On-vehicle equipment control system

• US 20070120645A1
• Filed: 11/27/2006
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Nakashima, Kazuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,054,158 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.610
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00547 starting ignition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

When vehicle doors have been opened and closed, request signals are transmitted from external transmitters and an internal transmitter to perform mutual communication with a portable device. At this time, when matching of an ID code of the portable device is OK, this matching result is stored. In mutual communication of one of when the vehicle doors are opened and closed, and when door lock switches are operated, if matching of the ID code is OK, the vehicle doors are automatically locked. In this way, by increasing chances of mutual communication between a vehicle unit and the portable device, it becomes more likely that the vehicle doors can be locked.

Claims

1. An on-vehicle equipment control system for on-vehicle equipment, comprising:

a portable device that returns a response signal including an ID code in response to a request signal received thereby; and

a vehicle unit that transmits the request signal from a vehicle for performing mutual communication with the portable device, receives the response signal of the portable device, matches the ID code included in the response signal with an ID code stored therein, and controls the on-vehicle equipment in response to matching-OK indicating that the ID codes are in a predetermined relation,

wherein the vehicle unit comprises;

a receiver that receives the response signal from the portable device;

an external transmitter that transmits the request signal to an outside of a vehicle compartment;

a trigger switch that is provided in a vehicle door and commands automatic locking of the vehicle door; and

a control unit that causes the external transmitter to transmit the request signal when the vehicle door is opened and closed, stores in a memory the matching-OK as a result of matching the response signal received from the portable device and the request signal of the external transmitter, and controls locking of the vehicle door when the trigger switch is operated,

the control unit locking the vehicle door when the matching-OK is stored in the memory, and locking the vehicle door after causing the external transmitter to transmit the request signal when no matching-OK is stored in the memory and confirming newly the matching-OK.

2. The on-vehicle equipment control system according to claim 1, wherein:

the control unit deletes a storage content of the memory regarding a matching result when the vehicle door is opened and closed, and then stores the matching-OK based on the response signal received from the portable device.

3. The on-vehicle equipment control system according to claim 2, wherein:

the control unit deletes the storage content of the memory only when a vehicle door corresponding to a driver seat is opened and closed.

4. The on-vehicle equipment control system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle unit further comprises:

an internal transmitter that transmits the request signal in the vehicle compartment,

the control unit causes the internal transmitter to transmit the request signal when the trigger switch is operated, and permits locking of the vehicle door when the response signal of the portable device fails to result in the matching-OK.

5. The on-vehicle equipment control system according to claim 1, wherein:

the control unit deletes a stored matching-OK when a first predetermined time has elapsed from previous storing of the matching-OK, causes the external transmitter to transmit the request signal, and stores newly the matching-OK when matching of the ID codes is confirmed based on the response signal received newly.

6. The on-vehicle equipment control system according to claim 5, wherein:

the control unit causes the external transmitter to transmit the request signal each time a second predetermined time elapses if no matching-OK is stored therein after the vehicle door is opened and closed, and stores the matching-OK based on the response signal to the request signal.

7. The on-vehicle equipment control system according to claim 6, wherein:

the control unit causes the external transmitter to transmit the request signal until a third predetermined time elapses after the vehicle door is opened and closed, so that the matching-OK is stored newly.

8. The on-vehicle equipment control system according to claim 7, wherein:

the control unit terminates causing the external transmitter to transmit the request signal when the vehicle door is locked even before the third predetermined time elapses.

9. The on-vehicle equipment control system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle unit further comprises:

an internal transmitter that transmits the request signal in the vehicle compartment; and

an alarm device that warns the portable device,

wherein the control unit causes the external transmitter and the internal transmitter to transmit the request signal when the vehicle door is opened and closed, stores an external matching-OK and an internal matching-OK when the ID code in the response signal transmitted in response to the request signal of the external transmitter and the internal transmitter is in the predetermined relation, respectively, and

wherein the control unit causes an issuance of alarm to indicate that the portable device is not inside and outside the vehicle compartment, when neither the external matching-OK or internal matching-OK is stored although the request signal is transmitted from the external transmitter and the internal transmitter.

10. An on-vehicle equipment control system for on-vehicle equipment, comprising:

a portable device that returns a response signal including an ID code in response to a request signal received thereby; and

a vehicle unit that transmits the request signal from a vehicle for performing mutual communication with the portable device, receives the response signal of the portable device, matches the ID code included in the response signal with an ID code stored therein, and controls the on-vehicle equipment in response to matching-OK indicating that the ID codes are in a predetermined relation,

wherein the vehicle unit comprises;

a receiver that receives the response signal from the portable device;

an internal transmitter that transmits the request signal in a vehicle compartment;

an engine switch that commands a startup of an engine of a vehicle; and

a control unit that causes the internal transmitter to transmit the request signal when the engine switch is operated, stores in a memory the matching-OK as a result of matching the response signal received from the portable device and the request signal of the internal transmitter, and controls startup of the engine when the engine switch is operated,

the control unit permitting the startup of the engine when the matching-OK is stored in the memory, and permitting the startup of the engine after causing the internal transmitter to transmit the request signal when no matching-OK is stored in the memory and confirming newly the matching-OK.

11. The on-vehicle equipment control system according to claim 10, wherein:

the control unit deletes a storage content of the memory regarding a matching result when the vehicle door is opened and closed, and then stores the matching-OK based on the response signal received from the portable device.

12. The on-vehicle equipment control system according to claim 11, wherein:

the control unit deletes the storage content of the memory only when a vehicle door corresponding to a driver seat is opened and closed.

13. The on-vehicle equipment control system according to claim 10, wherein:

the control unit deletes a stored matching-OK when a first predetermined time has elapsed from previous storing of the matching-OK, causes the internal transmitter to transmit the request signal, and stores newly the matching-OK when matching of the ID codes is confirmed based on the response signal received newly.

14. The on-vehicle equipment control system according to claim 13, wherein:

the control unit causes the internal transmitter to transmit the request signal each time a second predetermined time elapses if no matching-OK is stored therein after the vehicle door is opened and closed, and stores the matching-OK based on the response signal to the request signal.

15. The on-vehicle equipment control system according to claim 14, wherein:

the control unit causes the internal transmitter to transmit the request signal until a third predetermined time elapses after the vehicle door is opened and closed, so that the matching-OK is stored newly.

16. The on-vehicle equipment control system according to claim 15, wherein:

the control unit terminates causing the internal transmitter to transmit the request signal when the vehicle door is locked even before the third predetermined time elapses.

17. The on-vehicle equipment control system according to claim 10, wherein the vehicle unit further comprises:

an external transmitter that transmits the request signal externally from the vehicle; and

an alarm device that warns the portable device,

wherein the control unit causes the external transmitter and the internal transmitter to transmit the request signal when the vehicle door is opened and closed, stores an external matching-OK and an internal matching-OK when the ID code in the response signal transmitted in response to the request signal of the external transmitter and the internal transmitter is in the predetermined relation, respectively, and

wherein the control unit causes an issuance of alarm to indicate that the portable device is not inside and outside the vehicle compartment, when neither the external matching-OK or internal matching-OK is stored although the request signal is transmitted from the external transmitter and the internal transmitter.