Electronic key control device and electronic key control program

Abstract

This allows for verification of the results of operations performed on the electronic key located inside the vehicle. [Solution] The electronic key control device 10 operates the pushers 21a and 21b according to the operation sequence corresponding to the operation instructions received from the external device 50, pressing the unlock button 23a and lock button 23b of the electronic key 23, thereby causing the electronic key 23 to output an unlock / lock signal and to switch the electronic key 23 to power-saving mode. When buttons 23a and 23b are pressed, the LED 23c of the electronic key 23 lights up. This light emission is detected by the light receiving unit 35, and it is determined whether the operation was successful or not based on whether it matches the number of times the light is emitted as defined for each operation sequence. The result is then transmitted to the external device 50, thereby notifying the user of the operation result.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic key control device and an electronic key control program, and for example, in a service where a plurality of users such as a car-sharing service jointly use a vehicle, it relates to an electronic key control device that operates an electronic key permanently installed in the vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Electronic keys that automatically unlock / lock vehicle doors are widely used. On the other hand, car-sharing in which registered members jointly use a vehicle is also becoming popular. In this car-sharing, since all registered users cannot individually own an electronic key, a technique has been proposed to unlock / lock the vehicle door by operating the electronic key left in the vehicle (Patent Documents 1 and 2). In the technique described in Patent Document 1, a technique has been proposed to unlock / lock by placing an electronic key in the vehicle and pressing a button on the electronic key. Further, in Patent Document 2, a technique has been proposed to reduce the risk of theft by shifting the electronic key to a power-saving mode by pressing the lock button and the unlock button of the electronic key arranged in the vehicle.

[0003] However, in the conventional techniques, although it is possible to control the locking and unlocking of the vehicle and the shift of the electronic key to the power-saving mode by operating the electronic key arranged in the vehicle, whether these operations of the electronic key are successful or failed cannot be known not only by the user of the vehicle but also by the operator and the system providing the vehicle sharing service. Therefore, when the locking fails or the shift to the power-saving mode fails, the vehicle remains in an unlocked state or the electronic key remains in the normal mode, and there is a problem that risks such as unauthorized use of the vehicle, theft of in-vehicle items, and theft of the vehicle itself increase.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7012178 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-18209 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] The present invention aims to make it possible to confirm the results of operations performed on an electronic key installed inside a vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention provides an electronic key control device to be installed in a vehicle equipped with a door opening and closing mechanism that unlocks / locks the door in response to an unlocking / locking signal, together with an electronic key that outputs an unlocking / locking signal and emits light when an unlocking / locking button is pressed, the electronic key control device comprising: an instruction receiving means for receiving operation instructions for the electronic key transmitted from an external device; an operation means for operating the unlocking button or locking button of the electronic key in a predetermined operation procedure in response to the received operation instructions; a light emission detection means for detecting whether or not the electronic key emits light as a result of the operation by the operation means; a success / failure determination means for determining whether the operation corresponding to the received operation instructions was successful or unsuccessful based on the presence or absence of light emission; and a result transmission means for transmitting the determination result from the success / failure determination means to the external device that transmitted the operation instructions. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, based on whether or not an electronic key emits light when operated, it is determined whether the operation corresponding to the operation instruction was successful or unsuccessful, and the determination result is transmitted, so that the result of the operation on the electronic key installed in the vehicle can be confirmed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1]This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the entire door control system, including the electronic key control device. [Figure 2] This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the control and monitoring unit of the electronic key control device. [Figure 3] This is an explanatory diagram conceptually representing the control and monitoring parameters stored in the memory unit. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram conceptually representing other control and monitoring parameters stored in the memory unit. [Figure 5] This is an explanatory diagram conceptually representing the unlock / lock operation sequence stored in the memory unit. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram conceptually representing the operation sequence for transitioning to power-saving mode, which is stored in the memory unit. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart illustrating the process of operating an electronic key. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the electronic key control device of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Figures 1 to 7. In the embodiments described below, the vehicle on which the electronic key, which is operated by the electronic key control device 10, is permanently installed is described as a vehicle used by multiple users in a car-sharing service, but the same can be applied to rental cars, company cars, etc. (1) Outline of the Embodiment As shown in Figure 1, in this embodiment, the electronic key control device 10 has an electronic key 23 located inside the key control unit 20. The electronic key control device 10 operates the unlock pusher 21a and the lock pusher 21b according to the operation sequence corresponding to the operation instructions received from the external device 50, pressing the unlock button 23a and the lock button 23b of the electronic key 23, thereby causing the electronic key 23 to output an unlock / lock signal and to switch the electronic key 23 to power-saving mode. Furthermore, the electronic key 23 outputs an unlocking signal and a locking signal each time the unlocking button 23a and the locking button 23b are pressed (except in the case of a predetermined operation), and the LED 23c lights up. The electronic key control device 10 detects the light emission (including illumination; the same applies hereinafter) of the LED 23c with the light receiving unit 35, and determines whether the operation on the electronic key 23 was successful or not based on whether the detected number of light emission times matches the number of light emission times specified for each operation sequence, and transmits the result (success / failure) to an external device 50 (such as a reservation server or the user's mobile terminal). The electronic key control device 10 stores a predetermined number of flashes as a parameter for determining the success or failure of an operation, which is set for each corresponding operation sequence.

[0010] In this way, the success or failure of an operation is determined by the number of times the LED 23c flashes in response to an operation on the electronic key 23, and the result is communicated to the vehicle user or server (hereinafter referred to as "user, etc."), thereby ensuring that the user, etc. is reliably notified of the operation result. This means that even if the operation of the electronic key 23 fails, the user can find out the result and, by issuing instructions again, can reliably perform the desired operation. Furthermore, because the vehicle will not be left unlocked due to a failure in the locking process, the risk of misuse or theft of the vehicle can be reduced.

[0011] Furthermore, the vehicle-side device 60 communicates with the electronic key 23 by emitting weak radio waves to recognize the presence of the electronic key 23. However, when the electronic key 23 switches to power-saving mode, the electronic key 23 stops emitting weak radio waves or emits almost no waves. As a result, the vehicle-side device 60 fails to establish communication with the electronic key 23 and recognizes that the electronic key 23 does not exist. The electronic key control device 10 then notifies the user of the result of the operation to switch the electronic key 23 to power-saving mode, and prompts the user to repeat the operation if it is unsuccessful, thereby more reliably switching to power-saving mode and more reliably preventing unauthorized use or theft through relay attacks, etc. Note that, depending on the type of vehicle or the manufacturer, the state where the weak radio wave output of the electronic key 23 is stopped or hardly output is sometimes called by other names such as a power saving mode. However, in the present embodiment, it will be uniformly described as a power saving mode.

[0012] (2) Details of the Embodiment FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a car-sharing system centered on the electronic key control device 10 to which the present embodiment is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, the car-sharing system includes, in addition to the electronic key control device 10 of the present embodiment, a vehicle 1, an electronic key 23, a vehicle-side device 60, and an external device 50. Among these respective components, as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 1, the electronic key control device 10, the electronic key 23, and the vehicle-side device 60 are arranged inside the vehicle 1 for each vehicle targeted for car-sharing. The electronic key 23 is disposed inside the electronic key control device 10, and the electronic key control device 10 is disposed inside the dashboard, below it, inside the glove box, under the passenger seat, or the like. On the other hand, the vehicle-side device 60 is disposed at a predetermined position as equipment provided in the vehicle 1. The external device 50 may be a reservation server or a mobile terminal owned by the user. The former is used inside and outside the vehicle 1, and the reservation server is disposed outside the vehicle 1.

[0013] The electronic key control device 10 includes a key control unit 20 and a control monitoring unit 30. By operating the electronic key 23 in response to an operation instruction received from the external device 50, the electronic key control device 10 controls unlocking / locking by the vehicle-side device 60 and the transition of the electronic key 23 to the power saving mode. At the same time, by monitoring the light emission of the LED 23c of the electronic key 23, the electronic key control device 10 notifies the external device 50 of the success or failure of the operation (result notification). Communication between the electronic key control device 10 and the external device 50 (receiving an operation instruction, result notification, etc.) is performed via a communication control unit 36 (see FIG. 2) described later. In this embodiment, the electronic key control device 10 has a separate key control unit 20 and a control monitoring unit 30, which are located in different positions within the vehicle 1. However, the control monitoring unit 30 and the key control unit 20 may be housed in the same container, and these control systems may be formed on the same circuit board.

[0014] An electronic key 23 is permanently installed in the key control unit 20. The key control unit 20 includes an actuator 21, a fixing part (not shown) that fixes the button of the electronic key 23 facing the actuator 21, and a housing (not shown) that houses these fixing parts and the actuator 21 inside. The fixing part is designed so that the position in which the electronic key 23 is fixed can be adjusted according to the shape of the electronic key 23 and the placement of the unlock button 23a and the lock button 23b.

[0015] The actuator 21 includes a pressing mechanism (not shown), an unlocking pusher 21a that moves up and down by the pressing mechanism to physically press the unlock button 23a of the electronic key 23, and a locking pusher 21b that presses the lock button 23b. The pressing mechanism is implemented by a motor (not shown), but it may also be implemented by a solenoid or the like. The actuator 21 presses the unlock button 23a and the lock button 23b of the electronic key 23 by moving the unlock pusher 21a and the lock pusher 21b up and down in response to the operation instructions issued from the control monitoring unit 30.

[0016] The electronic key 23 includes an unlock button 23a for unlocking the doors of the vehicle 1, a lock button 23b for locking the doors, an LED 23c, and a signal output unit (not shown). The electronic key 23 is positioned by a fixing part within its housing when the key control unit 20 is installed inside the vehicle 1. The electronic key 23 is installed after being adjusted so that its unlock button 23a and lock button 23b correspond to the unlock pusher 21a and lock pusher 21b of the actuator 21. Each time the unlock button 23a or lock button 23b is pressed, the electronic key 23 outputs an unlock signal or a lock signal from its signal output unit toward the vehicle-side device 60 (except in the case of a predetermined operation for a predetermined model), and the LED 23c lights up (including flashing and staying lit). In addition, the electronic key 23 transmits and receives various signals, such as an authentication key for authentication processing, to and from the vehicle-side device 60 when a user boarding the vehicle 1 starts the engine.

[0017] The control and monitoring unit 30 includes an operation control unit 301, a status monitoring unit 302, a light receiving unit 35, and a storage unit 40. The operation control unit 301 receives operation instructions from the external device 50, such as unlocking / locking and transitioning to power-saving mode, and supplies operation instructions to the actuator 21 to press the unlock button 23a and the lock button 23b according to the content of the operation instructions. The operation instructions from the operation control unit 301 are output to the actuator 21 in the order of operation numbers N defined in the operation sequence 43 described later. When the operation control unit 301 supplies a button operation instruction to the actuator 21, it notifies the status monitoring unit 302 that the instruction has been given and that the operation sequence has started and ended.

[0018] The status monitoring unit 302 monitors whether the light emitted by the LED 23c of the electronic key 23 has been received by the light receiving unit 35. By comparing the presence or absence of light emission and the number of times the light is emitted with parameters corresponding to the vehicle type (operation sequence) of the vehicle 1 stored in the storage unit 40, the unit determines whether the operation of the electronic key 23 by the actuator 21 has been successful or unsuccessful, and notifies the external device 50 of the determination result. The status monitoring unit 302 monitors the illumination of the LED 23c from the start to the end of the operation sequence notified by the operation control unit 301. The determination result from the status monitoring unit 302 is transmitted to either the reservation server, which functions as an external device 50, or the mobile terminal of the user using the vehicle, or both.

[0019] The light-receiving unit 35 is a light-receiving element for the status monitoring unit 302 to detect the light emitted by the LED 23c, and is connected to the status monitoring unit 302 by wire or wireless. The light receiving unit 35 functions as a light emission detection means for detecting whether or not the LED 23c emits light. The electronic keys 23 differ not only in their shape and the position and number of buttons (such as the unlock button 23a), but also in the placement of the LEDs 23c. Therefore, the light-receiving units 35 are placed in multiple locations so that they can detect the light emission of the LEDs 23c for any of the electronic keys 23. After the LEDs 23c to be used and their mounting positions are determined from among the multiple light-receiving units 35, the light-receiving unit 35 to be used to detect the light emission of the electronic key 23 is determined and stored in the corresponding sequence 44 of the storage unit 40 along with the operation sequence for that electronic key 23. Furthermore, the actuator 21, electronic key 23, and light-receiving unit 35 may be housed in a casing that is shielded from external light, thereby enabling more reliable detection of the light emission from the LED 23c. This allows the number of light-receiving units 35 to be one or two or more. Furthermore, by making the inner surface of the light-shielded housing a glossy reflective surface, light emission can be detected more reliably.

[0020] The memory unit 40 is a storage medium where programs and data are stored. It stores programs for unlocking / locking operations performed by the control monitoring unit 30, mode transition operations for the electronic key 23, and parameters for determining the content of operation instructions and operation results. Details of the programs and parameters stored in the memory unit 40 will be described later.

[0021] The vehicle-side device 60 is a device provided by the vehicle 1 that corresponds to the various functions of the electronic key 23, and includes a communication unit 61 with the electronic key 23 and a vehicle door control mechanism 62. The communication unit 61 receives locking and unlocking signals transmitted from the electronic key 23 and supplies them to the vehicle door control mechanism 62. The vehicle door control mechanism 62 is an operating mechanism that locks and unlocks the doors of the vehicle 1 and opens and closes the doors, and is equipped with unlocking / locking actuators such as motors and solenoids.

[0022] The external device 50 is a device located outside the vehicle 1 that is connected to the electronic key control device 10 by various wireless communication means such as the internet or short-range wireless communication. Examples of external devices 50 include a reservation server connected via the Internet and a mobile terminal connected via short-range wireless communication. The mobile terminal is a portable device owned by a user who uses the vehicle 1 that is subject to car sharing, and can be a smartphone, mobile phone, personal computer, tablet computer, wearable computer, etc. When the mobile terminal functions as an external device 50, the mobile terminal transmits authentication information necessary for the authentication process to the control monitoring unit 30, and after being authenticated, transmits an operation instruction for the electronic key 23 to the control monitoring unit 30. On the other hand, when the reservation server functions as an external device 50, it is operated by the car-sharing operator of the electronic key control device 10 and vehicle 1 of this embodiment, and transmits operation instructions such as unlocking / locking and mode changes of the electronic key 23 to the control monitoring unit 30 based on requests from the authenticated mobile terminal. The reservation server and mobile terminal transmit operation information to the control monitoring unit 30 only when the user who will be using vehicle 1 and the mobile terminal have completed user registration, the reservation for the use of vehicle 1 has been completed, and it is within the reserved time (between the start date and time of use and the end date and time of use).

[0023] The external device 50 receives the result (success / failure) corresponding to the transmitted operation instruction from the status monitoring unit 302 of the control monitoring unit 30 as the external device 50. In other words, the reservation server directly receives the results from the status monitoring unit 302 and saves the results. The mobile terminal receives results directly from the status monitoring unit 302, or via the reservation server, and displays the received results on the display device. This allows the user of the mobile terminal to know the results of their operation instructions. The results of the operation are sent to the mobile terminal that sent the operation signal or to the reservation server, but they may also be sent to both the mobile terminal and the reservation server.

[0024] Next, the configuration of the control monitoring unit 30 of the electronic key control device 10 will be described. Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the control and monitoring unit 30, with the external device 50 connected to the control and monitoring unit 30 and the key control unit 20 indicated by dotted lines. As shown in Figure 2, the control and monitoring unit 30 includes a CPU 31, ROM 32, RAM 33, timer 34, light receiving unit 35, communication control unit 36, and storage unit 40. The CPU 31 is a central processing unit that executes electronic key operation processing by executing electronic key operation PG41 stored in the memory unit 40. Specifically, the CPU 31 outputs operation instructions to the key control unit 20 (actuator 21) according to a predetermined sequence (described later) to operate the unlock button 23a and lock button 23b of the electronic key 23, and detects the illumination of the LED 23c as a result of the operation to determine whether the operation was successful or not, and notifies the external device 50 of the result. The CPU 31, by executing the electronic key operation PG41, functions together with the communication control unit 36 ​​as the operation control monitoring unit 301 and the status monitoring unit 302 shown in Figure 1.

[0025] ROM32 is a read-only memory that stores the basic programs and parameters necessary for the CPU31 to operate.

[0026] RAM33 is a read / write memory that functions as working memory when the CPU31 executes various processes, and in the electronic key operation process in this embodiment, the operation sequence 331, operation number N, number of flashes L, number of retries R, etc. are temporarily stored there. In the operation sequence 331, sequences corresponding to the content of the operation instructions received from the external device 50 (such as an unlocking sequence, a locking sequence, and a sequence for transitioning to energy-saving mode) are read from the corresponding sequence 44 and stored. The CPU 31 controls the up and down movement of the unlocking pusher 21a and the locking pusher 21b of the actuator 21 in the order specified in this operation sequence 331.

[0027] Operation number N, flash count L, and retry count R are parameters used in the electronic key operation process and are initialized at the beginning of the electronic key operation process. Operation number N is the operation number in operation sequence 331. That is, operation sequence 331 defines the operations in order of operation number, and the operation number of the next operation of actuator 21 to be operated is stored. The value of operation number N starts at 1 and is incremented with each operation. The number of light emission counts L is stored as the number of times the light emission from LED23c is detected by the light receiving unit 35. It starts at an initial value of 0 and is incremented each time light emission is detected. The retry count R stores the number of times the operation sequence 331 will be attempted again if it fails, until it succeeds. The success or failure of the operation is determined by the number of flashes L at the end of the operation sequence 331. If the number of flashes L matches the number predetermined for that sequence, it is considered a success; otherwise, it is considered a failure.

[0028] Timer 34 is a timer that measures time when instructing actuator 21 to drive (forward rotation, reverse rotation) and stop the motor, and the measurement time is defined in the sequence described later. The light-receiving unit 35 is a device for detecting the light emitted from the LED 23c of the electronic key 23, and various light-receiving devices such as photodiodes and phototransistors are used.

[0029] The communication control unit 36 ​​is a communication device that receives operation instructions regarding unlocking / locking the door and mode changes of the electronic key 23 from the external device 50, and also notifies the user of the operation results based on the operation instructions. In this embodiment, when the communication control unit 36 ​​communicates with the reservation server, which is an external device 50, it is connected via the Internet or via a closed network that is isolated from the Internet and whose security is ensured. On the other hand, when communicating with a user terminal acting as an external device 50, the connection is made via short-range wireless communication.

[0030] The storage unit 40 primarily uses semiconductor storage media such as SSDs (Solid State Drives), memory chips, and IC cards, as well as hard disks. In this embodiment, it stores electronic key operation PG (program) 41, control and monitoring parameters 42, operation sequence 43, and the corresponding sequence 44. In this embodiment, programs and data are stored in the storage unit 40, but it is also possible to store all or part of them in the ROM 32. Furthermore, when saving the aforementioned sequence 44 from the items stored in the memory unit 40 to the ROM 32, a writable PROM (Programmable ROM) such as flash memory is used.

[0031] The electronic key operation program PG41 operates the electronic key 23 by outputting operation instructions to the actuator 21 in the order of the operation numbers of the sequences stored in the corresponding sequence 44, in accordance with the operation instructions from the external device 50. It also determines the success or failure of the operation from the number of times the LED 23c lights up and notifies the external device 50 of the result. The control and monitoring parameter 42, as will be described in detail later, is a parameter that defines the content of the operation (process) specified by the operation number in the operation sequence 43. The operation sequence 43, as will be described in detail later, is a sequence of operation instructions that are sequentially output to the actuator 21 in response to various operations such as unlocking / locking and mode transitions (transition to / cancel power-saving mode), according to the parameters of the control / monitoring parameters 42. The operation sequence 43 defines sequences for unlocking / locking and mode transitions for each of the multiple vehicle types 1 (types of electronic keys 23). The operation sequence 43 functions as a procedure memory means that stores operation procedures corresponding to each operation on the electronic key, and each stored operation sequence functions as a predetermined operation procedure for the operation means to operate the electronic key 23.

[0032] The relevant sequence 44 stores the unlocking / locking and power-saving mode transition / release operation sequences used for the vehicle 1 (electronic key 23) from among the various operation sequences stored in operation sequence 43. The relevant sequence 44 is saved at times such as when the electronic key control device 10 is installed in the vehicle 1, when the electronic key 23 is fixed to the electronic key control device 10, or after the vehicle 1 to which the electronic key control device 10 is set has been determined. The sequence 44 also stores information that identifies the light-receiving unit 35 to be used in the saved operation sequence.

[0033] Next, we will explain the contents of the control and monitoring parameter 42. Figures 3 and 4 conceptually represent the control data stored in the control / monitoring parameters 42. The actual control / monitoring parameters 42 store the parameter numbers (M1…, m11…, T1…) listed in the leftmost column of Figure 3, and the time (t seconds) listed in the parameter column. The information to the right of the " / " in the parameter column, and in the motor operation and motor timer columns, are for explanatory purposes only.

[0034] Figure 3(a) defines the parameters M1, M2, ... for unlocking operations and m11, 12, ... for locking operations with respect to the electronic key 23. The time (seconds) specified in the parameters of Figure 3(a) represents an example of the time (driving time) for rotating the motor for the unlocking pusher 21a (hereinafter referred to as motor a) and the motor for the locking pusher 21b (hereinafter referred to as motor b) in the actuator 21 forward (CW) and reverse (CCW) directions. This drive time corresponds to the amount of pressure (vertical movement) of the unlocking pusher 21a and the locking pusher 21b, and is defined as follows: 0.5 seconds corresponds to a movement (pressure amount, return amount) of 7 mm, 0.7 seconds to a movement of 10 mm, and 0.8 seconds to a movement of 11 mm. The drive time corresponding to this 10mm travel is determined according to the performance of the motor used in the actuator 21.

[0035] Furthermore, the reason why multiple forward rotation (CW) times and multiple reverse rotation (CCW) times are specified for the unlocking motor a and the locking motor b is to accommodate the shapes of various electronic keys 23 and the types of operations required for the electronic keys 23. For example, the unlocking operation, which involves rotating the same motor a in the forward direction, is specified to take 0.35 seconds for M1 and 0.40 seconds for M3. This is because the thickness and shape of the electronic key 23 used differ depending on the vehicle (manufacturer and model) on which the electronic key control device 10 is installed. For example, in vehicle A, which uses a thick electronic key 23, parameters M1, M2 (unlocking operation), m11, m12 (locking operation) with a small amount of pusher movement are used, while in vehicle B, which uses a thin electronic key 23, parameters M3, M4 (unlocking operation), m13, m14 (locking operation) with a large amount of movement are used. Furthermore, even with the same electronic key 23, if its shape results in a distance (lower distance) between the unlock button 23a and the lock button 23b, parameters M3 and M4 are used for unlocking operations, and parameters m11 and m12 are used for locking operations.

[0036] On the other hand, parameters M5, M6, m15, and m16 specify shorter times to accommodate situations where the user is required to press the unlock button 23a or the lock button 23b consecutively within a predetermined short time frame. Note that the operations and times shown in Figure 3(a) are merely examples, and the necessary time for performing the operations required by each electronic key 23 will be specified.

[0037] Figure 3(b) shows an example of parameters defined for various time intervals T(T1, T2, ...) measured by the timer 34. In the example shown in Figure 3(b), the time parameters T1 to T3 specify the time required to ensure an interval when switching between forward rotation (CW) and reverse rotation (CCW) of motors a and b. The interval for switching the motor's drive direction is provided to protect the motor by avoiding abrupt reverse rotation. For example, T1 is used for motor protection time, while T2 and T3 are used to allow time between the most recent operation and the next operation. Additionally, T4 and T5 represent the timeout period for waiting for LED23c to light up.

[0038] Figure 4 is a conceptual diagram illustrating other control and monitoring parameters stored in the memory unit. Figure 4(a) shows the number of light emission parameters J used to determine the success or failure of various operations on the electronic key 23, which specify the number of times the LED 23c should light up in each operation. If the light receiving unit 35 detects the same number of light emission as specified in the number of light emission parameters J (J1, J2, ...), the operation is determined to be a success, and if any other number of light emission is detected, it is determined to be a failure. The control and monitoring parameter 42, which stores the number of light emission parameters J, functions as a lighting count memory means that stores the number of times the electronic key 23 has lit up. Figure 4(b) specifies the number of times the same operation is repeated (retried) if each operation using the operation sequence in Figure 4(a) is judged to have failed.

[0039] The flashing count parameter J5 (=0 times) is the number of flashes when, after the electronic key 23 of vehicle B (described later) is switched to power-saving mode according to operation sequence A4, the unlock button 23a / lock button 23b is pressed again to confirm whether or not it is in power-saving mode (for example, operation sequence A1 / A2). Since it is in power-saving mode, there is no response and the flashing count is 0.

[0040] Next, we will describe each operation procedure performed using the parameters defined in Figures 3 and 4. Figures 5 and 6 conceptually represent the operation sequence (procedure) for the electronic key 23 as defined in the operation sequence 43 of the memory unit 40. The CPU 31 of the electronic key control device 10 reads the operation sequence for the vehicle stored in the relevant sequence 44 that corresponds to the operation instruction received from the external device 50, stores it in the operation sequence 331 of the RAM 33, and outputs operation instructions to the actuator 21 to execute each operation in the order of operation number N. In Figures 5 and 6, the operation sequence 43 of the memory unit 40 stores, for each operation sequence A1, A2, ..., the operation of motors a and b corresponding to the operation number (N=1, 2, ...) (e.g., M1, m11 in Figure 3(a)), the timer time (e.g., T1, T2 in Figure 3(b)), and the specified number of flashes. The rest is for explanatory purposes. The specified number of flashes is the number of flashes required to determine success, as indicated outside the frame.

[0041] The "Operation Details" column shows the operation details for motors a and b, specifically indicating whether to "push" with forward rotation (CW) or "return" with reverse rotation (CCW). Based on the initial position before motors a and b are driven, the operation of pressing the unlock button 23a and lock button 23b of the electronic key 23 in normal operation to return to the original reference position is referred to as "press" and "return," returning to an intermediate position (a position before the reference position) from the pressed-button state is referred to as "short return," pressing the button from an intermediate position resulting from a short return is referred to as "short press," and holding down the button for a predetermined period of time is referred to as "long press."

[0042] The "LED Illumination Confirmation" column indicates whether LED23c is illuminated or not, corresponding to each operation number. The black star indicates that LED23c will light up when the corresponding operation number is performed, and the two black circles and the rightward arrow between them indicate that LED23c is continuously lit during that time. The "Cumulative Number of Light Flashes" column shows the timing (operation number) at which the light receiving unit 35 detects the light emission of LED23c when the operation sequence is executed, and the cumulative value of the detected light flashes. Note that if LED23c lights up continuously, the light flash at the time of each lighting is counted.

[0043] Figure 5 conceptually illustrates the operation sequence (a) for unlocking the door by pressing the unlock button 23a, and the operation sequence (b) for locking the door, for the electronic key 23 of vehicle A. This unlocking / locking operation involves pressing the unlock button 23a and lock button 23b of the electronic key 23 once to unlock or lock the door. The success or failure of the operation is determined by whether or not the LED 23c illuminates once throughout the entire operation.

[0044] Specifically, when an unlocking / locking operation is instructed from the external device 50, as shown in Figure 5(a), the operation sequence A1 for the unlocking operation is read from the corresponding sequence 44 and stored in the operation sequence 331 of the RAM 33. Subsequently, in the case of an unlocking operation, as shown in Figure 5(a), instructions for each operation and time measurement by timer 34 (to ensure sufficient time before the next operation) are performed according to the operation numbers N=1, 2, ... Specifically, following operation M1 (see Figure 3(a)) for operation number N=1, the motor a of the actuator 21 is rotated clockwise (CW) for 0.35 seconds to lower the unlocking pusher 21a for the unlocking button 23a by 10 mm. As a result, the unlock button 23a of the electronic key 23 is pressed by the unlock pusher 21a, and the LED 23c lights up. When the light emitted from LED23c is detected by the light receiving unit 35, the light emission count L in RAM33 is incremented.

[0045] In operations N=2 to N=4, following operation number N=1, the following are performed in order: securing an interval time T1 (=0.1 seconds) to reverse the rotation of motor a (N=2), operation M2 (N=3) to reverse the rotation of motor a for 0.35 seconds to return the unlocking pusher 21a to its original reference position, and securing an interval time T1 to respond if another operation sequence is performed (N=4). In this sequence of N=2 to 4, LED23c does not light up. Therefore, if the value of the number of flashes L in RAM33 matches the flash count (=1) specified in the unlocking operation sequence A1 when the last operation number N=4 is completed, the unlocking operation is judged to have been successful.

[0046] On the other hand, in the case of locking operations, operations N=1 to N=4 are performed in much the same way as unlocking operations, as shown in Figure 5(b). In the case of locking, the motor b for the locking pusher 21b is driven, so the pushing operation with operation number N=1 is m11, and the releasing operation with N=3 is m12.

[0047] Next, we will explain how to switch the electronic key 23 to power-saving mode and how to exit power-saving mode and return to normal mode. There are various operation patterns for switching to and deactivating power-saving mode, depending on the manufacturer and model of the vehicle 1, and an operation sequence 43 corresponding to each operation pattern is defined. For example, in the case of vehicle A, the system switches to power-saving mode by pressing the lock button 23b on the electronic key 23 and then pressing the unlock button 23a twice. The user is notified of the switch to power-saving mode by the LED 23c on the electronic key 23 flashing four times. The cumulative number of times LED23c flashes throughout the entire process of transitioning to this power-saving mode is a total of 6 times: 1 flash when the lock button 23b is pressed, 1 flash when the unlock button 23a is pressed a second time, and 4 flashes indicating the transition to power-saving mode. Note that LED23c does not flash when the unlock button 23a is pressed for the first time. On the other hand, in vehicle A, the power saving mode is deactivated by pressing any of the buttons on the electronic key 23 (unlock button 23a, lock button 23b, etc.). In this deactivation operation, the light flashes once when the button is pressed.

[0048] In the case of vehicle B, pressing the lock button 23b of the electronic key 23 four times within three seconds illuminates the LED 23c (for five seconds), and then holding down the lock button 23b for 1.5 seconds or more while the LED is lit switches the vehicle to power-saving mode. Confirmation that the vehicle has entered power-saving mode can be made by pressing the unlock button 23a or the lock button 23b and checking that the LED 23c does not light up or blink. The total number of times the LED 23c lights up detected throughout the entire operation to enter this power-saving mode is four. On the other hand, to deactivate power-saving mode in vehicle B, the procedure is the same as when switching to power-saving mode. However, because the operation is performed while power-saving mode is active, the number of times LED23c flashes will be different, resulting in two flashes.

[0049] Furthermore, in the case of vehicle C, the operation to switch to power-saving mode and the number of times LED23c flashes are the same as in vehicle A, but the operation to unlock is to press and hold the unlock button 23a and the lock button 23b simultaneously for 3 seconds, and LED23c will light up once.

[0050] In other vehicles, the power-saving mode is activated by the same operation as in vehicle A, but when the lock button 23b is pressed for the first time, the LED 23c may flash continuously, and when the unlock button 23a is pressed, it may flash four times. In this case, success is determined by detecting continuous illumination and four flashes of light. However, it is also possible to determine success by detecting only the four flashes of light that indicate a transition to power-saving mode. Thus, the procedure for switching to power-saving mode, the number of flashes and flashing methods, and the procedure for deactivating power-saving mode, the number of flashes and flashing methods vary depending on the vehicle manufacturer and model. Therefore, the operation sequence 43 of the memory unit 40 in this embodiment stores various operation sequences for performing operations corresponding to various electronic keys 23. However, if an electronic key 23 with a new operation method is adopted, an operation sequence corresponding to the new operation method is added and stored.

[0051] Below, as an example of an operation sequence for switching to power-saving mode, operation sequence A3 for vehicle A and operation sequence A4 for vehicle B will be explained with reference to Figure 6. Figure 6(a) shows the operation sequence A3 for switching the electronic key 23 of vehicle A, as described above, into power-saving mode. In this operation sequence A3, the first operation number N=1 involves operation m11, which drives the locking motor b for 0.35 seconds and presses the lock button 23b. As a result, LED 23c lights up as indicated by the black star in the "LED Illumination Confirmation" column, and this illumination is detected by the light receiving unit 35, resulting in a cumulative illumination count L of 1. The lock button 23b, pressed in operation m11 of N=1, is held down until the corresponding operation m12 of N=11 causes the locking motor b to start rotating in reverse (CCW).

[0052] While the lock button 23b is pressed, the electronic key 23 switches to power-saving mode by performing operation M1, which involves pressing the unlock button 23a, twice, at operation numbers N=3 and N=7. Furthermore, while the lock button 23b is pressed, LED 23c does not light up during the first operation M1 (operation number N=3) with operation number N=3, but LED 23c lights up during the second operation M1 with operation number N=7. By detecting this light emission at operation number N=7 with the light receiving unit 35, the cumulative number of light emission counts L is incremented to 2. Subsequently, during operation M2 with operation number N=9, while the unlock button 23a is returned (or before and after), the LED 23c flashes four times. This flashing is detected by the light receiving unit 35, and the cumulative flashing count L is incremented to L=6, which is specified for successful operation. The "*4" in the "LED light emission confirmation" column for operation number N=9 indicates that the light emission indicated by the black star before it occurred four times.

[0053] The interval time T1 = 0.1 seconds required for operation numbers N=2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 is, like the locking / unlocking operation sequences A1 / A2 in Figure 5, a time to protect the motor by avoiding sudden reverse rotation.

[0054] On the other hand, since the power saving mode in vehicle A is deactivated by pressing any button on the electronic key 23 as described above, in this embodiment, an operation sequence A1 (see Figure 5(a)) is defined in which the unlock button 23a is pressed. However, it is also possible to use operation sequence A2, which involves pressing the lock button 23b. Alternatively, sequences with the same content as operation sequences A1 and A2 may be saved separately as separate operation sequences for canceling (for example, A98 and A99).

[0055] Next, the operation sequence A4 for vehicle B will be explained with reference to Figure 6(b). In this operation sequence A4, the first operation number N=1 corresponds to the thin electronic key 23, and operation m13 drives the locking motor b for 0.4 seconds to press the lock button 23b. This causes the LED 23c to light up, and the cumulative number of times it lights up L=1. To switch vehicle B into power-saving mode, it is necessary to press the lock button 23b four times within 3 seconds. Therefore, the operation m16 of partially returning the lock pusher 21b causes motor b to rotate in reverse (CCW) for 0.25 seconds. Subsequently, until the locking motor b is pressed three more times (a total of four times), the system performs a 0.25-second "short press" operation m15 (operation numbers N=5, 9, 13) and a "short return" operation m16 (operation numbers N=3, 7, 11). This ensures that the fourth press occurs 2.1 seconds after the initial press of the locking button 23b at operation number N=1, from operation number N=2 to N=13 (0.1 seconds x 6 times + 0.25 seconds x 6 times), thus fulfilling the condition of pressing the locking button 23b four times within three seconds.

[0056] During operations N=1 to N=13, each time the lock button 23b is pressed, the LED 23c lights up, and the light receiving unit 35 counts up until the cumulative number of lights illuminated is L=4. The LED 23c lights up (indicated by a black circle) due to operation m15 (operation number N=13) for a maximum of 5 seconds, so the lock button 23b must be pressed for 1.5 seconds or more during this time. Therefore, after performing the "short press" operation m15 (operation number N=17), setting the interval time for the next operation number N=18 to T3 ensures that the lock button 23b remains pressed for 1.5 seconds, causing the electronic key 23 to enter power-saving mode. Note that the "short press" operation m15, with operation number N=17, will not cause LED23c to light up again; instead, the LED23c that was continuously lit up until then will turn off.

[0057] In the next operation number N=19, the locking pusher 21b returns to its original reference position due to the "return" operation m14, rather than the "short return" operation. Furthermore, by pressing the lock button 23b again following operations m13 for N=21 and m14 for N=23, it can be confirmed that the operation was successful and that the device has correctly entered power-saving mode if LED 23c does not light up. If LED23c lights up during operation number N=21, the cumulative number of illuminations L=5 will be different from the default value L=4, and the operation will be judged as a failure, and will be subject to retry as described later. Note that operation numbers N=21 to 24 are used to check whether or not the device has entered power-saving mode; therefore, these can be omitted, and the contents of operation sequence A4 can be changed to operation numbers N=1 to 20. In this case, the result of the operation will also be determined by whether or not the cumulative number of flashes L=4.

[0058] On the other hand, the procedure for deactivating power-saving mode in vehicle B is the same as the procedure for switching to power-saving mode, as described above. However, since the operation takes place in power-saving mode, the total number of flashes will be two. That is, even if the lock button 23b is pressed with operation numbers N=1, 5, and 9, it will not flash because it has not yet been unlocked. It will flash once with operation number N=13, which is the fourth time it is pressed, and then once again with operation number N=21 to confirm that it has been unlocked. In the case of deactivation, as with the transition to power-saving mode, operation numbers N=21 to 24 can be omitted, but in this case the number of flashes will be 1, corresponding to operation number N=13.

[0059] Next, we will explain the electronic key operation process that executes each operation sequence using the electronic key operation PG41. Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the process of operating an electronic key. As shown in Figure 7, the CPU 31 monitors whether an operation instruction for the electronic key 23 has been transmitted from the external device 50 (i.e., whether it has been received by the communication control unit 36) (step 11). CPU31 continues monitoring if it has not received any operation instructions (step 11; N).

[0060] On the other hand, when the CPU 31 receives an operation instruction from the external device 50 (step 11; Y), it reads the operation sequence corresponding to the received operation instruction from the corresponding sequence 44 and saves it to the operation sequence 331 in RAM 33, and also initializes the parameters of RAM 33 to operation number N=1, number of flashes L=0, and number of retries R=0 (step 12). Furthermore, upon receiving an operation instruction, the CPU 31 begins monitoring the light emission of the LED 23c by the light receiving unit 35.

[0061] Next, CPU31 performs the operation specified by operation number N (step 13). In other words, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the CPU 31 outputs forward rotation (CW) or reverse rotation (CCW) for motor a and motor b to the actuator 21 if the operation parameters (M, m) are specified for the operation number N, and waits for the time specified by the timer 34 if the time parameter T is specified.

[0062] As described above, the CPU 31 continues to monitor whether or not the LED 23c has emitted light using the light receiving unit 35. Then, if LED23c is illuminated by the operation in step 13, CPU31 detects this illumination (step 14; Y), and adds x to the value L of the number of illuminations in RAM33 to make L = L + x (step 15). Here, x is the number of times the LED 23c flashes as detected by the light receiving unit 35, and as explained in Figures 5 and 6, this includes one flash during unlocking / locking operations, and four flashes during the transition to power-saving mode for vehicle A.

[0063] If the LED 23c does not emit light in step 14 (step 14; N), and after counting up the number of times the LED emits light L (step 15), the CPU 31 counts up the current operation number N stored in RAM 33 to N = N + 1 (step 16), and determines whether the operation number N after counting up exceeds a specified value (step 17). Here, the default value for operation number N matches the last operation number specified in the currently executing operation sequence. If operation number N is less than or equal to a specified value (step 17; N), CPU 31 returns to step 13 and continues with operation number N.

[0064] On the other hand, if the operation number N exceeds a specified value (step 17; Y), the CPU 31 determines whether the number of times LED 23c flashes L stored in RAM 33 is the specified number of times (step 18). If the number of flashes L is the specified number of flashes (step 18; Y), the CPU 31 determines that the operation was successful, notifies the external device 50 of the success determination (step 19), and terminates the process.

[0065] On the other hand, if the number of flashes L is not the specified number of flashes (step 18; N), the CPU 31 determines that the operation has failed and checks whether the number of retries R in RAM 33 is r (step 20). Here, r is the number of retries determined for each operation sequence (see Figure 4(b)). If the number of retries R is not equal to r (step 20; N), CPU 31 adds 1 to the number of retries R (step 21). Then, the CPU 31 initializes the operation number N and the number of flashes L, which are parameters other than the number of retries R (N=1, L=0) (step 22), returns to step 13, and executes the operation sequence 331 of RAM 33 again.

[0066] On the other hand, if the number of retries R = r (step 20; Y), the CPU 31 determines that the operation of the electronic key 23 by the operation sequence 331 has failed, notifies the external device 50 of the failure (step 19), and terminates the process.

[0067] As described above, the electronic key control device 10 of this embodiment determines the success or failure of various operations, such as unlocking / locking the doors using the electronic key 23 located inside the vehicle 1, and switching / deactivating the electronic key 23 to power-saving mode, based on the number of flashes. The determination result is then communicated to the external device 50 that instructed the operation, allowing the user to know if the locking failed or not. This means that even if the operation of the electronic key 23 fails, the user can find out the result and, by issuing instructions again, can reliably perform the desired operation.

[0068] Furthermore, because the vehicle will not be left unlocked due to a failure in the locking process, the risk of misuse or theft of the vehicle can be reduced. Furthermore, the vehicle-side device 60 communicates with the electronic key 23 by emitting weak radio waves to recognize the presence of the electronic key 23. However, when the electronic key 23 switches to power-saving mode, the electronic key 23 stops emitting weak radio waves or emits almost no waves. As a result, the vehicle-side device 60 fails to establish communication with the electronic key 23 and recognizes that the electronic key 23 does not exist. The electronic key control device 10 then notifies the user of the result of the operation to switch the electronic key 23 to power-saving mode, and prompts the user to repeat the operation if it is unsuccessful, thereby more reliably switching to power-saving mode and more reliably preventing unauthorized use or theft through relay attacks, etc.

[0069] Furthermore, the electronic key control device 10, as described above, performs an operation sequence corresponding to the operation instruction for the electronic key 23 received from the external device 50. Even if it determines that the operation has failed, it repeats the operation sequence for a predetermined number of retries R, thereby ensuring that the instructed operation is successfully performed with greater certainty.

[0070] Although embodiments and modifications of the electronic key control device 10 of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to what has been described, and various modifications can be made both within and outside the scope of the claims. For example, in the embodiment described, the operation sequences shown in Figures 5 and 6 are shown as examples of operations specified for the electronic key 23, and it is also possible to use other operation sequences to achieve the specified operations. Furthermore, the values ​​of the various parameters shown in Figures 3 and 4 are examples that correspond to the function and performance of the actuator 21, and the various parameter values ​​adopted are those that satisfy the operating conditions required for the electronic key 23 located in the electronic key control device 10.

[0071] Furthermore, the key control unit 20 adjusts the placement of various electronic keys 23 according to their shape, so that the unlock button 23a is in the position of the unlock pusher 21a and the lock button 23b is in the position of the lock pusher 21b. The housing of the key control unit 20 is provided with a mechanism for adjusting and fixing the placement of the electronic keys 23. Alternatively, multiple housings for the key control unit 20 may be formed for each electronic key 23 to be used, and the corresponding housing may be used once the electronic key 23 to be used has been determined. In this case, since the electronic key control device 10 is dedicated to the corresponding electronic key 23, it is possible to omit the operation sequence 43 of the storage unit 40. The operation sequence to be used will be read from an external storage device after the electronic key 23 has been determined and stored in the corresponding sequence 44. However, the housing structure (adjustment and fixing mechanism) of the key control unit 20 may be dedicated to the electronic key 23, while the control monitoring unit 30, including the memory unit 40, may be a general-purpose device as in the embodiment.

[0072] In the embodiment described, the case where the operation on the electronic key 23 fails is described in which the same operation sequence is repeated a predetermined number of times. In contrast, during a retry, the operation sequence may be changed to a different operation sequence that satisfies the operating conditions required for the electronic key 23, rather than the operation sequence that was performed (failed) immediately before. In this case, the prescribed number of flashes (cumulative flashes) required to determine the success or failure of the operation sequence for the retry may be the same as or different from the operation sequence before the retry. Each retry-specific operation sequence is stored in operation sequence 43, and as described in the embodiment, it is stored in the corresponding sequence 44 as an operation sequence corresponding to the point in time when the electronic key 23 to be placed is determined. Then, when an operation instruction is received from the external device 50, the initial operation sequence and the retry operation sequence are read from the corresponding sequence 44 and saved in RAM 33. However, the retry operation sequence may be read from the corresponding sequence 44 and saved in RAM 33 only when a retry occurs.

[0073] For example, the operation to switch the electronic key 23 of car A, as explained in Figure 6(a), to power-saving mode requires pressing the lock button 23b while simultaneously pressing the unlock button 23a twice. However, if the unlock button 23a is pressed slowly for a long time, the total number of flashes will be 7. Conversely, if you press the lock button 23b and then immediately press the unlock button 23a twice, the cumulative number of flashes will be 5. Even for the same operation, if the number of flashes differs depending on the timing and speed of the operation, preparing a separate operation sequence for retries that achieves the desired timing and speed is particularly effective in ensuring the instructed operation is successfully completed.

[0074] It is also possible to prepare retry sequences for only some, or even all, operation sequences, rather than all of them. In this case, information indicating whether or not a retry operation sequence exists is stored separately, and based on this information, it is determined whether to retry with the same operation sequence or with a different operation sequence.

[0075] Furthermore, while the embodiments and modifications described above focused on unlocking / locking operations and power-saving mode transition / cancellation operations, other operations, such as engine starting operations, can also be handled in a similar manner by saving an operation sequence for those operations. If the electronic key 23 is provided with dedicated buttons for other operations, a dedicated button pusher and its drive motor for pressing those buttons are further provided on the actuator 21.

[0076] Based on the embodiments and modifications described above, the electronic key control device 10 can be configured as follows. (Configuration 1) An electronic key control device installed in a vehicle equipped with a door opening / closing mechanism that unlocks / locks the doors in response to unlock / lock signals, together with an electronic key that outputs an unlock / lock signal and emits light when an unlock / lock button is pressed, Instruction receiving means for receiving operation instructions for the electronic key transmitted from an external device, An operating means for operating the unlock button or lock button of the electronic key in a predetermined procedure in response to the received operation instruction, A light emission detection means for detecting whether or not the electronic key emits light due to the operation of the operating means, A success / failure determination means that determines whether the operation corresponding to the received operation instruction was successful or unsuccessful based on the presence or absence of the aforementioned light emission, A result transmission means for transmitting the determination result of the success / failure determination means to the external device that sent the operation instruction, An electronic key control device characterized by being equipped with the following. (Configuration 2) The instruction receiving means receives from the external device any of the following: an instruction to unlock the door, an instruction to lock the door, an instruction to switch the electronic key to power saving mode, or an instruction to deactivate power saving mode. The electronic key control device according to configuration 1, characterized in that it is a key control device. (Configuration 3) The configuration includes a procedure storage means for storing the operation procedure for each operation instruction for the electronic key, The operating means operates the electronic key according to the operation procedure stored in the procedure storage means, which corresponds to the operation instruction received by the instruction receiving means. An electronic key control device according to configuration 1 or configuration 2, characterized in that it is a control device according to configuration 1 or configuration 2. (Configuration 4) The configuration includes a lighting count storage means that stores the number of times the electronic key has been lit up for each operation instruction of the electronic key, The success / failure determination means determines the success or failure of the operation based on the number of lights detected in response to the received operation instruction and the number of lights stored in response to the said operation instruction. An electronic key control device according to configuration 1, configuration 2, or configuration 3, characterized by the above. (Configuration 5) If the result of the success / failure determination means is that the operation has failed, the operation corresponding to the received operation instruction is repeated a predetermined number of times. The result transmission means transmits a success judgment result if the success / failure judgment means determines success, and transmits a failure judgment result if the predetermined number of operations is determined to be a failure. An electronic key control device according to any one of the configurations 1 to 4, characterized by the above. (Configuration 6) If the success / failure determination means determines that the operation has failed, the operation corresponding to the received operation instruction is repeated using a different operation procedure. An electronic key control device according to any one of the configurations 1 to 5, characterized in that... (Configuration 7) An electronic key control program installed in a vehicle equipped with a door opening / closing mechanism that unlocks / locks the doors in response to unlock / lock signals, together with an electronic key that outputs an unlock / lock signal and illuminates when an unlock / lock button is pressed, An instruction receiving function that receives operation instructions for the electronic key transmitted from an external device, An operation function that operates the unlock or lock button of the electronic key in a predetermined procedure in response to the received operation instruction, A light emission detection function that detects whether or not the electronic key emits light due to the operation of the aforementioned operation function, A success / failure determination function that determines whether the operation corresponding to the received operation instruction was successful or unsuccessful based on the presence or absence of the aforementioned light emission, A result transmission function that transmits the judgment result obtained by the success / failure judgment function to the external device that sent the operation instruction, An electronic key control program characterized by enabling a computer to implement this. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0077] 1 vehicle 10. Electronic key control unit 20 Key Control Unit 21 Actuators 21a Unlocking pusher 21b Locking pusher 23 Electronic Key 23a Unlock button 23b Locking button 23c LED 30 Control and Monitoring Unit 301 Operation Control Unit 302 Status Monitoring Unit 31 CPU 32 ROM 33 RAM 331 Operation Sequence N Operation Number L Number of flashes R Retry count 34 timers 35 Light receiving part 36 Communication Control Unit 40 Storage section 41. Electronic Key Operation Program (PG) 42 Control and Monitoring Parameters 43 Operation Sequence 44 Relevant Sequence 50. External devices (mobile terminals, reservation servers) 60 Vehicle-side equipment 61 Communications Department 62 Vehicle door control mechanism

Claims

1. An electronic key control device is installed in a vehicle equipped with a door opening / closing mechanism that unlocks / locks the doors in response to unlock / lock signals, together with an electronic key that outputs an unlock / lock signal and illuminates when an unlock / lock button is pressed, Instruction receiving means for receiving operation instructions for the electronic key transmitted from an external device, An operating means for operating the unlock button or lock button of the electronic key in a predetermined procedure in response to the received operation instruction, A light emission detection means for detecting whether or not the electronic key emits light due to the operation of the operating means, A success / failure determination means that determines whether the operation corresponding to the received operation instruction was successful or unsuccessful based on the presence or absence of the aforementioned light emission, A result transmission means for transmitting the determination result of the success / failure determination means to the external device that sent the operation instruction, An electronic key control device characterized by being equipped with the following.

2. The instruction receiving means receives from the external device any of the following: an instruction to unlock the door, an instruction to lock the door, an instruction to switch the electronic key to power-saving mode, or an instruction to deactivate power-saving mode. The electronic key control device according to feature 1.

3. The system includes a procedure storage means for storing the operation procedures for each operation instruction for the electronic key, The operating means operates the electronic key according to the operation procedure stored in the procedure storage means, which corresponds to the operation instruction received by the instruction receiving means. The electronic key control device according to feature 1.

4. The system includes a lighting count storage means that stores the number of times the electronic key has been lit up for each operation instruction of the electronic key, The success / failure determination means determines the success or failure of the operation based on the number of lights detected in response to the received operation instruction and the number of lights stored in response to the said operation instruction. The electronic key control device according to feature 1.

5. If the success / failure determination means determines that the operation has failed, the operation corresponding to the received operation instruction is repeated a predetermined number of times. The result transmission means transmits a success judgment result if the success / failure judgment means determines success, and transmits a failure judgment result if the predetermined number of operations is determined to be a failure. The electronic key control device according to feature 1.

6. If the success / failure determination means determines that the operation has failed, the operation corresponding to the received operation instruction is repeated using a different operation procedure. The electronic key control device according to feature 1.

7. An electronic key control program is installed in a vehicle equipped with a door opening / closing mechanism that unlocks / locks the doors in response to unlock / lock signals, together with an electronic key that outputs an unlock / lock signal and illuminates when an unlock / lock button is pressed. An instruction receiving function that receives operation instructions for the electronic key transmitted from an external device, An operation function that operates the unlock or lock button of the electronic key in a predetermined procedure in response to the received operation instruction, A light emission detection function that detects whether or not the electronic key emits light due to the operation of the aforementioned operation function, A success / failure determination function that determines whether the operation corresponding to the received operation instruction was successful or unsuccessful based on the presence or absence of the aforementioned light emission, A result transmission function that transmits the judgment result obtained by the success / failure judgment function to the external device that sent the operation instruction, An electronic key control program characterized by enabling a computer to implement this.

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