Patent ID: 8400285

Claim:
A key locator for an electronic key system, the key locator comprising: a plurality of antennas arranged in a key communication subject and including a first antenna and a second antenna, in which the first and second antennas each form a communication area, with the communication area of the first antenna partially overlapping the communication area of the second antenna and thereby forming an overlapping communication area, the communication areas of the first and second antennas each including a non-overlapping communication area; a first query unit that sends a first query from the first antenna to each of a plurality of electronic keys registered with the key communication subject; a second query unit that sends a second query from the second antenna to only an electronic key that responds to the first query; and a key locating unit that determines the location of the electronic key in accordance with whether or not a response to the first query and the second query is received from the electronic key.