A method of unlocking a vehicle of a user having a handheld device based on visual domain and radio frequency (RF) domain technologies is provided. The method comprises activating an on-board apparatus of the vehicle when the handheld device of the user is within a threshold distance from the vehicle. The method further comprises comparing a visual domain position of the user based on visual domain data with an RF domain position of the user based on RF domain data by a first equation, |d.sub.visual.sup.t.sup.i(X)−d.sub.RF.sup.t.sup.i(X)|<ε.sub.d and a second equation, |φ.sub.visual.sup.t.sup.i(X)−φ.sub.RF.sup.t.sup.i(X)|<ε.sub.φ. The method further comprises validating the user when the first and second equations are true and unlocking the vehicle after the user is validated.

A method and a system for ultra high frequency communication with and location of a portable device for “hands-free” access to a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle having an on-board communication device comprising an ultra high frequency transceiver, an electrical power supply source and at least one antenna, the motor vehicle including a first arrangement, in which the transceiver is connected to the antenna, and a second arrangement, in which the transceiver is disconnected from the antenna. The transceiver is connected to an attenuation module located at a predetermined distance from the transceiver. The attenuation module includes an impedance of predetermined value connected to ground. The predetermined distance between the transceiver and the attenuation module, as well as the predetermined value of the impedance, defining a locating area of the portable device in and around the motor vehicle.

A portable access device for wirelessly gaining access to a vehicle includes a transceiver, receive and transmit queues, and a control module. The transceiver, during a current connection event, receives first notification messages from a PaaK system of the vehicle and in response thereto transmits second notification messages to the PaaK system. The first notification messages and the second notification message are transmitted to establish a communication link between the portable access device and the PaaK system. The receive queue receives the first notification messages. The transmit queue stores the second notification messages. The control module, based on a first one of the first notification messages, determines what data was transmitted during a last connection event prior to the current connection event and generates one or more of the second notification messages to include data not previously received during the last connection event.

The relative position between a vehicle and an extension unit located outside the vehicle is detected, and a command touch operation for operating the vehicle with a remote operation device is set in accordance with the detected relative position. The touch operation of an operator is detected by a touch panel of the remote operation device, and a determination is made as to whether or not the detected touch operation is the command touch operation. When the touch operation is the command touch operation, the vehicle is controlled to execute autonomous travel control. The vehicle has an autonomous travel control function.

A device localization system for a vehicle and a mobile device configured as a Phone-as-a-Key (PaaK) is described. The system includes a fob-free mode for performing remote control vehicle features using a selective mobile device localization technique that reduces motive functionality of the vehicle, based location of a user performing the vehicle control during the remote-control operation. The system determines a geographic position of a user using a single Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) antenna, and establishes establish a high-fidelity zone based on a change in mobile device position. The system reduces a motive functionality of the vehicle, based on the selective mobile device localization, from a first motive mode having a full motive functionality to a second motive mode responsive to determining that the mobile device is not present in the high-fidelity zone.

A vehicle control device that includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory, and that controls driving of a vehicle door. The processor being configured to determine multiple times whether or not a communication terminal communicable with the vehicle control device is in a cabin-external region, which is a predetermined region external to a cabin of the vehicle, in a case in which a door switch of the vehicle door has been operated. The processor being configured to perform control to drive the vehicle door in accordance with the operation of the door switch in a case in which it has been determined at least one time or more, based on determination results, that the communication terminal is in the cabin-external region.

A vehicle control device includes: an acquisition section configured to acquire a determination result for a first area indicating whether or not a predetermined communication terminal is in a predetermined first area outside a cabin of a vehicle, and to acquire a determination result for a second area indicating whether or not the communication terminal is in a second area that is further away from the vehicle than the first area; and a control section configured to perform a closing operation of a vehicle door based on the acquired determination result for the first area and on the acquired determination result for the second area.

A vehicle control device includes: an acquisition section configured to acquire a determination result as to whether a predetermined communication terminal is in a vehicle cabin interior area, and acquire another determination result as to whether or not the communication terminal is in a vehicle cabin exterior area; and a control section configured to, based on the determination results of the acquisition section, initiate a closing operation of a vehicle door in cases in which a determination is made that the communication terminal is in the vehicle cabin exterior area, and stop the closing operation in cases in which a determination is made that the communication terminal is in the vehicle cabin interior area after the closing operation was initiated.

A vehicle passenger locator and identifier system and method is provided herein. Once a vehicle is within a certain vicinity of an intended passenger via conventional mobile device geolocation or geofencing, and/or via a conventional camera-based technology, a plurality of microphones listen for the passenger to utter a predetermined word or phrase. Optionally, this predetermined word or phrase has been uttered to a mobile application used to summon the vehicle such that an accurate voice comparison can be made by the vehicle. Alternatively, the same or a different mobile device can be used to emit an auditory beacon that is detected by the vehicle. Once this word, phrase, or auditory beacon is detected, the passenger can be triangulated, located, identified, and even authorized for pickup. All of this is carried out via an onboard vehicle processor and software and/or a processor and software residing in the cloud.

A vehicle system may include a plurality of wireless transmitters carried by a vehicle and configured to transmit wireless signals, at least one indicator carried by the vehicle, and a portable device moveable relative to the vehicle and configured to receive the wireless signals from the plurality of wireless transmitters. The system may further include a controller carried by the vehicle and configured to wirelessly communicate with the portable device, and determine a predicted zone the portable device is located in adjacent to the vehicle based upon the received wireless signals, with the predicted zone being one of a plurality of different zones adjacent the vehicle having respective vehicle functions associated therewith. The controller may be further configured to cause the at least one indicator to provide an indication that the portable device has entered the predicted zone, and enable the respective vehicle function associated with the predicted zone.