Patent ID: 6868170

Claim:
A vehicle key system for verifying an identity of fingerprint information regarding a fingerprint of a user and for controlling pieces of equipment in a vehicle according to a verification result regarding the identity of the fingerprint information, said system comprising: a fingerprint information capturing means for capturing fingerprint information from the fingerprint of the user; a fingerprint information storage means for storing at least one piece of fingerprint information regarding an authorized user; a manipulation detection means for detecting manipulations of at least one operation unit for controlling the pieces of equipment in the vehicle and at least one pedal, wherein said operation unit comprises at least one of a wiper switch, a turn signal switch, a shift lever, and a navigation unit for providing navigation services; a fingerprint verification means for verifying an identity of the fingerprint information captured by said fingerprint information capturing means in a first processing mode by comparing the fingerprint information captured by said fingerprint information capturing means with the fingerprint information of the authorized user stored in said fingerprint information storage means, wherein the vehicle key system is configured to operate in the first processing mode and at least a second processing mode for administering storage of information in the fingerprint information storage means; and a processing mode switching means for switching between the first and second processing modes according to detection of a predetermined manipulation of the at least one operation unit or the at least one pedal by said manipulation detection means.