Keyless control system

A keyless control system for a vehicle, comprising:

• an actuator mounted on the vehicle and movable between first and second positions;
• a switch coupled to the actuator, the switch assuming a first state when the actuator is in the first position and a second state when the actuator is in the second position, wherein the switch is a two-position switch that includes only two operable positions, and wherein a first one of the two operable positions corresponds to the first state and a second one of the two operable positions corresponds to the second state;
• a display disposed in a cabin of the vehicle;
• and
• a controller coupled to the switch and the display and configured to:
• determine whether an initial actuation sequence of the actuator, defined by successive movements of the actuator between the first state and the second state, corresponds to a predetermined activation sequence saved to a memory accessible by the controller by;
• when the initial actuation sequence of the actuator does not correspond to the predetermined activation sequence, after a first predetermined amount of time, clear the initial actuation sequence of the actuator so as to allow a user to re-attempt matching the predetermined activation sequence;
• and
• once the initial actuation sequence of the actuator corresponds to the predetermined activation sequence
• transmit an output signals to the display, the output signals configured to cause the display to display a single character of a set of characters for a second predetermined amount of time,
• after the second predetermined amount of time, carry out the transmitting action for a different character of the set of characters so that the different character is displayed as the single character on the display for the second predetermined amount of time,
• detect actuation of the actuator during the second predetermined amount of time for any given single character on the display, wherein the single character currently displayed at the time of actuation of the actuator is stored as an entered character of a first actuation sequence,
• repeat the transmitting, carrying out, detection, and storing actions at least until a determination can be made as to whether the sequence of entered characters in the first actuation sequence matches a sequence of characters in a predetermined authorization code saved to a memory accessible by the controller,
• when the determination is made that the first actuation sequence does not correspond to the predetermined authorization code, clear the first actuation sequence so as to allow a user to re-attempt matching the predetermined authorization code, and increment a counter,
• when the counter is incremented to a threshold count value, cause the display to either turn off or to present a visual alert to the user of a failed attempt to correctly enter the predetermined authorization code,
• generate a first control signal configured to allow access to an interior compartment of the vehicle or to cause starting of the vehicle when the first actuation sequence corresponds to the predetermined authorization code, and reset the counter.