Keyless entry system for automotive devices with compact, portable wireless code transmitter, and feature for preventing users from locking transmitter in vehicle

• US 4,672,375 A
• Filed: 04/10/1985
• Issued: 06/09/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Company Limited 2 Takara-Cho Kanagawa-Ku Yokohama-Shi Kanagawa-Ken Japan
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Mikio, Hirano, Motoki, Mochida, Haruo, Nakano, Kinichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/721,868
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.3, 340/542, 340/52 D, 340/572, 340/825.32, 340/825.69, 340/63, 340/64, 340/65, 340/528, 340/825.54, 340/825.76, 340/825.31, 340/825.72, 70/252, 70/256, 70/257, 180/287, 307/10 AT
• US Class Current: 340/5.72
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/02153 comprising a locking member radially and linearly moved towards the steering column
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00293 anti-theft
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00373 whereby the wake-up circuit is situated in the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00396 starting with prompting the keyless data carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/08 With time considerations, e.g. temporary activation, valid time window or time limitations
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5978 With switch

Abstract

A keyless entry system allows operation of various vehicle devices including a door lock without using a mechanical key, such as an ignition key. The system comprises a wireless, portable transmitter adapted to produce a radio signal indicative of a unique code preset in the transmitter, and a controller mounted on the vehicle and associated with the vehicle devices. The controller has a preset code to compare with the unique code indicative in the radio signal transmitted from the transmitter. The controller also detects impending or accomplished locking of the transmitter in the vehicle and produces an alarm and subsequently disables the keyless entry system unless the transmitter is removed from the vehicle within a given period of time after the alarm is given.

Claims

1. A keyless entry system for an automotive vehicle for operating various vehicle devices including a door lock, comprising:

a portable wireless transmitter adapted to transmit a unique code-indicative radio signal encoded to carry a preset unique code stored in said transmitter;

a controller mounted on the vehicle and receiving the unique code-indicative radio signal, comparing the received unique code with a second preset code, and producing a control signal only when the received unique code matches said second preset code;

a plurality of actuators, each associated with a corresponding plurality of vehicle devices for operating the latter to desired operating states, said actuators including a door lock actuator for operating a vehicular door lock between a locked and an unlocked position;

a plurality of manual switches, each switch actuating said controller for signalling the keyless entry system to operate a corresponding one of said vehicle devices, said manual switches including a door lock switch for reversing the position of said door lock actuator between said locked and unlocked positions;

a first detector for detecting a closed position of a vehicle door;

a second detector for detecting a locked position of said door lock actuator; and

a disabling means activated when the vehicle door is closed and the door lock is locked and cyclically or sequentially triggering said transmitter while the vehicle door is closed and the door lock is locked, and responding to continuous or cyclic reception of said unique code-indicative signal for a predetermined period of time from detection of locking of said door lock to disable operation of said controller for operating said door lock actuator, said disabling means responsive to the presence of a user in the vehicle and maintaining said controller disabled when said user is present in the vehicle.

5. The keyless entry system as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 4, which further comprises a manual operation mechanism associated with said door lock for allowing manual operation of said door lock between locking and unlocking states.

6. The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 5, which further comprises a detector detecting manual operation of said manual operation mechanism to the locking position.

10. The keyless entry system as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 4, which further comprises an ignition key detector which detects the presence of an ignition key in a key cylinder and which produces a key indicative signal indicative thereof, and wherein when the vehicle doors are closed and locked, said controller is responsive to said key-indicative signal to disable said disabling means.

11. The keyless entry system as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 4, which further comprises an ignition key detector which detects the presence of an ignition key in a key cylinder and which produces a key indicative signal indicative thereof, and wherein said controller is responsive to said key-indicative signal and operation of said manual switches to disable the keyless entry system.

2. A keyless entry system for an automotive vehicle comprising:

vehicle devices including a door lock;

actuators, each associated with and responsive to a corresponding control signal to operate a corresponding vehicle Device to a given operating position, said actuators including a door lock actuator for operating a vehicular door lock between a locked and an unlocked position;

a compact, portable wireless transmitter producing a radio signal indicative of a present unique code in response to reception of a demand signal;

manual switches, each mounted on the external surface of a vehicle body for operation fron outside of the vehicle and operable for initiating operation of the corresponding one of said vehicle devices to a desired state, said manual switches including a door lock switch for reversing the position of said door lock acutator between said locked and unlocked positions;

a controller connected to said manual switches and responsive to operation of one of said manual switches to produce said demand signal, said controller receiving said unique code-indicative radio signal from said transmitter, comparing said unique code to a second preset code stored in said controller, and producing a control signal for operating the one of said actuators corresponding to the operated manual switch, said controller responsive to the closure and locking states of vehicle doors and producing a second demand signal when the vehicle doors are closed and locked, so as to test for transmission and reception of said code-indicative radio signal, said controller producing a disabling signal in response to detection of said code-indicative radio signal following projection of said second demand signal; and

a disabling means, associated with said controller and responsive to said disabling signal to disable operation of said controller for operating said door lock actuator.

7. The keyless entry system as set forth in any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein said disabling means includes means for producing an alarm after expiration of a first given period of time following production of said code-indicative radio signal in response to said second demand signal then producing said disabling signal from expiration of a second given period of time thereafter.

8. The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 7, wherein, said second given period of time is substantially longer than said first given period of time.

9. The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the difference between said first and second given periods of time is long enough to allow the user to operate said manual switches again and to remove said transmitter from the vehicle.

12. The keyless entry system as set forth in any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein said controller comprises a microprocessor which is programmed to perform the following operations:

a first operation for determining an initial amplitude of said unique code-indicative signal;

a second operation for comparing said unique code with said preset code and outputting said control signal to the actuator of the selected vehicle device when said unique code matches said preset code;

a third operation for determining a second amplitude of said unique code-indicative signal after a predetermined period after production of said second demand signal, comparing said initial amplitude and said second amplitude of said unique code-indicative signal, obtaining the difference therebetween, producing an alarm when said difference is smaller than a predetermined reference value, and disabling said controller after a given period after producing said alarm; and

a fourth operation for enabling operation of said controller after a vehicle device is operated manually.

13. The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 12, wherein said microprocessor is responsive to various conditions to selectively perform said first to fourth operations, in which said microprocessor:

selects said first operation in response to the onset of power supply thereto;

selects said second operation in response to operation of one of said manual switches;

selects said third operation in response to production of said second demand signal; and

selects said fourth operation in response to manual operation of a vehicle device by means of a mechanical key.

14. The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 13, which further comprises an ignition key detector which detects the presence of an ignition key in an ignition key cylinder and produces a signal indicative of the presence of said ignition key in said key cylinder, and wherein when the vehicle doors are closed and locked, said controller is responsive to said key-indicative signal to disable said disabling means.

15. The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 13, which further comprises an ignition key detector which detects the presence of an ignition key in an ignition key cylinder and produces a signal indicative of the presence of said ignition key in said key cylinder, and wherein said controller is responsive to said key-indicative signal and operation of said manual switches to disable keyless entry operation.

3. A keyless entry system for an automotive vehicle comprising:

vehicle devices including a door lock which is operable between a locking state and an unlocking state;

a first detector associated with said door lock for detecting the locking and unlocking state of the latter;

a second detector for detecting closure of vehicle doors;

actuators for corresponding vehicle devices, said actuators including a door lock actuator for operating a vehicular door lock between a locked and an unlocked position;

a compact, portable wireless transmitter producing a radio signal indicative of a present unique code in response to reception of a demand signal;

manual switches mounted on an external surface of a vehicle body for operation from the outside of the vehicle, each switch corresponding to one of said vehicle devices, said manual switches including a door lock switch for reversing the position of said door lock actuator between said locked and unlocked positions;

a controller connected to receive a signal from and responsive to operation of one of said manual switches to produce said demand signal, said controller receiving said unique code indicative radio signal from said transmitter, comparing said unique code and a preset code stored therein, and producing a control signal in response to one of said actuators corresponding to an operated manual switch for actuating the corresponding vehicle device to the desired position, said controller being associated with said first and second detector for producing a second demand signal when the vehicle doors are closed and locked in order to test for production of the code-indicative radio signal by said transmitter in the vehice, said controller producing a disabling signal when said code-indicative radio signal is produced in response to said second demand signal; and

a disabling means associated with said controller and responsive to said disabling signal to disable operation of said controller for operating said door lock actuator.

4. A keyless entry system for an automotive vehicle comprising:

vehicle devices including a door lock and a trunk lid lock which are each operable between a locking state and an unlocking state;

actuators associated with corresponding vehicle devices including a door lock actuator and trunk lid lock actuator;

a compact, portable wireless transmitter producing a radio signal indicative of a preset unique code in response to reception of a demand signal;

manual switches mounted on the external surface of a vehicle body for operation from the outside of the vehicle, each corresponding to one of said vehicle devices, said manual switches including a door lock switch for reversing the position of said door lock actuator between said locked and unlocked positions;

a controller connected to receive a signal from and responsive to operation of one of said manual switches to produce said demand signal, said controller receiving said unique code indicative radio signal from said transmitter, comparing said unique code and a preset code stored therein to produce a control signal in response to one of said actuators corresponding to an operated manual switch for actuating the corresponding vehicle device, said controller responsive to a first state wherein vehicle doors are closed and locked and a second state wherein said trunk lid is locked, said controller being responsive to one of said first and second states to produce a second demand signal for checking for production of said code-indicative radio signal by said transmitter in the vehicle, and said controller producing a disabling signal when the code-indicative radio signal is produced in response to said second demand signal; and

a disabling means responsive to said disabling signal to disable operation of said controller for operating said door lock actuator and trunk lid lock actuator.

16. In a keyless entry system for operating vehicle devices including a door lock by means of a combination of manual switches mounted on a vehicle body, a wireless, portable transmitter adapted to produce a radio signal indicative of a unique code and a controller mounted on the vehicle for receiving said unique code and for comparing said unique code with a preset code stored in the controller and operating a selected one of the vehicle devices corresponding to the operated one of said manual switches when said codes match, a theft-preventing method comprising the steps of:

initially activating said transmitter to transmit said unique code-indicative radio signal and measuring an initial signal strength of the unique code-indicative radio signal;

detecting a first condition in which the vehicle door is closed;

detecting a second condition in which said door lock has just been operated to a locking state;

activating said transmitter in response to establishment of said first and second conditions and measuring a second signal strength of said unique code-indicative radio signal;

comparing said initial signal strength and said second signal strength and deriving the difference therebetween; and

disabling keyless entry system operation when said difference is smaller than a predetermined reference value after a given period of time expires.

18. The method as set forth in claim 16 or 17, which further comprises a step of detecting the presence of an ignition key in an ignition key cylinder of an ignition switch assembly when said first and second conditions are detected and omitting said step of disabling operation of the keyless entry system when the presence of said ignition key in said key cylinder is detected.

19. The method as set forth in claim 16 or 17, which further comprises a step of detecting the presence of an ignition key in an ignition key cylinder of an ignition switch assembly when said first condition is detected and said second condition is not detected, and disabling keyless entry system operation when presence of said ignition key in said key cylinder is detected.

20. The method as set forth in claim 16 or 17, wherein said step of detecting said second condition includes detecting a manual door locking operation by detecting operation of a manually operable door lock knob.

21. The method as set forth in claim 16 or 17, which further comprises a step of producing an alarm when said difference is smaller than said reference value, which alarm producing step is performed in advance of the step of disabling keyless entry system operation.

22. The method as set forth in claim 21, wherein a predetermined time lag is provided between the step for producing said alarm and the step for disabling keyless entry system operation.

23. The method as set forth in claim 22, wherein said time lag is set long enough for the user to operate the keyless entry system and remove the transmitter from the vehicle.

17. In a keyless entry system for operating vehicle devices including a door lock by mean of a combination of manual switches mounted on a vehicle body, a wireless, portable transmitter adapted to produce a radio signal indicative of a unique code and a controller mounted on the vehicle for receiving said unique code and for comparing said unique code with a preset code stored in the controller to operate a vehicle device corresponding to the operated one of said manual switches, a theft preventing method comprising the steps of:

initially activating said transmitter to transmit said unique code indicative radio signal and measuring an initial signal strength of the unique code-indicative radio signal;

thereafter performing keyless entry operation in response to operation of said manual switches by comparing said unique code and said preset code and operating the vehicle devices corresponding to the operated one of said manual switches when said codes match;

detecting a first condition in which the vehicle door is closed;

detecting a second condition in which said door lock has just been operated to a locking state;

activating said transmitter in response to establishment of said first and second conditions and measuring a second signal strength of said unique code indicative radio signal;

comparing said initial signal strength and said second signal strength and deriving the difference therebetween; and

disabling keyless entry operation when said difference is smaller than a predetermined reference value after a given period of time expires.

24. A keyless entry system for an automotive vehicle for operating various vehicle devices including a door lock and a steering lock, comprising:

a portable wireless transmitter operable for transmitting a unique code indicative signal encoded to carry a first preset unique code stored in said transmitter;

actuators, each associated with corresponding vehicle devices for operating the latter to a desired state, said actuators including a steering lock actuator associated with said steering lock for operating the latter between a locking state and an unlocking state and a door lock actuator for operating a vehicle door lock between a locked and an unlocked position;

manual switches for signalling said keyless entry system to operate a corresponding one of said vehicle devices;

a first detector for detecting a door close position for outputting a first detector signal in response thereto;

a second detector operable for detecting a predetermined steering lock condition to output a second detector signal when said steering lock condition is detected;

a third detector for detecting whether or not a vehicle door or doors is closed;

a fourth detector for detecting whether or not said door lock is locked;

a controller mounted on the vehicle and operable to transmit a first demand signal for triggering said transmitter and receiving said unique code indicative signal, comparing the received unique code with a second preset code, and producing a control signal to operate at least one of said actuators only when the received unique code matches said second preset code, said controller responsive to said first and second detector signals to transmit said control signal to said steering lock actuator for performing steering locking and unlocking operation, said controller detecting the closure and locking state of said vehicle doors to transmit a second demand signal when the vehicle doors are closed and locked, so as to test for transmission of said code-indicative radio signal, said controller producing a disabling signal when said code-indicative radio signal is continuously or periodically received for a given period of time following transmission of said second demand signal; and

a disabling means associated with said controller and responsive to said disabling signal for disabling operation of said controller for operating said door lock actuator.

25. The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 24, which further comprises a manual operation mechanism associated with said door lock for allowing manual operation of said door lock between locking and unlocking states.

26. The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 25, which further comprises a detector detecting manual operation of said manual operation mechanism to the locking position.

27. The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 24, wherein said disabling means produces an alarm after expiration of a first given period of time following production of said code-indicative radio in response to said second demand signal and then produces said disabling signal after expiration of a second given period of time thereafter.

28. The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 27, wherein, said second given period of time is substantially longer than said first given period of time.

29. The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 28, wherein the difference between said first and second given periods of time is long enough to allow the user to operate said manual switches again and to remove said transmitter from the vehicle.

30. The keyless entry system as set forth in claims 24, which further comprises an ignition key detector which produces a signal indicative of the presence of an ignition key in a key cylinder when said ignition key is in said ignition key cylinder, and wherein when the vehicle doors are closed and locked, said controller is responsive to said key-indicative signal to disable said disabling means.

31. The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 24, which further comprises an ignition key detector which produces a signal indicative of the presence of an ignition key in a key cylinder when said ignition key is in said ignition key cylinder, and wherein said controller is responsive to said key-indicative signal and operation of said manual switches to disable the keyless entry system.

32. The keyless entry system as set forth any one of in claims 24 to 31, wherein said second detector is detective of an engine stopping and produces said second detector signal when engine stopping is detected.

33. The keyless entry system as set forth in any one of claim 24 to 31, wherein said second detector is detective of a vehicle stopping and produces said second detector signal when the vehicle stopping state is detected.

34. The keyless entry system as set forth in any one of claims 24 to 31, wherein said second detector is detective of an engine stopping and a vehicle stopping and produces said second detector signal when the engine stopping and the vehicle stopping are both detected.

35. The keyless entry system as set forth in any one of claims 24 to 31, wherein said controller is operable for performing a steering locking and unlocking operation, transmits a demand signal to said transmitter and compares the unique code transmitted from said transmitter with said preset code for enabling said steering locking and unlocking operation only when said unique code matches said preset code.