Patent ID: 6924735
Filing Date: 2005-08-02
Classification: E05B,G07C

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for automatically locking and unlocking doors of a vehicle, comprising: operation detecting means mounted on the vehicle at a position operable from outside of the vehicle, for detecting that the operation detecting means is operated, and outputting a signal indicating that the operation detecting means is operated; door opening detecting means for detecting that at least one of the doors of the vehicle changes from a closed state to an open state, and outputting a signal indicating that the door changes from the closed state to the open state; vehicle-side transmitting means for transmitting a transmission request signal in a predetermined range in the passenger's compartment of the vehicle and a predetermined range around the vehicle in response to the output signals from said operation detecting means and said door opening detecting means; a portable unit for transmitting identification information upon reception of said transmission request signal; vehicle-side receiving means for receiving the identification information transmitted from said portable unit; first position detecting means for determining whether the identification information received by said vehicle-side receiving means matches identification information stored by said vehicle or not in response to the output signal from said operation detecting means, and detecting the position of said portable unit based on the determined result; unlocking control means for unlocking the doors of the vehicle when said first position detecting means detects that the portable unit is present outside of the vehicle; second position detecting means for determining whether the identification information received by said vehicle-side receiving means matches the identification information stored by said vehicle or not in response to the output signal from said door opening detecting means, and detecting the position of said portable unit based on the determined result; portable-unit-presence-detection vehicle-side transmitting means for transmitting said transmission request signal in said predetermined ranges in said passenger's compartment and around said vehicle, if said second position detecting means detects the position of said portable unit in said predetermined ranges in said passenger's compartment and around said vehicle; third position detecting means for determining whether the identification information received by said vehicle-side receiving means matches the identification information stored by said vehicle or not, and detecting the position of said portable unit based on the determined result during a period in which said portable-unit-presence-detection vehicle-side transmitting means is intermittently transmitting said transmission request signal; lock controlling means for locking the doors of the vehicle when said third position detecting means detects that the portable unit is not present at least outside of the vehicle; and memory means for storing information indicating that said unlocking control means unlocked the doors of the vehicle; said portable-unit-presence-detection vehicle-side transmitting means comprising means for transmitting said transmission request signal in said predetermined ranges in said passenger's compartment and around said vehicle even when said second position detecting means detects that the portable unit is not present in said predetermined ranges, if said memory means stores the information indicating that said unlocking control means unlocks the doors of the vehicle.