Passive vehicle actuation card incorporated into personal use item

• US 20030174065A1
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Published: 09/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Losey, Allan
• Application Number:
  US10/387,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20030174065A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.72
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link

Abstract

A passive entry system for use in providing access to a vehicle incorporates a circuit associated with a personal use item utilized by the vehicle operator for some function other than vehicle access control. As an example, the personal use item is preferably a watch. The circuit may be incorporated into the dial or the band of the watch. Moreover, the circuit may be powered by a query signal from the vehicle, or may be powered by a battery on the personal use item. In other embodiments, the circuit is incorporated into a piece of jewelry. The use of the item which is otherwise carried by the vehicle operator to also provide the passive access apparatus greatly reduces the likelihood of a vehicle operator forgetting to bring the passive access apparatus along when requesting access to a vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle access apparatus comprising:

an item typically utilized by a vehicle operator for performing a second function not related to requesting access to a vehicle; and

a circuit incorporated into said item, said circuit being capable of receiving a signal from a vehicle requesting a coded signal to be sent, said circuit further being capable of sending a coded signal to a control associated with a vehicle.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said item is a watch.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said circuit is incorporated into a watchband.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said circuit is incorporated into the dial of a watch.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said circuit is powered by a battery associated with said watch.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said circuit is inductively coupled to a query signal received from a vehicle to power said circuit and send a return signal to the vehicle.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said item is a piece of jewelry.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said circuit is inductively coupled to a query signal received from a vehicle to power a return signal.

9. An access system for a vehicle comprising:

a vehicle transmitter/receiver circuit associated with a vehicle, and said vehicle transmitter/receiver communicating with a control to control access to a system on said vehicle;

an item typically utilized by a vehicle operator for performing a second function not related to requesting access to a vehicle; and

a circuit for sending and receiving signals to said vehicle, said circuit being incorporated into said item, and said circuit being capable of receiving a signal from said vehicle requesting a coded signal to be sent, said circuit further being capable of sending a coded signal to said control on said vehicle.

10. A system as set forth in claim 9, wherein said item is a watch.

11. A system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said circuit is incorporated into a watchband.

12. A system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said circuit is incorporated into the dial of a watch.

13. A system as set forth in claim 12, wherein said circuit is powered by a battery associated with said watch.

14. A system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said circuit is inductively coupled to a query signal received from a vehicle to power said circuit and send a return signal to the vehicle.

15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said item is a piece of jewelry.

16. An apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said circuit is inductively coupled to a query signal received from a vehicle to power a return signal.