Device for checking the closed state of a door mounted on an object, especially on a motor vehicle

• US 5,898,365 A
• Filed: 10/03/1997
• Issued: 04/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Support Company GmbH
• Original Assignee: NSM AG
• Inventors: Niederlein, Horst
• Primary Examiner(s): SWANN III, GLEN R
• Application Number:
  US08/875,280
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 340/540, 340/541, 340/542, 340/425.5, 340/691, 340/825.37, 49/14, 180/287, 180/289, 341/176
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/62 Comprising means for indicating the status of the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for checking the closed state of a door mounted on an object (1), especially on a motor vehicle, by using an electronic key (2). The electronic key (2) and the object (1) are each fitted with intercommunicating transmitter/receiver units (3, 4 or 13, 14). The closed state of the door (1) is determined via a closure detecting sensor (8) on the door (7) and indicated via optical displays (10 or 16) on the outside of the object (1) and/or on the electronic key (2).

Claims

1. A device for indicating whether a door mounted on an object is in an open state or a closed state, comprising:

an electronic key having a button and an optical display, the electronic key additionally having a transmitter and a receiver; and

a transmitter and a receiver carried by the object, the transmitter and receiver of the electronic key intercommunicating with the transmitter and receiver carried by the object within a defined spatial region.

wherein the optical display continuously indicates the open or closed state of the door upon activation of the button, and

wherein the optical display comprises a light-emitting diode.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the object is a motor vehicle.

3. A device for indicating whether a door mounted on an object is in an open state or a closed state, comprising:

an electronic key having a button and an optical display, the electronic key additionally having a transmitter and a receiver, and

a transmitter and a receiver carried by the object, the transmitter and receiver of the electronic key intercommunicating with the transmitter and receiver carried by the object within a defined spatial region,

wherein the optical display continuously indicates the open or closed state of the door upon activation of the button, and

wherein the optical display comprises two light-emitting diodes displaying different colors.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein one of the light-emitting diodes lights up green to indicate the open state of the door and the other light-emitting diode lights up red to indicate the closed state of the door.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the device is a motor vehicle.

6. A device for indicating whether a door mounted on an object is in an open state or a closed state, comprising:

an electronic key having an optical display, the electronic key additionally having a transmitter and a receiver;

a transmitter and receiver carried by the object, the transmitter and receiver of the key intercommunicating with the transmitter and receiver carried by the object within a defined region; and

an optical display on the outside of the door to show whether the state of the door is open or closed.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the object is a motor vehicle having a trunk with a lid and an engine compartment with a lid, and further comprising means for checking whether at least one of the lids is in an open state or a closed state.

8. A device according to claim 6, further comprising a closure detecting sensor arranged on the door, the sensor being linked to at least one of the transmitter and the receiver carried by the object.

9. A device according to claim 6, wherein the electronic key is a remote control unit.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the remote control unit is an infrared remote control unit.

11. A device according to claim 9, wherein the remote control unit is an ultrasound remote control unit.

12. A device according to claim 9, wherein the remote control unit is a radio remote control unit.

13. The device of claim 6, wherein the optical display comprises a light-emitting diode.

14. The device of claim 6, wherein the optical display comprises two light-emitting diodes displaying different colors.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein one of the light-emitting diodes lights up green to indicate the open state of the door and the other light-emitting diode lights up red to indicate the closed state of the door.

16. The device of claim 6, wherein the object is a motor vehicle.

17. A system for indicating whether a door mounted on an object is in a first state or a second state, comprising:

an electronic key having a button and a communications unit;

a communications unit carried by the object to communicate with the communications unit of the electronic key;

sensor means for sensing whether the door is in its first state or its second state, the sensor means being linked to the communications unit carried by the object; and

an optical display on the door to show whether the door is in its first state or its second state when the button is activated, the optical display being linked to the communications unit carried by the object.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein the optical display comprises a light-emitting component.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein the light-emitting component is an LED.

20. A system according to claim 19, wherein the light-emitting components are LEDs.

21. A system according to claim 17, wherein the optical display comprises a plurality of light-emitting components which light up with different colors.

22. A system according to claim 17, wherein the communications unit of the electronic key comprises a transmitter and the communications unit carried by the object comprises a receiver.

23. A system according to claim 17, wherein the object is a car.