PASSENGER-AS-A-PEDESTRIAN

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to methods of operating an ad hoc network to protect a passenger-as-a- pedestrian of a stationary vehicle from a vehicle in motion and relates to a system to protect a passenger-as- a-pedestrian of a stationary vehicle from a vehicle in motion .

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Car-access-systems as, for example, personal entry and passive-entry-passive-start systems and

vehicle-to-vehicle respectively vehicle-to-vehicle systems are widely used in modern vehicles.

[0003] Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) applications are gaining more and more traction around the world due to the potential safety benefits that they offer in the avoidance of vehicle collisions. In some regions such V2V-applications may be mandated in the not so distant future e.g. USA F VSS150.

[0004] At the same time, car-access-systems (CAS) are moving towards smarter key systems, such as passive- entry-passive-start systems (PEPS) . These PEPS-systems typically use a keyfob and even a SmartPhone as a Virtual Key (SP-VK) . The PEPS-system is seeing rapid growth worldwide, up to 50% take rate by 2025. That is twice as much as today's take rate. In addition, the progress in PEPS-technology is enabling a precise determination of the approach location and relative distance of the driver-as-a-pedestrian to the vehicle, when carrying the keyfob or SP-VK. In PEPS-systerns , the approach location of the driver-as-a-pedestrian relative to their vehicle is based on either received-signal-strength-indicator (RSSI) and/or RF Ranging ( Time-of-Flight ) techniques. And, in combination with signal time polling, the

approach of the driver-as-a-pedestrian approach location can be determined with a certain level of accuracy. It can be as low as several centimeters to a few meters. Even though the detection range can be as high as a few hundred meters, this invention would be more valuable from a safety standpoint when the driver is within the vicinity of the car, in the range of around 15m or less. This range is typically where the welcome function (WF) of the PEPS-system is triggered and some in-car

components wake up.

[0005] U.S. Patent Application Publication No.

2016/0225260 Al relates to a vehicle safety system with a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system, wherein a remote-keyless-entry fob is equipped with a vehicle-to- vehicle remote frequency receiver to receive messages of the vehicle-to-vehicle communication system of the vehicle .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] In accordance with the present invention, there is an interaction between the car-access-system which is part of the electronic control unit and the vehicle-to- vehicle system which is part of the on-board-unit via the vehicle network. The connection of these systems within the vehicle enables the on-board-unit to receive at least temporarily information from the electronic control unit and at least temporarily communicate based on the

information received from the car-access-system via the vehicle-to-vehicle system with any vehicle or with selected vehicles in motion. Since the information is generated by the proprietary car-access-system in

communication with an electronic key of the car-access- system which is carried by a passenger-as-a-pedestrian of the stationary vehicle there is no need to establish an additional short range communication for any

communication of the electronic key or any comparable device with the vehicle and especially the vehicle-to- vehicle system. A communication path between the

electronic key, the car-access-system of the electronic control unit and the vehicle-to-vehicle system of the onboard-unit is a sure way to provide the vehicle-to- vehicle system as well as the electronic key with all necessary data to increase safety without the necessity to provide the electronic key with an additional energy consuming wireless system. The electronic key is not equipped with a vehicle-to-vehicle-transceiver. The electronic key does not comprise a vehicle-to-vehicle- transceiver in order to guarantee a simple and distinct communication, reduce energy consumption and to keep an installation space for electronics small. [0007] By the inventive method respectively by the inventive system vehicle-to-driver safety functions for the passenger-as-a-pedestrian of a parked/stationary vehicle are achieved offering additional protection particularly when the passenger-as-a-pedestrian

exits/enters the vehicle from the side facing the road or when the passenger-as-a-pedestrian heads towards the parked/stationary vehicle. By a vehicle-to-driver message the passenger-as-a-pedestrian carrying an

electronic key is protected against other vehicles passing by. A vehicle-to-driver message is a message sent by the vehicle-to-vehicle system from a

parked/stationary vehicle to a vehicle in motion with the aim to protect a passenger-as-a-pedestrian inside or outside of a stationary vehicle from a vehicle in motion.

[0008] This protection is achieved by defining specific interactions between the car-access-system which is, for example, a passive-entry-passive-start system and the onboard-unit. Whereby the parked/stationary vehicle acts as a surrogate vehicle-to-vehicle and especially vehicle- to-driver transmitter for the passenger-as-a-pedestrian. Specifically, when car-access-system of the stationary vehicle detects the presence and location of an

electronic key approaching or departing the stationary vehicle, the on-board-unit of the stationary vehicle will begin to transmit messages via the vehicle-to-vehicle system on behalf of the passenger-as-a-pedestrian.

[0009] The advantages of such a concept which relies on technologies that might become standard in not so distant future would bring new added safety for pedestrian activity around a stationary vehicle. This method has the advantage of requiring no new or additional state-of- the art technology to be added to the electronic key and no added power load on this device. It also benefits from the fact that the vehicle-to-vehicle transmitter which broadcast the vehicle-to-driver messages is remote from the passenger-as-a-pedestrian and RF transmission is less likely to be blocked by the human body as it would if the transmitter was in the electronic key.

[0010] According to the present invention, a passenger- as-a-pedestrian is any person carrying an electronic key that belongs to the car-access-system of the stationary vehicle or any stationary vehicle. According to the present invention, a passenger-as-a-pedestrian is a driver-as-a-pedestrian of a stationary vehicle carrying an electronic key of this stationary vehicle and/or any co-driver carrying an electronic key of this stationary vehicle .

[0011] According to the present invention, the terms "car" and "vehicle" are used as synonyms.

[0012] According to the present invention, the term electronic key comprises any identification device especially key or smartphone regardless of its capability to start the engine of a vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates upon reading the following description with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

[0014] FIG. 1 is a simplified and schematic top view of a stationary vehicle, a vehicle in motion and a driver- as-a-pedestrian of one example embodiment of the present invention .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] In one example embodiment of the present

invention a detail of a road 1 is shown in a top view. The detail shows a traffic lane 2, a parking lane 3 with three parking areas 3a, 3b and 3c. Additionally a stationary respectively parking vehicle 101, a passenger- as-a-pedestrian 201 who is a driver-as-a-pedestrian 202 of the stationary vehicle 101 and a vehicle in motion 301 are shown in schematic top view.

[0016] The stationary vehicle 101 is parking in the parking area 3b.

[0017] The driver-as-a-pedestrian 202 is crossing the traffic lane 2 and heading for the stationary vehicle 101.

[0018] The vehicle in motion 301 is driving on the traffic lane 2 in a parallel direction to the stationary vehicle 101 and heading for the driver-as-a-pedestrian 202.

[0019] Only for illustrative purposes on a roof 102 of the stationary vehicle 101 a lot of electronic components of the stationary vehicle 101 are shown in a schematic way. In practice these components are placed inside and/or on the surface of the vehicle in known positions. In detail an electronic control unit 151 which comprises a car-access-system 152 which is constituted by a

passive-entry-passive-start system 153 and an on-board- unit 154 which comprises a vehicle-to-vehicle system 155 are shown. The electronic control unit 151 and the onboard-unit 154 are connected by a vehicle network 156 which is designed as a bus system and especially as a CAN-Bus system. The car-access-system 152 comprises an antenna 157 , wherein in other inventive arrangements the car-access-system comprises at least four and especially six antennas. Via the vehicle network 156 the electronic control unit 151 respectively the car-access-system 152 is connected to a vehicle body controller 158 which detects and controls a status of door latches which are exemplarily shown as front door latch 159a and rear door latch 159b of right doors the stationary vehicle 101 and a start/stop functionality of the vehicle 101.

[0020] The on-board-unit 154 respectively the vehicle- to-vehicle system 155 comprises at least one vehicle-to- vehicle antenna 160 to communicate with other vehicles and a navigation system 161 - especially a GPS-system or any comparable system - to determine the current location CL101 of the stationary vehicle 101 wherein the current location CL101 is an absolute position AP101 of the stationary vehicle 101.

[0021] The stationary vehicle 101 comprises a vehicle braking and steering system 162 which is connected to the vehicle network 156 and a driver alert center 163 which is connected to the vehicle network 156.

[0022] The driver-as-a-pedestrian 202 who is the driver of the stationary vehicle 101 who has left his vehicle 101 and is now returning to his vehicle 101 carries an electronic key 190 of the stationary vehicle 101. The electronic key 191 comprises a keyfob 192. The

electronic key 191 is detected by the car-access-system 152 within a detection range respectively welcome

function range WFR152 of the car-access-system 152 which is about 15 meters. The car-access-system 152 comprises a wireless communication link WCL152 which is established between the vehicle 101 and the electronic key 191. The wireless communication link WCL152 is established on the basis of any short range communication standard which is appropriate for a communication between the electronic key 191 and the vehicle 101 within a car-access-system 152. Especially Bluetooth is used as communication standard .

[0023] The vehicle in motion 301 is similarly equipped as the stationary vehicle. Only for illustrative

purposes on a roof 302 of the vehicle in motion 301 a lot of electronic components of the vehicle in motion 301 are shown in a schematic way. In practice these components are placed inside and/or on the surface of the vehicle in known positions. In detail an on-board-unit 354 which comprises a vehicle-to-vehicle system 355 is shown. The on-board-unit 354 is connected by a vehicle network 356 which is designed as a bus system and especially as a CAN-Bus system.

[0024] The on-board-unit 354 respectively the vehicle- to-vehicle system 355 comprises at least one vehicle-to- vehicle antenna 360 to communicate with other vehicles and a navigation system 361 to determine the current location CL301 of the vehicle in motion 301 wherein the current location CL301 is an absolute position AP301. The vehicle-to-vehicle system 155 of the stationary vehicle 101 and the vehicle-to-vehicle system 355, the vehicle in motion 301 communicate via a wireless

communication link WCL155.

[0025] The vehicle in motion 301 comprises a vehicle braking and steering system 362 which is connected to the vehicle network 356 and a driver alert center 363 which is connected to the vehicle network 356. In an interior of the vehicle in motion 301 a driver 401 is shown.

[0026] Altogether Fig. 1 illustrates a method of operating an ad hoc network 501 to protect the driver-as- a-pedestrian 202 of the stationary vehicle 101 from a vehicle in motion 301.

[0027] Between the vehicle-to-vehicle system 155 of the on-board-unit 154 and the car-access-system 152 which comprises especially a passive-entry-passive-start system 153 direct interface via the vehicle network 156 is enabled .

[0028] The car-access-system 152 which comprises especially a passive-entry-passive-start system 153 interfaces to the vehicle-to-vehicle system 155 of the on-board-unit through the vehicle network 156, CAN for example .

[0029] When the driver-as-a-pedestrian 202, carrying the electronic key 191 for the car-access-system 152, is approaching the stationary vehicle 101, within the communication range CR152 of the car-access-system 152, and at a certain desired distance, for example, the welcome function range WFR 152 of car-access-system 152, the passive-entry-passive-start system 152 wakes up the on-board-unit 154 of the stationary vehicle 101 for broadcast of a vehicle-to-driver message via the vehicle- to-vehicle system 155 of the stationary vehicle 101 to alert other surrounding vehicles, that are driving by as in the example the vehicle in motion 301.

[0030] The car-access-system 152 knows a current location CL191 of the electronic key 191 respectively a current location CL201 of the driver-as-a-pedestrian 202 relative to an absolute position APlOl the stationary vehicle 101. The current location CL191 of the

electronic key 191 is for example detected via the signal strength indication (RSSI) technique and/or via the radio frequency (RF) ranging technique. And as the on-board- unit 154 knows as current location CL101 the absolute position AP 101 of the stationary vehicle 101 from the navigation system 161 therefore the on-board-unit 154 can transmit vehicle-to-driver location and travel path messages accurately representing the relative position and a travel path TP201 of the driver-as-a-pedestrian 202 with respect to the absolute position AP101 of the stationary vehicle 101. It is also possible that the vehicle-to-driver message comprises an absolute position of the driver respectively electronic key which is calculated by the electronic control unit of the

stationary vehicle or the on-board-unit of the stationary vehicle .

[0031] In a preferred embodiment the car-access-system 152 of the stationary vehicle 101 comprises not only one antenna but several antennas 157, 171 and 172 - additional antennas are shown by dotted lines - since the antenna (s) count and mounting around the stationary vehicle 101, are critical in defining the approach direction respectively the travel path of the driver-as- a-pedestrian. This means that the car-access-system 152 is, in the case of using several antennas, able to detect more precisely that the driver-as-a-pedestrian 202 is heading for example towards the passenger side door or to the driver side door or to the rear or to the front of the stationary vehicle 101.

[0032] When the car-access-system 152 detects that the driver-as-a-pedestrian 202 is safely within the

stationary vehicle 101 the vehicle-to-driver messages broadcasted by the vehicle-to-vehicle system 155 of the on-board-unit 154 via vehicle-to-vehicle antenna 160 and received by an on-board-unit 354 of the vehicle in motion 301 via the vehicle-to-vehicle antenna 360 of the

vehicle-to-vehicle system 355 would transition to

vehicle-to-vehicle messages.

[0033] Similarly, a reverse action will occur as the driver-as-a-pedestrian 202 of the stationary vehicle 101 leaves his vehicle. Starting from the detection of the intent of the driver-as-a-pedestrian 202 of the

stationary vehicle 101 to leave his vehicle until the driver-as-a-pedestrian 202 is out of the range of the car-access-system 152 of the stationary vehicle 101 the on-board-unit 154 will broadcast via vehicle-to-vehicle antenna 160 vehicle-to-driver messages that will alert the driver 401 of the vehicle in motion 301 about the driver-as-a-pedestrian 202 leaving the stationary vehicle 101 or staying or moving in an relative position to the stationary vehicle 101.

[0034] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the electronic key 191 is equipped with an own device to determine its position and sends its own known position to his stationary vehicle 101 via the wireless communication link WCL152 to the stationary vehicle 101 and the stationary vehicle 101 will start transmitting vehicle-to-driver messages to alert the drivers 401 of vehicles in motion 301 via the wireless communication link WCL155. The vehicle-to-driver messages stay based on the position determined of the device of the electronic key 191 until the car-access-system 152 has determined precisely the current location CL191 of the electronic key 191. This method is applied on approach and exit of the driver-as-a-pedestrian 202. On approach of the driver-as-a-pedestrian 202 there is the advantage that the distance between the driver-as-a-pedestrian 202 and the stationary vehicle 101 may be larger than the welcome function range WFR152 of the car-access-system 152 since the welcome function range WFR152 is shorter than the communication range CR152 of the car-access- system 152, wherein the wireless communication link of the car—access-system 152 is used as communication standard .

[0035] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, it is intended that the driver-as-a-pedestrian 202 receives vehicle-to-driver messages as safety alerts through the car-access-system 152 especially as a visual alert and/or an auditory alert and/or an haptic alert, wherein the electronic key 191 is in such a case equipped with a light emitting device especially a display and /or a sound emitting device and/or a vibration generator.

These alerts would be determined by the on-board-unit 154 from vehicle-to-vehicle messages broadcasted by vehicles in motion 301 and sent via the car-access-system 152 and especially via the passive-entry-passive-start system 153 which is part of the car-access-system 152.

[0036] In addition, other non-safety messages can be communicated to the driver-as-a-pedestrian 202, in particular if a smartphone is used as the electronic key 191. For example non-safety messages like a traffic jam in the vicinity could be communicated that the driver-as- a-pedestrian 202 might decide alternate action or delay in using the stationary vehicle 101, or might plan driving the route in advance.

List of References: road

traffic lane

parking lane

parking area stationary/parking vehicle

roof of 101 electronic control unit (ECU)

car-access-system (CAS)

passive-entry-passive-start system (PEPS) on-board-unit (OBU)

vehicle-to-vehicle system (V2V) vehicle network (VN)

antenna of CAS

vehicle body controller

front door latch

rear door latch

vehicle-to-vehicle antenna of 155 navigation system of 101

vehicle braking and steering system driver alert center antenna of CAS

antenna of CAS electronic key (EK) of 101

keyfob of 191 absolute position of 101 CL101 current location of 101

CL191 current location of 191

CR152 communication range of 152

WCL152 wireless communication link between 101 and 191

WCL155 wireless communication link between 155 and 355

WFR152 detection range/welcome function range of 152

201 passenger-as-a-pedestrian

202 driver-as-a-pedestrian

CL201 current location of 201/202

TP201 travel path of 201/202

301 vehicle in motion

302 roof of 301

354 on-board-unit (OBU)

355 vehicle-to-vehicle system (V2V)

356 vehicle network (VN)

360 vehicle-to-vehicle antenna of 355

361 navigation system of 101

362 vehicle braking and steering system

363 driver alert center

AP301 absolute Position of 301

CL301 current location of 301

401 driver of 301

501 ad hoc network