Patent ID: 8511121
Filing Date: 2013-08-20
Classification: B60R,E05B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An electronic key system for operating a vehicle, comprising: a master key, an auxiliary key, and an in-vehicle key holding device for said auxiliary key, the key holding device comprising: a key cylinder capable of retaining the auxiliary key which is a vehicle key that is not a master key; a rotor rotatably arranged in the key cylinder, in which the auxiliary key is insertable into the rotor; a tumbler rotatable with the rotor in the key cylinder, in which the tumbler holds the auxiliary key in a manner irremovable from the key cylinder in accordance with the rotational position of the rotor; a key lock mechanism capable of locking the rotor in a state in which the tumbler holds the auxiliary key in a manner irremovable from the key cylinder; a control unit for switching the rotor between a locked state and an unlocked state by controlling the key lock mechanism so as to permit removal of the auxiliary key when the rotor is in the unlocked state; and a restriction setting unit that controls whether vehicle functions are usable with the auxiliary key in accordance with a selection of a user, wherein the vehicle functions are usable with the master key, but not all of the vehicle functions are usable with the auxiliary key.