Access control system for controlling the access to at least one space, and product including an access control system

• US 6,147,621 A
• Filed: 01/20/1998
• Issued: 11/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Rudolph, Thomas, Apschner, Martin, Spiess, Bernhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, MAN U
• Application Number:
  US09/009,747
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.31, 340/825.34, 340/825.54, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/426, 340/572.1, 342/42, 342/44, 342/51, 361/172, 380/287, 307/10.5, 70/256
• US Class Current: 340/5.2
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00277 opening of different locks separately
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

In an access control system (8)--which comprises a transponder communication device (9) and at least two transmission coils (11, 12) connected to the transponder communication device (9), for receiving transponder signals, of which a first transmission coil (11) is associated with a first door (2), and which comprises a first activation device (18 associated with the first transmission coil (11) and the first door (12), and which comprises a first door opener (23) for the first door (2) and a logic device (45) for activating the first door opener (23)--the two transmission coils (11, 12) have arbitrarily large receiving ranges and the first transmission coil (11) and at least one further transmission coil (12) are followed by amplitude detector (34, 36) by which the amplitudes of the transponder signals supplied by the two transmission coils (11, 12) can be detected and the logic device is arranged after the amplitude detector (34, 36) and adapted to detect a condition in which the amplitude of the transponder signal supplied by the first transmission coil (11) is greater than the amplitude supplied by the second transmission coil (12), which first door opener (23) for the first door (2) can be activated the logic device (45) only upon detection of this condition.

Claims

1. An access control system

for controlling access to at least one space via at least one door

and which includes a transponder communication device for providing contactless communication with at least one transponder which controls authorization to access via the at least one door,

and which includes at least two transmission coils each having a given receiving range for receiving transponder signals which each contain at least one type of authorization information

said coils being connected to the transponder communication device for detecting identification information representative of at least a part of a received transponder signal,

and which includes a first activation device for activation by an authorized person,

said first activation device being associated with the first transmission coil and the first door for initiating access to its associated first door

said first activation device being connected to the transponder communication device for generating first activation information representing the activated first activation device,

and which includes at least one door opener for activation by the transponder communication device so as to open a door,

and which includes a logic device for activating the door opener of the first door upon receipt of identification information representing at least a part of a transponder signal received by the first transmission coil, and of first activation information,

characterized in that

the transmission coils have arbitrarily large receiving ranges,

the first transmission coil and at least one further transmission coil are followed by amplitude detection means by which the amplitudes of the transponder signals supplied by these transmission coils are detected and by which, after the amplitudes have been detected, amplitude information is generated as identification information,

the amplitude information generated by the amplitude detection means is applied to the logic device as identification information,

the logic device detects a condition in which the amplitude of the transponder signal supplied by the first transmission coil is greater than the amplitude supplied by the at least one further transmission coil,

the door opener of the first door being activated only by means of the logic device upon detection of this condition.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the first transmission coil, which is associated with the first door and the first activation device, is associated, in addition, with a further first activation device, which in its turn is associated with a further first door.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a second transmission coil is associated with a second door and there has been provided at least one second activation device which can be activated by an authorized person and which is associated with the second transmission coil and the second door, by means of which second activation device the access via its associated second door can be initiated.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the second transmission coil, which is associated with the second door and the second activation device, is associated, in addition, with a further second activation device, which in its turn is associated with a further second door.

5. A product including an access control system

for controlling access to at least one space in the product via at least one door

and which includes a transponder communication device for providing contactless communication with at least one transponder which controls authorization to access via the at least one door,

and which includes at least two transmission coils each having a given receiving range for receiving transponder signals which each contain at least one type of authorization information

said coils being connected to the transponder communication device for detecting identification information representative of at least a part of a received transponder signal,

and which includes a first activation device for activation by an authorized person,

said first activation device being associated with the first transmission coil and the first door for initiating access to its associated first door

said first activation device being connected to the transponder communication device for generating first activation information representing the activated first activation device,

and which includes at least one door opener for activation by the transponder communication device so as to open a door,

and which includes a logic device for activating the door opener of the first door upon receipt of identification information representing at least a part of a transponder signal received by the first transmission coil, and of first activation information,

characterized in that

the transmission coils have arbitrarily large receiving ranges,

the first transmission coil and at least one further transmission coil are followed by amplitude detection means by which the amplitudes of the transponder signals supplied by these transmission coils are detected and by which, after the amplitudes have been detected, amplitude information is generated as identification information,

the amplitude information generated by the amplitude detection means is applied to the logic device as identification information,

the logic device detects a condition in which the amplitude of the transponder signal supplied by the first transmission coil is greater than the amplitude supplied by the at least one further transmission coil,

the door opener of the first door being activated only by means of the logic device upon detection of this condition.

6. A product as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the first transmission coil, which is associated with the first door and the first activation device, is associated, in addition, with a further first activation device, which in its turn is associated with a further first door.

7. A product as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that a second transmission coil is associated with a second door and there has been provided at least one second activation device which can be activated by an authorized person and which is associated with the second transmission coil and the second door, by means of which second activation device the access via its associated second door can be initiated.

8. A product as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the second transmission coil, which is associated with the second door and the second activation device, is associated, in addition, with a further second activation device, which in its turn is associated with a further second door.

9. A product as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the product is a motor vehicle and the first door is the driver'"'"'s door of the motor vehicle.

10. A product as claimed in 7, characterized in that the product is a motor vehicle and the first door is the driver'"'"'s door of the motor vehicle and the second door is the front passenger'"'"'s door.