Continental Automotive Gmbh

Continental Automotive France

Continental Automotive Technologies Gmbh

Sylvain Godet

Stéphane Billy

Rachid Benbouhout

Nicolas Guinart

Sébastien Chanal

Dawid Durka

Jean-Phillippe Boisset

Mohamed Cheikh

Sébastien Kessler

Michael Loeffler

Alexis Morin

Jerome Lee

Antoine Richard

Ingrid Horatius

Martin Opitz

Clément Ferry

Stephane Dufour

Frederic Merlet

Frédéric Merlet

Arthur Fouss

Michael LÖFFLER

A method for activating a function of a motor vehicle by an activation device, using a portable access device carried by a user. The activation of the function being initiated by detection of the presence of the user in a predetermined area around the vehicle, and in accordance with a result of authentication of the portable access device by the vehicle, the method including: A) the detection of the presence of the user in the predetermined area is implemented by a predetermined profile of ultra-wideband radiation emitted by the activation device in what is known as an ultra-wideband reflective mode and reflected by the user, and B) the authentication of the portable device is implemented by a bidirectional ultra-wideband communication between the activation device and the portable access device.

Method for activating a motor vehicle function and associated activation device

A method for detecting the opening of the openable sections of a motor vehicle by a detection device. The device includes at least two ultra-high-frequency communication modules, each located on a different openable section and connected to an electronic computer. An opening angle of a first openable section is determined based on: a first distance between a rotation point of the first openable section on which a first communication module is located and a position of a second module when the two openable sections associated with the two modules are closed; a second distance between a rotation point of the first openable section and a position of the first module on the openable section; a distance between the two modules when the two openable sections associated with the two modules are closed; a distance between the modules, determined by a time of flight of ultra-high-frequency radiation exchanged between the modules.

Method for detecting the opening of the openable sections of a motor vehicle and associated detection device

A computer for a motor vehicle. The vehicle including a plurality of wheels, at least one of the wheels including a sensor for measuring at least one value of a 'pitch' parameter, enabling the computer to determine a “pitch” coordinate of the sensor along a predetermined “pitch” axis orthogonal to the direction of movement of the vehicle and parallel to the plane of the road. The computer being capable of receiving from the sensor at least one value of the pitch parameter, determining at least one pitch coordinate of the sensor on the basis of the at least one value received, detecting a geometric anomaly in the wheel including the sensor when at least one determined pitch coordinate is outside a first predetermined range of values of coordinates on the pitch axis.

Detection of a geometric anomaly of a vehicle wheel

A method for detecting a change in location of the wheels of a motor vehicle, the vehicle having at least one central processing unit, and two wheel units which each includes an electronic assembly of sensors and which are each mounted on one of the wheels. The method including a monitoring step, during which a first pattern representative of the location of the wheel unit is established, when the vehicle is at a standstill, and an evaluation step, during which a possible first variation in each first pattern is measured to estimate if the location of the wheel has changed.

Method for detecting a change in location of the wheels of a motor vehicle

A method and a system for ultra high frequency communication with and location of a portable device for 'hands-free' access to a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle having an on-board communication device comprising an ultra high frequency transceiver, an electrical power supply source and at least one antenna, the motor vehicle including a first arrangement, in which the transceiver is connected to the antenna, and a second arrangement, in which the transceiver is disconnected from the antenna. The transceiver is connected to an attenuation module located at a predetermined distance from the transceiver. The attenuation module includes an impedance of predetermined value connected to ground. The predetermined distance between the transceiver and the attenuation module, as well as the predetermined value of the impedance, defining a locating area of the portable device in and around the motor vehicle.

Method for ultra high frequency continuous communication with and location of a portable device for 'hands-free' access to a motor vehicle

A method for activating a function of a motor vehicle by an activation device on the vehicle having at least one communication unit including at least one radiofrequency antenna and transmission and reception device. The activation coming from a user's portable device. The activation of the function is triggered by detection of the user's presence in a predetermined zone around the vehicle and on the basis of a result of authentication of the portable device by the vehicle. For at least two responses received from the portable device: a) comparing, for each response, a power of a first wave received at a time with a maximum power of the components of the first wave received, b) determining, for each response, a presence or absence of reflected waves, c) determining an averaged reflection rate for the responses, d) determining a minimum value for the time from the responses, e) if the averaged reflection rate is zero or full, then the user's presence in the predetermined area is determined using the minimum value for the time, f) if the averaged reflection rate is partial, then the user's presence in the predetermined area is detected using the minimum value for the time, to which a corrective coefficient is applied.

Method for activating a vehicle function and associated activation device

A method for estimating the distance between a vehicle and an authentication device, the vehicle including a computer and a plurality of communication modules capable of communicating with the device over a wireless communication link, each communication module including an electronic clock that defines the sampling frequency of the signals received from the device. The method includes in particular the steps of addition of noise to a response signal received from the device, of sampling of the noisy response signal, of detection, at a second instant, of the noisy response signal when the amplitude of the noisy response signal exceeds a predetermined detection threshold, of calculation of the time that has elapsed between a first instant and the second instant, and of estimation of the distance between the vehicle and the device based on the calculated time.

Method for estimating the distance separating a vehicle and an authentication device

A method for determining the distance between an authentication device carried by a user and a motor vehicle, each including a wireless communication module so as to exchange a data frame, the data frame being modulated by changing the phase of a reference signal. The method includes the following steps of: the vehicle receiving a modulated reference signal, sent by the device, demodulating the received signal in order to extract an in-phase component and a quadrature component therefrom, computing the power value of the signal on the basis of the maximum amplitude value of the in-phase component and of the maximum amplitude value of the quadrature component, and determining the distance between the device and the vehicle on the basis of the computed power value.

Method for determining the distance between an authentication device and a vehicle

A method for detecting a change in location of at least one wheel of a motor vehicle, the vehicle having at least one central processing unit, one wheel unit which includes an electronic assembly of sensors and which is mounted on the wheel, and one bidirectional communications assembly. The method notably includes a first comparison step, during which a first evaluation pattern is compared with a first reference pattern to determine whether the location of the wheel has changed, the patterns being representative of the effective location of the wheel unit in the motor vehicle.

Method for detecting a change in location of at least one wheel of a motor vehicle

A UHF communication method for activating a motor vehicle function with a portable item of user equipment, based on the presence of the portable item of equipment in predetermined areas around the vehicle. The portable item transmitting a first signaling event at a predetermined period on at least one signaling channel. The first event including at least one signaling frame having a data block. The method including: a predetermined number of additional signaling events transmitted to the vehicle during the period; a request signal received from the vehicle, for each signaling frame of each event received by the vehicle; sending a response frame upon receipt of the request signal by the portable item; determining the presence of the portable item in one of the predetermined areas based on the strength values of the received signal; activating a vehicle function based on the determined presence of the portable item of equipment.

Method for activating a function of a vehicle by ultra high frequency with an item of portable user equipment and device for activating an associated function

A corner sensor for a motor vehicle capable of communicating over a wireless communication link with an authentication device and including: an array of antennae; and an electronic control unit configured to: determine the phase difference between the segments received by the antennae; determine the probability of each angle of incidence over a range of angles that is predetermined on the basis of the determined phase differences and of a predefined table, so as to determine a probability profile; measure the power of the segments received by the antennae of the array of antennae so as to determine a power profile; determine the actual angle of incidence of the signal by multiplying the probability profile with the power profile; and send the value of the determined actual angle of incidence to a central electronic control unit of the vehicle.

Corner sensor for a motor vehicle

A method for estimating the distance between an authentication device and a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, the vehicle including a computer and a plurality of communication modules capable of communicating with the device by exchanging signals over a wireless communication link, each communication module including an electronic clock that defines the sampling frequency of the signals received from the device. The method includes a plurality of measurement phases each comprising determination, by the computer, of the distance between the vehicle and the device and stopping and restarting of the electronic clock, and estimation of the actual distance between the vehicle and the device based on the plurality of distances determined during the measurement phases.

Method for estimating the distance separating an authentication device and a motor vehicle

A process for detecting a portable user device in a predetermined zone on the inside or outside of a vehicle by a detection device onboard the vehicle. The high-frequency, BLE type communication includes a first signaling mode and a second communication mode, the first mode including: positioning the portable device at a predetermined fixed distance from the detection device, transmitting a signal by the detection device with predetermined transmission power on a channel. As long as the detection device is receiving a response signal from the portable device, repeating transmission of the signal at the same transmission power on other channels, otherwise, repeating transmission of the signal on a channel with reduced transmission power, and if the detection device no longer receives a response signal, comparing the transmission power to a predetermined threshold transmission power, and applying a correction to the transmission power during the second mode.

Process for detection of a portable user device in a predetermined zone on the inside of or on the outside of a vehicle by ultra high frequency, associated detection device and associated user device

A reception device for receiving a radio signal, designed to estimate a time of arrival of the radio signal. The reception device includes a reception module designed to receive the radio signal, and a detection module configured so as to: measure a current supplied by an electric power source to the reception module, detect a current peak measured by the detection module, the current peak being caused by the reception of the radio signal by the reception module, and determine the time of arrival of the radio signal on the basis of the time of detection of the detected current peak.

Method and device for determining a time of arrival of a radio signal

A wheel unit for a system for transmitting data from the wheel unit to a receiver of a vehicle. The wheel unit is configured for mounting to a wheel of the vehicle, and the wheel unit includes the following: a memory for storing wheel type data related to the type of the wheel at which the wheel unit is mounted; a processor for processing the wheel type data stored in the memory; a transmitter for RF-transmitting data telegrams to a vehicle-mounted receiver. The processor determines an RF power value based on the stored wheel type data, and the transmitter transmits the data telegrams with an RF power based on the determined RF power value.

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Saint-Cezert, France

Sylvain Godet