ELECTRONIC KEY SYSTEM

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic key system capable of hardly causing a malfunction when various types of equipment to be used for getting into/out of a cabin are actuated by an electronic key. SOLUTION: A vehicle is equipped with a handsfree system which makes the locking/unlocking of a door and the start of an engine permitted when an ID code of a portable machine 2 corresponds to that of a vehicle 1 so that ID verification can be established. In the handsfree system, a door lock is closed when a lock button 12 of a handle knob 1b is subjected to a pushing operation. When an occupant gets out of the vehicle, a request signal is emitted from an out-of-vehicle LF transmitter by making the opening of the door act as a trigger, so that the ID codes can be pre-verified between the vehicle 1 and the portable machine 2. When this pre-verification has already been established, the door lock is put into a closed state on condition that time having passed since the establishment of the pre-verification falls within a predetermined range, even if the portable machine 2, which is carried by the occupant getting out of the vehicle, is positioned in a null area E. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT