.

To this end, the reader100may include a short-range communication module (e.g., NFC module).

The short-range communication module may include a communication antenna capable of performing short-range communication (e.g., NFC), a matching device for processing a signal received from the communication antenna and/or a signal to be transmitted through the communication antenna, and an integrated circuit (e.g., NFC reader IC) corresponding to an MCU controlling the overall operation of the short-range communication module and a type of short-range communication.

The vehicle1may include the at least one reader100. For example, the vehicle1may include a first reader provided on a door handle and/or a second reader provided inside the vehicle1.

According to various embodiments, the vehicle1may further include a third reader provided in a trunk of the vehicle1.

In this case, the second reader may perform a charging function of charging the digital key200(e.g., smartphone).

The user may impart various rights to the digital key200using a user interface device (e.g., AVN device) inside the vehicle1.

For example, the user may dispose the digital key200in the second reader provided inside the vehicle1and impart various rights (e.g., access right, starting-up right, etc.) for the digital key200through the user interface device.

The digital key200may receive registration information and/or right information of the vehicle1from the second reader through the NFC.

To this end, the digital key200may include at least one memory.

The reader100may receive necessary data from the digital key200through an NFC initiation process defined in ISO 14443 and a data transaction process defined in ISO 7816.

The reader100may transmit data received from the digital key200to the controller150, and the controller150may perform authentication of the digital key200based on the data received from the digital key200.

In this case, the reader100may transmit the data received from the digital key200to the controller150through a vehicle communication network (e.g., CAN communication).

Also, the reader100may transmit data received from the controller150through the vehicle communication network (e.g., CAN communication) to the digital key200through a data transaction.

The vehicle communication network may include Ethernet, media oriented systems transport (MOST), FlexRay, a controller area network (CAN), a local interconnect network (LIN), and the like.

The controller150may authenticate the digital key200based on data on the digital key200received through the reader100, and perform various functions related to the vehicle1based on a success of authentication of the digital key200.

In this specification, a success of the transaction of the controller150with the digital key200may refer to a success of authentication of the digital key200, and a failure of the transaction of the controller150with the digital key200may refer to a failure of authentication of the digital key200or a request for additional authentication information from the digital key200.

When additional authentication information is requested from the digital key200, the digital key200may be implemented as a user terminal (e.g., smartphone).

For example, when the digital key200is implemented as a smartphone, the controller150may request the digital key200for authentication information through the smartphone in addition to the registration information of the vehicle1.

The authentication information through the smartphone may include PIN information and/or biometric authentication information (e.g., face authentication, fingerprint authentication, iris authentication, etc.).

The user may authenticate the digital key200by tagging the digital key200to the reader100and execute a function of the vehicle1related to the authentication success.

For example, the user may tag the digital key200to the door handle to lock or unlock a door of the vehicle1.

The controller150may control the access starting-up system160to unlock the door based on a success of the transaction with the digital key200tagged to the door handle when the door is in a locked state.

The controller150may also control the access starting-up system160to lock the door based on the success of the transaction with the digital key200tagged to the door handle when the door is in an unlocked state.

The access starting-up system160may include a door locking device and/or a starting system.

The door locking device may lock or unlock the door based on a control signal of the controller150. The starting system may be given a starting authority from the controller150.

When the starting system is given the starting authority, the starting of the vehicle1may be turned on based on the user pressing a starting button to turn on the starting.

Conversely, when the starting system is not given the starting authority, the starting of the vehicle1may not turn on even when the user presses the starting button.

The controller150may include at least one memory storing a program for performing an operation related to an access starting-up function of the vehicle1and at least one processor for executing the stored program.

When the controller150includes a plurality of the memories and a plurality of the processors, the plurality of memories and the plurality of processors may be integrated into one chip or may be physically separated. Each of the memories may include a volatile memory for temporarily storing data, such as a static random access memory (S-RAM) and a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). Also, each of the memories may include a non-volatile memory for long-term storage of control programs and control data, such as a read only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), and an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM). Each of the processors may include various logic circuits and arithmetic circuits, process data according to a program provided from each of the memories, and generate a control signal depending on a processing result.

When the starting of the vehicle1is turned off, the controller150may control the access starting-up system160to lock the door based on a success of the transaction with the digital key200tagged to the second reader provided inside the vehicle1.

When the trunk is in a locked state, the controller150may control the access starting-up system160to unlock the trunk based on a success of the transaction with the digital key200tagged to the third reader provided in the trunk.

Although various components of the vehicle1have been described above, new components may be added or the described components may be omitted within a general technical scope.

FIG.3is a flowchart illustrating a process in which an operation mode of the reader is changed according to an embodiment andFIG.4is a diagram illustrating communication processes between the digital key, the reader, and the controller.

Referring toFIGS.3and4, the reader100may operate in a low power mode until preset condition is satisfied (S1inFIG.4;1000inFIG.3).

In an embodiment, the low power mode may be defined as a mode in which a transaction with the digital key200is waiting.

The low power mode may also be defined as a sleep mode, and in the low power mode, the reader100may detect the proximity of the digital key200and/or even the proximity of a human body while consuming a small amount of power.

For example, the reader100may detect a change in an electromagnetic field depending on the proximity of the digital key200and/or the proximity of the human body.

To this end, the reader100may measure an amplitude or a phase of an antenna signal received through the communication antenna in the low power mode. The reader100may further include a low-power capacitive sensor.

The reader100may prevent power consumption of the vehicle1by operating in the low power mode in a situation where short-range communication (e.g., NFC) is not required.

The reader100may operate in a transaction mode (1200inFIG.3) based on detecting a change in the electromagnetic field or receiving a starting command from the controller150(YES of1100inFIG.3).

For example, the reader100may measure the amplitude or phase of the antenna signal received through the communication antenna in the low power mode, and may be switched from the low power mode to the transaction mode when a change in the electromagnetic field is detected.

As another example, the controller150may transmit the starting command for switching the reader100to the transaction mode, based on detecting an approach of the user through the proximity sensor (e.g., ultrasonic sensor) of the vehicle1, detecting an approach of the user terminal through a wireless communication module (e.g., Bluetooth communication module, UWB communication module, etc.) of vehicle1, or detecting a contact of the user with the steering wheel of the vehicle1through a contact sensor (e.g., touch sensor) of the vehicle1.

The transaction mode is a mode for the reader100to start the transaction with the digital key200, and refers to a mode in which the reader100may exchange data with the digital key200through the NFC. As an example, the transaction mode may be defined as a normal polling mode.

In the transaction mode, the reader100may receive necessary data from the digital key200through the NFC initiation process defined in ISO 14443 and the data transaction process defined in ISO 7816.

Also, in the transaction mode, the reader100may transmit data received from the digital key200to the controller150and transmit data received from the controller150to the digital key200.

As an example, the reader100may transmit a polling signal (S2) in the transaction mode, and the digital key200receiving the polling signal may transmit a response signal (S3) corresponding to the polling signal (S2).

The reader100may confirm the presence of the digital key200based on the reception of the response signal (S3) from the digital key200.

The reader100may exchange various data (S4) with the digital key200based on the reception of the response signal (S3) from the digital key200.

The data exchanged between the reader100and the digital key200may be data corresponding to the NFC initiation process defined in ISO 14443.

For example, the digital key200may transmit UID data to the reader100, the reader100may transmit a selection signal for the UID of the digital key200, the digital key200may transmit a select acknowledgment (SAK) signal in response to the selection signal of the reader100, the reader100may transmit an application protocol data unit command (APDU-C) signal to the digital key200, and the digital key200may transmit an AMU response (APDU-R) signal in response to the APDU-C signal.

The reader100may identify the digital key200based on data received from the digital key200. For example, the reader100may identify the type of the digital key200(e.g., card or smartphone).

The reader100may transmit a wakeup signal for waking up the controller150(S5) based on the completion of data exchange corresponding to the NFC initiation process.

The controller150may be waked up based on the reception of the wakeup signal from the reader100, and the reader100may transmit data on the digital key200to the waked-up controller150.

After the NFC Initiation process, the controller150may execute the transaction with the digital key200through the reader100.

For example, the controller150may transmit data to the reader100through the vehicle communication network, and the reader100may transmit the data received from the controller150to the digital key200through the NFC.

Also, the digital key200may transmit data to the reader100through the NFC, and the reader100may transmit the data received from the digital key200to the controller150through the vehicle communication network.

As such, the controller150and the digital key200may exchange data with each other (S6).

In the transaction process, the controller150may transmit the APDU-C signal to the digital key200, and in response to this, the digital key200may transmit the APDU-R signal to the controller150.

The controller150may authenticate the digital key200based on the data transmitted from the digital key200. The data transmitted from the digital key200may include encryption data corresponding to the vehicle1.

The controller150may determine that the transaction with the digital key200succeeds, based on the encryption data corresponding to the vehicle1being included in the data transmitted from the digital key200.

Conversely, the controller150may determine that the transaction with the digital key200has failed based on the encryption data corresponding to the vehicle1not being included in the data transmitted from the digital key200.

The controller150may transmit a transaction success message (S8) to the reader100based on the success of the transaction with the digital key200(YES in S7).

As another example, the controller1.50may transmit a command (S8) for operating the reader100in the digital key detection mode based on the success of the transaction with the digital key200(YES in S7).

In addition, the controller150may perform a preset function of the vehicle1based on the success of the transaction with the digital key200(YES in S7).

As an example, the controller150may impart the starting authority to the starting system of the vehicle1based on a success of the transaction with the digital key200through the first reader.

As another example, the controller150may lock or unlock the door based on the success of the transaction with the digital key200through the second reader.

As another example, the controller150may lock or unlock the trunk based on the success of the transaction with the digital key200through the third reader.

The controller150may transmit a transaction failure message (S9) to the reader100based on the failure of the transaction with the digital key200(NO in S7).

In the above-described processes (S4to S6), when data is not received from the digital key200as a distance between the digital key200and the reader100increases, the transaction may be regarded as failed.

As another example, the controller150may transmit a command (S9) for operating the reader100in the low power mode or the transaction mode based on the failure of the transaction with the digital key200(No in S7).

In an embodiment, the reader100may operate (1400) in the digital key detection mode for detecting the presence of digital key200based on the success of the transaction (YES in1300).

As an example, the reader100may operate in a digital key detection mode based on reception of the transaction success message from the controller150or the reception of the command for operating the reader100in the digital key detection mode.

The digital key detection mode refers to a mode in which only the existence of the adjacent digital key200is detected and a series of processes (the NFC initiation process defined in ISO 14443 and the data transaction process defined in ISO 7816) for the transaction are not executed.

That is, the reader100may not start the transaction even when the digital key200is detected while operating in the digital key detection mode.

FIGS.5to7illustrate various examples in which the reader operating in the digital key detection mode transmits a polling signal.

Referring toFIG.5, the reader100may transmit a polling signal (p) for detecting the existence of the digital key200at a preset period (pd1) while operating in the digital key detection mode.

When the digital key200is in a state of being tagged to the reader100, the reader100may receive a response signal (r) corresponding to the polling signal (p) from the digital key200.

When the reader100continuously receives the response signal (r) corresponding to the polling signal (p) from the digital key200, it may be confirmed that the digital key200is in the state of being tagged to the reader100.

Referring toFIG.4, the reader100operating in the digital key detection mode may not proceed to a data exchange process (S4) even when receiving the response signal (S3) from the digital key200.

That is, the reader100operating in the digital key detection mode may not transmit a signal for waking up the controller150. As another example, the reader100operating in the digital key detection mode may not transmit a message indicating that the digital key200has been detected to the controller150.

Accordingly, the reader100may periodically transmit the polling signal (p) and periodically receive the response signal (r) corresponding to the polling signal.

The reader100may be switched to the low power mode based on the operation in the digital key detection mode for a preset time (d1) (YES in1500).

That is, the reader100may count the time of operation in the digital key detection mode, and may stop the operation in the digital key detection mode based on the counted time reaching the preset time (d1) and operate in the low power mode.

In this case, the preset time (d1) may be set to about 5 seconds, but is not limited thereto.

According to the disclosure, even when the digital key200is continuously tagged to the reader100after the transaction succeeds, the user convenience may be promoted by not restarting the unnecessary transaction.

Referring toFIGS.6and7, the reader100operating in the digital key detection mode may transmit the polling signal (p) at a period (pd2) shorter than the preset period (pd1) when the polling signal (p) is periodically transmitted according to the preset period (pd1) and the response signal (r) corresponding to the polling signal (p) is not received.

For example, the reader100may transmit the polling signal (p) by a preset number of times at the period (pd2) shorter than the preset period (pd1).

As illustrated inFIG.6, the reader100may transmit the polling signal at the preset period (pd1) based on the reception of the response signal (r) corresponding to the polling (p) while transmitting the polling signal (p) at the period (pd2) shorter than the preset period (pd1).

That is, when the reader100does not receive the response signal (r) corresponding to the polling signal (p) and then receives the response signal (r) corresponding to the polling signal (p), the reader100may again transmit the polling signal (p) at the normal period (pd1).

Similarly, in this case, the reader100may count the time to operate in the digital key detection mode, stop the operation in the digital key detection mode based on the counted time reaching the preset time (d1), and operate in the low power mode.

On the other hand, as illustrated inFIG.7, the reader100may stop the operation in the digital key detection mode and operate in the low power mode based on the failure to receive the response signal (YES in1500) while transmitting the polling signal (p) by the preset number of times at the period (pd2) shorter than the preset period (pd1).

In this case, the reader100may operate in the digital key detection mode for the time d2 shorter than the preset time (d1).

According to the disclosure, when itis certain that the digital key200is untagged to the reader100, the reader100may be immediately stopped from the digital key detection mode and be switched to the low power mode.

In addition, according to the disclosure, when it is confirmed that the digital key200is untagged, the reader100may quickly determine whether the digital key200is reliably untagged to the reader100by transmitting the polling signal at the period (pd2) shorter than the preset period (pd1).

In summary, as illustrated inFIG.5, when the digital key200is continuously tagged to the reader100, the reader100may be automatically switched to the low power mode when the preset time (d1) has elapsed, as illustrated inFIG.6, even when the digital key200is continuously tagged to the reader100and momentarily untagged and then tagged again, the reader100may be automatically switched to the low power mode when the preset time (d1) has elapsed, and as illustrated inFIG.7, when the digital key200is continuously tagged to the reader100and then untagged, the reader100may be automatically switched to the low power mode even before the preset time (d1) has elapsed.

According to the digital key detection mode according to the disclosure, because even when the digital key200is continuously tagged after the transaction succeeds, the transaction does not start for the preset time (d1), execution of an additional function according to unnecessary transaction success may be prevented.

For example, according to the disclosure, a situation in which the door of the vehicle1is locked again as the user who wants to unlock the door of the vehicle1continuously tags the digital key200to the reader100may be prevented.

In an embodiment, the reader100may accumulate the number of failures based on the failure of the transaction (No in1300) and compare the accumulated number of failures with a preset value (n) (1600).

The reader100may initialize the accumulated number of failures when operating in the low power mode. Accordingly, the number of failures may be counted from a time point when the reader100in the low power mode starts communication with the digital key200.

In this case, the preset value (n) may be set to 2, but is not limited thereto.

In the case of transaction failure, when the accumulated number of failures is equal to the preset value (n) (YES in1600), the reader100may operate in the digital key detection mode (1400).

That is, when the transaction fails by the number of times corresponding to the preset value (n), the reader100may induce the user to untag and then tag the digital key200in order to attempt the transaction again.

On the other hand, in the case of transaction failure, when the accumulated number of failures is less than the preset value (n) (NO in1600), the reader100may operate in the transaction mode (1200).

That is, even when the transaction with the digital key200has failed by the number of (n-1) times, the reader100may be switched to the transaction mode once again and attempt the transaction with the digital key200.

For example, in the case where the preset value (n) is set to 2, when the transaction with the digital key200fails once, the reader100may once again execute a series of processes (the NFC initiation process defined in ISO 14443 and the data transaction process defined in ISO 7816) for the transaction.

According to the disclosure, even when the user does not untag the digital key200to the reader100, the reader100may repeat the transaction for (n-1) times by continuously tagging.

According to various embodiments, when the digital key200is implemented as a smartphone, the controller150may request additional authentication information from the digital key200.

For example, the digital key200may request additional biometric authentication information (e.g., fingerprint data) from the smartphone.

In the above case, the user may input a fingerprint without untagging the digital key200to the reader100, thereby more easily performing user authentication.

According to the prior art, when the transaction with the digital key200succeeds, the reader100operates in the transaction mode. Accordingly, when the user continuously tags the digital key200to the reader100even after one transaction succeeds, the transaction process is resumed once more, and thus an unnecessary transaction process is performed.

As an example to the contrary, according to the prior art, when the transaction with the digital key200fails, the reader100operates in the low power mode. Accordingly, when the user continuously tags the digital key200to the reader100for authentication again after one transaction fails, the transaction process is not resumed, so that the user needs to tag once more after untagging the digital key200, for authentication again.

According to the disclosure, when the transaction succeeds or the transaction fails more than the preset number of times, the above problem may be solved by operating the reader100in the digital key detection mode.

According to the disclosure, when the transaction fails less than the preset number of times, the above problem may be solved by adding an additional transaction opportunity.

In addition, according to the disclosure, after the necessary NFC is terminated, the reader100is switched to the low power mode, thereby preventing power consumption.

Some components of the vehicle1may be software and/or hardware components such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA) and an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

As is apparent from the above, according to the disclosure, even when a transaction fails, the transaction can be retried without an untagging action of a digital key.

In addition, according to the disclosure, when the digital key is continuously tagged despite a success of the transaction, the continuous execution of the transaction can be prevented.

In addition, according to the disclosure, a reader can be switched to allow power mode after a necessary transaction is performed to prevent power consumption.

The disclosed embodiments may be implemented in the form of a recording medium storing instructions executable by a computer. The instructions may be stored in the form of program code, and when executed by a processor, a program module may be created to perform the operations of the disclosed embodiments. The recording medium may be implemented as a computer-readable recording medium.

The computer-readable recording medium includes any type of recording medium in which instructions readable by the computer are stored. For example, the recording medium may include a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic tape, a magnetic disk, a flash memory, an optical data storage device, and the like.

The embodiments disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings have been described above. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. The disclosed embodiments are illustrative and should not be construed as limiting.