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SonyGranted patentSecurity & privacyInterest 6/10

Sony patents lock system that detects walls between devices

Sony describes a communication device that measures the phase of signals sent to another device to calculate distance. It analyzes the signal's shape to determine if an obstacle, like a wall, is blocking the path between them. This data is then used to control whether a key or lock mechanism opens or closes.

Why it mattersIt offers a more precise way to secure physical or digital locks by ensuring the signal isn't being blocked by a barrier, which could prevent unauthorized access from outside a room or building.

In the filing’s own words

A positioning relation taking an obstacle between communication apparatuses into consideration is grasped to perform opening/closing control with a key. The communication apparatus includes a distance generation section and an inside/outside determination section. The distance generation section generates distance information on the basis of a phase characteristic of a frequency of a propagation channel to and from another communication apparatus. The inside/outside determination section performs inside/outside determination on whether or not an obstacle is interposed between the communication apparatus and the difference communication apparatus, on the basis of the phase characteristic of the frequency of the propagation channel to and from the other communication apparatus. The communication apparatus may further include a key controlling section that controls at least one of locking and unlocking with a key on the basis of the distance information and a result of the inside/outside determination.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A communication apparatus comprising: a phase measuring device configured to measure a phase characteristic of a frequency of a propagation channel to and from another communication apparatus; a time response characteristic generator configured to generate a time response characteristic from the phase characteristic, the time response characteristic including a waveform component; and a determination section that performs a determination on whether or not an obstacle is interposed between the communication apparatus and the another communication apparatus on a basis of the waveform component of the time response characteristic, wherein the waveform component is one of a plurality of waveform components including a preceding wave component and a delayed wave component, and the determination section performs the determination on a basis of a component ratio between the preceding wave component and the delayed wave component in the time response characteristic.

Facts

Company
Sony (Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation)
Official title
Communication apparatus, communication system, and key opening/closing controlling method
Patent number
US12768981B2
Application number
18016741
Filed
Jun 22, 2021
Granted
Oct 20, 2026
Inventors
1
Claims
21

Classified under

G01S 13/84 Physics & computingE05B 49/00 Buildings & constructionE05B 81/78 Buildings & constructionG01S 13/765 Physics & computing
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.