Method, Electronic Cover, and Access Unit for Providing Access to a Zone by Means of a Card

• US 20090121829A1
• Filed: 03/01/2006
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens Schweiz AG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Schweiz AG (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Burro, Gino, Kym, Peter, Sprich, Olaf, Ruegsegger, Stefan, Lauper, Alfred, Brandli, Willi
• Application Number:
  US11/922,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20090121829A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.200
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

An access system includes a portable pouch and an access unit. The pouch has an inserted electronic card, a card receive module and a send/receive module. The access unit is assigned to a transit region of the zone and has a send/receive unit for a communication with the send/receive module of the pouch. To provide access, the tag is transmitted to the send/receive unit of the access unit when the pouch is within range of the send/receive unit. If the tag received by the send/receive unit matches a stored tag, an unblocking signal for providing access to the zone is generated. A signal detector of the pouch detects an electromagnetic field generated by a send unit arranged in the transit region, and information transmitted by the electromagnetic field is processed. A bidirectional communication between the send/receive unit of the access unit and the send/receive module of the pouch is initiated.

Claims

1-22. -22. (canceled)

23. In a system for providing access to a predetermined zone and including a portable pouch having an inserted electronic card, a card receive module and a send/receive module coupled to the card receive module, wherein the electronic card includes at least one tag, and wherein the tag is transmitted in a wireless manner from the card to the card receive module, and an access unit assigned to a transit region of the zone and having a send/receive unit configured for a communication with the send/receive module of the pouch, a method for providing access to the predetermined zone, comprising:

transmitting the tag to the send/receive unit of the access unit when the pouch is within a predetermined range of the first send/receive unit;

determining by the access unit if the tag received by the send/receive unit matches a stored tag;

generating an unblocking signal for providing access to the zone if the received tag and the stored tag match;

detecting with a signal detector of the pouch an electromagnetic field generated by a send unit arranged in the transit region;

processing information transmitted by means of the electromagnetic field, wherein the information defines a predetermined minimum receive level necessary for activating electronic components of the pouch; and

initiating a bidirectional communication between the send/receive unit of the access unit and the send/receive module of the pouch.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising activating the electronic components of the pouch in a step-by-step manner depending on further information transmitted during the bidirectional communication.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein a loop antenna is arranged in the pouch, the loop antenna being provided for receiving the electromagnetic field from the send unit and for transmitting the tag from the card to the card receive module.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising, by means of the bidirectional communication, transmitting a tag of the pouch to the send/receive unit of the access unit, wherein the tag of the pouch and a further stored tag are used for the generation of the unblocking signal.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the send/receive unit of the access unit is connected to a card load modulation unit in the access unit, which emulates the card located in the pouch, so that in the access unit a card reader corresponding to the card is subsequently connected to a computer system for the generation of the unblocking signal.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the send/receive unit of the access unit is connected by wire to a card reader corresponding to the card for connection to a computer system for the generation of the unblocking signal.

29. The method of claim 23, further comprising terminating wireless transmission from the card to the card receive module in the pouch, and transmitting by means of the bidirectional communication encryption information in accordance with a PKI method.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising transmitting, by means of the bidirectional communication, a message from the send/receive unit of the access unit to the send/receive module of the pouch, and displaying the message on a display element of the pouch.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the message is sent from the send/receive unit of the access unit based on at least one of:

an activation of an operating element located on a further pouch, and

an interaction of the computer system.

32. An electronic portable pouch, comprising:

a support for attaching a card storing a tag;

a card receive module located on the pouch, wherein the card receive module is configured to receive the tag in a wireless manner when the card s attached;

a send/receive module connected to the card receive module and configured to provide for a bidirectional communication with an access unit for providing access to a zone; and

a signal detector configured to detect an electromagnetic field and to activate the send/receive module for bidirectional communication with the access unit, wherein a common loop antenna is provided for receiving the electromagnetic field and for wireless transmission of the tag from the card to the card receive module.

33. The pouch of claim 32, further comprising at least one wired interface for configuring data to be transmitted to the pouch.

34. The pouch of claim 32, wherein the tag is personified, and wherein the personified tag is transmitted from the send/receive module to the access unit.

35. The pouch of claim 32, wherein a further tag is assigned to the pouch, and wherein the further tag is transmitted to the access unit via the send/receive module.

36. The pouch of claim 32, further comprising a display element configured to display at least one of operating modes, detection data, transactions and references.

37. The pouch of claim 32, wherein at least one operating element is arranged on the pouch, and wherein the operating element is configured to allow one of setting an operating mode and activating user interaction for access to a user interaction zone.

38. The pouch of claim 32, further comprising at least one of an acoustic and a tactile display element.

39. The pouch of claim 38, further comprising at least one operating element configured to control a display content of the display element.

40. The pouch of claim 32, further comprising a telegram filter configured analyze transmitted information in order to activate further electronic components of the pouch subject to the received information in a step-by-step manner.

41. The pouch of claim 32, further comprising an encryption unit configured to operate in accordance with a PKI method.

42. An access unit for providing access to a zone with an electronic card containing at least one personified tag, comprising:

a send/receive unit for communication with an electronic pouch containing a card in order that a personified tag is transmitted from the pouch to the send/receive unit;

a card reader;

and a card load modulation unit connected to the send/receive unit, wherein the tag is transmitted by means of a card emulation.