Electronic key system operable with charge capacitor power

• US 6,965,295 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2003
• Issued: 11/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Shimonomoto, Ifushi, Kitahara, Takahide
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Au, Scott
• Application Number:
  US10/430,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20030222756A1
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.61, 340/5.72, 340/10.34
• US Class Current: 340/5.61
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/246 characterised by the challenge triggering
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/406 Power supply in the remote key
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/78 as part of a hands-free locking or unlocking operation
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00603 by power transmission from lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/65 using means for sensing the user's hand
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

An electronic key system has a portable electronic key and a transmitter provided in a vehicle. The key and the transmitter have respective LC resonance circuits including antenna coils that can be electromagnetically coupled. The portable device has a charge capacitor and a diode. The capacitor is charged with a voltage induced by the coil when the LC resonance circuit resonates. The electronic key is enabled to communicate with the transmitter with the charged voltage of the charge capacitor when a built-in battery runs down.

Claims

1. An electronic key system comprising:

a portable device having a built-in battery for receiving an interrogatory signal and transmitting a code signal with an electric power of the built-in battery; and

a security control means for transmitting the interrogatory signal to the portable device, receiving the code signal from the portable device and checking whether the code signal is a right one, wherein;

the portable device and the security control means have LC resonance circuits including coils adapted to be electromagnetically coupled each other, respectively,

the portable device has a power storing means for storing an electric power induced by the LC resonance circuit of the portable device when the LC resonance circuit of the security control means resonates, thereby to receive the interrogatory signal and transmit the code signal with the electric power of the power storing means, and

the coils of the portable device and the security control means is used antennas of the portable device and the security control means for signal transmission and reception when the portable device is driven with the electric power of the power storing means to transmit the code signal;

the portable device includes a radio frequency transmission circuit that transmits the code signal in a radio frequency when the built-in battery is operative, and a low frequency transmission circuit that transmits the code signal in a low frequency lower than the radio frequency when the built-in battery is inoperative;

the low frequency transmission circuit includes a capacitor and two switching devices connected in series with the capacitor at both sides of the capacitor, and

a series circuit of the capacitor and one of the switching devices is connected in parallel with the resonance circuit of the portable device.

2. The electronic key system as in claim 1, wherein the security control means is provided in a vehicle and includes a door lock mechanism that controls locking and unlocking of a door of the vehicle in response to the code signal transmitted from the portable device.

3. The electronic key system as in claim 1, wherein the portable device transmits the code signal in response to the interrogatory signal from the security control means.

4. The electronic key system as in claim 1, wherein the built-in battery is rechargeable and used as the power storing means.

5. The electronic key system as in claim 4, wherein the security control means is provided in a vehicle and includes a door lock mechanism that controls locking and unlocking of a door of the vehicle in response to the code signal transmitted from the portable device.

6. The electronic key system as in claim 4, wherein the portable device transmits the code signal in response to the interrogatory signal from the security control means.

7. The electronic key system as in claim 1, wherein the portable device has a diode connected in series with the resonance circuit of the portable device to rectify the electric power charged from the LC resonance circuit of the portable device to the power storing means.

8. The electronic key system as in claim 1, wherein the resonance circuit of the security control means includes a resonant capacitor and the coil connected in series with each other, and wherein the security control means includes a pair of switching devices connected to the resonance circuit of the security control means and turned on and off alternately.