Key-less entry system for vehicle

• US 7,005,959 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2003
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Amagasa, Yoshinori, Yuzuriha, Noritoshi, Aoki, Masakazu, Suzuki, Nobuzi
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Vernal
• Application Number:
  US10/448,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20030222759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.3, 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.72, 340/5.6, 340/5.64, 340/5.65, 340/5.8, 340/426.36, 307/10.1, 307/10.2
• US Class Current: 340/5.3
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/78 as part of a hands-free locking or unlocking operation
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/65 using means for sensing the user's hand
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A vehicle key-less entry system includes a locking mechanism to lock or unlock vehicle doors; a door-handle detector to detect whether a door handle is manipulated and a manipulation mode when the door handle is detected as manipulated; a mobile device to record identification (ID) information and conduct non-contact communications using the ID information; an authenticator to perform an authentication procedure using the ID information through the non-contact communications with the mobile device when the door handle is detected as manipulated; and a locking controller to control the locking mechanism for locking or unlocking the vehicle door based on the manipulation mode detected by the door-handle detector when a result of the authentication procedure is positive. The door-handle detector may detect whether a door handle is manipulated only. The locking controller controls the locking mechanism for locking or unlocking the vehicle door when the vehicle door is detected as unlocked or locked by the locking-state detector when a result of the authentication procedure is positive.

Claims

1. A key-less entry system for a vehicle comprising:

a locking mechanism for locking or unlocking at least one vehicle door;

a door-handle detector for detecting whether or not a door handle is manipulated and a manipulation mode when the door handle is detected as manipulated;

a mobile device for recording identification (ID) information and conducting non-contact communications using the ID information;

an authenticator for performing an authentication procedure using the ID information through the non-contact communications with the mobile device when the door handle is detected as manipulated; and

a locking controller for controlling the locking mechanism for locking or unlocking the vehicle door based on the manipulation mode when a result of the authentication procedure is positive,

wherein the door-handle detector detects how many times the door handle is pushed or pulled for a predetermined period of time, as the manipulation mode.

2. The key-less entry system according to claim 1, wherein the door-handle detector detects whether the door handle is pushed or pulled, as the manipulation mode.

3. The key-less entry system according to claim 1, wherein the door-handle detector gives off warning sounds with a tone or pattern different in accordance with the detected manipulation mode.

4. The key-less entry system according to claim 1, wherein the locking controller gives off warning sounds with a tone or pattern different in accordance with whether the vehicle door is locked or unlocked by the locking mechanism.

5. The key-less entry system according to claim 1, wherein the authenticator gives off warning sounds when the result of the authentication procedure is negative.

6. The key-less entry system according to claim 1, wherein the authenticator gives off warning sounds with a tone or pattern different in accordance with whether the result of the authentication procedure is positive or negative.

7. A key-less entry system comprising:

a locking mechanism for locking or unlocking at least one vehicle door;

a door-handle detector for detecting whether a door handle is manipulated;

a locking-state detector for detecting whether the vehicle door has been locked or unlocked by the locking mechanism;

a mobile device for recording identification (ID) information and conducting non-contact communications using the ID information;

an authenticator for performing an authentication procedure using the ID information through the non-contact communications with the mobile device when the door handle is detected as manipulated; and

a locking controller for controlling the locking mechanism for locking or unlocking the vehicle door when the vehicle door is detected as unlocked or locked by the locking-state detector when a result of the authentication procedure is positive.

wherein the door-handle detector detects how many times the door handle is pushed or pulled for a predetermined period of time, as the manipulation mode.

8. The key-less entry system according to claim 7, wherein the locking controller gives off warning sounds with a tone or pattern different in accordance with whether the vehicle door is locked or unlocked by the locking mechanism.

9. The key-less entry system according to claim 7, wherein the authenticator gives off warning sounds when the result of the authentication procedure is negative.

10. The key-less entry system according to claim 7, wherein the authenticator gives off warning sounds with a tone or pattern different in accordance with whether the result of the authentication procedure is positive or negative.