System for managing access to an area, using remote control devices with a controlled battery charge level

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for managing access to an area, implementing a plurality of remote controls (1) and at least one access control device (2) capable of receiving information transmitted by the remote controls (1) to authorize, or not, access to the area, the remote controls integrating at least one battery (10) and a computer unit (11), the computer unit (11) containing a unique identifier (110), the access control device (2) being capable of communicating with a telecommunications network (4), the system including a computer platform (5) connected to a database (50) listing the unique identifiers (110) and capable of communicating with the telecommunications network (4), the remote controls (1) integrating a battery charge level sensor (100) intended to provide charge data to the computer platform (5) via the access control device (2), the database (50) comprising,for each unique identifier (110), a call number of a mobile computing unit (6), the computing platform (5) being configured to transmit the load data to the mobile computing unit (6).,

Description

BATTERIES ARE CHECKED

[0001] The field of the invention is that of the design and manufacture of access control systems.

[0002] More specifically, the invention relates to a system for controlling access to an area, which may be of different types, such as, for example, the hall of a building, internal rooms of a building accessed via secondary doors, parking lots, etc.

[0003] By definition, an access control system is designed to authorize or prohibit access to an area. Access can be achieved through various means, such as doors, gates, barriers, etc., the opening and closing of which are controlled by the system. More generally, access is achieved through any type of device blocking a passageway, whether for a pedestrian or a vehicle.

[0004] The opening or closing of the passageway results in the blocking device releasing the passageway in question, or blocking it. It is also understood that the opening or closing may only concern the actuation of locking means of the blocking device, authorizing or prohibiting its mobility.

[0005] Such systems are widespread and typically use badges or remote controls, intended to be worn by a person wishing to move around in the area. These badges or remote controls are equipped with infrared or high frequency (HF) transmitters that communicate with an access control device, which receives and processes information emitted by the remote controls to authorize, or not, access to the area.

[0006] In this context, remote controls incorporate one or more batteries and a battery-powered computer unit that may contain a unique identifier.

[0007] In certain applications, the access control device comprises long-distance communication means capable of communicating with a telecommunications network and the management system implements a computer platform connected to a database listing the unique identifiers, this computer platform itself being capable of communicating with the telecommunications network through which it can exchange data with the access control device.

[0008] Of course, the battery(ies) in remote controls do not have an unlimited lifespan. Obviously, when the battery(ies) in a remote control are completely discharged, the remote control is no longer able to communicate with the access control device and the person holding it can no longer access the desired area.

[0009] While it is generally straightforward to replace the dead battery(ies) in the remote control, by the time the battery(ies) are replaced, the remote control is unusable, preventing access to the desired area until the battery(ies) are replaced.

[0010] It is also possible to provide the remote controls with means enabling the person holding them to be informed of the charge level of the battery or batteries of the remote control. For example, it is possible to equip the remote controls with LEDs, a screen, or any other means enabling the battery charge level to be displayed, thus enabling the person holding them to anticipate the complete discharge of the battery or batteries.

[0011] A disadvantage of such a solution is that the display medium in question, whatever it may be, consumes electrical energy.

[0012] Moreover, such means tend to increase the manufacturing cost of remote controls.

[0013] In the field of invention, the patent document published under number US2017 / 373775 is known, which describes a method and system for remote actuation of machines.

[0014] The invention aims in particular to overcome these drawbacks of the prior art.

[0015] More specifically, the invention aims to propose a system for managing access to an area using remote controls incorporating at least one battery, making it possible to control the charge level of the battery(ies) without impacting, or very little, the electrical consumption of said battery(ies).

[0016] The invention also aims to provide such an area access management system which avoids increasing the manufacturing cost of remote controls.

[0017] The invention also aims to provide such an access management system which is simple in design and easy to implement.

[0018] These objectives, as well as others which will appear subsequently, are achieved thanks to the invention which has as its subject a system for managing access to an area, implementing a plurality of remote controls and at least one access control device capable of receiving information emitted by the remote controls to authorize, or not, access to the area, the remote controls integrating at least one battery and a computer unit powered by the battery, the computer unit containing a unique identifier, the access control device comprising long-distance communication means capable of communicating with a telecommunications network, the system including a computer platform connected to a database listing the unique identifiers and capable of communicating with the telecommunications network.

[0019] According to the invention, the remote controls integrate a battery charge level sensor intended to provide charge data to the computer unit, the computer unit being configured to transmit the unique identifier and the charge data to the computer platform via the access control device, the database comprising, for each unique identifier, a call number of a mobile computer unit, the computer platform being configured to transmit the charge data to the mobile computer unit.

[0020] Thus, thanks to the invention, the user of a remote control is provided with information on the charge level of the battery or batteries of the remote control, via a mobile computer unit held by the user.

[0021] In other words, the remote control itself does not include any means of displaying the charge level of the remote control's battery(ies), which in particular avoids: to impact the power consumption of the battery(ies) integrated into the remote control; to increase the manufacturing cost of the remote control.

[0022] According to a preferred solution, the computer platform includes at least one computer application intended to be loaded by mobile computer units, the computer platform being configured to associate, in the database, a call number of each mobile computer unit with a unique identifier via the computer application.

[0023] In this way, a remote control user can load a computer application onto their mobile computer unit and simply track the charge level of their remote control's battery(ies) through that computer application.

[0024] According to an advantageous solution, mobile computing units are smartphones.

[0025] Thus, the access management system uses the smartphone traditionally held by the remote control user.

[0026] According to an advantageous solution, the remote controls are of the type integrating HF or infrared transmitters, the access control device integrating a receiver capable of receiving data from the transmitters.

[0027] Such means are widely used and implemented in access management systems, the system according to the invention therefore not requiring the deployment of specific means.

[0028] Preferably, the computing platform is configured to issue an alert notification to the mobile computing unit if the charge data reaches a predetermined low level.

[0029] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, given as a simple illustrative and non-limiting example, and with the aid of: there figure 1 unique which schematically illustrates a system for managing access to an area according to the principle of the invention.

[0030] As illustrated by the figure 1 , an area access management system is of the type implementing: a plurality of remote controls 1, each integrating at least one battery 10 and a computer unit 11 powered by the battery 10; at least one access control device 2 capable of receiving information transmitted by the remote controls 1.

[0031] The remote controls 1 may be of the type incorporating HF or infrared transmitters. In the case of HF transmitters, the remote controls are designed to transmit data frames on several frequencies such as 125 kHz or 868 MHz for example, it being specified that other frequencies or other types of communications may be envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0032] The access control device incorporates a receiver capable of receiving data from the remote control transmitters, for example infrared or high-frequency transmitters. In any case, the remote controls and the access control device are designed to communicate with each other by wireless means.

[0033] The access control device 2 comprises long-distance communication means 20 capable of communicating with a telecommunications network 4. Furthermore, the system includes a computer platform 5, also connected to long-distance communication means 51 capable of communicating with the telecommunications network 4.

[0034] The telecommunications network 4 can be of the 2G, 3G, 4G or 5G type, without this list being exhaustive.

[0035] Furthermore, the computer unit 11 of the remote controls contains a unique identifier 110. At the same time, the computer platform 5 is connected to a database 50 listing the unique identifiers 110.

[0036] In this configuration, when a user presents his remote control to an access control device intended to receive information from the remote control, a data frame containing the unique identifier is emitted by the remote control to the access control device, the latter transmitting this unique identifier to the computer platform via the telecommunications network 4. The computer platform is configured to access the database 50 and verify the unique identifier received, depending on which the computer platform returns data authorizing, or not, access to the area. In the event of authorization, the access control device is intended to control for example a door 3 through which the user can access the area.

[0037] According to the principle of the invention, the remote controls 1 further integrate a charge level sensor 100 connected to the battery 10 to measure the charge level of the battery and provide charge data to the computer unit 11 of the remote control.

[0038] In addition, the computer unit 11 of the remote control is configured to transmit the unique identifier 110 preferably simultaneously with the load data to the computer platform 5, via the access control device and the telecommunications network 4.

[0039] Furthermore, the database 50 includes, for each unique identifier, a call number of a mobile computer unit 6 held by the users of the remote controls, and the computer platform is configured to transmit the charging data to the computer unit 6 held by the user of the remote control.

[0040] According to an advantageous embodiment, the computer platform 5 includes at least one computer application 52 intended to be loaded by the mobile computer units 6, the computer platform being configured to associate, in the database 50, a call number of each mobile computer unit 6 with a unique identifier via the computer application.

[0041] The mobile computer units 6 are in this case smartphones, on which the installed computer application 60 can be easily opened by the user to monitor the charge level of the battery of his remote control.

[0042] More specifically, the computing platform 5 can be configured to issue an alert notification to the mobile computing unit 6 if the battery charge data of the remote control of the user holding the mobile computing unit reaches a predetermined low level.

Claims

1. System for managing access to an area, implementing a plurality of remote controls (1) and at least one access control device (2) capable of receiving information transmitted by the remote controls (1) to authorize, or not, access to the area, the remote controls integrating at least one battery (10) and a computer unit (11) powered by the battery, the computer unit (11) containing a unique identifier (110), the access control device (2) comprising long-distance communication means (20) capable of communicating with a telecommunications network (4), the system including a computer platform (5) connected to a database (50) listing the unique identifiers (110) and capable of communicating with the telecommunications network (4), characterized in thatthe remote controls (1) integrate a battery charge level sensor (100) intended to provide charge data to the computer unit (11), the computer unit (11) being configured to transmit the unique identifier (110) and the charge data to the computer platform (5) via the access control device (2), the database (50) comprising, for each unique identifier (110), a call number of a mobile computer unit (6), the computer platform (5) being configured to transmit the charge data to the mobile computer unit (6).

2. An area access management system according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe computer platform (5) includes at least one computer application (52) intended to be loaded by mobile computer units (6), the computer platform (5) being configured to associate, in the database (50), a call number of each mobile computer unit (6) with a unique identifier (110) via the computer application.

3. Zone access management system according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that mobile computing units (6) are smartphones.

4. System for managing access to an area according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the remote controls (1) are of the type incorporating HF or infrared transmitters, the access control device (2) incorporating a receiver capable of receiving data from the transmitters.

5. Area access management system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatthe computing platform (5) is configured to issue an alert notification to the mobile computing unit (6) if the load data reaches a predetermined low level.

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