On-vehicle apparatus, vehicle locking/unlocking system, and method of controlling on-vehicle apparatus

A vehicle locking/unlocking system comprising:

• a portable apparatus that a user can carry with him or her, the portable apparatus
• including:
• a battery,
• a first communications control circuit configured to transmit a first
• response in response to receiving a first request signal, the first response including a first identification code, the first communications control circuit being unable to return the first response when the battery is exhausted, and
• a second communications control circuit configured to transmit a second response in response to receiving a second request signal, the second response including a second identification code, which is an identification code transmitted in response to receiving the second request signal by the portable apparatus in a state that the portable apparatus is being supplied with power through electromagnetic induction caused by the second request signal;
• and
• an on-vehicle apparatus to be used in a vehicle, the on-vehicle apparatus including at least one processor configured to:
• in response to detecting a user operation to lock/unlock the vehicle door(s), start first verification control including:
• transmitting, to the portable apparatus, the first request signal, upon receipt of a response to the first request signal:
• determining whether a first identification code included in the received response to the first request signal corresponds to a first
• predetermined type of identification code, which is a type of identification code that can only be returned by the portable apparatus when the battery of the portable apparatus is not exhausted, and
• if the first identification code included in the received response to the first request signal corresponds to the first predetermined type of identification code, determining that the first verification control was successful and transmitting a lock/unlock request to lock/unlock the vehicle door(s), and
• if a response to the first request signal has not been received within a first certain amount of time elapsing after the start of the first verification control, and the user operation to lock/unlock the vehicle door(s) has been continuously detected during a second certain amount of time, end the first verification control and start second verification control including:
• and
• transmitting, to the portable apparatus, the second request signal,
• upon receipt of a response to the second request signal:
• determining whether a second identification code included
• in the received response to the second request signal corresponds to a second predetermined type of identification code, which is an identification code received in response to the second request signal by the portable apparatus in a state that the portable apparatus is being supplied power through electromagnetic induction caused by the second request signal, and
• if the second identification code included in the received response to the second request signal corresponds to the second predetermined type of identification code, determining that the second verification control was successful and transmitting the lock/unlock request to lock/unlock the vehicle door(s).

A method comprising:

• in response to detecting a user operation to lock/unlock the vehicle door(s) by at least one processor, starting, by the at least one processor, first verification control including:
• transmitting, to a portable apparatus which a user can carry with him or her, a first request signal,
• upon receipt of a response to the first request signal:
• determining whether a first identification code included in the received response to the first request signal corresponds to a first predetermined type of identification code, which is a type of identification code that can only be returned by the portable apparatus when a battery of the portable apparatus is not exhausted, and
• if the first identification code included in the received response to the first request signal corresponds to the first predetermined type of identification code, determining that the first verification control was successful and transmitting a lock/unlock request to lock/unlock the vehicle door(s), and
• if a response to the first request signal has not been received within a first certain amount of time elapsing after the start of the first verification control, and the user operation to lock/unlock the vehicle door(s) has been continuously detected during a second certain amount of time, ending, by the at least one processor, the first verification control and starting, by the at least one processor, second verification control including:
• transmitting, to the portable apparatus, a second request signal, and upon receipt of a response to the second request signal:
• determining whether a second identification code included in the received response to the second request signal corresponds to a second predetermined type of identification code, which is an identification code received in response to the second request signal by the portable apparatus in a state that the portable apparatus is being supplied power through electromagnetic induction caused by the second request signal, and
• if the second identification code included in the received response to the second request signal corresponds to the second predetermined type of identification code, determining that the second verification control was successful and transmitting the lock/unlock request to lock/unlock the vehicle door(s).