ACCESS CONTROL PROXIMITY CARD WITH ACTUATION SENSOR

• US 20090266885A1
• Filed: 04/28/2008
• Published: 10/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Rushing, Damien, Sanden, Greg, Marcinowski, Luke
• Granted Patent: US 8,474,710 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/382
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07345 by activating or deactivating at least a part of the circuit on the record carrier, e.g. ON/OFF switches
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/215 the system having a variable access-code, e.g. varied as a function of time

Abstract

The present invention relates to access control systems using proximity cards, and in particular, to a proximity card and an associated method for controlling activation of the proximity card. The proximity card includes an actuation sensor and an access electronics system connected to the actuation sensor, the access electronics system configured to activate the proximity card in response to an input from the actuation sensor to enable communication of the access information from the proximity card.

Claims

1. An access control proximity card, comprising an actuation sensor and an access electronics system connected to the actuation sensor, the access electronics system configured to activate the proximity card in response to an input from the actuation sensor to enable communication of the access information from the proximity card.

2. The proximity card of claim 1, wherein the access electronics system comprises:

a processor for processing the input from the actuation sensor; and

a transmitter connected to the processor for communicating the access information to the proximity card reader.

3. The proximity card of claim 1, wherein the proximity card further includes a circuit configured to communicate the input from the actuation sensor to the access electronics system.

4. The proximity card of claim 1, wherein the actuation sensor comprises a push-button micro-momentary switch.

5. The proximity card of claim 1, wherein the actuation sensor comprises a set of exposed contacts.

6. The proximity card of claim 5, wherein the set of exposed contacts is responsive to physical contact by a user.

7. The proximity card of claim 1, wherein the actuation sensor is coupled to an external surface of the proximity card.

8. A method of providing access control, comprising:

providing a card reader responsive to access information contained on a proximity card; and

activating the proximity card in response to an input from an actuation sensor coupled to the proximity card to enable communication of the access information from the proximity card.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein activating the proximity card comprises processing the input from the actuation sensor by an access electronics system, the access electronics system including:

a processor for processing the input from the actuation sensor; and

a transmitter connected to the processor for communicating the access information to the proximity card reader based on the input from the actuation sensor.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the input is communicated from the actuation sensor to the access electronics system by a circuit.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the actuation sensor comprises a push-button micro-momentary switch.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the actuation sensor comprises a set of exposed contacts responsive to physical contact by a user.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the proximity card remains deactivated until the input is received from the actuation sensor.

14. An access control proximity card system, comprising:

a proximity card reader responsive to access information contained on a proximity card, the proximity card including;

an actuation sensor coupled to an external surface of the proximity card; and

an access electronics system connected to the actuation sensor, the access electronics system configured to activate the proximity card in response to an input from the actuation sensor to enable communication of the access information from the proximity card.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the access electronics system comprises:

a processor for processing the input from the actuation sensor; and

a transmitter connected to the processor for communicating the access information to the proximity card reader.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the proximity card further includes a circuit configured to communicate the input from the actuation sensor to the access electronics system.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the actuation sensor comprises a push-button micro-momentary switch.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the actuation sensor comprises a set of exposed contacts responsive to physical contact by a user.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the access information is communicated from the card only in response to an input from the actuation sensor.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the proximity card remains deactivated until the input is received from the actuation sensor.