Patent ID: 8648693

Claim:
A key slot device for an in-vehicle auxiliary key, the key slot device comprising: a key slot being capable of accommodating the auxiliary key, which is a vehicle key other than a master key; a key lock mechanism that locks or unlocks movement of the auxiliary key within the key slot, thereby allowing the auxiliary key to be removed from the key slot in accordance with a lending condition of the auxiliary key; an invalid key return prevention unit that determines whether to lock or unlock the auxiliary key within the key slot by controlling the key lock mechanism in accordance with a return condition of the auxiliary key; a master key verification unit performing electronic ID verification of the master key using an ID code stored in the master key; an auxiliary key verification unit performing electronic ID verification of the auxiliary key using an ID code stored in the auxiliary key; an inlet key detection unit that detects the auxiliary key in the vicinity of an inlet of a key insertion hole of the key slot; and an inward key detection unit that detects the auxiliary key at an inward position of the key insertion hole, wherein, if the return condition is met, the invalid key return prevention unit allows the auxiliary key to be returned to the key slot and causes the key lock mechanism to lock the auxiliary key within the key slot, and if the return condition is not met, the invalid key return prevention unit does not allow the auxiliary key to be returned to the key slot and causes the key lock mechanism to unlock the auxiliary key within the key slot, wherein the return condition of the auxiliary key comprises establishment of the electronic ID verification of the master key performed by the master key verification unit and establishment of the electronic ID verification of the auxiliary key performed by the auxiliary key verification unit, and wherein when the inward key detection unit does not detect the auxiliary key within a time limit after the inlet key detection unit detects the auxiliary key, the invalid key return prevention unit determines that the auxiliary key is inserted halfway in the key slot, and does not cause the key lock mechanism to lock the auxiliary key within the key slot.