Patent Application
20120262280
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a controlled device and a control system, more particularly to a controlled device and a control system using radio-frequency identification technology.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional control system utilizing radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology and disclosed in Taiwanese Patent Publication No. I305758 is illustrated in
However, since a cost of the RFID reader 52 is relatively high compared to the RFID tag 51, a price of the lock module 50 may not be effectively reduced if the RFID reader 52 is incorporated in the lock module 50.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a controlled device having a relatively low cost and using Radio-Frequency identification (RFID) technology to receive a control command.
Accordingly, the controlled device of the present invention includes a controlled module and an RFID tag.
The RFID tag includes, a receiving unit, a memory unit, and a processing unit. The receiving unit wirelessly receives a first key and the control command. The memory unit stores a first code. The processing unit is electrically coupled to the receiving unit and the memory, unit and is further electrically coupled to the controlled module.
The processing unit is configured to determine, with reference to the first key received by the receiving unit and the first code stored in the memory unit, whether or not to output a control signal for controlling the controlled module to perform an action that corresponds to the control command received by the receiving unit.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a control system having a relatively low cost, and using RFID technology to transmit and receive a control command.
Accordingly, the control system of the present invention includes a portable electronic crevice and a controlled device.
The portable electronic device includes a user input unit, a first processing unit, and a transmitting unit. The first processing unit is electrically coupled to the user input unit, and generates a first key and a control command according to user operation of the user input unit. The transmitting unit is electrically coupled to the first processing unit, and wirelessly transmits the first key and the control command.
The controlled device includes a controlled module and an RFID tag. The RFID tag includes a receiving unit, a tag memory unit, and a second processing unit. The receiving unit wirelessly receives the first key and the control command from the transmitting unit of the portable electronic device. The tag memory unit stores a first code. The second processing unit is electrically coupled to the receiving unit and the tag memory unit and is further electrically coupled to the controlled module. The second processing unit is configured to determine, with reference to the first key received by the receiving unit and the first code stored in the tag memory unit, whether or not to output a control signal for controlling the controlled module to perform an action that corresponds to the control command received by the receiving unit.
The present invention may achieve an effect of cost reduction of the controlled device by replacing an RFID reader with an RFID tag in the controlled device.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the two preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
Before the present invention is described in greater detail with reference to the preferred embodiments, it should be noted that the same reference numerals are used to denote the same elements throughout the following description.
Referring to
The portable electronic device 1 includes a user input unit 11, a first processing unit 12, and a transmitting unit 13. The user input unit 11 includes a plurality of input keys (not Shown). The first processing unit 12 is electrically coupled to the user input unit 11, and generates a first key and a control command according to user operation of the user input unit 11. The transmitting unit 13 is electrically coupled to the first processing unit 12 for wirelessly transmitting the first key and the control command to the controlled device 2. The portable electronic device is a mobile phone in this embodiment.
The controlled device 2 includes a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag 21 and a controlled module 22. The RFID tag 21 includes a receiving unit 211, a memory unit 213, and a second processing unit 212. The receiving unit 211 is electrically coupled to the second processing unit 212 for transmitting the first key and the control command wirelessly received from the transmitting unit 13 of the portable electronic device 1 to the second processing unit 212. The memory unit 213 stores a first code. The second processing unit 212 is electrically coupled to the receiving unit 211 and the memory unit 213 and is further electrically coupled to the controlled module 22. The second processing unit 212 is configured to determine, with reference to the first key received by the receiving unit 211 and the first code stored in the memory unit 213, whether or not to output a control signal for controlling the controlled module 22 to perform an action that corresponds to the control command received by the receiving unit 211. In this embodiment, the second processing unit 212 transmits the control signal to the controlled module 22 upon determining that the first key conforms with the first code. Otherwise, the second processing unit 212 remains idle upon determining, that the first key does not conform with the first code. In the first preferred embodiment, the controlled module 22 includes a locking member 221 that is switched between locking and unlocking states according to the control signal from the second processing unit 212.
Referring to
Referring to
The portable electronic device 1′ includes a user input unit 11′ a first processing unit 12′, a transmitting unit 13′, and a device memory unit 14 storing a second key. The user input unit 11′ includes a plurality of input keys (not shown). The first processing unit 12′ is electrically coupled to the user input unit 11′, generates a first key and a control command according to user operation of the user input unit 11′, and is electrically coupled to the device memory unit 14 for accessing the second key stored in the device memory unit 14. The transmitting unit 13′ is electrically coupled to the first processing unit 12′ for wirelessly transmitting the first key, the control command, and the second key to the controlled device 2′.
The controlled device 2′ includes a RFID tag 21′ and a controlled module 22′. The REID tag 21′ includes a receiving unit 211′, a tag memory unit 213′, and a second processing unit 212′. The receiving unit 211′ is electrically coupled to the second processing unit 212′ for transmitting the first key, the control command, and the second key wirelessly received from the transmitting unit 13′ of the portable electronic device 1′ to the second processing unit 212′. The tag memory unit 213′ stores a first code, a second code, and an error count. The second processing unit 212′ is electrically coupled to the receiving unit 211′ and the tag memory unit 213′ and is further electrically coupled to the controlled module 22′. The second processing unit 212′ is configured to determine, with reference to the first and second keys received by the receiving unit 211′ and the first and second codes stored in the tag memory unit 213′, whether or not to output a control signal for controlling the controlled module 22′ to perform an action that corresponds to the control command received by the receiving unit 211′.
In the second preferred embodiment, the portable electronic device 1′ is a mobile phone, and includes an RFID reader for transmission of the first key, the second key, and the control command. The controlled device 2′ is a locking device, and the controlled module 22′ includes a locking member 221′.
An operational procedure of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated hereinafter.
Referring to
The Accumulative Scheme:
In step 31, the receiving unit 211′ receives the first key, the second key and the control command, and then step 32 is performed.
In step 32, the second processing unit 212′ makes a first determination to determine whether the second key conforms with the second code stored in the tag memory unit 213′. If result of the first determination is affirmative, step 33 is performed. Otherwise, the operational procedure is terminated.
In step 33, the second processing unit 212′ makes a second determination to determine whether the first key conforms with the first code stored in the tag memory unit 213′. If result of the second determination is affirmative, step 34 is performed. Otherwise, step 37 is performed.
In step 34, the second processing unit 212′ makes a third determination to determine whether the error count stored in the tag memory unit 213′ is greater than zero. If result of the third determination is affirmative, step 35 is performed. Otherwise, step 36 is performed.
In step 35, the second processing unit 212′ resets the error count stored in the tag memory unit 213′ to zero, and then step 36 is performed.
In step 36, the second processing unit 212′ outputs the control signal to the controlled module 22′, and then the operational procedure is terminated.
In step 37, the second processing unit 212′ makes a fourth determination to determine whether the error count stored in the tag memory unit 213′ has reached a predetermined upper limit (or a predetermined threshold). If result of the fourth determination is affirmative, step 38 is performed. Otherwise, step 39 is performed.
In step 38, the second processing unit 212′ remains idle for a predetermined time period, and then the operational procedure is terminated.
In step 39, the second processing unit 212′ adds one to the error count stored in the tag memory unit 213′, and then the operational procedure is terminated.
The Subtractive Scheme:
In step 41, the receiving unit 211′ receives the first key, the second key and the control command, and then step 42 is performed.
In step 42, the second processing unit 212′ makes a first determination to determine whether the second key conforms with the second code stored in the tag memory unit 213′. If result of the first determination is affirmative, step 43 is performed. Otherwise, the operational procedure is terminated.
In step 43, the second processing unit 212′ makes a second determination to determine whether the first key conforms with the first code stored in the tag memory unit 213′. If result of the second determination is affirmative, step 44 is performed. Otherwise, step 47 is performed.
In step 44, the second processing unit 212′ makes a third determination to determine whether the error count stored in the tag memory unit 213′ is smaller than a predetermined upper limit. If result of the third determination is affirmative, step 45 is performed. Otherwise, step 46 is performed.
In step 45, the second processing unit 212′ resets the error count stored in the tag memory unit 213′ to the predetermined upper limit, and then step 46 is performed.
In step 46, the second processing unit 212′ outputs the control signal to the controlled module 22′, and then the operational procedure is terminated.
In step 47, the second processing unit 212′ makes a fourth determination to determine whether the error count stored in the tag memory unit 213′ has reached zero (or a predetermined threshold). If result of the fourth determination is affirmative, step 48 is performed. Otherwise, step 49 is performed.
In step 48, the second processing unit 212′ remains idle for a predetermined time period, and then the operational procedure is terminated.
In step 49, the second processing unit 212′ subtracts one from the error count stored in the tag memory unit 213′, and then the operational procedure is terminated.
In both of the accumulative scheme and the subtractive scheme, the second processing unit 212′ will transmit the control signal to the controlled module 22′ only when each of the first and second keys received by the receiving unit 211′ conforms with a respective one of the first and second codes stored in the tag memory unit 213′. The locking member 221′ of the controlled module 22′ is switched between locking and unlocking states according to the control signal from the second processing unit 212′. It is noted that the second key and the second code are used for ensuring that the portable electronic device 1′ and the controlled device 2′ are matching devices.
Referring to
In summary, the first and second preferred embodiments of the control system of the present invention have the following advantages over the conventional control system.
First, the RFID tag 21 is disposed in the controlled device 2. Since a cost of the RFID tag is relatively low with respect to that of the RFID reader, a cost of the controlled device 2 may be reduced by incorporating the RFID tag into the controlled device 2.
Second, the second preferred embodiment of the present invention adopts a two-stage code-matching scheme that offers better security. The second processing unit 212′ remains idle for the predetermined time period when the error count, which is updated when the first key does not conform with the first code, has reached the predetermined threshold. The longer the predetermined time period, the better will be the security of the present invention.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what are considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
