SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ACCESSING A STRUCTURE USING DIRECTIONAL ANTENNAS AND A WIRELESS TOKEN
A wireless device access system that employs directional antennas for short-range wireless communication to detect the proximity and orientation of a user device with respect to a structure is disclosed. The access system receives and authenticates an unlock request and confirms the proximity and orientation of the user device prior to transmitting an unlock command to the structure. Additionally, the wireless device may require the proximity of a user token prior to operation and/or the access system may include an override within the structure blocking any unlock command.
1 . An access system allowing a user to access an enclosed area using a wireless user device, the access system comprising:
a database storing access permissions identifying at least one wireless user device authorized to access said enclosed area;
a mechanical locking device securing a point of entry to said enclosed area, said locking device operably connected to at least one short-range wireless receiver suitable for receiving an unlock request from said wireless user device and subsequently responding by granting access through said point of entry when said unlock request is authorized using said database,
wherein said at least one short-range wireless receiver includes a first and second directional antenna which are mounted to said point of entry and oriented such that the centers of their fields of reception are offset by an angle of at least 130 degrees, and
wherein said authorizing requires a comparison of the received signal strength indicator of said first directional antenna to that of said second directional antenna.
2 . The access system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one short-range wireless radio is a Bluetooth radio.
3 . The access system according to claim 1 , wherein the centers of the fields of reception of said first and said second directional antennas are offset by an angle of at least 150 degrees.
4 . The access system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one short-range wireless radio is an 802.11 radio.
5 . The access system according to claim 1 , wherein said enclosed area is a structure and said point of entry is a door.
6 . The access system according to claim 5 , wherein said mechanical locking device is located in the mortise of said door.
7 . The access system according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of said first and said second directional antennas is located in the mortise of said door.
8 . The access system according to claim 5 , wherein said structure is a hotel room.
9 . The access system according to claim 1 , wherein said wireless user device is a mobile telephone.
10 . The access system according to claim 2 , wherein said wireless user device is a mobile telephone.
11 . An method for granting access to an enclosed area based on a wireless user device, the method comprising the steps of:
maintaining a database storing access permissions identifying at least one wireless user device authorized to access one or more enclosed areas;
receiving a first unlock request for an identified enclosed area at an access node from a wireless user device, wherein at least one point of entry of said enclosed area is within the transmission range of said access node;
authenticating at least a portion of said unlock request using a said database;
transmitting a wake-up request and an access code from said access node to a short range wireless radio connected to said mechanical locking device securing a point of entry to said identified enclosed area;
receiving a second unlock request at said short range wireless radio from a wireless user device, wherein said second unlock request includes a security code; and
unlocking said mechanical lock device to provide access to said enclosed area in the event said security access code matches said access code.
12 . The access system according to claim 11 , further comprising the steps of:
determining a received signal strength indicator for said wireless user device for each of a first and second directional antenna positioned near said point of entry, wherein the centers of the fields of reception of said first and said second directional antennas are offset by an angle of at least 130 degrees; and
wherein said unlocking requires that the ratio of said first and said second received signal strength indicators indicates that said wireless user device is outside of said enclosed area.
13 . The access system according to claim 12 , wherein said at least one short-range wireless radio is a Bluetooth radio.
14 . The access system according to claim 12 , wherein said at least one short-range wireless radio is a 915 MHz radio.
15 . The access system according to claim 12 , wherein said at least one short-range wireless radio is an 802.11 radio.
16 . The access system according to claim 12 , wherein the centers of the fields of reception of said first and said second directional antennas are offset by an angle of at least 150 degrees.
17 . The access system according to claim 12 , wherein said enclosed area is a structure and said point of entry is a door.
18 . The access system according to claim 17 , wherein said mechanical locking device is located in the mortise of said door.
19 . The access system according to claim 18 , wherein at least one of said first and said second directional antennas is located in the mortise of said door.
20 . The access system according to claim 12 , wherein said wireless user device is a mobile telephone.
21 . An access system allowing a user to access a structure using a wireless user device, the access system comprising:
a database storing access permissions identifying at least one wireless user device authorized to access said structure and one access node authorized to permit access to said structure;
a mechanical locking device securing a door of said structure, said locking device having at least one short-range wireless receiver suitable for receiving and authenticating an unlock command for a predetermined time after the receipt of a wireless wake-up command and responding to a properly authenticated unlock command by unlocking said door;
wherein said at least one short-range wireless receiver includes a first and second directional antenna which are mounted to said door and oriented such that the centers of their fields of reception are offset by an angle of at least 130 degrees, and
wherein said authorizing requires a comparison of the received signal strength indicator of said first directional antenna to that of said second directional antenna; and an access node positioned near said structure comprising:
a first short-range wireless radio for receiving a wireless access request directly from a wireless user device; and
a second short-range wireless radio for transmitting a wake-up command to said mechanical locking device in response to receiving an authorized request.