Passive remote keyless entry system
AssigneeLear Automotive Dearborn, Inc.
InventorJoseph David King
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A passive remote keyless entry system includes a plurality of sensors each associated with a door of the vehicle. Each sensor detects the presence and distance of a key fob from the sensor. By monitoring the distance of the key fob from the sensor, the sensor determines if the key fob is approaching or moving away from the associated door. If the sensor determines that the key fob is approaching, an interrogation signal is sent from the security system to the key fob. If the proper code is returned by the key fob, the associated door is unlocked. If the sensor determines that the key fob is moving away from the associated door, the doors are locked. The sensors can also determine whether the key fob is simply passing by, in which case the driver probably does not wish to enter the vehicle.
Claims20
A passive keyless entry system that monitors a presence and a direction of movement of a portable keyless entry device relative to a sensor located on a vehicle for unlocking and locking a vehicle door based on the direction of movement of the portable keyless entry device relative to the sensor, the system comprising:
- a sensor located on the vehicle that detects a presence of the keyless entry device within a predetermined range to the sensor and generates a signal indicative of distance between the keyless entry device and the sensor based on the sensor measuring an intensity of the presence of the keyless entry device over time;
- and
- a controller arranged to determine the direction of movement relative to the sensor based on the sensor signal, wherein the controller is further arranged to control operation of a vehicle door actuator as follows:
- unlocking the door when the direction of movement is determined to be approaching the sensor and locking the door when the direction of movement is determined to be moving away from the sensor.
A passive keyless entry system that monitors a presence and a direction of movement of a portable keyless entry device relative to a sensor located on a vehicle for unlocking and locking a vehicle door based on the direction of movement of the portable keyless entry device relative to the sensor, the system comprising:
- a plurality of actuators for unlocking and locking the vehicle door;
- a plurality of sensors, each associated with one of the plurality of actuators, wherein each sensor is arranged to detect a presence of the keyless entry device within a predetermined range to the sensor and generate a signal indicative of distance between the keyless entry device and the sensor based on the sensor measuring an intensity of the presence of the keyless entry device over time;
- and
- a controller responsive to a generated sensor signal for deactivating an actuator based upon detection of motion of the keyless entry device toward the associated sensor.
A method for passive keyless entry that controls operation of a vehicle locking system based on presence and direction of movement of a portable keyless entry device relative to a sensor located on a vehicle, the method comprising:
- generating a signal indicative of a presence of the keyless entry device within a predetermined range to the sensor and distance between the keyless entry device and the sensor based on the sensor measuring an intensity of the presence of the keyless entry device over time;
- determining the direction of movement relative to the sensor based on the generated distance signal;
- automatically actuating the locking system to unlock a door when the direction of movement is determined to be approaching the sensor;
- and
- automatically actuating the locking system to lock a door when the direction of movement is determined to be moving away from the sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.