ELECTRONIC VEHICLE KEY

• US 20010028295A1
• Filed: 10/21/1997
• Published: 10/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 21ST CENTURY GARAGE LLC
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: SETZER, JUERGEN, BRINKMEYER, HORST, NAGEL, GERHARD, RICK, THOMAS, SCHWEGLER, GUENTER
• Granted Patent: US 6,329,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.25
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00531 immobilizer
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration

Abstract

An electronic vehicle key has a radio receiver for receiving radio call information which is transmitted by a control center, and a key communication device for communicating with a vehicle communication device in an associated vehicle, signals transmitted by the key communication device to the vehicle communication device serving to activate or deactivate an immobilizer on the vehicle. According to the invention, a key controller, which administers a mobility account, is provided in the electronic vehicle key; and radio call information is transmitted by a control center is registered as a “credit” in the mobility account. Relevant events are processed as “debits” in the mobility account, and deactivation or activation of the immobilizer on the vehicle is dependent on the account value of the mobility account.

Claims

1. An electronic vehicle key comprising:

a radio receiver for receiving radio call information which is transmitted by a control centre;

a key communication device for communicating with a vehicle communication device in an associated vehicle, signals transmitted by the key communication device to the vehicle communication device serving to activate or deactivate an immobilizer on the vehicle; and

a key controller provided in the electronic vehicle key for administering a mobility account, wherein

use-enabling radio call information transmitted by the control centre is registered as a “

maximum credit”

in the mobility account;

relevant events are registered as “

debits”

in the mobility account; and

the vehicle key can transmit a signal to deactivate the immobilizer only if the “

credit”

in the mobility account has not yet reached a prescribed account value.

2. The electronic vehicle key according to

claim 1

, wherein if the “

credit”

in the mobility account has reached a prescribed account value, the immobilizer on the vehicle is activated by the electronic vehicle key.

3. The electronic vehicle key according to

claim 1

, wherein at least one detection device is provided for detecting relevant events, the relevant events being transmitted from the at least one detection device to the key controller.

11. The electronic vehicle key according to

claim 1

, wherein the radio receiver is activated by the key controller only when required.

14. The electronic vehicle key according to

claim 11

, wherein the radio receiver is activated by the key controller at prescribed times.

15. The electronic vehicle key according to

claim 11

, wherein the radio receiver is activated by the key controller if the “

credit”

in the mobility account has reached a prescribed minimum account value.

16. The electronic vehicle key according to

claim 11

, wherein:

the key controller regularly activates the radio receiver in order to determine whether radio call information can be received at a location; and

when an “

area of no radio coverage”

is detected, the radio receiver remains activated until radio call information can be received again at the location.

17. The electronic vehicle key according to

claim 15

, wherein at least one visual and/or audible indicator device is provided, which informs a user that the “

credit”

in the mobility account has reached the prescribed minimum account value or that a “

area of no radio coverage”

has been detected.

18. The electronic vehicle key according to

claim 16

, wherein at least one visual and/or audible indicator device is provided, which informs a user that the “

credit”

in the mobility account has reached the prescribed minimum account value or that a “

area of no radio coverage”

has been detected.

19. The electronic vehicle key according to

claim 1

, wherein the control centre transmits use-disabling radio call information, which prevents further use of the vehicle even if the “

credit”

in the mobility account has not yet reached a prescribed account value.

4. An electronic vehicle key comprising:

a radio receiver for receiving radio call information which is transmitted by a control centre;

a key communication device for communication between the electronic vehicle key and a vehicle communication device in an associated vehicle, signals transmitted by the key communication device to the vehicle communication device serving to activate or deactivate an immobilizer on the vehicle; and

a key controller provided in the electronic vehicle key for administering a mobility account;

wherein

radio call information transmitted by the control centre is registered as a “

credit”

in the mobility account;

relevant events are processed as “

debits”

in the mobility account; and

the key controller regularly transmits a use-enabling signal to the associated vehicle as long as the “

credit”

in the mobility account has not yet reached a prescribed account value, it being no longer possible to deactivate the immobilizer on the vehicle if the use-enabling signal is not received.

5. The electronic vehicle key according to

claim 4

, wherein if the use-enabling signal is not received, the immobilizer on the vehicle is activated.

6. The electronic vehicle key according to

claim 4

, wherein at least one detection device is provided for detecting relevant events, the relevant events being transmitted from the at least one detection device to the key controller.

7. The electronic vehicle key according to

claim 6

, wherein a first detection device is arranged in the electronic vehicle key.

8. The electronic vehicle key according to

claim 6

, wherein:

a second detection device is arranged in the associated vehicle; and

relevant events are transmitted by the second detection device to the key controller via the vehicle communication device and the key communication device.

12. The electronic vehicle key according to

claim 4

, wherein the radio receiver is activated by the key controller only when required.

20. The electronic vehicle key according to

claim 4

, wherein the control centre transmits use-disabling radio call information, which prevents further use of the vehicle even if the “

credit”

in the mobility account has not yet reached a prescribed account value.

9. An electronic vehicle key comprising:

a radio receiver for receiving radio call information which is transmitted by a control centre;

a key communication device for communicating with a vehicle communication device in an associated vehicle;

signals transmitted by the key communication device to the vehicle communication device serving to activate or deactivate an immobilizer on the vehicle; and

a key controller provided in the electronic vehicle key for administering a mobility account;

,

use-enabling radio call information transmitted by the control centre is registered as a “

maximum credit”

in the mobility account, said use-enabling radio call information containing a specific time; and

the immobilizer can be deactivated by the electronic vehicle key only if the specific time has not yet been exceeded.

10. The electronic vehicle key according to

claim 9

, when the specific time is exceeded, the immobilizer on the vehicle is activated.

13. The electronic vehicle key according to

claim 9

, wherein the radio receiver is activated by the key controller only when required.

21. The electronic vehicle key according to

claim 10

, wherein the control centre transmits use-disabling radio call information which prevents further use of the vehicle even if the specific time has not yet been exceeded.