Security structure unlocking system for use by emergency response personnel

• US 5,955,947 A
• Filed: 12/12/1996
• Issued: 09/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Click2Enter, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Click2Enter, Inc.
• Inventors: Baeyen, Robert, Sutsos, Pete, Nisenson, David, Triebel, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C.
• Application Number:
  US08/764,502
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 340/542, 340/506, 340/902, 340/904, 340/539, 340/825.31, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.73
• US Class Current: 340/5.21
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/04 Access control involving a hierarchy in access rights
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

An emergency response security structure-opening assembly for use in unlocking a locked structure comprising: a radio frequency receiver formed to detect only uncoded radio frequency signals on a restricted emergency radio frequency; an actuator coupled to said receiver and formed for coupling to one of a security structure lock assembly and an unlocking mechanism for a security structure lock assembly at a position by-passing any authorized user input device; said receiver being responsive to detected signals to actuate said actuator and produce unlocking of said lock assembly.

A method for providing an emergency response security structure-opening system for a locked structure having an authorized user input device comprising the steps of: coupling a radio frequency receiver assembly to a lock assembly for said locked structure at a position by-passing said authorized user input device, said receiver assembly being formed to detect the presence of signals on only a restricted emergency radio frequency and formed to be responsive to a detected signal to unlock said lock assembly; and unlocking said lock assembly by transmitting a signal on said restricted emergency radio frequency to receiver.

Claims

1. A secure structural assembly comprising:

a movable security structure having a closed, locked position and an opened, unlocked position;

a lock assembly formed to lock said movable security structure in its closed position;

an unlocking mechanism coupled to and formed for unlocking of said lock assembly;

an authorized user input device coupled to the unlocking mechanism and formed to unlock the lock assembly in response to an authorized user input through said user input device; and

a separate security structure-opening assembly coupled to said unlocking mechanism at a position bypassing said authorized user input device and including a reduced sensitivity radio frequency receiver responsive to at least one of a short duration radio frequency signal transmitted only from a limited range away from said receiver on a restricted radio frequency, and said security structure-opening assembly further being responsive only to detection of said signal in said radio frequency to actuate said unlocking mechanism;

said reduced sensitivity radio frequency receiver is a scanner formed to scan a plurality of restricted emergency radio frequencies to detect the presence of pulsed signals within a known time interval on one of said restricted emergency radio frequencies.

2. The secure structural assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein,

said scanner has a reduced sensitivity antenna formed to detect signals only from a very near range.

3. A secure structural assembly as set out in, claim 1 wherein,

said reduced sensitivity receiver includes an antenna mounted in a shielded horn.

4. A secure structural assembly as set out in claim 1 wherein,

said reduced sensitivity receiver includes an antenna mounted in a port formed for insertion of a hand-held radio transmitter antenna therein.

5. An emergency response security structure-opening assembly for use in unlocking a locked structure comprising:

a reduced sensitivity radio frequency receiver formed to detect radio frequency signals on a restricted emergency radio frequency transmitted only from a very near range;

an actuator coupled to a lock assembly and formed to unlock said structure;

an authorized user input device for receiving authorized user input other than on a restricted emergency radio frequency, said authorized user input device being operatively coupled to said actuator and being responsive to authorized user input to cause said actuator to unlock the lock assembly; and

said receiver being coupled to said actuator at a position bypassing said authorized user input device and being responsive to detected non-continuous signals to actuate said actuator and produce unlocking of said lock assembly so as to enable unlocking of said lock assembly by emergency response personnel using unmodified radio transmitter equipment transmitting on a restricted emergency radio frequency only from a very near range.

6. The security structure-opening assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein,

said reduced sensitivity receiver is provided as a scanner formed to scan a plurality of restricted emergency radio frequencies.

7. The security structure-opening assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein,

said scanner is coupled to a detector circuit, and said detector circuit is formed to actuate said actuator only upon receipt of a plurality of signals within a predetermined time interval.

8. A method of opening a secure structure having an authorized user input device for a user of the secure structure to gain access thereto, comprising the steps of:

coupling a radio frequency receiver assembly to a lock assembly for said secure structure at a position bypassing said authorized user input device, said receiver assembly having reduced sensitivity so as to only detect the presence of signals transmitted from a limited range on a restricted radio frequency not used by said authorized user input device, said receiver assembly also being formed to be responsive to detection of at least one of a pulsed and a coded radio frequency signal to unlock said lock assembly;

continuously operating said receiver assembly to monitor said restricted radio frequency for signals transmitted from a near range to said receiver assembly; and

unlocking said lock assembly by transmitting a signal on said restricted radio frequency at a near range from said receiver assembly.

9. The method as defined in claim 8 wherein,

said coupling step is accomplished by coupling a scanner/receiver to said lock assembly, said scanner/receiver being formed to scan a plurality of only restricted emergency radio frequencies to detect signals thereon.

10. The method as defined in claim 8 wherein,

said transmitting step is accomplished by transmitting signals from an emergency response vehicle located in close proximity to said locked structure.

11. The method for opening a secure structure as set out in claim 9, and the step of:

using an authorized carrier detector circuit located in said scanner/receiver to determine if said radio signal is repeatedly pulsed on and off within a fixed interval of time,

and during said transmitting step, transmitting a repeated pulsed on-off signal within a predetermined time interval.

12. The method for opening a locked structure as set out in claim 11 wherein,

said fixed interval of time is less than four seconds.

13. The method for opening a secure structure as set out in claim 9 wherein,

said transmitting step is accomplished by transmitting signals from a hand-held remote radio transmitter by an emergency response person.