LOCK CONTROL SYSTEM USING RFID

• US 20130099893A1
• Filed: 05/17/2012
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Q Developments LLC
• Original Assignee: Q Developments LLC
• Inventors: Nuytkens, Peter R., Kulinets, Joseph M., Venkatesh, Arvind K.
• Application Number:
  US13/474,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20130099893A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.61
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 1/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/64 using a proximity sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A lock control system includes a detection unit positioned proximate to a lock, an RFID device neighboring at least one RFID antenna, and an RFID reading system detecting identifying information of the RFID device when the detection unit detects an event. The system also includes at least one microcontroller that determines, based on the identifying information, whether to grant the RFID device access to an area secured by the lock and instructs an actuator to unlock the lock when the RFID device is granted access.

Claims

1. A lock control system, the system comprising:

a detection unit positioned proximate to a lock;

an RFID device neighboring at least one RFID antenna;

an RFID reading system detecting identifying information of the RFID device when the detection unit detects an event; and

at least one microcontroller that determines, based on the identifying information, whether to grant the RFID device access to an area secured by the lock and instructs an actuator to unlock the lock when the RFID device is granted access.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the detection unit is one of a touch sensor and a motion processing module.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the motion processing module includes a passive infrared sensor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller activates the RFID reading system to detect identifying information when the detection unit detects the event.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller determines whether to grant the RFID device access by matching the identifying information of the RFID devices with identifying information stored in the RFID reading system.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second microcontroller in communication with the at least one microcontroller, the second microcontroller instructing the actuator to unlock the lock in response to an instruction from the at least one microcontroller.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one microcontroller and the second microcontroller communicate via infrared or RF wireless communication.

8. A lock control system, the system comprising:

a sensor positioned proximate to a lock;

an RFID reading system that detects identifying information of an RFID device when the sensor detects an event, the RFID device neighboring at least one RFID antenna of the RFID reading system; and

a microcontroller in communication with an actuator, the microcontroller activating the actuator when the microcontroller matches the identifying information of the RFID device with identifying information stored in the RFID reading system.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein activating the actuator unlocks the lock.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the event corresponds to motion of a target, the target being associated with the RFID device.

11. A method of operating a lock control system comprising:

detecting, by a detection unit, an event;

detecting, by an RFID reading system, identifying information of an RFID device neighboring a RFID antenna in response to the event;

determining, by a microcontroller, to grant access to an area secured by a lock control system based on the identifying information; and

instructing, by the microcontroller, an actuator to unlock a lock based on the determination to grant access.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein detecting an event further comprises detecting, by a touch sensor, a touch.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein detecting an event further comprises detecting, by a motion processing module, motion.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein detecting identifying information further comprises activating, by the microcontroller, the RFID reading system to detect the identifying information.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein determining to grant access further comprises matching, by the microcontroller, the detected identifying information with identifying information stored in the RFID reading system.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein instructing an actuator further comprises

receiving, by a second microcontroller, an instruction from the microcontroller to grant access to an area;

and

instructing, by the second microcontroller, the actuator to unlock the lock.