Car electronic key, data processor and car management method

• US 20050203752A1
• Filed: 02/24/2003
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shinada, Akira
• Application Number:
  US10/505,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20050203752A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• 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: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 for hiring of objects

Abstract

This invention relates to a method of managing vehicles such as rental cars. Actual drive data about an applicable vehicle 4A are acquired through an electronic key 2A for operating the door locks of the vehicle 4A.

Claims

1. A vehicle which at least unlocks doors thereof in response to a remote control signal coming from an applicable electronic key, said vehicle comprising transmitting means for transmitting actual drive data about said vehicle to said applicable electronic key in such a manner that said actual drive data can be downloaded to an applicable data processing apparatus via said applicable electronic key.

2. An electronic key for operating door locks of an applicable vehicle by use of a remote control signal, said electronic key comprising:

receiving means for receiving actual drive data from said applicable vehicle;

recording means for recording said actual drive data; and

transmitting means for transmitting to a data processing apparatus said actual drive data recorded by said recording means.

3. A data processing apparatus comprising:

data acquiring means for receiving actual drive data about an applicable vehicle together with data for identifying said applicable vehicle, from an electronic key for operating door locks of said applicable vehicle by use of a remote control signal, so as to acquire said actual drive data from said applicable vehicle via said electronic key; and

data processing means for processing said actual drive data.

4. A vehicle managing method comprising the steps of:

acquiring actual drive data about an applicable vehicle via an electronic key for operating door locks of said applicable vehicle; and

processing said actual drive data acquired in said acquiring step.

5. A vehicle managing method according to claim 4, wherein said applicable vehicle is a rental car, and wherein said processing step involves calculating rental charges of said applicable vehicle based on said actual drive data.

6. A vehicle managing method according to claim 4, wherein said processing step involves calculating an insurance premium for said applicable vehicle based on said actual drive data.