Granted Patent B2

US 7,990,254 · App. 11/778,794 · Granted Aug 2, 2011

Abstract

Claims (47)

1. A method for controlling an operational state of a vehicle having a keyless rotary ignition switch and a locking mechanism coupled to the keyless rotary ignition switch, the method comprising:

disengaging the locking mechanism to allow the keyless rotary ignition switch to be rotated from a first position to a second position by a user when an electronic authorization is detected, wherein the detection of the electronic authorization comprises determining if an authorized electronic device is within an authorization zone of the vehicle;

engaging the locking mechanism to prevent the keyless rotary ignition switch from being rotated from the first position to the second position by the user when no electronic authorization is detected;

re-determining if an authorized electronic device is within the authorization zone of the vehicle if the keyless rotary ignition switch is rotated to the first position;

re-engaging the locking mechanism to prevent the keyless rotary ignition switch from being rotated from the first position to the second position if an authorized electronic device is determined to be within the authorization zone of the vehicle; and

maintaining disengagement of the locking mechanism for a period of time to allow the keyless rotary ignition switch to be rotated from the first position to the second position if no authorized electronic device is determined to be within the authorization zone of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising disengaging the locking mechanism to allow the keyless rotary ignition switch to be rotated to a third position without re-determining if an authorized electronic device is within the authorization zone of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising engaging the locking mechanism to prevent the keyless rotary ignition switch from being rotated to the second and third positions if the keyless rotary ignition switch is returned to the first position.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

setting the operational state of the vehicle to OFF when the keyless rotary ignition switch is in the first position; and

setting the operational state of the vehicle to ON when the keyless rotary ignition switch is in the second or third positions.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism remains disengaged for a predetermined amount of time after the disengaging of the locking mechanism.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining if an authorized electronic device is within the authorization zone for the vehicle comprises receiving a request for authorization sent by a user of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein a sending of the request for authorization by the user of the vehicle comprises at least one of applying a force in a direction parallel to an axis of rotation of the keyless rotary ignition switch and pressing a brake pedal of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising alerting the user of the vehicle if no authorized electronic device is determined to be within the authorization zone of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising re-engaging the locking mechanism to prevent the keyless rotary ignition switch from being rotated from the first position to the second position if an authorized electronic device is determined to be within the authorization zone of the vehicle within a second pre-determined amount of time.

10. A method for controlling an operational state of an automobile having a keyless rotary ignition switch and a locking mechanism coupled to the keyless rotary ignition switch, the method comprising:

engaging the locking mechanism to prevent the keyless rotary ignition switch from being rotated from an ON position to an OFF position if at least one of a transmission of the automobile is in an operational mode and a speed of the automobile is greater than a predetermined threshold;

disengaging the locking mechanism to allow the keyless rotary ignition switch to be rotated from the ON position to the OFF position if the transmission of the automobile is in a non-operational mode and the speed of the automobile is not greater than the predetermined threshold;

determining if an authorized electronic key is within an authorization zone of the automobile;

engaging the locking mechanism to prevent the keyless rotary ignition switch from being rotated from the OFF position to the ON position by a user if no authorized electronic key is determined to be within the authorization zone of the automobile;

disengaging the locking mechanism to allow the keyless rotary ignition switch to be rotated from the OFF position to the ON position by the user if an authorized electronic key is determined to be within the authorization zone of the automobile;

re-determining if an authorized electronic key is within the authorization zone of the automobile if the keyless rotary ignition switch is rotated to the OFF position;

re-engaging the locking mechanism to prevent the keyless rotary ignition switch from being rotated from the OFF position to the ON position if an authorized electronic key is determined to be within the authorization zone of the automobile; and

maintaining disengagement of the locking mechanism for a period of time to allow the keyless rotary ignition switch to be rotated from the OFF position to the ON position if no authorized electronic key is determined to be within the authorization zone of the automobile.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the locking mechanism remains disengaged for a predetermined amount of time after the disengaging of the locking mechanism.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the determining if an authorized electronic key is within the authorization zone for the automobile comprises receiving a request for authorization sent by a user of the automobile.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

setting the operational state of the automobile to OFF when the keyless rotary ignition switch is in the OFF position; and

setting the operational state of the vehicle automobile to ON when the keyless rotary ignition switch is in the ON position.

14. An automotive control system for an automobile, comprising:

a keyless rotary ignition switch being rotatable between first and second positions;

a locking mechanism coupled to and engageable with the keyless rotary ignition switch to prevent the rotation of the keyless rotary ignition switch; and

a processor in operable communication with the keyless rotary ignition switch and the locking mechanism, the processor being configured to:

disengage the locking mechanism to allow the keyless rotary ignition switch to be rotated from the first position to the second position by a user when an electronic authorization is detected, wherein the detection of the electronic authorization comprises determining if an authorized electronic device is within an authorization zone of the automobile;

engage the locking mechanism to prevent the keyless rotary ignition switch from being rotated from the first position to the second position by the user when no electronic authorization is detected;

re-determine if an authorized electronic device is within the authorization zone of the automobile if the keyless rotary ignition switch is rotated to the first position;

re-engage the locking mechanism to prevent the keyless rotary ignition switch from being rotated from the first position to the second position if an authorized electronic device is determined to be within the authorization zone of the automobile; and

maintain disengagement of the locking mechanism for a period of time to allow the keyless rotary ignition switch to be rotated from the first position to the second position if no authorized electronic device is determined to be within the authorization zone of the automobile.

15. The automotive control system of claim 14 , further comprising a transmission, the processor being in operable communication with the transmission, and wherein the processor is further configured to:

engage the locking mechanism to prevent the keyless rotary ignition switch from being rotated from the second position to the first position if at least one of the transmission is in an operational mode and a speed of the automobile is greater than a predetermined threshold; and

disengage the locking mechanism to allow the keyless rotary ignition switch to be rotated from the second position to the first position if the transmission of the automobile is in a non-operational mode and the speed of the automobile is not greater than the predetermined threshold.

16. The automotive control system of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

set an operational state of the automobile to OFF when the rotary ignition switch is in the first position; and

set an operational state of the automobile to ON when the rotary ignition switch is in the second position.

17. The automotive control system of claim 16 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises at least one of a solenoid and an electric motor.

18. The automotive control system of claim 17 , further comprising at least one antenna in operable communication with the processor to receive an identification signal from an authorized electronic key.

Assignments (12)