Door lock and operation mechanism

• US 7,463,132 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Issued: 12/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sheng Bill Deng, Sheng Yung Deng
• Original Assignee: Sheng Bill Deng, Sheng Yung Deng
• Inventors: Deng, Sheng Yung, Deng, Sheng Bill
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman; Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Nam V
• Application Number:
  US11/026,778
• Publication Number:
  US 20050116480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 340 52- 53, 340 55- 58, 702/781, 702/784, 70/38, 702/13, 704/32, 701/07, 702/77, 348152-156, 382/118, 382/545.1
• US Class Current: 340/5.2
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/0083 Sound emitting devices, e.g. loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0002 with electromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0676 by disconnecting the handle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/37 Portable securer plate or bar
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7062 Electrical type [e.g., solenoid]

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 locking doorknob is an electro mechanical device which can be powered by a remote electrical power system, specifically by electromagnetic induction through the door latch and strike plate. During operation, as soon as a user grasps the doorknob, a 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. An image capture device may also be combined with the doorknob to facilitate recognition of persons using or attempting to use the doorknob. In this way, fingerprint recognition, continuous real time security and opening of the door are performed at the same time.

Claims

1. A programmable biometric door locking apparatus comprising:

a door operation device comprising;

a door handle and a door handle support body defining a rotational axis about which the door handle rotates relative to the support body;

a bolt having a locked and an unlocked state as controlled by a locking mechanism;

an electronic user verification system comprising;

a first input having a non-optical biometric fingerprint scanning surface aligned on an outer surface of the door handle for receiving input data from direct contact with a user'"'"'s fingerprint;

a memory for storing comparison data;

a processor for comparing received input data with the stored comparison data and producing an output instruction to the locking mechanism to place the bolt in the locked or the unlocked state;

a second input positioned on the door handle support body apart from the first input to facilitate the storage of comparison data in the memory;

an image capture device communicating with at least one of a controller and the processor for acquiring an image; and

wherein the second input includes a control pad having a selection button for selecting between a plurality of operation modes of the door locking apparatus including at least one of the operation modes of, enroll, erase, enter passcode, system reset, system log, set time as displayed on a visual display positioned on the support body.

2. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a positive match is determined between the user'"'"'s fingerprint and the comparison data the output instruction causes the locking mechanism to actuate the door latch 70 to the unlocked position.

3. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an environmental conditions sensor connected to an environmental conditions indicator incorporated within the door opening device.

4. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a power source integral with the door opening device and directly connected to the locking mechanism and user verification system.

5. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the remote power source separate from the door opening device is a source coil of an induction circuit which generates a current in an induction coil in the door opening mechanism to provide electrical power to the operate the locking mechanism and user verification system.

6. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the source coil of the induction circuit is located in a door frame and aligned coaxially adjacent the induction coil in the door opening device when the door is in a closed position.

7. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein the source coil is circumferentially aligned about a strike plate located in the door frame and the induction coil is coaxially aligned with a door latch bolt which engages the strike plate when the door is in the closed position.

8. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the processor instructs an image capture device associated with the door locking apparatus to acquire an image according to a preprogrammed set of instructions.

9. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein the image capture device transmits an acquired image to a remote image display device via a network interface.

10. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein the image capture device transmits an acquired image to the processor for storage.

11. The door locking apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein the image capture device transmits an acquired image to a computer network via a network interface.