Communication device

• US 20060007005A1
• Filed: 07/31/2003
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yui, Yasuji, Yaegashi, Akira, Matsumura, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,212,114 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.400
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/10 together with the recording, indicating or registering of other data, e.g. of signs of identity
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/20 Checking timed patrols, e.g. of watchman
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/32 Time-recording locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00777 by induction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/62 Comprising means for indicating the status of the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00904 for hotels, motels, office buildings or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002

Abstract

A communication apparatus is provided that can urge a person who is not at home such as, for example, a child to come back home when scheduled coming home time comes and can inform a notification of the time at which the child comes home, for example, to the parent. The communication apparatus includes first communication means which communicates with an electronic key device in which at least electronic key information is stored, and door lock control means which compares the electronic key information received and electronic key information stored in a storage section with each other and controls a lock apparatus for a door based on the result of the comparison. The communication apparatus further includes user recognition means which recognizes a user of the electronic key device based on the information received from the electronic key device through the first communication means. Sender control means controls based on the result of the recognition by the user recognition means so that information regarding passing in/out of the user of the electronic key device is transmitted to a notification destination determined in advance through second communication means.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus, comprising:

first communication means for communicating with an electronic key device in which at least electronic key information is stored;

second communication means for transmitting information through a communication network;

a storage section for storing electronic key information;

door lock control means for comparing the electronic key information received from said electronic key device through said first communication means and the electronic key information stored in said storage section with each other and controlling a lock apparatus for a door based on the result of the comparison;

user recognition means for recognizing a user of said electronic key device based on the information received from said electronic key device through said first communication means; and

sender control means for controlling based on the result of the recognition by said user recognition means so that information regarding passing in/out of the user of said electronic key device is transmitted to a notification destination determined in advance through said second communication means.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

setting storing means for accepting and storing setting of the user of said electronic key device with regard to whom information regarding the passing in/going out is to be transmitted to the notification destination;

said sender control means transmitting information regarding passing in/out of the set user of said electronic key device to the notification destination through said second communication means.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said setting storage section accepts and stores a setting input of time information corresponding to the user of said electronic key device together with the user, and

said sender control means controls, if the set user of said electronic key device is not recognized by said user recognition means even after the time corresponding to the time information of the setting input elapses, information regarding that passing in/out of the user of said electronic key device does not occur is transmitted to the notification destination through said second communication means.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the notification destination is the set user of said electronic key device, and the information regarding that passing in/out of the user of said electronic key device does not occur is information for urging the user of said electronic key device to perform the passing in/out.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the notification destination is a person different from the set user of said electronic key device.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

when the set user of said electronic key device is recognized by said user recognition means after the time corresponding to the set time information elapses, the information regarding coming in/going out of the user of said electronic key device is transmitted to the notification destination through said second communication means.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the electronic key information is formed from identification information with which the user of said electronic key device can be identified, and

said user recognition means recognizes the user of said electronic key device who comes in/goes out through said door based on the electronic key information received from said electronic key device.

8. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the electronic key information is identification information allocated and unitarily managed so that the same electronic key information may not exist,

said communication apparatus further comprises a personal information storage section for storing personal information with which an owner of said electronic key device can be specified corresponding to the electronic key information and means for comparing the electronic key information received from said electronic key device and the electronic key information stored in said storage section with each other and managing coming in/going out of the owner of said electronic key device through said door based on the result of the comparison, and

said user recognition means recognizes the user of said electronic key device who comes in/goes out through said door based on the electronic key information received from said electronic key device.