Transmission and reception system for controlling locking/unlocking operation of key

• US 5,940,001 A
• Filed: 03/11/1997
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Okayasu, Yoshisada, Yamamoto, Hiroaki, Morise, Keiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dalencourt, Yves
• Application Number:
  US08/814,323
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.31, 340/825.72, 340/825.69, 340/825.54, 340/636, 455/343, 361/172
• US Class Current: 340/5.64
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00634 Power supply for the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00849 programming by learning
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/08 With time considerations, e.g. temporary activation, valid time window or time limitations
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/65 using means for sensing the user's hand
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00817 where the code of the lock can be programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

A transmission and reception system for controlling a locking/unlocking operation of a key includes a transmission section for transmitting a control signal having a predetermined frequency for effecting locking/unlocking of the key, and a reception section for receiving the control signal and effecting driving control of the key in response to the control signal. The reception section includes a carrier detection circuit for detecting a frequency of the control signal and supplies power only to the carrier detection circuit when the control signal is not received.

Claims

1. A transmission and reception system for controlling a locking/unlocking operation of an electronic lock mounted in a door, comprising:

a transmission unit for transmitting a control signal having a predetermined frequency for controlling a locking/unlocking operation of said electronic lock;

a reception unit for receiving the control signal and effecting driving control of said electronic lock in response to the control signal, wherein said reception unit includes a carrier detection circuit for detecting a frequency of the control signal and a mechanism unit for performing the locking/unlocking operation; and

a power supply unit arranged in the door for supplying power to said carrier detection circuit and including a switch for selectively supplying power to said mechanism unit, wherein said power supply unit supplies power only to said carrier detection circuit when the control signal is not received and supplies power to said mechanism unit when the control signal is received.

2. The transmission and reception system for controlling a locking/unlocking operation of an electronic lock according to claim 1, wherein said reception unit further includes a timer for supplying power and effecting driving control of said electronic lock only for a fixed time after the control signal is received by said carrier detection circuit.

3. The transmission and reception system for controlling a locking/unlocking operation of an electronic lock according to claim 1, wherein said reception unit intermittently supplies power to said carrier detection circuit and, after the frequency of the control signal is received, continuously supplies power to said reception unit for a fixed period of time.

4. A transmission and reception system for controlling a locking/unlocking operation of a lock mounted in a door, comprising:

a transmission unit for transmitting a control signal having a predetermined frequency for controlling a locking/unlocking of said lock; and

a reception unit for receiving the control signal and effecting driving control of said lock in response to the control signal, wherein said reception unit includes detection means for detecting an approach of a person and a mechanism unit for performing the locking/unlocking operation; and

a power supply unit arranged in the door for supplying power to said detection means and including a switch for selectively supplying power to said mechanism unit, wherein said power supply unit supplies power only to said detection means when approach of a person is not detected and supplies power to said mechanism unit when approach of a person is detected.

5. A transmission and reception system for controlling a locking/unlocking operation of a lock according to claim 4, wherein said reception section further includes a timer for supplying power and effecting driving control of said lock only for a fixed period of time after approach of a person is detected by said detection means.

6. The transmission and reception system for controlling a locking/unlocking operation of a lock according to claim 4, wherein said detection means comprises a pyroelectric sensor.

7. A transmission and reception system for controlling a locking/unlocking operation of a lock mounted in a door, comprising:

a transmission unit for transmitting a control signal having a predetermined frequency for controlling a locking/unlocking operation of said lock; and

a reception unit for receiving the control signal and effecting driving control of said lock in response to the control signal, wherein

said reception unit includes a mechanism unit selectively powered by a power supply including a battery arranged in the door for locking/unlocking said lock, a control processing unit for controlling said mechanism unit, and a switch for connecting said mechanism unit to said battery when the control signal is received, wherein said reception unit, including said mechanism section, said control processing section and said power supply are integrated into the door controlled by said lock.

8. The transmission and reception system for controlling a locking/unlocking operation of a lock according to claim 7, wherein said reception unit is arranged in a casing of the door.

9. The transmission and reception system for controlling a locking/unlocking operation of a lock according to claim 7, wherein said reception unit further includes an identification code registration/erasure unit for registering or erasing an identification code peculiar to said transmission unit.

10. The transmission and reception system for controlling a locking/unlocking operation of a lock according to claim 9, wherein registration or erasure of the identification code is performed by said identification code registration/erasure unit upon receiving a second control signal from said transmission unit and an operation of a registration/erasure button provided for said reception unit.

11. The transmission and reception system for controlling a locking/unlocking operation of a lock according to claim 7, wherein said reception further includes an antenna for receiving the control signal, and wherein said antenna is formed as part of said door.

12. The transmission and reception system for controlling a locking/unlocking operation of a lock according to claim 7, wherein said reception unit further includes state detection means for detecting, when the control signal is received, a first state of said lock prior to the reception of the control signal and a second state of said lock after the reception of the control signal, and said control processing unit performs confirmation of operation of said mechanism unit in response to an output of said state detection means.

13. The transmission and reception system for controlling a locking/unlocking operation of a lock according to claim 7, further comprising a carrier detection circuit for detecting a frequency of the control signal and a power supply unit for supplying power to said carrier detection circuit and for selectively supplying power to said reception unit, wherein said power supply unit supplies power only to said carrier detection circuit when the control signal is not received.

14. The transmission and reception system for controlling a locking/unlocking operation of a lock according to claim 13, wherein said reception unit further includes a timer for supplying power and effecting driving control of said lock only for a fixed period of time after the control signal is received by said carrier detection circuit.

15. The transmission and reception system for controlling a locking/unlocking operation of a lock according to claim 7, further comprising detection means for detecting an approach of a person and a power supplying unit for supplying power to said detection means and for selectively supplying power to said reception unit, wherein said power supply unit supplies power only to said detection means when approach of a person is not detected.

16. The transmission and reception system for controlling a locking/unlocking operation of a lock according to claim 15, wherein said reception unit further includes a timer for supplying power and effecting driving control of said lock only for a fixed period of time after an approach of a person is detected by said detection means.

17. The transmission and reception system for controlling a locking/unlocking operation of a lock according to claim 15, wherein said detection means comprises a pyroelectric sensor.

18. The transmission and reception system for controlling a locking/unlocking operation of a lock according to claim 7, wherein the control signal from said transmission unit is formed from at least first and second control signals having different respective frequencies, and said control processing unit of said reception unit enables reception of the first control signal and supplies, when the first control signal is received, power for receiving the second control signal.

19. The transmission and reception system for controlling a locking/unlocking operation of a lock according to claim 18, wherein one of the first and second control signals is an infrared ray signal, and the other control signal is a radio wave signal.