LOW-ENERGY DETECTION OF A TRANSPONDER BY MEANS OF READ UNIT AND A SYSTEM FOR IDENTITY DETERMINATION AND/OR AUTHORIZATION DETERMINATION, OPTIONALLY IN THE FORM OF A LOCKING SYSTEM

• US 20100144269A1
• Filed: 03/14/2008
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SimonsVoss Technologies GmbH (Allegion PLC)
• Original Assignee: SimonsVoss Technologies GmbH (Allegion PLC)
• Inventors: Voss, Ludger, Do, Tien-Toan
• Application Number:
  US12/531,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20100144269A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/048 the record carrier being shaped as a key
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0715 the arrangement including means to regulate power transfer to the integrated circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer

Abstract

Among others, the invention relates to a method and a system for controlling a system for receiving a wireless data transmission between at least two components (12, 100, 50), wherein at least one wireless interface (102, 112) can be activated, or is activated, for wireless data transmission. According to the invention, a first component (100) monitors an environment for the occurrence of at least one predefined change and/or for the occurrence of at least one predefined feedback from the environment. Once such a change, or feedback, has occurred, a wireless interface (102) is activated for the wireless data transmission, and optionally for the energy supply of a second component (50) via the wireless interface. The predefined change or feedback is caused particularly in that the second component (50) is returned to the environment. The system may be a system (10) for determining the identity and/or authorization, such as a locking system. The first component (100) may arrange an interaction between the second component (50) and a further component (12), which, for example, is associated with a target mechanism.

Claims

1. Read unit (100), e.g. RFID or NFC read unit (100), comprising:

at least one wireless interface (102, 104, 106;

102, 105), which is designed to generate, in at least one coupling operating state of the read unit, at least one of an electrical alternating field and a magnetic alternating field and an electromagnetic radiation alternating field, to be able to couple inductively or/and capacitively or/and electromagnetically to a transponder (50), if appropriate an RFID or NFC transponder (50), in an assignment region;

a controller (108), which is designed or programmed to respond in the coupling operating state, by means of the wireless interface, to a coupled transponder (50), to carry out a data communication comprising at least one of reading out at least one data value from the transponder and receiving at least one data value sent by the transponder and sending at least one data value to the transponder, or/and at least in the sense of detecting the presence of the coupled transponder; and

an electrical energy supply (120), which supplies the controller and the wireless interface with electrical operating energy;

characterised in that

in at least one idle operating state of the read unit (100), at least the wireless interface (102, 104, 106;

102, 105) is switched off, so that the electrical energy consumption of the wireless interface is at least reduced; and

in the coupling operating state of the read unit (100), the wireless interface (102, 104, 106;

102, 105) is switched on, so that a transponder (50) in the assignment region can couple inductively or capacitively or electromagnetically to it; and

that the controller (108) is designed or programmed to switch automatically between multiple operating states, including the idle operating state and the coupling operating state.

2. Read unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the controller (108) is designed or programmed to switch automatically from the idle operating state directly into the coupling operating state, or from the idle operating state via a separate monitoring operating state of the read unit (100) into the coupling operating state, or/and that the controller (108) is designed or programmed to switch automatically from the coupling operating state into the idle operating state.

3. Read unit according to claim 2, characterised in that the controller (108) is designed to switch repeatedly at time intervals from the idle operating state into the coupling operating state or a special monitoring-coupling operating state of the read unit (100), to check by means of the or a wireless interface (200, 102;

102, 202, 204) whether a transponder (50) is present in the assignment region.

4. Read unit according to claim 3, characterised in that a monitoring device (200), which is associated with or belongs to the controller (108), and if desired provides its own monitoring wireless interface (102, 202, 204), is designed to respond in the monitoring-coupling operating state to an energy loss of the alternating field or of a monitoring alternating field generated by the monitoring wireless interface through the coupled transponder (50), to establish the presence of a transponder in the assignment region or in a surrounding region into which the monitoring alternating field extends.

5. Read unit according to claim 1, characterised by a monitoring device (200′

) which is preferably independent of the wireless interface (102, 104, 106;

102, 105), is associated with or belongs to the controller (108), and is designed to respond to at least one change in a surrounding region of the read unit or at least one reaction from the surrounding region, the controller (108) being designed or programmed to react to a response of the monitoring device (200′

) to the change or reaction by switching into the coupling operating state, to check by means of the wireless interface (102, 104, 106;

102, 105) or a wireless interface whether a transponder (50) is present in the assignment region, or/and to begin data communication by means of the wireless interface (102, 104, 106;

102, 105).

6. Read unit according to claim 5, characterised in that in the monitoring operating state of the read unit

a) the monitoring device (200′

) is active, or can be activated repeatedly at time intervals, to be able to respond to the occurrence of at least one change in the surrounding region or the occurrence of at least one reaction from the surrounding region, and

b) the wireless interface (102, 104, 106;

102, 105) or at least one electrical component, which consumes electrical energy, of the wireless interface is switched off, so that the electrical energy consumption of the wireless interface is at least reduced;

the controller (108) being designed or programmed to switch automatically from the monitoring operating state into the coupling operating state when the monitoring device (200′

) responds to a change in the surrounding region or to a reaction from the surrounding region.

7. Read unit according to claim 5, characterised in that the monitoring device (200′

) is designed to respond to a change of at least one electrical or/and magnetic property or/and of at least one electromagnetic property of the surrounding region.

8. Read unit according to claim 5, characterised in that the monitoring device (200′

) is designed to respond to an oscillating circuit in the surrounding region or/and to an inductor in the surrounding region, said oscillating circuit or inductor interacting on the basis of an electrical or/and magnetic alternating field or on the basis of an electromagnetic alternating field with an oscillating circuit (102) or/and an inductor (264) of the monitoring device.

9. Read unit according to claim 8, characterised in that the monitoring device (200′

) is designed to generate at least one of an electrical sensor alternating field and magnetic sensor alternating field and electromagnetic sensor alternating field extending into the monitoring region, and to capture at least one sensor variable, which on the basis of the sensor alternating field depends on the electrical or magnetic or electromagnetic property of the surrounding region or/and on the basis of the sensor alternating field depends on an magnetic or/and electrical or/and electromagnetic reaction from the surrounding region.

10. Read unit according to claim 9, characterised in that the reaction is a reaction of the oscillating circuit or inductor in the surrounding region onto the oscillating circuit (102) or inductor (264) of the monitoring device (200′

).

11. Read unit according to claim 9, characterised in that the monitoring device (200′

) has an oscillator (252), which can be excited to a free electrical oscillation on which the generation of the sensor alternating field is based, in such a way that an instantaneous oscillation frequency depends on the electrical or magnetic or electromagnetic property of the surrounding region or on the reaction from the surrounding region, it being possible to capture the instantaneous oscillation frequency, or a capture variable which reflects it, or a subsequent variable which depends on the oscillation frequency or capture variable, as a sensor variable.

12. Read unit according to claim 11, characterised in that the monitoring device (200′

) is designed or programmed to compare a captured sensor variable or captured sensor variables with at least one predetermined reference magnitude, or at least one reference magnitude which can be predetermined from at least one previously captured sensor variable, on the basis of at least one predetermined monitoring condition, and depending on the fulfillment or non-fulfillment of the monitoring condition to respond or not respond to a change in the surrounding region or reaction from the surrounding region.

13. Read unit according to claim 12, characterised in that the monitoring device (200′

) has a counter which responds to the electrical oscillation, it being possible to capture instantaneous counter levels or subsequent variables determined from them or variables determined on the basis of reaching a trigger counter level as sensor variables.

14. Read unit according to claim 11, characterised in that at least one field generation arrangement, if appropriate an aerial arrangement (102), is provided, and is or can be associated with the monitoring device (200′

) as monitoring field generation arrangement, if appropriate monitoring aerial arrangement, to generate the sensor alternating field.

15. Read unit according to claim 14, characterised in that the monitoring field generation arrangement (102) associated with the monitoring device (200′

) is used as a frequency-determining or frequency-influencing part of the oscillator (252).

16. Read unit according to claim 15, characterised in that the oscillator includes an amplifier module (250), the output of which is or can be back-coupled via the monitoring field generation arrangement (102), as positive feedback, to an input of the amplifier module.

17. Read unit according to claim 16, characterised in that the amplifier module, together with the monitoring field generation arrangement, forms a capacitive or inductive three-point oscillator circuit, preferably a Collpits oscillator circuit (252).

18. Read unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the electrical energy supply (120) of the read unit (100) is a non-rechargeable or rechargeable battery energy supply.

19. Monitoring device (200′

) for monitoring a surrounding region for changes, if appropriate said monitoring device being for a read unit (100) according to claim 1,

the monitoring device (200′

) being designed to generate at least one of an electrical sensor alternating field and magnetic sensor alternating field and electromagnetic sensor alternating field extending into the monitoring region, and to capture at least one sensor variable which depends, on the basis of the sensor alternating field, on an electrical or/and magnetic property or/and an electromagnetic property of the surrounding region, or/and, on the basis of the sensor alternating field, on a reaction from the surrounding region, and to compare it, on the basis at least one predetermined monitoring condition, with at least one reference magnitude which is or can be predetermined,

the monitoring device having an oscillator (252), which can be excited to a free electrical oscillation on which the generation of the sensor alternating field is based, in such a way that an instantaneous oscillation frequency depends on the electrical or magnetic or electromagnetic property of the surrounding region or on the reaction from the surrounding region, it being possible to capture the instantaneous oscillation frequency or a capture variable which reflects it, or a subsequent variable which depends on the oscillation frequency or capture variable, as sensor variable.

20. Monitoring device according to claim 19, characterised in that it is designed to respond to an oscillating circuit in the surrounding region or/and an inductor in the surrounding region, said oscillating circuit or inductor interacting on the basis of the sensor alternating field with an oscillating circuit (102) belonging to the oscillator, or/and with an inductor (264) belonging to the oscillator, and thus reacting on the oscillation frequency.

21. Monitoring method for monitoring a surrounding region for changes, if appropriate as part of an operating method of a read unit (100) according to claim 1,

wherein at least one of an electrical sensor alternating field and magnetic sensor alternating field and electromagnetic sensor alternating field extending into the monitoring region is generated, and at least one sensor variable which depends, on the basis of the sensor alternating field, on an electrical or/and magnetic property or/and an electromagnetic property of the surrounding region, or/and, on the basis of the sensor alternating field, on a reaction from the surrounding region is captured, and compared, on the basis at least one predetermined monitoring condition, with at least one reference magnitude which is or can be predetermined,

and wherein an oscillator (252) is excited to a free electrical oscillation on which the generation of the sensor alternating field is based, in such a way that an instantaneous oscillation frequency depends on the electrical or magnetic or electromagnetic property of the surrounding region or on the reaction from the surrounding region, and the instantaneous oscillation frequency or a capture variable which reflects it, or a subsequent variable which depends on the oscillation frequency or capture variable, is captured as sensor variable.

22. Monitoring method according to claim 21, characterised by a response to an oscillating circuit in the surrounding region or/and an inductor in the surrounding region, said oscillating circuit or inductor interacting on the basis of the sensor alternating field with an oscillating circuit (102) belonging to the oscillator, or/and with an inductor (264) belonging to the oscillator, and thus reacting on the oscillation frequency.

23. Method for controlling a system on reception of a wireless data transmission between a first component (100), which may be a read unit (100), according to claim 1, and a second portable component (50), which may be a transponder, e.g. an RFID or NFC transponder (50), the method including activation of at least one wireless interface (102, 104, 106;

102, 105) for wireless data transmission;

characterised in that

the first component (100) monitors a surrounding region continuously or—

preferably—

repeatedly at time intervals for the occurrence of at least one predefined change or/and the occurrence of at least one predefined reaction from the surrounding region, and when such a change or reaction occurs, activates the wireless interface (102, 104, 106;

102, 105) for wireless data transmission and optionally for energy supply to the second component (50) via the wireless interface, the predefined change or reaction being caused by the second component (50) being brought into the surrounding region.

24. Method according to claim 23, characterised in that the first component (100) monitors the surrounding region for the occurrence of a change of at least one electrical or magnetic or electromagnetic property of the surrounding region.

25. Method according to claim 23, characterised in that the first component (100) responds to an oscillating circuit in the surrounding region or/and to an inductor in the surrounding region, said oscillating circuit or inductor interacting on the basis of an electrical or/and magnetic or on the basis of an electromagnetic alternating field with an oscillating circuit (102) or/and an inductor (264) of the first component.

26. Method according to claim 23, characterised in that the first component (100) monitors the surrounding region according to the monitoring method according to claim 21.

36. System according to claim 27, characterised in that one read unit (100), preferably an RFID or NFC read unit (100), according to any one of claims 1 to 18, is used as the second unit (100), in which case the wireless interface (102, 104, 106;

102, 105) of the read unit represents the third wireless interface, which is provided for coupling to at least one transponder (50), preferably an RFID or NFC transponder (50), which acts as an ident medium, and a further read unit (100) wireless interface (110, 112) associated with the first unit (12) represents the second wireless interface.

27. System (10) for identity determination or/and authorisation determination, and if appropriate for enabling or preventing a logical or/and physical access to a destination device, comprising:

a first unit (12), which may be associated with the destination device, and which has a determination device (14) which is designed to determine, on the basis of a preferably encrypted or/and bidirectional data exchange via a first wireless interface (16, 18) of the first unit with a second unit (100), an identity or/and an authorisation, the first wireless interface being designed for wireless data exchange over a first range;

at least one second unit (100) which is associated with the first unit (12), and has a notification device (108), which is designed to notify to the determination device (14) of the first unit (12) an identity or/and an authorisation, on the basis of existing identification data or/and authorisation data and of the data exchange which is carried out via the first wireless interface and a second wireless interface (110, 122) of the second unit over the first range;

characterised by

at least one portable ident medium (50), which carries at least identification data and has an ident medium wireless interface (52, 54), which is designed for wireless readout or transmission over a second range at least of the identification data or of identification data or/and authorisation data which is supplied on the basis of this identification data by a determination device (56) of the ident medium in the case of a positive determination of an identity or/and authorisation;

the notification device (108) of the second unit (100) also being designed to receive at least the identification data or/and authorisation data of the ident medium via a third wireless interface (102, 104, 106;

102, 105) of the second unit and the ident medium wireless interface (52, 54) over the second range, or to read it out from it, and to use this data or identification data or/and authorisation data which is supplied on the basis of this data by a determination function of the notification device (108) of the second unit (100) in the case of a positive determination of an identity or/and authorisation as existing identification data or authorisation data for notification of an identity or authorisation to the determination device (14) of the first unit (12).

28. System according to claim 27, characterised in that the determination device (14) of the first unit (12) is an authentification device, and designed to authentificate a notified identity or authorisation, and the notification device (108) is an authentication device, and designed to prove the notified identity or authorisation by transmitting authentication data via the second (110, 112) and first (16, 18) wireless interfaces.

29. System according to claim 28, characterised in that the notification device (108) which acts as the authentication device is designed to receive the authentication data from the ident medium (50) via the third wireless interface (102, 104, 106;

102, 105) and the ident medium wireless interface (52, 54) or to read it out from it.

30. System according to claim 27, characterised in that the determination device (14) of the first unit (12) is an authentification device, and designed to authentificate a notified identity or authorisation, and an authentication device (56) of the ident medium (50) is designed to prove, via the notification device (108), the notified identity or authorisation by transmitting authentication data via the third wireless interface (102, 104, 106;

102, 105) and the ident medium wireless interface (52, 54) and via the second (110, 112) and first (16, 18) wireless interfaces.

31. System according to claim 27, characterised in that the notification device (108) is an authentification device, and designed, for positive determination of an identity or authorisation, to authentificate it, and an authentication device (56) of the ident medium (50) is designed to prove the identity or authorisation by transmitting authentication data via the third wireless interface (102, 104, 106;

102, 105) and the ident medium wireless interface (52, 54).

32. System according to claim 27, characterised in that the determination device (56) of the ident medium (50) is an authentification device, which is designed, for positive determination of an identity or authorisation, to authentificate it, preferably on the basis of an interaction with a user.

33. System according to claim 28, characterised in that the authentification device (14) of the first unit (12) and the authentication device (108;

56) of the second unit (100) or of the ident medium (50), or that the authentification device (108) of the second unit (100) and the authentication device (56) of the ident medium (50), are designed to cooperate to execute a challenge-response authentification.

34. System according to claim 27, characterised in that the first range is noticeably greater than the second range, preferably by a factor of at least about 3 to 10.

35. System according to claim 34, characterised in that the first range is at least about 20 cm, preferably at least about 70 cm, highly preferably at least about 2.5 m, and the second range is thought of as being a maximum of about 10 cm, preferably a maximum of about 5 cm.

37. System according to claim 27, characterised in that the first unit (12) has at least one actuator (20), or a separate actuator device with at least one actuator is associated with the first unit, the first unit being designed to actuate or trigger the actuator depending on successful identification.

38. System according to claim 37, characterised in that the first unit (12) is a locking unit (12), which depending on successful identification by means of the actuator enables physical access, e.g. triggers or unblocks the opening of a door.