Keyless system for entry and operation of a vehicle

• US 6,727,800 B1
• Filed: 10/18/2001
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Iulius Vivant Dutu
• Original Assignee: Iulius Vivant Dutu
• Inventors: Dutu, Iulius Vivant
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dalencourt, Yves
• Application Number:
  US09/982,056
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.53, 340/5.6, 340/5.65, 340/5.66, 340/5.8, 340/5.81, 340/5.82, 340/5.83, 340/5.84, 340/426.11, 340/5.67, 340/539.1, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 307/9.1, 307/10.2, 307/10.3, 307/10.4, 307/10.5, 307/10.6, 123/179.1, 361/172
• US Class Current: 340/5.53
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/202 Personal digital assistant [PDA]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/304 Boats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/02102 with supplementary safety device preventing operation of the starter of an engine already running
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2009 Antitheft state indicator
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/252 Fingerprint recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/257 Voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24162 Biometric sensor, fingerprint as user access password
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns

Abstract

Disclosed is a keyless system for operating and accessing a vehicle such as an automobile, truck, minivan, bus, airplane, train, boat, etc. Preferably, the user'"'"'s fingerprint is his or her “right of passage” into the vehicle. The system includes fingerprint triggered access to the physical inside space of a vehicle and along with other commands, preferably voice activated and/or card/card reader, control the vehicle'"'"'s various systems. The system is designed to perform optimally in less than perfect environmental conditions and is preferably provided with its own source of energy. The system also includes a controller and interface in communication with a fingerprint sensor.

Claims

1. A system in communication with an existing vehicle computer for keyless operation of a vehicle including entering, activating and starting of the vehicle, said system comprising:

means for authorizing a user by one or more biometric templates at a single external location on a vehicle for both keyless access within and keyless starting of the vehicle by the user;

wherein once the user has been authorized by said means for authorizing, the user can enter a previously locked vehicle and start the vehicle for driving by pressing of a push button switch assembly located within the vehicle without the necessity of a vehicle key or any other portable mechanism such as a remote transmitter.

2. A system in communication with an existing vehicle computer for keyless operation of a vehicle including entering, activating and starting of the vehicle from matching of a biometric template read at the vehicle, said system comprising:

a single fingerprint sensor externally located on the vehicle for placement of a user'"'"'s finger to scan;

a controller in communication with said fingerprint sensor for authorizing the user for both access within and starting of the vehicle by matching biometric templates scanned from the user'"'"'s finger placed at the externally located fingerprint sensor with stored information regarding the user;

an interface in communication with said controller and with the vehicle computer; and

wherein upon authorizing the user the vehicle computer is instructed by the controller to activate an ignition system and an injection system of said vehicle without a vehicle key;

means for starting a vehicle engine without a vehicle key and without further authorization once the ignition system and the injection system have been activated.

3. The system for keyless operation of claim 2 further comprising means for controlling the transmission of the vehicle in communication with said controller.

4. The system for keyless operation of claim 2 wherein when an authorized fingerprint is read from the scan at the externally located fingerprint sensor, said controller communicates with a means for unlocking and locking one or more doors of the vehicle.

5. The system for keyless operation of claim 2 further comprising means for visually informing a user that an authorized fingerprint has been read by said fingerprint sensor, said means for visually informing located on the vehicle.

6. The system for keyless operation of claim 5 wherein said means for visually informing is a two color LED in communication with said controller;

wherein when an authorized fingerprint has been read by said fingerprint sensor a signal is sent from said controller to said LED to energize said LED a specific color.

7. The system for keyless operation of claim 3 wherein said means for controlling the transmission comprises a card and card reader, said card containing authorizing data which is read by said card reader to permit a gear shifter of said vehicle to be moved from a “

park”

position, said card reader located within the vehicle.

8. The system for keyless operation of claim 2 further comprising means for preventing restarting of the vehicle engine once the vehicle engine has been started by said means for starting and remains running.

9. The system for keyless operation of claim 2 further comprising voice command means for controlling a gas tank assembly and a trunk assembly of the vehicle, said voice command means in communication with said controller.

10. The system for keyless operation of claim 2 further comprising means for remotely informing a user that the vehicle is being tampered with, said means for remotely informing in communication with said interface.

11. The system for keyless operation of claim 2 further comprising means for remotely controlling a transmission of the vehicle, said means for remotely controlling in communication with said interface.

12. The system for keyless operation of claim 3 wherein said means for controlling the transmission is a voice command assembly.

13. The system for keyless operation of claim 2 wherein said means for starting is a switch assembly including a push button in communication with a switch, said push button disposed at a user accessible location within the vehicle, wherein when the push button is pressed by the user a contact of the switch permits an electric motor of the vehicle to rotate to start the car without a vehicle key.

14. The system for keyless operation of claim 2 wherein the vehicle has a side mirror and the fingerprint sensor is located on a bottom surface of the side mirror.

15. A system in communication with an existing vehicle computer for keyless operation of a vehicle including entering and starting of the vehicle from matching of a biometric template read at the vehicle, said system comprising:

a single fingerprint sensor externally located on the vehicle for placement of a user'"'"'s finger to scan;

a controller in communication with said fingerprint sensor for authorizing the user for both access within and starting of the vehicle by matching biometric templates scanned from the user'"'"'s finger placed at the externally located fingerprint sensor with stored information regarding the user;

an interface in communication with said controller and with the vehicle computer;

wherein upon authorizing the user the vehicle computer is instructed by the controller to activate, without further authorization, an ignition system and an injection system of said vehicle without a vehicle key;

means for starting a vehicle engine without a vehicle key and without further authorization once the ignition system and the injection system have been activated; and

means for controlling the transmission of the vehicle in communication with said controller;

wherein when an authorized fingerprint is read from the scan by the externally located fingerprint sensor, said controller communicates with a means for unlocking and locking one or more doors of the vehicle and activates the ignition system and injection system of the vehicle.

16. The system for keyless operation of claim 15 further comprising means for visually informing a user that an authorized fingerprint has been read by said fingerprint sensor, said means for visually informing located on the vehicle.

17. The system for keyless operation of claim 16 wherein said means for visually informing is a two color LED in communication with said controller;

wherein when an authorized fingerprint has been read by said fingerprint sensor a signal is sent from said controller to said LED to energize said LED a specific color.

18. The system for keyless operation of claim 15 wherein said means for controlling the transmission comprises a card and card reader, said card containing authorizing data which is read by said card reader to permit a gear shifter of said vehicle to be moved from a “

park”

position, said card reader located within the vehicle.

19. The system for keyless operation of claim 15 further comprising means for preventing restarting of the vehicle engine once the vehicle engine has been started by said means for starting and remains running.

20. The system for keyless operation of claim 15 further comprising voice command means for controlling a gas tank assembly and a trunk assembly of the vehicle said voice command means in communication with said controller.

21. The system for keyless operation of claim 15 wherein said means for starting is a switch assembly including a push button in communication with a switch, said push button disposed at a user accessible location within the vehicle, wherein when the push button is pressed by the user a contact of the switch permits an electric motor of the vehicle to rotate to start the car without a vehicle key.

22. The system for keyless operation of claim 15 wherein the vehicle has a side mirror and the fingerprint sensor is located on a bottom surface of the side mirror.

23. A system for keyless operation of a vehicle, said system comprising:

a single means for obtaining biometric identification information, said means for obtaining externally located on the vehicle;

means for recognizing the identification information is for an authorized user;

means for permitting a recognized authorized user to enter, start and drive the vehicle without a vehicle key based on the biometric identification information received from said single means for obtaining.

24. A method for entering and starting a vehicle without a vehicle key, comprising:

(a) obtaining biometric information from an individual at the vehicle from a single fingerprint sensor externally located on the vehicle to determine if the individual is an authorized user for the vehicle;

(b) permitting entry into vehicle and activating an ignition system and an injection system of the vehicle without further authorization and without a vehicle key if it is determined that the individual is an authorized user from the obtained biometric information; and

(c) permitting the authorized user to start an engine of the vehicle without further authorization and without a vehicle key.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein step (c) comprises the step of pressing a push button in communication with a switch which is in communication with an electric motor associated with the engine;

wherein the pressing of the push button causes the electric motor to rotate to start the car.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein step (a) comprises the step of placing a finger of the individual on the externally located fingerprint sensor.

27. A system for keyless operation of a vehicle including entering and starting of the vehicle, said vehicle including an existing vehicle computer, an ignition assembly and an injection assembly, said system comprising:

means for authorizing a user by a biometric template for keyless access within and keyless starting of a vehicle by the user, said means for authorizing including a single biometric template reader located at an external location on the vehicle where the user'"'"'s biometric template is read for authorization for both access within and starting of the vehicle;

wherein once the user has been authorized by said means for authorizing the user can enter a previously locked vehicle and a signal is provided to the existing vehicle computer to activate the ignition assembly and the injection assembly of the vehicle so that the user can start the vehicle for driving by pressing a push button switch assembly accessible to the user within the vehicle;

wherein unlocking of the vehicle, activating of the ignition assembly and the injection assembly and starting of the vehicle are all performed without the necessity of a vehicle key.

28. The system for keyless operation of a vehicle of claim 27 wherein said push button switch assembly includes a push button in communication with a switch, said push button disposed at a user accessible location within the vehicle, wherein when the push button is pressed by the user a contact of the switch permits an electric motor of the vehicle to rotate to start the car.

29. The system for keyless operation of a vehicle of claim 28 wherein the pressing of the push button by the user disconnects operation of an air conditioning and ventilation system of the vehicle while the push button remains depressed.

30. The system for keyless operation of a vehicle of claim 27 wherein the biometric template reader is a fingerprint sensor.