Engine start controlling system

• US 7,402,920 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kamiya, Hodaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Deberadinis; Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US11/477,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20070000712A1
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 307/10.6
• US Class Current: 307/10.6
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/02153 comprising a locking member radially and linearly moved towards the steering column
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user

Abstract

An engine start controlling system for an engine of the vehicle, makes an authentication for a user ID received from a mobile device and authentications for respective device IDs received from respective electrical devices. The system allows, based on a first operation, the engine to start, in a case that all of the authentications for the user ID and the device IDs are successful, and prohibits the engine from starting, in a case that the authentication for the user ID is unsuccessful, irrespective of results of the authentications for the respective device IDs. The engine start controller further allows, based on a second operation, the engine to start, in a case that all of authentications belonging to a selected group are successful and that one authentication belonging to a second group is unsuccessful.

Claims

1. An engine start controlling system for an engine of the vehicle, comprising:

a user ID authentication means for making an authentication for a user ID received from a mobile device which is carried by a user of the vehicle and stores the user ID;

a device authentication means for respectively making an individual authentication for device IDs received from the electrical devices each of which is installed to the vehicle and stores the device ID; and

an engine start controller allowing the engine to start based on a first starting operation made by means of an operation unit for starting the engine, in a case that the authentication for the user ID is successful and that all of the authentications for the respective device IDs are successful, the engine start controller prohibiting the engine from starting, in a case that the authentication for the user ID is unsuccessful, irrespective of results of the authentications for the respective device IDs,

wherein the engine start controller is further for allowing the engine to start based on a second starting operation made by means of the operation unit, in a case that all of authentications are successful with respect to a first group of the electrical devices and that the authentications are unsuccessful with respect to a second group of the electrical devices.

2. The engine start controlling system according to claim 1, wherein the device individual authentication means includes an authentication nullifying means for nullifying one or more unsuccessful authentications for the device IDs based on the second starting operation.

3. The engine start controlling system according to claim 1, wherein

the first group of the electrical devices have a function contributing to an engine start control,

the second group of the electrical devices have no function contributing to the engine start control, and

the engine start controller allows the engine to start based on the second starting operation in a case that the authentication for the device IDs with respect to the second group of the electrical devises are unsuccessful.

4. The engine start controlling system according to claim 3, wherein:

the first group of the electrical devices includes;

a steering lock controller which controls a steering lock mechanism for switching a steering of the vehicle between a locked state and an unlocked state, so that the steering lock mechanism switches the steering into the unlocked state based on that the authentication for the user ID is successful; and

a power supply controller for controlling power supply to the engine start controller and the steering lock controller; and

the second group of the electrical devices includes at least one of;

a door lock controller for controlling a door lock mechanism of the vehicle;

a vehicle navigation controller for controlling a vehicle navigation system; and

an air conditioning controller for controlling an air-conditioner for the vehicle.

5. The engine start controlling system according to claim 3, wherein the device individual authentication means includes an authentication nullifying means for nullifying the authentications for the device IDs of the second group of the electrical devices based on the second starting operation.

6. The engine start controlling system according to claim 3, further including a notification means for notifying the user that it is possible to start the engine by making the second starting operation in a situation that at least one of the authentications for the device IDs of the second group of the electrical devices.

7. The engine start controlling system according to claim 1, wherein:

the operation unit includes a push switch and a brake switch,

in the first starting operation, the push switch is pressed operation by the user while the brake switch is being biased by stepping a bake pedal, and

in the second starting operation, at least one of the push switch and the brake switch is operated in a different way from that in the first starting operation.

8. The engine start controlling system according to claim 1, further including:

a pattern inputting means for receiving an operation pattern to the operation unit as the second starting operation; and

a pattern storing means for storing the received operation pattern as the second starting operation,

wherein the engine start controller;

includes a pattern comparison means for making a comparison between the stored operation pattern and an operation pattern inputted through the operation unit; and

allowing, based on that the stored operation pattern and the inputted operation pattern is identical, the engine to start.