Electrical transmission or interconnection systems – Vehicle mounted systems – Automobile
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-16
2001-01-09
Paladini, Albert W. (Department: 2836)
Electrical transmission or interconnection systems
Vehicle mounted systems
Automobile
C307S010400, C307S010500, C180S287000, C340S870030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06172430
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for locking and unlocking a door of a motor vehicle. The device includes a transmitting unit located on the vehicle and at least one transponder with an access authorization code assigned to a user.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
A device for locking and unlocking a door without a key is described in “Keyless Entry System with Radio Card Transponder,” Motoki Hirano et al., IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, Vol. 35, 1988, pages 208 through 216. This conventional device is used to unlock a locked door of a motor vehicle as soon as a user carrying a transponder enters the interrogation field of a transmitting unit located in the door region, triggering interrogation. The door is unlocked when the transmitting unit detects the correct transponder code, using an evaluator.
Although it is not difficult for the user to lock and unlock the door using such a device, situations can arise in which the mode of operation of this device is disadvantageous, making it less attractive to users. For example, it is possible to start a vehicle if an unauthorized user gains access to the car's interior.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a device which offers greater security against unauthorized use of the vehicle and supports the user in a variety of real situations.
According to this arrangement, the information exchanged between the transmitting unit and transponder contains not only the access authorization code but also a driving authorization code, and, in addition to the transponder, at least one more storage device is provided in or on the vehicle for storing the driving authorization.
The access authorization code makes it possible to gain access to the vehicle interior without allowing the vehicle to be driven away. The vehicle can be driven away only if a driving authorization is also detected. Storing the authorization data in the additional storage device makes it possible to continuously check the authorization status and also the presence of the transponder, enabling the system to respond to changes in the situation. The controller can be programmed to detect and take into account many different situations and trigger a suitable response in each one.
If interrogation of the driving authorization code is not triggered and evaluated by a controller until access authorization is detected based on the access authorization code, and if the driving authorization is stored in the additional storage device when this code is detected through evaluation by an evaluating stage of the controller, driving authorization will not be granted at all unless access authorization is also present.
According to advantageous refinements, the additional storage device is an emergency card or a storage area and is or can be placed in a roof-mounted module or the controller. The storage device designed as the emergency card can be removed if desired, preventing manipulation of the additional storage device. To simplify the design, the additional storage device can also be provided as a storage area in a roof-mounted module or the controller.
A time window for checking the driving authorization, thus providing additional security, is obtained by having the controller trigger interrogation of the driving authorization code before or shortly after starting the vehicle.
To support secure operation and help increase security against unauthorized operation, the driving authorization remains stored in the additional storage device when the transponder moves out of range of a driving authorization code receiving zone while the vehicle is moving, and the driving authorization is removed from the additional storage device when the vehicle and engine are stopped.
For example, to alert the driver to the fact that the transponder is no longer within the interrogation or receiving zone, an acoustic and/or optical indicator connected to the controller is provided which can be used to indicate when the transponder leaves the receiving zone of the driving authorization code.
A further important item of information for the user is provided by the ability to indicate when the driver has gotten out of a stationary car and left at least one transponder inside the vehicle, in which case the doors will not lock. This ensures that an authorized user does not leave the transponder behind, making it accessible to an unauthorized person.
According to an embodiment of the operating concept, an internal card can be disabled automatically if the user always wants the doors to be locked. The doors are locked by a deliberate action (“tapping on the door”).
Security can be further increased by allowing the door to be locked only when the emergency card is removed from its holder.
To prevent a transponder from being locked in the car trunk by mistake, the trunk door cannot be locked after it has been unlocked and a transponder left in the trunk. The driver can also be alerted to this by an acoustic/optical device.
Because interrogation of the driving authorization code cannot be triggered if the vehicle is entered without access authorization, the vehicle cannot be driven away when it is entered by an unauthorized person.
To enable the vehicle to be driven away from a hazardous zone in dangerous situations, the controller can allow the vehicle to be driven a short distance even without driving authorization, in which case a warning device is activated. To prevent the vehicle from being driven a long distance unauthorized, the distance becomes shorter after the engine is turned off and then started again. Each time the car is restarted, the distance that can be covered is much shorter than the distance covered the last time. Such special situations are indicated externally by an acoustic/optical device.
To allow simple operation in combination with the transponder, the vehicle can be started and the steering column lock released by pressing the brake pedal while simultaneously pulling a knob on the gear shift level, and the engine can be turned off by pressing a button or turning a rotary switch.
To ensure smooth vehicle operation, the stored driving authorization is erased when changing drivers and, if the new driver does not have a transponder, the system switches over to interrogation of the passenger transponder.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4940964 (1990-07-01), Dao
patent: 5616966 (1997-04-01), Fischer et al.
patent: 5708307 (1998-01-01), Iijima et al.
patent: 5736793 (1998-04-01), Jahrsetz et al.
Motoki Hirano et al., “Keyless Entry System with Radio Card Transponder,” IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, vol. 35, 1988, pp. 208-216.
Groesch Lothar
Kaiser Karl-Heinz
Schmitz Stephan
Wach Achim
Kenyon & Kenyon
Paladini Albert W.
Robert & Bosch GmbH
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