Electronic key system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9994193-B2
Application number	US-201615569120-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2016
Priority date	Jun 1, 2015
Publication date	Jun 12, 2018
Grant date	Jun 12, 2018

Abstract

This electronic key system includes: an electronic key which is enabled to engage in radio communication with a vehicle on condition that a vibration is detected by a vibration detection part; and the vehicle which has an on-board control part for starting an engine on condition that the radio communication with the electronic key is established, and a push switch installed in the vehicle is operated. The on-board control part causes the vehicle to be vibrated by the engine on condition that the push switch is operated.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic key system comprising:
a vehicle including
an onboard device,
an onboard controller that controls the onboard device,
an operation unit that is operable by a user, and
a vibration unit that vibrates at least part of the vehicle;

an electronic key including a vibration sensor that detects vibration, wherein the electronic key is configured to be capable of establishing wireless communication with the onboard controller when the vibration sensor detects vibration;
wherein the onboard controller is configured to vibrate at least part of the vehicle with the vibration unit in response to operation of the operation unit by the user, determine whether wireless communication has been established between the electronic key and the vehicle, and actuate the onboard device when determining that wireless communication has been established.

2. The electronic key system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the vibration unit vibrates the at least part of the vehicle to produce predetermined variable action; and
the determination of whether the wireless communication has been established includes
by the onboard controller, transmitting a request signal to request for information indicating the variable action of the vibration detected by the vibration sensor,
by the electronic key, transmitting, through wireless communication, information indicating the variable action of the vibration detected by the vibration sensor in response to the request signal from the onboard controller,
by the onboard controller, verifying the predetermined variable action of the vibration with the variable action of the vibration from the electronic key, and
by the onboard controller, determining whether wireless communication has been established from the verification result.

3. The electronic key system according to claim 2 , wherein the predetermined variable action of the vibration includes a variable action that differs from a variable action of the vibration when the vibration unit was previously vibrated.

4. The electronic key system according to claim 1 , wherein
the onboard controller detects a position of the electronic key based on the wireless communication established between the electronic key and the vehicle, and
the onboard controller vibrates a portion of the vehicle that corresponds to the position of the electronic key detected in the wireless communication that was previously established in response to operation of the operation unit by the user.

5. The electronic key system according to claim 4 , wherein
the vibration unit is one of a plurality of vibration units,
the vibration units include a plurality of seat motors respectively arranged in a plurality of seats, and
the onboard controller vibrates a seat located at the position of the electronic key detected in the previously established wireless communication with the corresponding seat motor in response to operation of the operation unit by the user.

6. The electronic key system according to claim 1 , wherein the onboard controller gradually strengthens vibration of the vibration unit when vibrating the at least part of the vehicle.

7. The electronic key system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the vehicle further includes a memory that stores at least one ID code;
the determination of whether the wireless communication has been established further includes
by the onboard controller, transmitting a request signal that requests for an ID code of the electronic key in response to operation of the operation unit by the user, and
by the onboard controller, receiving a response signal including the ID code from the electronic key and verifying the ID code of the received response signal with the at least one ID code stored in the memory; and

the verification result includes a verification result of the ID code and a verification result of the variable action of the vibration.

8. The electronic key according to claim 7 , wherein by the onboard controller, determining whether wireless communication has been established in accordance with a verification result includes
determining that wireless communication has been established when verification of the ID code and a verification result of variable action of the vibration have been accomplished, and
determining that the wireless communication has not been established when a response signal has not been received from the electronic key or when at least one of verification of the ID code and verification of the variable action of the vibration has not been accomplished.

9. The electronic key system according to claim 1 , comprising at least one of an engine, an HV motor, and a seat motor.

10. The electronic key system according to claim 1 , wherein vibrating at least part of the vehicle with the vibration unit includes:
by the onboard controller, determining in advance whether the wireless communication will be established before vibrating at least part of the vehicle in response to operation of the operation unit by the user;
by the onboard controller, vibrating at least part of the vehicle with the vibration unit when determining in advance that the wireless communication will not be established; and
by the onboard controller, actuating the onboard device without vibrating the at least part of the vehicle when determining in advance that the wireless communication will not be established.

Assignees

• Tokai Rika Co Ltd

Inventors

• Iwashita Hiroaki
• Kishimoto Kohei

Classifications

• B60R25/32

  of vehicle dynamic parameters, e.g. speed or acceleration · CPC title

• G07C2009/00547

  starting ignition · CPC title

• G07C2009/00515

  opening and locking of all locks at the same time · CPC title

• G01H1/12

  of longitudinal or not specified vibrations · CPC title

• B60R25/246 Primary

  characterised by the challenge triggering · CPC title