Vehicle electronic key system

• US 20040046452A1
• Filed: 08/27/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Ichikawa, Takashi, Suyama, Terumasa
• Granted Patent: US 7,375,440 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/241 whereby access privileges are related to the identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/245 where the antenna reception area plays a role
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/252 Fingerprint recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/406 Power supply in the remote key
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns

Abstract

A vehicle electronic key system that may be lent to a third person without having to worry about how the key would be used. The key system includes a portable key and a control unit installed in a vehicle. When the vehicle owner does not want the third person to use a certain accessory, the owner registers a restriction code in the key. The restriction code is registered only when a fingerprint input from an input device matches the owner'"'"'s fingerprint that is pre-registered in the key. The registration of the restriction code prohibits operation of the accessory.

Claims

1. An electronic key system for use in a vehicle having an accessory, the electronic key system comprising:

a electronic key;

a control unit arranged in the vehicle to perform wireless communication with the electronic key;

an input device arranged in one of the electronic key and the vehicle to input identification information;

a first verification device connected to the input device to compare the input identification information with pre-registered identification information;

a restriction information generation device connected to the first verification device, wherein when the input identification information matches the pre-registered identification information, operation restriction information for designating an operation of the vehicle and the accessory that is to be restricted is registerable in the restriction information generation device;

a second verification device arranged in the control unit and storing reference specific code, wherein the second verification device compares specific code registered in the electronic key with the reference specific code; and

a restriction control device for restricting the operation designated by the operation restriction information when the specific code matches the reference specific code.

2. The electronic key system according to claim 1, wherein the input device is an individual identification device for detecting a distinctive bodily feature of an individual, and the pre-registered identification information is an pre-registered distinctive bodily feature, and wherein the first verification device compares the distinctive bodily feature detected by the individual identification device with the pre-registered distinctive bodily feature to determines whether the detected distinctive bodily feature matches the pre-registered distinctive bodily feature.

3. The electronic key system according to claim 2, wherein the distinctive bodily feature is a fingerprint.

4. The electronic key system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic key system includes a master key and a sub-key, which is used in lieu of the master key.

5. The electronic key system according to claim 4, wherein the sub-key includes the restriction information generation device.

6. The electronic key system according to claim 5, wherein the sub-key includes the individual identification device and the first verification device.

7. The electronic key system according to claim 1, wherein the restriction information generation device, the identification device, and the first verification device are arranged in the vehicle.

8. An electronic key system for use in a vehicle having a plurality of accessories, the electronic key system comprising:

a communication circuit arranged in the vehicle to output a request signal by means of wireless communication;

a electronic key that communicates with the communication circuit;

an input device arranged in the electronic key for inputting individual identification information;

a first verification device connected to the input device to verify the input individual identification information with registered individual identification information of an authorized owner;

a restriction information generation device connected to the first verification device, wherein the restriction information generation device registers operation restriction information for designating at least one operation, which is to be restricted, among operations of the vehicle and the accessories when the input individual identification information and the registered individual identification information match, the operation restriction information being output by means of wireless communication from the electronic key in response to the request signal; and

a restriction control device connected to the communication circuit and the accessories to receive the operation restriction information via the communication circuit and restricting the at least one operation designated by the operation restriction information.

9. The electronic key system according to claim 8, wherein the electronic key has an ID code and outputs the ID code by means of wireless communication when receiving the request signal, and the restriction control device unlocks a door of the vehicle when the door of the vehicle is locked and the received ID code is an authorized one.

10. The electronic key system according to claim 8, wherein the individual identification information is a fingerprint.

11. The electronic key system according to claim 8, wherein the electronic key is a sub-key, which is used in lieu of a master key.

12. An electronic key system for use in a vehicle having a plurality of accessories, the electronic key system comprising:

a communication circuit arranged in the vehicle to output a request signal by means of wireless communication;

a electronic key that communicates with the communication circuit;

an input device arranged in the vehicle for inputting individual identification information;

a first verification device connected to the input device to verify the input individual identification information with registered individual identification information of an authorized owner;

a restriction information generation device connected to the first verification device, wherein the restriction information generation device registers operation restriction information for designating at least one operation, which is to be restricted, among operations of the vehicle and the accessories when the input individual identification information and the registered individual identification information match; and

a restriction control device connected to the restriction information generation device and the accessories, receiving the operation restriction information via the communication circuit, and restricting the at least one operation designated by the operation restriction information.

13. The electronic key system according to claim 12, wherein the electronic key is a sub-key, which is used in lieu of a master key.

14. The electronic key system according to claim 13, wherein the sub-key has an ID code and outputs the ID code by means of wireless communication when receiving the request signal, and the restriction control device unlocks a door of the vehicle when the door of the vehicle is locked and the received ID code is an authorized one.

15. The electronic key system according to claim 12, wherein the individual identification information is a fingerprint.