Door lock and operation mechanism

• US 20050116480A1
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sheng Bill Deng, Sheng Yung Deng
• Original Assignee: Sheng Bill Deng, Sheng Yung Deng
• Inventors: Deng, Sheng Yung, Deng, Sheng Bill
• Granted Patent: US 7,463,132 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 292/289
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/0083 Sound emitting devices, e.g. loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0002 with electromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0676 by disconnecting the handle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/37 Portable securer plate or bar
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7062 Electrical type [e.g., solenoid]

Abstract

A locking doorknob which recognizes a fingerprint, in which the detecting sensor of a fingerprint is installed on the spot of the doorknob that a thumb or other fingers are placed naturally as the door is being opened. The locking doorknob is an electromechanical device which can be powered by a remote electrical power system, specifically by electromagnetic induction through the door latch and strike plate. During operation, as soon as a user grasps the doorknob, a fingerprint is measured and searched and, if the fingerprint corresponds to a fingerprint previously input, the door is unlocked and the doorknob can be turned to open the door. An image capture device may also be combined with the doorknob to facilitate recognition of persons using or attempting to use the doorknob. In this way, fingerprint recognition, continuous real time security and opening of the door are performed at the same time.

Claims

1. A door locking apparatus comprising:

a door opening device supported on a door, the door opening device having a user verification system for receiving input data comprising;

a memory for storing comparison data;

a processor for comparing received input data with the stored comparison data and producing an output instruction;

a locking mechanism controlled according to the output instruction from the processor;

a door latch controlled by the locking mechanism, the door latch having a locked position and an unlocked position;

a remote power source separate from the door opening device for providing electrical power to the operate the locking mechanism and user verification system; and

an image capture device communicating with at least one of a controller and the processorfor acquiring an image of a person using or attempting to use the door locking apparatus.

2. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the user verification system further comprises a biometric fingerprint scanning plate for receiving the input data as a user'"'"'s fingerprint.

3. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein at least the user'"'"'s fingerprint is stored as comparison data

4. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein a positive match is determined between the user'"'"'s fingerprint and the comparison data the output instruction causes the locking mechanism to actuate the door latch 70 to the unlocked position.

5. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an environmental conditions sensor connected to an environmental conditions indicator incorporated within the door opening device.

6. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a second power source integral with the door opening device and directly connected to the locking mechanism and user verification system.

7. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the remote power source separate from the door opening device is a source coil of an induction circuit which generates a current in an induction coil in the door opening mechanism to provide electrical power to the operate the locking mechanism and user verification system.

8. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein the source coil of the induction circuit is located in a door frame and aligned coaxially adjacent the induction coil in the door opening device when the door is in a closed position.

9. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein the source coil is circumferentially aligned about a strike plate located in the door frame and the induction coil is coaxially aligned with a door latch bolt which engages the strike plate when the door is in the closed position.

10. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the processor instructs the image capture device to acquire an image according to a preprogrammed set of instructions.

11. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein the image capture device transmits an acquired image to a remote image display device via a network interface.

12. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein the image capture device transmits an acquired image to the processor for storage.

13. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein the image capture device transmits an acquired image to a computer network via a network interface.

14. A door locking apparatus comprising:

a door opening device supported in a door, the door opening device having a user verification system for receiving fingerprint input data comprising;

a memory for storing fingerprint comparison data;

a processor for comparing received input data with the stored comparison data and producing an output instruction;

a locking mechanism controlled according to the output instruction from the processor;

a door latch controlled by the locking mechanism, the door latch 70 having a locked position and an unlocked position; and

a remote power source separate from the door opening device for providing electrical power to the operate the locking mechanism and user verification system;

a second power source integral with the door opening device and directly connected to the locking mechanism and user verification system; and

an image capture device communicating with one of a controller and the processor for acquiring an image of a person using or attempting to use the door locking apparatus and an image display device for visually displaying the image.

15. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein the remote power source separate from the door opening device is a source coil of an induction circuit which generates a current in an induction coil in the door opening mechanism to provide electrical power to the operate the locking mechanism and user verification system.

16. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein the source coil of the induction circuit is located in a strike plate in a door frame and aligned coaxially adjacent the induction coil in the door opening device when the door 4 is in a closed position.

17. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 16 further comprising an environmental conditions sensor connected to an environmental conditions indicator incorporated within the door opening device.

18. A method of operating a door locking apparatus comprising the steps of:

providing an electrically operated door opening device supported in a door;

storing user comparison data in an electronic memory of a user verification system in the door opening device;

inputting user data to the user verification system in the door opening device;

comparing user input data with the stored user comparison data in a processor;

producing an output instruction from the processor to control a locking mechanism connected to a door latch having a locked position and an unlocked position; and

supplying electrical power to operate the locking mechanism and user verification system from a remote power source separate from the door opening device; and

acquiring an image, via an image capture device communicating with one of a controller and the processor, of a person operating or attempting to operate the door locking apparatus.

19. The method of operating a door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 18 further comprising the steps of providing the user verification system further with a biometric fingerprint sensor for receiving the input data as a user'"'"'s fingerprint.

20. The method of operating a door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 19 the method further comprising the step of storing at least the user'"'"'s fingerprint as comparison data prior to the comparison.