Remote keyless entry system

• US 6,718,240 B1
• Filed: 08/28/2002
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company), Honda R & D Americas Incorporated (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Suda, Hirohide, Lehmer, Matthew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANCHO, RONNIE M
• Application Number:
  US10/228,945
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/2, 701/36, 701/49, 340/5.72, 340/5.7, 340/825.22, 340/825.72, 340/825.29, 318/480
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0248 with memory of positions
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/04 Access control involving a hierarchy in access rights
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A remote keyless entry system and method is described, in which a keyless entry vehicle key fob can be toggled between a guest mode and a driver-specific mode. When the key fob is in the guest mode, the key fob transmits no driver-specific identification to a receiver located in the vehicle, so that customizable vehicle settings are changed to predetermined default or guest mode settings. When the key fob is in the driver-specific mode, the key fob transmits a driver-specific identification to the receiver, so that customizable vehicle settings are reset to driver-specific customized vehicle settings.

Claims

1. A remote keyless entry system of a vehicle, comprising:

a receiver for receiving an unlock command from a key fob associated with the vehicle; and

an electronic control unit responsive to the receiver and configured for;

determining whether or not the unlock command indicates an operator associated with the key fob; and

unlocking the vehicle and changing a configuration of the user-customizable subsystem of the vehicle to a predetermined setting if the unlock command does not indicate the operator associated with the key fob.

2. A system as according to claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit is further configured for:

changing a configuration of a user-customizable subsystem of the vehicle to a setting that was customized by the operator associated with the key fob if the unlock command indicates the operator associated with the key fob, and unlocking the vehicle.

3. A system as according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined setting is a guest setting.

4. A system as according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined setting is a default setting.

5. A system as according to claim 1, further comprising the key fob, wherein:

the key fob is associated with an identifier indicating the operator, and

the key fob is configured to operate in at least a first mode and a second mode, wherein;

in the first mode, the identifier is transmitted along with the unlock command, and

in the second mode, the identifier is not transmitted along with the unlock command.

6. A system as according to claim 5, wherein, in the second mode, a predetermined code not corresponding to the operator is transmitted along with the unlock command.

7. A system as according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined code has a value different from a value of the identifier indicating the operator.

8. A system as according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined code corresponds to a guest operator.

9. A system as according to claim 1, further comprising:

a user interface in the vehicle configured to set a user-customizable setting and the predetermined setting for the configuration of the subsystem of the vehicle.

10. A method for remote keyless entry of a vehicle, comprising:

receiving an unlock command from a key fob associated with the vehicle;

determining whether or not the unlock command indicates an operator associated with the key fob; and

if the unlock command does not indicate the operator associated with the key fob, then unlocking the vehicle and changing a configuration of a user-customizable subsystem of the vehicle to a predetermined setting.

11. A method as according to claim 10, further comprising:

if the unlock command indicates the operator associated with the key fob, then unlocking the vehicle and changing a configuration of a user-customizable subsystem of the vehicle to a setting that was customized by the operator associated with the key fob.

12. A computer-readable medium bearing instructions for remote keyless entry of a vehicle, said instructions being arranged, upon execution, to cause one or more processors to perform the steps of:

receiving an unlock command from a key fob associated with the vehicle;

determining whether or not the unlock command indicates an operator associated with the key fob; and

if the unlock command does not indicate the operator associated with the key fob, then unlocking the vehicle and changing a configuration of a user-customizable subsystem of the vehicle to a predetermined setting.

13. A computer-readable medium as according to claim 12, wherein the instructions are further arranged to cause the one or more processors to perform the step of:

if the unlock command indicates the operator associated with the key fob, then unlocking the vehicle and changing a configuration of a user-customizable subsystem of the vehicle to a setting that was customized by the operator associated with the key fob.

14. A method for remote keyless entry of a vehicle, comprising:

receiving a transmission from a key fob associated with the vehicle, said transmission including a command to unlock the vehicle;

determining whether the transmission includes an identifier of an operator associated with the key fob;

if the transmission includes the identifier of an operator associated with the key fob, then performing the steps of unlocking the vehicle and changing a configuration of a user-customizable subsystem of the vehicle to a setting that was customized by the operator associated with the key fob; and

if the transmission does not include the identifier of the operator associated with the key fob, then performing the steps of unlocking the vehicle and changing a configuration of the user-customizable subsystem of the vehicle to a predetermined setting.

15. A method for remote keyless entry of a vehicle, comprising:

receiving a transmission from a key fob associated with the vehicle;

determining whether the transmission includes an unlock command;

if the transmission includes the unlock command, then performing the steps of;

unlocking the vehicle;

determining whether the transmission contains an identifier of an operator associated with the key fob;

if the transmission includes the identifier of the operator associated with the key fob, then changing a configuration of a user-customizable subsystem of the vehicle to a setting that was customized by the operator associated with the key fob; and

if the transmission does not include the identifier of the operator associated with the key fob, then changing a configuration of the user-customizable subsystem of the vehicle to a predetermined setting.

16. A method for remote keyless entry of a vehicle, comprising:

receiving a transmission from a key fob associated with the vehicle, said transmission including a command to unlock the vehicle and an identifier having either a first value or a second value;

if the identifier has the first value, then performing the steps of;

unlocking the vehicle and changing a configuration of a user-customizable subsystem of the vehicle to a first predetermined setting; and

if the identifier has the second value, then performing the steps;

unlocking the vehicle and changing a configuration of a user-customizable subsystem of the vehicle to a second predetermined setting other than the first predetermined setting.

17. A remote keyless entry system for a vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of key fobs associated with the vehicle for transmitting a command to unlock the vehicle along with an identifier having either a respective value corresponding to the key fob or a value common to all of the key fobs;

a receiver for receiving a transmission from any of the key fobs, said transmission including the command to unlock the vehicle and the identifier; and

an electronic control unit for performing, in response to receipt of the transmission, the steps of;

unlocking the vehicle, determining a setting for a user-customizable subsystem of the vehicle based on a value of the identifier, and changing a configuration of the user-customizable subsystem to the determined setting.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein:

each of the key fobs is associated with an identifier indicating an operator of the vehicle, and

each of the key fobs is configured to operate in at least a first mode and a second mode, wherein;

in the first mode, the identifier is transmitted along with the unlock command, and

in the second mode, the identifier is not transmitted along with the unlock command.

19. A method of remote keyless entry for a vehicle, comprising:

receiving a transmission from any of a plurality of key fobs, said plurality of key fobs being associated with the vehicle for transmitting a command to unlock the vehicle along with an identifier having either a respective value corresponding to one of the key fobs or a value common to all of the key fobs; and

in response to the transmission, performing the steps of;

unlocking the vehicle, determining a setting for a user-customizable subsystem of the vehicle based on a value of the identifier, and changing a configuration of the user-customizable subsystem to the determined setting.