Lock system, in particular for a motor vehicle

• US 9,600,947 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2013
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marquardt GmbH (J U J Marquardt KG)
• Original Assignee: Marquardt GmbH (J U J Marquardt KG)
• Inventors: Obergfell, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): McNally, Kerri
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dorsey, Renee
• Application Number:
  US13/888,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20130293348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 340 56- 567, 340/426.1, 340427-430, 34042611- 19, 340/3, 3404262- 29, 3404263- 36, 340/562, 340/563
• 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 9/00174 Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00

Abstract

A lock system including a first device which has at least two states and is embodied as a control device, and an associated second device which is embodied in the manner of an electronic key, an ID signal generator, a chip card or the like. The two devices have transmitters and/or receivers for, in particular, electromagnetic signals. In particular, at least one of the signals transmitted between the second device and the first device is an encoded operating signal for authenticating the second device, with the result that after positive evaluation of the transmitted operating signal in the case of an authorized second device it is possible to bring about a change in the state of the first device.

Claims

1. A lock system for access authorization and/or driving authorization in a motor vehicle in the manner of a Keyless Entry/Go functionality, having a first device which has at least two states and is embodied as a controller for unlocking and/or locking at least one of car doors, an ignition lock, and a steering wheel lock, and/or for enabling and/or disabling at least one of an immobilizer and an engine control unit, and having an associated second device which is embodied in the manner of at least one of an electronic key, an ID signal transmitter and a chip card, wherein the two devices have, for their intended operation, transmitters and/or receivers for electromagnetic signals, wherein at least one of the signals transmitted between the second device and the first device is an encoded operating signal for authenticating the second device, with the result that after positive evaluation of the transmitted operating signal in the case of an authorized second device it is possible to bring about a change in the state of the first device, and wherein at least one antenna interacts with an oscillatory circuit and transmits at least one of the signals, wherein the antenna is assigned to the first device and wherein the antenna can be switched by switching the oscillatory circuit in the first device between a transmitting mode for the keyless functionality, whereby the oscillatory circuit is operated as serial oscillatory circuit, and a receiving and/or transmitting mode for an emergency functionality when the keyless functionality fails, whereby the oscillatory circuit is operated as parallel oscillatory circuit.

2. The lock system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first device transmits a first signal for the associated second device as a wake-up signal, in such a way that the second device is transferred from a state of rest with a reduced energy requirement into an activated state for the intended operation, wherein after transmission of the first signal the first device transmits at least one third signal as a range delimiting signal such that the associated second device can determine its location with respect to the first device, on and/or in the motor vehicle, wherein the second device subsequently transmits a fourth signal, containing the location, to the first device, wherein the encoded operating signal is transmitted as a fifth signal between the second device and the first device in order to authenticate the second device, and wherein the fifth electromagnetic signal which serves for authentication is transmitted in a bidirectional communication, comprised of a plurality of component signals, between the first and second devices.

3. The lock system as claimed in claim 2, wherein a carrier wave for the first signal and/or the third signal has a frequency which is in the inductive, low-frequency range and wherein a carrier wave for a second signal and/or the fourth signal and/or the fifth signal has a frequency which is in the relatively high-frequency range and is approximately 315, 433, or 868 MHz.

4. The lock system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises a coil as a low-frequency LF antenna, wherein a capacitor can be connected in series and/or in parallel with respect to the coil such that a series and/or a parallel oscillatory circuit is formed.

5. The lock system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first device includes a half bridge which interacts with the antenna for generating a carrier frequency for at least one of the signals, and wherein in the first device there is a power semiconductor which interacts with the antenna in order to modulate data for at least one of the signals.

6. The lock system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first device includes a control circuit for a half bridge and/or a power semiconductor, wherein the control circuit operates the half bridge by alternately switching between electrical voltage and ground in order to generate a carrier frequency, and wherein the control circuit operates the power semiconductor by switching between a high-impedance and conductive state thereof in accordance with the data to be modulated.

7. The lock system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a capacitor is located in the first device, the capacitor being configured to be at least one of connected in parallel with respect to a coil by switching a half bridge and a power semiconductor to ground, and connected in series with respect to the coil by operating the half bridge and the power semiconductor.

8. The lock system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first device includes a switch which can be switched and has the purpose of switching on the receiving mode of the antenna, wherein a quality reduction component for the parallel oscillatory circuit can be activated by means of the switch, and wherein further preferably the switch is actuated by a control circuit in the first device for the purpose of switching.

9. The lock system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oscillatory circuit is operated in the transmitting mode as serial oscillatory circuit having a high quality and in the receiving mode as parallel oscillatory circuit having a low quality.

10. The lock system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first device transmits, between the first and the third signals, a second signal to the second device as a selection signal, wherein the second signal contains information about the identity of the motor vehicle such that second devices associated with the first device remain in the activated state, and non-associated second devices which are in the activated state are returned to the state of rest.

11. The lock system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the carrier wave for the first signal and/or the third signal has a frequency of approximately 20, 120, or 125 kHz.

12. The lock system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the carrier wave for the second signal and/or the fourth signal and/or the fifth signal has a frequency of approximately 315, 433, or 868 MHz.

13. The lock system as claimed in claim 8, wherein a quality reduction means for the parallel oscillatory circuit can be activated by means of the switch.

14. The lock system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the switch is actuated by a control circuit in the first device for the purpose of switching.