Vehicular electronic key system and vehicular authentication device

A vehicular authentication device configured to authenticate a user by performing short-range communication, which is wireless communication in compliance with a predetermined communication standard using a radio wave in a predetermined first frequency band, with a key device, which is a device to be used as a key of a vehicle, the vehicular authentication device comprising:

• a key information storage unit configured to store information on the key device;
• a first communication control unit configured to control a plurality of first communication units, which are communication modules located at different positions in the vehicle to perform the short-range communication;
• a second communication control unit configured to control at least one second communication unit, which is a communication module configured to transmit a predetermined wake signal, which is a wireless signal in a second frequency band different from the first frequency band to temporarily transition a vehicular mobile device, which is a dedicated device to operate the vehicle, to a state where the short-range communication is possible;
• and
• a position estimation unit configured to determine a position of the key device with respect to the vehicle, based on statuses of signal reception from the key device by the plurality of first communication units, wherein
• the key information storage unit is configured to register, as the key device, each of the vehicular mobile device and a mobile terminal, which is a versatile information processing device capable of performing the short-range communication, and
• the second communication control unit is configured to change, when the mobile terminal is registered as the key device, an operation of the second communication unit according to the position of the mobile terminal determined by the position estimation unit.

A vehicular electronic key system, in which an in-vehicle-system is configured to perform predetermined vehicle control by performing short-range communication, which is wireless communication in compliance with a predetermined communication standard using a radio wave in a first frequency band, with a key device, which is a device to be used as a key of a vehicle, the in-vehicle system comprising:

• a plurality of first communication units that are communication modules configured to perform the short-range communication;
• at least one second communication unit that is a communication module configured to
• transmit a predetermined wake signal, which is a wireless signal in a second frequency band different from the first frequency band, and
• temporarily transition a vehicular mobile device, which is a dedicated device to operate the vehicle, to a state where the short-range communication is possible;
• and
• at least one of (i) a circuit and (ii) a processor having a memory storing computer program code, wherein the at least one of the circuit and the processor having the memory is configured to cause the vehicular electronic key system to
• store information on the key device,
• control an operation of each of the first communication units and the second communication unit,
• determine a position of the key device with respect to the vehicle, based on statuses of signal reception from the key device by the plurality of first communication units,
• authenticate a user based on data received from the key device by the first communication units,
• register, as the key device, each of the vehicular mobile device and a mobile terminal, which is a versatile information processing device capable of performing the short-range communication,
• change, when the mobile terminal is registered as the key device, the operation of the second communication unit, according to the position of the mobile terminal as determined,
• determine, based on statuses of signal reception from the mobile terminal by the plurality of first communication units, whether the mobile terminal is present in a distant area, which is distant from the vehicle by a predetermined distance or more, or in an area, which is distant from the vehicle by a distance less than the predetermined distance, and
• based on determination that the mobile terminal is present in the distant area, cause the second communication unit to periodically transmit the wake signal at predetermined polling intervals, and
• based on determination that the mobile terminal is present in the area, which is distant from the vehicle by the distance less than the predetermined distance, set the polling intervals of the wake signal to be longer than the polling intervals when the mobile terminal is determined to be present in the distant area.

A vehicular authentication device configured to authenticate a user by performing short-range communication, which is wireless communication in compliance with a predetermined communication standard using a radio wave in a predetermined first frequency band, with a key device, which is a device to be used as a key of a vehicle, the vehicular authentication device comprising:

• at least one of (i) a circuit and (ii) a processor having a memory storing computer program code, wherein the at least one of the circuit and the processor having the memory is configured to cause the vehicular authentication device to
• store information on the key device;
• control a plurality of first communication units, which are communication modules located at different positions in the vehicle to perform the short-range communication;
• control at least one second communication unit, which is a communication module configured to transmit a predetermined wake signal, which is a wireless signal in a second frequency band different from the first frequency band to temporarily transition a vehicular mobile device, which is a dedicated device to operate the vehicle, to a state where the short-range communication is possible;
• and
• determine a position of the key device with respect to the vehicle, based on statuses of signal reception from the key device by the plurality of first communication units,
• register, as the key device, each of the vehicular mobile device and a mobile terminal, which is a versatile information processing device capable of performing the short-range communication, and
• change, when the mobile terminal is registered as the key device, an operation of the second communication unit according to the position of the mobile terminal determined by the position estimation unit.