System and method for communicating with a vehicle

A system that authorizes an operation of an object, the object including an object system capable of controlling the operation, the object including a door separating a predetermined area of the object between an outside area the predetermined area and an inside area in the predetermined area relative to the object, the system comprising:

• a master transmitter configured to communicate to the object system authorization to initiate the operation, wherein the master transmitter includes an object interface capable of communicating the authorization to the object system via a bus;
• a plurality of remote communication devices disposed on the object, each of the plurality of communication devices capable of receiving wireless communications from a portable device, the plurality of remote communication devices including a directional communication device carried by the door and disposed in an interior space of the door, the directional communication device including a directional antenna aimed substantially toward a specific space of the predetermined area of the object, the plurality of remote communication devices including a second communication device disposed on the object outside the interior space of the door and outside the predetermined area of the object;
• the portable device configured to wirelessly communicate an authorization code to the master transmitter to authorize the operation, the portable device including a transceiver capable of receiving wireless communications from the master transmitter;
• wherein at least one of the master transmitter and the portable device is configured to determine if a location of the portable device is in proximity to the specific space of the predetermined area of the object but not in proximity to another space of the predetermined area of the object, wherein the determination of the location is based on a difference between 1) a signal strength of wireless communications relative to the directional communication device carried by the door and disposed in the interior space of the door and 2) a signal strength of wireless communications relative to the second communication device disposed outside the interior space of the door and outside the predetermined area, wherein the signal strength of wireless communications relative to the directional communication device with the directional antenna aimed substantially toward the specific space of the predetermined area of the object facilitates locating the portable device in proximity to the specific space but not in proximity to the other space of the predetermined area;
• and
• wherein the portable device communicates the authorization code to the master transmitter.

A method of authorizing an operation of an object, the object including a door, the object including an object system capable of controlling the operation, the method comprising:

• providing a directional communication device with a directional antenna aimed substantially toward a specific space in a predetermined area of the object, the directional communication device being carried by the door and disposed in an inner space of the door;
• providing a second communication device disposed on the object outside the inner space of the door and outside the predetermined area;
• receiving communications in the directional communication device;
• receiving communications in the second communication device;
• transmitting communications from a portable device, wherein the portable device is separate from the object;
• determining, based on signal strength of communications with the portable device, a location of the portable device is in proximity to the specific space of the object but not in proximity to another space of the predetermined area of the object, the determining including determining the location based on a difference between 1) a signal strength of communications relative to the directional communication device carried by the door and in the inner space of the door and 2) a signal strength of communications relative to the second communication device outside the door and outside the predetermined area, wherein the signal strength of wireless communications relative to the directional communication device with the directional antenna aimed substantially toward the specific space of the predetermined area of the object facilitates locating the portable device in proximity to the specific space but not in proximity to the other space of the predetermined area;
• and
• based on the location, communicating an authorization code to the object authorizing the object to perform the operation.

A master device disposed on an object, the master object device comprising:

• a transceiver configured to communicate wirelessly with a portable device separable from the object;
• an object communication interface configured to communicate with a plurality of remote communication devices,
• wherein the plurality of remote communication devices include a directional communication device carried by a door and disposed in an interior space of the door of the object, wherein the directional communication device includes a directional antenna aimed substantially toward a specific space of a predetermined area of the object,
• wherein the plurality of remote communication devices include a second communication device disposed on the object outside the interior space of the door and outside the predetermined area of the object;
• and
• a controller configured to determine if a location of the portable device is in proximity to the specific space of the predetermined area of the object but not in proximity to another space of the predetermined area of the object, the controller configured to determine the location based on a difference between 1) a signal strength of wireless communications relative to the directional communication device carried by the door and disposed in at least one of the interior space of the door and the predetermined area and 2) a signal strength of wireless communications relative to the second communication device disposed outside the interior space of the door and outside the predetermined area, wherein the signal strength of wireless communications relative to the directional communication device with the directional antenna aimed substantially toward the specific space of the predetermined area of the object facilitates locating the portable device in proximity to the specific space but not in proximity to the other space of the predetermined area.