Wireless communication system for communication and displaying vehicle information on a portable device

• US 9,242,618 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2012
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Kawai, Hideki, Kojima, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Jabr, Fadey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mahne, Kevin P
• Application Number:
  US13/666,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20130116860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,181 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00261 the keyless data carrier having more than one function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00507 keyless data carrier having more than one function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00515 opening and locking of all locks at the same time
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00587 by battery
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00952 Electronic keys comprising a mechanical key within their housing, e.g. extractable or retractable emergency key
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00984 fob
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00992 mechanical key
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop

Abstract

A wireless communication system including a portable device and a vehicle device configured to transmit information including a vehicle state. The portable device includes a telecommunication unit that obtains, through an information network, information including procedures that should be taken in accordance with the vehicle state or state of the portable device, a display, and a control unit that shows on the display the vehicle state based on the information transmitted from the vehicle device or the state of the portable device based on information of the portable device. When a measure should be taken in accordance with the vehicle state or the state of the portable device, the control unit shows on the display the procedures included in the information obtained by telecommunication unit.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system comprising:

a portable device; and

a vehicle communication device configured to transmit information including a vehicle state, wherein

the portable device and the vehicle communication device are configured so that bidirectional communication can be performed with each other, wherein

the portable device includes an electronic key and a portable terminal,

the electronic key includes;

a first near field communication unit that performs near field communication with the portable terminal and is configured to at least one of lock a vehicle door, unlock a vehicle door or start an engine through wireless communication with the vehicle communication device,

the portable terminal includes;

a telecommunication unit that obtains, through an information network, information including procedures that should be taken in accordance with at least one of a vehicle state or a state of the portable device,

a display,

a control unit that shows on the display at least one of the vehicle state based on the information transmitted from the vehicle communication device or the state of the portable device based on information of the portable device, and

a second near field communication unit that performs near field communication with the first near field communication unit, wherein

the control unit obtains information including at least one of the vehicle state or information including a state of the electronic key through the near field communication performed with the electronic key, wherein

when a measure should be taken in accordance with at least one of the vehicle state or the state of the portable device, the control unit shows on the display the procedures included in the information obtained by the telecommunication unit,

when near field communication with the portable terminal is established, the electronic key transmits information including a battery level of the electronic key to the portable terminal,

when the control unit of the portable terminal receives the information including the battery level with the second near field communication unit, the control unit shows the battery level on the display,

when the control unit of the portable terminal determines that the battery level is less than or equal to at least one of a first threshold and a second threshold, the control unit shows on the display the procedures included in the information obtained by the telecommunication unit,

the procedures include at least one of procedures for replacing a battery of the electronic key, procedures for locking or unlocking a vehicle door when the battery of the electronic key is drained, and procedures for starting the engine when the battery of the electronic key is drained,

when the control unit of the portable terminal determines that the battery level is less than or equal to the first threshold, the control unit shows on the display a link to the procedures for replacing the battery of the electronic key, and

when the control unit of the portable terminal determines that the battery level is less than or equal to the second threshold that is less than the first threshold, the control unit shows on the display a link to at least one of the procedures for locking or unlocking the vehicle door when the battery of the electronic key is drained or the procedures for starting the engine when the battery of the electronic key is drained.

2. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein

when the electronic key receives the information including the vehicle state from the vehicle communication device, the electronic key stores the information including the vehicle state,

when near field communication with the portable terminal is established, the electronic key transmits the stored information including the vehicle state to the portable terminal with the first near field communication unit,

when the control unit of the portable terminal receives the information including the vehicle state with the second near field communication unit, the control unit shows the vehicle state on the display, and

when a measure is required to be taken to cope with the vehicle state, the control unit of the portable terminal shows on the display the procedures corresponding to the vehicle state included in the information obtained by the telecommunication unit.

3. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit shows the vehicle state or the state of the portable device on the display,

the control unit provides on the display the link for accessing the information including the procedures through the information network, and

when the control unit determines that the link has been selected, the control unit shows the procedures included in the information obtained by the telecommunication unit on the display.