Hello, this is SUGA, researching the Internet of Things at ATL in Recruit Technologies Co.,Ltd.
While members at ATL research mainly wearable devices as IoT research themes, we are doing research on key-less entry devices as the latest theme.
ATL members research a key-less entry device with the following features:
The characteristics
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You can use your smartphone (iPhone or Android) as a key-less key in place of or in addition to a specific key-less key.
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By some settings, just carrying a key-less key (a smartphone is okay, of course), when you walk away from a door, it is automatically locked, and when you approach a door, it is automatically opened.
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Even from a remote location, you can check if a door is locked or unlocked and control to lock or unlock the door.
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You can set up the key-less device without any construction work. If you do not need the device any more, you can take it away easily without any construction work, either.
Image of the settings of the prototype key-less entry device on a door
Close-up image of the prototype key-less entry device
I am pleased to share some basic features on the production model now.
#1 You can use your smartphone (iPhone or Android) as a key-less key.
When you operate a key-less entry key application on your smartphone and then the key-less key entry device starts working, you can lock or unlock a door.
Image of smartphone application
It looks funny, but by using ready-made gear and cases since the main purpose is to check if the system works at this time.
Image of the key-less entry device
Here’s a demonstration of how the system works in a video below.
The operating principle is that; a control instruction from a smartphone connected with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to the key-less entry device (in this case, the instruction of locking and unlocking a door) is converted into a serial communication in a key-less entry device, and it makes the thumb turn of the door spin around.
#2. Just carrying a key-less key (a smart phone is okay, of course), when you walk further away from a door, it is automatically locked, and when you approach a door, it is automatically opened.
You can automatically lock or unlock a door just carrying your smart phone although you have to keep the application of your smart phone open. We have a plan not to need to keep the application on your smart phone open in near future.
Here’s a demonstration of how it works in a video below.
The operating principle is that; the device measures the distance with the radio field strength of the BLE, and it locks and unlocks a door at a certain distance.
By setting up a threshold, you can operate the device at varying distances.
Our future plan is to implement #3 and #4 features and to make the key-less entry device smaller.
We will keep reporting on our research.