Transmission and reception system and signal generation method for same

• US 5,594,429 A
• Filed: 10/25/1994
• Issued: 01/14/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nakahara, Ichirou
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, BRIAN A
• Application Number:
  US08/328,219
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.31, 340/825.34, 340/825.33, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 379/62, 379/63, 379/60, 380/42, 380/43, 380/45, 380/46
• US Class Current: 340/5.26
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00261 the keyless data carrier having more than one function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A transmission and reception system including a transmitter for transmitting a signal including identification (security) information and function information, and a receiver for receiving and decoding the signal and for executing the operation defined by the function information upon verification of the identification information. The transmitter divides one or more of the identification information and the function information into two or more bit groups, and transmits these bit groups such that identification information bit groups are separated by function information and function information bit groups are separated by identification information. In one embodiment, the intermixed function and identification bit groups are transmitted without a time gap, and in another embodiment the function bit groups and the identification bit groups are arranged in groups containing one or more function information bit groups and one or more identification information bit groups, these groups then being transmitted with a time gap therebetween. The receiver includes information necessary for recombining the identification information and the function information for performing verification of the identification information and execution of the operation defined by the function information. In a further embodiment the identification information includes both fixed and variable codes, the variable code being changed after each transmission.

Claims

1. A transmission and reception system comprising:

a transmitter including a first variable code generator and means for transmitting a plurality of transmitted-signal groups, each transmitted-signal group including identification information and command information, the identification information including a fixed code and a variable code obtained from the first variable code generator, the command information including one of a security device activation command code and a security device deactivation code; and

a receiver including;

a memory;

means for receiving and comparing the transmitted fixed code and the command information with values stored in the memory;

a second variable code generator;

means for updating an operation state of the second variable code generator when the received fixed code coincides with the stored fixed code and the received command code coincides with a system activation command code such that the second variable code generator is synchronized with the first variable code generator; and

means for processing the command information when the transmitted identification information fixed code is the same as the stored value and the received command code coincides with a system deactivation command code.

2. The transmission and reception system according to claim 1:

wherein the transmitter further comprises means for transmitting correction information with the identification information when a predetermined command information is transmitted; and

wherein the means for updating further comprises means for recognizing the correction information and for adjusting variable code information stored in the receiver such that the adjusted variable code information of the receiver coincides with a variable code stored in the transmitter.

3. A security system comprising a portable transmitter for transmitting a radio frequency signal and a security device including a receiver for receiving the transmitted radio frequency signal, wherein the portable transmitter includes:

a keypad including a system activation key and a system deactivation key,

a first memory for storing a fixed code, a system activation command code and a system deactivation command code,

a first variable code generator for generating a variable code in accordance with predetermined criteria,

a controller for retrieving the fixed code and a selected one of the system activation command code and the system deactivation command code from the first memory, for obtaining the variable code from the first variable code generator, and

a transmitter circuit for transmitting the radio frequency signal such that information corresponding to the fixed code, the variable code and the selected command code is transmitted in a predetermined order; and

wherein the receiver includes;

a second memory,

a second variable code generator,

means for converting the received radio frequency signal into a received fixed code, a received variable code and a received command code,

means comparing the received fixed code with a fixed code stored in the second memory,

means for obtaining a second variable code from the second variable code generator, comparing the second variable code with the received variable code, and deactivating the security system only when the second variable code coincides with the received variable code, the received fixed code coincides with the stored fixed code and the received command code coincides with a system deactivation command code, and

means for updating an operating state of the second variable code generator using the received variable code when the received fixed code coincides with the stored fixed code and the received command code coincides with a system activation command code.

4. The security system according to claim 3, wherein the first variable code generator further comprises means modifying the variable code to include correction information when the selected command code coincides with a system activation command code, the correction information being used by the means for updating the operating state of the second variable code generator.

5. The security system according to claim 3, wherein the security device is mounted on a vehicle and locks a door of the vehicle in response to the system activation command code.

6. The security system according to claim 3, wherein the first and second variable code generators include timer circuits which generate time stamp information, wherein the first and second variable code generators generate variable codes whose value is calculated by a common arithmetic operation including the time stamp information, and wherein the means for updating the operating state of the second variable code generator synchronize the timer circuits of the first and second variable code generators updates the second variable code generator using time stamp information transmitted with the variable code from the transmitter.

7. The security system according to claim 3, wherein the first variable code generator includes a random number generator circuit for generating a random number which is transmitted to the receiver only in response to manipulation of the system activation key, wherein the first and second variable code generators generate variable codes whose value is calculated by a common arithmetic operation including the random number, and wherein the means for updating the operating state of the second variable code generator updates the second variable code generator by storing the transmitted random number in the second memory of the receiver.

8. The security system according to claim 3, wherein the first and second variable code generators include function generators which generate updated function values in accordance with stored function values, wherein the first and second variable code generators generate variable codes whose value is calculated by a common arithmetic operation including the updated function values, and wherein the means for updating the operating state of the second variable code generator updates the second variable code generator using by storing the transmitted function value of the first variable code generator in the second variable code generator.

9. A method for remotely controlling a security device in response to a radio frequency signal transmitted from a transmitter, the security device including a receiver for receiving the transmission signal, the method comprising:

transmitting the radio frequency signal from the transmitter in accordance with the following steps;

recalling a fixed code and a selected command code from a first memory,

obtaining a first variable code from a variable code generator,

generating a second variable code by incrementing the first variable code in accordance with a predetermined function,

transmitting the radio frequency signal such that information corresponding to the fixed code, the second variable code and the selected command code is transmitted in a predetermined order; and

in response to reception of the transmitted radio frequency signal by the receiver, controlling the security device by;

converting the received radio frequency signal into a received fixed code, a received variable code and a received command code,

comparing the received fixed code with a fixed code stored in a second memory of the receiver,

if the received fixed code coincides with the stored fixed code;

obtaining a third variable code from a variable code holder mounted of the receiver,

comparing the third variable code with the received variable code,

if the third variable code does not coincide with the received variable code, updating the third variable code by incrementing the third variable code in accordance with the predetermined function, and comparing updated third variable code with the received code, and

if either of the third variable code or the updated third variable code coincide with the received variable code;

causing the security device to operate in accordance to the received command code,

generating a fourth variable code by incrementing the third variable code in accordance with the predetermined function, and

replacing the third variable code stored in the variable code holder with the fourth variable code.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the security device is mounted on a vehicle, and wherein the step of causing the security device to operate in accordance with the received command code includes locking a door of the vehicle.

11. A security system comprising a portable transmitter for transmitting a radio frequency signal and a security device including a receiver for receiving the transmitted radio frequency signal, wherein the portable transmitter includes:

a first memory for storing a fixed code and a command code,

a variable code generator for storing a first variable code,

a controller for retrieving the fixed code and the command code from the first memory, and for providing a second variable code generated by incrementing the first variable code in accordance with a predetermined function, and

a transmitter circuit for transmitting the radio frequency signal such that information corresponding to the fixed code, the second variable code and the command code is transmitted in a predetermined order; and

wherein the receiver includes;

a second memory,

a variable code holder,

means for converting the received radio frequency signal into a received fixed code, a received variable code and a received command code,

means comparing the received fixed code with a fixed code stored in the second memory,

means for obtaining a third variable code from the variable code holder, for providing a fourth variable code generated by incrementing the third variable code in accordance with a predetermined function, the means for obtaining generates a predetermined number of updated variable codes by incrementing the fourth variable code in accordance with the predetermined function, compares each of the updated variable codes with the received variable codes, and causes the security system to operated in accordance with the received command code only when one of the updated variable codes coincides with the received variable code, and

means for updating an operating state of the variable code holder using one of the third variable code and one of the updated variable codes.

12. The security system according to claim 11, wherein the security device is mounted on a vehicle and locks a door of the vehicle in response to the command code.

13. A method for remotely controlling a security device in response to a radio frequency signal transmitted from a portable transmitter, the portable transmitter having a keypad including a device activation key and a device deactivation key, the security device including a receiver for receiving the transmission signal, the method comprising:

in response to manipulation of the keypad, transmitting the radio frequency signal from the transmitter in accordance with the following steps;

recalling a fixed code and a selected command code from a first memory,

obtaining a variable code from a first variable code generator provided in the transmitter, and

transmitting the radio frequency signal such that information corresponding to the fixed code, the variable code and the selected command code is transmitted in a predetermined order; and

in response to reception of the transmitted radio frequency signal by the receiver, controlling the security device by;

converting the received radio frequency signal into a received fixed code, a received variable code and a received command code;

comparing the received fixed code with a fixed code stored in a second memory of the receiver,

if the received fixed code coincides with the stored fixed code and the received command code coincides with a device deactivation command code, obtaining a second variable code from the second variable code generator, comparing the second variable code with the received variable code, and deactivating the security device only if the second variable code coincides with the received variable code, and

if the received fixed code coincides with the stored fixed code and the received command code coincides with a device activation command code, updating an operating state of a second variable code generator provided in the receiver using the received variable code such that the second variable code generator is synchronized with the first variable code generator, and activating the security device.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the step of obtaining the variable code from the first variable code generator further comprises:

if the selected command code coincides with a device activation command code, modifying the variable code to include correction information for use during the subsequent step of updating the operating state of the second variable code generator.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the security device is mounted on a vehicle, and wherein the step of activating the security device includes locking a door of the vehicle.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the first and second variable code generators include timer circuits which generate time stamp information, wherein the first and second variable code generators generate variable codes whose value is calculated by a common arithmetic operation including the time stamp information, and wherein the step of updating the operating state of the second variable code generator comprises synchronizing the timer circuits of the first and second variable code generators.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the first variable code generator includes a random number generator circuit for generating a random number which is transmitted to the receiver only in response to manipulation of the device activation key, wherein the first and second variable code generators generate variable codes whose value is calculated by a common arithmetic operation including the random number, and wherein the step of updating the operating state of the second variable code generator comprises storing the transmitted random number in the second memory of the receiver.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the first and second variable code generators include function generators which generate updated function values in accordance with stored function values, wherein the first and second variable code generators generate variable codes whose value is calculated by a common arithmetic operation including the updated function values, and wherein the step of updating the operating state of the second variable code generator comprises transmitting the stored function value of the first variable code generator for storage in the second variable code generator.