FR2813912A1 - Method of automatic locking of motor vehicle involves automatically locking doors if defined parameters are met - Google Patents

Abstract

The method of automatic locking of a motor vehicle involves automatically locking the vehicle if several steps are detected. These are opening of a door, confirmation of an occupant, stopping of the vehicle and closing of all the doors, absence of identification within an exterior surveillance zone, or the presence of an identification immediately prior to the absence of such. Claims include a locking circuit using the method.

Description

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The invention relates to a method and a device for automatically locking a motor vehicle and in particular for automatically locking the doors when an occupant, and in particular the driver, leaves the motor vehicle.

Motor vehicles are known which comprise an access and starting system without manual intervention, called hands-free access and starting (ADML), such a system allowing the unlocking of the doors and / or other anti-theft security devices of the motor vehicle. , without manual user intervention.

For this, the user is provided with a recognition means, or "identifier", which allows a control unit for unlocking the motor vehicle to recognize the authorized user, when the user is near a door. of the motor vehicle and, generally, when the user actuates the opening handle or more generally any device for controlling the exterior opening of the door.

The identifier can be constituted for example by an electronic card or a transmitter supplying an identification code which must be recognized by the unlocking control unit of the motor vehicle to allow the unlocking maneuver.

Currently, vehicles comprising a hands-free access and starting system require action by the user, when he leaves the motor vehicle, so that the locking of the vehicle, and for example the locking of the doors, is carried out. Generally, to activate the locking means or means, the user actuates a push button located on the exterior door opening control.

At the present time there is a demand from users of vehicles having the ADML function, so that not only unlocking but also locking of the motor vehicle can be carried out, with high operational safety, completely automatically without manual intervention, when the user leaves his motor vehicle.

Automatic locking of the vehicle requires certain precautions to be taken to avoid inadvertent locking before the

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 driver has not alighted and moved away from his vehicle or, when passengers have remained inside the motor vehicle.

It is also necessary that the locking device is controlled from completely reliable information concerning the presence or absence of an identifier near the motor vehicle.

To design an automatic locking device taking into account all possible cases and only performing the locking wisely, it is necessary to carry out a large number of verifications which may require a particular installation of detectors inside or outside. the exterior of the motor vehicle.

A priori, a locking system meeting all the required requirements is therefore a complex and costly device.

Vehicles fitted with an ADML system generally include means for detecting the presence or absence of a user provided with an identifier in a defined area, generally outside the motor vehicle in the vicinity of a door. , these detection means generally comprising one or more external antennas.

Motor vehicles also usually comprise means for detecting the state of opening or closing of the doors used as a safety device to signal this state of opening and closing on a display means of the control panel. on board or to prohibit the starting of the motor vehicle automatically in the event that a door is left open.

Motor vehicles also include means for detecting whether the vehicle engine is stopped or in operation.

These means have never been used to achieve automatic locking of a motor vehicle fitted with an ADML system, in a completely safe manner.

The object of the invention is therefore to propose a method for automatically locking a motor vehicle comprising an access and starting system without manual intervention comprising first means of detecting the presence or absence of an identifier in at least one

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 surveillance zone outside the vehicle near a door, as well as second means for detecting the state of opening or closing of the doors and third means for detecting the running or stopping state of the engine of the motor vehicle, this method making it possible to carry out the automatic locking of the vehicle, only to good effect, without using detection means in addition to the means already provided for the vehicle.

For this purpose, the locking of the vehicle is automatically controlled, in the event that the following states are successively detected - opening of a door, - stopping the engine and closing of all the doors of the motor vehicle, - absence of the identifier in the surveillance zone external to the motor vehicle at an instant t, - presence of the identifier in the surveillance zone at an instant t-1 preceding the instant t at which the absence of the identifier has been detected.

In certain cases, when the motor vehicle is equipped with a volumetric detection system of the presence of people in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, the automatic locking command of the motor vehicle is subjected to an additional condition of non-presence of a passenger in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the presence of the identifier is detected in the surveillance zone, by emitting a low frequency wave in at least one coverage zone at the periphery of the motor vehicle, from at least at least a first transmission and reception means linked to the motor vehicle, so that the low frequency wave is received by the identifier produced in the form of a second transmission and reception means and that a wave in return is sent by the identifier to the first transmission and reception means linked to the motor vehicle.

Preferably, the return wave sent by the identifier to the first transmission and reception means linked to the motor vehicle is a high frequency wave.

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 The invention also relates to an automatic locking device making it possible to implement the method of the invention.

In order to clearly understand the invention, a description will now be given, by way of example with reference to the attached figure, of an embodiment of the method of the invention on a motor vehicle fitted with a system. ADML.

Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the course of checks and verifications that can lead to the locking of the doors of a motor vehicle automatically.

Figure 2 is a top view of a motor vehicle equipped with a high frequency transmitting and receiving antenna.

Figure 3 is a top view of a motor vehicle equipped with low frequency transmitting antennas.

In the figure, the left-hand side shows the detection and processing means making it possible to carry out the different functional steps indicated by blocks.

The detection means shown on the left of the diagram include first means 1 for detecting the presence or absence of an identifier in an area outside the motor vehicle. The first detection means comprise for example antennas external to the vehicle making it possible to cover an area located in the vicinity of a door of the vehicle and for example in the vicinity of the driver's door. The identifier whose presence or non-presence is checked in the surveillance zone can for example be an electronic or optical card carrying a code which is read or a transmitter whose emission is picked up by the means 1 which are connected the automatic unlocking system for the doors of the motor vehicle.

There are a large number of technologies to verify the presence of an identifier in a surveillance zone.

In general, at least one transceiver linked to the motor vehicle, for example a transceiver antenna fixed on the motor vehicle makes it possible to transmit a radio frequency wave in a coverage area surrounding the motor vehicle. When the identifier is

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 in the coverage area, it picks up the wave, thanks to an integrated receiver and transmits, in response, a radio frequency wave towards the transceiver linked to the motor vehicle, so that the transceiver is informed the presence of the identifier in the antenna coverage area.

When a high frequency wave is transmitted from the transceiver 15 linked to the motor vehicle 13, the coverage area 14 of a single antenna 15 fixed on the motor vehicle 13 can extend all around the motor vehicle 13, as shown in FIG. 2. However, the extent of the coverage area 14 and the shape and arrangement of the outline delimiting the coverage area at the periphery of the motor vehicle are subject to variations and are not very predictable. .

The use of high frequencies does not allow satisfactory control of the antenna radiation pattern. The detection of the presence of the identifier in an area surrounding the motor vehicle is therefore very uncertain and covers a large perimeter relatively distant from the vehicle.

In the case of implementing the method according to the invention, the emission of low frequency waves is therefore preferably carried out, from at least one transmitter such as a transmitting antenna fixed to the motor vehicle. The use of waves at low frequencies makes it possible to master the radiation pattern of the transmitter in a satisfactory manner and therefore to define at least one precise coverage area as to its extent and its position at the periphery of the motor vehicle. However, the coverage area of a low frequency transmitter is significantly less extensive than the coverage area of a high frequency transmitter and it may be necessary, to obtain a monitoring area extending all around the motor vehicle, to use several low frequency transmitters.

In FIG. 3, a motor vehicle is shown, the surveillance zone 18 of which consists of five coverage zones 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d and 18th of five respective low frequency antennas 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d, 17th attached to the motor vehicle so that the areas of

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 cover extending along the periphery of the motor vehicle 16 completely surrounds the motor vehicle.

The antennas are placed so that they are not visible. For example, the antennas arranged on the lateral sides of the motor vehicle can be integrated into the door handles; antennas directed towards the rear or towards the front of the motor vehicle can be integrated into the rear bumper or the front bumper.

However, to obtain a sufficient response speed from the system, the low frequency transmitting antennas are equipped with high frequency receivers, so that the identifier can send back to the antennas a high frequency wave, when it receives a transmitted low frequency wave by an antenna.

Advantageously, the low frequency transmitters fixed on the motor vehicle are controlled so as to emit waves of a frequency close to 125 kHz and depending on the countries in which the motor vehicles are used, the response frequencies of the antennas (and therefore the emission frequencies of the identifiers) can be for example 315, 433 or 866 MHz.

The detection means of the locking system of the motor vehicle further comprise second detection means 2 constituted by detectors of the opening and closing state of each of the doors of the vehicle and of the third detection means 3 of the on or off state of the engine of the motor vehicle as well as possibly of the fourth means 4 constituted by at least one sensor for volumetric detection of the presence or absence of passengers inside the motor vehicle.

It should be noted that the detection means used in the automatic locking system of the motor vehicle which are shown in the figure may be means which are usually fitted to motor vehicles provided with an ADML system.

The first means 1 for detecting an identifier are connected to a memory 5 ensuring the storage of information concerning the presence or non-presence of the identifier in the surveillance zone at times

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 successive t-1, t, t + 1, ..., the time unit used can be for example the second.

The meaning of the functional blocks which correspond either to an observed state or to an interrogation will be given below - block 6 corresponds to the standby position of the automatic locking system.

- Block 7 corresponds to the opening state of a door of the motor vehicle; the corresponding information is provided by the detector 2.

- Block 8 corresponds to a state of the vehicle with its engine stopped and all its doors closed; the corresponding state is determined by the detection means 2 and 3.

- Block 9, which is an optional element in the rest of the process of the process according to the invention, corresponds to a state of the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle in which the presence of no occupant has been detected; the corresponding information is provided by the perimeter type detection system 4 located in the vehicle cabin, step 9 of the method being carried out only in the case where the vehicle has such a detection device inside the vehicle. passenger compartment, for example used to trigger an alarm, - block 10 corresponds to the question: is the identifier present in the surveillance zone outside the vehicle at an instant t? - block 11 corresponds to the question: was the identifier present in the surveillance zone outside the vehicle at time t-1? - The reference 12 designates the locking control unit of the motor vehicle which may in particular be a door locking control unit.

The block diagram of the process shown in the figure will be described below.

From a waiting state of the locking system shown diagrammatically by the block 6, we pass to the state represented by the block 7, when an occupant of the motor vehicle opens a door. The state represented by block 8, that is to say the engine stopping and the vehicle doors all closed, corresponds

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 for example in the case where the driver of the motor vehicle has cut the engine to exit the vehicle whose door he has closed.

Step 9 corresponding to the verification of the absence of an occupant in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle is then optionally carried out, this verification being made by the peripheral alarm of the vehicle when it is equipped with such an alarm.

This optional step triggered by the detector 4 can be useful to avoid locking the doors of the vehicle, when the driver is out and there are occupants in the motor vehicle. However, this step is not essential and it is possible to go directly from step 8 noting the state with the engine stopped and the doors closed of the motor vehicle, to step 10 corresponding to the query: the identifier is present at this moment in the surveillance zone outside the motor vehicle? The answer to this question is given by the first detection means 1 constituted for example by external antennas of the vehicle, the identifier being a transmitter making it possible to recognize the authorized user of the motor vehicle.

If the identifier is present in the surveillance zone, in the case where this zone consists of a set of antenna coverage zones emitting at low frequency, as shown in FIG. 3, the identifier receives a low frequency wave and transmits in response, towards the high frequency receiver of an antenna, a high frequency wave. The reception of the high frequency wave back makes it possible to determine the presence of the identifier in the surveillance zone.

In the case where the identifier is present in the surveillance zone outside the vehicle, we return to step 10, to ask the question again at a time following the first interrogation, as represented by the arrow indicated YES .

This case corresponds for example to the case where the driver who has alighted from the motor vehicle, has stopped his engine and closed the exit door but is still in the surveillance zone outside the motor vehicle. In this case, the locking is not carried out, the driver being able to get back into his vehicle immediately to restart.

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 In the case where the answer is no, that is to say in the case where the user provided with the identifier is not detected in the surveillance zone outside the motor vehicle, we pass to l step 11 corresponding to the query: was the identifier present in the surveillance zone at an instant t-1 preceding the instant when it was observed to be absent in the surveillance zone? In the case where the answer is no, that is to say in the case where the user of the vehicle provided with the identifier was not in the surveillance zone at the previous instant, we return to the step 10. This case corresponds to the case of a user who has remained inside the motor vehicle, engine stopped, after having opened and then closed a door of the motor vehicle = bile. In this case, the doors are not locked and the question concerning the presence of the identifier in the surveillance zone is again asked.

When the identifier is absent from the surveillance zone at time t but it was present in this zone at time t-1, the unit 12 for controlling the locking of the doors of a motor vehicle is activated. This situation corresponds to the case of an occupant who got out of the motor vehicle, engine stopped, closed the doors and moved away from the vehicle, leaving the surveillance zone. In this case, the doors of the motor vehicle must be locked.

The presence or absence of the identifier in the surveillance zone at time t-1 is determined by the memory 5 connected to the first detection means 1.

The method and the device according to the invention, which have just been described, therefore make it possible to produce a fully automatic locking of the doors of the motor vehicle, taking into account all possible situations so as to effect locking only advisedly.

On the other hand, the method and the device according to the invention only use detection means with which a modern motor vehicle equipped with an ADML system is equipped. However, to obtain a very good definition of the surveillance zone, it may be necessary to use transmitters at low frequency, whereas the usual systems of detection

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 Locking or automatic locking of motor vehicles generally include high frequency transceivers.

The locking process is carried out by the unit 12 also present on the motor vehicle, which is actuated only when the various successive states necessary for locking have been verified.

These verifications can be carried out by logical, electronic elements connected to the detection means or by means of simple wiring connecting the control unit 12 to the detection means.

The method and the device according to the invention therefore have great simplicity and are inexpensive because they do not require the mounting of any particular element.

The locking of the motor vehicle, for example the locking of the doors, the steering or a starting system of the motor vehicle can be carried out completely automatically, so that it is possible to remove any control means such as a push button associated with an exterior opening control of a motor vehicle door, for example a handle.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment which has been described. The different successive states necessary to obtain the locking can be checked using any type of detection means. In some cases, the detection means may be specific to the locking system, although this solution does not have the same advantages, as regards cost price, than a system using only the means usually provided on the motor vehicle.

The invention applies to any type of motor vehicle used for the transport of passengers or goods.

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Claims (13)

CLAIMS 1.- Method for automatically locking a motor vehicle comprising an access and starting system without manual control comprising a first means of detection (1) of the presence of an identifier in a surveillance zone external to the vehicle, thus that second means for detecting the opening or closing state of the doors of the motor vehicle and third means for detecting the running or stopping state of the engine of the motor vehicle, characterized in that automatically controls the locking of the motor vehicle, in the event that the following states are successively detected - opening of a door of the motor vehicle, - stopping the engine and closing of all the doors of the motor vehicle, - absence of the identifier in the surveillance zone outside the motor vehicle at an instant (t), - presence of the identifier in the surveillance zone at an instant (t-1) before nt the instant (t) at which the absence of the identifier was detected. 2.- Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further checks, before checking the presence of the identifier in the surveillance zone, that no occupant is present in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle . 3.- Method according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the presence of the identifier is detected in the surveillance zone (18), by emitting a low frequency wave in at least one zone of cover (18a, 18b, 18c, 18d, 18th) at the periphery of the motor vehicle, from at least one first transmission and reception means (17a, 17b, 17c, 17d, 17th) linked to the motor vehicle, so that the low frequency wave is received by the identifier produced in the form of a second transmission and reception means and that a return wave is sent by the identifier to the first transmission and reception means motor vehicle type-approval. <Desc / Clms Page number 12>  4.- Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the low frequency wave transmitted from the first transmission and reception means (17a, 17b, 17c, 17d, 17e) has a frequency close to 125 kHz. 5.- Method according to any one of claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the return wave sent by the identifier to the first means of transmission and reception (17a, 17b, 17c, 17d, 17e) linked to the motor vehicle is a high frequency wave. 6.- Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the high frequency wave sent by the identifier has one of the following frequencies: 315, 433, 866 MHz. 7.- Automatic locking device of a motor vehicle comprising an access and starting system without manual intervention and comprising first detection means (1) of the presence or absence of an identifier in at least one surveillance zone external to the vehicle as well as second means (2) for detecting the opening or closing state of the doors of the motor vehicle and third means (3) for detecting the running or stopping state of the motor vehicle engine, characterized in that a locking control unit (12) of the motor vehicle is connected electrically or by means of electronic logic means to the first means for detecting (1) the presence or absence of an identifier in the surveillance zone external to the vehicle and to a unit (5) for storing information from the first detection means as well as from the second and third means of detection, to automatically control the locking of the motor vehicle, in the event that the following states are successively detected - opening of a door of the motor vehicle, - stopping the engine and closing of all the doors of the motor vehicle, - absence of the identifier in the surveillance zone outside the motor vehicle at an instant (t), - the presence of the identifier in the surveillance zone at an instant (t-1) preceding the instant (t) at which the l 'absence of the identifier. <Desc / Clms Page number 13>  8.- Locking device according to claim 7, characterized in that it further comprises fourth means (4) for checking the presence or absence of an occupant in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle functionally connected to the motor vehicle locking control unit (12), so as to allow the automatic locking of the motor vehicle to be actuated only if the detection means (4) have made it possible to verify that no occupant is located inside the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle. 9.- Locking device according to any one of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that the first detection means (1) of the presence or absence of an identifier in at least one external surveillance zone to the vehicle comprise at least one transmitting and receiving antenna (17a, 17b, 17c, 17d, 17th) fixed on the motor vehicle and controlled so as to emit a low frequency wave in at least one coverage area at the periphery of the motor vehicle and to receive a return wave coming from the identifier. 10- Locking device according to claim 9, characterized in that the transmitting and receiving antenna is controlled so as to transmit a wave at low frequency, whose frequency is close to 125 kHz. 11. Locking device according to any one of claims 9 and 10, characterized in that the first detection means (1) comprise five transmitter-receiver antennas (17a, 17b, 17c, 17d, 17e) fixed on the motor vehicle (16) so as to emit a low frequency wave in five respective coverage areas (18a, 18b, 18c, 18d, 18e) extending around the periphery of the motor vehicle (16) and completely surrounding the motor vehicle.  12.- Device according to any one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that the first detection means are used to unlock the motor vehicle automatically, as part of an access system and starting without manual intervention, that the second detection means constitute an element of a <Desc / Clms Page number 14>  motor vehicle safety device and that the third detection means constitute an element for monitoring the motor vehicle. 13. An automatic locking device according to claim 12, characterized in that the means for verifying the absence of occupants in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle constitute an element of a perimeter alarm of the motor vehicle.