Vehicle automatic door-locking system using identifier signal transmitting portable unit

• US 6,476,517 B1
• Filed: 07/31/2000
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Okada, Hiroki
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Fritz
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEBERADINIS, ROBERT L
• Application Number:
  US09/629,821
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 307/10.2, 307/10.1, 307/9.1, 340/426, 340/825.72, 340/825.31
• US Class Current: 307/10.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/245 where the antenna reception area plays a role
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00373 whereby the wake-up circuit is situated in the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

Automatically controlled door-locking system for locking at least an operator'"'"'s door of a vehicle, including a power-operated device for selectively locking and unlocking at least the vehicle operator'"'"'s door, a symptom detecting device or detecting a symptom indicating that the vehicle operator has an intention of getting off the vehicle, a communication device having a signal-receiving device and an identifier-signal requesting device operable upon detection of the above-indicated symptom, to transmit to a portable unit a request signal requesting the portable unit to transmit back to the signal-receiving device an identifier signal identifying the portable unit, and a locking-device controller operable when the identifier signal received by the signal-receiving device identifies the vehicle, to operate the power-operated locking device for locking at least the vehicle operator'"'"'s door after the door is closed.

Claims

1. An automatically controlled door-locking system for automatically locking at least one door of a vehicle, which includes a vehicle-operator'"'"'s door provided for an operator of the vehicle, said door-locking system comprising:

a power-operated locking device including a power source, and an actuator operated by said power source for selectively locking and unlocking said at least one door placed in a closed position thereof;

a symptom detecting device operable to detect a symptom indicating that the operator of the vehicle has an intention of getting off the vehicle;

a portable unit to be carried by said operator;

a first communication device operable to communicate with said portable unit while said portable unit is located within a predetermined communication area, said first communication device including a first identifier-signal requesting device and a first signal-receiving device, said first identifier-signal requesting device being operable, upon detection of said symptom by said symptom detecting device, to transmit to said portable unit a request signal requesting said portable unit to transmit back to said first signal-receiving device an identifier signal representative of an identifier identifying said portable unit; and

a locking-device controller, operable when said identifier represented by said identifier signal received by said first signal-receiving device matches an identifier identifying said vehicle, to operate said power-operated locking device for locking said at least one door after said vehicle-operator'"'"'s door is closed.

2. An automatically controlled door-locking system according to claim 1, wherein said symptom detecting device detects said symptom, when the vehicle is placed in a state in which the vehicle is not likely to be started and/or when a seat belt which has been used by the vehicle operator is released.

3. An automatically controlled door-locking system according to claim 1, wherein said symptom detecting device detects said symptom, when said vehicle-operator'"'"'s door is operated from a closed position thereof to an open position thereof.

4. An automatically controlled door-locking system according to claim 1, wherein said locking-device controller includes portable-unit detecting device for determining that said portable unit is located within said predetermined communication area, when said identifier represented by said identifier signal received by said first signal-receiving device of said first communication device matches said identifier of said vehicle, said locking-device controller operating said power-operated locking device to lock said at least one door in the closed position, when said portable-unit detecting device has determined that said portable unit is located within said predetermined communication area.

5. An automatically controlled door-locking system according to claim 1, wherein said first identifier-signal requesting device intermittently transmits said request signal at a predetermined time interval after detection of said symptom by said symptom detecting device.

6. An automatically controlled door-locking system according to claim 5, wherein said first identifier-signal requesting device transmits said request signal at a first predetermined time interval before a predetermined condition is satisfied, and at a second predetermined time interval longer than said first predetermined time interval after said predetermined condition is satisfied.

7. An automatically controlled door-locking system according to claim 1, wherein said locking-device controller includes at least one of a data memory for storing data indicative of a determination that said identifier represented by said identifier signal received by said first signal-receiving device matches said identifier of said vehicle, and a request terminating portion, operable upon said determination, to command said first identifier-signal requesting device to terminate transmission of said request signal.

8. An automatically controlled door-locking system according to claim 1, further comprising an indicator operable when said identifier represented by said identifier signal received by said first signal-receiving device matches said identifier of the vehicle, to provide an indication that said identifier represented by said identifier signal matches said identifier of the vehicle.

9. An automatically controlled door-locking system according to claim 1, wherein when said identifier represented by said identifier signal received by said first signal-receiving device of said communication device matches said identifier of the vehicle, said locking-device controller operates said power-operated locking device to lock said at least one door when a predetermined condition is satisfied after said vehicle-operator'"'"'s door is closed.

11. An automatically controlled door-locking system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a second communication device including a second identifier-signal requesting device for transmitting said request signal to said portable unit, and a second signal-receiving device for receiving said identifier signal transmitted from said portable unit, said second communication device being capable of communicating with said portable unit while said portable unit is located within a first area whose major part lies within said vehicle;

a third communication device including a third identifier-signal requesting device for transmitting said request signal to said portable unit, and a third signal-receiving device for receiving said identifier signal transmitted from said portable unit, said third communication device being capable of communicating with said portable unit while said portable unit is located within a second area whose major part is outside said vehicle,

and wherein said locking-device controller comprises;

a first portable-unit detecting device for determining whether said portable unit is located within said first area, depending upon whether an identifier represented by said identifier signal received by said second signal-receiving device of said second communication device matches the identifier of the vehicle;

a second portable-unit detecting device for determining whether said portable unit is located within said second area, depending upon whether an identifier represented by said identifier signal received by said third signal-receiving device of said third communication device matches the identifier of the vehicle,

said locking-device controller operating said power-operated locking device after said vehicle-operator'"'"'s door is closed, and (a) when said second portable-unit detecting device determines that said portable unit is held in said second area for more than a predetermined time while said first portable-unit detecting device determines that said portable unit is not located within said first area, or (b) when said first and second portable-unit detecting devices determine that said portable unit is not located in either of said first and second areas.

12. An automatically controlled door-locking system according to claim 1, further comprising:

getting-off detecting means for detecting a high probability that the operator of the vehicle has got off the vehicle; and

a fourth communication device operable upon detection of said high probability by said getting-off detecting means and capable of communicating with said portable device while said portable unit is located within a predetermined area, said fourth communication device including a fourth identifier-signal requesting device for transmitting said request signal, and a fourth signal-receiving device for receiving said identifier signal transmitted from said portable unit;

and wherein said locking-device controller includes;

a third portable-unit detecting device for determining whether said portable unit is located within said predetermined area of said fourth communication device, depending upon whether an identifier represented by said identifier signal received by said fourth signal-receiving device matches the identifier of the vehicle; and

control means operable when said identifier represented by said identifier signal received by said first signal-receiving device of said first communication device matches the identifier of the vehicle, to operate said power-operated locking device for locking said at least one door after said third portable-unit detecting device has determined that said portable unit is not located within said predetermined area of said fourth communication device.

13. An automatically controlled door-locking system according to claim 12, wherein said locking-device controller includes a data memory for storing data indicative of a determination that said identifier represented by said identifier signal received by said first signal-receiving device of said first communication device matches said identifier of said vehicle, said system further comprising an indicator operable when said third portable-unit detector device has determined that said portable unit is not located within said predetermined area of said fourth communication device, said indicator providing an indication that said identifier represented by said identifier signal received by said first signal-receiving device matches said identifier of the vehicle.

10. An automatically controlled door-locking system according to clam 9, wherein said locking-device controller includes a portion operable after said vehicle-operator'"'"'s door is closed, to establish a door locking standby mode in which said power-operated locking device is operated to lock said at least one door when said predetermined condition is satisfied.

14. An automatically controlled door-locking system for automatically locking at least one door of a vehicle, which includes a vehicle-operator'"'"'s door provided for an operator of the vehicle, said door-locking system comprising:

a power-operated locking device including a power source, and an actuator operated by said power source for selectively locking and unlocking said at least one door placed in a closed position thereof;

a symptom detecting device operable to detect a symptom indicating that the operator has an intention of getting off the vehicle;

a portable unit to be carried by said operator;

a first communication device operable to communicate with said portable unit while said portable unit is located within a predetermined first area, said first communication device including a first identifier-signal requesting device and a first signal-receiving device, said first identifier-signal requesting device being operable, upon detection of said symptom by said symptom detecting device, to transmit to said portable unit a request signal requesting said portable unit to transmit back to said first signal-receiving device an identifier signal representative of an identifier identifying said portable unit;

getting-off detecting means for detecting a high probability that the operator of the vehicle has got off the vehicle;

a fourth communication device operable upon detection of said high probability by said getting-off detecting means and capable of communicating with said portable device while said portable unit is located within a predetermined second area, said fourth communication device including a fourth identifier-signal requesting device for transmitting said request signal, and a fourth signal-receiving device for receiving said identifier signal transmitted from said portable unit; and

a locking-device controller including (a) a first portable-unit detecting device for determining whether said portable unit is located within said predetermined first area of said first communication device, depending upon whether an identifier represented by said identifier signal received by said first signal-receiving device matches the identifier of the vehicle, and (b) a second portable-unit detecting device for determining whether said portable unit is located within said predetermined second area of said fourth communication device, depending upon whether an identifier represented by said identifier signal received by said fourth signal-receiving device matches the identifier of the vehicle, said locking-device controller operating said power-operated locking device to lock said at least one door of the vehicle, on the basis of at least one of output signals of said first and second portable-unit detecting devices.

15. An automatically controlled door-locking system according to claim 14, wherein each of at least one of said first and fourth communication devices is a communication device capable of communicating with said portable unit in a plurality of predetermined different communication areas,

and wherein each of at least one of said first and second portable-unit detecting devices which corresponds to said at least one of said first and fourth communication devices is a portable-unit detecting device capable of detecting said portable unit in said plurality of predetermined different communication areas, respectively.

16. An automatically controlled door-locking system for automatically locking at least one door of a vehicle, which includes a vehicle-operator'"'"'s door provided for an operator of the vehicle, said door-locking system comprising:

a power-operated locking device including a power source and an actuator operated by said power source for selectively locking and unlocking said at least one door placed in a closed position thereof;

a portable unit to be carried by said operator;

a communication device including an identifier-signal requesting device and a signal-receiving device, said identifier-signal requesting device being operable to transmit to said portable unit a request signal requesting said portable unit to transmit back to said signal-receiving device an identifier signal representative of an identifier identifying said portable unit, said communication device being capable of communicating with said portable unit in a plurality of different communication areas; and

a locking-device controller including a portable-unit detecting device for determining whether said portable unit is located within each of said plurality of different communication areas, by determining whether said identifier represented by said identifier signal received by said signal-receiving device matches an identifier identifying the vehicle, said locking-device controller operating said power-operated locking device to lock said at least one door of the vehicle, on the basis of results of determinations by said portable-unit detecting device as to whether said portable unit is located within each of at least two areas of said plurality of different communication areas.

17. An automatically controlled door-locking system according to claim 16, wherein said communication device includes a plurality of specific-area communication devices capable of communicating with said portable unit located in respective different specific communication areas;

said identifier-signal requesting device of each of at least one of said plurality of specific-area communication devices being operable to transmit said request signal upon detection of a symptom indicating that the operator of the vehicle has an intention of getting off the vehicle,

and wherein said locking-device controller controls said power-operated locking device on the basis of results of determinations by said portable-unit detecting device as to whether said portable unit is located within each of at least two areas of said different specific communication areas, which at least two areas include at least one of said different specific communication areas within which said portable unit is communicable with said at least one of said plurality of specific-area communication devices whose identifier-signal requesting device is operable upon detection of said symptom.

18. An automatically controlled door-locking system according to claim 16, wherein said locking-device controller includes an abnormality detecting device which detects an abnormality of said portable unit if the portable-unit detecting device determines that the portable unit is located within none of said at least two areas of said plurality of different communication areas.

19. An automatically controlled door-locking system according to claim 16, wherein said communication device includes an internal communication device capable of communicating with said portable unit located within a first area whose major part lies within said vehicle, and an external communication device capable of communicating with said portable unit located within a second area whose major part is outside said vehicle,

and wherein said locking-device controller operates said power-operated locking device to lock said at least one door of the vehicle, on the basis of results of determinations by said portable-unit detecting device as to whether said portable unit is located within each of said first and second areas of said plurality of different communication areas.

20. A control system provided on a vehicle, for controlling a state of said vehicle on the basis of a result of determination as to whether an identifier represented by an identifier signal received from a portable unit to be carried by an operator of the vehicle matches an identifier identifying the vehicle, said control system comprising:

a symptom detecting device operable to detect a symptom indicating that the operator of the vehicle has an intention of getting off the vehicle; and

an identifier-signal requesting device operable upon detection of said symptom by said symptom detecting device, to transmit to said portable unit a request signal requesting said portable unit to transmit said identifier signal.