Considering whether a portable key device is located inside or outside a barrier

• US 10,192,372 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2016
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
• Original Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
• Inventors: Einberg, Fredrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V
• Application Number:
  US15/559,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20180061156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 340 564, 340 56, 340 561, 340 57
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/18 derived directly from separate directional antennas
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/014 Identifying transitions between environments
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

It is presented an access control device for considering whether a portable key device is located inside or outside a barrier. The access control device comprises: a first antenna being configured to be directed towards the outside of the barrier with a first antenna lobe; a second antenna being configured to be directed towards the inside of the barrier with a second antenna lobe, a gain towards the outside by the second antenna is greater than a gain towards the inside by the first antenna, and the signal strength from the portable key device using the second antenna is greater than using the first antenna at all positions of the portable key device on the inside; and a determiner arranged to consider the portable key device to be located on the outside of the barrier only when a first signal strength of a radio signal from the portable key device received by the first antenna is greater than a second signal strength of a radio signal from the portable key device received by the second antenna.

Claims

1. A method for considering whether a portable key device is located inside or outside a barrier, the method being performed in an access control device and comprising the steps of:

measuring a first signal strength of a radio signal from the portable key device using a first antenna, the first antenna being directed towards the outside of the barrier and the first antenna generating a first main antenna lobe;

measuring a second signal strength of the radio signal from the portable key device using a second antenna, the second antenna being directed towards the inside of the barrier and the second antenna generating a second main antenna lobe, wherein the second main antenna lobe generated by the second antenna is wider than the first main antenna lobe generated by the first antenna, and a gain towards the outside of the barrier by the second antenna is greater than a gain towards the inside of the barrier by the first antenna, and the signal strength from the portable key device using the second antenna is greater than using the first antenna at all positions of the portable key device on the inside of the barrier; and

considering the portable key device to be located on the outside of the barrier only when the first signal strength is greater than the second signal strength.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

performing an access determination procedure, resulting in granted or denied access, only when the portable key device is considered to be on the outside of the barrier.

3. An access control device for considering whether a portable key device is located inside or outside a barrier, the access control device comprising:

a first antenna being configured to be directed towards the outside of the barrier and generate a first main antenna lobe;

a second antenna being configured to be directed towards the inside of the barrier and generate a second main antenna lobe wherein the second main antenna lobe is wider than the first main antenna lobe generated by the first antenna, a gain towards the outside of the barrier by the second antenna is greater than a gain towards the inside of the barrier by the first antenna and the signal strength from the portable key device using the second antenna is greater than using the first antenna at all positions of the portable key device on the inside of the barrier; and

a determiner arranged to consider the portable key device to be located on the outside of the barrier only when a first signal strength of a radio signal from the portable key device received by the first antenna is greater than a second signal strength of the radio signal from the portable key device received by the second antenna.

4. The access control device according to claim 3, wherein the determiner comprises a processor;

and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the access control device to;

measure the first signal strength of a radio signal from the portable key device using the first antenna;

measure the second signal strength of the radio signal from the portable key device using the second antenna; and

consider the portable key device to be located on the outside of the barrier only when the first signal strength is greater than the second signal strength.

5. The access control device according to claim 3, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the access control device to:

perform an access determination procedure, resulting in granted or denied access, only when the portable key device is considered to be on the outside of the barrier.

6. A computer program stores on a non-transitory medium for considering whether a portable key device is located inside or outside a barrier, the computer program comprising computer program code which, when run on an access control device, causes the access control device to:

measure a first signal strength of a radio signal from the portable key device using a first antenna, the first antenna being directed towards the outside of the barrier and generating a first main antenna lobe;

measure a second signal strength of the radio signal from the portable key device using a second antenna, the second antenna being directed towards the inside of the barrier and generating a second main antenna lobe, wherein the second main antenna lobe generated by the second antenna is wider than the first main antenna lobe generated by the first antenna, a gain towards the outside of the barrier by the second antenna is greater than a gain towards the inside of the barrier by the first antenna, and the signal strength from the portable key device using the second antenna is greater than using the first antenna at all positions of the portable key device on the inside of the barrier; and

consider the portable key device to be located on the outside of the barrier only when the first signal strength is greater than the second signal strength.

7. A computer program product comprising a computer program according to claim 6 and a non-transitory computer readable medium on which the computer program is stored.