Door-lock control system, door-lock control method

• US 8,095,267 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2009
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Mino, Kosei
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Faye M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Freedman, Laura
• Application Number:
  US12/388,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20090248254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 340/995.1, 340/995.12, 340/425.5, 340/426.1, 340/426.28, 340/426.35, 340/426.36, 701/36, 701/45, 701/49, 701/200, 701/207, 701/208, 701/213
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/241 whereby access privileges are related to the identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates

Abstract

A door-lock control system includes: a door lock device; a current position detection unit; a data recording unit; a public security situation determination processing unit; and a function setting processing unit configured to set, according to the public security situation at the vehicle position, a function limit state that limits unlocking when a door-unlock operation has been performed by an operation unit.

Claims

1. A door-lock control system, comprising:

a door lock device configured to lock and unlock doors of a vehicle;

a current position detection unit configured to detect a vehicle position;

a data recording unit configured to have stored therein map data and public security information associated with the map data;

a public security situation determination processing unit configured to read the vehicle position detected by the current position detection unit and to determine a level of a public security situation at the vehicle position based upon the public security information stored in the data recording unit; and

a function setting processing unit configured to set, according to the determined level of the public security situation at the vehicle position, a function limit state that limits unlocking of at least one of the doors by a remote operation and a manual operation in different manners.

2. The door-lock control system according to claim 1, further comprising a vehicle position acquisition condition determination processing unit configured to determine whether or not a vehicle position acquisition condition for acquiring the vehicle position has been met,

wherein the public security situation determination processing unit is configured to read the vehicle position when the vehicle position acquisition condition has been met and to determine the level of the public security situation at the vehicle position.

3. The door-lock control system according claim 2, wherein the vehicle position acquisition condition determination processing unit is configured to determine that the vehicle position acquisition condition has been met if the ignition of the vehicle has been switched off.

4. A door-lock control method in a door-lock control system that includes a door lock device for locking and unlocking doors of a vehicle, a current position detection unit that detects a vehicle position, and a data recording unit in which map data and public security information associated with the map data are recorded, the door-lock control method comprising:

reading the vehicle position detected by the current position detection unit;

determining a level of a public security situation at the vehicle position on the basis of the public security information recorded in the data recording unit; and

setting, based on the determined level of the public security situation at the vehicle position, a function limit state that limits unlocking of at least one of the doors by a remote operation and a manual operation in different manners.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the function limit state limits the unlocking of each door independently.

6. A computer-readable medium containing instructions, for a door-lock control system including a door lock device for locking and unlocking doors of a vehicle, a current position detection unit that detects a vehicle position, and a data recording unit in which map data and public security information associated with the map data are recorded, the instructions, when executed by a computer, causing the computer to execute the steps of:

reading the vehicle position detected by the current position detection unit;

determining a level of a public security situation at the vehicle position on the basis of the public security information recorded in the data recording unit; and

setting, according to the determined level of the public security situation at the vehicle position, a function limit state that limits unlocking of at least one of the doors by a remote operation and a manual operation in different manners.