Telecommunications

Patent Issued for Key System

  2012 AUG 22 (VerticalNews) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Telecommunications Weekly -- From Alexandria, Virginia, VerticalNews journalists report that a patent by the inventor Katagiri, Toshiharu (Aichi, JP), filed on July 24, 2007, was cleared and issued on August 7, 2012.

  The patent's assignee for patent number 8237542 is Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Denki Seisakusho (Aichi, JP).

  News editors obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: "The present invention relates to a key system for activating a lock device by, for example, performing a mechanical operation with a mechanical key or a wireless communication operation with an electronic key.

  "Conventional keys for a vehicle include a master mechanical key and a sub-mechanical key (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 6-167148). The master mechanical key is mainly used by the vehicle owner. The sub-mechanical key is used when the master mechanical key is not on hand. The conventional master mechanical key may be used to lock and unlock any lock in the vehicle, whereas the use of the sub-mechanical key is conditional. Thus, the sub-mechanical key cannot lock and unlock every lock in the vehicle. For example, the sub-mechanical key cannot lock and unlock a glove compartment in the vehicle. Such conditional use of the sub-mechanical key effectively prevents, for example, a third party from removing valuables from the glove compartment without the vehicle owner's permission.

  "For example, when using a valet parking service, the vehicle owner carries the master mechanical key and gives the sub-mechanical key to the parking attendant so that the parking attendant can operate the vehicle with the sub-mechanical key. The use of the sub-mechanical key is conditional. That is, the sub-mechanical key cannot lock and unlock the glove compartment. Thus, the parking attendant cannot open the glove compartment or the trunk of the vehicle. In this manner, a sub-mechanical key with such a condition-imposing function effectively improves security and prevents valuables in the glove compartment or the trunk from being stolen.

  "In recent years, an electronic key system, which does not require the vehicle owner to perform a key operation, may be installed in a vehicle (refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-025937). The electronic key system performs wireless communication so that when the vehicle transmits a request signal, an electronic key carried by the vehicle owner transmits its ID code in response. The vehicle receives the ID code of the electronic key through wireless communication and determines whether the ID code of the electronic key matches the ID code of the vehicle. When the two ID codes match, the vehicle locks or unlocks its door lock and enables the engine to be started.

  "If the glove compartment of the vehicle does not have a wirelessly communicable lock unit, the electronic key (portable remote controller) of the vehicle cannot be used to lock and unlock the glove compartment. To lock and unlock the glove compartment, a mechanical key that functions as a master key must be prepared.

  "When using a valet parking service, the vehicle owner must always carry both the master key and the sub-key so that the parking attendant can use the sub-key. This is inconvenient since the vehicle owner must always carry two keys.

  "When a sub-key is not provided for an electronic key, the vehicle owner must register a new ID code with the vehicle to prepare a sub-key before using the valet parking service. Accordingly, the vehicle owner must carry a plurality of vehicle keys."

  As a supplement to the background information on this patent, VerticalNews correspondents also obtained the inventor's summary information for this patent: "The present invention provides a key system that eliminates the need for carrying a plurality of keys including a key that imposes conditional use when entrusting a third party with the key to drive the vehicle.

  "One aspect of the present invention is a key system for an operation subject having a plurality of functions. The key system includes a first authentication part that performs first authentication for determining whether or not a unique key code of a key is registered in the operation subject and permits the operation subject to operate in a state in which a first group of functions is operative when the first authentication generates an affirmative result. A wireless signal receiver receives a medium code unique to a portable communicable data medium through wireless communication. A second authentication part performs second authentication for determining whether or not the medium code received by the wireless signal receiver is registered in the operation subject. A condition-imposing part for limiting operative functions of the operation subject to a second group of functions that is more limited than the first group of functions when at least either one of the first authentication and the second authentication generates a negative result.

  "According to one aspect of the present invention, if the vehicle owner has both the key and the communicable data medium on hand when operating the operation subject, first authentication performed with the key and second authentication performed with the communicable data medium are both successful. In this case, the vehicle owner can operate the operation subject in a normal manner. If the vehicle owner does not have either one of the key and the communicable data medium on hand, the first authentication or the second authentication is unsuccessful. In this case, conditional operation of the operation subject is permitted.

  "The vehicle owner, who is supposed to be carrying both the key and the communicable data medium, may operate the operation subject in a normal manner. When having a third party operate the operation subject, the vehicle owner lends either the key or the communicable data medium to the third party. Conditions are imposed on either one of the key and the communicable data medium for operating the operation subject. This prevents the third party from using the operation subject in an unconditional manner and improves the security of the operation subject.

  "The condition-imposing part permits the operation subject to operate in a conditional manner or an unconditional manner when at least the first authentication generates an affirmative result.

  "One embodiment of the present invention uses the key, which is usually carried by the vehicle owner, and the communicable data medium, which is installed in the operation subject in advance, to permit a person borrowing the key to use the operation subject in a conditional manner. This eliminates the need for the vehicle owner having to always carry two keys, that is, the master key and the sub-key, and improves convenience from the aspect of key portability. Further, the vehicle owner does not need to incorporate the sub-key into the master key. Thus, the master key does not have to be enlarged.

  "Operation of the operation subject is not permitted when the first authentication performed with the key is unsuccessful and only the second authentication performed with the communicable data medium is successful. The key that is always carried by the vehicle owner may easily be stolen. Thus, the present invention is effective for preventing unauthorized use of the operation subject.

  "The key system of one embodiment of the present invention further includes a holding mechanism, arranged in the operation subject, for removably holding the communicable data medium. This reduces the possibility of the communicable data medium becoming lost and further reduces the possibility of a communication failure occurring between the operation subject and the communicable data medium.

  "The key system of one embodiment of the present invention further includes a detector for detecting that the communicable data medium is being held by the holding mechanism. A communication control part starts wireless reception of the medium code in response to a detection signal from the detector indicating that the communicable data medium is held by the holding mechanism. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the communicable data medium returns the medium code in response to a transmission signal from the operation subject. Thus, the communicable data medium does not need to include, for example, a switch operated when the signal is transmitted. This enables the size of the communicable data medium to be reduced and decreases the number of components of the communicable data medium.

  "In the key system of one embodiment of the present invention, the communication control part transmits, from a wireless signal transmitter, a drive radio wave for driving the communicable data medium in response to a detection signal indicating that the communicable data medium is held by the holding mechanism. The communicable data medium is activated in response to the drive radio wave, uses the drive radio wave as a power supply, and transmits the medium code to the operation subject. Thus, the communicable data medium does not need a power supply. This enables further reduction of the size of the communicable data medium and decreases the number of components of the communicable data medium.

  "In the key system of one embodiment of the present invention, the key is a mechanical key having a key plate. The key code is a key groove formed on the key plate. The operation subject includes a key cylinder rotated when receiving the key plate. The first authentication part performs, as the first authentication, mechanical operation authentication for determining whether or not the key groove of the mechanical key inserted in the key cylinder corresponds to the key cylinder. According to one embodiment of the present invention, even when a third party tries to operate the operation subject with the master key, conditions are imposed to the use of the operation subject. The vehicle owner is simply required to remove the communicable data medium from the operation subject and carry the communicable data medium and may lend the master key to the third party. With the mechanical key of the prior art, when lending a key to a third party, a sub-key that imposes conditions on the use of the vehicle would be lent to the third party. Thus, the vehicle owner would be required to carry two keys, that is, the master key and the sub-key. However, the present invention eliminates the need for carrying the sub-key. Thus, the vehicle owner does not have to always carry the two keys, that is, the master key and the sub-key.

  "In the key system of one embodiment of the present invention, the key includes a contactless communication tag that is activated in response to a drive radio wave from the operation subject and wirelessly transmits, as the key code, a second key code differing from the key groove. The first authentication part performs, as the first authentication, the mechanical operation authentication and determination of whether or not the second key code is registered in the operation subject. According to one embodiment of the present invention, two conditions are used to determine that the first authentication is successful, namely the key groove of the mechanical key and the second key code transmitted from the mechanical key. As compared with when, for example, only the key groove is used as the condition for determining whether the authentication is successful, the accuracy for determining whether the key is authorized increases. This improves security and prevents unauthorized use of the vehicle.

  "In the key system of one embodiment of the present invention, the key is an electronic key including a memory in which the key code is registered and transmits the key code to the operation subject through wireless communication. The first authentication is wireless communication authentication for determining whether the key code received through wireless communication is registered in the operation subject. According to one embodiment of the present invention, operation of the operation subject is enabled through wireless communication performed with the electronic key. This eliminates the need for a mechanical operation in which a key is inserted and turned in a key cylinder to operate such an operation subject. Thus, the operation subject may be operated through a simple operation.

  "In the key system of one embodiment of the present invention, the electronic key is capable of accommodating a mechanical emergency key including a key plate with a key groove. The operation subject includes a key cylinder rotated when receiving the key plate of the mechanical emergency key. The mechanical emergency key enables a function of the operation subject that is inoperative through wireless communication with the electronic key to be operative. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the mechanical key accommodated in the electronic key may be used to enable operations of the operation subject that cannot be enabled with the electronic key.

  "In the key system of one embodiment of the present invention, the communicable data medium has an accommodation structure for accommodating the key plate and holding the mechanical emergency key. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the mechanical key removed from the electronic key can be accommodated in the communicable data medium. This reduces the possibility of the removed mechanical key becoming lost.

  "In the key system of one embodiment of the present invention, the operation subject includes a lockable accommodation case having an accommodation compartment for accommodating the holding mechanism. The accommodation case is unlocked when the result of the first authentication is affirmative. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the communicable data medium is arranged in a locked accommodation case. The accommodation case cannot be unlocked without a key. This reduces the possibility of the communicable data medium being stolen by a third party.

  "Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention."

  For additional information on this patent, see: Katagiri, Toshiharu. Key System. U.S. Patent Number 8237542, filed July 24, 2007, and issued August 7, 2012. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=58&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=2862&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=20120807.PD.&OS=ISD/20120807&RS=ISD/20120807

  Keywords for this news article include: Electronics, Wireless Technology, Wireless Communication, Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Denki Seisakusho.

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