Method and network for pre-conditioning at least one component of a motor vehicle

1. A method for preconditioning at least one component of a motor vehicle, with which a first identification key is associated, comprising:

providing a plurality of short-range transceiver units;

ascertaining first position data of the first identification key carried by a user while the user moves outside of the motor vehicle as soon as the first identification key enters a reception range of a first one of the short-range transceiver units, the first short-range transceiver unit ascertaining the first position data of the first identification key;

transmitting the first position data via a first far-field transceiver unit not disposed in the first identification key;

ascertaining second position data of the first identification key, as soon as the first identification key enters the reception range of at least one further short-range transceiver unit among the short-range transceiver units, the further short-range transceiver unit ascertaining the second position data of the first identification key;

transmitting the second position data via a second far-field transceiver unit;

receiving at least the first and second position data by a third far-field transceiver unit;

ascertaining at least one movement vector for the first identification key from at least the first and second position data;

checking whether the movement vector meets at least one predefinable activation criterion for activating the preconditioning of the at least one component of the motor vehicle; and

when the checking is affirmative, activating the preconditioning of the at least one component of the motor vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the short-range transceiver units are permanently installed in at least one of respective motor vehicles, respective second identification keys and respective infrastructure elements.

3. The method according to claim 2 ,

wherein the first and second far-field transceiver units are disposed in the at least one of respective motor vehicles, respective second identification keys and respective infrastructure elements, and/or

wherein the first and second position data are initially transmitted serially by the short-range transceiver units in the at least one of respective motor vehicles, respective second identification keys and respective infrastructure elements, and a network element having both short-range and far-field transceiver units.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein at least the first and second position data are transmitted to the third far-field transceiver unit of a central data processing apparatus providing a backend server that performs the ascertaining.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the short-range transceiver units and the first, second and third far-field transceiver units form a communication network to the central data processing apparatus.

6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising:

transmitting from the central data processing apparatus, by way of the third far-field transceiver unit, at least one of the position data of the first identification key and the movement vector to a fourth far-field transceiver unit associated with the first motor vehicle;

transmitting, from the fourth far-field transceiver unit, the at least one of the position data and the movement vector to a control apparatus of the first motor vehicle; and

wherein the control apparatus performs the checking and activating.

7. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the central data processing apparatus performs the checking and activating.

8. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising:

transmitting from the central data processing apparatus, by way of the third far-field transceiver unit, at least one of the position data of the first identification key and the movement vector to a fourth far-field transceiver unit associated with the first motor vehicle;

transmitting, from the fourth far-field transceiver unit, the at least one of the position data and the movement vector to a control apparatus of the first motor vehicle; and

wherein the control apparatus performs the checking and activating.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first identification key and the further identification keys are one of a vehicle key, a chip card and a mobile terminal.

10. The method according to claim 9 , the activating the preconditioning is of at least one of:

an air-conditioning apparatus;

a unit bearing mounting drive and auxiliary units;

a chassis bearing in a wheel-motor vehicle body transmission chain;

a vehicle battery;

a catalytic converter;

a vehicle tank; and

a power electronics component.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the checking is of a predefinable activation criterion, including at least one of:

within a predefinable distance radius of the first motor vehicle, while a direction of the movement vector, including both direction and speed, over a predefinable period of time meets a predefinable direction criterion, and

a sequence of movement patterns learned and are stored in at least one of the central data processing system and the control apparatus of the first motor vehicle.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising varying, as a parameter of the preconditioning, power supplied to the at least one component of the motor vehicle depending on the sequence of movement patterns.

13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising:

transmitting, by at least one of the short-range transceiver units and the first, second, third and fourth far-field transceiver units of the network, relevant data to the central data processing apparatus;

predicting, by the central data processing apparatus from the relevant data, a speed of movement for the first identification key until arrival of the first identification key at the first motor vehicle; and

establishing, by at least one of the central data processing apparatus and the control apparatus of the first motor vehicle, an activation time of the at least one component of the motor vehicle depending on the speed of movement.

14. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising:

transmitting, by at least one of the short-range transceiver units and the first, second and third far-field transceiver units, relevant data to the central data processing apparatus;

predicting, by the central data processing apparatus from the relevant data, a speed of movement for the first identification key until arrival of the first identification key at the first motor vehicle; and

establishing, by at least one of the central data processing apparatus and the control apparatus of the first motor vehicle, an activation time of the at least one component of the motor vehicle depending on the speed of movement.

15. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the checking is of a predefinable activation criterion, including at least one of:

within a predefinable distance radius of the first motor vehicle, while a direction of the movement vector, including both direction and speed, over a predefinable period of time meets a predefinable direction criterion, and

a sequence of movement patterns learned and are stored in at least one of the central data processing system and the control apparatus of the first motor vehicle.

16. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising varying, as a parameter of the preconditioning, power supplied to the at least one component of the motor vehicle depending on the sequence of movement patterns.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first identification key and the further identification keys are one of a vehicle key, a chip card and a mobile terminal.

18. The method according to claim 1 , the activating the preconditioning is of at least one of:

an air-conditioning apparatus;

a unit bearing mounting drive and auxiliary units;

a chassis bearing in a wheel-motor vehicle body transmission chain;

a vehicle battery;

a catalytic converter;

a vehicle tank; and

a power electronics component.

19. A network for preconditioning at least one component of a motor vehicle with which an identification key is associated, comprising:

short-range transceiver units, each configured to ascertain position data of the identification key carried by a user while the user moves outside of the motor vehicle, as soon as the identification key enters a reception range thereof;

far-field transceiver units, each configured to transmit the position data via a far-field transmission of which the identification key is incapable; and

a central data processing apparatus configured to

receive from at least one far-field transceiver unit, at least first and second position data ascertained by at least first and second short-range transceivers,

ascertain at least one movement vector for the identification key from the at least first and second position data,

checking whether the movement vector meets at least one predefinable activation criterion for activating the preconditioning of the at least one component of the motor vehicle, and

transmit, via the at least one far-field transceiver unit, an instruction to the motor vehicle to activate the preconditioning of the at least one component of the motor vehicle, when the checking is affirmative.

20. Non-transitory computer-readable media embodying program code that when executed by control devices of short-range transceiver units, at least one far-field transceiver unit and a central data processing apparatus perform a method for preconditioning at least one component of a motor vehicle with which an identification key is associated, comprising:

ascertaining, by a first short-range transceiver unit, first position data of the identification key carried by a user while the user moves outside of the motor vehicle, as soon as the identification key enters a reception range of the first short-range transceiver unit;

transmitting the first position data via a far-field transmission of which the identification key is incapable;

ascertaining, by a further short-range transceiver unit, second position data of the identification key, as soon as the identification key enters the reception range of the further short-range transceiver unit;

transmitting the second position data via another far-field transmission;

receiving at least the first and second position data by a far-field transceiver unit;

ascertaining at least one movement vector for the identification key from at least the first and second position data;

checking whether the movement vector meets at least one predefinable activation criterion for activating the preconditioning of the at least one component of the motor vehicle; and

activating the preconditioning of the at least one component of the motor vehicle when the checking is affirmative.