JP4474683B2 - Smart keyless system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention includes an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle and a portable unit that can be carried by a user. When the authentication of the ID signal transmitted from the portable unit is established, the door lock / unlock control or the engine start is performed. It is related with what is called a smart keyless system which performs permission.

  There is a control system in a vehicle that performs door lock / unlock control or engine start permission when authentication of an ID signal transmitted from a portable unit is established (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Although the portable unit plays the role of a conventional key, there is no need to operate it by holding the key as in the conventional case, and a series of operations of the vehicle can be performed simply by carrying the portable unit in a pocket or bag. be able to. In this respect, such a control system is called a smart keyless system.

  When the smart keyless system is not installed, since the key is physically inserted into the key cylinder or the like while the engine is starting, the key cannot be taken out of the vehicle while the engine is operating. That is, the key that enables the door lock / unlock control and / or the engine start is not taken out of the vehicle until the engine stop when the passenger who should have the key goes out of the vehicle. However, when a smart keyless system is installed, various problems may occur due to the fact that it is not necessary to insert a physical key as in the prior art.

  For example, the portable unit can be taken out of the vehicle even when the engine is operating. If the portable unit is taken out by someone other than the driver, and the driver is not aware of this take-out, the portable unit will be able to lock / unlock the door and restart the engine the next time. There is a possibility that the situation is not possible due to the fact that is not at hand. As a function to cope with this, there is a mobile unit out-of-car alarm function for generating an alarm to notify the occupant when the mobile unit is taken out of the vehicle at least while the engine is operating. As a technique for realizing the mobile unit car take-out warning function, for example, a request signal is transmitted from the in-vehicle device to the mobile unit at a predetermined timing, and the ID signal from the mobile unit corresponding thereto is timed out or received. A method of performing a predetermined alarm when authentication for the ID signal is not established is conceivable.

JP 2003-269019 A

  However, if the mobile unit is placed close to the power harness or on-vehicle electrical components, the request signal from the transmitting antenna is disturbed by electromagnetic noise generated from the power harness or on-vehicle electrical components. Even if there is a portable unit in the room, if there is no portable unit in the vehicle, it is erroneously detected, and a portable unit take-out alarm is generated. As described above, even when such an erroneous detection occurs, the alarm for taking out the mobile unit vehicle is activated, and there is a problem in that the passenger does not immediately know what to check when the alarm occurs.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a smart keyless system capable of avoiding the influence of electromagnetic noise generated from a power harness or an in-vehicle electrical component. To do.

One aspect of the present invention is a transmitter that wirelessly transmits a request signal including predetermined ID information, and a portable unit that can be carried by a user, and includes a memory that stores the predetermined ID information in advance. A portable unit that receives a request signal and wirelessly transmits an ID signal when ID information that matches the predetermined ID information stored in the memory is detected from the request signal, and the ID from the portable unit A receiver for receiving a signal, and a control means for causing the transmitter to transmit a request signal when a predetermined condition is established, and permitting lock / unlock control of the door or start of the engine when authentication of the received ID signal is established The control means is connected to the transmitter at least during engine operation. To send a Est signal inside the vehicle, which when authentication of the received ID signal is not established by the performing a first alarm, the portable unit from signals received by said request signal, stored in the memory When the ID information that matches the predetermined ID information that has been detected cannot be detected , a noise reception signal indicating that electromagnetic noise exceeding a predetermined level has been received is transmitted, and the control means transmits the noise reception signal . When received , a second alarm different from the first alarm is performed .

  According to this configuration, when electromagnetic noise exceeding a predetermined level is detected by the mobile unit, an alarm different from the normal mobile unit take-out alarm is performed, so the user changes the location of the mobile unit. You can easily figure out what you need to do.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the portable unit is prohibited from transmitting the noise reception signal continuously for a predetermined time or more. Thereby, the early consumption of the battery of a portable unit can be prevented.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mobile unit is prohibited from transmitting a noise reception signal when it has not received a request signal within the past predetermined time. A portable unit located at a location away from the vehicle may receive electromagnetic noise due to another cause. According to such a configuration, the portable unit continues to uselessly transmit a noise reception signal and the battery is exhausted. It is possible to prevent such a situation from occurring.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mobile unit is prohibited from transmitting a noise reception signal when it has not received a request signal for the mobile unit within a predetermined time in the past. As a result, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the battery is exhausted by continuously transmitting the noise reception signal unnecessarily until the received request signal is addressed to another portable unit.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the portable unit repeats detection of the electromagnetic noise and transmission of the noise reception signal at a predetermined cycle, while a predetermined operation on the portable unit is detected. Preferably, the electromagnetic noise is detected without waiting for the next transmission timing in the predetermined cycle, and when the electromagnetic noise exceeding the predetermined level is detected, a noise reception signal is transmitted. According to this configuration, it is possible to immediately determine the location of the portable unit that is not affected by electromagnetic noise without waiting for the next transmission timing, and convenience is improved.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the portable unit repeats the detection of the electromagnetic noise in a first period while the detected electromagnetic noise is less than the predetermined level, and the mobile unit is equal to or higher than the predetermined level. When the electromagnetic noise is detected, the detection of the electromagnetic noise and the transmission of the received noise signal are shorter than the first period until the electromagnetic noise of less than the predetermined level is detected. It is preferable to repeat the cycle. According to this configuration, it is possible to determine the place where the portable unit is not disturbed by electromagnetic noise earlier, and convenience is improved.

  Further, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a transmission period of the request signal by the transmitter and a transmission period of the noise reception signal by the portable unit are inconsistent, and the control means receives the noise reception signal. It is preferable that the alarm is continued until the next transmission timing of the request signal, and when the authentication of the ID signal is established, the alarm is stopped without waiting for the next transmission timing of the request signal. As a result, when the portable unit is repositioned in a place where it is not disturbed by electromagnetic noise, the alarm can be stopped early without waiting for the next request signal transmission timing.

  According to the present invention, when electromagnetic noise of a predetermined level or more is detected by the portable unit, an alarm is issued in a manner different from a normal portable unit outside car alarm, so the occupant needs to change the location of the portable unit It is easy to grasp that there is, and this improves convenience.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

<Configuration of smart keyless system>
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an arrangement configuration of a smart keyless system to which a smart keyless control device of the present invention is applied in a vehicle, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the smart keyless system. As illustrated, the smart keyless system includes an in-vehicle system 100 mounted on a vehicle and a card key 200 as a portable unit that can be carried by a user. The in-vehicle system 100 and the card key 200 are configured to be communicable by radio waves.

(Card key)
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the card key 200 is operated by a CPU 21 that handles the processing of the card key, a RAM 22 that provides a work area for the CPU 21, a ROM 23 that stores programs and data, and a user. A lock button 24, an unlock button 25, and a communication circuit 26 for communicating with the in-vehicle system 100 are provided. In addition, a noise detection button 27 for electromagnetic noise detection processing described later is also provided. The ROM 23 includes, for example, a control program for realizing authentication communication with the in-vehicle system 100 and electromagnetic noise detection control, ID information (card ID) unique to the card key 200, and an ID for identifying the in-vehicle system 100. Information (vehicle equipment ID) is stored. The CPU 21 loads the control program stored in the ROM 23 into the RAM 22 and executes it. For example, when the user performs a button operation (operation of the lock button 24 or the unlock button 25) or when an LF signal is received from the in-vehicle system 100, the communication circuit 26 is driven to include the card ID. An RF (eg, UHF) signal is transmitted. Further, as will be described later, processing for detecting electromagnetic noise and transmitting a noise reception signal via the communication circuit 26 is also performed according to the result. The card key 200 is configured in a card shape having a size of, for example, about 80 mm × 50 mm × 4 mm, so that the user can easily carry it in a pocket or a bag.

  One vehicle-mounted system 100 has the following configuration.

(Smart keyless controller 1)
Reference numeral 1 denotes a smart keyless controller 1 as a smart keyless control device, which controls the smart keyless system. Specifically, this is realized by a smart keyless ECU as shown in FIG. The smart keyless ECU includes a CPU 11, a RAM 13, a ROM 12, an RF receiving circuit 2 that receives an RF signal via an RF receiving antenna 2a, and, for example, five LF transmitting antennas (3f, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) described later. A selector 3s for selecting one of the above, and an LF transmission circuit for transmitting an LF signal via the selector 3s. The ROM 12 performs authentication communication with the card key 200 and controls the following various components, ID information unique to the in-vehicle system 100 (in-vehicle device ID), and ID information for specifying the card key (Card ID) is stored. For example, up to six card IDs can be registered. That is, in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, only one card key indicated by 200 is shown, but up to five other card keys can be registered as usable card keys. . However, in the following description, it is assumed that only one card key indicated by 200 is registered, and therefore the card ID stored in the ROM 12 is only the card ID of the card key 200.

(LF transmitting antenna)
As described above, in this embodiment, for example, five LF transmission antennas (3f, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) are installed. 3f is an in-vehicle front antenna provided in the front of the vehicle interior, 3a is a D-seat antenna provided near the driver's seat (hereinafter referred to as “D seat”), and 3b is provided near the passenger seat (hereinafter referred to as “P seat”). The P seat antenna provided, 3c is a rear gate antenna provided in the vicinity of the rear gate, and 3d is an in-vehicle rear antenna provided in the vicinity of the rear seat. By switching these transmission antennas according to the purpose, different transmission areas (that is, card key detection areas) are formed. Here, the D-seat antenna 3a and the P-seat antenna 3b are antennas for both in-vehicle and out-of-vehicle use, and the LF transmission circuit 3 has two transmission modes of in-vehicle output and in-vehicle output. The transmission area is switched to the in-vehicle area and the out-of-vehicle area.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a transmission area of each LF transmission antenna. The vehicle interior areas F, A, B, and D are the transmission areas of the vehicle interior front antenna 3f, the D seat antenna 3a, the P seat antenna 3b, and the vehicle rear antenna 3d, respectively. All areas are covered. On the other hand, the vehicle exterior area C behind the vehicle is a transmission area of the rear gate antenna 3c. The areas A ′ and B ′ outside the vehicle are the transmission areas of the D seat antenna 3 a and the P seat antenna 3 b when the LF transmission circuit 3 is in the vehicle output mode, respectively.

(Buzzer outside the car)
The buzzer 4 outside the vehicle issues a warning to the user outside the vehicle in response to the signal from the smart keyless controller 1.

(Request switch)
A request switch (hereinafter referred to as “request SW”) for providing a trigger for starting lock / unlock control of the door (including the rear gate; the same applies hereinafter) is provided. In FIG. 1, 5D, 5P, and 5R are request SWs, which are provided near the door knob (outer handle) as shown in the enlarged view of 5D.

(Door lock actuator)
Reference numeral 8 denotes a door lock actuator that performs a lock / unlock operation of each door. As will be described later, when the request SW is pressed, the door lock actuator 8 of the corresponding door is driven and lock / unlock is executed.

(Meter unit)
The meter unit 6 includes a vehicle speed meter, an engine speed meter, an alarm lamp and an in-vehicle buzzer, and controls the sound of the in-vehicle buzzer and the lighting / flashing of the lamp according to the signal from the smart keyless controller 1. Do.

(Steering lock unit)
The steering lock unit 7 performs key cylinder lock control in accordance with a signal from the smart keyless controller 1. As shown in the enlarged view of 7 in FIG. 1, the steering lock unit 7 includes an ignition knob 7a. The ignition knob 7a can be turned from the illustrated LOCK position to the accessory (ACC) and further to the ignition (IG) position. Further, the ignition knob 7a is also provided with a no-block mechanism that cannot turn the ignition knob 7a without the permission of the smart keyless controller 1. In addition, the ignition knob 7a has a structure that allows the knob to be pressed in the LOCK position. Pressing this knob is used as an action for requesting release of the block.

(Sensor)
Various sensors are used for the vehicle. As sensors related to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the door open sensor 9 for detecting the open state of each door, the traveling speed of the vehicle, There are a vehicle speed sensor 16 for detecting and a rotational speed sensor 17 for detecting the rotational speed of the engine.

<Authentication communication>
The configuration of the smart keyless system in the present embodiment is generally as described above. With such a configuration, the smart keyless controller 1 can perform authentication communication with the card key.

  Authentication communication includes, for example, a first authentication process for performing ID verification and a second authentication process for performing challenge / response authentication. In the first authentication process, first, the smart keyless controller 1 selects an antenna to be used from the LF transmission antennas 3f, 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d, and outputs an LF signal including the vehicle-mounted device ID stored in the ROM 12. Send as request signal. The selection criterion of the LF transmission antenna is determined as a transmission pattern according to the function (use). This will be described later.

  When one card key 200 receives the LF signal, the card key 200 extracts the in-vehicle device ID included in the LF signal and determines whether or not this matches the in-vehicle device ID stored in the memory 23. Here, when both in-vehicle device IDs coincide with each other, the communication circuit 26 transmits the RF signal including the card ID and the in-vehicle device ID stored in the memory 23 as an ID signal.

  When the smart keyless controller 1 receives this RF signal by the RF receiving circuit 2 via the RF receiving antenna 2a, the card ID and the in-vehicle device ID included in the RF signal are stored in the ROM 12, respectively. It is determined whether the ID and the in-vehicle device ID match. Thus, the first authentication process is completed.

  When the first authentication process is successful, the process proceeds to the second authentication process. In the second authentication process, first, the smart keyless controller 1 carries arbitrary challenge data on the LF signal and transmits it from the same LF transmission antenna used in the first authentication process.

  When receiving the LF signal, the card key 200 encrypts the challenge data included in the LF signal using the secret key K, and transmits it as response data in the RF signal by the communication circuit 26.

  When the RF signal is received by the RF receiving circuit 2 via the RF receiving antenna 2a, the smart keyless controller 1 decrypts the response data included in the RF signal using the secret key K, which is the challenge data and Determine whether they match. If a match is detected here, authentication is established. On the other hand, if a mismatch is detected here, or if a time-out (predetermined time has passed) without receiving a response from the card key after transmission of the LF signal in the first or second authentication process, the authentication is It ends in failure (not established).

  As described above, in the authentication communication in the present embodiment, the second authentication using the encryption technique is performed in addition to the first authentication based on simple ID collation. Thereby, forgery of the card key becomes more difficult, and theft of the vehicle can be prevented. Of course, the above authentication communication method is merely an example, and it goes without saying that other authentication techniques can be applied.

  Now, by using the authentication communication as described above, the location of the registered specific card key (in this embodiment, the card key 200) can be confirmed. For example, confirmation of whether or not the card key 200 exists in the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as “in-vehicle authentication”) is performed as follows.

  As described above, the entire area in the vehicle is covered by the four antennas: the vehicle interior antenna 3f, the D seat antenna 3a, the P seat antenna 3b, and the vehicle rear antenna 3d. Therefore, for example, when the antennas 3f, 3a, 3b, and 3d are sequentially selected and LF signals are transmitted, and there is a response to this, it can be determined that at least the card key exists in the vehicle. Then, if the authentication communication is performed with the antenna that has responded first, it can be determined whether or not the card key in the vehicle is the registered card key 200. On the other hand, if there is no response to the LF signal from any of these four antennas, it can be determined that the card key is not in the vehicle.

<Smart keyless system functions>
Functions realized by controlling the timing of authentication communication and the LF transmission pattern are shown below.

(Smart entry function)
If the user carries the card key 200, the user can lock / unlock the door through communication between the smart keyless controller 1 and the card key 200 only by pressing a request SW provided on the door. This is called the smart entry function. In the conventional keyless entry, it was necessary to take out the key and hold it in your hand. However, in this smart entry, this is not necessary, and you can lock / unlock the door with the card key in your pocket or bag. A lock operation can be performed. Each of the lock and unlock of the door is realized through the following authentication communication.

■ Door unlock ■
The purpose of the authentication communication when the door is unlocked is that when one of the request SWs 5D, 5P, and 5R is pressed and turned on from the OFF state, the card key 200 is placed outside the door corresponding to the request SW that is turned on. Is to confirm that exists. When this confirmation is obtained, the door lock actuator 8 of the corresponding door is driven to perform unlocking.

  The authentication start condition at this time is defined as the following authentication start condition 1, for example.

[Authentication start condition 1]
When the request SW corresponding to the door in the locked state changes from OFF to ON.

  If the authentication start condition 1 is satisfied and the request SW5D is ON, for example, the smart keyless controller 1 sets the LF transmission circuit 3 to the vehicle output mode and selects the D seat antenna 3a. Then, the LF signal is transmitted to the transmission area A ′ (see FIG. 3) to execute the authentication communication. Similarly, when the request SW5P is turned ON, the smart keyless controller 1 sets the LF transmission circuit 3 to the vehicle outside output mode, selects the P seat antenna 3b, and sets the LF in the transmission area B ′. A signal is transmitted to perform authentication communication. When the request SW 5R is turned on, the smart keyless controller 1 selects the rear gate antenna 3c, transmits an LF signal to the transmission area C, and executes authentication communication.

■ Door lock ■
The purpose of the authentication communication when the door is locked is as follows: (1) When the request SW 5D, 5P, or 5R is turned on by pressing any of the request SWs 5D, 5P, and 5R, In addition to confirming that the card key 200 exists outside the door corresponding to (2), (2) confirming that there is no card key 200 in the vehicle. When these two confirmations are obtained, the door lock actuator 8 of the corresponding door is driven to lock.

  The authentication start condition is defined by the following authentication start condition 2, for example.

[Authentication start condition 2]
When the request SW corresponding to the unlocked door changes from OFF to ON.

  If the authentication start condition 2 is satisfied and the request SW5D is turned ON, for example, the smart keyless controller 1 sets the LF transmission circuit 3 to the vehicle output mode and selects the D seat antenna 3a. Then, the LF signal is transmitted to the transmission area A ′ (see FIG. 3) to execute the authentication communication. Similarly, when the request SW5P is turned ON, the smart keyless controller 1 sets the LF transmission circuit 3 to the vehicle outside output mode, selects the P seat antenna 3b, and sets the LF in the transmission area B ′. A signal is transmitted to perform authentication communication. When the request SW 5R is turned on, the smart keyless controller 1 selects the rear gate antenna 3c, transmits an LF signal to the transmission area C, and executes authentication communication.

  The smart entry function in the present embodiment is as described above, but separately from this, by operating the lock button 24 or the unlock button 25 provided on the card key 200, the same as the conventional keyless entry. In addition, the door can be locked / unlocked remotely.

(Smart start function)
The smart start function is a function that allows the engine to be started without taking out the key and inserting it into the ignition simply by having the card key 200 in the vehicle. Here, the engine key is given permission to start the engine by unlocking the ignition knob 7a through the in-vehicle authentication of the card key 200 as described above.

  The purpose of the authentication communication in this function is to confirm that the card key 200 is present in the vehicle when the ignition knob 7a is in the LOCK position (see FIG. 1). When this confirmation is obtained, the block of the ignition knob 7a is released.

  The authentication start condition is defined by the following authentication start condition 3, for example.

[Authentication start condition 3]
When ACC is OFF and IG is OFF (that is, when the ignition knob 7a is in the LOCK position), one of the following conditions is satisfied.
(1) When the ignition knob 7a is pushed.
(2) When any of the doors is opened when the engine speed is less than 500 rpm and all the doors are closed.
(3) When all the doors are closed when the engine speed is less than 500 rpm and any door is open.
(4) When ACC is OFF and IG is OFF from the state where ACC is ON and IG is ON.

  When the above authentication start condition 3 is satisfied, the in-vehicle authentication as described above is executed. That is, the four antennas of the front antenna 3f, the D seat antenna 3a, the P seat antenna 3b, and the rear antenna 3d that cover the entire interior of the vehicle interior are sequentially switched to transmit LF signals, respectively. On the other hand, the LF transmission antenna that responds first is determined as the antenna to be used for authentication communication (antenna selection processing). Thereafter, authentication communication is performed using the selected LF transmission antenna.

  If this authentication is successful, the smart keyless controller 1 outputs a lock release signal for releasing the lock of the ignition knob 7 a to the steering lock unit 7. As a result, the knocking of the ignition knob 7a is released, and the user can turn the ignition knob 7a from the LOCK position to the position where the ACC is ON and further to the position where the IG is ON. Can do.

  The in-vehicle authentication (antenna selection processing and authentication communication) is repeatedly performed at predetermined time intervals until the following termination condition 1 is satisfied.

[Termination condition 1]
One of the following conditions must be met:
(1) When authentication is established and ACC is turned ON or IG is turned ON.
(2) When all the doors are closed, and ACC is OFF and IG is OFF, and authentication fails three times in succession.

  From the viewpoint of saving the processing amount, the predetermined time, which is the repetition cycle of the processing, may be switched between when authentication fails and when it succeeds (for example, every second when authentication fails and 3 when authentication succeeds). Every second).

(Card key take-out alarm function)
The card key take-out alarm function is a function for issuing an alarm when the card key 200 is taken out of the car in a specific scene such as when the engine is operating. According to this function, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the engine cannot be restarted next time due to, for example, a card key being taken out.

  The card key is typically taken out when the door is opened or closed. Therefore, in-vehicle authentication is performed when the door is opened and closed, and it is confirmed that the card key 200 is in the vehicle. In addition, even if the door is closed, the card key may be taken out by opening the window, so not only the door closing operation but also the in-vehicle authentication continues after the door is closed There is a need.

  First, processing when the door is opened will be described. The authentication start condition in this case can be defined as the following authentication start condition 4, for example.

[Authentication start condition 4]
When one of the doors is opened while ACC is ON or IG is ON.

  When this authentication start condition 4 is satisfied, in-vehicle authentication is performed. That is, the four antennas of the front antenna 3f, the D seat antenna 3a, the P seat antenna 3b, and the rear antenna 3d that cover the entire interior of the vehicle interior are sequentially switched to transmit LF signals, respectively. On the other hand, the LF transmission antenna that responds first is determined as the antenna to be used for authentication communication (antenna selection processing). Thereafter, authentication communication is performed using the selected LF transmission antenna.

  If this authentication fails, an alarm is issued by the outside buzzer 4 and / or the inside buzzer in the meter unit 6. The alarm sound at this time may be a simple chime sound or the like, but may output a voice message. The content of this voice message is, for example, “The card key has been taken out of the vehicle. Please check”. In addition, the display lamp in the meter unit 6 may be blinked.

  The in-vehicle authentication is repeatedly performed every predetermined time until the following end condition 2 is satisfied. Further, the above alarm is continued until the authentication is successful or until the following end condition 2 is satisfied.

[Termination condition 2]
One of the following conditions is met:
(1) When the door is closed.
(2) When the ignition knob 7a is returned to the LOCK position.

  From the viewpoint of saving the processing amount, the predetermined time, which is the processing repetition cycle, may be switched between authentication failure and success (for example, every 3 seconds when authentication fails and 5 when authentication is successful). Every second).

  Next, processing when the door is closed will be described. The specific authentication start condition in this case is, for example, the following authentication start condition 5.

[Authentication start condition 5]
All of the following conditions are met.
(1) When the ignition knob 7a is not in the LOCK position.
(2) When the vehicle speed is less than 5 km / h.
(3) When all doors are closed from at least one of the doors opened.

  When this authentication start condition 5 is satisfied, in-vehicle authentication is executed. That is, the four antennas of the front antenna 3f, the D seat antenna 3a, the P seat antenna 3b, and the rear antenna 3d that cover the entire interior of the vehicle interior are sequentially switched to transmit LF signals, respectively. On the other hand, the LF transmission antenna that responds first is determined as the antenna to be used for authentication communication (antenna selection processing). Thereafter, authentication communication is performed using the selected LF transmission antenna.

  If this authentication fails, the above alarm is issued for a predetermined time by the buzzer 4 outside the vehicle and / or the buzzer inside the meter unit 6.

  The in-vehicle authentication is repeatedly performed every predetermined time until the following termination condition 3 is satisfied. The alarm is the same as the alarm when the door is opened, and is continued until the authentication is successful or until the following termination condition 3 is satisfied.

[Termination condition 3]
One of the following conditions is met:
(1) When any door is opened.
(2) When the ignition knob 7a is returned to the LOCK position.
(3) When the vehicle speed is 10 km / h or more.

  In addition, from the viewpoint of saving the processing amount, the predetermined time, which is a repetition cycle of the processing, may be switched between when authentication fails and when it succeeds (for example, every 5 seconds for 30 seconds from the time of authentication failure, otherwise At every 30 seconds).

  The control process for realizing the card key take-out alarm function is summarized as shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  First, it is monitored whether or not the authentication start condition 4 or the authentication start condition 5 as described above is satisfied (step S1). When the authentication start condition 4 or the authentication start condition 5 is satisfied, the above-described in-vehicle authentication is performed (step S3), and it is determined whether the authentication is successful (step S4). If the authentication fails, as described above, an alarm is issued for a predetermined time by the vehicle outside buzzer 4 and / or the vehicle unit buzzer in the meter unit 6 (step S5). This alarm is continued until the authentication is successful or until an end condition (end condition 2 or end condition 3) corresponding to the authentication start condition established in step S1 is satisfied.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the above end condition is satisfied (step S6). If the end condition is not satisfied, the process returns to step S3 and waits for a predetermined time which is an authentication repetition period, and the process is repeated. If the end condition is satisfied, the process returns to step S1 and is repeated.

<Countermeasures against electromagnetic noise in card key takeout alarm control>
The basic processing of the card key take-out alarm function is generally as described above. By the way, as shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle is connected to a generator (hereinafter referred to as “alternator”) 30 that generates power by driving an engine, and is connected between the alternator 30 and the ground. A battery 31 to be charged is provided. The battery 31 is used, for example, as a starter power supply when the engine is started. An alternator ECU 32 controls the power generation amount of the alternator 30 according to the output voltage of the battery 31, the engine speed, and the like. The vehicle is provided with in-vehicle electrical components (electric loads) such as audio equipment and lights, which are connected to the alternator 30 in parallel with the battery 31, and the power harness 33 is connected to the alternator 30 or the battery 31. Power is supplied through. The power harness 33 is generally wired at many locations in the vehicle, and as shown in FIG. 1, for example, the vicinity of a dashboard where a card key may be placed is a part thereof.

  Here, if the card key is placed in the vicinity of the power harness 33 or the on-vehicle electrical component, the request signal from the transmitting antenna is disturbed by electromagnetic noise generated from the power harness 33 or the on-vehicle electrical component. In other words, it is erroneously detected that there is no card key in the vehicle despite the presence of the card key in the vehicle interior, and a card key take-out warning is generated. In this way, even when such a false detection occurs, the card key take-out alarm is activated, so that there is a problem that the occupant does not immediately know what to check when the alarm occurs.

  Such electromagnetic noise includes, for example, electromagnetic noise caused by surge noise of the alternator 30. The mechanism for generating surge noise from the alternator 30 is roughly as follows. Since the alternator 30 is an AC generator, it generates an AC voltage. However, since the battery 31 and the on-vehicle electrical components are compatible with direct current, it is necessary to rectify the alternating voltage into the direct voltage, and switching is performed by a rectifier that performs this rectification. At this time, as shown in FIG. 9, surge noise is generated at this switching timing (commutation timing). Such surge noise is also called switching noise or commutation noise.

  In the smart keyless system in the present embodiment, such countermeasure processing against electromagnetic noise is performed.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure of electromagnetic noise detection control performed by the card key 200. A program corresponding to this flowchart is included in the control program stored in the ROM 23 and is executed by the CPU 21.

  The main process in this control is the process of steps S12 to S14 (step S11 will be described later). That is, electromagnetic noise is detected in step S12, and in step S13, it is determined whether or not the detected electromagnetic noise exceeds a predetermined level. Specifically, the processes in steps S12 and S13 are performed as follows. First, the communication circuit 26 receives LF signals (including the in-vehicle device ID) from the antennas 3a to 3f, and also directly receives any electromagnetic noise from the power harness or in-vehicle electrical components. In addition, if the in-vehicle device ID is detected, it is determined that the LF signal has been received, and if the in-vehicle device ID is not detected, it is determined that electromagnetic noise exceeding a predetermined level has been received.

  When electromagnetic noise exceeding a predetermined level is detected in this way, a noise reception signal indicating that electromagnetic noise exceeding the predetermined level has been detected and an RF signal including card ID information are transmitted in step S14. To do. As will be described in detail later, this RF signal is received by the smart keyless controller 1 and an alarm is issued.

  Such electromagnetic noise detection processing is repeatedly performed at a predetermined cycle. The repetition period may be constant at all times, but switching between when electromagnetic noise exceeding a predetermined level is detected and when it is not detected is more advantageous in terms of the battery key 200 usage efficiency. It is steps S15 and S16 that realize such repetition of processing.

  Step S15 is a processing step for setting an electromagnetic noise detection cycle (the predetermined cycle). For example, unless electromagnetic noise exceeding a predetermined level is detected in steps S12 and S13, the detection cycle is set to 30 seconds. If electromagnetic noise exceeding the predetermined level is detected, the detection cycle is set to 3 seconds. The

  In step S16, the process waits for the time corresponding to the detection cycle set in step S15, and then repeats the processing.

  However, repeating the above-described processing, in particular, transmission of the noise reception signal, indefinitely causes the battery of the card key 200 to be consumed at an early stage. Therefore, when the transmission of the noise reception signal in step S14 is performed continuously for a predetermined number of times (that is, continuously for a predetermined time or more), the subsequent transmission of the noise reception signal may be prohibited. Would be preferred. Note that this transmission prohibition may be canceled by detecting a specific event (for example, that the lock button 24 has been pressed, or that a predetermined time (for example, 5 minutes) has passed).

  By the way, the card key 200 carried by the user may be placed in an environment exposed to electromagnetic noise unrelated to the vehicle, such as electromagnetic noise emitted from home appliances. Since electromagnetic noise exceeding a predetermined level is detected in such an environment, it is useless to continue transmitting the noise reception signal. Therefore, in step S11, it is determined whether or not the LF signal has been received from the smart keyless controller 1 within the past predetermined time (for example, within 3 minutes), and there is no history of receiving the LF signal within the past predetermined time. In this case, it is preferable to prohibit the transmission of the noise reception signal by skipping steps S12 to S14. Thereby, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the card key 200 continues to transmit the noise reception signal unnecessarily and the battery is consumed.

  In step S11, it is more preferable to determine whether or not an LF signal addressed to itself has been received within the past predetermined time (for example, within 3 minutes). Whether or not it is addressed to itself can be determined in the course of the first authentication process described above, based on whether or not the in-vehicle device ID included in the LF signal matches the in-vehicle device ID stored in the memory 23.

  The card key 200 according to the present embodiment transmits a noise reception signal when electromagnetic noise exceeding a predetermined level is detected by the control process as described above. On the other hand, when the noise reception signal is detected from the received RF signal during the execution of the above-mentioned card key take-out alarm control, the CPU 11 in the smart keyless controller 1 responds to this (noise reception signal detection event). Ready to execute interrupt handling.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an interrupt process according to the noise reception signal detection event by the CPU 11 in the smart keyless controller 1.

  First, the card ID included in the received RF signal together with the noise reception signal is extracted and collated with the card ID stored in the ROM 12 (step S31). If a mismatch is detected in this collation (step S32, no), it is determined that the card key that has transmitted this RF signal is not a registered card key, and the interrupt process is left as it is. Return to take-out alarm control. On the other hand, when a match is detected by this collation (step S32, yes), the process proceeds to step S33.

  In step S33, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is stopped. For example, based on the output of the vehicle speed sensor 16, if the vehicle speed is 5 km / h or less, it is determined that the vehicle is stopped.

  If the vehicle is traveling, the process proceeds to step S34, and if the vehicle is stopped, the process proceeds to step S35, and a noise reception alarm is generated. The noise reception alarm in step S34 is performed by blinking the display lamp of the meter unit 6, for example. Alternatively, for example, a message such as “The card key is causing communication failure. Please change the place” on a display device of a car navigation system (not shown) may be displayed. On the other hand, the noise reception alarm in step S35 performs an alarm using the in-vehicle buzzer 4 and / or the in-vehicle buzzer in the meter unit 6 in addition to the alarm by the display in step S34. Here, the display message may be notified by voice. As described above, whether the vehicle is stopped or traveling is determined in step S33, and the manner of warning of the noise reception alarm is changed according to the result to ensure safety during vehicle traveling. Because.

  Here, it is important that any of the noise reception alarms in steps S34 and S35 is an alarm having a different form from the above-described card key take-out alarm. In this way, the noise reception alarm (second alarm), which is different from the card key take-out alarm (first alarm), allows the user to avoid the influence of electromagnetic noise by changing the place where the card key is placed. You can easily figure out what you need to do.

  During this time, the card key 200 repeatedly executes the above-described electromagnetic noise detection control. In step S36, it is determined whether or not the next noise reception signal is detected within a predetermined time. In the above example, the detection period of electromagnetic noise in the card key 200 is set to 3 seconds when electromagnetic noise exceeding a predetermined level is detected, and here, within the corresponding time (for example, 4 seconds). It is determined whether or not the next received noise signal is detected. Here, when the next noise reception signal is detected within a predetermined time, the interruption process is directly exited, and the control returns to the card key take-out alarm control. On the other hand, if the next noise reception signal is not detected within the predetermined time, it is determined that the electromagnetic noise level has decreased, and the process proceeds to step S37 to cancel the noise reception alarm in step S34 or step S35. , Exit from this interrupt process, and return to the card key take-out alarm control.

  Now, the user who has received the noise reception alarm in step S34 or step S35 takes measures so that the noise reception alarm is canceled in step S37, for example, by changing the place where the card key 200 is placed. However, the process proceeds to step S37 to determine whether or not the noise reception alarm is cancelled, after the process of determining whether or not the next noise reception signal is detected in step S36. This waiting time can be troublesome for the user.

  Therefore, after taking a countermeasure such as changing the place where the card key 200 is placed, the user can immediately confirm the effect of the countermeasure by pressing the noise detection button 27 of the card key 200. This is realized by the following processing.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an interrupt process corresponding to a noise detection operation event issued when the noise detection button 27 is pressed in the card key 200. A program corresponding to this flowchart is included in the control program stored in the ROM 23 and is executed by the CPU 21.

  Steps S21, S22, and S23 are the same processes as steps S12, S13, and S14 in the electromagnetic noise detection control described above, respectively. That is, in step S21, electromagnetic noise is detected through the communication circuit 26, and in step S22, it is determined whether or not the detected electromagnetic noise exceeds a predetermined level. If the electromagnetic noise exceeds a predetermined level, a noise reception signal and an RF signal including card ID information are transmitted at step S23. On the other hand, when it is determined in step S22 that the detected electromagnetic noise does not exceed the predetermined level, the process proceeds to step S24, and a return signal indicating that the electromagnetic noise has become equal to or lower than the predetermined level is transmitted. In this way, the interruption process is exited and the process returns to the electromagnetic noise detection control.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an interrupt process according to the return signal detection event by the CPU 11 of the smart keyless controller 1.

  First, the card ID included in the received RF signal together with the return signal is extracted and collated with the card ID stored in the ROM 12 (step S41). If a mismatch is detected in this collation (step S42, no), it is determined that the card key that has transmitted this RF signal is not a registered card key, and the interrupt process is directly terminated. On the other hand, when a match is detected by this collation (step S42, yes), the process proceeds to step S43, and the noise reception alarm is canceled as in step S37.

  According to the above processing, the user detects the next electromagnetic noise detection timing by the card key 200 by pressing the noise detection button 27 of the card key 200 after taking measures such as changing the place where the card key 200 is placed. Without waiting, you can immediately confirm the effect of the countermeasure.

  Further, as described above, when the next noise reception signal is detected within a predetermined time in step S36 (see FIG. 7), the interruption process is directly exited, and the card key vehicle outside alarm control is returned. In this case, in the card key take-out alarm control (see FIG. 4), in-vehicle authentication (determination of whether or not the card key 200 exists in the vehicle) is repeated while the noise reception alarm is continued. It will be. During this time, the user has taken measures such as changing the place where the card key 200 is placed. If the in-vehicle authentication is successful in step S4, the next LF signal transmission timing is not waited for, ie, the next in-vehicle authentication. It is preferable to control so that the noise reception alarm is stopped without waiting. This makes it possible to immediately stop the alarm when the card key 200 is placed in a place where it is not affected by electromagnetic noise.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described in detail, it cannot be overemphasized that the above-mentioned embodiment is only shown as a suitable example, and various deformation | transformation is possible about the structure or processing content. Absent.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the smart keyless system in embodiment with which the smart keyless control apparatus of this invention is applied. It is a figure which shows the arrangement configuration in the vehicle of the smart keyless system in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the transmission area of each LF transmission antenna in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the card key vehicle take-out warning control process in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the electromagnetic noise detection control in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the interruption process according to the noise detection operation event in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the interruption process according to the noise reception signal detection event by CPU of the smart keyless controller in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the interruption process according to the return signal detection event in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the mechanism of generation | occurrence | production of the surge noise of an alternator.

Claims (7)

A transmitter that wirelessly transmits a request signal including predetermined ID information ;
A portable unit that can be carried by a user, comprising a memory that stores the predetermined ID information in advance , receives the request signal, and stores the predetermined ID information stored in the memory from the request signal A portable unit that wirelessly transmits an ID signal when ID information that matches
A receiver for receiving the ID signal from the portable unit;
The smart keyless system includes a control means for transmitting a request signal to the transmitter when a predetermined condition is satisfied, and permitting lock / unlock control of the door or engine start when authentication of the received ID signal is satisfied. And
The control means causes the transmitter to transmit a request signal into the vehicle at least when the engine is operating, and performs a first alarm when authentication of the received ID signal is not established.
The portable unit from signals received by said request signal, when that could not be detected ID information that matches the predetermined ID information stored in said memory, receiving the electromagnetic noise above the predetermined level A noise reception signal indicating that
The smart keyless system , wherein when the noise reception signal is received, the control unit performs a second alarm different from the first alarm .   The smart keyless system according to claim 1, wherein the portable unit is prohibited from transmitting the noise reception signal continuously for a predetermined time or more.   2. The smart keyless system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile unit is prohibited from transmitting a noise reception signal when a request signal has not been received within the past predetermined time.   2. The smart keyless system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile unit is prohibited from transmitting a noise reception signal when it has not received a request signal for the mobile unit within a predetermined time in the past.   The portable unit repeats the detection of the electromagnetic noise and the transmission of the noise reception signal at a predetermined cycle, while waiting for the next transmission timing by the predetermined cycle when a predetermined operation to the portable unit is detected. The smart keyless system according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic noise is detected and a noise reception signal is transmitted when the electromagnetic noise exceeding the predetermined level is detected.   The portable unit repeats the detection of the electromagnetic noise in a first period while the detected electromagnetic noise is equal to or lower than the predetermined level, and when the electromagnetic noise exceeding the predetermined level is detected, the predetermined level The detection of the electromagnetic noise and the transmission of the noise reception signal are repeated in a second period shorter than the first period until the following electromagnetic noise is detected. Smart keyless system. The transmission cycle of the request signal by the transmitter and the transmission cycle of the noise reception signal by the portable unit are inconsistent,
When receiving the noise reception signal, the control means continues the second alarm until the next transmission timing of the request signal, and when the authentication of the ID signal is established, the next transmission of the request signal. The smart keyless system according to claim 1, wherein the second alarm is stopped without waiting for timing.

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