US 12,441,273 B2
Vehicle key system and vehicle locking method
Shouta Suzawa, Tokyo (JP); and Kazuki Tomimatsu, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to SUBARU CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by SUBARU CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on May 24, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/323,198.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-090946 (JP), filed on Jun. 3, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0391287 A1, Dec. 7, 2023
Int. Cl. B60R 25/24 (2013.01); B60R 25/01 (2013.01); G07C 9/00 (2020.01)
CPC B60R 25/24 (2013.01) [B60R 25/01 (2013.01); G07C 9/00309 (2013.01); B60R 2325/101 (2013.01); B60R 2325/205 (2013.01); G07C 2009/00793 (2013.01); G07C 2209/63 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle key system configured to change a lock status of a vehicle through communication performed between a user terminal and the vehicle,
the user terminal comprising a terminal communication unit configured to communicate with the vehicle,
the vehicle comprising:
a vehicle communication unit configured to communicate with the user terminal; and
a vehicle opening-and-closing unit;
a driving unit configured to generate driving force for the vehicle to travel; and
one or more control circuits configured to:
disable communication between the terminal communication unit and the vehicle communication when an operation for putting the vehicle opening-and-closing unit into a locked state is performed, with the user terminal placed inside the vehicle;
enable the communication between the terminal communication unit and the vehicle communication unit when an operation for putting the vehicle opening-and-closing unit into an unlocked state is performed, with the user terminal placed inside the vehicle; and
based on the communication between the terminal communication unit and the vehicle communication unit, control the driving unit to be operable.