METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SENSING A POSITION OF A MOBILE TERMINAL RELATIVE TO A VEHICLE

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for detecting a relative position of a mobile terminal device with respect to a vehicle.

It is provided for the method to include the following steps: Providing several evaluation signals which are changeable by a change of position of the mobile terminal device, determining an event at the vehicle and evaluating the several provided evaluation signals for detecting the relative position of the mobile terminal device with respect to the vehicle in response to determining the event at the vehicle.

The invention is based on the object of detecting the relative position of a mobile terminal device with respect to a vehicle with a higher accuracy so that it may be determined reliably whether the mobile terminal device has been left back in the vehicle when leaving the vehicle, whether the mobile terminal device is located within the vehicle after a person has entered the vehicle, and/or whether the mobile terminal device is located within the vehicle when the vehicle starts driving or when the motor of the vehicle is started.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A method for detecting a relative position of a mobile terminal device with respect to a vehicle, comprising: providing several evaluation signals which are changed by a change of position of the mobile terminal device; determining an event at the vehicle; evaluating the several provided evaluation signals for detecting the relative position of the mobile terminal device with respect to the vehicle in response to determining the event at the vehicle.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the event at the vehicle is one of the following events: opening or closing a door, a flap, a window or another opening of the vehicle; operating a locking device of the vehicle; operating an ignition lock of the vehicle; or operating a starter device of the vehicle.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein providing the several evaluation signals which are changeable by a change of position of the mobile terminal device comprises: detecting several signals which are changeable by a change of position of the mobile terminal device; and generating the several evaluation signals which are changeable by a change of position of the mobile terminal device from the several detected signals which are changeable by a change of position of the mobile terminal device.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the generated evaluation signals are buffered in a ring buffer and wherein only signal data of a selected time period is buffered for evaluation.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein generating the several evaluation signals which are changeable by a change of position of the mobile terminal device from the several detected signals which are changeable by a change of position of the mobile terminal device includes at least one of the following steps: measuring the signal strength of one or several detected signals which are changeable by a change of position of position of the mobile terminal device; detecting the temporal change of one or several detected signals which are changeable by a change of position of the mobile terminal device.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein the several detected signals which are changeable by a change of position of the mobile terminal device include a radio signal of a communication connection between the mobile terminal device and the vehicle and/or a mobile radio signal of the mobile terminal device.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein the several detected signals which are changeable by a change of position of the mobile terminal device include a signal suitable for locating the mobile terminal device by means of a global navigation satellite system or a signal measured by the mobile terminal device and depending on the earth's magnetic field.

23. The method according to claim 16, further comprising: detecting a movement of the mobile terminal device by means of an acceleration sensor of the mobile terminal device; wherein the several provided evaluation signals which are changeable by a change of position of the mobile terminal device include a signal relating to the movement of the mobile terminal device.

24. The method according to claim 16, further comprising: providing one or several evaluation signals changeable by a change of position of the vehicle.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein providing the one or several evaluation signals which are changeable by a change of position of the vehicle comprises at least one of the following steps: detecting one or several signals which are changeable by a change of position of the vehicle; generating one or several evaluation signals which are changeable by a change of position of the vehicle from the one or several detected signals which are changeable by a change of position of the vehicle; detecting a movement of the vehicle preferably by means of an acceleration sensor of the vehicle; wherein the one or several provided evaluation signals which are changeable by a change of position of the vehicle include a signal relating to the movement of the vehicle.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein generating the one or several evaluation signals which are changeable by a change of position of the vehicle from the one or several detected signals which are changeable by a change of position of the vehicle includes at least one of the following steps: measuring the signal strength of one or several detected signals which are changeable by a change of position of position of the vehicle; detecting the temporal change of one or several detected signals which are changeable by a change of position of the vehicle.

27. The method according to claim 16, wherein evaluating the several provided evaluation signals comprises one, several or any of the following steps: comparing the temporal change of the acceleration amplitude of the mobile terminal device and the vehicle; comparing movement profiles of the mobile terminal device and the vehicle; detecting a time instant at which a door of the vehicle is closed; comparing acceleration profiles of the mobile terminal device and the vehicle preferably including acceleration information of the mobile terminal device and the vehicle from a time period in which also the time instant is located at which the door of the vehicle was closed.

28. The method according to claim 16, wherein the several detected signals which are changeable by a change of position of the mobile terminal device include an acoustic signal recorded and thus generated by the mobile terminal device by means of a microphone, and/or an acoustic signal recorded and thus generated by the vehicle by means of a microphone.

29. The method according to claim 16, further comprising at least one of the following steps: generating vibrations by the mobile terminal device; generating vibrations by the vehicle; wherein the several detected signals which are changeable by a change of position of the mobile terminal device include a vibration signal generated by the mobile terminal device and/or a vibration signal generated by the vehicle.

30. A system for detecting a relative position of a mobile terminal device with respect to a vehicle, comprising: a mobile terminal device; and a vehicle; wherein the system is configured to execute a method of detecting a relative position of a mobile terminal device with respect to the vehicle, the method comprising: providing several evaluation signals which are changed by a change of position of the mobile terminal device; determining an event at the vehicle; evaluating the several provided evaluation signals for detecting the relative position of the mobile terminal device with respect to the vehicle in response to determining the event at the vehicle.

Description

[0040] The invention is hereinafter explained in embodiments using the associated drawings, in which:

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an inventive system for detecting a relative position of a mobile terminal device with respect to a vehicle;

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of an inventive method for detecting a relative position of a mobile terminal device with respect to a vehicle according to one embodiment; and

[0043] FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of an inventive method for detecting a relative position of a mobile terminal device with respect to a vehicle according to a further embodiment.

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a system 34 with a mobile terminal device 10 and a vehicle 12. The mobile terminal device 10 is configured as a smartphone and includes three sensor units 18-22 and one communication device 30. The vehicle 10 comprises a signal evaluation device 14 and three sensor units 24-28 connected in a signal conducting way to the signal evaluation device 14.

[0045] The signal evaluation device 14 of the vehicle 12 includes a communication device 32 which is connected to the communication device 30 of the mobile terminal device 10 by a signal conducting connection 16.

[0046] The first sensor unit 18 of the mobile terminal device 10 is configured as a radio signal sensor and is implemented to detect the signal strength of the mobile radio signal of the mobile terminal device 10. The mobile terminal device 10 is further configured to generate an evaluation signal from the signal strength of its own mobile radio signal and provide this evaluation signal to the evaluation device 14 of the vehicle 12 by means of the communication device 30. The second sensor unit 20 of the mobile terminal device 10 is configured as a magnetic field sensor and implemented to generate a signal depending on the earth's magnetic field and provide this magnetic field signal to the evaluation device 20 of the vehicle 12 as an evaluation signal. Providing this evaluation signal is again done by the communication devices 30, 32 of the mobile terminal device and the vehicle. The third sensor unit 22 of the mobile terminal device 10 is configured as an acceleration sensor and is implemented to detect the movements of the mobile terminal device 10. The signal generated by the acceleration sensor is provided to the evaluation device 20 of the vehicle also by means of the communication devices 30, 32 of the mobile terminal device and the vehicle as an evaluation signal.

[0047] The first sensor unit 24 of the vehicle 12 is configured as a radio signal sensor and is implemented to detect the signal strength and other parameters of the radio signal of the communication connection 16 between the mobile terminal device 10 and the vehicle 12. The radio signal sensor may further be configured to detect a GPS signal, a 5G signal, a WLAN signal or a BTLE signal. The evaluation signal is generated on the basis of the detected signal strength and/or the other detected parameters of the radio signal of the communication connection 16 between the mobile terminal device 10 and the vehicle 12 and provided to the evaluation device 14. The second sensor unit 26 of the vehicle 12 is configured as a magnetic field sensor and implemented to generate a signal depending on the earth's magnetic field and provide this magnetic field signal to the evaluation device 14. The third sensor unit 28 of the vehicle 12 is configured as an acceleration sensor and is implemented to detect the movements of the vehicle 12. The signal generated by the acceleration sensor is also provided to the evaluation device 14 as an evaluation signal.

[0048] The evaluation device 14 is configured to evaluate the overall six provided evaluation signals for detecting the relative position of the mobile terminal device 10 with respect to the vehicle 12. In this respect, the temporal change of the signal strength of the mobile radio signal of the mobile terminal device 10 and the temporal change of the signal strength of the radio signal of the communication connection 16 between the mobile terminal device 10 and the vehicle 12 between opening a door of the vehicle 12 and closing the door of the vehicle 12 is evaluated. Moreover, the temporal change of the signal depending on the earth's magnetic field provided by the mobile terminal device 10 and the temporal change of the signal depending on the earth's magnetic field provided by the vehicle 12 is evaluated. Further, the movement of the mobile terminal device 10 is evaluated by the evaluation device 14 and the movement of the mobile terminal device 10 is compared to the movement of the vehicle 12.

[0049] On the basis of the evaluation of the overall six provided evaluation signals, a comparatively secure determination may be made whether the mobile terminal device 10 has been left back in the vehicle 12 by the user when leaving the vehicle 12.

[0050] FIG. 2 shows a method for detecting a relative position of a mobile terminal device 10 with respect to a vehicle 12, according to one embodiment. The method is based on the evaluation of several evaluation signals so that a comparatively reliable determination may be made as to whether the mobile terminal device 10 is inside or outside the vehicle 12. The method starts with the following step:

[0051] 36) Providing three evaluation signals which are changeable by a change of position of the mobile terminal device 10.

[0052] The three provided evaluation signals relate to the signal strength of the radio network of the mobile terminal device 10, to the signal strength of the bluetooth connection between the mobile terminal device 10 and the vehicle 12 and the movement of the mobile terminal device 10. For providing the evaluation signal relating to the signal strength of the radio network of the mobile terminal device 10 providing the three evaluation signals changeable by a change of position of the mobile terminal device 10 comprises the following step:

[0053] 38) Detecting the mobile radio signal of the mobile terminal device 10.

[0054] As for detecting the relative position of the mobile terminal device 10 with respect to the vehicle 12 not the mobile radio signal of the mobile terminal device 10 as such but the temporal change of the signal strength of the mobile radio signal or the temporal change of other parameters of the mobile radio signal is to be used, after detecting of the mobile radio signal of the mobile terminal device 10 the following step follows:

[0055] 40) Generating an evaluation signal from the detected mobile radio signal of the mobile terminal device 10.

[0056] Generating an evaluation signal from the detected mobile radio signal of the mobile terminal device 10 here includes the following two steps:

[0057] 42) Measuring the signal strength the mobile radio signal of the mobile terminal device 10; and

[0058] 44) Detecting the temporal change of the signal strength the mobile radio signal of the mobile terminal device 10.

[0059] For providing the evaluation signal relating to the signal strength of the bluetooth connection between the mobile terminal device 10 and the vehicle 12 providing the three evaluation signals changeable by a change of position of the mobile terminal device 10 comprises the following step:

[0060] 46) Detecting the bluetooth connection signal between the mobile terminal device 10 and the vehicle 12.

[0061] As for detecting the relative position of the mobile terminal device 10 with respect to the vehicle 12 not the bluetooth connection signal between the mobile terminal device 10 and the vehicle 12 as such but the temporal change of the signal strength of the bluetooth connection signal between the mobile terminal device 10 and the vehicle 12 is to be used, after detecting of the bluetooth connection signal between the mobile terminal device 10 and the vehicle 12 the following step follows:

[0062] 48) Generating an evaluation signal from the detected bluetooth connection signal between the mobile terminal device 10 and the vehicle 12.

[0063] Generating an evaluation signal from the detected bluetooth connection signal between the mobile terminal device 10 and the vehicle 12 here includes the following steps:

[0064] 50) Measuring the signal strength of the bluetooth connection signal between the mobile terminal device 10 and the vehicle 12; and

[0065] 52) Detecting the temporal change of the signal strength of the bluetooth connection signal between the mobile terminal device 10 and the vehicle 12.

[0066] For providing the evaluation signal relating to the movement of the mobile terminal device 10, providing the three evaluation signals changeable by a change of position of the mobile terminal device 10 comprises the following steps:

[0067] 54) Detecting a movement of the mobile terminal device 10 by means of an acceleration sensor 18 of the mobile terminal device 10; and

[0068] 56) Generating an evaluation signal from the detected movement of the mobile terminal device 10.

[0069] The method considers not only three evaluation signals changeable by a change of position of the mobile terminal device 10 but also an evaluation signal changeable by a change of position of the vehicle 12. The method consequently includes the following step:

[0070] 58) Providing an evaluation signal changeable by a change of position of the vehicle 12.

[0071] The provided evaluation signal relates to the movement of the vehicle 12. For providing the evaluation signal relating to the movement of vehicle 12, providing the one evaluation signal changeable by a change of position of the vehicle 12 comprises the following steps:

[0072] 60) Detecting a movement of the vehicle 12 by means of an acceleration sensor 24 of the vehicle 12; and

[0073] 62) Generating an evaluation signal from the detected movement of the vehicle 12.

[0074] After the required evaluation signals have been provided, the following step is executed:

[0075] 64) Evaluating the several provided evaluation signals by the vehicle 12 for detecting the relative position of the mobile terminal device 10 with respect to the vehicle 12.

[0076] Apart from evaluating the temporal change of the signal strength of the mobile radio signal of the mobile terminal device 10 and the temporal change of the signal strength of the bluetooth connection signal between the mobile terminal device 10 and the vehicle 12, evaluating the several provided evaluation signals comprises the following step:

[0077] 66) Comparing the temporal change of the acceleration amplitude of the mobile terminal device 10 and the vehicle 12.

[0078] Evaluating the several provided evaluation signals by the vehicle 12 for detecting the relative position of the mobile terminal device 10 with respect to the vehicle 12 is completed with the following step:

[0079] 68) Determining, whether the mobile terminal device 10 is in the vehicle 12.

[0080] By considering several evaluation signals for detecting the relative position of the mobile terminal device 10 with respect to the vehicle, the inventive method enables a reliable determination as to whether the mobile terminal device 10 has been left back in the vehicle 12 by the user when leaving the vehicle 12.

[0081] FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of the inventive method 100 for detecting a relative position of the mobile terminal device 10 with respect to the vehicle 12 according to a further embodiment. The method 100 includes providing 110 several evaluation signals. The several evaluation signals are each changed by a change of position of the mobile terminal device 10. Further, the method 100 includes determining 120 an event at the vehicle 12. The method 100 further comprises evaluating 130 the several provided evaluation signals for detecting the relative position of the mobile terminal device 10 with respect to the vehicle 12 in response to determining 120 the event at the vehicle 12.

[0082] The mobile terminal device 10 may be a mobile phone, a smart phone, a smart watch, a tablet computer, a laptop, a mobile device or a car key. Further, the vehicle 12 may be a land vehicle, like a passenger vehicle, a commercial vehicle or a motorcycle, a rail vehicle, like a train or a tram, an aircraft, like a helicopter or an airplane or a watercraft like a ship or a boat. Further, the mobile terminal device 10 and the vehicle 12 may be configured to communicate via a wireless communication network. In this respect, the mobile terminal device 10 and the vehicle may 12 may each comprise a wireless communication interface configured to communicate via the wireless communication network. For example, the wireless communication network may be a bluetooth communication network, a bluetooth-low-energy communication network, a near field communication network, a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) communication network, an ultra wideband (UWB) communication network or a mobile radio network. Further, providing may be executed by means of one or several sensor units 18-20 and/or evaluating 130 may be executed by means of the signal evaluation device 14.

[0083] The method 100 of detecting of the relative position of the mobile terminal device 10 with respect to the vehicle 12 may be executed in a plurality of situations. For example, the method 100 is executed to determine whether a user, like e.g. a driver or a passenger of the vehicle 12 has left back the mobile terminal device 10 in the vehicle 12 when leaving the vehicle 12 or not. If the user has left the mobile terminal device in the vehicle 12, this may be indicated to the user by means of a signal tone or an optical display element. For example, the signal tone is output via a loudspeaker of the mobile terminal device 10 or a loudspeaker of the vehicle 12.

[0084] Further, the method 100 may be executed when the vehicle 12 starts driving or when the motor of the vehicle 12 is started in order to determine whether the mobile terminal device 10 is in the vehicle 12. If the mobile terminal device 10 is outside the vehicle 12 when the vehicle 12 starts driving or when the motor of the vehicle 12 is started, for example on a roof of the vehicle 12 or on a windshield of the vehicle 12, this may be indicated to the user by means of a signal tone or an optical display element. For example, for this purpose a warning light lights up in the dashboard of the vehicle 12.

[0085] In some embodiments, providing the several evaluation signals includes detecting several signals of a navigation satellite system, like the NAVSTAR GPS satellite system, the GLONASS satellite system, the Galileo satellite system or the Beidou satellite system, by the mobile terminal device 10 or a navigation satellite transceiver of the mobile terminal device 10 at different time instants. The mobile terminal device 10 may detect and store the signals continuously, like e.g. at intervals of several seconds. Preferably, the mobile terminal device 10 stores the signals in a ring buffer. If now an event is detected at the vehicle 12, like e.g. a closing or locking of a door of the vehicle 12, on the basis of the stored signals the relative position of the mobile terminal device 10 with respect to the vehicle 12 may be detected. In this respect, for example a number of navigation satellites found in the respective signal, their signal strength and/or other signal parameters of same at a certain time instant, for example just before opening the door of the vehicle 12, is compared to the corresponding values after this certain time instant, for example just before or just after closing the door of the vehicle 12. As the vehicle cover of the vehicle 12 causes a shielding or field change of the signals of the navigation satellite system, it may be concluded by this comparison, whether the mobile terminal device 10 is inside or outside the vehicle 12 after the event. If, for example, the number of found navigation satellites or their signal strengths after closing the door of the vehicle 12 is higher than before opening the door, it may be concluded that the mobile terminal device 10 has left the vehicle 12. If, however, the number of found navigation satellites or their signal strengths after closing the door of the vehicle 12 is lower than before opening the door, it may be concluded that the mobile terminal device 10 has entered the vehicle 12. If the number of navigation satellites found or their signal strengths before opening the door of the vehicle 12 corresponds to the number of navigation satellites found or their signal strengths after closing the door of the vehicle 12, it may be concluded that the mobile terminal device 10 has not changed its relative position with respect to the vehicle 12. The mobile terminal device 10 may in this case either be outside or inside the vehicle 12. This may be indicated to a user of the vehicle 12 as described above. For the comparison the last signal detected before opening the door may be compared to the first signal detected after opening or closing the door. Alternatively or additionally, average values of signals detected before and after opening the door, for example of 3, 5 or 10 detected signals or values derived therefrom may be compared. Here, optionally the respectively detected minimum values and/or maximum values may be discarded.

[0086] In some embodiments, providing 110 the several evaluation signals includes detecting several signals of a mobile radio system, like telephone network signals of a GSM, UMTS or LTE mobile radio system, by the mobile terminal device 10 or a baseband transceiver of the mobile terminal device 10 at different time instants. The mobile terminal device 10 may detect and store the signals continuously, like e.g. at intervals of several seconds. Preferably, the mobile terminal device 10 stores the signals in a ring buffer. If now an event is detected at the vehicle 12, like e.g. a closing or locking of a door of the vehicle 12, on the basis of the stored signals the relative position of the mobile terminal device 10 with respect to the vehicle 12 may be detected. In this respect, for example a kind of telephone band found in the respective signal, its signal strength and/or other signal parameters of the respective signal at a certain time instant, for example just before opening the door of the vehicle 12, is compared to the corresponding values after this certain time instant, for example just before or just after closing the door of the vehicle 12. As the vehicle cover of the vehicle 12 causes a shielding or field change of the signals of the mobile radio system, it may be concluded from this comparison, whether the mobile terminal device 10 is inside or outside the vehicle 12 after the event. If, for example, the signal strength of the detected signals after closing the door of the vehicle 12 is higher than before opening the door, it may be concluded that the mobile terminal device 10 has left the vehicle 12. If, however, the signal strength of the detected signals after closing the door of the vehicle 12 is lower than before opening the door, if may be concluded that the mobile terminal device 10 has entered the vehicle 12. If the signal strength of the detected signals before opening the door of the vehicle 12 corresponds to the signal strength of the detected signals after closing the door of the vehicle 12, it may be concluded that the mobile terminal device 10 has not changed its relative position with respect to the vehicle 12. The mobile terminal device 10 may in this case either be outside or inside the vehicle 12. This may be indicated to a user of the vehicle 12 as described above. For the comparison the last signal detected before opening the door may be compared to the first signal detected after opening or closing the door. Alternatively or additionally, average values of signals detected before and after opening the door, for example of 3, 5 or 10 detected signals or values derived therefrom may be compared. Here, optionally the respectively detected minimum values and/or maximum values may be discarded.

[0087] In some embodiments, providing 110 the several evaluation signals includes detecting the field strength of the earth's magnetic field acting upon the mobile terminal device 10 by the mobile terminal device 10 or a magnetic field sensor of the mobile terminal device 10 at different time instants. The mobile terminal device 10 may detect and store the field strength continuously, like e.g. at intervals of several seconds. Preferably, the mobile terminal device 10 stores the field strengths in a ring buffer. If now an event is detected at the vehicle 12, like e.g. a closing or locking of a door of the vehicle 12, on the basis of the stored field strengths the relative position of the mobile terminal device 10 with respect to the vehicle 12 may be detected. In this respect, for example the field strength at a certain time instant, for example just before opening the door of the vehicle 12, is compared to the field strength after this certain time instant, for example just before or just after closing the door of the vehicle 12. As the vehicle cover of the vehicle 12 causes a shielding of the earth's magnetic field, it may be concluded from this comparison, whether the mobile terminal device 10 is inside or outside the vehicle 12 after the event. If, for example, the field strength after closing the door of the vehicle 12 is higher than before opening the door, it may be concluded that the mobile terminal device 10 has left the vehicle 12. If, however, the field strength after closing the door of the vehicle 12 is lower than before opening the door, it may be concluded that the mobile terminal device 10 has entered the vehicle 12. If, however, the field strength before opening the door of the vehicle 12 corresponds to the field strength after closing the door of the vehicle 12, it may be concluded that the mobile terminal device 10 has not changed its relative position with respect to the vehicle 12. The mobile terminal device 10 may in this case either be outside or inside the vehicle 12. This may be indicated to a user of the vehicle 12 as described above. For the comparison the last field strength detected before opening the door may be compared to the first field strength detected after opening or closing the door. Alternatively or additionally, average values of field strengths detected before and after opening the door, for example of 3, 5 or 10 detected field strengths may be compared. Here, optionally the respectively detected minimum values and/or maximum values may be discarded.

[0088] In some embodiments, providing 110 the several evaluation signals includes detecting a movement of the mobile terminal device 10 by means of an acceleration sensor of the mobile terminal device 10 and detecting a movement of the vehicle 12 by means of an acceleration sensor of the vehicle 12. For example, the movement of the vehicle 12 is a movement of the vehicle 12 caused by a person entering or exiting, a movement of the vehicle 12 caused by a slamming shut of the door of the vehicle 12 or a movement of the vehicle 12 caused by any other vibration of the vehicle 12, for example vibration caused by an electric motor of the vehicle 12. Here, evaluating 130 the provided evaluation signals may include comparing movement frequencies or vibration frequencies of the detected movement of the mobile terminal device 10 and the detected movement of the vehicle 12. If the movement frequencies or vibration frequencies correspond, it may be concluded that the mobile terminal device 10 is in the vehicle 12. Otherwise, the mobile terminal device 10 may be outside the vehicle 12. Further, evaluating 130 the provided evaluation signals may include comparing movement patterns or vibration patterns of the detected movement of the mobile terminal device 10 and the detected movement of the vehicle 12. If the movement patterns or vibration patterns correspond, it may be concluded that the mobile terminal device 10 is in the vehicle 12. Otherwise, the mobile terminal device 10 is outside the vehicle 12.

[0089] In some embodiments, by means of the method 100 a method based on evidence and/or indicators for detecting mobile terminal devices 10 like, for example, smartphones may be provided inside and outside vehicles 12.

[0090] In some embodiments, indicators on the position, for example inside or outside the vehicle 12, of the mobile terminal device 10 may be derived using one or several sensors 18-28 in the vehicle using different evaluation strategies of the measurement values. Using several such different measurement value evaluation strategies a sufficiently exact statement may be enabled on whether the mobile terminal device 10 is inside or outside the vehicle 12. For example, with different results of the evaluation strategies, for the position of the mobile terminal device 10 the one position is selected which was determined by the plurality of evaluation strategies. Further, different weighting factors may be allocated to the different evaluation strategies. If a first number of evaluation strategies results in a first position of the mobile terminal device 10 and a second number of evaluation strategies results in a second position of the mobile terminal device 10, for example a first sum is formed from the weighting factors of the first number of evaluation strategies and a second sum is formed from the weighting factors of the second number of evaluation strategies. If the first sum is greater than the second sum, the mobile terminal device 10 may be located in the first position. Otherwise, the mobile terminal device 10 may be in the second position. Further, a detection of inside/outside may be improved or supported by exclusion criteria. For this purpose, an especially high weighting factor is allocated to at least one evaluation strategy.

[0091] In some embodiments, the evaluation strategies may be strengthened regarding their significance in a concrete context of events or trigger events. Respective event triggers may be exchanged between mobile terminal device 10 and vehicle 12 uni- or bi-directionally via radio frequency communication, for example via the wireless communication network and thus measurement value evaluations may be brought in temporal context with the events.

[0092] In some embodiments one of the evaluation strategies may be the measurement of the changes of the quality of a navigation signal, for example a GPS, Galileo or Glonass navigation signal using the navigation satellite transceiver of the mobile terminal device 10 between opening the door and closing/locking the same in order to derive an indicator therefrom whether the mobile terminal device 10 has left the vehicle 12. Here, for example, field shielding or field change is utilized by the vehicle cover. Further, for example, here the number of satellites found, their signal strengths and/or other signal parameters are evaluated.

[0093] In some embodiments, one of the evaluation strategies may include measuring the changes of the quality of the telephone network signal, for example a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) telephone network signal, a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) telephone network signal, a Long Term Evolution (LTE) telephone network signal, a Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A) telephone network signal using the baseband transceiver of the mobile terminal device 10 between opening the door and closing/locking the same in order to derive an indicator therefrom whether the mobile terminal device 10 has left the vehicle 12. Here, field shielding or field change may be utilized by the vehicle cover. For example, here the kind of telephone band found, its signal strength and/or other signal parameters are evaluated.

[0094] In some embodiments, one of the evaluation strategies may be the measurement of the changes of the earth's magnetic field with the magnetic field sensor of the mobile terminal device 10 between opening the door of the vehicle 12 and closing/locking the same in order to derive an indicator therefrom whether the mobile terminal device 10 has left the vehicle 12. Here, field shielding or field change may be utilized by the vehicle cover of the vehicle.

[0095] In some embodiments, one of the evaluation strategies may be the measurement of the changes of the acceleration measurement values with the acceleration sensor of the mobile terminal device 10 between opening the door of the vehicle 12 and closing/locking the same in order to derive therefrom whether the mobile terminal device 10 has left the vehicle 12, for example by characteristic movement patterns, directional vectors or other variables regarding movement characteristics.

[0096] In some embodiments, one of the evaluation strategies may include the measurement of the acceleration measurement values using the acceleration sensor of the mobile terminal device 10 during a time window around the moment of detecting the locking attempt, for example when an operation of the lock button or key at the door handle of the vehicle 12 or a system has been detected. For example, the acceleration measurement values are measured from one second before the moment of detecting the locking attempt until one second thereafter. As this moment triggered or caused by the user at any time is not known to the mobile terminal device 10 in advance, the same may store the acceleration measurement values for example in a ring buffer which buffers for few seconds so that in retrospect all data necessary for an evaluation are available. The evaluation may examine the measurement data in particular with respect to a rest position of the mobile terminal device 10. A motionlessness and/or unchanged position of the mobile terminal device defined with a very tight tolerance is a very strong indicator that the mobile device 10 is at this time instant still in the vehicle 12 and not in the trouser or jacket pocket of a user. This approach may additionally be used very similarly for the moment of the unlocking attempt which may directly additionally enable a large safety leap in the protection against relay attacks. When the mobile terminal device 10 is lying around motionless somewhere a hands-free system of the vehicle 12 may be protected from a relay attack, for example in an access and/or driving authorization request. Optionally, by parallel measurement of the movements of the mobile terminal device 10 with the acceleration sensor of the mobile terminal device 10 and the movements of the vehicle 12 with a vehicle-integrated acceleration sensor, from the similarity of the changes of the acceleration amplitude the indicator for the rest position of the mobile terminal device 10 relative to the vehicle 12 may be gained. Thus, incorrect statements on the rest position of the mobile terminal device 10 in the vehicle 12 caused by the vehicle's own movement may be eliminated. Optionally, also by parallel measurement of the movements of the mobile terminal device 10 with the acceleration sensor of the mobile terminal device 10 and the movements of the vehicle 12 with a vehicle-integrated acceleration sensor, from the similarity of the respective movement profiles, for example quantified by cross-correlation, fast Fourier Transform (FFT) etc., the indicator for the position of the mobile terminal device 10 in the vehicle 12 may be gained. The vehicle's own movements may possibly, if not already existing, be generated by a vehicle-integrated actuator technology, like a suitable, for example pulsating control of existing actuator technology, like for example the so-called “Power Seat”, the so-called “Power Steering”, an electric motor etc. or dedicated additional actuator technology, for example an unbalance actuator.

[0097] In some embodiments, a further evaluation strategy may be based on the simultaneous similarity or correlation of the measured acceleration profile of a parallel measurement with acceleration sensors in the mobile terminal device 10 and in the vehicle 12 at the time of slamming a door of the vehicle 12 shut, to derive therefrom, whether the mobile terminal device 10 is in mechanical contact with the vehicle 12, for example whether the mobile terminal device 10 is in the vehicle 12. This may be a strong indicator that the mobile terminal device 10 is still in the vehicle and not outside the vehicle 12 at the body of the driver. Here, as an actuator, finally the user or driver itself and no specially electrically driven actuator technology may be used.

[0098] In some embodiments, a further evaluation strategy may include the recording of noises with a microphone of the mobile terminal device 10 by analyzing the recorded noises with respect to whether characteristic noises exist as an indicator for leaving the vehicle 12. Here, for example, a comparison of the recorded noises with reference noises previously stored in the mobile terminal device 10 or in the vehicle 12 may be executed. Optionally, further using a parallel recording and evaluation of the noises with the mobile terminal device 10 and a microphone in the vehicle 12 indicators for the mobile terminal device 10 being located inside or outside the vehicle 12 may be gained. Here, the respectively recorded noises may be checked with respect to common frequencies or sound signals. Optionally, the vehicle 12 may further generate and/or emit sound waves used for the above evaluation.

[0099] In some embodiments, a further evaluation strategy may include the emission of sound waves by the mobile terminal device 10 at certain time instants which are recorded and evaluated by a microphone in the vehicle 12 for example after closing the doors and windows of the vehicle and/or before locking the vehicle 12. In this respect, for example a comparison of the recorded noises with the emitted sound waves for example regarding corresponding frequencies and/or tone sequences may be executed.

[0100] In some embodiments, a further evaluation strategy may include generating vibrations by a vibration of the mobile terminal device 10 at certain time instants which are evaluated by an acceleration sensor in the vehicle 12 in order to detect whether the mobile terminal device 10 is in the vehicle 12.

REFERENCE NUMERALS LIST

[0101] 10 mobile terminal device

[0102] 12 vehicle

[0103] 14 signal evaluation device

[0104] 16 communication connection

[0105] 18-22 sensor units of the mobile terminal device

[0106] 24-28 sensor units of the vehicle

[0107] 30 communication device

[0108] 32 communication device

[0109] 34 system

[0110] 36-68 method steps

[0111] 100 method

[0112] 110 providing

[0113] 120 determining

[0114] 130 evaluating