JPH05248129A - Automatic locking system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an automatic locking system which is applicable for a remote object in the range far from a visible distance and automatically controlable against the object. CONSTITUTION:This system is provided with a SS type transmitter 1 and a receiver 11. A correlative output signal from a correlative instrument 22 of the receiver 11 is detected by an envelope curve wave detector 25 and the level of the output signal is judged by a comparison instrument 26 as to whether it is larger than the threshold or not. Since the level of the correlative output signal varies in accordance with the distance of the transmitter 1 from the receiver 11, the control signal corresponding with the level is output from the receiver 11 to automatically control the movement of the object (locking and unlocking mechanism).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic lock system which is applied to various locking and unlocking mechanisms to automatically control its operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When controlling the operation of a lock and unlock mechanism of a vehicle or a building by a remote control system,
A wireless remote control system that uses infrared rays as a transmission medium for control signals is used.

FIG. 10 shows an example in which this system is applied to a lock and unlock mechanism of a vehicle. A receiving device 45 having an infrared sensor is installed on the vehicle mirror portion 43 or the handle portion 44 of the vehicle 41. The transmitting device 46 is carried by the driver 42 outside the vehicle. The driver 42 operates the transmission device 46 to transmit the modulated lock signal or unlock signal as infrared rays to the reception device 45 of the vehicle 41 to control the operation of the lock and unlock mechanism of the vehicle 41. Therefore, the door is locked or unlocked.

FIG. 11 shows another example applied to a lock and unlock mechanism of a garage. A receiver 45 is installed in a holding portion of a shutter 48 of a garage 47, and a transmitter 46 is installed in a vehicle 41. By installing and operating the transmission device 46 from the vehicle 41, the operation of the lock and unlock mechanism is controlled as in the case of the above example,
The shutter 48 is locked (closed) or unlocked (open).

[0005]

By the way, in such a conventional lock system, since infrared rays which are easily attenuated by an obstacle are used as a transmission medium of a control signal for controlling the operation of the lock and unlock mechanism, it is possible to snow. There is a problem in that it can be applied only to a target in a short distance and in a range that can be seen, since it tends to malfunction in some cases. Furthermore, there is a problem in that the controllability is poor because it is necessary to manually operate the transmitter.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic lock system which can be applied to an object other than a line-of-sight range at a long distance and can be automatically controlled. To do.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a transmitter which is carried by a user or installed in the vicinity of the user and which modulates a predetermined PN code by high frequency and transmits the same. Correlator that correlates the signal with the reference signal, detector that detects the output signal of the correlator, and determine whether the output signal of the detector is below a predetermined level and output a control signal according to this result And a receiver installed in the locking and unlocking mechanism.

[0008]

A transmitter for transmitting a control signal by high-frequency modulating a predetermined PN code and a receiver including a correlator, a detector and a judging means are provided, and the receiver is adapted to the level of the correlation output signal of the receiver. The control signal is output to automatically control the operation of the lock and unlock mechanism. Since radio waves are used as the control signal transmission medium, it can be applied to objects at a long distance and outside the line-of-sight range. Furthermore, since control is performed according to the level of the correlation output, it can be controlled automatically rather than manually.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 are block diagrams showing configurations of a transmitter and a receiver used in the automatic lock system of the present invention. These transmitters and receivers use an SS (spread spectrum) system and set a PN (pseudo noise) code in advance for transmission, and reception is a signal with a large correlation by correlating with this PN code. Only select as the desired signal.

The transmitter 1 shown in FIG. 1 receives a preset PN code and a carrier f _RF transmitted from a carrier (carrier wave) oscillator 2 to perform high frequency modulation with the PN code, and a modulation output signal. An amplifier 4 for amplifying
It is composed of a BPF (band pass filter) 5 that passes only a specific component of the amplified output signal, and a transmission antenna 6.

The receiver 11 shown in FIG.
, A BPF 13 that passes only a specific component of the received signal from the transmitter 1, and an amplifier 14 that amplifies the BPF output signal.
When, a mixer 16 to create an intermediate frequency signal f _IF to enter the local signal f _LO oscillated from the amplified output signal f _RF and the local oscillator 15, and BPF17 to pass the intermediate frequency signal f _IF, BPF output And an amplifier 18 for amplifying the signal. Further, the mixer 20 for mixing the reference PN code and the signal f _IF oscillated from the oscillator 19, the amplifier 21 for amplifying the mixed output signal, and the outputs of the amplifiers 18 and 21 are input to receive the reference signal and the received signal. Correlator (convolver) 22 that takes the correlation of A, amplifier 23 that amplifies the correlation output signal, and B that passes only the specific component of the amplified output signal.
A correlation output signal (detection output signal) by comparing the detection output signal V and the threshold value V _TH with the PF 24, an envelope detector 25 that detects a desired signal by using the BPF output signal as the envelope detection.
And a comparator 26 that outputs a control signal according to the level of the.

Here, the comparator 26 operates as a judging means and compares the detection output signal V with the threshold value V _TH to judge the relation of V ≧ V _TH as shown in FIG. 3, for example. And outputs an H level signal that works as an unlock signal. Conversely, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, V <V _TH
When the relationship of is determined, an L level signal that functions as a lock signal is output as a control signal. The PN code set in advance is set to a different type for each control target so as to have a function as a kind of ID code.

The transmitter 1 is carried by the user or installed near the user. On the other hand, the receiver 11 is installed in the target lock and unlock mechanism. Where the receiver 1
The level of the correlation output signal detected at 1 becomes small when the distance from the transmitter 1 is long, and becomes large when this distance is short. Based on this, the receiver 11 installed in the target
When the transmitter 1 approaches, the level of the correlation output signal increases and the unlock signal is automatically output as a control signal. Conversely, when the transmitter 1 moves away, the level of the correlation output signal decreases and the level automatically increases. The lock signal is output as a control signal. Therefore, the operation of the target lock and unlock mechanism is automatically controlled according to the distance between the transmitter 1 and the receiver 11.

FIG. 5 shows an example in which the present invention is applied to a lock and unlock mechanism of a vehicle.
1 and the transmitter 42 is carried by the driver 42. FIG. 6 illustrates the details of the control method. When an L level signal (lock signal) is output from the receiver 11 to the lock drive circuit 27, the plunger 28 acting as a lock mechanism, for example, sucks the rod 29 to the left. As a result, the locked member 30 moves to the left by the pin P1, and as a result, the right ends of the openings 32 come into contact with the fixing pins P2 and P2 of the fixing portion 31 and become locked.

On the contrary, if an H level signal (unlock signal) is output from the receiver 11 to the lock drive circuit 27, the plunger 28 releases the suction and the rod 29 moves to the right from the position shown in FIG. Therefore, the locked member 30
Moves to the right of the broken line position, so the fixing pins P2, P3
The contact between the opening 32 and the opening 32 is released, and the unlocked state is established.

FIG. 7 shows an example in which the present invention is applied to a lock and unlock mechanism of a garage. Receiver 11
When a lock signal is output from the shutter drive circuit 33 from the shutter drive circuit 33, the motor 34 rotates, for example, in the forward direction to cause the shutter 3 to rotate.
5 is locked (closed). Conversely, the receiver 11
When the unlock signal is output from the shutter drive circuit 33 to the shutter drive circuit 33, the shutter 35 is unlocked (open) by the reverse rotation of the motor 34.

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, since the radio wave is used as the transmission means of the control signal for controlling the operation of the lock and unlock mechanism which is the object, it can be sufficiently applied to the object at a long distance. Moreover, even if there is an obstacle, it has the property of wrapping around, so it can be applied to objects outside the line-of-sight range.

Further, by using the SS type transmitter and receiver, the level of the correlation output signal automatically changes according to the distance between the two, so that the operation of the lock and unlock mechanism corresponds to the level. The control signal enables automatic control. Also, due to such automatic control being possible, the receiver is equipped with AGC.
This structure can be simplified because no circuit is required.

As shown in FIG. 8, if the preset PN code is set to a different type of code PN1 ... PNn for each vehicle A ... Vehicle N to be controlled, even if the number of users increases. It is possible to respond sufficiently.
In particular, by adopting the SS method, it becomes possible to support a larger number of users than the frequency allocation method.

Further, as shown in FIG. 9, a different code P
It is also possible to combine N1, PN2, PN3 ..., By this, it becomes possible to support a larger number of users.

According to the present invention, in addition to the above advantages,
Since it is possible to prevent an accident such as the vehicle being stolen or the door being locked with the key still attached, it is effective in terms of safety.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, the SS
Since it is equipped with a transmitter and receiver of the method and controlled according to the correlation output signal level of the receiver, it can be applied to objects at a long distance and outside the line-of-sight range.
Further, the operation of the lock and unlock mechanism can be automatically controlled.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a transmitter used in an automatic lock system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a receiver used in the automatic lock system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an operation principle of the control method of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an operation principle of the control method of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing an application example of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing details of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing another application example of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a PN code setting method used in the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of another PN code setting method used in the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an application example of a conventional system.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing another application example of the conventional system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Transmitter 11 Receiver 22 Correlator (Convolver) 25 Envelope Detector 26 Comparator (Determination Means) 28 Plunger 29 Rod 30 Locked Member 31 Fixed Part 34 Motor 35 Shutter

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A transmitter which is carried by a user or installed in the vicinity of the user and which modulates a predetermined PN code by high frequency and transmits the same, and a correlator and a correlator for correlating a received signal and a reference signal. It is composed of a detector for detecting the output signal and a judging means for judging whether or not the output signal of the detector is below a predetermined level and outputting a control signal according to this result. An automatic lock system characterized by having a machine.