SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING EQUIPMENT SENSITIVE TO ELECTRO-STATIC DISCHARGE
A system and apparatus for protecting equipment sensitive to electro-static discharge is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an Electro-Static Discharge (ESD) key entry system for providing access to a restricted area that includes a locking element, a wireless element, and a controller element to manage operations of the locking element and the wireless element. The controller element can wirelessly detect an ESD protector in a vicinity to the ESD key entry system and enable the locking element to provide access to the restricted area. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
1 . An Electro-Static Discharge (ESD) key entry system for providing access to a restricted area, comprising:
a locking element;
a wireless element; and
a controller element to manage operations of the locking element and the wireless element, wherein the controller element:
wirelessly detects an ESD protector in a vicinity to the ESD key entry system; and
enables the locking element to provide access to the restricted area.
2 . The ESD key entry system of claim 1 , wherein the locking element comprises a bolting system that locks and unlocks a door that leads to the restricted area responsive to instructions supplied by the controller element.
3 . The ESD key entry system of claim 1 , wherein the locking element comprises a key system that locks and unlocks a bolting system of a door that leads to the restricted area responsive to instructions supplied by the controller element.
4 . The ESD key entry system of claim 3 , wherein the key system comprises a housing assembly to physically engage with the bolting system.
5 . The ESD key entry system of claim 3 , wherein the key system comprises a wireless transmitter to wirelessly engage with the bolting system.
6 . The ESD key entry system of claim 5 , wherein the wireless transmitter operates according to one among a group of 802.xx protocols defined by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
7 . The ESD key entry system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless element comprises a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader.
8 . The ESD key entry system of claim 1 , wherein the ESD protector comprises a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag.
9 . The ESD key entry system of claim 8 , wherein the RFID tag is at least one among an active RFID tag and a passive RFID tag.
10 . The ESD key entry system of claim 1 , wherein the controller element:
wirelessly receives from the ESD protector a code; and
enables the locking element to provide access to the restricted area responsive to validating said code.
11 . The ESD key entry system of claim 10 , wherein the code comprises at least one among a first identification of a type of ESD protector, and a second identification that identifies an owner of said ESD protector.
12 . An Electro-Static Discharge (ESD) protector, comprising a wireless element to transmit a signal to enable access to a restricted area.
13 . The ESD protector of claim 12 , wherein the wireless element transmits information associated with the ESD protector to an ESD key entry system to enable access to the restricted area.
14 . The ESD protector of claim 13 , wherein the wireless element transmits said information responsive to a request from said ESD key entry system.
15 . The ESD protector of claim 13 , wherein the wireless element transmits said information responsive to the ESD protector being properly worn by an end user of said ESD protector.
16 . The ESD protector of claim 12 , wherein the wireless element comprises a wireless transmitter operating according to one among a group of 802.xx protocols defined by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
17 . The ESD protector of claim 12 , wherein the wireless element comprises a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, and wherein the RFID tag is at least one among an active RFID tag and a passive RFID tag.
18 . The ESD protector of claim 17 , wherein the RFID tag comprises:
an antenna;
a transmitter coupled to the antenna;
a memory that stores information associated with the ESD protector; and
a controller element that directs the transmitter to transmit a portion of said stored information to an ESD key entry system to enable access to the restricted area.
19 . The ESD protector of claim 18 , wherein the information associated with the ESD protector comprises at least one among a first identification of a type of ESD protector, and a second identification that identifies an owner of said ESD protector.
20 . A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, comprising a wireless element utilized by an Electro-Static Discharge (ESD) protector to enable access to a restricted area.
21 . The RFID tag of claim 20 , wherein the RFID tag is at least one among an active RFID tag and a passive RFID tag, and wherein the wireless element comprises:
an antenna;
a transmitter coupled to the antenna;
a memory that stores information associated with the ESD protector; and
a controller element that directs the transmitter to transmit a portion of said stored information to an ESD key entry system to enable access to the restricted area.
22 . The RFID tag of claim 21 , wherein the information associated with the ESD protector comprises at least one among a first identification of a type of ESD protector, and a second identification that identifies an owner of said ESD protector.