Patent Grant
11920377
The present application is based on PCT filing PCT/JP2018/024774, filed Jun. 29, 2018, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present disclosure relates to a locking/unlocking device, a locking/unlocking method, and a locking/unlocking system.
Conventionally, an unlocking device has been developed that automatically unlocks a door when a user terminal approaches the door. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a technique of detecting an approach of a user to a door and automatically unlocking the door.
However, the technique described in Patent Literature 1 does not determine the open/closed state of the door, and it is difficult to accurately detect the open/closed state of the door and optimize the locking/unlocking timing.
Therefore, it has been required to provide a locking/unlocking device that accurately detects the opening/closing of the door and optimizes the locking/unlocking timing.
According to the application concerned, a locking/unlocking device is provided that includes: a drive unit configured to drive a lock mechanism of an opening/closing device; a magnetic detection unit configured to detect a change in a magnetic field based on a change in a relative position between a movable section and a fixed section of the opening/closing device; and a control unit configured to determine an open/closed state of the opening/closing device on a basis of the change in the magnetic field detected by the magnetic detection unit and activate the drive unit to lock or unlock the lock mechanism on a basis of the open/closed state.
Moreover, according to the application concerned, a locking/unlocking method is provided that includes: determining an open/closed state of an opening/closing device on a basis of a change in a magnetic field based on a change in the relative position between a movable section and a fixed section of the opening/closing device, which is detected by a magnetic detection unit; and activating a drive unit on a basis of the open/closed state of the opening/closing device to drive a lock mechanism of the opening/closing device.
Moreover, according to the application concerned, a locking/unlocking system is provided that includes: a drive unit configured to drive a lock mechanism of an opening/closing device; a magnetic detection unit configured to detect a change in a magnetic field based on a change in a relative position between a movable section and a fixed section of the opening/closing device; a control unit configured to determine an open/closed state of the opening/closing device on a basis of the change in the magnetic field detected by the magnetic detection unit and activate the drive unit on a basis of the open/closed state of the opening/closing device to lock or unlock the lock mechanism; a locking/unlocking device including a communication unit; and a communication terminal, wherein the locking/unlocking device activates the magnetic detection unit when the communication unit receives a signal from the communication terminal.
According to the application concerned, a magnetic detection unit detects a change in a magnetic field based on a change in a relative position between a movable section and a fixed section of an opening/closing device. A control unit determines an open/closed state on the basis of the change in the magnetic field and determines whether to perform a locking/unlocking operation on the basis of the open/closed state. According to the determination result, the control unit activates a drive unit to lock or unlock a lock mechanism.
As described above, according to the present disclosure, there is provided a locking/unlocking device that can determine the opened/closed state of the opening/closing device and realize an appropriate locking/unlocking operation.
Note that the above effects are not necessarily limited, and any of the effects described in the present specification or other effects that can be grasped from the present specification are exhibited together with or in place of the above effects.
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the present specification and the drawings, constituent elements having substantially the same functional configuration are designated by the same reference numerals, and a duplicate description will be omitted.
The description will be given in the following order.
With reference to
The opening/closing device 200 includes a fixed section 210 and a movable section 220. Further, the movable section 220 includes a lock mechanism 230. The movable section 220 is configured to be movable with respect to the fixed section 210. The opening/closing device 200 can secure communication between a partitioned area and another area by moving the movable section 220 with respect to the fixed section 210. At least a part of either or both of the fixed section 210 and the movable section 220 may be made of a magnetic material. Examples of the opening/closing device 200 are a door and a window. Examples of the fixed section 210 are a door frame and a window frame. Examples of the movable section 220 are a door main body and a window main body. Note that the lock mechanism 230 may be provided in the fixed section 210. Further, the opening/closing device 200 may include a handle portion 250.
The locking/unlocking device 100 is attached to the opening/closing device 200 and operates the lock mechanism 230 of the opening/closing device 200. An example of the lock mechanism 230 of the opening/closing device 200 is a cylinder lock having a thumb turn. As an example of how to attach the locking/unlocking device 100, the locking/unlocking device 100 may be attached so as to cover the lock mechanism 230 from outside of the lock mechanism 230. The locking/unlocking device 100 may be detachably attached to the opening/closing device 200. The term “detachable” includes a case where the device is attached by an adhesive tape or a mechanical lock in a manner that the device can be easily detached, and also includes a mode in which a tool or the like is needed to detach the device. The locking/unlocking device 100 may be attached to either the fixed section 210 or the movable section 220 of the opening/closing device 200.
The locking/unlocking device 100 includes a magnetic detection unit 110, a lock/unlock detection unit 120, a drive unit 130, and a control unit 140. Further, the locking/unlocking device 100 may include a lock mechanism operation unit 150 for operating the lock mechanism 230 of the opening/closing device 200.
The magnetic detection unit 110 detects a change in a magnetic field (a magnetizing field) caused by opening and closing the opening/closing device 200. For example, when the fixed section 210 is made of a magnetic material, the relative positional relationship, such as the angle and the distance, between the fixed section 210 and the movable section 220 changes as the opening/closing device 200 is opened and closed. The magnetic detection unit 110 detects a change in the magnetic field that changes according to the relative positional relationship between the fixed section 210 and the movable section 220 of the opening/closing device 200. The strength of the magnetic field changes greatly depending on the distance from the magnetic material. In other words, the strength of the magnetic field attenuates in inverse proportion to the square of the distance from the magnetic material. Therefore, the magnetic field around the magnetic detection unit 110 changes as the relative positional relationship between the fixed section 210 and the movable section 220 changes. An example of the magnetic detection unit 110 is a triaxial magnetic sensor. Examples of the triaxial magnetic sensor are a Hall sensor, a magnetro resistance (MR) sensor, and a magnetro Impedance (MI) sensor.
Here, the detection accuracy of the magnetic detection unit 110 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to
The magnetic detection unit 110 according to the present embodiment can detect the change in the relative position between the fixed section 210 and the movable section 220, that is, the opening/closing of the opening/closing device 200 with high accuracy, by detecting such a change in the magnetic field. In other words, in the magnetic detection unit 110 according to the present embodiment, even when the open angle of the movable section 220 is a slight angle of 10° or less, a large change in the magnetic field due to the change of the relative position between the fixed section 210 and the movable section 220 can be detected. Therefore, the opening/closing of the opening/closing device 200 can be detected with high accuracy. On the other hand, the conventional magnetic sensor can detect the opening/closing of the opening/closing device 200 when the opening/closing angle of the door changes by 10° or more, and cannot perform highly accurate detection like the magnetic detection unit 110 according to the present disclosure.
Specifically, the detection accuracy of the magnetic detection unit 110 according to the present embodiment may have high sensitivity of 0.5 uT/LSB or less. Furthermore, the detection accuracy of the magnetic detection unit 110 according to the present embodiment may be 0.15 uT/LSB or less. As described above, with the high-sensitivity magnetic detection unit 110, a small change in the peripheral magnetic field caused by opening/closing of the opening/closing device 200 can be detected. Further, there is no need to increase the magnetic force of a magnetic section 190 described later or to bring the magnetic section 190 described later close to the magnetic detection unit 110, and it is possible to provide the locking/unlocking device 100 that is small, lightweight and inexpensive.
The lock/unlock detection unit 120 detects whether the lock mechanism 230 of the opening/closing device 200 is being locked or unlocked. The lock/unlock detection unit 120 may be configured by, for example, a switch that is pressed as the lock mechanism 230 moves. In this case, whether the lock mechanism 230 is in the locked state or the unlocked state can be detected according to the on/off state of the switch. Further, in a case where the lock mechanism 230 has a thumb turn, the lock/unlock detection unit 120 may be configured by a mechanism (sensor) that detects a rotation angle of the thumb turn. In this case, based on the detection result of the lock/unlock detection unit 120, whether the lock mechanism 230 is in the locked state or the unlocked state can be detected. In addition, a proximity sensor may be used as an example of the lock/unlock detection unit 120.
The drive unit 130 drives the lock mechanism 230 of the opening/closing device 200. Examples of the drive unit 130 may include a motor as a drive source 131, a drive shaft that transmits a rotational force of the motor, a gear that adjusts the rotational force of the motor, and an engagement unit 133 that engages with the lock mechanism 230. When the lock mechanism 230 has a thumb turn, the engagement unit 133 is, for example, a thumb turn holder that holds the thumb turn. Furthermore, the drive source 131 may be, for example, an actuator or the like.
The control unit 140 determines the open/closed state of the opening/closing device 200 on the basis of the change in the magnetic field detected by the magnetic detection unit 110. Furthermore, the control unit 140 determines whether to activate the drive unit 130 on the basis of the open/close state of the opening/closing device 200. Further, by activating the drive unit 130, the control unit 140 brings the lock mechanism 230 into a locked state or an unlocked state. An example of the control unit 140 includes a configuration including a central processing unit (CPU), a random access memory (RAM), and a read only memory (ROM). Further, the control unit 140 may determine whether to start or stop the magnetic detection unit 110 on the basis of the detection result from the lock/unlock detection unit 120.
The lock mechanism operation unit 150 enables a user to directly operate the lock mechanism 230 of the opening/closing device 200. For example, when the lock mechanism 230 has a thumb turn, the lock mechanism operation unit 150 may be a knob provided on the thumb turn holder and used to rotatably operate the thumb turn holder.
The above described locking/unlocking device 100 can be configured as a mechanism as illustrated in
As illustrated in
The drive source 131 is housed in the first portion 181. The lock mechanism operation unit 150 is provided in the second portion 183. The user can directly operate the lock mechanism 230 of the opening/closing device 200 by operating the lock mechanism operation unit 150. Further, since the second portion 183 is separated from the locking/unlocking device mounting surface, a space is created between the second portion 183 and the locking/unlocking device attached face. Therefore, the lock mechanism 230 can be positioned in that space.
The magnetic detection unit 110 is provided in the second portion 183 in the locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment. In particular, the magnetic detection unit 110 is preferably provided in the second portion 183 at a position as far away from the first portion 181 as possible, for example, at the end portion side opposite to the first portion 181. Further, the magnetic detection unit 110 may be provided in the second portion 183 on the outer peripheral side portion of the elliptical arc portion of the housing unit 180.
Further, in a case where the lock mechanism operation unit 150 is a type that knob is used to rotate the lock mechanism 230, the magnetic detection unit 110 may be provided on the side opposite to the drive source 131 with respect to the rotation center axis of the lock mechanism operation unit 150. In other words, when the lock mechanism 230 has a thumb turn and the engagement unit 133 is a thumb turn holder, the magnetic detection unit 110 may be provided on a side opposite to the drive source 131 with respect to a rotation center axis of the thumb turn holder.
By providing the magnetic detection unit 110 at such a position, the distance between the drive source 131 and the magnetic detection unit 110 can be sufficiently separated, and the influence on the magnetic detection unit 110 such as vibration and noise due to magnetism can be reduced. Since many magnetic materials are used in the motor that can be used as the drive source 131, by separating the distance between the drive source 131 and the magnetic detection unit 110 sufficiently, the influence of the magnetic material on the magnetic detection unit 110 can be reduced.
In the locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment, a non-magnetic material may be used for various components such as the housing unit 180 and screws for configuring the locking/unlocking device 100. In addition, a non-magnetic material may be used for each part of the movable parts such as the lock mechanism operation unit 150 and the engagement unit 133. As a result, the influence of magnetism on the magnetic detection unit 110 due to the components other than the magnetic detection unit 110 included in the locking/unlocking device 100 can be reduced.
The locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment may be attached to the opening/closing device 200 including a door (movable section 220) and a door frame (fixed section 210) as illustrated in
Further, in the locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment, for example, as illustrated in
Further, in
The control of the locking/unlocking operation of the opening/closing device 200 of the locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to
When the opening/closing device 200 is opened (S103), the magnetic detection unit 110 detects a change in the magnetic field due to the opening/closing device 200 being opened (S105). When the opening/closing device 200 is opened, for example, the difference (change in magnetic field) between the magnetic field value detected by the magnetic detection unit 110 and the initial value becomes equal to or greater than a threshold value. When the detection result of the magnetic field value is notified to the control unit 140 by the magnetic detection unit 110 (S107), the control unit 140 receives the notification in step S107 and determines that opening/closing device 200 is in an open state (S108).
When the operation of opening the opening/closing device 200 is completed and the opening/closing device 200 is again closed (S109), the magnetic detection unit 110 detects a change in the magnetic field due to the opening/closing device 200 being closed (S111). The magnetic detection unit 110 notifies the control unit 140 of the detection result of the detected magnetic field value at the predetermined output cycle (S113). Upon receiving the notification in step S113, the control unit 140 determines the open/closed state of the opening/closing device 200 (S114).
The control unit 140 activates the drive unit 130 after determining that the opening/closing device 200 is in the closed state (S115). At this time, the control unit 140 may activate the drive unit 130 to drive the lock mechanism 230 until the lock mechanism is in the locked state when the opening/closing device 200 is in the open state and then in the closed state. Alternatively, the control unit 140 may activate the drive unit 130 to drive the lock mechanism 230 until the lock mechanism is in the locked state when the open/close state of the opening/closing device 200 changes from the closed state, the open state, and then the closed state in order.
In response to the instruction from the control unit 140 in step S115, the drive unit 130 drives the lock mechanism 230 until the lock mechanism is in the locked state (S117). As a result, the opening/closing device 200 is in the locked state (S119).
When the lock/unlock detection unit 120 detects that the lock mechanism 230 is in the locked state (S121), the lock/unlock detection unit 120 notifies the control unit 140 that the lock mechanism 230 is in the locked state (S123).
In steps S102, S108 and S114, as an example of the determination of the open/closed state of the opening/closing device 200 performed by the control unit 140, it may be determined that the opening/closing device 200 is closed in a case where the difference between the detected magnetic field value and the initial value (change in magnetic field) is less than the threshold value. Further, the control unit 140 may determine that the opening/closing device 200 is in the open state in a case where the difference between the detected magnetic field value and the initial value is equal to or more than the threshold value. As another determination, the open state or the closed state may be determined from an absolute value of the detected magnetic field value. Furthermore, as another determination, the open state or the closed state may be determined by comparing the detected magnetic field value with an immediately preceding value.
The configuration and control of the locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment have been described above. The locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment has the magnetic detection unit 110 that detects a change in the magnetic field due to a change in the relative position between the fixed section 210 and the movable section 220 of the opening/closing device 200. With this configuration, the open/closed state of the opening/closing device 200 can be detected with high accuracy, and the locking/unlocking operation can be reliably controlled. In particular, since the change in the magnetic field can be detected even when the opening/closing angle of the opening/closing device 200 is 10° or less, the opening/closing state can be detected from immediately after the start of the opening/closing operation to the complete of the operation. Therefore, the control of the locking/unlocking operation based on the open/closed state by the control unit 140 can be performed quickly and reliably.
Further, by setting the position of the magnetic detection unit 110 close to the fixed section 210 inside the housing unit 180, the detection accuracy of the open/closed state of the opening/closing device 200 can be further improved. Further, by setting the position of the magnetic detection unit 110 to a position far from the motor as the drive source 131 in the housing unit 180, the detection of noise by the magnetic detection unit 110 can be reduced and the magnetic field value can be measured with high accuracy.
Further, when the locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment is controlled as described above, the opening/closing of the door can be accurately detected according to the open/close state of the opening/closing device 200, and the locking/unlocking timing can be optimized. In particular, when it is determined that the opening/closing device 200 is in the open state and then it is determined that the opening/closing device 200 is in the closed state, the lock mechanism 230 is set to the locked state, whereby the locking timing can be optimized.
Further, in the locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment, the control unit 140 determines that the opening/closing device 200 is in the closed state when the difference between the detected magnetic field value and the initial value (the change in the magnetic field) is less than the threshold value, and determines that the opening/closing device 200 is in the open state when the detected change in the magnetic field is equal to or greater than the threshold value. With this configuration, the locking/unlocking operation can be reliably controlled without mistakenly recognizing a slight change in the magnetic field due to noise or the like as a change in the open/closed state. Further, since the change in the magnetic field is determined on the basis of the threshold value, the change in the magnetic field can be reliably detected without being affected by the magnetic field around the original state where the locking/unlocking device 100 is attached.
Further, in the locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment, the magnetic detection unit 110 can notify the control unit 140 of the detection result of the detected magnetic field value at a predetermined output cycle. With this configuration, the detection result of the magnetic detection unit 110 can be reliably notified to the control unit 140. Further, even when the detection result of the magnetic detection unit 110 changes, it is possible to promptly notify the control unit 140 of the change. Further, since the detection result of the magnetic detection unit 110 is periodically notified to the control unit 140, it becomes easier for the control unit 140 to grasp the time-series change of the detection result, and the control based on the open/closed state of the opening/closing device 200 is surely performed.
A modification example of the present embodiment will be described with reference to
First, the opening/closing device 200 is in a closed state. With the opening/closing device 200 closed, the magnetic detection unit 110 notifies the control unit 140 of the detection result of the detected magnetic field value (S201). At this time, the notification may be performed at a predetermined output cycle. As an example of the output cycle, the frequency may be about once every 1 to 3 seconds. Upon receiving the notification in step S201, the control unit 140 determines the open/closed state of the opening/closing device 200 (S202).
After that, when the opening/closing device 200 is opened (S203), the magnetic detection unit 110 detects a change in the magnetic field due to the opening/closing device being opened (S205). The magnetic detection unit 110 notifies the control unit 140 of the detection result of the value of the magnetic field detected in the open state of the opening/closing device 200 at a predetermined output cycle (S207). Upon receiving the notification in step S207, the control unit 140 determines the open/closed state of the opening/closing device 200 (S208). Further, the control unit 140 receives the notification in step S207, and instructs the magnetic detection unit 110 to change the output cycle of the notification after the opening/closing device 200 is in the open state (S209). At this time, the predetermined output cycle may be changed to a cycle shorter than the output cycle of the notification of the closed state. In other words, the frequency of notification from the magnetic detection unit 110 to the control unit 140 may be increased. As an example of the output cycle, the frequency may be about once per second, and particularly, the frequency may be about once per less than a second. The magnetic detection unit 110 notifies the control unit 140 of the detection result of the magnetic field value at the changed predetermined output cycle (S211).
When the operation of opening the opening/closing device 200 is completed and the opening/closing device 200 is in the closed state again (S213), the magnetic detection unit 110 detects a change in the magnetic field due to the opening/closing device 200 being closed (S215). The magnetic detection unit 110 notifies the control unit 140 of the detection result of the detected magnetic field value at a predetermined output cycle (S217). Upon receiving the notification in step S217, the control unit 140 determines the open/closed state of the opening/closing device 200 (S218). Further, upon receiving the notification in step S217, the control unit 140 instructs the magnetic detection unit 110 to change the output cycle of the notification (S219). As an example of the output cycle, the frequency may be about once every 1 to 3 seconds. The subsequent steps S221 to S229 are the same as the steps S115 to S123 in
As described above, in the present modification example, the open/closed state of the opening/closing device 200 can be detected with high accuracy by changing the cycle of notification of the detection result from the magnetic detection unit 110 according to the open/closed state of the opening/closing device 200. In particular, the open/closed state of the opening/closing device 200 may be detected with high accuracy in a condition where the time required to open and close the opening/closing device 200 is generally several seconds to several tens of seconds, and the output cycle of the notification of the detection result of the magnetic detection unit 110 from the open state to the closed state of the opening/closing device 200 is less than a second. In other words, the open/closed state of the opening/closing device 200 may be detected with high accuracy by increasing the notification frequency after the opening/closing device 200 is opened. Further, when the opening/closing device 200 is closed, the consumed power of the locking/unlocking device 100 can be suppressed and the battery life can be extended by reducing the frequency of notification.
Control of the locking/unlocking operation of the locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to
First, for example, the user operates the lock mechanism 230 of the opening/closing device 200 to unlock the opening/closing device 200 (S301). When the lock/unlock detection unit 120 detects the unlocked state (S302), the lock/unlock detection unit 120 notifies the control unit 140 of the unlocked state (S303). At this time, the magnetic detection unit 110 is in a standby state (stop state) in order to suppress power consumption (S304). The standby state (stop state) includes a state where the magnetic detection unit 110 is not operating, and also includes a state where the magnetic detection unit 110 is operating but consumes less power than an active state. Upon receiving the notification in step S303, the control unit 140 starts the magnetic detection unit 110 (S305). The started magnetic detection unit 110 notifies the control unit 140 of the detection result of the detected magnetic field value (S309). At this time, the notification may be performed at a predetermined output cycle. As an example of the output cycle, the frequency may be about once per second or less. Upon receiving the notification in step S309, the control unit 140 determines the open/closed state of the opening/closing device 200 (S310).
After that, when the opening/closing device 200 is in the open state (S311), the magnetic detection unit 110 detects a change in the magnetic field due to the opening/closing device 200 being opened (S313). The magnetic detection unit 110 notifies the control unit 140 of the detection result of the magnetic field value detected in the open state of the opening/closing device 200 at a predetermined output cycle (S315). Upon receiving the notification in step S315, the control unit 140 determines the open/closed state of the opening/closing device 200 (S316).
When the operation of opening the opening/closing device 200 is completed and the opening/closing device 200 is in the closed state again (S317), the magnetic detection unit 110 detects a change in the magnetic field due to the opening/closing device 200 being closed (S319). The magnetic detection unit 110 notifies the control unit 140 of the detection result of the detected magnetic field value at the predetermined output cycle (S321). The control unit 140 receives the notification in step S321 and determines the open/closed state of the opening/closing device 200 (S322).
When determining that the opening/closing device 200 is in the closed state, the control unit 140 stops the magnetic detection unit 110 (S323). After that, the magnetic detection unit 110 is in the standby state (S325). The processing of steps S327 to S335 is the same as the processing of steps S115 to S123 in
In steps S310, S316, and S322, the method of determining the open/closed state of the opening/closing device 200 performed by the control unit 140 is the same as that in steps S102, S108, and S114 of the first embodiment.
The control of the locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment has been described above. The locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment can suppress the consumed power of the magnetic detection unit 110 by performing the above control. As an example, the current consumption of the normal magnetic detection unit 110 is about 50 uA when the polling interval is once per second, whereas the current consumption in the standby state can be 1 uA or less. In this manner, the magnetic detection unit 110 is activated only when the opening/closing device 200 is in the unlocked state, and the magnetic detection unit 110 is made in the standby state when the opening/closing device 200 is locked and not to be opened, thereby consumed power of the magnetic detection unit 110 can be suppressed and the battery life can be extended.
Further, when it is determined that the opening/closing device 200 is in the closed state, the open state, and then the closed state in order, the locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment causes the magnetic detection unit 110 to be in the standby state (stop state). With this configuration, the magnetic detection unit 110 can be set in the standby state after determining that the opening/closing operation of the opening/closing device 200 has been surely completed. Since the magnetic detection unit 110 of the locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment detects a change in the magnetic field due to a relative position change between the movable section 220 and the fixed section 210, the magnetic detection unit 110 can accurately detect the change in the open/closed state of the opening/closing device 200. In addition, by keeping the magnetic detection unit 110 in the standby state until next opening/closing operation is performed, the consumed power of the magnetic detection unit 110 can be suppressed and the battery life can be extended.
Further, the locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment causes the magnetic detection unit 110 to be in the standby state (stop state) and then activates the drive unit 130 to drive the lock mechanism 230 until the lock mechanism is in the locked state. As a result, the magnetic detection unit 110 is in the standby state while the drive unit is operating, and thus vibration or magnetic noise caused by the drive unit 130 is not detected. In particular, when the drive source 131 of the drive unit 130 is a motor, such a method is effective because the influence of magnetic noise is great.
As a modification example of the second embodiment, for example, with the opening/closing device 200 closed as an initial state, the magnetic detection unit 110 is started by the control unit 140, and then the magnetic detection unit 110 may notify the control unit 140 of the detection result of the closed state of the opening/closing device 200. Thereby, the control unit 140 can acquire the detection result of the magnetic field in the initial state. Immediately after starting, the magnetic detection unit 110 has a large variation in the detection results of the values of the changes in the magnetic field. Therefore, by acquiring the value of the magnetic field in the closed state, the control unit 140 can accurately determine the open/closed state of the opening/closing device 200 thereafter.
As another modification example of the second embodiment, not only the magnetic detection unit 110 but also the control unit 140 can be in the standby state (stop state). In other words, for example, the user operates the lock mechanism 230 of the opening/closing device 200 to unlock the opening/closing device 200. When the lock/unlock detection unit 120 detects the unlocked state, the lock/unlock detection unit 120 notifies the control unit 140 of the unlocked state. At this time, the control unit 140 is in a standby state (stop state) in order to suppress power consumption. Upon receiving the notification of the unlocked state, the control unit 140 starts up from the standby state. The control unit 140 in the active state starts the magnetic detection unit 110 that is in the standby state. The subsequent processing is the same as the processing after step S309 in
In the present modification example, by performing the above control, it is possible to suppress the consumed power of not only the magnetic detection unit 110 but also the control unit 140. The consumed power of the magnetic detection unit 110 and the control unit 140 can be suppressed and the battery life can be extended since the magnetic detection unit 110 and the control unit 140 are activated only when the opening/closing device 200 is in the unlocked state, and the magnetic detection unit 110 and the control unit 140 are in the standby state when the opening/closing device 200 is locked and not opened.
As another modification example of the second embodiment, the magnetic detection unit 110 may not always be in the standby state in the locked state, but may be temporarily started so that the magnetic detection unit 110 notifies the control unit 140 of the output result. In other words, in this modification example, the cycle of the output from the magnetic detection unit 110 can be changed according to the locked/unlocked state of the opening/closing device 200.
First, when the opening/closing device 200 is in the locked state, the magnetic detection unit 110 is temporarily started in a predetermined cycle to notify the control unit 140 of the output result. An example of the cycle is about once every few minutes. Next, the user operates the lock mechanism 230 of the opening/closing device 200 to unlock the opening/closing device 200. When the lock/unlock detection unit 120 detects the unlocked state, the lock/unlock detection unit 120 notifies the control unit 140 of the unlocked state.
Upon receiving the notification, the control unit 140 starts the magnetic detection unit 110. The started magnetic detection unit 110 notifies the control unit 140 of the detection result of the detected magnetic field value. At this time, the notification may be performed at a predetermined output cycle. The output cycle is shorter than the cycle at which the magnetic detection unit 110 is temporarily started in the locked state and the detection result is notified. As an example of the output cycle, the frequency may be about once per second or less.
When the opening/closing device 200 is in the locked state, the lock/unlock detection unit 120 detects the locked state and notifies the control unit 140 of the locked state. Upon receiving the notification, the control unit 140 stops the magnetic detection unit 110. Although the magnetic detection unit 110 is in the standby state, the magnetic detection unit 110 is temporarily started at a predetermined cycle even in the standby state, and notifies the control unit 140 of the detection result.
In this modification example, the magnetic detection unit 110 is made in a standby state when the opening/closing device 200 is locked and not to be opened, so that the consumed power of the magnetic detection unit 110 and the control unit 140 can be suppressed and their battery life can be extended. Furthermore, even in the standby state, the magnetic detection unit 110 is temporarily started to detect the change in the magnetic field, so that the fluctuation of the peripheral magnetic field can be detected in advance, and the detection accuracy of the change in the magnetic field when the opening/closing device 200 is opened or closed can be increased.
Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to
The locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment can temporarily stop the automatic lock control by using a predetermined operation as a trigger. In other words, as illustrated in
After that, for example, when the user operates the lock mechanism 230 again and brings the opening/closing device 200 into the locked state (S411), the lock/unlock detection unit 120 detects that the lock mechanism 230 is in the locked state (S413), and notifies the control unit 140 of the locked state (S415). Furthermore, for example, when the user operates the lock mechanism 230 and brings the opening/closing device 200 into the unlocked state (S417), the lock/unlock detection unit 120 detects that the lock mechanism 230 is unlocked (S419) and notifies the control unit 140 of the unlocked state (S421).
As described above, when the control unit 140 determines that the lock mechanism 230 has been unlocked multiple times within a predetermined time, the control unit 140 stops the automatic lock control after determining that the opening/closing device 200 has been finally unlocked (S423). Further, the control unit 140 transmits a signal for stopping the magnetic detection unit 110 to the magnetic detection unit 110 (S425), and the magnetic detection unit 110 becomes the standby state (S427). In a case where the automatic lock control is temporarily stopped, the unlocking operation becomes unnecessary when the user goes out for a short time. After that, when the lock mechanism 230 is operated, the opening/closing device 200 is in the locked state again (S429). When the locked state is detected by the lock/unlock detection unit 120 (S431), the lock/unlock detection unit 120 notifies the control unit 140 of the locked state (S433). The control unit 140 releases the automatic lock stop (S435) and performs normal automatic lock control.
The control of the locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment has been described above. The locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment can temporarily stop the automatic lock control by performing the above control. As a result, the unlocking operation becomes unnecessary when the user goes out for a short time. Further, since the automatic lock control is automatically stopped by operating the lock mechanism 230 a plurality of times, it is not necessary to additionally attach an automatic lock stop button or the like, and the locking/unlocking device 100 can be made compact and inexpensive.
According to the present embodiment, the unlocking operation is set to be performed twice within a predetermined time as a trigger for stopping the automatic lock control, but the present disclosure is not limited to such an example. For example, the automatic lock control may be set to be stopped when the unlocking operation is performed more than twice within a predetermined time. Further, not only the unlocking operation but also the locking operation or a combination of the locking operation and the unlocking operation may be used as a trigger to stop the automatic lock control.
The configuration of the locking/unlocking device 100 according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. First, a situation in which the locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment is applied will be described. According to the present embodiment, when the user approaches the opening/closing device 200, the user performs unlocking operation using a communication terminal 300 instead of the conventional manual operation. Therefore, the user can unlock the key without taking out a key and operating the lock mechanism 230. In such a situation, the locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment can accurately detect the opening/closing of the opening/closing device 200 and optimize the timing of locking/unlocking.
With reference to
The communication unit 160 transmits/receives information to/from the communication terminal 300 existing outside the locking/unlocking device 100 by wireless communication. As an example of a wireless communication system, there are Bluetooth (registered trademark), Wi-Fi, NFC, and the like. The communication unit 160 includes a reception unit that receives a signal transmitted from the communication terminal 300. Further, the communication unit 160 also includes a transmission unit that transmits a signal to the communication terminal 300.
The communication terminal 300 performs wireless communication with the locking/unlocking device 100. As an example of the communication terminal 300, there are a mobile terminal such as a smartphone, a tablet, and an electronic device for locking/unlocking, and an indoor stationary terminal that can be connected to the Internet or Wi-Fi.
Control of the locking/unlocking operation of the locking/unlocking device 100 according to the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to
For example, when the user operates the communication terminal 300 to unlock the opening/closing device 200, a signal for unlocking the opening/closing device 200 is transmitted from the communication terminal 300 (S501). Upon receiving the unlock signal, the communication unit 160 notifies the control unit 140 of the unlocking (S503). At this time, the magnetic detection unit 110 is in a standby state (stop state) in order to suppress power consumption (S504). Upon receiving the notification in step S503, the control unit 140 starts the magnetic detection unit 110 (S505), and the magnetic detection unit 110 is in the active state (S507). Further, the control unit 140 activates the drive unit 130 (S509), the drive unit 130 drives the lock mechanism 230 (S511), and brings the opening/closing device 200 into the unlocked state (S513). The control unit 140 determines the open/closed state on the basis of the output from the magnetic detection unit 110 (S512). The lock/unlock detection unit 120 detects the unlocked state (S515), and notifies the control unit 140 of the unlocked state (S517). Subsequent processing of steps S519 to S543 is performed in the same manner as the processing of steps S311 to S335 in
The control of the locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment has been described above. The locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment has a communication unit 160 capable of wireless communication with the communication terminal 300. Accordingly, the unlock signal can be directly transmitted from the communication terminal 300 to the locking/unlocking device 100 without operating a key or the like. Further, upon receiving the unlock signal, the magnetic detection unit 110 is started, and then the opening/closing device 200 is in the unlocked state and the opening/closing device 200 is opened/closed. Therefore, since the opening/closing operation is performed after a lapse of a certain period of time from the start of the magnetic detection unit 110, the open/closed state of the opening/closing device 200 can be detected in a state where the detection result of the magnetic detection unit 110 is stable.
The configuration and control of the locking/unlocking operation of the locking/unlocking device 100 according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. Note that the same reference numerals are given to the control common to the other embodiments and the description thereof will be omitted. As illustrated in
The beacon transmission unit 170 transmits a beacon signal to the outside of locking/unlocking device 100. When the beacon signal is received by the communication terminal 300, the communication terminal 300 starts an application and starts scanning a connection start signal (advertisement signal) for starting a wireless communication connection from the locking/unlocking device 100. The application may be started in the background. Note that the beacon signal is not limited to a position information signal transmitted at a predetermined cycle, and may be any signal as long as reception of the signal by the communication terminal 300 causes the communication terminal 300 to start scanning the advertisement signal.
Note that the advertisement signal transmitted from communication unit 160 and the beacon signal transmitted from the beacon transmission unit 170 may be any signal that allows the communication terminal 300 to recognize the difference between the two signals. Further, the communication unit 160 and the beacon transmission unit 170 do not have to be provided inside the locking/unlocking device 100 as separate bodies, and may be provided as a common part or circuit element. Also, the advertisement signal and the beacon signal can be transmitted at independent cycles.
With reference to
The communication unit 160 that has received the unlock signal notifies the control unit 140 of the unlock (S617). At this time, the unlocking may be notified when the unlock signal exceeds a certain level. The control unit 140 activates the drive unit 130 (S619), and the drive unit 130 unlocks the opening/closing device 200 (S621). The opening/closing device 200 is in the unlocked state (S623). When the lock/unlock detection unit 120 detects that the lock mechanism 230 is in the unlocked state (S625), the lock/unlock detection unit 120 notifies the control unit 140 that the lock mechanism 230 is in the unlocked state (S627). Subsequent processing can be performed in the same manner as the processing in steps S519 to S541 in
The locking/unlocking operation of the locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment operates when the user comes home and enters the house, for example, as illustrated in
After performing the above control, when the control unit 140 determines that the intensity of the signal (advertisement signal) from the communication terminal 300 has become equal to or higher than a certain level (point B in
The control of the locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment has been described above. The locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment transmits the beacon signal from the beacon transmission unit 170, performs wireless communication with the communication terminal 300 that has detected the beacon signal, and unlocks the opening/closing device 200. Therefore, the user can unlock the opening/closing device 200 without operating the communication terminal 300 at all. Further, since the communication with the communication terminal 300 is started by the beacon signal, the control can be started in a state where the communication terminal 300 is surely near the locking/unlocking device 100. For example, the locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment can more surely grasp the approach of the communication terminal 300 by using the beacon signal, compared with a case of using location information of a global positioning system (GPS). In other words, in the location information of GPS, when the accuracy is poor or is not stable, the unlock control does not work well, and unintended unlocking may occur; however, the locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment can prevent such unintended unlocking.
Subsequently, a modification example of the present embodiment will be described with reference to
As illustrated in
By performing the not-at-home determination according to the above-described flowchart, the not-at-home determination can be accurately performed. In particular, it is possible to prevent the locking/unlocking device 100 from operating and the opening/closing device 200 is unlocked without permission even when the location information is mistakenly recognized by GPS.
Subsequently, a modification example of the present embodiment will be described with reference to
Further, as another modification example of the present embodiment, for example, the transmission timing of the beacon signal transmitted from the beacon transmission unit 170 of the locking/unlocking device 100 is changed from a mode of transmitting the beacon signal once before or after the advertisement signal to a mode of transmitting the beacon signal intensively. In other words, the beacon signal B may be intensively transmitted at a predetermined cycle. For example, the beacon transmission unit 170 intensively transmits the beacon signal B at an interval longer than the scanning interval of communication terminal 300, while transmitting the beacon signal B evenly at a constant cycle. If the cycle of the beacon signal B of the communication terminal 300 does not match the cycle of the scanning interval C, the detection of the beacon signal B by the communication terminal 300 may be delayed. Therefore, as illustrated in
Further, as another modification example of the present embodiment, the transmission interval of the beacon signal may be shortened when a predetermined condition is satisfied. As an example of the predetermined condition, there may be a case where the communication terminal 300 instructs the locking/unlocking device 100 to shorten the beacon signal transmission interval. As another condition, for example, there may be a case where the communication terminal 300 gives an instruction to shorten the transmission interval of the beacon signal when the communication terminal 300 approaches the opening/closing device 200. Further, as another condition, for example, there may be a case where a stationary communication terminal may instruct the locking/unlocking device 100 to shorten the transmission interval of the beacon signal via the Internet using the mobile communication terminal when the location information of a mobile communication terminal is acquired and the mobile communication terminal is approaching the opening/closing device 200.
In the present modification example, the transmission interval of the beacon signal is shortened to increase the possibility that the beacon signal is detected by the communication terminal 300, so that the subsequent control can be started earlier. Therefore, the time the user waits for the activation of the locking/unlocking device 100 can be eliminated or shortened. In addition, since the transmission interval of the beacon signal is shortened only when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the power consumption is suppressed and the battery life can be extended.
With reference to
The magnetic section 190 is at least partially made of a magnetic material, and is attached to the fixed section 210 of the opening/closing device 200. The magnetic section 190 may be, for example, a permanent magnet having a surface magnetic flux density of 200 mT or less. When the value of the surface magnetic flux density is increased, it becomes easier for the magnetic detection unit 110 to detect a change in the magnetic field; however, when the value of the surface magnetic flux density becomes too high, the upper limit of the value that can be detected by the magnetic detection unit 110 may be exceeded. Therefore, the value of the surface magnetic flux density of the magnetic section 190 can be set to the above value.
By attaching the magnetic section 190 to the opening/closing device 200, the change in the magnetic field detected by the magnetic detection unit 110 can be detected more accurately. Further, even when the fixed section 210 of the opening/closing device 200 is made of a non-magnetic material such as wood or glass, the magnetic detection unit 110 can detect a change in the magnetic field.
The locking/unlocking device 100 according to the present embodiment may be attached to the opening/closing device 200 including a door (movable section 220) and a door frame (fixed section 210) as illustrated in
Further, as illustrated in
In addition, in
The preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. It is obvious that a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field of the present disclosure can come up with various changes or modifications within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims. It is understood that the changes or modifications also naturally belong to the technical scope of the present disclosure.
Further, the effects described in the present specification are merely explanatory or exemplifying ones, and are not limiting. In other words, the technique according to the present disclosure may have other effects that are apparent to those skilled in the art from the description of the present specification, in addition to or instead of the above effects.
The following configurations also belong to the technical scope of the present disclosure.
(1)
A locking/unlocking device comprising:
The locking/unlocking device according to (1), wherein
The locking/unlocking device according to (1) or (2), wherein
The locking/unlocking device according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein
The locking/unlocking device according to (4), wherein
The locking/unlocking device according to (4) or (5), wherein
The locking/unlocking device according to any one of (1) to (6), further comprising
The locking/unlocking device according to (7), wherein
The locking/unlocking device according to (7) or (8), wherein
The locking/unlocking device according to any one of (1) to (9), wherein
The locking/unlocking device according to (10), wherein
The locking/unlocking device according to any one of (1) to (11), further comprising
The locking/unlocking device according to (12), further comprising
The locking/unlocking device according to (13), wherein
The locking/unlocking device according to any one of (1) to (14), further comprising
The locking/unlocking device according to any one of (1) to (15), further comprising
The locking/unlocking device according to (16), wherein
The locking/unlocking device according to any one of (1) to (17), further comprising
The locking/unlocking device according to any one of (1) to (18), wherein the locking/unlocking device is detachably attached to the opening/closing device.
(20)
A locking/unlocking method comprising:
A locking/unlocking system comprising:
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2018/024774 | 6/29/2018 | WO |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2020/003487 | 1/2/2020 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20170193724 | Johnson | Jul 2017 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 112009000459 | Feb 2011 | DE |
| 202010010852 | Nov 2011 | DE |
| 2010229679 | Jan 2010 | JP |
| 2010-203190 | Sep 2010 | JP |
| 2010203190 | Sep 2010 | JP |
| 2010-229679 | Oct 2010 | JP |
| 2012-154065 | Aug 2012 | JP |
| 2015-148998 | Aug 2015 | JP |
| 2015148998 | Aug 2015 | JP |
| 2016-223212 | Dec 2016 | JP |
| 2016-223277 | Dec 2016 | JP |
| 2017110431 | Jun 2017 | JP |
| 2017-210856 | Nov 2017 | JP |
| 2017210856 | Nov 2017 | JP |
| 2018090991 | Jun 2018 | JP |
| 2013077100 | May 2013 | WO |
| WO-2014154738 | Oct 2014 | WO |
| WO-2017046399 | Mar 2017 | WO |
| WO-2018055398 | Mar 2018 | WO |
| Entry |
|---|
| International Search Report and Written Opinion dated Oct. 2, 2018, received for PCT Application No. PCT/JP2018/024774, Filed on Jun. 29, 2018, 11 pages including English Translation. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20210262251 A1 | Aug 2021 | US |
