Invisible Intercom Access via Phone Tone Recognition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional intercom systems for access control require costly infrastructure, dedicated hardware, and complex installations, making them expensive and difficult to operate, especially for scenarios where visitors need to initiate communication without physical devices like call boxes or specific apps.
Innovation Solution
An invisible intercom and access system that allows visitors to gain entry by calling a designated phone number from their mobile device, eliminating the need for physical call boxes and special apps, using a customized hybrid PBX to connect calls and control access points through tone recognition or network protocols, integrating with various third-party devices for secure and efficient access management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional intercom systems use physical infrastructure (phone lines, network wiring, dedicated hardware), then access control functionality is achieved, but system cost and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential access control functionality from the physical infrastructure by using mobile devices as both call boxes and authorized point of contact devices. This removes the need for dedicated hardware installations while maintaining core access control capabilities through software-based solutions on existing mobile devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system makes mobile devices universal by enabling them to serve multiple functions: acting as visit initiation devices, authorized point of contact devices, and access control interfaces. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for specialized hardware while achieving reliable access control through the ubiquity of mobile devices.
2Ease of operation
If dedicated hardware (call boxes, physical speakers, microphones, buttons) is installed, then intercom communication is enabled, but system cost and operation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system leverages the self-service capabilities of mobile devices, which already possess microphones, speakers, and communication interfaces. Users can initiate access requests and communicate using their existing mobile device functionalities without requiring additional dedicated hardware, thereby simplifying operation while reducing hardware complexity.
3Device complexity
If mobile devices are used without physical infrastructure, then cost and complexity are reduced, but access control reliability must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary that coordinates communication between visitor devices and authorized point of contact devices. The server manages access control logic, verifies authorization, and facilitates the interaction between mobile devices, thereby maintaining reliable access control functionality without requiring physical infrastructure at the access points.
Data Source
AI summary
An invisible intercom and access system and method. The invisible intercom and access system may include a visitor device configured to make a phone call to a specific phone number; one or more authorized point of contact (APoC) device configured to receive the phone call and having an input configured to receive a code that produces tones; one or more third party device configured to control access to one or more access point of a property or building; and an invisible intercom and access apparatus configured to receive the phone call from the visitor device and connect the phone call to the one or more APoC device, recognize the tones of the code input at the one or more APoC device, and control or send a control signal to the one or more third party device. The invisible intercom and access method may include receiving via an invisible intercom and access apparatus a phone call from a visitor device using a specific phone number provided to a visitor at one or more access point of a building or property; connecting via the invisible intercom and access apparatus the phone call to one or more APoC device; recognizing via the invisible intercom and access apparatus tones of a code input by the one or more APoC device; and controlling the one or more third party device in response to the recognizing of the tones.