ELECTRONIC KEY SYSTEM

• US 20170136990A1
• Filed: 04/10/2015
• Published: 05/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: TERCERO, Carlos
• Granted Patent: US 9,919,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/01 operating on vehicle systems or fittings, e.g. on doors, seats or windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/245 where the antenna reception area plays a role
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/54 Electrical circuits for locking several wings simultaneously E05B77/48
• 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 9/00 Individual registration on entry or exit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

In an electronic key system, at least one of an electronic key and a vehicle side device includes a communication device, a storage unit, and a discrimination unit. The storage unit acquires a location information from a location information terminal through the communication device, and stores information on an unlocking permissible range based on the location information when a vehicle door is locked. The discrimination unit acquires the location information from the location information terminal through the communication device, and discriminates whether the acquired location information falls within the unlocking permissible range, or not, when the wireless communication is performed between the electronic key and the vehicle side device because the vehicle door is unlocked. When the discrimination unit discriminates that the position of the electronic key does not fall within the unlocking permissible range, the vehicle door is not unlocked.

Claims

1. An electronic key system in which a vehicle side device mounted on a vehicle authenticates an electronic key carried by a user, and a vehicle door is locked and unlocked according to an authentication result, through a wireless communication between the electronic key and the vehicle side device, at least one of the electronic key and the vehicle side device comprising:

a communication device configured to be communicatable with a location information terminal that is carried by the user and is capable of acquiring location information;

a storage unit acquiring the location information from the location information terminal through the communication device, and storing information on an unlocking permissible range based on the location information when the vehicle door is locked; and

a discrimination unit acquiring the location information from the location information terminal through the communication device, and discriminating whether the acquired location information falls within the unlocking permissible range, or not, when the wireless communication is performed between the electronic key and the vehicle side device for unlocking the vehicle door, wherein

when the discrimination unit discriminates that the position of the electronic key does not fall within the unlocking permissible range, the vehicle door is not unlocked, and

the electronic key includes a display unit that performs a display for informing the user of a fact that the location information is not capable of being acquired in a case where the location information is not capable of being acquired from the location information terminal when the wireless communication is performed between the electronic key and the vehicle side device because the vehicle door is unlocked.

2. The electronic key system according to claim 1, wherein

the storage unit stores the location information acquired from the location information terminal when the vehicle door is locked as the information on the unlocking permissible range, and

the unlocking permissible range is defined on the basis of the location information stored in the storage unit taking a communicatable distance between the electronic key and the vehicle side device into account.

3. The electronic key system according to claim 1, wherein

the storage unit stores the location information when the vehicle door is locked and area information indicative of the unlocking permissible range determined on the basis of the communicatable distance between the electronic key and the vehicle side device, as the information on the unlocking permissible range.

5. The electronic key system according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle door is capable of being unlocked when a mechanical key is used,

the electronic key includes a communication device for communicating with the location information terminal, and

in a case where the electronic key is not communicatable with the location information terminal through the communication device when the wireless communication is performed between the electronic key and the vehicle side device for unlocking the vehicle door, the electronic key performs a display for urging the user to use the mechanical key using the display unit.

6. The electronic key system according to claim 1, wherein

the electronic key includes a communication device for communicating with the location information terminal, and

when the electronic key is communicatable with the location information terminal through the communication device although the electronic key is not capable of acquiring the location information from the location information terminal, the electronic key transmits a signal for performing a display that facilitates operation for disabling a function of preventing the vehicle door from being unlocked on the basis of the location information to the location information terminal.

7. The electronic key system according to claim 1, wherein

at least one of the electronic key and the vehicle side device includes a disabling unit that disables the function of preventing the vehicle door from being unlocked on the basis of the location information when receiving a predetermined disable signal from the location information terminal through the communication device.

4. (canceled)

8. An electronic key system in which a vehicle side device mounted on a vehicle authenticates an electronic key carried by a user, and a vehicle door is locked and unlocked according to an authentication result, through a wireless communication between the electronic key and the vehicle side device, at least one of the electronic key and the vehicle side device comprising:

a communication device configured to be communicatable with a location information terminal that is carried by the user and is capable of acquiring location information;

a storage unit acquiring the location information from the location information terminal through the communication device, and storing information on an unlocking permissible range based on the location information when the vehicle door is locked; and

a discrimination unit acquiring the location information from the location information terminal through the communication device, and discriminating whether the acquired location information falls within the unlocking permissible range, or not, when the wireless communication is performed between the electronic key and the vehicle side device for unlocking the vehicle door, wherein

when the discrimination unit discriminates that the position of the electronic key does not fall within the unlocking permissible range, the vehicle door is not unlocked, and

at least one of the electronic key and the vehicle side device includes a disabling unit that disables the function of preventing the vehicle door from being unlocked on the basis of the location information in a case where the location information is not capable of being acquired from the location information terminal when the vehicle door is locked.