IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,559,064
Granted Patent B2
US 12,559,064 · App. 18/387,714 · Granted Feb 24, 2026

Ultra wide band based digital key positioning and object sensor positioning fusion with vehicle control

Inventor: Jaewoong Min (Seoul, KR)
Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation
B60R25/305B60R25/24B60W60/001B60R2325/101B60R2325/20B60W2420/403B60W2420/408B60W2554/80B60W2556/35
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,559,064
App. No.
18/387,714
Granted
Feb 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle may include: an autonomous vehicle sensor configured to detect an object located around the vehicle; an ultra wide band (UWB) module configured to receive a UWB signal transmitted from a digital key; and a controller configured to be electrically connected to the UWB module. The controller is configured to obtain sensor-based positioning information of the object located around the vehicle based on sensor data obtained by the autonomous vehicle sensor, obtain UWB-based positioning information of the digital key based on the UWB signal received in the UWB module, determine a position of the digital key based on the sensor-based positioning information of the object and the UWB-based positioning information of the digital key, and control the vehicle based on the determined position of the digital key.

Claims (56)

1 . A vehicle, comprising:

an autonomous vehicle sensor configured to detect an object located around the vehicle;

an ultra wide band (UWB) module configured to receive a UWB signal transmitted from a digital key; and

a controller configured to be electrically connected to the UWB module,

wherein the controller is configured to:

obtain sensor-based positioning information of the object located around the vehicle based on sensor data obtained by the autonomous vehicle sensor,

obtain UWB-based positioning information of the digital key based on the UWB signal received in the UWB module,

determine a position of the digital key based on the sensor-based positioning information of the object and the UWB-based positioning information of the digital key,

control the vehicle based on the determined position of the digital key, and

obtain the sensor-based positioning information and the UWB-based positioning information in a different order depending on whether a vehicle network is in a wake-up state or a sleep state.

2 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the autonomous vehicle sensor comprises a combination of at least two of: (1) a camera, (2) a radar, or (3) a laser imaging, detection, and ranging (lidar) which are provided to have a field of view around the vehicle, and the controller is further configured to:

in response to the vehicle network being in the wake-up state, classify the object into stationary objects and moving objects based on fusion data obtained by the autonomous vehicle sensor, generate a moving object list for moving objects moving in a direction of the vehicle among the moving objects, and obtain sensor-based positioning information of the moving object list, and

in response to the vehicle network being in the sleep state, perform Bluetooth pairing, request to wake up an autonomous driving controller connected to the vehicle network after the Bluetooth pairing is successful, and receive the sensor-based positioning information of the moving object list from the woken autonomous driving controller to obtain the sensor-based positioning information of the moving object list.

3 . The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to generate a grid map based on the fusion data, and match the moving object list with the grid map to obtain the sensor-based positioning information of the moving object list.

4 . The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

sort a pedestrian and a two-wheeled vehicle from among the moving objects,

generate the moving object list for moving objects moving in the direction of the vehicle among the pedestrian and the two-wheeled vehicle, and

generate an expected path of the moving object list according to a movement path of the moving object list and respective positions of the stationary objects.

5 . The vehicle of claim 4 , further comprising:

a Bluetooth module configured to perform Bluetooth communication with the digital key,

wherein the controller is further configured to:

perform Bluetooth communication through the Bluetooth module in response to the moving object list approaching the vehicle within a preset range, and

determine a moving object that successfully pairs with the Bluetooth module from the moving object list as a user with the digital key.

6 . The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to perform UWB communication with the digital key based on an expected path of the user with the digital key, and obtain the UWB-based positioning information of the digital key based on the UWB signal received from the digital key.

7 . The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the position of the digital key based on sensor-based positioning information of the user with the digital key and the UWB-based positioning information of the digital key.

8 . The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the position of the digital key based on the sensor-based positioning information of the user with the digital key and the UWB-based positioning information of the digital key, based on the UWB signal not being disconnected, and not corresponding to a UWB communication failure, and a sensor positioning performance index of the autonomous vehicle sensor being higher than a preset index.

9 . The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the position of the digital key based on the UWB-based positioning information of the digital key, based on the UWB signal not being disconnected, and not corresponding to a UWB communication failure, and a sensor positioning performance index of the autonomous vehicle sensor being lower than a preset index.

10 . The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the position of the digital key based on the sensor-based positioning information of the user with the digital key, based on the UWB signal being disconnected, corresponding to a UWB communication failure, and a sensor positioning performance index of the autonomous vehicle sensor being higher than a preset index.

11 . A control method of a vehicle, the control method comprising:

obtaining sensor data through an autonomous vehicle sensor configured to detect an object located around the vehicle;

obtaining sensor-based positioning information of the object located around the vehicle based on the obtained sensor data;

obtaining, by an ultra wide band (UWB) module, UWB-based positioning information of a digital key based on a signal transmitted from the digital key;

determining a position of the digital key based on the sensor-based positioning information of the object and the UWB-based positioning information of the digital key; and

controlling the vehicle based on the determined position of the digital key,

wherein the sensor-based positioning information and the UWB-based positioning information are obtained in a different order depending on whether a vehicle network is in a wake-up state or a sleep state.

12 . The control method of claim 11 , wherein the autonomous vehicle sensor comprises a combination of at least two of: (1) a camera, (2) a radar, or (3) a lidar which are provided to have a field of view around the vehicle, and

the obtaining of the sensor-based positioning information of the object comprises:

in response to the vehicle network being in the wake-up state, classifying the object into stationary objects and moving objects based on fusion data obtained by the autonomous vehicle sensor, generating a moving object list for moving objects moving in a direction of the vehicle among the moving objects, and obtaining sensor-based positioning information of the moving object list, and

in response to the vehicle network being in the sleep state, performing Bluetooth pairing, requesting to wake up an autonomous driving controller connected to the vehicle network after the Bluetooth pairing is successful, and receiving the sensor-based positioning information of the moving object list from the woken autonomous driving controller to obtain the sensor-based positioning information of the moving object list.

13 . The control method of claim 12 , wherein the obtaining of the sensor-based positioning information of the object step further comprises:

generating a grid map based on the fusion data, and

matching the moving object list with the grid map to obtain the sensor-based positioning information of the moving object list.

14 . The control method of claim 12 , wherein the obtaining of the sensor-based positioning information of the object step further comprises:

sorting a pedestrian and a two-wheeled vehicle from among the moving objects,

generating the moving object list for moving objects moving in the direction of the vehicle among the pedestrian and the two-wheeled vehicle, and

generating an expected path of the moving object list according to a movement path of the moving object list and respective positions of the stationary objects.

15 . The control method of claim 14 , wherein the obtaining of the UWB-based positioning information of the digital key step further comprises:

performing Bluetooth communication through a Bluetooth module configured to perform Bluetooth communication with the digital key, in response to the moving object list approaching the vehicle within a preset range, and

determining a moving object that successfully pairs with the Bluetooth module from the moving object list as a user with the digital key.

16 . The control method of claim 15 , wherein the obtaining of the UWB-based positioning information of the digital key step further comprises:

performing UWB communication with the digital key based on an expected path of the user with the digital key, and

obtaining the UWB-based positioning information of the digital key based on the UWB signal received from the digital key.

17 . The control method of claim 15 , wherein the determining of the position of the digital key step further comprises determining the position of the digital key based on sensor-based positioning information of the user with the digital key and the UWB-based positioning information of the digital key.

18 . The control method of claim 17 , wherein the determining of the position of the digital key step further comprises determining the position of the digital key based on the sensor-based positioning information of the user with the digital key and the UWB-based positioning information of the digital key, based on the UWB signal not being disconnected, and not corresponding to a UWB communication failure, and a sensor positioning performance index of the autonomous vehicle sensor being higher than a preset index.

19 . The control method of claim 17 , wherein the determining of the position of the digital key step further comprises determining the position of the digital key based on the UWB-based positioning information of the digital key, based on the UWB signal not being disconnected, and not corresponding to a UWB communication failure, and a sensor positioning performance index of the autonomous vehicle sensor being lower than a preset index.

20 . The control method of claim 17 , wherein the determining of the position of the digital key step further comprises determining the position of the digital key based on the sensor-based positioning information of the user with the digital key, based on the UWB signal being disconnected, corresponding to a UWB communication failure, and a sensor positioning performance index of the autonomous vehicle sensor being higher than a preset index.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2023
From: MIN, JAEWOONG
To: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY; KIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 065485/0986 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2023-0046124 · Apr 7, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240336228A1 · Oct 10, 2024
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