Positioning system

A positioning system comprising:

• an antenna configured to be disposed at a side surface portion of a vehicle, and receive a wireless signal transmitted from a portable terminal, the wireless signal being a radio wave of 1 GHz or higher;
• a strength detector configured to detect reception strength of the wireless signal received by the antenna;
• a data communication device located inside the vehicle, the data communication device configured to execute data communication in a frequency-hopping mode with the portable terminal;
• and
• a processor and a memory that stores instructions configured to, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to
• determine whether or not the portable terminal is present at an operating area based on the reception strength of the wireless signal from the portable terminal detected by the strength detector, the operating area being a region outside a vehicle compartment within a predetermined operating distance from the vehicle,
• acquire, from the data communication device, channel information indicative of a channel adopted for the data communication between the data communication device and the portable terminal based on a condition that the data communication device establishes communication connection with the portable terminal,
• notify the strength detector of the channel information, and
• cause the strength detector to detect the reception strength of the wireless signal, in response to the antenna receiving the notified channel information,
• wherein:
• the antenna and the strength detector are configured to be attached to a side sill located below a door of the vehicle in a posture in which a center of directivity of the antenna faces upward or downward with respect to the vehicle.

A device comprising:

• an antenna configured to
• receive a wireless signal transmitted from a portable terminal, the wireless signal being a radio wave of 1 GHz or higher, and
• acquire, from a data communication device, channel information indicative of a channel adopted for communication connection in a frequency-hopping mode based on a condition that the communication connection is established between the portable terminal and the data communication device, the data communication device being located inside a vehicle;
• and
• a strength detector configured to detect reception strength of the wireless signal in response to the antenna acquiring the channel information from the data communication device, the reception strength being adopted to determine whether or not the portable terminal is present at an operating area being a region outside a vehicle compartment within a predetermined operating distance from the vehicle,
• wherein:
• the antenna is further configured to be attached to a side sill below a door of a vehicle in a posture in which a center of directivity of the antenna faces upward or downward with respect to the vehicle.

A positioning system comprising:

• a vehicular exterior communication device that includes
• an antenna configured to be disposed at a side surface portion of a vehicle, and receive a wireless signal transmitted from a portable terminal, the wireless signal being a radio wave of 1 GHz or higher, and
• a strength detector configured to detect reception strength of the wireless signal received by the antenna;
• a data communication device located inside the vehicle, the data communication device configured to execute data communication in a frequency-hopping mode with the portable terminal;
• and
• a positioning device that is configured to determine whether or not the portable terminal is present at an operating area based on vehicular exterior device strength as the reception strength of the wireless signal from the portable terminal detected by the vehicular exterior communication device, the operating area being a region outside a vehicle compartment within a predetermined operating distance from the vehicle, wherein:
• the vehicular exterior communication device is configured to be located on a bracket fixed to a side sill of the vehicle in a posture in which a center of directivity of the antenna faces upward or downward with respect to the vehicle.