Central lock system for automotive vehicle

• US 5,477,214 A
• Filed: 02/23/1995
• Issued: 12/19/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Kiekert GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Bartel, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Bowler, Alyssa H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rinehart, Mark H.
• Application Number:
  US08/393,258
• Time in Patent Office: 299 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.31, 340/825.34, 340/825.69, 340/825.72
• US Class Current: 340/5.64
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/48 by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0023 with encription of the transmittted data signal
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/06 Involving synchronization or resynchronization between transmitter and receiver; reordering of codes
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A remote control lock system for a vehicle has a coder of the transmitter and the decoder of the receiver designed to receive either a radio frequency or light frequency oscillator and detector, respectively, so that for a given coding system, different modes of wave transmission between the receiver and the transmitter can be effected.

Claims

1. A central locking system set for an automotive vehicle, the set comprising:

a central lock system for an automotive vehicle, including;

a lock actuator having a coder for coding a signal for wireless transmission to the automotive vehicle,

a receiver on the vehicle having a decoder responsive to the signal, and

an electronically operated lock means of the vehicle connected with the receiver and responsive to an output of the decoder for selectively activating and deactivating a lock of the vehicle;

a radio-frequency oscillator and a light-frequency oscillator;

releasable connection means including respective plugs and sockets on the oscillators and actuator for selectively coupling either of the oscillators individually mechanically and electronically with the actuator;

a radio-frequency detector complementary to the radio-frequency oscillator and a light-frequency detector complementary to the light-frequency oscillator; and

releasable connection means including respective interfitting plugs and sockets on the detectors and receiver for selectively coupling either of the detectors individually mechanically and electronically with the receiver, depending upon which of the oscillators is coupled to the actuator,

the coder and decoder both having bandwidths for processing both radiofrequency and light-frequency signals.

2. The set defined in claim 1 wherein:

the coder has a memory which stores a binary code with a countable sequence of code bits, a starting bit, and an end bit such that the starting bit again follows each end bit,

the decoder is configured for a decoding of the binary code,

means is provided for synchronizing the actuator and the receiver,

upon operation of the actuator a code word formed from the code bits of the sequence is radiated to the receiver, is decoded in the decoder and is converted into an actuating signal for the electronically operated lock means,

the actuator and the receiver are synchronized after at least one ineffective actuation of the actuator,

each of the sequences of code bits in the actuator and in the receiver forms an amount (n) of defined and different code words, each composed of a partial amount of the code bits, the code words being counted (1, 2, 3, . . . x, . . . n),

the actuator upon operation sending each of the code words in succession so that at the x^th actuation of the actuator the x^th code word is transmitted,

with a corresponding count, the decoder unit decodes the code words in succession so that upon reception of the x^th code word, the x^th code word is converted to an unlocking signal for the electronically operated lock means, and

upon x=n in the counts in the actuator and receiver, the sequencing of the code words begins again at 1.

3. The set defined in claim 2 wherein the means for synchronizing includes:

an auxiliary coding unit storing a quantity (m) of different auxiliary code words defining an auxiliary code forming a synchronizing signal, the auxiliary code words being counted in a sequence (1, 2, 3, . . . x, . . . m) and which do not belong to the quantity (n) of the code words converted to the unlocking signal, whereby upon operation of the actuator for the purpose of synchronizing the actuator with the receiver, the actuator sends a respective auxiliary code word and the auxiliary code words are counted in succession so that with the x^th actuation of the actuator, the x^th auxiliary code word is received by the receiver, used in the unlocking signal and used in for synchronizing, the (x+1) auxiliary code word being successively sent and the auxiliary code words are counted so that upon x=m, the sequence at repeated at 1.

4. The set defined in claim 3 wherein the actuator is a key with bitting for mechanically operating the lock.

5. The set defined in claim 1, further comprising means for synchronizing the actuator with the receiver, the means for synchronizing including:

an auxiliary coding unit storing a quantity (m) of different auxiliary code words defining an auxiliary code forming a synchronizing signal, the auxiliary code words being counted in a sequence (1, 2, 3, . . . x, . . . m), whereby upon operation of the actuator for the purpose of synchronizing the actuator with the receiver, the transmitter sends a respective auxiliary code word and the auxiliary code words are counted in succession so that with the x^th actuation of the actuator, the x^th auxiliary code word is received by the receiver, used in an unlocking signal and used in for synchronizing, the (x+1) auxiliary code word being successively sent and the auxiliary code words are counted so that upon x=m, the sequence at repeated at 1.

6. The set defined in claim 5 wherein the actuator is a key with bitting for mechanically operating the lock.

7. The set defined in claim 1 wherein the actuator is a key with bitting for mechanically operating the lock.

8. The set defined in claim 1 wherein the oscillators are both of the same format, whereby they are interchangeable.

9. The set defined in claim 1 wherein the detectors are both of the same format, whereby they are interchangeable.