Device for locking and unlocking a door of a motor vehicle

• US 6,172,430 B1
• Filed: 12/16/1998
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schmitz, Stephan, Groesch, Lothar, Kaiser, Karl-Heinz, Wach, Achim
• Primary Examiner(s): PALADINI, ALBERT WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US09/212,901
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 307/10.2, 307/10.4, 307/10.5, 180/287, 340/825.09, 340/426, 340/825.72
• US Class Current: 307/10.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00507 keyless data carrier having more than one function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A device for locking and unlocking a door of a motor vehicle. The device includes a transmitting unit located on the motor vehicle and at least one transponder with an access authorization code assigned to a user. To allow flexible adjustment to different situations, the information exchanged between the transmitting unit and transponder contains not only an access authorization code but also a driving authorization code. In addition to the transponder, at least one additional storage device is provided in or on the vehicle for storing the driving authorization.

Claims

1. A device for locking and unlocking a door of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a transmitting unit situated on the motor vehicle;

at least one transponder having an access authorization code assigned to a user, the at least one transponder exchanging the access authorization code and a driving authorization code with the transmitting unit;

at least one storage device storing a driving authorization, the at least one storage device being situated one of in the motor vehicle and on the motor vehicle; and

a controller coupled to the transmitting unit and to the at least one storage device, the controller controlling a door lock.

2. The device according to claim 1,

wherein the controller monitors at least one of whether the user leaves the motor vehicle, whether the motor vehicle is moving and whether the at least one transponder is left inside of the motor vehicle, and

wherein, when the user leaves the motor vehicle which is not moving and leaves the at least one transponder inside of the motor vehicle, the controller prevents at least one door of the motor vehicle from being locked.

3. The device according to claim 1,

wherein the controller monitors at least one of whether the at least one transponder is left in a trunk of the motor vehicle and whether a trunk door of the trunk is unlocked, and

wherein, after the trunk door is unlocked and the at least one transponder is left in the trunk, the trunk door cannot be locked and the device provides one of an acoustical indication signal and an optical indication signal.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle is started and a steering column lock of the motor vehicle is released by pressing a brake pedal of the motor vehicle while simultaneously one of pulling a knob on a gear shift lever and turning a rotary switch, an engine of the motor vehicle being turned off by one of pressing a button and turning the rotary switch.

5. The device according to claim 1,

wherein the controller triggers and evaluates an interrogation of the driving authorization code after an access authorization is detected as a function of the access authorization code, and

wherein the at least one storage device stores the driving authorization when the driving authorization is detected by an evaluating procedure of the controller.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the interrogation of the driving authorization code is triggered by the controller before or shortly after starting the motor vehicle, the controller monitoring the starting of the motor vehicle.

7. The device according to claim 2,

wherein the driving authorization code includes information regarding a receiving zone,

wherein the controller monitors whether at least one of the motor vehicle is moving, the motor vehicle is stopped and an engine of the motor vehicle is stopped;

wherein, when the at least one transponder is moved out of a predetermined range of the receiving zone, the driving authorization remains stored in the at least one storage device while the motor vehicle is moving, and

wherein, when the motor vehicle and the engine of the motor vehicle stop, the driving authorization is removed from the at least one storage device by the at least one storage device.

8. The device according to claim 5, further comprising:

an indicator coupled to the controller, the controller monitoring whether the at least one transponder has left a receiving zone, the indicator indicating when the at least one transponder has left the receiving zone, the driving authorization code including information relating to the receiving zone, the indicator including at least one of an acoustic indicator and an optical indicator.

9. The device according to claim 5,

wherein the controller determines if a person without access information enters the motor vehicle, and

wherein the interrogation of the driving authorization code cannot be triggered by the controller if the person without access information enters the motor vehicle.

10. The device according to claim 5, wherein the stored driving authorization is canceled after the user is substituted with a further user, the controller interrogating a passenger transponder of the at least one transponder if the further user does not have a particular transponder of the at least one transponder.

11. The device according to claim 5, wherein the at least one storage device includes one of an emergency card and a storage area, the at least one storage device being situated in one of a roof-mounted module and the controller.

12. The device according to claim 11,

wherein the at least one storage device includes a holding device, the holding device housing the emergency card, and

wherein the door lock can be locked via the controller only if the emergency card is removed from the holding device.

13. The device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a sensor coupled to the controller, the sensor being in communication with the controller with information relating to a distance being driven by the motor vehicle,

wherein, when an emergency situation arises, the controller allows the motor vehicle to be driven a predetermined distance without the driving authorization and activates a warning system.

14. The device according to claim 13,

wherein the controller monitors a state of an engine of the motor vehicle, and

wherein the predetermined distance is shortened after the engine stops and then is started again.