The subject disclosure relates to techniques for enabling secured access to vehicles. A process of the disclosed technology can include steps for determining, via at least one system status monitor, that at least one vehicle system of a vehicle is in a suboptimal operating condition, determining that the at least one vehicle system with the suboptimal operating condition is in control of at least one other vehicle system, and disabling automatically the at least one other vehicle system.

The subject disclosure relates to techniques for enabling secured access to vehicles. A process of the disclosed technology can include steps for determining, via at least one system status monitor, that at least one vehicle system of a vehicle is in a suboptimal operating condition, determining that the at least one vehicle system with the suboptimal operating condition is in control of at least one other vehicle system, and disabling automatically the at least one other vehicle system.

A vehicle remote keyless entry system for an electrically actuatable vehicle lock includes a fob comprising a transmitter that is actuatable to transmit an RKE message. A vehicle-based receiver receives the RKE message. A vehicle-based controller operatively connected to the vehicle-based receiver is configured to supply electrical power from a vehicle battery to the vehicle lock to unlock the vehicle lock in response to receiving the RKE message from the vehicle-based receiver. An energy storage device, separate from the vehicle battery, supplies electrical power to actuate the vehicle lock to unlock the vehicle lock when predetermined conditions are met.

An apparatus includes a vehicle control system (VCS) coupled to a computer of a vehicle via a CAN bus and configured to present selectively appearance of a presence in the vehicle of a smartkey, e.g., by energizing and de-energizing an actual smartkey of the vehicle. The VCS includes a VCS and a Bluetooth® VCS transceiver. The VCS stores VCS software. The apparatus also includes a smartphone with a Bluetooth® transceiver, and storing an app. The mobile device is paired with the VCS to communicate with the VCS via a Bluetooth® link. The app configures the smartphone to receive menu selections from a user, to generate communications that identity smartkey-enabled features of the VCS that correspond to the selections, and to send to the VCS the communications through the link. The VCS software configures the VCS to receive the communications and cause the vehicle to perform actions corresponding to live communications.

A remote access device and methods of operation thereof are provided for accessing a physical object or location. The remote access device includes an accelerometer, a wireless transmitter, and control circuitry. The control circuitry causes the wireless transmitter to transition between a first operating mode and a second operating mode in response to receiving signals from the accelerometer indicating a first change in motion states of the remote access device. The control circuitry causes the wireless transmitter to transition between a first operating mode and a second operating mode in response to receiving signals from the accelerometer indicating a second change in motion states of the remote access device. The control circuitry further causes the wireless transmitter to transition between the first operating mode and the second operating mode in response to receiving signals from the accelerometer indicating a third change in motion states of the remote access device.

The disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for reducing power consumption in a smart key of a vehicle. In an exemplary method, an accelerometer in the smart key detects that the smart key is moving. For example, an individual may be carrying the smart key in his/her pocket and walking towards the vehicle. However, an RF transceiver circuit of the smart key may be out of range of a communication system in the vehicle. A processor in the smart key may place some circuits, such as a wakeup receiver, in a power-down condition, based on detecting the moving state of the smart key and a lack of communications between the Bluetooth® transceiver circuit and the communication system of the vehicle. The wakeup receiver typically has a smaller operating range than the RF transceiver circuit and is therefore unnecessary when the smart key is far from the vehicle.

A vehicle theft-prevention apparatus can include a wireless transceiver, a plurality of sensors configured to sense measurements proximate to a vehicle, and at least one computing device coupled to the plurality of sensors and the wireless transceiver. The at least one computing device can be configured to read a plurality of measurements of the plurality of sensors and determine that at least one event has occurred based on the plurality of measurements. The at least one computing device can store data corresponding to the at least one event on a local storage coupled to the at least one computing device and can transmit, via the wireless transceiver, the data corresponding to the at least one event to a remote service.

A vehicle key capable of generating electrical energy by itself through energy harvesting, and a method of manufacturing the vehicle key are provided. The vehicle key includes a power generator including an energy generation module configured to generate electrical energy using energy harvesting and an electric condenser configured to store the generated electrical energy; an inputter configured to receive a user input; a communicator configured to communicate with the vehicle; and a controller configured to control the communicator to transmit a control signal corresponding to the received user input to the vehicle. At least one of the inputter, the communicator, and the controller may be configured to receive power from the power generator.

A wireless charging device and a warning signal generating method are provided in this disclosure. The warning signal generating method includes: determining whether the smart key of the vehicle is in an operating mode according to a wireless unlock signal when a vehicle is turned off; determining whether a door of the vehicle is opened when the smart key is not in the operating mode; determining whether a portable electronic device is on a wireless charging base of the wireless charging device when the door is opened; and generating a warning signal when the portable electronic device is on the wireless charging base.

A convenient electronic circuit in which a switch is able to be switched through electric power obtained using weak radio waves is provided. An electronic circuit includes: a switch configured to switch a connection state between a power supply configured to output DC electric power and a load; a first antenna capable of receiving radio waves; a second antenna capable of receiving radio waves; a first power conversion circuit configured to convert electric power received by the first antenna into DC electric power and output the converted DC electric power from a first DC power output terminal; a second power conversion circuit configured to convert electric power received by the second antenna into DC electric power and output the converted DC electric power from a second DC power output terminal; and a control circuit configured to switch a connection state of the switch when a difference between electric power input from a first input terminal and electric power input from a second input terminal is larger than a predetermined value.