Automatic locking/unlocking device and method using wireless communication

• US 5,942,985 A
• Filed: 07/24/1996
• Issued: 08/24/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Chin, Seo-Yong
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, III, Edwin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MERZ, EDWARD W
• Application Number:
  US08/685,405
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.31, 340/528, 340/825.54, 340/825.69, 70/277, 70/280
• US Class Current: 340/5.61
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00373 whereby the wake-up circuit is situated in the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/08 With time considerations, e.g. temporary activation, valid time window or time limitations
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

An automatic locking/unlocking device has a wireless lock device which includes a lock, a first memory for storing a lock controlling code, a first transmitter for transmitting a wireless transmission signal, a first receiver for receiving a wireless reception signal, a lock control circuit for generating a pilot signal by controlling the first transmitter, for comparing a lock access code included in the wireless reception signal with the lock controlling code when the wireless reception signal is received, releasing the locking function of the lock if the lock access code is identical to the lock controlling code, and locking the lock after a predetermined time has elapsed; and a wireless key device which includes a second memory for storing the lock access code, a second transmitter for transmitting the wireless reception signal, a second receiver for receiving the pilot signal, and a key control circuit for transmitting the lock access code when the pilot signal is received. The wireless lock device substantially continuously outputs the pilot signal in an idle state, and the lock controlling code is automatically transmitted when the wireless key device gets within a predetermined distance to receive the pilot signal.

Claims

1. A locking/unlocking controlling method for a wireless lock device operating in conjunction with a wireless key device, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a pilot signal in an idle state and waiting for reception of a wireless reception signal, including a lock access code;

after reception of said wireless reception signal from said wireless key device, comparing the lock access code with a stored lock controlling code;

releasing the locking function of a lock controlled by said wireless lock device if the lock access code is identical to said lock controlling code and entering a lock released state, and otherwise, returning to said waiting step;

maintaining a communication state with the wireless key device then the locking function of said wireless lock device is released, and maintaining the lock released state of said wireless lock device for a predetermined time; and

returning said wireless lock device to a locked state after said predetermined time is elapsed, transmitting a return message to said wireless key device, and returning to said step of transmitting said pilot signal.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said predetermined time is set to allow a user to manipulate said lock after said locked state of said wireless lock device is released.

3. In a controlling method of a wireless key device for performing a locking/unlocking operation of a wireless lock device automatically by performing wireless communication with said wireless lock device for transmitting a pilot signal in an idle state and automatically releasing the locked state of a lock when a received lock access code is identical to a stored lock controlling code, an improvement comprising the steps of:

checking whether said wireless lock device is recognizable to the wireless key device when said pilot signal is received in said idle state;

transmitting said lock access code if said wireless lock device is recognizable, and otherwise, returning to said idle state;

maintaining a communication state with the wireless lock device after transmitting said stored lock access code, and returning to said idle state when a locking return message is received from said wireless lock device.

4. A locking/unlocking controlling method of an automatic locking/unlocking device having a wireless lock device and a wireless key device, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a pilot signal in an idle state of said wireless lock device and waiting for reception of a wireless reception signal, including a lock access code;

transmitting a stored lock access code when said wireless key device receives said pilot signal;

comparing said lock access code with a stored lock controlling code of said wireless lock device when said wireless lock device receives said lock access code of said wireless key device after said pilot signal transmitting step, releasing a locked state of said wireless lock device if said lock access code of said wireless key device is identical to said stored lock controlling code, and if not, returning to said step of transmitting said pilot signal;

maintaining a communication state with the wireless key device when the locking state of said wireless lock device is released, and maintaining the locking released state of said wireless lock device for a predetermined time;

returning said wireless lock device to a locked state after said predetermined time is elapsed, transmitting a return message to said wireless key device and then returning to said step of transmitting said pilot signal.

5. An automatic locking/unlocking device comprising:

a wireless lock device which includes;

a lock;

a first communications means for transmitting a wireless transmission signal, including a pilot signal, and for receiving a wireless reception signal; and

a lock control circuit for generating the pilot signal by controlling said first communication means, for comparing a lock access code of the wireless reception signal with a lock controlling code when the wireless reception signal is received through said first communication means, for releasing a locking function of said lock if the lock access code of the wireless reception signal is identical to the lock controlling code, for locking said lock after a predetermined time has elapsed, and for generating a locking return message after the predetermined time has elapsed; and

a wireless key device which includes;

a second communication means for transmitting the wireless reception signal, including the lock access code, to said first communications means of said wireless lock device, and for receiving the wireless transmission signal and the locking return message from said first communications means of said wireless lock device; and

a key control circuit for generating the wireless reception signal, including the lock access code, when the pilot signal is received from said wireless lock device;

wherein said wireless lock device substantially continuously outputs the pilot signal in an idle state, the lock access code is automatically transmitted when said wireless key device is positioned to said wireless lock device within a predetermined distance to receive the pilot signal, said wireless key device maintains a communication state with the wireless lock device after transmitting the lock access code, and said wireless key device returns to a second idle state after receiving the locking return message from the wireless lock device.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said wireless lock device further comprises a first memory for storing the lock controlling code.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein said wireless key device further comprises a second memory for storing the lock access code.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein said first communication means comprises:

a first transmitter for transmitting the wireless transmission signal, including the pilot signal; and

a first receiver for receiving the wireless reception signal.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein said second communication means comprises:

a second transmitter for transmitting the wireless reception signal, including the lock access code, to said first receiver of said wireless lock device; and

a second receiver for receiving the wireless transmission signal from said first transmitter of said wireless lock device.

10. The device of claim 5, wherein said wireless transmission signal is a radio frequency signal.

11. The device of 5, wherein said wireless transmission signal is an infrared signal.

12. In a controlling method of a wireless key device for performing a locking/unlocking operation of a wireless lock device automatically by performing wireless communication with said wireless lock device for transmitting a pilot signal in a first idle state and automatically releasing the locked state of a lock when a received lock access code is identical to a stored lock controlling code, an improvement comprising the steps of:

checking whether said wireless lock device is recognizable to the wireless key device when said pilot signal is received in a second idle state;

transmitting said lock access code if said wireless lock device is recognizable, and otherwise, returning to said second idle state; and

maintaining a communication state with the wireless lock device after transmitting said stored lock access code, and returning to said second idle state when a locking return message is received from said wireless lock device.