Door locking/unlocking system utilizing direct and network communications
DCFirst Claim
Patent Images
1. A locking/unlocking arrangement for a door, comprising:
- a controller;
an electrically actuated mechanism for locking or unlocking a door in response to an electrical signal from the controller;
a cradle arranged to support different types of telephone handsets, said telephone handsets being capable of receiving telephone signals over a telephone network and outputting audio signals;
audio signal receiving and decoding circuitry electrically connected to the controller for receiving and decoding said audio signals from said telephone handset when the telephone handset is mounted in the cradle;
a sensor arranged to receive wireless signals directly from a portable transmitter;
non-audio wireless signal receiving circuitry connected between the sensor and the controller and arranged to transmit said wireless signals received by said sensor from said portable transmitter to the controller,wherein said controller is arranged to receive said audio signals from said telephone handset after decoding by audio signal receiving and decoding circuitry, and is further arranged to receive said wireless signals from said sensor and, depending on whether the controller has received said decoded audio signals or said wireless signals, compare either the decoded telephone signals or wireless signals with codes stored in a memory, and actuate the locking/unlocking mechanism in response to said comparison, andwhereby inclusion of said cradle arranged to support different types of telephone handsets permits a user to select a desired said network by selecting a handset arranged to receive signals from said network, andwhereby inclusion of a sensor and non-audio signal receiving circuitry in addition to said cradle and audio signal receiving and decoding circuitry permits the locking/unlocking mechanism to be actuated by signals transmitted directly from said portable transmitter to said controller, and also by telephone signals sent over said telephone network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A remote door locking/unlocking system includes both telephone receiver/DTMF decoder circuitry and a wireless radio frequency or infrared sensor for enabling the system to be actuated either by a portable short range transmitter or by any telephone. The telephone circuitry or handset may be removably installed in the door so that it can be used with a variety of different cellular or satellite communications systems. An alternative to DTMF and/or radio frequency or infrared activation, speech recognition could be used to interpret voice commands transmitted over the network or picked up by a microphone.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A locking/unlocking arrangement for a door, comprising:
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a controller; an electrically actuated mechanism for locking or unlocking a door in response to an electrical signal from the controller; a cradle arranged to support different types of telephone handsets, said telephone handsets being capable of receiving telephone signals over a telephone network and outputting audio signals; audio signal receiving and decoding circuitry electrically connected to the controller for receiving and decoding said audio signals from said telephone handset when the telephone handset is mounted in the cradle; a sensor arranged to receive wireless signals directly from a portable transmitter; non-audio wireless signal receiving circuitry connected between the sensor and the controller and arranged to transmit said wireless signals received by said sensor from said portable transmitter to the controller, wherein said controller is arranged to receive said audio signals from said telephone handset after decoding by audio signal receiving and decoding circuitry, and is further arranged to receive said wireless signals from said sensor and, depending on whether the controller has received said decoded audio signals or said wireless signals, compare either the decoded telephone signals or wireless signals with codes stored in a memory, and actuate the locking/unlocking mechanism in response to said comparison, and whereby inclusion of said cradle arranged to support different types of telephone handsets permits a user to select a desired said network by selecting a handset arranged to receive signals from said network, and whereby inclusion of a sensor and non-audio signal receiving circuitry in addition to said cradle and audio signal receiving and decoding circuitry permits the locking/unlocking mechanism to be actuated by signals transmitted directly from said portable transmitter to said controller, and also by telephone signals sent over said telephone network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A locking/unlocking arrangement for a door, comprising:
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a controller; an electrically actuated mechanism for locking or unlocking a door in response to an electrical signal from the controller; telephone signal receiving circuitry connected to the controller and arranged to receive and decode telephone signals that have been transmitted over a telephone network; a sensor arranged to receive wireless signals directly from a portable transmitter; non-telephone wireless signal receiving circuitry connected between the sensor and the controller and arranged to transmit said wireless signals to the controller, wherein said controller is arranged to receive said decoded telephone signals from said telephone signal receiving and decoding circuit and said wireless signals from said non-telephone wireless signal receiving circuitry and, depending on whether the controller has received said decoded telephone signals or said wireless signals, compare either the decoded telephone signals or wireless signals with codes stored in a memory, and actuate the locking/unlocking mechanism in response to said comparison, and wherein said controller is situated in a removable door panel arranged to be mounted in the door whose locking mechanism is to be remotely controlled, and whereby inclusion of a sensor and non-telephone wireless signal receiving circuitry in addition to said telephone signal receiving and decoding circuitry permits the locking/unlocking mechanism to be actuated by signals transmitted directly from said portable transmitter to said controller, and also by telephone signals sent over said telephone network. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification