Patent ID: 8217774

Claim:
A method for controlling a locking system of a motor vehicle, said locking system having an unlocked state, a locked state and a safe state, wherein a switchover from the locked state into the unlocked state is enabled by operating a first control element, whereas a switchover from the safe state into the unlocked state is prevented when only the first control element is operated, the method comprising the steps of: with an alarm system being deactivated by a user, allowing the locking system to switch only into the locked state, and with the locking system being switched by the user from the unlocked state into the safe state, automatically determining for a predetermined time interval a first signal indicating a presence or absence of a person inside the motor vehicle and switching the locking system into the unlocked state or the locked state, if the first signal indicates the presence of a person inside the motor vehicle, outputting a warning message indicating that the locking system will be transitioning from the locked state into the safe state, unless a second control element is activated within a predetermined time interval, whereas the locking system remains in the locked state if the second control element is activated, and with the locking system being in the safe state, when a second signal indicating that a person inside the motor vehicle wishes to exit the motor vehicle is detected, automatically determining a first signal indicating the presence or absence of a person inside the motor vehicle and if the first signal indicates that a person is present inside the motor vehicle, switching the locking system into the unlocked state or the locked state, or outputting inside the motor vehicle an instruction for action via optical and/or acoustical output means, and switching the locking system into the unlocked state or the locked state after the instruction for action is executed within a predetermined time.