Locking doorknob which recognizes a finger print

• US 6,374,652 B1
• Filed: 10/18/1999
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Keico Limited
• Original Assignee: Keico Limited
• Inventors: Hwang, Moon Sung
• Primary Examiner(s): Gall, Lloyd A.
• Application Number:
  US09/419,640
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 702/83, 702/781, 702/77, 382/124-126, 340/5.53, 340/5.83, 340/5.7, 292/350
• US Class Current: 70/277
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/858 Screw
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7062 Electrical type [e.g., solenoid]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7068 Actuated after correct combination recognized [e.g., numerical, alphabetical, or magnet[s] pattern]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/713 Dogging manual operator

Abstract

A locking doorknob which recognizes a fingerprint, in which the detecting sensor of a fingerprint is installed on the spot of the doorknob that a thumb or other fingers are placed naturally as the door is being opened. The location of the detecting sensor of the fingerprint can be changed at the discretion of a user to correspond to such a location. During operation, as soon as a user holds the doorknob, his fingerprint is measured and searched, and if the fingerprint corresponds to a fingerprint previously input, the door is unlocked and the doorknob can be turned to open the door. In this way, fingerprint recognition and opening of the door are performed at the same time.

Claims

1. A locking doorknob which recognizes a fingerprint and unlocks a door upon recognition of the fingerprint, comprising:

a detecting sensor of a fingerprint for measuring a fingerprint of a user, said sensor having a length of wire attached; and

a door-lock operation shaft, having a portion that receives and encases a portion of said sensor, including the length of wire, said door-lock operation shaft being adapted to receive a door handle, whereby said sensor is encased within said portion of said shaft, the door becoming unlocked whenever the user grips the door handle and the measured fingerprint is recognized.

2. The locking doorknob which recognizes a fingerprint and unlocks a door upon recognition of the fingerprint, as claimed in claim 1, wherein a forward area of an inside portion of said door-lock operation shaft is formed as an incline to allow a window recognizing portion of said sensor to have an angle of inclination, the incline being open in order that said window recognizing portion may be exposed, and a sill for support is formed on a lower portion of an opening part of said door-lock operation shaft to facilitate holding inside the length of wire without the wire being exposed or damaged.

3. The locking doorknob which recognizes a fingerprint and unlocks a door upon recognition of the fingerprint, as claimed in claim 2, wherein said door-lock operation shaft further includes an interior passing flute, the passing flute being at a right angle to an inside portion of said door-lock operation shaft in order that a connector of the length of wire of said sensor may be inserted and removed.

4. The locking doorknob which recognizes a fingerprint and unlocks a door upon recognition of the fingerprint, as claimed in claim 3, wherein a sub-passing flute is formed at one side of said passing flute for carrying the length of wire along an inner portion of said door-lock operation shaft.

5. The locking doorknob which recognizes a fingerprint and unlocks a door upon recognition of the fingerprint, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a door-lock case, which houses a locking apparatus;

said door-lock case being adapted to be mounted on a door and being further adapted to receive an end of said door-lock operation shaft so that the door can be opened by gripping the door handle and actuating the door-lock operation shaft.

6. The locking doorknob which recognizes a fingerprint and unlocks a door upon recognition of the fingerprint, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said door-lock case is equipped with key buttons and associated electronics for receiving a password input from a user, as an alternative to measuring and recognizing a user'"'"'s fingerprint, the locking doorknob becoming unlocked whenever the password input matches a password previously stored in memory.

7. The locking doorknob which recognizes a fingerprint and unlocks a door upon recognition of the fingerprint, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a lamp formed inside said door-lock case, said lamp becoming illuminated whenever the door becomes unlocked and signifying that the door is to be opened.

8. The locking doorknob which recognizes a fingerprint and unlocks a door upon recognition of the fingerprint, as claimed in claim 1, wherein after a predetermined time limit elapses, the process of unlocking the door, either by measuring and recognizing a fingerprint or by inputting a password, is reinstated in order to restrain another'"'"'s unauthorized entrance.