A vehicle control apparatus is mounted on a vehicle to perform wireless communication with a portable terminal. The vehicle control apparatus includes a first processor and a second processor. The first processor execute a first process to determine whether or not a wireless signal is a regular wireless signal transmitted from the portable terminal. The second processor executes a second process including an authentication of the portable terminal in response to the received wireless signal being determined to be the regular wireless signal, and does not execute the second process in response to the received wireless signal being determined to be not the regular wireless signal. Herein, a power consumption when the first processor executes the first process is smaller than a power consumption when the second processor executes the second process.

An enhanced automotive electrical battery system having a primary automobile electrical energy source of an automobile having a combustion engine, a receiver configured to receive one or more wireless signals to respectively control one or more automobile functions, and a remote keyless entry (RKE) having a transmitter in wireless communication with the receiver and having one or more buttons. The remote keyless entry (RKE) is configured in an operating mode to transmit, via the transmitter, the one or more wireless signals to the receiver upon activation by the respective one or more buttons. Upon receipt of the one or more wireless signals by the receiver, one or more automobile functions are controlled without starting the combustion engine of the automobile.

An enhanced automotive electrical battery system having a primary automobile electrical energy source of an automobile having a combustion engine, a receiver configured to receive one or more wireless signals to respectively control one or more automobile functions, and a remote keyless entry (RKE) having a transmitter in wireless communication with the receiver and having one or more buttons. The remote keyless entry (RKE) is configured in an operating mode to transmit, via the transmitter, the one or more wireless signals to the receiver upon activation by the respective one or more buttons. Upon receipt of the one or more wireless signals by the receiver, one or more automobile functions are controlled without starting the combustion engine of the automobile.

While a vehicle is in a minimal power state, a first sensor is activated based on a location of the vehicle within a monitored area. The vehicle is transitioned to an on state based on detecting an object via data from the first sensor. Then the vehicle is operated to block an exit from the monitored area based on identifying the object as an unauthorized object.

A control device has an arithmetic unit that controls onboard devices of a mobile body. The arithmetic unit includes: a first functional section that is actuated regardless of a status of the mobile body and generates a control signal to one or more of the onboard devices; second functional sections that are each actuated in accordance with the status of the mobile body and each generate a control signal to the onboard devices other than the one or more onboard devices; power transmitters disposed in a power transmission path between a power source and the respective second functional sections; and a power source controller that controls supply and cutoff of power to the second functional sections in accordance with the status of the mobile body. The first functional section and the power source controller are mounted on a single chip configured as an integrated circuit.

A vehicle theft-prevention apparatus can include at least one computing device coupled to at least one sensor and a wireless transceiver. The at least one sensor configured to sense measurements proximate to a vehicle. The at least one computing device can be configured to read a plurality of first measurements of the at least one sensor at a predetermined frequency, where the at least one sensor is located in a first position of the vehicle. The at least one computing device can be configured to receive a plurality of second measurements from at least one additional theft-prevention apparatus, where the at least one additional theft-prevention apparatus is located at a second position in the vehicle. The at least one computing device can determine that a person has entered the vehicle based on at least one of: the plurality of first measurements and the plurality of second measurements.

Low-power vehicle sentinel systems and methods are disclosed herein. An example method includes obtaining electromagnetic signals in a target area surrounding a vehicle. The electromagnetic signals can be obtained from electromagnetic elements mounted to the vehicle. The method can include determining attributes or behaviors of an object in the target area based on the electromagnetic signals and executing a response measure based on the attributes or behaviors of the object.

Low-power vehicle sentinel systems and methods are disclosed herein. An example method includes obtaining electromagnetic signals in a target area surrounding a vehicle. The electromagnetic signals can be obtained from electromagnetic elements mounted to the vehicle. The method can include determining attributes or behaviors of an object in the target area based on the electromagnetic signals and executing a response measure based on the attributes or behaviors of the object.

A center, configured to communicate with an OTA master configured to control software updating of an electronic control unit via a first network, includes a processor. The electronic control unit is installed in a vehicle. The processor is configured to store vehicle management information including key information used for authenticating the vehicle, receive an authentication signal from the vehicle via the first network. The authentication signal is signed using a unique key imparted to predetermined equipment installed in the vehicle. The processor is configured to perform authentication of the vehicle based on the vehicle management information and the authentication signal, and when the processor receives the key information from the vehicle, rewrites the vehicle management information stored by the processor based on the key information.

The present application generally relates to battery powered door unlock mechanisms. More specifically, the application teaches an unlock system including a door unlock mechanism, a capacitive circuit having a first time response, a resistive-capacitive circuit having a second time response wherein the second time response is longer than the first time response, a battery for coupling a battery charge to the capacitive circuit and the resistive capacitive circuit in response to a door unlock authentication signal, and a relay for coupling a first charge from the capacitive circuit to the door unlock mechanism in response to the relay being activated by a second charge from the resistive-capacitive circuit after the second time response.