Proximity card detection system

• US 6,535,136 B1
• Filed: 02/03/1999
• Issued: 03/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stanley Security Solutions Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Best Block Co
• Inventors: Rodenbeck, Robert Wilmer, Long, Michael Lee, Russell, Roger Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): TONG, NINA C
• Application Number:
  US09/243,772
• Time in Patent Office: 1,504 Days
• Field of Search: 340/686.6, 340/686.1, 340/505, 340/540, 340/528, 340/542, 340/825.69, 340/5.21, 340/10.1, 340/539, 340/534, 340/535, 340/5.2, 235/380, 235/382, 380/277, 380/281-285, 380/30, 380/44, 380/52, 702/781, 702/80
• US Class Current: 340/686.6
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10128 the step consisting of detection of the presence of one or more record carriers in the vicinity of the interrogation device
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00373 whereby the wake-up circuit is situated in the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00777 by induction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/945 Proximity switches H03K17/96 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7068 Actuated after correct combination recognized [e.g., numerical, alphabetical, or magnet[s] pattern]

Abstract

A security system comprises a card containing access information, a reader for reading the card, a power source, a locking mechanism, and a first circuit for operating the locking mechanism. The power source is coupled to the first circuit to provide power to the first circuit. The power source is also coupled to a wake-up circuit to provide power to the wake-up circuit. The wake-up circuit detects the presence of an object and enables the reader to ascertain whether the object is the card. A method for operating the security system comprises first determining that electromagnetic energy is not being detected by the wake-up circuit, then determining that electromagnetic energy is being detected by the wake-up circuit, then determining that electromagnetic energy is not being detected by the wake-up circuit, and then ascertaining whether the object is the card.

Claims

1. A security system comprising

a card containing access information,

a locking mechanism,

a circuit coupled to the locking mechanism to operate the locking mechanism if the access information is read by the circuit, the circuit being configured to read the access information contained on the card after the circuit detects first the absence of electromagnetic energy, then the presence of intermittent electromagnetic energy, then the absence of intermittent electromagnetic energy during a preset period of the card being hold adjacent the circuit;

and

the circuit being configured to determine an amount of time that elapses between detecting the absence of electromagnetic energy and detecting the presence of the intermittent electromagnetic energy and between detecting the presence of the intermittent electromagnetic energy and detecting the absence of the intermittent electromagnetic energy.

2. The security system of claim 1 wherein the circuit includes a power portion, a wake-up portion, and a reader portion, the wake-up portion has a first amount of current draw from the power portion when the wake-up portion detects the presence and absence of electromagnetic energy, the reader portion has a second amount of current draw from the power portion when the reader portion reads the access information, and the second amount of current draw is greater than the first amount of current draw.

3. The security system of claim 1 wherein the circuit includes a capacitive read head.

4. The security system of claim 1 wherein the circuit includes an inductive read head.

5. The security system of claim 1 wherein the circuit includes a read head that senses electrical charge.

6. The security system of claim 1 wherein the circuit includes reader electronics, a wake-up circuit portion, a power source, a switch having a first state in which the power source is coupled to the reader electronics, and a second state in which the power source is not coupled to the reader electronics, the wake-up circuit switching the switch from the second state to the first state when the wake-up circuit detects the presence of the card.

7. The security system of claim 1 wherein the circuit configured to detect first the absence of electromagnetic energy, then the presence of electromagnetic energy, then the absence of electromagnetic energy includes a circuit configured to detect first the absence of infrared energy, then the presence of infrared energy, then the absence of infrared energy.

8. The security system of claim 1 wherein the circuit configured to detect first the absence of electromagnetic energy, then the presence of electromagnetic energy, then the absence of electromagnetic energy includes a circuit configured to detect first the absence of ultrasonic energy, then the presence of ultrasonic energy, then the absence of ultrasonic energy.

9. The security system of claim 1 wherein the circuit configured to detect first the absence of electromagnetic energy, then the presence of electromagnetic energy, then the absence of electromagnetic energy includes a circuit configured to detect first absence of a magnetic field, then the presence of a magnetic field, then the absence of a magnetic field.

10. The security system of claim 1 wherein the circuit includes an emitter that emits electromagnetic energy at least intermittently, the card being configured to reflect the electromagnetic energy emitted by the emitter when the card is placed in a path of electromagnetic energy emitted by the emitter, and the circuit further includes a detector that is configured to detect the reflected electromagnetic energy.

11. A security system for locking and unlocking a door, the security system comprising

a card containing access information,

a locking mechanism associated with the door,

a reader that, when activated, can read access information contained on the card,

access control electronics that, when activated, can receive access information read by the reader and process the received access information to determine if the received access information is valid, the access control electronics being configured to signal the locking mechanism to unlock the door if the received access information is valid, and

a wake-up circuit configured to detect the proximal presence of the card and, if the wake-up circuit detects the presence of the card, to activate the access control electronics and the reader, the wake-up circuit including an emitter that emits electromagnetic energy at least intermittently and a detector that detects intermittent electromagnetic energy reflected by the card, the wake-up circuit detecting the presence of the card by sensing with the detector that electromagnetic energy first was absent, then reflected intermittent electromagnetic energy was present, then the intermittent electromagnetic energy was absent again during a preset period of the card being adjacent the detector.

12. The security system of claim 11 further comprising a power source, the wake-up circuit drawing a first current from the power source when the wake-up circuit operates, the reader drawing a second current from the power source when the reader operates, the first current having a smaller magnitude than the second current.

13. The security system of claim 12 wherein the access control electronics draws a third current from the power source when the access control electronics operates, the third current having a larger magnitude than the first current, and the third current having a smaller magnitude than the second current.

14. The security system of claim 13 wherein the locking mechanism draws a fourth current from the power source to unlock the door, the fourth current having a larger magnitude than each of the first, second, and third currents.

15. The security system of claim 11 wherein the reader includes a capacitive read head.

16. The security system of claim 11 wherein the reader includes an inductive read head.

17. The security system of claim 11 wherein the reader includes a read head that senses electrical charge.

18. The security system of claim 11 further comprising a power source and a switch, the switch having a first state in which the power source is coupled to the reader and a second state in which the power source is not coupled to the reader, the wake-up circuit switching the switch between the first and second states.

19. The security system of claim 11 wherein the emitter that emits electromagnetic energy and the detector that detects electromagnetic energy comprise an emitter that emits infrared energy and a detector that detects infrared energy.

20. The security system of claim 11 wherein the emitter that emits electromagnetic energy and the detector that detects electromagnetic energy comprise an emitter that emits ultrasonic energy and a detector that detects ultrasonic energy.

21. The security system of claim 11 wherein the emitter that emits electromagnetic energy and the detector that detects electromagnetic energy comprise an emitter that generates a magnetic field and a detector that detects a magnetic field.

22. The security system of claim 11 wherein the wake-up circuit is configured to determine an amount of time that elapses between detecting the absence of electromagnetic energy and detecting the presence of the reflected intermittent electromagnetic energy.

23. The security system of claim 11 wherein the wake-up circuit is configured to determine an amount of time that elapses between detecting the presence of the reflected intermittent electromagnetic energy and detecting the absence of the reflected intermittent electromagnetic energy.

24. A security system comprising

a locking mechanism of a door,

a card containing access information,

a power source,

reader electronics configured to read the access information contained on the card, the reader electronics normally being powered down,

access control electronics configured to process the information that is contained on the card and that is read by the reader electronics, the access control electronics being configured to signal the locking mechanism to unlock the door when the information read by the reader electronics is determined by the access control electronics to be valid, the access control electronics normally being powered down, and

a wake-up circuit configured to detect the presence of the card, the power source being coupled to the wake-up circuit to provide power to the wake-up circuit, the wake-up circuit being coupled to the reader electronics and to the access control electronics, the wake-up circuit being configured to power up the reader electronics to read the card after the wake-up circuit detects the presence of the card, the wake-up circuit being configured to power up the access control electronics to receive the access information read by the reader electronics and to process the access information after the wake-up circuit detects the presence of the card, the wake-up circuit having a proximal detector configured to detect intermittent electromagnetic energy, the wake-up circuit being configured to power up the reader electronics and the access control electronics after the wake-up circuit determines (i) that electromagnetic energy was absent at the detector at a first time, (ii) that intermittent electromagnetic energy was present at the detector at a second time after the first time, and (iii) that intermittent electromagnetic energy was absent at the detector at a third time after the second time during a preset period of the card being adjacent the detector.

25. The security system of claim 24 wherein the wake-up circuit comprises an emitter that the intermittently emits electromagnetic energy and the intermittent electromagnetic energy detected by the detector is the intermittent electromagnetic energy that is reflected by the card.

26. The security system of claim 25 wherein the emitter comprises an infrared emitter and the detector comprises an infrared detector.

27. The security system of claim 24 wherein the wake-up circuit is configured to determine an amount of time that elapses between the first time and the second time.

28. The security system of claim 24 wherein the wake-up circuit is configured to determine an amount of time that elapses between the second time and the third time.

29. The security system of claim 24 wherein the detector configured to detect electromagnetic energy comprises a detector configured to detect infrared energy.

30. The security system of claim 24 wherein the detector configured to detect electromagnetic energy comprises a detector configured to detect ultrasonic energy.

31. The security system of claim 24 wherein the detector configured to detect electromagnetic energy comprises a detector configured to detect a magnetic field.

32. A method for operating a security system to unlock a door, the method comprising:

emitting intermittent electromagnetic energy from an emitter,

detecting a first absence of electromagnetic energy with a proximity detector capable of sensing the presence and absence of electromagnetic energy during a preset period of an access card being adjacent the detector,

detecting a presence of intermittent electromagnetic energy with the detector,

detecting a second absence of the intermittent electromagnetic energy with the detector,

supplying power from a power source to a reader after detecting the sequence above of the absence, presence and absence of electromagnetic energy with the detector to enable the reader to read access information contained on the access card selectively oriented in proximity to the reader,

supplying power from the power source to an access control circuit after detecting the sequence above of the absence, presence and absence of electromagnetic energy with the detector to enable the access control circuit to receive from the reader access information read by the reader and to process the access information to determine whether the access information is valid, and

sending a signal from the circuit to a locking mechanism to unlock the door when the access information on the card is determined to be valid by the access control circuit.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein emitting electromagnetic energy comprises emitting infrared energy.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein emitting electromagnetic energy comprises emitting ultrasonic energy.

35. The method of claim 32 wherein emitting electromagnetic energy comprises creating a magnetic field.

36. The method of claim 32 wherein detecting the presence of intermittent electromagnetic energy with the detector comprises detecting intermittent electromagnetic energy reflected by the access card.

37. The method of claim 32 wherein detecting the presence of electromagnetic energy with the detector comprises detecting infrared energy.

38. The method of claim 32 wherein detecting the presence of electromagnetic energy with the detector comprises detecting ultrasonic energy.

39. The method of claim 32 wherein detecting the presence of electromagnetic energy with the detector comprises detecting a magnetic field.

40. The method of claim 32 wherein supplying power from the power source to the access control occurs before supplying power to the reader.

41. The method of claim 32 further comprising determining time that elapses between detecting the first absence of electromagnetic energy and the detecting the presence of the intermittent electromagnetic energy.

42. The method of claim 32 further comprising determining time that elapses between detecting the presence of the intermittent electromagnetic energy and the detecting the second absence of the intermittent electromagnetic energy.

43. A security system for locking and unlocking a door, the security system comprising

a card containing access information,

a locking mechanism associated with the door,

a reader that, when activated, reads the access information contained on the card,

a first circuit that, when activated, receives the access information read by the reader and processes the access information to determine if the access information is valid, the first circuit being configured to signal the locking mechanism to unlock the door if the access information is valid, and

a wake-up circuit configured to detect the proximal presence of the card, the wake-up circuit being configured to activate the reader and to activate the first circuit if the wake-up circuit detects the presence of the card, the wake-up circuit detecting the presence of the card by sensing a first absence of electromagnetic energy, then sensing a presence of intermittent electromagnetic energy after sensing the first absence of electromagnetic energy, then sensing a second absence of the intermittent electromagnetic energy after sensing the presence of the intermittent electromagnetic energy during a preset period of the card being adjacent the wake-up circuit.

44. The security system of claim 43, further comprising a power source and a switch, the switch coupling the power source to the reader, and the switch being coupled to the wake-up circuit to be controlled by the wake-up circuit.

45. The security system of claim 43, wherein the wake-up circuit comprises an emitter of electromagnetic energy.

46. The security system of claim 45, wherein the emitter emits infrared energy.

47. The security system of claim 45, wherein the emitter emits ultrasonic energy.

48. The security system of claim 45, wherein the emitter emits a magnetic field.

49. The security system of claim 43, wherein the electromagnetic energy detected by the wake-up circuit comprises infrared energy.

50. The security system of claim 43, wherein the electromagnetic energy detected by the wake-up circuit comprises ultrasonic energy.

51. The security system of claim 43, wherein the electromagnetic energy detected by the wake-up circuit comprises a magnetic field.

52. The security system of claim 43, wherein the reader has a sensor to sense changes in capacitance and the reader uses the sensor to read the access information from the card.

53. The security system of claim 43, wherein the reader has a sensor to sense changes in inductance and the reader uses the sensor to read the access information from the card.

54. The security system of claim 43, wherein the reader has a sensor to sense changes in electrical charge and the reader uses the sensor to read the access information from the card.

55. The security system of claim 43, wherein the wake-up circuit is determine an amount of time that elapses between sensing the first absence of electromagnetic energy and sensing the presence of the intermittent electromagnetic energy.

56. The security system of claim 43, wherein the wake-up circuit is configure to determine an amount of time that elapses between sensing the presence of the intermittent electromagnetic energy and sensing the second absence of the intermittent electromagnetic energy.

57. The security system of claim 43, wherein the electromagnetic energy sensed by the wake-up circuit includes intermittent electromagnetic energy emitted by the wake-up circuit and reflected back to the wake-up circuit by the card.