Controlling a Motor Vehicle Using a Vehicle-External Mobile Terminal

Abstract

A motor vehicle is controlled using a vehicle-external mobile terminal. A communication connection is established using a first transmission/reception device of the motor vehicle and second transmission/reception device of the mobile terminal. A distance and/or relative position of the mobile terminal in relation to the motor vehicle is ascertained by evaluating a radio signal transmitted via the communication connection. Clearance data is generated using a control circuit of the motor vehicle or of the mobile terminal based on the ascertained distance and/or the ascertained relative position. The clearance data indicates that a predetermined control command can be transmitted from the mobile terminal to the motor vehicle and/or is accepted from the mobile terminal by the motor vehicle. The predetermined control command is transmitted using the communication connection when the clearance data are available in the mobile terminal and a predetermined trigger condition for the respective control command is satisfied.

Claims

1.-14. (canceled)

15. A method for controlling a motor vehicle using a vehicle-external mobile terminal, comprising: establishing a communication connection using a first transmission/reception device of the motor vehicle and second transmission/reception device of the mobile terminal; ascertaining a distance and/or a relative position of the mobile terminal in relation to the motor vehicle by evaluating a radio signal transmitted via the communication connection; generating clearance data using a control circuit of the motor vehicle or of the mobile terminal based on the ascertained distance and/or the ascertained relative position, wherein the clearance data indicates that a predetermined control command can be transmitted from the mobile terminal to the motor vehicle and/or is accepted from the mobile terminal by the motor vehicle; and transmitting the predetermined control command from the mobile terminal to the motor vehicle using the communication connection when the clearance data are available in the mobile terminal and a predetermined trigger condition for the respective control command is satisfied.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein one or more zones are defined for the ascertained distance and/or the ascertained relative position in an outside area around the motor vehicle, each zone has an associated respective predetermined command class containing a control command, and the clearance data indicates which command class is approved.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein a zone that has an associated predetermined command class containing a control command is defined for the ascertained distance and/or the ascertained relative position in an inside area of the motor vehicle, and the clearance data indicates that the command class is approved.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the zones are delimited from one another by zone boundaries at different distances, and/or the zones are delimited from one another by zone boundaries that describe a predetermined angular sector.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the control command that a first command class comprises is configured to control a light system and/or an air conditioning system and/or a navigation device and/or a seat system and/or a multimedia interface of the motor vehicle, the control command that a second command class comprises is configured to control a closing system for: a vehicle door, a vehicle window, a vehicle trunk, and/or a vehicle roof, and the control command that a third command class comprises is configured to control a starting system of the motor vehicle and/or for preventing closing of the respective closing system of the motor vehicle and/or for controlling a warning system of the motor vehicle.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein if the clearance data is available then the control command is enabled in the mobile terminal, and the control command is made available via an operator control element of the mobile terminal for selection.

21. The method according to claim 15, wherein under the terms of the trigger condition the transmission of the respective control command is triggered automatically if: the clearance data are available, and/or the transmission of the respective control command is triggered by a predetermined operator control action.

22. The method according to claim 15, wherein the communication connection set up is a 5G communication connection for direct communication between the motor vehicle and the mobile terminal, and the first and second transmission/reception devices are 5G transmission/reception devices.

23. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first transmission/reception device of the motor vehicle further comprises two transmission/reception devices to ascertain the distance and/or the relative position, and/or one or more of the transmission/reception devices of the motor vehicle comprises a multi-antenna module.

24. The method according to claim 15, wherein the distance and/or the relative position are ascertained by a time-of-flight measurement and/or a triangulation and/or a reception field strength measurement for the radio signal.

25. The method according to claim 15, wherein the step of establishing the communication connection further comprises: executing a scanning mode to check respective surroundings for the other of the first or second transmission/reception device.

26. The method according to claim 15, wherein the communication connection is established when the mobile terminal reaches a predefined position.

27. A system, comprising: a motor vehicle, comprising: a first transmission/reception device configured to establish a communication connection; and a mobile terminal, comprising: a second transmission/reception device configured to: establish the communication connection, and transmit a predetermined control command to the motor vehicle via the communication connection if clearance data are available in the mobile terminal and a predetermined trigger condition for the control command is satisfied, wherein an evaluation circuit of the motor vehicle and/or of the mobile terminal is configured to ascertain a distance and/or a relative position of the mobile terminal in relation to the motor vehicle by evaluating a radio signal transmitted using the communication connection, a control circuit of the motor vehicle or of the mobile terminal is configured to take the ascertained distance and/or the ascertained relative position to generate the clearance data that indicates the predetermined control command can be transmitted from the mobile terminal to the motor vehicle and/or is accepted from the mobile terminal by the motor vehicle.

28. A motor vehicle, comprising a transmission/reception device configured to provide a communication connection to a mobile terminal; an evaluation circuit configured to evaluate a radio signal transmitted using the communication connection to ascertain a distance and/or a relative position of the mobile terminal in relation to the motor vehicle; and a control circuit configured to take the ascertained distance and/or the ascertained relative position to generate clearance data indicating that a predetermined control command can be transmitted from the mobile terminal to the motor vehicle and/or is accepted from the mobile terminal by the motor vehicle, wherein the clearance data is provided to the mobile terminal via the communication connection, and the predetermined control command is received via the communication connection after providing the clearance data.

Description

[0043] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a system containing a motor vehicle and a mobile terminal that is configured to control the motor vehicle on the basis of range; and

[0044] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of an illustrative sequence for a method for controlling the motor vehicle with the mobile terminal.

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a system 1 containing a motor vehicle 10 and a mobile terminal 20. The system 1 is intended to be used in such a way that the mobile terminal 20 is used to control the motor vehicle 10 or in particular a function of the motor vehicle 10. The control may include not only the transmission of user settings, such as for example a position of a driver's seat, but also the adjustment of security-relevant or driving-relevant functions of the motor vehicle. The driving-relevant functions may include in particular switching an engine of the motor vehicle 10 on or off. The security-relevant relevant functions may include in particular controlling a closing system of the motor vehicle 10 in order to unlock or lock a vehicle door or a vehicle window.

[0046] For the purpose of controlling or remotely controlling the motor vehicle 10, the mobile terminal 20 comprises a transmission/reception device 21, such as for example an antenna module. Accordingly, the motor vehicle 10 also comprises, as shown in FIG. 1, two corresponding transmission/reception devices 11, which may likewise be designed as a respective antenna module, for example. By means of these transmission/reception devices 11, 21, the motor vehicle 10 and the mobile terminal 20 are designed to set up a communication connection 40 to one another. This communication connection 40 may now be used by the motor vehicle 10 and the mobile terminal 20 to transmit radio signals F and thus for example information data I to one another. The communication connection 40 may be a WLAN connection, a Bluetooth connection or a mobile radio connection, for example. The communication connection may preferably be designed as a 5G communication connection based on the 5G mobile radio standard, however. Accordingly, the transmission/reception devices 11, 21 may also likewise be designed as 5G-compatible antenna modules, that is to say in particular as multichannel antenna modules. This design of the communication connection 40 results in the advantage that a smartphone-compatible technology, namely 5G technology, is used, which is normally widely available. The field of application may thus be extended to control the motor vehicle 10 by means of the mobile terminal 20. Moreover, an increased bandwidth of information data I may thus also be transmitted between the motor vehicle 10 and the mobile terminal.

[0047] However, to now be able to provide theft prevention and at the same time the highest possible level of user convenience when using the system 1, for example, the motor vehicle 10 is controlled in particular on the basis of range. The motor vehicle 10 may be controlled on the basis of a distance and/or a relative position of the mobile terminal 20 in relation to the motor vehicle 10. To this end, the motor vehicle may preferably evaluate a radio signal F transmitted by means of the communication connection, so as to obtain the distance and/or the relative position, also referred to as range below. The radio signal may be a request signal from the motor vehicle 10 to the mobile terminal 20, for example, which is needed in order to make the communication connection. Alternatively, the radio signal to be evaluated may also be a response signal from the mobile terminal 20 in response to the request signal to make the communication connection 40. Exactly how the evaluation may take place is explained again more thoroughly later on.

[0048] Depending on the ascertained range, the motor vehicle 10 may then generate clearance data D. These clearance data D indicate that at least one predetermined control command can be transmitted from the mobile terminal 20 to the motor vehicle 10, or is accepted from the mobile terminal 20 by the motor vehicle 10. These clearance data D may then be transmitted to the mobile terminal 20 by means of the communication connection 40. To generate and provide the clearance data D and to evaluate the radio signal F for the purpose of determining the range, the motor vehicle 10 preferably comprises a control circuit 12. The control circuit 12 may in particular be designed as a computing unit or computing device and/or as a CPU (central processing unit) or ECU (electronic control unit) of the motor vehicle 10. To evaluate the radio signal F, the control circuit 12 may preferably comprise an evaluation module or evaluation circuit, which is not shown in FIG. 1. As soon as the clearance data D are now available in the mobile terminal 20, that is to say have been received by the mobile terminal 20, a control command S or multiple control commands S is or are given clearance in the mobile terminal 20 for selection. The respective control command S may then be made available by way of an operator control element of the mobile terminal 20 for selection. A command list containing control commands associated with the particular distance and/or relative position of the mobile terminal 20 in relation to the motor vehicle 10 may thus preferably be displayed to a user of the mobile terminal 20. When the user and thus the mobile terminal 20 approaches or moves away from the motor vehicle 10, this command list may be updated as appropriate.

[0049] The respective control command S may be transmitted from the mobile terminal 20 to the motor vehicle 10 by way of the communication connection 40 according to a predetermined trigger condition in order to control the motor vehicle 10. The trigger condition may describe when or how the respective control command S is transmitted. For example, the transmission may be triggered automatically when the clearance data D are available. Additionally or alternatively, there may also be provision for a predetermined operator control action by a user of the mobile terminal 20 in order for the respective control command S to be transmitted. The operator control action may comprise either a voice command or a gesture or a keystroke. To generate and transmit the control command S, the mobile terminal 20 likewise comprises a control circuit 22. The control circuit 22, like the control circuit 12, may preferably likewise be designed as a computing unit or computing device, in particular as a CPU or ECU.

[0050] The distance and/or the relative position of the mobile terminal 20 in relation to the motor vehicle 10 may preferably be determined by means of time-of-flight measurement for the transmitted radio signal F. Additionally or alternatively, the range may also be provided by way of a triangulation. To this end, at least one of the transmission/reception devices 11 of the motor vehicle 10 may preferably be designed as a multi-antenna module, for example as a 5G antenna module. Alternatively, it would also be possible for the range to be determined or for the range to be ascertained by way of a field strength measurement for the radio signal too.

[0051] As FIG. 1 shows, range-dependent control of the motor vehicle 10 using the respective control command S is accomplished by splitting surroundings around the motor vehicle 10, that is to say an outside area U in relation to the motor vehicle 10, into two zones 50. A further zone 50 is provided by the inside area K of the motor vehicle 10. There is therefore provision for three zones 50 according to FIG. 1. Each of the zones 50 has an associated respectively predetermined command class B1, B2, B3 containing at least one particular control command S1 to S4. The zones 50 are designed as an interior zone 51, a near zone 53 and a far zone 55 in FIG. 1. The interior zone 51 is preferably enclosed by a space or a volume that is bounded by the driver's cab of the motor vehicle 10. The vehicle housing or vehicle chassis is thus a virtual or imaginary zone boundary 52 for the interior zone 51. This zone boundary 52 thus separates the interior zone 51 from the rest of the zones 50. The near zone 53 is outside the motor vehicle 10, that is to say in the outside area U. The near zone 53 likewise comprises a zone boundary 54, which delimits the near zone 53 from the far zone 55 and the remainder of the outside area U. The zone boundary 54 describes a ring having a predefined radius around the motor vehicle 10. The aforementioned far zone 55 is also in the outside area U. The far zone 55 also comprises a zone boundary 56, which delimits the far zone 55 from the remainder of the outside area U. The zone boundary 56 likewise describes a ring having a predetermined radius around the motor vehicle 10. The radius of the zone boundary 56 is greater than the radius of the zone boundary 54. The near zone 53 is thus inside the zone boundary 56 of the far zone 55. Accordingly, the interior zone 51 is also inside the zone boundary 54 of the near zone 53 and the zone boundary 56 of the far zone 55. As an alternative to the design of the zone boundaries that is shown in FIG. 1, any other geometric shape is naturally also possible for the respective zone boundary 52, 54, 56.

[0052] For each of these zones 50, there is now provision, as described above, for various command classes containing different control commands S1 to S4. A first command class B1 may be associated with the far zone 55, for example. As shown by way of example in FIG. 1, the first command class B1 may comprise just one control command S1. The control command S1 may be a user-related or uncritical control command S, for example. The control command S1 may thus be used to adjust a convenience setting or a convenience function of the motor vehicle 10, for example. For example, the control command S1 may be a command for controlling a light system and/or an air conditioning system and/or a navigation device and/or a seat system and/or a multimedia interface of the motor vehicle 10.

[0053] The second command class B2 may be associated with the near zone 53, for example. As FIG. 1 shows, the second command class B2 may comprise not only the control command S1 described above but additionally also the control commands S2 and S3. The control commands S1 to S3 may preferably be security-relevant control commands. In this context, security-relevant means in particular that they are control commands for controlling a security function of the motor vehicle 10. The control commands S2 and S3 may be for example control commands for controlling a closing system for at least one vehicle door and/or at least one vehicle window and/or at least one vehicle trunk and/or at least one vehicle roof of the motor vehicle 10. The control commands S2 and S3 thus relate in particular to the opening or closing of the motor vehicle 10.

[0054] Finally, the third command class B3 is associated with the interior zone 51. Besides the control commands S1 to S3 described above, the third command class B3 additionally comprises the control command S4 too. The control command S4 may be in particular a driving-relevant control command. The control command S4 may be used in particular to control a function of the motor vehicle 10 that is relevant to driving operation. For example, the control command S4 may be used to control a starting system of the motor vehicle and/or to prevent closing of the respective closing system of the motor vehicle 10 and/or to control a warning system of the motor vehicle.

[0055] Depending on which zone 50 the mobile terminal 20 is currently in, different functions or settings may thus be encountered for the motor vehicle 10. Since the user-related control commands have now been given clearance within the far zone 55, for example, and may be transmitted, user-related settings, such as for example a seat position, may be adjusted even before the user arrives at the motor vehicle 10, for example. As a result of the security-relevant control commands being given clearance only within the near zone 53, it is possible to prevent another person from using the motor vehicle, for example. By giving clearance for the driving-relevant control command S4 within the interior zone 51, it is thus possible to ensure that the applicable user with the mobile terminal 20 is also in the motor vehicle 10.

[0056] In order now to check which of the control commands S1-S4 are currently supposed to be enabled, the distance between the motor vehicle 10 and the mobile terminal 20 is ascertained, as described above. This makes it possible to establish which of the zones 50 the mobile terminal 20 with the user is currently in. To this end, the control circuit 12 may be used to determine a distance value between the motor vehicle 10 and the mobile terminal 20, for example. The distance value may subsequently be compared with a range value range. This range value range is in particular defined by the zone dimensions, that is to say preferably by the respective zone boundaries 52, 54, 56. By way of example, the evaluation module of the control circuit 12 may thus be used to check whether the distance value is less than a radius of the respective zone boundary 52, 54, 56. If the distance value is less than the radius of the respective zone boundary 52, 54, 56, it is thus possible to confirm that the mobile terminal 20 is present in the respective zone 50. The aforementioned clearance data D may thus be generated and therefore the respective control commands S, S1-S4 enabled according to the zone 50.

[0057] The example embodiment shown in FIG. 1 could now be based on the following situation by way of illustration: a user of a 5G-compatible mobile radio, that is to say for example the mobile terminal 20, moves toward a motor vehicle 10 having one or two telephone modems (transmission/reception device 11) that has previously been selected by him. Either absolute positions or a scan mode are/is used to set up a connection (communication connection 40) between the mobile radio and the motor vehicle 10. The communication connection 40 is used to determine the relative position of the user and in particular of the mobile terminal 20 in relation to the motor vehicle 10. Following confirmation and authorization, the motor vehicle 10 accepts uncritical data and commands from the mobile radio. The commands (control commands S1, S2, S3, S4) are accepted within a defined radius around the motor vehicle 10. Some commands, such as for example opening or closing a vehicle roof, require the user to be close by so that the triggered function, that is to say the opening of the roof, may be monitored. Other commands absolutely require a presence in the motor vehicle 10, on the other hand. These commands include clearance for starting the engine, for example.

[0058] FIG. 2 again shows method steps for performing a method for controlling the motor vehicle 10 by means of the mobile terminal 20 by way of illustration. The method steps are arranged in a method flow diagram in FIG. 2. According to a step A1, a respective transmission/reception device 11, 21 of the motor vehicle 10 and of the mobile terminal 20 is first of all used to set up the communication connection 40. In a step A2, the distance and/or the relative position of the mobile terminal 20 in relation to the motor vehicle 10 is then ascertained by evaluating the radio signal F transmitted by means of the communication connection 40. Next, in a step A3, the control circuit 12 of the motor vehicle 10 takes the ascertained distance and/or the ascertained relative position as a basis for generating the clearance data D. Alternatively, the clearance data may also be generated by means of the control circuit 22, however. As described above, the clearance data indicate that the at least one predetermined control command S, S1 to S4 can be transmitted from the mobile terminal 20 to the motor vehicle 10 by way of the communication connection 40, or the motor vehicle 10 accepts the respective control command S, S1 to S4 from the mobile terminal 20. Finally, in a step A4, the predetermined control command S, S1 to S4 is transmitted from the mobile terminal 20 to the motor vehicle if the clearance data D are available in the mobile terminal 20 and the predetermined trigger condition for the respective control commands S, S1 to S4 is satisfied.

[0059] All in all, the examples thus show how a motor vehicle 10 may be controlled by means of a 5G-compatible mobile radio.

TABLE-US-00001 List of reference signs 1 system 10 motor vehicle 11 transmission/reception device 12 control circuit 20 mobile terminal 21 transmission/reception device 22 control circuit 40 communication connection 50 zone 51 interior zone 52 zone boundary 53 near zone 54 zone boundary 55 far zone 56 zone boundary A1 first step A2 second step A3 third step A4 fourth step B1 first command class B2 second command class B3 third command class D clearance data F radio signal I information data K inside area S control command S1 control command S2 control command S3 control command S4 control command U outside area