Electronic key system, portable wireless device, and vehicle management method

• US 8,232,864 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2007
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Kakiwaki, Yuka
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alizada, Omeed
• Application Number:
  US12/295,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20100013596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,952 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29
• US Class Current: 340/5.64
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/302 using recording means, e.g. black box
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/307 using data concerning maintenance or configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

An electronic key system includes a vehicle equipped with vehicle equipment, and a mobile phone having an electronic key function including ID information for the vehicle equipment. The vehicle equipment compares the ID information of the electronic key provided in the mobile phone with standard ID information of the vehicle equipment, makes the vehicle and/or the vehicle equipment perform a first operation when the ID information match and a second operation when the ID information cannot be detected. The vehicle equipment transmits history information along with the first and second operations to the mobile phone.

Claims

1. An electronic key system controlling an operation of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle equipment with wireless communication between the vehicle equipment and a portable wireless device having an electronic key function including operation ID information for the vehicle equipment,

wherein the vehicle equipment compares the operation ID information provided by the portable wireless device with standard operation ID information of the vehicle equipment, makes the vehicle and/or the vehicle equipment perform a first operation when the operation ID information provided by the portable wireless device matches the standard operation ID information, makes the vehicle and/or the vehicle equipment perform a second operation when the operation ID information does not match the standard operation ID information, and transmit history information accompanying the first and second operations to the portable wireless device, wherein the history information includes previous vehicle operations according to the electronic key function.

2. An electronic key system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the portable wireless device has an announcement portion announcing that the history information is received from the vehicle equipment.

3. An electronic key system as set forth in claim 1, wherein when receiving the history information from the vehicle equipment, the portable wireless device transmits the history information to a destination set in advance.

4. An electronic key system as set forth in claim 2, wherein when receiving the history information from the vehicle equipment, the portable wireless device transmits the history information to a destination set in advance.

5. A portable wireless device having an electronic key function including operation ID information for a vehicle equipment, the portable wireless device comprising

a transmission/reception portion performing wireless communication with the vehicle equipment, wherein the operation ID information is provided by the portable wireless device to the vehicle equipment and is compared with standard operation ID information of the vehicle equipment, the vehicle equipment performing a first operation when the operation ID information matches the standard operation ID information and a second operation when the operation ID information does not match the standard operation ID information,

a storage portion storing at least a history information received from the vehicle equipment accompanying the first and second operations, wherein the history information includes previous vehicle operations according to the electronic key function,

an announcement portion, and

a control portion receiving the history information via the transmission/reception portion from the vehicle equipment when performing wireless communication with the vehicle equipment based on the electronic key function, storing the received history information in the storage portion, and announcing the reception of the history information via the announcement portion.

6. A portable wireless device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the history information is formed so that it can be displayed via the announcement portion.

7. A portable wireless device as set forth in claim 5, wherein when the history information is received, the history information is transmitted to a destination set in advance.

8. A portable wireless device as set forth in claim 6, wherein when the history information is received, the history information is transmitted to a destination set in advance.

9. A vehicle management method for managing a history of operation of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle equipment with wireless communication between the vehicle equipment and a portable wireless device having an electronic key function including operation ID information for the vehicle equipment, comprising,

in the vehicle equipment, comparing the operation ID information provided by the portable wireless device with standard operation ID information of the vehicle equipment and,

when the operation ID information provided by the portable wireless devices matches the standard operation ID information, making the vehicle and/or the vehicle equipment perform a first operation,

when the operation ID information does not match the standard operation ID information, making the vehicle and/or the vehicle equipment perform a second operation, and

transmitting a history information accompanying the first and second operations to the portable wireless device, wherein the history information includes previous vehicle operations according to the electronic key function.

10. A vehicle management method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising

in the portable wireless device, announcing that the history information is received from the vehicle equipment.

11. A vehicle management method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising

in the portable wireless device, transmitting the history information to a destination set in advance when the history information is received from the vehicle equipment.

12. A vehicle management method as set forth in claim 10, further comprising

in the portable wireless device, transmitting the history information to a destination set in advance when the history information is received from the vehicle equipment.