IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,172,145
Granted Patent B2
US 10,172,145 · App. 15/421,179 · Granted Jan 1, 2019

Phone-as-a-key localization based on object detection

Inventors: Laura Viviana Hazebrouck (Birmingham, MI); John Robert Van Wiemeersch (Novi, MI); Aaron DeLong (Toledo, OH); Vivekanandh Elangovan (Canton, MI); Hamid M Golgiri (Westland, MI); Erick Michael Lavoie (Dearborn, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
H04W72/085H04B1/3822H04M1/7253H04M1/72533
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,172,145
App. No.
15/421,179
Granted
Jan 1, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Method and apparatus are disclosed for phone-as-a-key localization based on object detection. An example disclosed vehicle includes sensors, wireless nodes, and a phone key unit. The example sensors detect objects around the vehicle. The example wireless nodes receive RSSI values from a mobile device. The example phone key unit determines a quantity of the objects around the vehicle. The example phone key unit also determines a first RSSI threshold based on the quantity. Additionally, in response to an average of a portion of the RSSI values satisfying the first RSSI threshold, the phone key unit primes a door of the vehicle.

Claims (42)

1. A vehicle comprising:

sensors to detect objects around the vehicle;

wireless nodes to receive received signal strength (RSSI) values from a mobile device; and

a phone key unit to:

determine a quantity of the objects around the vehicle;

determine a first RSSI threshold based on the quantity; and

in response to an average of a portion of the RSSI values satisfying the first RSSI threshold, prime a door of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the sensors detect the objects around the vehicle in response to the phone key unit detecting a presence of the mobile device.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the phone key unit is to:

determine a second RSSI threshold based on the quantity; and

in response to the average of the portion of the RSSI values satisfying the second RSSI threshold, activate welcome lights of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the phone key unit is to, based on a quantity of the objects around the vehicle, determine that an area around the vehicle is in one of a first category, a second category, or a third category.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the first RSSI threshold and the second RSSI threshold are determined based on being in the first category, the second category, or the third category.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the wireless nodes include a first wireless node and a second wireless node on a first side of the vehicle, a third wireless node and a fourth wireless node on a second side of the vehicle, a fifth wireless node on a front of the vehicle, a sixth wireless node on a back of the vehicle, an a seventh wireless node inside the vehicle.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the RSSI values is two of the RSSI values.

8. A method comprising:

detecting, via range detection sensors, objects around a vehicle;

receiving, via a plurality of wireless nodes, received signal strength (RSSI) values from a mobile device;

determining, via a processor, a quantity of the objects around the vehicle;

determining a first RSSI threshold based on the quantity; and

in response to an average of a portion of the RSSI values satisfying the first RSSI threshold, priming a door of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein detecting the objects around the vehicle is in response to detecting a presence of the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 8 , including

determining a second RSSI threshold based on the quantity; and

in response to the average of the portion of the RSSI values satisfying the second RSSI threshold, activating welcome lights of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10 , including, based on the quantity of the objects around the vehicle, determining that an area around the vehicle is in one of a first category, a second category, or a third category.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first RSSI threshold and the second RSSI threshold are determined based on being in the first category, the second category, or the third category.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein receiving the RSSI values from the mobile device includes:

receiving first and second RSSI values from first and second wireless nodes on a first side of the vehicle;

receiving third and fourth RSSI values from third and fourth wireless node on a second side of the vehicle;

receiving a fifth RSSI value from a fifth wireless node on a front of the vehicle; and

receiving a sixth RSSI value from a sixth wireless node on a back of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the portion of the RSSI values is two of the RSSI values.

15. A tangible computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a vehicle to:

detect, via range detection sensors, objects around the vehicle;

receive, via a plurality of wireless nodes, received signal strength (RSSI) values from a mobile device;

determine a quantity of the objects around the vehicle;

determine a first RSSI threshold based on the quantity; and

in response to an average of a portion of the RSSI values satisfying the first RSSI threshold, prime a door of the vehicle.

16. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions cause the vehicle to:

determine a second RSSI threshold based on the quantity; and

in response to the average of the portion of the RSSI values satisfying the second RSSI threshold, activate welcome lights of the vehicle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 16, 2017
From: HAZEBROUCK, LAURA VIVIANA; WIEMEERSCH, JOHN ROBERT VAN; DELONG, AARON; ELANGOVAN, VIVEKANANDH; GOLGIRI, HAMID M.; LAVOIE, ERICK MICHAEL
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 041281/0710 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180220429A1 · Aug 2, 2018
Cited By (2)
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