# US 10,118,594 B2 · System and method for reducing power consumption for a smart entry door handle in a vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,118,594 B2 - Document ID: US10118594B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/831,922 - Filed: 2015-08-21 - Published: 2017-02-23 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-08-21 - Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Brian K. Lickfelt; Jason D. DiSalvo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118594B2 ## CPC - B60R 25/403: {Power supply in the vehicle} - B60R 16/03: for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems {or for (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00)} - Y02T 10/92: Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A method and system for reducing power consumption for a smart entry door handle in a vehicle is provided. The method and system include determining if a portable device is located within a polling range of the vehicle. The method and system further include supplying a first predetermined amount of power to a smart entry door handle if it is determined that the portable device is located within a polling range of the vehicle. The method and system also include supplying a second predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle if it is determined that the portable device is located outside of the polling range of the vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method for reducing power consumption for a smart entry door handle in a vehicle comprising: determining if a portable device is located within a polling range of the vehicle; supplying a first predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle if it is determined that the portable device is located within the polling range of the vehicle; and supplying a second predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle if it is determined that the portable device is located outside of the polling range of the vehicle; wherein supplying the second predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle includes supplying an amount of power to a communication device of the vehicle in order to provide a default polling mode, wherein the default polling mode includes the communication device of the vehicle transmitting a predetermined number of polling signals within a predetermined time period, wherein supplying the first predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle includes supplying a reduced amount of power relative to the second predetermined amount of power to the communication device of the vehicle in order to provide a reduced polling mode, and wherein the reduced polling mode includes the communication device of the vehicle transmitting a reduced number of polling signals within the predetermined time period relative to the predetermined number of polling signals transmitted within the predetermined time period in the default polling mode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein supplying the first predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle includes enabling a supply of power required to operate a touch sensor of the smart entry door handle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein supplying the second predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle includes disabling the supply of power required to operate the touch sensor of the smart entry door handle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein supplying the first predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle includes supplying an amount of power to the touch sensor of the smart entry door handle in order to provide a default sensing measurement mode, wherein the default sensing measurement mode includes the touch sensor initiating a predetermined number of sensing measurements within a predetermined time period which are sufficient to activate a lock actuator of the smart entry door handle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein disabling the supply of power required to operate the touch sensor includes at least one of: disabling the supply of power required to operate a lock touch sensor of the smart entry door handle when a lock actuator of the smart entry door handle is in a locked mode, and disabling the supply of power required to operate an unlock touch sensor of the smart entry door handle when the lock actuator of the smart entry door handle is in an unlocked mode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein disabling the supply of power required to operate the touch sensor includes: disabling the supply of power required to operate the lock touch sensor of the smart entry door handle on a driver's door of the vehicle, and disabling the supply of power required to operate the lock touch sensor and the unlock touch sensor of the smart entry door handle on a passenger's door of the vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein supplying the first predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle includes supplying an amount of power to the touch sensor of the smart entry door handle in order to provide a default sensing measurement mode, wherein the default sensing measurement mode includes the touch sensor initiating a predetermined number of sensing measurements within a predetermined time period which are sufficient to activate a lock actuator of the smart entry door handle, wherein supplying the second predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle includes supplying a reduced amount of power relative to the first predetermined amount of power to the touch sensor of the smart entry door handle in order to provide a reduced sensing measurement mode, wherein the reduced sensing measurement mode includes the touch sensor initiating a reduced number of sensing measurements within the predetermined time period relative to the predetermined number of sensing measurements initiated within the predetermined time period in the default sensing measurement mode. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein: the touch sensor includes a lock touch sensor and an unlock touch sensor; and supplying the second predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle includes supplying a reduced amount of power relative to the first predetermined amount of power to the unlock touch sensor of the smart entry door handle on a driver's door in order to provide a reduced sensing measurement mode relative to the default sensing measurement mode. ### Claim 9 A system for reducing power consumption for a smart entry door handle in a vehicle comprising: a smart entry power control application for controlling components of the smart entry door handle; a polling signal response module of the smart entry power control application for determining if a portable device is located within a polling range of the vehicle; and a power supply unit of the vehicle for supplying a first predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle if the polling signal response module determines that the portable device is located within the polling range of the vehicle; wherein the power supply unit of the vehicle supplies a second predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle if the polling signal response module determines that the portable device is located outside of the polling range of the vehicle, wherein the system further includes a polling cycle control module of the smart entry power control application that sends a command to the power supply unit to supply the second predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle to supply an amount of power to a communication device of the vehicle in order to provide a default polling mode; wherein the default polling mode includes the communication device of the vehicle transmitting a predetermined number of polling signals within a predetermined time period, wherein the polling cycle control module sends the command to the power supply unit to provide the first predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle to reduce the amount of power supplied to the communication device in order to provide a reduced polling mode, and wherein the reduced polling mode includes the communication device of the vehicle transmitting a reduced number of polling signals within the predetermined time period relative to the predetermined number of polling signals transmitted within the predetermined time period in the default polling mode. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, further including a sensor activation control module of the smart entry power control application that sends a command to the power supply unit to supply the first predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle to enable the supply of power required to operate a touch sensor of the smart entry door handle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the sensor activation control module sends a command to the power supply unit to supply the second predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle to disable the supply of power required to operate the touch sensor of the smart entry door handle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, further including a sensor measurement control module of the smart entry power control application that sends a command to the power supply unit to supply the first predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle to supply an amount of power in order to provide a default sensing measurement mode, wherein the default sensing measurement mode includes a touch sensor initiating a predetermined number of sensing measurements within a predetermined time period which are sufficient to activate a lock actuator of the smart entry door handle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the sensor measurement control module sends the command to the power supply unit to supply the second predetermined amount of power to reduce the amount of power supplied to the touch sensor in order to provide a reduced sensing measurement mode, wherein the reduced sensing measurement mode includes the touch sensor initiating a reduced number of sensing measurements within the predetermined time period than in the default sensing measurement mode. ### Claim 14 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method, comprising: determining if a portable device is located within a polling range of a vehicle; supplying a first predetermined amount of power to a smart entry door handle if it is determined that the portable device is located within the polling range of the vehicle; and supplying a second predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle if it is determined that the portable device is located outside of the polling range of the vehicle; wherein supplying the second predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle includes supplying an amount of power to a communication device of the vehicle in order to provide a default polling mode, wherein the default polling mode includes the communication device of the vehicle transmitting a predetermined number of polling signals within a predetermined time period, wherein supplying the first predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle includes supplying a reduced amount of power relative to the second predetermined amount of power to the communication device of the vehicle in order to provide a reduced polling mode, and wherein the reduced polling mode includes the communication device of the vehicle transmitting a reduced number of polling signals within the predetermined time period relative to the predetermined number of polling signals transmitted within the predetermined time period in the default polling mode. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein supplying the second predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle includes: disabling the supply of power required to operate a lock touch sensor of the smart entry door handle on a driver's door of the vehicle, and disabling a supply of power required to operate the lock touch sensor and an unlock touch sensor of the smart entry door handle on a passenger's door of the vehicle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein supplying the second predetermined amount of power to the smart entry door handle includes supplying a reduced amount of power relative to the first predetermined amount of power to an unlock touch sensor of the smart entry door handle of a driver's door.