Passive entry sensor system

• US 20060232379A1
• Filed: 06/21/2005
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Schweizer, Pascal, Gierczak, Marek, Kettle, Adrian, Crawford, Alex, Shelley, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,375,613 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.620
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/76 Detection of handle operation; Detection of a user approaching a handle; Electrical switching actions performed by door handles
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/77 comprising sensors detecting the presence of the hand of a user
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/78 as part of a hands-free locking or unlocking operation
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/65 using means for sensing the user's hand
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/941 using an optical detector H03K17/968 takes precedence

Abstract

Passive entry sensor systems and associated sensors are disclosed. The system sensor is locatable in the handle of a door or like structure and can provide an electromagnetic radiation beam transmitted either along the length of the handle between opposite ends thereof or between the handle and the door such that the sensor can detect at least a partial interruption of the beam by a user actuating the handle. The system can include an independent optical locking switch for actuation by a user to lock the door which locking switch comprises a shutter for intercepting the beam so as to flag the sensor. The system can include a power-up switch for actuation by a user to power-up the system, back-up switches for detecting a pull on the handle, indicators for indicating system status to the user, and backlight and ground light lighting.

Claims

1. A passive entry sensor system for use with a keyless access control system, comprising:

a sensor comprising an electromagnetic radiation emitter for transmitting a beam of electromagnetic radiation and an electromagnetic radiation detector for detecting the electromagnetic radiation beam, said emitter and detector being located in an optical enclosure of said sensor, wherein at least a portion of said optical enclosure is locatable in a handle such that the sensor can detect at least a partial interruption or other change in transmission of the beam caused by a user actuating the handle to open a door or like structure.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an independent optical locking switch comprising a shutter for intercepting the beam, said sensor being configured to detect at least a partial interruption or other change in transmission of the beam caused by actuation of the shutter.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said sensor includes a signal processor coupled to said detector such that said processor detects the change in beam transmission caused by the user actuating said locking switch and such that said processor detects the change in transmission caused by the user actuating the handle to open the door, said processor providing associated output control signals to an access control mechanism for controlling the operation of a locking device.

4. The system of claim 1, further including a power-up switch for actuation by a user to provide a signal to a control module to power up said system.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said independent locking switch includes a switch member, for actuation by a user, operatively coupled or connected to said shutter and said power-up switch such that movement of said switch member to a first position causes said shutter to flag the sensor and such that movement of said switch member to a second position triggers said power-up switch.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein said shutter is operatively mountable to the handle or sensor whereby said shutter can be actuated to intercept the beam within the optical enclosure to change transmission of the beam and thereby flag the sensor at least once.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein said shutter is made from a material such that the beam is sufficiently attenuated by the shutter intercepting the beam to enable the sensor to detect said attenuation.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said optical enclosure is locatable at or adjacent one end of a door handle whereby the emitted beam can be transmitted along the length of the handle and reflected back for detection by the sensor.

9. The system of claim 8, including a beam reflector for reflecting the emitted beam, said reflector being locatable at or adjacent an opposing end of said handle such that the detector can detect the reflected emitted beam.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said optical enclosure is locatable between opposing ends of said handle whereby the emitted beam can be transmitted beneath the handle towards the door and can be reflected back to the handle for detection by the sensor.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a back-up switch for detecting handle motion, said back-up switch providing an output control signal to an access control mechanism in response to actuation of the back-up switch by movement of said handle in the event of the sensor failing to detect a user actuating the handle.

12. A passive entry sensor system for use in a keyless access system comprising:

a sensor for incorporating in a handle, said sensor having an electromagnetic radiation emitter for transmitting a beam of electromagnetic radiation and an electromagnetic radiation detector for detecting the electromagnetic radiation beam, and

an independent optical locking switch comprising a shutter for intercepting and changing transmission of the beam,

wherein said sensor is locatable in said handle such that the sensor can detect at least a partial interruption or other change in transmission of the beam caused by a user actuating the handle to open the door and such that the sensor can detect at least a partial interruption or other change in transmission of the beam caused by the user actuating the shutter.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said sensor includes a power-up switch for actuation by a user to provide a signal to a control module to power up said system and wherein said independent locking switch includes a switch member, for actuation by a user, operatively coupled or connected to said shutter and said power-up switch such that movement of said switch member to a first position causes said shutter to flag the sensor and such that movement of said switch member to a second position triggers said power-up switch.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said sensor includes a signal processor coupled to said detector such that said processor can detect a change in beam transmission caused by the user actuating said locking switch and such that the processor can detect a change in transmission caused by the user actuating the handle, said processor providing corresponding output control signals to an access control mechanism for controlling the operation of a locking device.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein said sensor is locatable at or adjacent one end of a door handle and further including a reflector locatable at an opposing end of the handle whereby the emitted beam can be transmitted along the length of the handle and reflected back by the reflector to the sensor such that the detector can detect the reflected beam.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the sensor includes a back-up switch for detecting handle motion, said back-up switch providing an output control signal to an access control mechanism in response to actuation of the back-up switch by movement of said handle in the event of the sensor failing to detect a user actuating the handle.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein said shutter includes a switch member locatable in said handle, said switch member being coupled to said shutter for actuation thereof and wherein said sensor further includes at least one indicator LED optically coupled to said switch member for illuminating said switch member to indicate to a user at least one system mode in response to a signal from a control module.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein said sensor further includes at least one LED and at least one lens or other optical element for allowing passage of light from said sensor through at least one corresponding aperture of said handle such that, when said sensor is incorporated in said handle, the or each LED can be activated by a control module to illuminate the door beneath the hand and/or the ground below the handle.

19. A method of providing keyless access to a door or like structure, the method comprising the steps of:

generating a beam of electromagnetic radiation,

transmitting said electromagnetic radiation beam along the length of a handle or between the handle and a door,

at least partially interrupting the beam by actuating the handle,

sensing at least a partial interruption of the beam or other change in transmission of the beam caused by the user actuating the handle,

generating a first output signal in response to sensing said change in beam transmission caused by actuating the handle,

processing said first output signal to provide an actuation signal, and

sending said actuation signal to an access control mechanism to unlock said door or like structure.

20. A method of claim 19 including the steps of:

at least partially interrupting or changing the beam transmission by intercepting the beam with a shutter,

sensing at least a partial interruption or other change in beam transmission caused by a user actuating a shutter to intercept the beam,

generating a second output signal in response to sensing said change in beam transmission caused by actuating the shutter,

processing said second output signal to provide a second actuation signal, and sending said actuation signal to an access control mechanism to lock said door or like structure.