Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7394362?dq=6,408,309
Timestamp: 2015-01-30 03:28:09
Document Index: 637838518

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 2004', 'art 47', 'art 45', 'art 47', 'art 45', 'art 47', 'art 45', 'art 47', 'art 45', 'art 33', 'art 21', 'art 23', 'art 27', 'art 31', 'art 29', 'art 55', 'art 29', 'art 33']

Patent US7394362 - Portable device for electronic key system and portable device search system - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA portable device search system for an electronic key system is formed by a portable device and handy equipment such as a cellular phone, PDA and the like, which is separate from the portable device. When a predetermined operation is performed on the handy equipment, the handy equipment transmits a search...http://www.google.com/patents/US7394362?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7394362 - Portable device for electronic key system and portable device search systemAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7394362 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/178,381Publication dateJul 1, 2008Filing dateJul 12, 2005Priority dateAug 6, 2004Fee statusLapsedAlso published asCN1730881A, DE102005036832A1, US20060028339Publication number11178381, 178381, US 7394362 B2, US 7394362B2, US-B2-7394362, US7394362 B2, US7394362B2InventorsKenichi Ogino, Hiromichi NaitoOriginal AssigneeDenso CorporationExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (11), Referenced by (3), Classifications (13), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetPortable device for electronic key system and portable device search systemUS 7394362 B2Abstract A portable device search system for an electronic key system is formed by a portable device and handy equipment such as a cellular phone, PDA and the like, which is separate from the portable device. When a predetermined operation is performed on the handy equipment, the handy equipment transmits a search signal. On receiving the search signal, the portable device generates a specific sound and vibration to notify the location. In addition, an image near the portable device may be transmitted to the handy equipment to be displayed on the handy equipment.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is based on and incorporates herein by reference Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-231142 filed on Aug. 6, 2004.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a portable device of an electronic key system and a portable device search system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION An electronic key system for a motor vehicle is conventionally known. In this system, in response to a request (transmission request signal) transmitted from an on-vehicle device, a portable device as an electronic key carried by a user of a vehicle transmits a reply signal containing an identification code. If the code that the on-vehicle device receives from the portable device matches a code stored in advance in a memory of the on-vehicle device, predetermined operations such as door unlocking/locking and engine startup are performed. Such an electronic key system is generally referred to as a smart key system or a smart keyless entry system [e.g., JP-2000-170420 and U.S. 2003/0095039 A1 (JP-2003-157483)].
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention therefore has an object of enabling easy detection of a portable device as an electronic key in an electronic key system even if it is lost.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A portable device search system will be described in detail with reference to various embodiments. Portable devices used as search objects in the embodiments are those carried with a user as electronic keys in electronic key systems for motor vehicles. The electronic key systems serve as smart key systems (smart keyless entry systems) in which doors are unlocked when an authorized portable device (portable device dedicated to a vehicle) enters a wireless communication area around the vehicle. It also serves as remote keyless entry systems (RKE) in which doors are locked and unlocked by the user's pressing buttons provided in the authorized portable device.
First Embodiment Referring first to FIG. 1, a portable device search system comprises a portable device 11 of an electronic key system of a vehicle and handy equipment 13. Both the portable device 11 and the handy equipment 13 are held by a user. The handy equipment 13 is separate from the portable device 11. The handy equipment 13, which is mobile equipment such as a cellular phone and PDA in this embodiment, may be any handy equipment such as a remote controller for other equipments such as television sets and air conditioners, or a remote controller dedicated to the search system.
As shown in FIG. 2A, the control part 47 of the handy equipment 13 determines in S111 whether a first search operation has been performed by the user, and waits until the first search operation is performed. The first search operation denotes such an operation that the search button 43 of the buttons of the search part 45 is pressed, then a button marked with a number �1� is pressed.
As shown in FIG. 3A, the control part 47 of the handy equipment 13 determines in S211 whether a second search operation has been performed by the user, and waits until the second search operation is performed. The second search operation denotes such an operation that the search button 43 of the buttons of the search part 45 is pressed and then a button marked with a number �2� is pressed.
As shown in FIG. 4A, the control part 47 of the handy equipment 13 determines in S311 whether a third search operation has been performed by the user, and waits until the third search operation is performed. The third search operation denotes such an operation that the search button 43 of the buttons of the search part 45 is pressed and then a button marked with a number �3� is pressed.
As shown in FIG. 5A, the control part 47 of the handy equipment 13 determines in S411 whether a fourth search operation has been performed by the user, and waits until the fourth search operation is performed. The fourth search operation denotes such an operation that the search button 43 of the buttons of the search part 45 is pressed and then a button marked with a number �4� is pressed.
Second Embodiment A portable device search system according to the second embodiment is different from that of the first embodiment only in that the control part 33 of the portable device 11 performs processing of FIG. 7 to achieve a sixth search function instead of processing of FIG. 6.
Third Embodiment As shown in FIG. 8, a portable device search system according to a third embodiment is different from that of the first embodiment in the construction of the portable device 11 as an electronic key to search for. The portable device 11 do not have the sound input part 21, sound output part 23, antenna 25 and GPS receiving part 27 for receiving GPS signals and vibration part 31. Instead, it has a photographing button 53 operated to activate the photographing part 29, and a memory part 55 for storing data for locating the portable device 11. The handy equipment 13 is the same as that of the first embodiment.
Fourth Embodiment As shown in FIG. 10, a portable device search system according to a fourth embodiment is different from that of the third embodiment in the construction of the portable device 11 as an electronic key to search for. The portable device 11 of the fourth embodiment is different from the portable device 11 of the third embodiment in that the photographing part 29 and the photographing button 53 are not provided. Instead, plural storage place buttons 61 to 64 indicating storage place candidates for the portable device 11 are provided.
In this example, four storage place buttons 61 to 64 are provided. A button 61 is a purse button written as �Purse,� a button 62 is a pants button written as �Pants,� a button 63 is a bag button written as �Bag,� and a button 64 is a jacket button written as �Jacket.� On the other hand, the handy equipment 13 is the same as that of the first and the third embodiments.
On determining in S711 that any of the storage place buttons 61 to 64 has been operated (S711: YES), the control part 33 proceeds to S713 to store the kind of any of the storage place buttons 61 to 64 operated this time (one of �Purse,� �Pants,� �Bag� and �Jacket,� referred to as operated button) in the memory 55, and then proceeds to S715.
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