US 11,926,285 B2
Remote communication system
Yoshihisa Kishimoto, Miyagi (JP); Keigo Wakana, Miyagi (JP); Daisuke Takai, Miyagi (JP); Yukimitsu Yamada, Miyagi (JP); Mitsuharu Nakasato, Miyagi (JP); and Kazuma Sato, Miyagi (JP)
Assigned to ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD., Tokyo (JP)
Filed by ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD., Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Jul. 27, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/443,534.
Application 17/443,534 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2019/048268, filed on Dec. 10, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-019145 (JP), filed on Feb. 5, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0354662 A1, Nov. 18, 2021
Int. Cl. B60R 25/24 (2013.01); G01S 5/02 (2010.01); G01S 11/04 (2006.01); G01S 11/06 (2006.01); B60W 30/06 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 25/245 (2013.01) [G01S 5/02 (2013.01); G01S 11/04 (2013.01); G01S 11/06 (2013.01); B60R 2325/205 (2013.01); B60W 30/06 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A remote communication system comprising:
a portable device; and
a fixed system, wherein
the fixed system includes:
a plurality of main communication modules; and
a position estimating unit configured to estimate a position of the portable device, based on an incident angle of a signal transmitted from the portable device, upon determining that the signal is detected by two or more antennas provided in the plurality of main communication modules, the incident angle being relative to each of the two or more antennas and calculated based on information measured by the two or more antennas, wherein
when there are two or more main communication modules, among the plurality of main communication modules, that are in a state in which the incident angle of the signal transmitted from the portable device is known, the position estimating unit estimates the position of the portable device based on the incident angle of each of the signals transmitted from the portable device, at the two or more main communication modules and in a portable device presence area corresponding to a region that meets a condition that the two or more main communication modules are present,
upon determining that there are not two or more main communication modules, among the plurality of main communication modules, that are in the state in which the incident angle of the signal transmitted from the portable device is known, when there is one main communication module, among the plurality of main communication modules, that is in the state in which the incident angle of the signal transmitted from the portable device is known, the position estimating unit estimates the position of the portable device based on the incident angle of the signal transmitted from the portable device and a received radio wave intensity of the signal transmitted from the portable device, at the one main communication module and in a portable device presence area corresponding to a region that meets a condition that the one main communication module is present, and
upon determining that there is no main communication module, among the plurality of main communication modules, that is in the state in which the incident angle of the signal transmitted from the portable device is known, the position estimating unit estimates the position of the portable device based on a received radio wave intensity of the signal transmitted from the portable device, in a portable device presence area corresponding to a region that meets a condition that none of the plurality of main communication modules are present, and wherein
the signal transmitted from the portable device simultaneously delivers a signal for delivering necessary information to surroundings of the portable device and a signal for communicating with one or more communication modules, and
the information measured by the two or more antennas includes phase information, signal intensity information, and time information.