Patent Application
20200170432
The present invention is an entry device attachable to a door that pivots relative to a door frame to separate an outer area from an inner area. The device has a compartment made of a flexible material having a first side and a second side. The flexible material has a front surface that faces the outer area and a back surface that faces the inner area. At least one first attachment point is disposed along the first side that attaches the compartment to the door and at least one second attachment point is disposed along the second side that attaches the compartment to the door frame. According to the present invention, upon opening of the door, the compartment is configured to allow partial entry of an object to the inner area and prevent full entry by a person from the outer area. A first lock disposed along the first side configured to lock the door, wherein the first lock can be unlocked from the inner area and outer areas and a second lock disposed along the second side configured to lock the door frame, wherein the second lock can be unlocked from the inner area and outer areas.
Advantages of the invention are:
The following definitions apply to the elements of the claimed invention and the description of acronyms used in the Figs.:
1. Puncturing a panel—One can have a thin wire that spans the area of the panel such that if any part of the panel is broken into, the wire opens and interrupts current flow through it. The transition to an open state is detected and communicated to a central unit. A plurality of thin wires can also span the surface, each of which can have its own “open” wire detector mechanism.
2. Other sensor types such as accelerometers can be used to detect shaking of the panels. One can set an alarm if the shaking is larger than a certain threshold in magnitude and longer than another threshold in duration. This information is either sent to a central unit in raw form or as a processed signal.
3. The communications from the sensors can be through a wired connection or through wireless means.
4. A cut in the wiring across the panels can also be detected by the central unit. This sensing can be done by the central unit or distributed “open-wire” detectors can send this status to a central unit.
The last panel that connects to the door frame and the last panel that connects to the door can have intrusion sensors.
Comp-R embodiment, Type 1 or 2, can have intrusion sensors that detect frame or door disruption. The section of the compartment that connects to the door and the one that connects to the frame can have intrusion sensors.
The proper procedure is to disable the alarm system before entering the home. The steps are as follows:
1—Informing the central unit that the compartment-frame and/or compartment-door can be detached.
2—If the detaching process is done through a physical key, then the above step is necessary.
3—If the detaching process is done through an electronic key, then the electronic key communicates to the central unit before opening the locks (LCF, LCD).
4—Once unlocked, the compartment can be removed from the Frame/Door and the occupant can enter the home.
5—Sensors can be present on LCF, LCD to detect a tamper event—where the locks are forced open in a manner that represents an intrusion.
Different types of intrusion attempts can be detected:
Below are examples of delivery process.
Based on the foregoing, a compartment is attached between the door and the door frame that can have three different embodiments, namely:
The compartment can be removed and stored away when not in use. The compartment provides a physical intrusion barrier when they are locked to the door and door-frame. For all types, a locking mechanism exists between the compartment and the door and a locking mechanism exists between the compartment and the door-frame. The compartments provide a visual barrier when in place. The delivery person cannot see inside the house. The compartments are equipped with physical intrusion detection mechanisms. These intrusion mechanisms are “tied into” a central unit (CU). The CU can tie into the central alarm for the home and it can also communicate to various devices (the owner's phone or the system for a monitoring company). An alternate implementation allows each of the sensors to communicate to the home alarm system which can now act as the CU.
The intrusion detection mechanisms consist of sensors that detect the following:
The physical barrier has been breached:
Someone is creating a hole in the barrier.
The compartment is undergoing un-natural shaking.
The breaching can also be detected through cameras.
The compartment is being detached from the door frame or door inappropriately or in an unauthorized fashion. This can be detected by proximity sensors that are breached between the vertical bars and any of FAPU, FAPM, FAPL, DAPU, DAPM, DAPL. The physical intrusion detection mechanisms can be battery powered or powered by a wall-plug. The physical intrusion detection mechanisms (from different parts of the compartments) can communicate to a central unit through wires or through wireless connections.
The following are example of use cases of the invention:
Mechanically, the compartment attaches to the door frame and the outer edge of the door, where the compartment can be easy to attach through a snap-on action shown in
Preferably, the compartment can be a rigid object—similar to a cabinet—which has shelves and other amenities to be able to accept different types of products (groceries, boxes, laundry etc.). It can be a foldable rigid object, a collapsible object—which is not rigid. The compartment can have deep pockets for inserting large objects into these pockets. These pockets can be filled with objects from the outside. These objects can then protrude into the house to the depth necessary to accommodate the object (depends on the depth of the pockets being provided.
The collapsible compartment can be opaque—so the delivery person cannot see the inside of the house. This provides privacy and is also a security measure because the delivery person cannot be able to scope the house. The collapsible compartment should be difficult to penetrate physically. For example, it may be constructed out of a mesh of wires that one would have to cut through with wire cutters in order to gain access into the house. This provides a physical barrier against intrusion. We can refer to this mesh of wires as Mesh to prevent Physical Intrusion (MPI) which can be a mesh of wires that can be difficult to cut. The collapsible compartment can be equipped with sensors to detect intrusion. Penetration of the mesh can be detected by having a single wire (Penetration Sensor Wire—PSW) that spans the surface of the compartment (on the inside facing side of the compartment) such that when it is cut, this cut can be sensed because it disrupts current flow through this wire. The PSW is a thin wire that does not provide a physical barrier like the MPI would.
In some arrangements, all types of the compartment can have 3 attach points at the door frame and 3 attach points at the door. For each case, the locks LCD and LCF can be at the middle attach point. The attach points at the door frame can be called the Frame Attach Point—Upper, Frame Attach Point—Middle, Frame Attach Point—Lower (FAPU, FAPM, FAPL). Similarly, the attach points at the door can be called Door Attach Point—Upper, Door Attach Point—Middle, and Door Attach Point—Lower (DAPU, DAPM, DAPL).
For Comp-P and Comp-C, there can be a need to connect the compartment to the Door frame and the Door using rigid vertical bars. For Comp-R, one vertical rigid bar is connected to the frame side of the compartment and the other vertical bar is connected to an accordion door. There can be a rigid bar that connects the compartment to the door at three places (DAPU, DAPM, DAPL). The DAPM can lock the vertical bar to the door through the LCD. In a similar fashion, there can be a rigid bar that connects the compartment to the door frame at three places (FAPU, FAPM, FAPL). The FAPM can lock the vertical bar to the frame through the LCF.
The hardware that is attached to the door frame and the outer edge of the door can be designed in a manner that minimizes the visual impact or physical protrusion.
In other arrangements, the three compartment types can have roller wheels or sliding surfaces to allow the movement of the compartment to adjust as necessary as the door is opened. The roller wheels/sliding surfaces are most pertinent to the rigid compartment type and less so for the foldable and collapsible types. These roller wheels/sliding surfaces can also be used to move the compartment away from the door once the occupant returns to their home, and/or when they do not expect to have any further deliveries.
This rigid compartment has “rails” on the top and the bottom that allow the door to open while preserving a physical barrier between the outside of the door and the inside of the house. The rail track is shown in the drawings.
Accordion door—Rigid Compartment:
When the door is closed, the rigid compartment can be in the house. The compartment can have an “accordion” door that can close the compartment while it is in the home. This “accordion” door prevents pets from getting into the compartment. It also allows sealing in case the compartment has a refrigeration unit. When the door is opened, then the accordion door opens in tandem with the door (and is attached to the door) and exposes the compartment to the outside. This allows the delivery person to place the packages, groceries, dry-cleaning etc. into the compartment. This accordion door also presents a physical/visual barrier for the delivery person. The compartment can be sized to be the height of the door. This has multiple purposes. It presents a physical barrier that prevents entry of a person into the home. It also increases the total volume within the compartment to allow a broad array of “goods” to be delivered to the home. Where applicable, the rigid compartment and foldable compartment can be taller than the door provided there is no obstruction that prevents the compartments from moving. There can be different sized compartments available (different depths or different widths) depending on the needs of the customer. Each compartment can have specs that state the package size it can accommodate. This applies to all three compartment types.
The compartment can also enable a two-way communication between the owner and the delivery person in case adjustment needs to be made for the goods that have been delivered to the compartment. The delivery person can be given a separate key code that allows the door to open and expose the inside of the compartment. This key code can be a one-time use code so the next delivery person can be given a separate key code. The compartment can be equipped with a variety of sensors (cameras, weight sensors, heat sensors etc.) that can provide further input to the occupant who has received the “goods”. The sensors can also provide visibility to the delivery person with respect to how much room is still available in the compartment. Sensors are used for detecting improper access or improper use of the compartments. For example, if the physical barrier is breached, one can envision a sensor element that detects the disruption of current flow in a wire that is embedded in the back of a compartment. If an intruder penetrates the container, the wire is likely to break which can be detected as a physical breach.
Sensors can be attached to the frame and door connection points. These sensors can detect if the compartment is being removed from the door or the frame without permission. These would be in the form of proximity sensors. Sensors can be attached to the compartment to detect unnatural shaking—which may be a precursor to an intrusion. The collection of sensors can communicate with a central unit that aggregates all of the sensed information and sets an alarm based on an algorithm. If the home needs to be accessed by others (such as apartment managers, fire-fighters etc, then such access can be provided).
The above was described for in-home delivery applications. It is possible for other applications to emerge where a one needs to take care of pets in the home. The compartment can be adapted to allow a passageway for pets to exit the house or enter the house in conjunction with an electronic lock that is activated by a person who is standing outside the door. This allows “dog-walkers” to do their job without entering the home. With the advent of online delivery of pharmaceuticals, one can use this compartment (or a locked compartment within this compartment) as a receptor for controlled substances. Only people with the proper access to the compartment within the compartment can receive the medication.
Three types of containers have been described all of which provide a physical barrier and a privacy “screen”. In order to lower the cost of this apparatus, one can compromise on the strength of the physical barrier, the level of privacy that is provided, the number and types of sensors and alarm systems. One can have a mix and match of the above to customize to different market segment needs. In addition, the other variable in the above is to allow variations in the aesthetic look of these components.
Monitoring systems can be placed inside the compartment or on the ceiling above the compartment. These monitoring systems can have use cases when the main door is open, and when main door is closed:
A quick release mechanism can allow the compartment to be detached from the main door from inside the house. The purpose of this quick release mechanism is to allow very quick egress by the home's occupants in case of an emergency (and in case the compartment is still attached to the main door). Normally, when the residents are at home, they would not have the compartment connected to the door. This mechanism is envisioned for a fringe case. This can be envisioned as a combination of any of the following:
An “identity” detector can be used with the invention by use of a fingerprint sensor on the inside of the compartment when a package is delivered. This validates that the right person has delivered the package. The identity of the person who is delivering a package can be part of the “product delivery service”, so that when the home-owner orders a home delivery, several things happen:
Instead of or in addition to using a code to open the main door for the purpose of delivery, a fingerprint sensor can be made available on the door lock or adjacent to the main door. The following sequence can happen:
Besides a fingerprint sensor, any other biometric device can be used (iris scanning, facial recognition, etc.). All modalities (fingerprint, iris scanning, facial recognition) generally take the biometric data and extract a finite number of markers. The process of taking the physical data (fingerprint image, iris scan, facial image) and then converting it to numbers and then comparing it to the data in the secure server can be done at the secure server or it can be done by a processor box in the home.
A master key in the form of an electronic signature can be programmed to open more than one lock. For example, a delivery person can only have a key to open the main door, whereas the home-owner can have an electronic key that opens the main door, and another one that detaches the compartment from the door. Alternatively, the home owner can have a key that is programmed to open both the main door and detach the compartment from the main door.
