Patent ID: 7501714

Claim:
An engine starting system for authentically starting an engine installed in a propelled object, comprising: power source activation means installed in the propelled object; an engine control unit; a propelled-object-side equipment; steering wheel locking means; alarm means; a switch that can be actuated manually; and a portable equipment possessed by a driver of the propelled object, the portable equipment including: a portable transmitter-receiver for establishing bidirectional communication with the propelled-object-side equipment; a portable-equipment-side memory circuit in which a proper cipher code corresponding to the propelled object is stored; and a portable-equipment-side control circuit that receives a signal transmitted from the propelled-object-side equipment, reads out the cipher code, and transmits the cipher code to the propelled-object-side equipment, the propelled-object-side equipment including: a propelled-object-side transmitter-receiver for establishing bidirectional communication with the portable equipment; a propelled-object-side memory circuit in which a proper cipher code corresponding to the propelled object is stored as a collation code; and a propelled-object-side control circuit that reads out the collation code in response to an actuation signal of the switch, transmits the collation code to the portable equipment, and controls the engine control unit, the steering wheel locking means, and the alarm means in accordance with a result of comparison between the cipher code received from the portable equipment and the collation code, wherein the propelled-object-side transmitter-receiver transmits an inquiry signal including the collation code to the portable transmitter-receiver in response to an actuation signal of the switch, wherein the portable transmitter-receiver transmits an answer signal including the cipher code corresponding to the inquiry signal to the propelled-object-side transmitter-receiver, wherein the propelled-object-side control circuit unlocks the steering wheel locking means and permits the engine to be started if the answer signal corresponds to the inquiry signal, and wherein the propelled-object-side control circuit unlocks the steering wheel locking means, turns the power source activation means ON, or performs a cranking operation by the engine control unit depending on how many times and how long the switch is actuated.