Portable and single-use device for accessing an area with restricted access, associated access key generation system and associated access control method
Inventors
DJOHARIAN, Behnaz • Bouchiat, Vincent
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12254731-B2
Publication Date
2025-03-18
Expiration Date
Abstract
The disclosure relates to a device for accessing an area with restricted access or an area to which access is controlled, comprising a support, a sensor and access control stage, the support comprising a portion to be discarded and a portion to be retained, the sensor being borne by the portion to be discarded and being configured to measure at least one parameter of a subject's health, and to deliver a detection signal representative of the measurement of each health parameter, the access control stage being borne by the portion to be retained and being configured to store access information dependent on the detection signal delivered by the sensor, the portion to be retained being able to be mechanically separated from the portion to be discarded so as to form an access key allowing, depending on the access information, access or otherwise to the area with restricted access or to the area to which access is controlled.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a portable access device for accessing a restricted-access area, where the device is for single use because a sensor can be brought into contact with a biological sample taken from a subject. The support comprises a disposable part and a retainable part, with the sensor carried by the disposable part. The sensor measures at least one health parameter of a subject and delivers a detection signal representative of the measurement of each health parameter.
The portable access device further includes an access control stage carried by the retainable part, configured to store access information depending on the detection signal delivered by the sensor. The retainable part is mechanically separated from the disposable part to form an access key. The access key permits or prohibits access to the restricted-access area depending on the stored access information.
The device specifies separation and electrical connectivity behavior through a connection bus electrically connecting the access control stage to the sensor, where the connection bus is configured to sever upon separation of the retainable part from the disposable part. The disclosed mechanical separation includes breaking along a predetermined fracture line or peeling off at a predetermined bonding zone, with electrical continuity in the bonding zone provided by conductive adhesive or vias configured to break during peeling off.
Additional disclosed features include managing hygiene through spacing between the sensor and the retainable part so the distance is greater than a predetermined contamination limit. The disclosure further includes access information content such as a unique identifier of the subject, time stamp, period of validity, and place of validity of an access authorization. Example implementations include a graphene sheet sensor functionalized with functional groups tailored to analyte detection, and low-cost key functionality using RFID/NFC or near-field communication-style radio tag behavior.
Claims Coverage
The document provides four independent claims. Across these independents, the claims share the core concept of a single-use disposable sensor generating a detection signal that drives stored access information, which is converted into a mechanically separable access key for permitting or prohibiting access to a restricted-access area.
Single-use disposable sensor with retainable access control stage forming a separable access key
A portable access device for accessing a restricted-access area with a support comprising a disposable part and a retainable part; the sensor carried by the disposable part is for single use by being capable of being brought into contact with a biological sample taken from a subject; the sensor measures at least one health parameter and delivers a detection signal; the access control stage carried by the retainable part stores access information depending on the detection signal; and the retainable part is mechanically separated from the disposable part to form an access key that permits or prohibits access depending on the access information.
Fracture-line separation with severing connection bus
The access control stage is electrically connected to the sensor by means of a connection bus; the retainable part is configured to be separated from the disposable part by being broken along a predetermined fracture line; and the connection bus is configured to sever upon separation of the retainable part from the disposable part.
Peel-off bonding zone separation with conductive-adhesive or breakable vias for electrical continuity
The retainable part of the support is configured to be separated from the disposable part by being peeled off at a predetermined bonding zone; and the electrical continuity of the connection bus in the bonding zone is provided by a conductive adhesive or by vias configured to break during the peeling-off.
Contamination-limited spacing between sensor and retainable part
The sensor and the retainable part of the support are spaced apart from each other, with a distance between the sensor and the retainable part greater than a predetermined contamination limit.
Access control method generating and storing access information from detection signal and forming an access key with subject unique identifier
A method using a portable access device with a support, a sensor and an access control stage, including measuring at least one health parameter of the subject by the sensor, generating the access information according to the detection signal, storing the access information in the access control stage, separating the retainable part from the disposable part to form the access key, and, in the access control stage, associating a unique identifier of the subject.
The independent claims collectively require a single-use disposable sensor that delivers a detection signal from a biological sample, an access control stage storing access information from that detection signal, and mechanical separation of a retainable part from a disposable part to form an access key that permits or prohibits access. The claim-specific inventive coverage is implemented via a severing connection bus with fracture-line breaking, via peel-off at a predetermined bonding zone with conductive-adhesive or breakable vias, via contamination-limited spacing, and via the method claim that further specifies generating and storing access information and incorporating a subject unique identifier.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
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