Temporary key invalidation for electronic key and locking system
First Claim
1. A system for inhibiting electronic vehicle keys left behind in the vehicle when the vehicle doors are locked, comprising:
- one or more portable keys adapted to send wireless command signals;
a vehicle security control module adapted to receive the wireless command signals from the one or more portable keys, wherein upon receiving a lock command signal, the vehicle security control module is configured to broadcast a short-range interrogation signal adapted to reach substantially only those of the one or more portable keys remaining within the vehicle, to receive a response containing a unique ID from those of the keys remaining within the vehicle thereby identifying themselves as left-behind keys, to store one or more inhibit flags identifying such left-behind keys as no longer valid and thereafter to ignore commands from such left-behind keys.
13 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for rendering electronic keys left behind in a vehicle temporarily inactive. The apparatus comprises a vehicle security control module in wireless communication with the electronic keys, and having operatively coupled together a receiver, a processor, non-volatile memory and a short-range transmitter. When the module receives a valid lock command from any source it sends a short-range interrogation signal to keys within the vehicle. Left-behind keys respond and send their unique ID(s) to the module'"'"'s receiver. The processor obtains the unique ID(s) from the receiver and sets one or more inhibit flags in memory or equivalent to identify those keys as left-behind keys. The processor thereafter ignores commands from such left-behind keys, thereby rendering them temporarily inoperative until a valid unlock command is received form another source, whereupon the processor clears the inhibit flags from memory and restores the left-behind keys to active status.
26 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A system for inhibiting electronic vehicle keys left behind in the vehicle when the vehicle doors are locked, comprising:
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one or more portable keys adapted to send wireless command signals;
a vehicle security control module adapted to receive the wireless command signals from the one or more portable keys, wherein upon receiving a lock command signal, the vehicle security control module is configured to broadcast a short-range interrogation signal adapted to reach substantially only those of the one or more portable keys remaining within the vehicle, to receive a response containing a unique ID from those of the keys remaining within the vehicle thereby identifying themselves as left-behind keys, to store one or more inhibit flags identifying such left-behind keys as no longer valid and thereafter to ignore commands from such left-behind keys. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for inhibiting operation of electronic keys left behind in a vehicle, comprising:
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receiving a lock command;
sending a short-range interrogation signal adapted to be received by any keys left behind in the vehicle;
receiving from any left-behind key(s) their unique ID(s); and
setting one or more inhibit flags for the unique ID(s) of the left-behind keys, wherein the inhibit flags cause the vehicle to ignore further commands received from such left-behind key(s). - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. Apparatus for inhibiting left-behind vehicle keys while not inhibiting other keys, comprising:
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a security control module in the vehicle for receiving lock/unlock command signals from multiple sources, wherein the security control module comprises operatively coupled elements including;
one or more inputs for receiving lock/unlock commands;
a transmitter for sending interrogation signals to left-behind keys;
a receiver for receiving unique IDs from keys in response to the interrogation signals;
non-volatile memory for storing unique IDs of left-behind keys; and
wherein the apparatus further comprises one or more portable keys for sending command and ID signals to the security control module. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for inhibiting those vehicle electronic keys left behind in the vehicle when its doors are locked, comprising:
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a vehicle security control module adapted to receive lock/unlock command signals from multiple sources;
one or more portable keys adapted to send command signals to the security control module and containing memory;
wherein upon receiving a lock command signal, the vehicle security control module broadcasts a short-range signal adapted to reach substantially only those of the keys remaining within the vehicle;
wherein in response to the short range signal, those keys remaining within the vehicle store an inhibit signal in their memory identifying themselves as no longer being valid keys, which thereafter until cleared, causes such keys to not send a valid command to the security control module.
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Specification