Hands-free device for locking/unlocking doors/windows of a vehicle
AssigneeContinental Automotive France
InventorAlain Brillon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for hands-free locking/unlocking of doors/windows of a vehicle implements at least two modes of operation: an approach-detection mode D and a tracking mode P. At least two antennas 14a, 14b are respectively coupled to amplifiers 12a, 12b that are active in tracking mode P. In approach-detection mode D the antennas are decoupled from the amplifiers used in mode P and coupled to an additional amplifier 12c that is active in mode D. Preferably, elements are provided to reduce the consumption of the amplifiers when the device is in a mode of operation where they are inactive.
Claims20
A device (4) to be provided onboard a vehicle (1) for locking/unlocking doors/windows of the vehicle (1) in response to a communication with a mobile remote identifier, said device comprising:
- a first antenna (14a) coupled to a first amplifier (12a) that is active in a tracking mode P;
- and
- a second antenna (14b) coupled to at least a second amplifier (12b) that is active in said mode P;
- and
- a third amplifier (12c) different from the first and second amplifiers (12a, 12b),
- said third amplifier (12c) being active and coupled to both the first antenna (14a) and to the second antenna (14b) in an approach-detection mode D, said third amplifier (12c) being inactive and decoupled from said first antenna and from said second antenna in said mode P, and
- the first and second amplifiers (12a, 12b) being inactive and decoupled from the first and second antennae (14a, 14b) in said mode D,
- wherein, in said mode D, the remote identifier has not been detected by the onboard system and the device is configured to detect whether the remote identifier has come into a proximity perimeter of the vehicle, and
- wherein, in said mode P, the remote identifier has been detected inside the proximity perimeter of the vehicle by the device.
A device (4) to be equipped onboard a vehicle (1) for locking/unlocking doors/windows of the vehicle (1) in response to a communication with a remote identifier, said device comprising:
- a connection line for connection to a power supply onboard the vehicle;
- a first antenna and a second antenna;
- a first amplifier, a second amplifier, and a third amplifier;
- and
- a control and switching apparatus,
- the control and switching apparatus configured to, in an approach-detection mode D, activate the third amplifier, couple the third amplifier to the first and second antennas, deactivate the first and second amplifiers, and decouple the first and second amplifiers from the first and second antennas,
- the control and switching apparatus further configured to, in a tracking mode P, deactivate the third amplifier, decouple the third amplifier from the first and second antennas, activate the first and second amplifiers, and couple the first amplifier to the first antenna and the second amplifier to the second antenna,
- wherein, in said mode D, the remote identifier has not been detected by the onboard system, and the device is configured to periodically transmit a signal in order to detect whether the remote identifier has come into a proximity perimeter of the vehicle, and
- wherein, in said mode P, the remote identifier has been detected inside the proximity perimeter of the vehicle by the device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.