Smart entry system

• US 10,008,060 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2014
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Inoue, Hiroki
• Primary Examiner(s): Antonucci, Anne M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malhotra, Sanjeev
• Application Number:
  US14/773,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20160005250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,576 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2, 701 22, 340 57, 340 572, 340988, 320109, 455 412, 4554561
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/209 Remote starting of engine
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/243 with more than one way to gain access
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/245 where the antenna reception area plays a role
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0048 Circuits, feeding, monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0072 Operation
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0084 Key or electric means; Emergency release
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0097 including means for monitoring voltage, e.g. for indicating low battery state
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0001 with electric actuators; Constructional features thereof for vehicles E05B81/04
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A smart system locks a door of a vehicle when there is a user'"'"'s instruction to lock the door when a first portable device in which first identification information is stored is outside the vehicle and a second portable device in which second identification information is stored is inside the vehicle, and controls the power supply state from a normal state to a power supply continuation state in which power continues to be supplied only to a predetermined power supply continuation device in the vehicle.

Claims

1. A smart entry system, comprising:

a portable device carried by a user;

an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle;

wherein;

the portable device includes;

a main key that stores first identification information to identify the main key itself, and

an auxiliary key that stores second identification information to identify the auxiliary key itself; and

the in-vehicle device includes;

a lock instruction detection unit that detects a lock instruction entered by the user to lock a door of the vehicle,

a verification unit that verifies that the main key is outside a compartment of the vehicle and that the auxiliary key is inside the compartment of the vehicle in response to the lock instruction detection unit detecting the lock instruction entered by the user to lock the door of the vehicle,

a portable device detection unit that detects the portable device based on a verification result from the verification unit,

a control unit that locks the door and changes a state of supplying power to the vehicle from a normal state to a power supply continuation state that continues supplying power to only a predetermined power supply continuation device of the vehicle in response to (i) the lock instruction detection unit detecting the lock instruction and (ii) the verification result received by the portable device detection unit indicating that the main key is outside the compartment of the vehicle and that the auxiliary key is inside the compartment of the vehicle, and

a state information output unit that outputs state information that reflects the power supply continuation state.

2. The smart entry system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined power supply continuation device does not include at least a travel-related device needed for traveling of the vehicle and a prime mover control-related device to control a prime mover of the vehicle.

3. The smart entry system according to claim 2, wherein the control unit outputs an instruction signal to stop the prime mover of the vehicle and to stop supplying power to the power supply continuation device when the main key and the auxiliary key are outside of the compartment of the vehicle.

4. The smart entry system according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit locks the door and changes the power supply continuation state to the normal state in response to (i) the lock instruction detection unit detecting the lock instruction and (ii) the verification result received by the portable device detection unit indicating that the main key and the auxiliary key are outside the compartment of the vehicle, and

wherein the state information output unit outputs state information that reflects the normal state.

5. The smart entry system according to claim 1, wherein, when a predetermined state release condition is satisfied, the control unit changes the power supply continuation state to the normal state, and the state information output unit outputs state information that reflects the normal state.

6. The smart entry system according to claim 5, further comprising:

a door state detection unit that detects one of an open state and a close state of the door,

wherein the control unit determines that the state release condition is satisfied when the door state detection unit detects that a driver'"'"'s seat door of the vehicle being opened in the power supply continuation state.

7. The smart entry system according to claim 5, further comprising:

a door state detection unit that detects one of an open state and a close state of the door,

wherein the control unit determines that the state release condition is satisfied when the door state detection unit detects that a door other than a driver'"'"'s seat door of the vehicle is open in the power supply continuation state and when the portable device detection unit does not continuously detect the main key and the auxiliary key in the compartment of the vehicle for a predetermined time interval.

8. The smart entry system according to claim 7, wherein the control unit locks the door when the state release condition is satisfied and the door state detection unit detects that all the doors are closed.

9. The smart entry system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a battery state acquisition unit that acquires a charge state of a battery in the vehicle,

wherein the control unit outputs an activation control signal to activate a prime mover of the vehicle when a charge state of the battery falls below a predetermined threshold value.

10. The smart entry system according to claim 1, wherein the in-vehicle device includes a notification unit to notify in the compartment of the vehicle that a duration time of the power supply continuation state exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

11. The smart entry system according to claim 10, wherein, after notification in the compartment, the notification unit notifies outside the compartment of the vehicle that the portable device detection unit detects the auxiliary key in the compartment of the vehicle.

12. The smart entry system according to claim 1,

wherein the in-vehicle device includes a control instruction acquisition unit that acquires a control instruction output from the portable device based on the user'"'"'s manipulation on the portable device, and

wherein the control unit controls operation of a device as an object of the control instruction when the control instruction acquisition unit acquires the control instruction in the power supply continuation state.

13. The smart entry system according to claim 12, wherein the control instruction reflects an instruction to lock the door.

14. The smart entry system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit inhibits locking of the door when the main key is in the compartment of the vehicle.

15. The smart entry system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined power supply continuation device includes an audio device, does not include a travel-related device needed for traveling of the vehicle, and does not include a prime mover control-related device to control a prime mover of the vehicle.