Patents by Inventor Stéphane BILLY

Stéphane BILLY has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20260098957
    Abstract: A device for determining the distance between a base and a mobile entity. The base includes time-of-flight-based distance-measuring, in which the device includes: speed-measuring capable of determining the speed of the mobile entity relative to the base; a controller capable of determining a number of time-of-flight measurements as a decreasing function of the speed of the mobile entity, and of causing the distance-measuring to carry out a number of time-of-flight measurements so as to obtain the same number of elementary distance measurements; a filter capable of determining the distance by calculating the median of the elementary distance measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2025
    Publication date: April 9, 2026
    Applicant: Continental Automotive Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Stéphane BILLY, Sylvain GODET
  • Publication number: 20260066528
    Abstract: A device for activating a vehicle function in the near field and in the ultra-wide band, for installation on a motor vehicle, including: an antenna consisting of a plurality of discontinuous windings having two junction zones forming a first antenna part and a second antenna part; near-field communication controller of the antenna; a first connection between the windings of the two antenna parts, including at least one inductor; the near-field communication controller of the antenna and the first connection and the two antenna parts forming a near-field communication antenna; ultra-wide band communication controller of the antenna; a second connection between the windings of one and the same antenna part, including at least one capacitor; the controller of the ultra-wide band antenna, the connection and the two antenna parts forming an ultra-wide band dipole antenna, the activation device communicating in the near field and in the ultra-wide band simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2025
    Publication date: March 5, 2026
    Applicant: Continental Automotive Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Grégory SIGUIER, Sylvain GODET, Stéphane BILLY
  • Publication number: 20260042419
    Abstract: A method for locking or unlocking a door of a vehicle, using a locking/unlocking device aboard the vehicle, including at least two high frequency communication transceivers capable of communicating with a portable user equipment, of which a first transceiver is located in the door and a second transceiver is located inside the vehicle. The method including: a) detecting the presence of the portable user equipment in a predetermined zone around the vehicle; b) if a portable equipment has been detected, transmitting waves between the two transceivers; c) measuring a time of flight of the waves; d) comparing the measured time of flight with a predetermined time of flight; and e) unlocking or locking the door according to the result of the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2023
    Publication date: February 12, 2026
    Applicant: Continental Automotive Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Stéphane BILLY, Sylvain GODET, Saïd BOUGUERN
  • Publication number: 20250138174
    Abstract: A method for activating a vehicle function using an activation device, having at least two transceivers communicating with a portable user appliance and communicating with each other via ultra-wideband communication. The method includes: transmitting using a first transceiver; computing a radius of a circle centered around the first transceiver as a function of the time of flight of the waves reflected by the portable appliance, and determining a perimeter of the circle; comparing a profile of received reflected waves originating from the second transmitter with a predetermined received wave profile; detecting a presence as a function of the result of the comparison; computing, if a presence is detected, a distance between the second transceiver and the presence; locating the portable appliance by computing an intersection between the distance and the perimeter; and activating the vehicle function as a function of the location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2024
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Applicant: Continental Automotive Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Stéphane BILLY, Sylvain GODET
  • Patent number: 12078711
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Stéphane Billy, Sylvain Godet, Rachid Benbouhout
  • Patent number: 12066286
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Sylvain Godet, Stéphane Billy
  • Patent number: 12012067
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Sylvain Godet, Stéphane Billy, Clément Ferry
  • Patent number: 11981165
    Abstract: A method for locating wheels of a motor vehicle. The vehicle including at least one central processing unit which includes a main ultra-wideband radio frequency transceiver and a plurality of wheel units, each including a secondary ultra-wideband radio frequency transceiver adapted for communicating with the main transceiver. The method includes at least one step of measuring the distance between the main transceiver and the secondary transceiver to be located, by analyzing the propagation time of an exchanged message, and a step of locating the wheel unit associated with the secondary transceiver to be located, on the basis of the distance measured in the measurement step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Stéphane Billy, Rachid Benbouhout, Jérôme Lee
  • Publication number: 20240142595
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Stéphane Billy, Sylvain Godet, Rachid Benbouhout
  • Publication number: 20240132015
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2022
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Inventors: Sylvain Godet, Stéphane Billy, Clément Ferry
  • Publication number: 20240085176
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Sylvain Godet, Stéphane Billy
  • Publication number: 20240064638
    Abstract: A method for communicating between a portable transmission device and an electronic control unit of a motor vehicle. The method includes transmission, by the transmission device, of a plurality of wake-up signals over a plurality of consecutive time intervals referred to as “reference” time intervals. The duration of each reference time interval being equal to the duration of a supply period and each reference time interval being divided into a series of consecutive time slots. At least one wake-up signal of the plurality of wake-up signals being transmitted in each reference time interval, in a time slot that is different from the time slots of the other wake-up signals of the plurality of wake-up signals, and such that the sum of the transmission time intervals of each of the wake-up signals of the plurality of wake-up signals is at least equal to the supply period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: Stéphane Billy, Jérôme Lee, Romain Poussier
  • Publication number: 20240034106
    Abstract: A method for locating wheels of a motor vehicle. The vehicle including at least one central processing unit which includes a main ultra-wideband radio frequency transceiver and a plurality of wheel units, each including a secondary ultra-wideband radio frequency transceiver adapted for communicating with the main transceiver. The method includes at least one step of measuring the distance between the main transceiver and the secondary transceiver to be located, by analyzing the propagation time of an exchanged message, and a step of locating the wheel unit associated with the secondary transceiver to be located, on the basis of the distance measured in the measurement step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Stéphane Billy, Rachid Benbouhout, Jérôme Lee
  • Patent number: 11760308
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Inventors: Sylvain Godet, Stéphane Billy, Ingrid Horatius
  • Patent number: 11747428
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Sébastien Chanal, Sylvain Godet, Stéphane Billy
  • Publication number: 20230192033
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Sylvain Godet, Stéphane Billy, Ingrid Horatius
  • Publication number: 20220254207
    Abstract: A method for the remote control, by way of a mobile communication terminal equipped with a UHF-SHF module, of a secure motor vehicle function requiring a user to be present within a security perimeter around the vehicle, the vehicle being equipped with an access device including a control unit and an access fob. The method includes: detecting the presence of the access fob within the security perimeter around the vehicle through LF transmission between the vehicle and the access fob; detecting the presence of the mobile communication terminal at a distance less than a predetermined distance from the access fob, through a communication operation between the access fob and the mobile communication terminal; remotely controlling, by way of the mobile communication terminal, the secure function of the vehicle on the UHF-SHF frequency band.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Inventors: Stéphane Billy, Sylvain Godet, Jérôme Lee
  • Patent number: 11203323
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Inventors: Sylvain Godet, Frédéric Merlet, Stéphane Billy
  • Publication number: 20210255272
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Inventors: Sébastien Chanal, Sylvain Godet, Stéphane Billy
  • Patent number: 10967686
    Abstract: A system for detecting the operation of the motor or engine of a motor vehicle equipped with at least one tire-pressure-monitoring-system transmitter including: a low-frequency stage including a resonant stage connected in series with an antenna, a processing stage, a first switch and a second switch, the first switch being connected to at least two capacitors so as to control the parallel connection of at least one of the capacitors, the second switch being connected to at least two resistors so as to control the parallel connection of at least one of the resistors, outputs of the low-frequency stage being arranged to receive input from the processing stage, in order to transfer the perceived signal to a processor of the signal, which is configured to compare the level of the perceived signal to a preset threshold level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignees: Continental Automotive France, Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Stéphane Billy, Sylvain Godet, Mohamed Cheikh