Vehicle key system

• US 6,710,700 B1
• Filed: 08/28/2000
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Satou, Fumitaka, Nagao, Koji, Ishikura, Hisashi, Morita, Toru, Fuku, Masaru, Enoki, Keiichi, Tatsukawa, Hirofumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, NAM V
• Application Number:
  US09/648,629
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.53, 340/5.21, 340/5.64, 340/5.72, 340/5.8, 340/5.83, 340/5.85, 340/5.51, 340/5.54, 340/5.61, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/5.26, 382/115, 382/116, 382/124, 701/2, 701/32, 701/49, 341/176
• US Class Current: 340/5.53
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/252 Fingerprint recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns

Abstract

A vehicle key system comprises a transmitter including a fingerprint information capturing unit for capturing fingerprint information from a user'"'"'s fingerprint, and a transmit unit for transmitting the fingerprint information captured by the fingerprint information capturing unit. The system also includes an attaching unit disposed in a vehicle, for attaching the transmitter thereto, and a receiver disposed in the vehicle, including a receive unit for receiving the fingerprint information transmitted from the transmit unit of the transmitter, a fingerprint verification unit for verifying the fingerprint information against a list of pieces of previously stored fingerprint information, an attaching detection unit for determining whether or not the transmitter is attached to the attaching unit, and a control unit for controlling pieces of equipment in the vehicle according to a verification result from the fingerprint verification unit and a detection result from the mounting detection unit. The user can manipulate the pieces of equipment, e.g. start the engine, by actuating a switch, only when the electronic key transmitter is attached to the attaching unit.

Claims

1. A vehicle key system for verifying identity of fingerprint information about a user'"'"'s fingerprint and for controlling pieces of equipment in a vehicle according to a verification result, said system comprising:

a transmitter including a fingerprint information capturing means for capturing fingerprint information from a user'"'"'s fingerprint, and a transmitting means for transmitting the finger print information captured by said fingerprint information capturing means;

an attaching means disposed in the vehicle, for attaching said transmitter thereto; and

a receiver disposed in the vehicle, including a receiving means for receiving the fingerprint information transmitted from said transmitting means of said transmitter, a fingerprint verification means for verifying the fingerprint information against a list of pieces of previously stored fingerprint information, an attaching detection means for determining whether or not said transmitter is attached to said attaching means, and a control means for controlling the pieces of equipment in the vehicle according to a verification result from said fingerprint verification means and a detection result from said attaching detection means,

wherein said receiver includes a transmitter verification means for verifying identify of said transmitter, and wherein said control means controls the pieces of equipment in the vehicle according to the verification result from said fingerprint verification means, the detection result from said attaching detection means, and a verification result from said transmitter verification means,

wherein said transmitter includes an identifier transmitting means for transmitting an identifier specific to said transmitter, and wherein said receiver includes an identifier receiving means for receiving the identifier from said transmitter, and said transmitter verification means compares the identifier received by said identifier receiving means with one or more previously stored identifiers to verify the identity of said transmitter, and

wherein said vehicle key system further comprises another transmitter including an identifier receiving means for receiving an identifier from said receiver, and an identifier storing means for storing the identifier received by said identifier receiving means in said other transmitter, as well as said fingerprint information capturing means, said transmitting means, and said identifier transmitting means, wherein said receiver includes an identifier transmitting means for transmitting the identifier specific to said transmitter to said other transmitter.

2. A vehicle key system for verifying identity of fingerprint information about a user'"'"'s fingerprint and for controlling pieces of equipment in a vehicle according to a verification result, said system comprising:

a transmitter including a fingerprint information capturing means for capturing fingerprint information from a user'"'"'s fingerprint, and a transmitting means for transmitting the finger print information captured by said fingerprint information capturing means;

an attaching means disposed in the vehicle, for attaching said transmitter thereto; and

a receiver disposed in the vehicle, including a receiving means for receiving the fingerprint information transmitted from said transmitting means of said transmitter, a fingerprint verification means for verifying the fingerprint information against a list of pieces of previously stored fingerprint information, an attaching detection means for determining whether or not said transmitter is attached to said attaching means, and a control means for controlling the pieces of equipment in the vehicle according to a verification result from said fingerprint verification means and a detection result from said attaching detection means,

wherein said receiver includes a transmitter verification means for verifying identify of said transmitter, and wherein said control means controls the pieces of equipment in the vehicle according to the verification result from said fingerprint verification means, the detection result from said attaching detection means, and a verification result from said transmitter verification means,

wherein said transmitter includes an identifier transmitting means for transmitting an identifier specific to said transmitter, and wherein said receiver includes an identifier receiving means for receiving the identifier from said transmitter, and said transmitter verification means compares the identifier received by said identifier receiving means with one or more previously stored identifiers to verify the identity of said transmitter,

wherein said identifier transmitting means transmits a password as well as the identifier, and wherein said identifier receiver means also receives the password from said transmitter, and said transmitter verification means also compares the password received by said identifier receiving means against a previously stored corresponding password, in addition to the comparison between the identifier received by said identifier receiving means and one or more previously stored identifiers, to verify the identity of said transmitter, and

wherein said vehicle key system further comprises another transmitter including an identifier receiving means for receiving an identifier and a password from said receiver, and an identifier storing means for storing the identifier and the password received by said identifier receiving means in said other transmitter, as well as said fingerprint information capturing means, said transmitting means, and said identifier transmitting means, wherein said receiver includes an identifier transmitting means for transmitting the identifier and password specific to said transmitter to said other transmitter.