Monitoring apparatus for electronic key and displaying apparatus for positional information on electronic key

• US 20070018799A1
• Filed: 07/19/2006
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Masaki, Konno, Takeshi, Yamamoto, Takao, Yashiro, Tomohiko, Funayose, Yusuke, Yamamoto, Sho
• Granted Patent: US 7,843,318 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/426.110
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/306 Motorcycles
• 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

Abstract

A control unit having an immobilizer function includes a circuit for transmitting a request signal within a predetermined range. After receiving a reply signal from an electronic key in response to this request signal once and allowing a movable body to move, when a reply signal to the periodically sent request signal is not received, it is determined that the electronic key is out of the range, and it is assumed that the key has been dropped. A monitor section outputs a warning signal and transmits the warning signal to the navigation unit. A navigation unit, in response to the warning signal, stores the location at that time as the positional information on the electronic key. The navigation unit also displays a map showing the location of a key based on positional information on the electronic key. With this system, a lost electronic key may be readily located.

Claims

1. A monitoring apparatus for an electronic key, comprising:

an immobilizer mounted on a movable body;

a GPS navigation unit mounted on the movable body;

monitoring means for continuously detecting communication status between an electronic key and the immobilizer, which communication deactivates a function of the immobilizer; and

means for informing the GPS navigation unit of the detected communication status.

2. The monitoring apparatus for an electronic key according to claim 1, wherein the movable body is a saddle-ride vehicle.

3. The monitoring apparatus for an electronic key according to claim 1, wherein the movable body is a motorcycle.

4. The monitoring apparatus for an electronic key according to claim 1, wherein the movable body is a surface craft.

5. A displaying apparatus for positional information on an electronic key, comprising:

an immobilizer mounted on a movable body;

a GPS navigation unit mounted on the movable body; and

display control means for displaying positional information at a time when communication between an electronic key and the immobilizer, which communication deactivates a function of the immobilizer, is stopped, on a display panel of the GPS navigation unit as positional information on the electronic key.

6. The displaying apparatus for positional information on an electronic key according to claim 5, wherein the positional information on the electronic key to be displayed on the display panel appears on a map displayed on the display panel using a mark and/or in texts which indicate a longitude and a latitude, in accordance with the positional information on the electronic key.

7. The displaying apparatus for positional information on an electronic key according to claim 5, wherein the immobilizer is built in the GPS navigation unit.

8. The displaying apparatus for positional information on an electronic key according to claim 6, wherein the immobilizer is built in the GPS navigation unit.

9. The displaying apparatus for positional information on an electronic key according to claim 5, wherein the movable body is a saddle-ride vehicle.

10. The displaying apparatus for positional information on an electronic key according to claim 5, wherein the movable body is a motorcycle.

11. The displaying apparatus for positional information on an electronic key according to claim 5, wherein the movable body is a surface craft.

12. A displaying apparatus for positional information on an electronic key, comprising:

a control unit mounted on a movable body, which includes an immobilizer allowing a driving source of the movable body to be started via communication with an electronic key;

a navigation unit mounted on the movable body, which navigates and guides the movable body using a GPS electric wave;

a transmitting section provided in the control unit, which transmits a request signal within a predetermined range;

a receiving section provided in the control unit, which receives a reply signal transmitted by the electronic key in response to the request signal;

means for storing a location of the movable body at a time when the receiving section fails to receive the reply signal in response to the request signal transmitted after the driving source is started; and

means for displaying the stored location as positional information on the electronic key on a display panel of the navigation unit.

13. The displaying apparatus for positional information on an electronic key according to claim 12, wherein the positional information on the electronic key to be displayed on the display panel appears on a map displayed on the display panel using a mark and/or in texts which indicate a longitude and a latitude, in accordance with the positional information on the electronic key.

14. The displaying apparatus for positional information on an electronic key according to claim 12, wherein the immobilizer is built in the GPS navigation unit.

15. The displaying apparatus for positional information on an electronic key according to claim 13, wherein the immobilizer is built in the GPS navigation unit.

16. The displaying apparatus for positional information on an electronic key according to claim 12, further comprising:

means for calling the stored location and inputting the stored location to the means for displaying the stored location on the display panel.

17. The displaying apparatus for positional information on an electronic key according to claim 12, further comprising:

a warning light to be energized when the reply signal fails to be detected.

18. The displaying apparatus for positional information on an electronic key according to claim 12, further comprising:

means for setting positional information at a time when the reply signal fails to be detected, to the navigation unit as a navigation destination.

19. The displaying apparatus for positional information on an electronic key according to claim 12, wherein the movable body is a saddle-ride type vehicle.

20. The displaying apparatus for positional information on an electronic key according to claim 12, wherein the movable body is a motorcycle.