Method of Controlling Access to an Area Accessible by Persons, Particularly to a Space Closed by a Door

• US 20070025314A1
• Filed: 07/26/2006
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Inventors: Gerstenkorn, Bernhard
• Granted Patent: US 9,082,244 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/342
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00365 in combination with a wake-up circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration

Abstract

A method of controlling access to an area accessible by persons, particularly to a space closed by a door, utilizes a first mobile communications unit on which at least one access code is filed and a receiver unit for receiving the access code. In a first variant of the method, when an activation signal is transmitted by the communications unit within a predetermined range of the receiver unit, the receiver unit is activated and the access code is transmitted from the communications unit to the receiver unit. After a successful check of the access code by the receiver unit the access is freed. In a second variant, when the activation signal is transmitted by the receiver unit within a predetermined range of the communications unit, the receiver unit is activated. The access code is subsequently transmitted from the communications unit to the receiver unit and after a successful check of the access code by the receiver unit the access is freed.

Claims

1. A method of controlling access to an area accessible by persons, particularly to a space closed by a door, utilizing a mobile communications unit having at least one access code stored and a receiver unit for receiving the at least one access code, comprising the following steps:

a. transmitting an activation signal within a predetermined range of the receiver unit;

b. activating the receiver unit when the communications unit is located within the range of the activation signal and the activation signal is received;

c. transmitting the at least one access code from the communications unit to the receiver unit;

d. checking the at least one access code with the receiver unit; and

e. freeing the access to the area if the check is successful.

2. The method according to claim 1 including transmitting the activation signal with a transmitter and receiving the activation signal with a receiver.

3. The method according to claim 2 including placing the transmitter at the communications unit and placing the receiver at the receiver unit.

4. The method according to claim 2 including placing the transmitter at the receiver unit and placing the receiver at the communications unit.

5. The method according to claim 1 including transmitting the activation signal by actuation of a switch.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the receiver unit is deactivated after freeing the access.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one access code is transmitted only when the communications unit is located within the range.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one access code is transmitted only within a predetermined time period.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the access is freed only within a predetermined time period.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one access code is cancelled after a predetermined number of uses for freeing the access.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein a computer unit generates the at least one access code and communicates the at least one access code to the communications unit.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one access code has at least one attribute which is variable by the computer unit or by the communications unit.

13. The method according to claim 1 including using one of a mobile telephone and a PDA as the communications unit.

14. A method of controlling access to an area accessible by persons, particularly to a space closed by a door, utilizing a mobile communications unit having at least one access code stored and a receiver unit for receiving the at least one access code, comprising the following steps:

a. transmitting an activation signal from the receiver unit within a predetermined range;

b. activating the receiver unit if the communications unit is located within the range and receives the activation signal;

c. transmitting the at least one access code from the communications unit to the receiver unit;

d. checking the at least one access code with the receiver unit; and

e. freeing the access to the area if the check is successful.

15. A method of controlling access to an area accessible by persons, particularly to a space closed by a door, utilizing a mobile communications unit having at least one access code stored and a receiver unit for receiving the at least one access code, comprising the following steps:

a. transmitting an activation signal from the communications unit within a predetermined range;

b. activating the receiver unit if the communications unit is located within the range and the receiver unit receives the activation signal;

c. transmitting the at least one access code from the communications unit to the receiver unit;

d. checking the at least one access code with the receiver unit; and

e. freeing the access to the area if the check is successful.