Semi-passive keyless entry method and device

• US 6,359,348 B1
• Filed: 11/15/1999
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: King, Ronald O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ballato, Josie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Deberadinis, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US09/440,070
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.72, 340/825.69, 307/10.1, 307/10.2, 307/10.3, 307/10.4, 307/9.1
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00206 the keyless data carrier being hand operated
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00349 and the lock having only one limited data transmission range
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00984 fob
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A remote keyless entry system including a keyless fob having a transmitter for remote transmission of a semi-passive function control signal to an automobile in which the user does not have to manually actuate the fob while it transitions with the user from a point outside of its range with respect to the automobile to a point within its range. The user need only actuate the semi-passive signal transmission once and it is repetitively transmitted for a given amount of time whereby the trunk lid for example of the user'"'"'s automobile will open as the user and the keyless fob move into a predetermined range from the automobile.

Claims

1. A keyless fob for use in a remote keyless entry system including a receiver, the receiver being mounted in an apparatus having a function, said fob comprising:

a manually actuable signal actuator; and

a transmitter for repetitively transmitting a wireless semi-passive signal for a predetermined period of time in response to manual actuation of said signal actuator for a semi-passive mode,

where the apparatus is adapted to initiate the function in response to receipt of said semi-passive signal by the receiver while said fob is spaced from the receiver by no more than a predetermined semi-passive range, and

where said predetermined period is long enough to enable hands-free initiation of the function after manual actuation of said signal actuator for the semi-passive mode outside of the semi-passive range.

2. The fob of claim 1, wherein said period of time is fifteen minutes.

3. The fob of claim 1, wherein said period of time is on the order of minutes.

4. The fob of claim 1, wherein said period of time is longer than one minute.

5. The fob of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a vehicle and the function is unlocking an entry to the vehicle.

6. The fob of claim 1, wherein said fob is operable in a manual mode in response to a second manual actuation of said signal actuator for the manual mode, the second manual actuation being different from the first-mentioned manual actuation for the semi-passive mode,

wherein in the manual mode said transmitter transmits a wireless second signal in response to the second manual actuation of said signal actuator, and

where the apparatus is adapted to initiate the function in response to receipt of said second signal by the receiver while said fob is spaced from the receiver by no more than a predetermined manual range.

7. The fob of claim 6, wherein said signal actuator is a pushbutton, the manual actuation for the manual mode includes depressing said pushbutton for a first period of time and the manual actuation for the semi-passive mode includes depressing said pushbutton for a second period of time longer than the first period of time.

8. The fob of claim 6, wherein the manual range is greater than the semi-passive range.

9. The fob of claim 6, wherein the second signal is stronger than the semi-passive signal.

10. A receiver for use in a remote keyless entry system including a keyless fob, said receiver being mounted in an apparatus having a function, the fob including a manually actuable signal actuator and a transmitter for repetitively transmitting a wireless semi-passive signal for a predetermined period of time in response to manual actuation of the signal actuator for a semi-passive mode, said receiver comprising:

receiver circuitry for receiving said semi-passive signal from the fob; and

a detector for detecting whether or not the fob is spaced from said receiver by no more than a predetermined semi-passive range,

where the apparatus is adapted to initiate the function in response to receipt of said semi-passive signal by said receiver circuitry while the fob is detected to be spaced from said receiver by no more than the predetermined semi-passive range, and

where the predetermined period is long enough to enable hands-free initiation of the function after manual actuation of the signal actuator for the semi-passive mode outside of the semi-passive range.

11. The receiver of claim 10, wherein said detector detects that the fob is spaced from said receiver by no more than the predetermined range if said semi-passive signal has at least a predetermined strength.

12. The receiver of claim 10, wherein said period of time is fifteen minutes.

13. The receiver of claim 10, wherein said period of time is on the order of minutes.

14. The receiver of claim 10, wherein said period of time is longer than one minute.

15. The receiver of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is a vehicle and the function is unlocking an entry to the vehicle.

16. The receiver of claim 10, wherein the fob is operable in a manual mode in response to a second manual actuation of the signal actuator for the manual mode, the second manual actuation being different from the first-mentioned manual actuation for the semi-passive mode, wherein in the manual mode the transmitter transmits a wireless second signal in response to the second manual actuation of said signal actuator,

said receiver circuitry being for receiving said second signal and said detector being for detecting whether or not the fob is spaced from said receiver by no more than a predetermined semi-passive range, where the apparatus is adapted to initiate the function in response to receipt of said second signal by said receiver circuitry while the fob is detected to be spaced from the receiver by no more than a predetermined manual range.

17. The receiver of claim 16, wherein the manual range is greater than the semi-passive range.

18. The receiver of claim 16, wherein the second signal is stronger than the semi-passive signal.

19. A method of operating a remote keyless entry system including a keyless fob and a receiver, where the fob includes a manually actuable signal actuator and a transmitter, and the receiver including receiver circuitry and a detector, said method comprising the steps of, in the fob:

manually actuating a signal actuator for a semi-passive mode; and

repetitively transmitting a wireless semi-passive signal for a predetermined period of time in response to said actuating step,

said method further comprising the steps of, in the receiver,

receiving the semi-passive signal from the fob; and

detecting whether or not the fob is spaced from the receiver by no more than a predetermined semi-passive range,

where the apparatus is adapted to initiate the function in response to receipt of the semi-passive signal by the receiver while the fob is spaced from the receiver by no more than the predetermined semi-passive range, and

where the predetermined period is long enough to enable hands-free initiation of the function after said actuating step outside of the semi-passive range.