Keyless entry system for automotive devices with feature for giving caution for locking wireless code transmitter in vehicle

Claim 2

A keyless entry system for an automotive vehicle lock device for selectably actuating the lock device to either of a first locked position and a second unlocked position, comprising: an electrical actuator (202) associated with said lock device and responsive a control signal to reverse the position of said lock device (220); a manual switch (210); a transmitter (100) responsive to operation of said manual switch (210) to output a radio signal indicative of a unique code which identifies the transmitter (100); a controller (200) for receiving said radio signal from said transmitter (100), comparing the unique code indicated by said radio signal with a preset code, and producing said control signal when said unique code matches said preset code; and a transmitter-locking alarm means (302, ..., 306), associated with said controller (200), for detecting when said transmitter (100) is locked in the vehicle and producing an alarm in such cases.

Claim 3

The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said transmitter-locking alarm means comprises a signal level detector (302) responsive to signal level variations in said code signal within a given period of time to produce said alarm signal when the overall change in said code signal level over said given period of time is less than a predetermined value.

Claim 4

The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said signal level detector (302) produces said alarm signal when said code signal level is substantially unchanged.

Claim 5

The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said transmitter-locking alarm means includes a detector (304) for detecting actuation of a door lock device to the locked state from the unlocked state in response to said code signal, and enabling said signal level detector when the door lock device is actuated to the locked state from the unlocked state.

Claim 6

The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 4, wherein said controller (200) is associated with said manual switch (210) and responsive to operation of the latter to produce a radio signal which activates said transmitter to output said unique code-indicative radio signal.

Claim 7

The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 4, wherein said transmitter (100) and said controller (200) each includes an antenna (104; 214) and wherein electromagnetic induction between said antennas allows transmission of said radio signal.

Claim 8

The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said transmitter (100) is portable and said controller (200) is mounted on a vehicle and associated with said manual switch (210), and said controller being responsive to operation of the said manual switch to produce a radio signal which activates said transmitter to output said unique code-indicative radio signal.

Claim 9

The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 7, wherein said transmitter (100) and said controller (200) each include an antenna (104; 214) and wherein electromagnetic induction between said antennas allows transmission of said radio signal.

Claim 10

The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said transmitter (100) is small enough to fit in a clothing pocket.

Claim 11

The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said vehicle device including a plurality of devices to be operated independently of each other, said actuator (202) comprising a plurality of actuators (202-DR, ..., 202-ST) respectively adapted to operate corresponding one of said devices,and said manual switch (210) including a plurality of switch elements (210-DR, ..., 210-ST) respectively adapted to operate corresponding one of said actuator to operate corresponding devices.

Claim 12

The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said controller (200) further comprises means, associated with said switch elements (210-DR, ..., 210-ST), for identifying one of the devices corresponding to one of the switch elements operated.

Claim 13

The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 10, wherein each of manual switch is provided on the vehicle body adjacent the corresponding device to operate.

Claim 14

The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 11, wherein said lock device comprises a door lock (220-DR, 220-DL), a trunk lid lock (220-TL), a glove box lid lock and a steering lock device (220-ST), and said manual switch including a plurality of switch elements each of which corresponds to one of said lock devices.

Claim 15

A keyless entry system for an automotive vehicle for operating one of a plurality of vehicle devices including a door lock device which is selective operated to either of a first locked position and a second unlocked position, comprising: a plurality of electrical actuators (202-DR, ..., 202-ST) respectively associated with the corresponding vehicle devices and responsive to a control signal to operate said corresponding vehicle device to desired position; a plurality of manual switches (210-DR, ..., 210-ST), each adapted to be operated for operating one of the corresponding vehicle devices; a transmitter (100) activated by manual operation of one of said manual switches to output a radio signal indicative of a unique code which identifies the transmitter; a controller (200) for receiving said radio signal from said transmitter, comparing the unique code indicated by said radio signal with a preset code, and producing said control signal when said unique code matches said preset code, said controller including means responsive to manual operation of one of said manual switch for identifying one of said actuators to be operated and operating said identified actuator for operating one of the vehicle devices corresponding to the manual switch operated; and a transmitter-locking alarm means (302, ..., 306), associated with said controller, for detecting when said transmitter is locked in the vehicle and producing an alarm in such cases.

Claim 16

A keyless entry system for an automotive vehicle for operating one of a plurality of vehicle devices including a door lock device which is selective operated to either of a first locked position and a second unlocked position, comprising: a plurality of electrical actuators (202-DR, ..., 202-ST) respectively associated with the corresponding vehicle devices and responsive to a control signal to operate said corresponding vehicle device to desired position; a plurality of manual switches (210-DR, ..., 210-ST), each adapted to be operated for operating one of the corresponding vehicle devices; a transmitter (100) activated by manual operation of one of said manual switches to output a radio signal indicative of a unique code which identifies the transmitter; a controller (200) for receiving said radio signal from said transmitter, comparing the unique code indicated by said radio signal with a preset code, and producing said control signal when said unique code matches said preset code, said controller including means responsive to manual operation of one of said manual switch for identifying one of said actuators to be operated and operating said identified actuator for operating one of the vehicle devices corresponding to the manual switch operated; and a transmitter-locking alarm means (302, ..., 306), associated with said controller, for detecting when said transmitter is locked in the vehicle and producing an alarm in such cases.

Claim 17

The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 14, wherein said transmitter is portable and said controller is mounted on a vehicle and associated with said manual switches, and said controller being responsive to operation of one of said manual switches to produce a radio signal which activates said transmitter to output said unique code-indicative radio signal.

Claim 18

The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 15, wherein said transmitter and said controller each include an antenna and wherein electromagnetic induction between said antennas allows transmission of said radio signal.

Claim 19

The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 16, wherein said transmitter is small enough to fit in a clothing pocket.

Claim 20

The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 17, wherein said transmitter-locking alarm means comprises a signal level detector responsive to signal level variations in said code signal within a given period of time to produce said alarm signal when the overall change in said code signal level over said given period of time is less than a predetermined value.

Claim 21

The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 18, wherein said signal level detector produces said alarm signal when said code signal level is substantially unchanged.

Claim 22

The keyless entry system as set forth in claim 19, wherein said transmitter-locking alarm means includes a detector for detecting actuation of a door lock device to the locked state from the unlocked state in response to said code signal, and enabling said signal level detector when the door lock device is actuated to the locked state from the unlocked state.