US 12,291,168 B2
Vehicle digital key system
Jae Yeon Choi, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to LG INNOTEK CO., LTD., Seoul (KR)
Appl. No. 18/272,480
Filed by LG INNOTEK CO., LTD., Seoul (KR)
PCT Filed Feb. 9, 2022, PCT No. PCT/KR2022/001956
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 14, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/173209, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 18, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2021-0018259 (KR), filed on Feb. 9, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0075903 A1, Mar. 7, 2024
Int. Cl. B60R 25/24 (2013.01); B60R 25/34 (2013.01)
CPC B60R 25/245 (2013.01) [B60R 25/34 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle digital key system comprising:
a first communication module configured to broadcast a first signal at a predetermined time interval, calculate a distance to a key fob based on a second signal corresponding to the first signal when the first communication module receives the second signal from the key fob, and switch a second communication module from a sleep mode to a wakeup mode when the calculated distance is within a preset first threshold;
the second communication module configured to switch a plurality of third communication modules from the sleep mode to the wakeup mode and calculate a position of the key fob using at least three third communication modules among the plurality of third communication modules; and
a controller configured to unlock a door of a vehicle based on the position of the key fob,
wherein the plurality of third communication modules transmit third signals and calculate respective individual distances to the key fob based on fourth signals corresponding to the third signals when the third communication modules receive the fourth signals from the key fob, and
the second communication module:
selects at least three third communication modules adjacent to each other among the plurality of third communication modules based on the individual distances and calculates the position of the key fob using the individual distances of the selected three third communication modules when the individual distance of the third communication module positioned in a middle among the selected third communication modules is the shortest; and
when the individual distance of the third communication module positioned in the middle among the selected third communication modules is not the shortest, calculates the position of the key fob using the individual distances of the selected three third communication modules when the individual distances of selected left and right third communication modules are greater than or equal to a threshold, and reselects third communication modules based on the left third communication module or the right third communication module when the individual distances of the selected left and right third communication modules are smaller than the threshold.