DEVICE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention generally relates to accessing of areas controlled by access granting devices . More particularly, the invention relates to a method, portable area accessing device, computer program and a computer program product for accessing an area controlled by an access granting device as well as to a method, access granting device, computer program and computer program product for granting access to an area.

BACKGROUND Portable electronic devices have become more and more common in order to access variou s areas, such as the interior or vehicles. Vehicle keys have for instance recently become electronic. However, there has also been interest in u sing other electronic devices, such as mobile phones, for accessing areas such as the interiors of vehicles . This is an interesting option since a mobile phone is a commonplace personal item equipped with one or more wireless communication capabilities.

The portable electronic device will then wirelessly send an access code to an access granting device controlling the access of the area, for in stance a vehicle computer, and then the access is granted for in stance through unlocking the doors of the vehicle.

There is a problem though and that is that portable electronic devices are battery powered. They may thu s lose their power and if they lose their power they cannot tran smit any access code and thereby the area cannot be accessed . One interesting technology that has evolved lately is inductive charging. Portable electronic devices may be equipped with an inductive charge receiving element in the form of an inductive coil and it is possible to charge the electronic device through bringing this coil in the vicinity of an inductive charger comprising an inductive charge providing element in the form of another inductive coil.

This is one technique that could be u sed for charging a portable electronic device that is to be u sed for accessing an area, i.e. for charging a portable area accessing device.

However, if this type of technology is provided in relation to an access granting device, i.e. a device that is respon sible for giving access to the area, there is a possibility that the charging ability may be abu sed by others . If for instance a vehicle is provided with this ability, it is possible that malignant u sers may u se the inductive charger of a parked vehicle in order to charge a great number of portable electronic devices. This may in turn drain the vehicle battery so that the vehicle cannot be started . In this case there is also the question of unlawfully stealing energy.

There is therefore a need for providing controlled inductive charging capability in relation to the accessing of an area.

SUMMARY

One object of the invention is thu s to provide a controlled inductive charging of a portable area accessing devices that is u sed for accessing an area. This object is according to a first aspect achieved through a portable area accessing device for accessing an area controlled by an access granting device. The portable area accessing device comprises : a chargeable energy storage unit,

an inductive charge receiving element, and

an area accessing unit. The area accessing unit comprises a first processor and a memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the first processor whereby the area accessing unit is operative to:

obtain an access code for accessing the area, and

send the access code to the access granting device in order for a user to access the area, where the obtaining and sending of the access code is powered by the chargeable energy storage unit with electric power received by the inductive charge receiving element from the access granting device.

This object is according to a second aspect also achieved by a method for accessing an area controlled by an access granting device. The method is performed in a portable area accessing device and comprises:

wirelessly receiving, in an inductive charge receiving element, electric power from the access granting device,

supplying the electric power to a chargeable energy storage unit, obtaining an access code for accessing the area, and

sending the access code to the access granting device in order for a user to access the area, where the obtaining and sending of the access code is powered by the chargeable energy storage unit with electric power received by the inductive charge receiving element from the access granting device.

The object is according to a third aspect achieved through a computer program for accessing an area controlled by an access granting device. The computer program comprises computer program code which when run in an area accessing unit of a portable area accessing device comprising a chargeable energy storage unit and an inductive charge receiving element, causes the area accessing unit to:

obtain an access code for accessing the area, and send the access code to the access granting device in order for a user to access the area, where the obtaining and sending of the access code is powered by the chargeable energy storage unit with electric power received by the inductive charge receiving element from the access granting device.

The object is according to a fourth aspect achieved through a computer program product for accessing an area controlled by an access granting device. The computer program product comprises a data carrier with computer program code according to the third aspect.

The object is according to a fifth aspect also achieved by an access granting device for granting access to an area. The access granting device comprises an inductive charge providing element configured to transfer electric power to an adjacently placed inductive charge receiving element, and an access granting unit comprising a processor, and a memory. The memory contains instructions executable by the processor whereby the access granting unit is operative to

give access to the area based on a correct access code received from a portable area accessing device or otherwise control the inductive charge providing element to discontinue the transfer of electric power.

The object is according to a sixth aspect also achieved by a method for granting access to an area. The method is performed in an access granting device that comprises an inductive charge providing element. The method comprises:

transferring, by the inductive charge providing element, electric power to an adjacently placed inductive charge receiving element, and

giving access to the area based on a correct access code received from a portable accessing device or otherwise discontinuing the transfer of electric power to the inductive charge receiving element. The object is according to a seventh aspect achieved through a computer program for granting access to an area. The computer program comprises computer program code which when run in an access granting unit of an access granting device comprising an inductive charge providing element, causes the access granting unit to:

give access to the area based on a correct access code received from a portable area accessing device or otherwise discontinue a transfer of electric power being made from the inductive charge providing element to an adjacently placed inductive charge receiving element.

The object is according to an eighth aspect achieved through a computer program product for granting access to an area. The computer program product is provided on a data carrier and comprises the computer program code according to the seventh aspect.

The invention according to the above-mentioned aspects has a number of advantages. A user is able to access the area even though the energy storage unit of the portable area accessing device is depleted. This is furthermore combined with the access granting device being able to control the charging so that it is not abused. In case a malignant user wants to access the area or just steal energy, this is avoided through discontinuing the energy transfer.

The obtaining may be performed through fetching the access code from a memory, such as a non-volatile memory. The access code may also be an access code selected by the user for use in accessing the area.

In an advantageous variation of the first aspect, the portable area accessing device further comprises a user interface operative to receive user input from the user. In a corresponding variation of the second aspect, the method for accessing an area further comprises receiving u ser inputs from the user.

The user input may in some instances be the access code. In other instances the user input may be verifying information, such as a PIN code, biometric data or voice being recognized through voice recognition.

In another variation of the first aspect, the portable area accessing device further comprises a second processor providing other functionality, where the first processor is an auxiliary processor dedicated to obtaining access to the area.

The portable area accessing device may with advantage be a mobile phone. According to another variation of the first aspect, the portable area accessing device comprises a modulating unit operative to modulate the access code on an energy wave sent via the inductive charge receiving element. According to a corresponding variation of the second aspect, the sending of the access code is performed through modulating the access code on an energy wave sent via the inductive charge receiving element.

According to a further variation of the first aspect, the portable area accessing device comprises a wireless transmitting unit operative to transmit the access code to the access granting device via a radio signal.

According to a corresponding variation of the second aspect, the access code is sent to the access granting device via a radio signal.

In an advantageous variation of the fifth aspect, the access granting unit of the access granting device is further operative to, when giving access or discontinuing transfer of power, compare the access code with a set of registered access codes and give access in the case of a match.

In a corresponding variation of the sixth aspect, the giving of access or discontinuing transfer of power comprises comparing the access code with a set of registered access codes and giving access in the case of a match.

According to another variation of the fifth aspect, the access granting unit is further operative to start a timer when the inductive charge providing element starts to transfer electric power and when giving access or discontinuing transfer of power is further operative to give access if the correct access code is received within a time out period of the timer.

According to a corresponding variation of the sixth aspect, the method for granting access further comprises starting a timer when starting to transfer electric power to the inductive charge receiving element, and giving access if the correct access code is received within a time out period of the timer. According to yet a further variation of the fifth aspect, the access granting unit is further operative to detect the inductive charge receiving element being placed adjacent the inductive charge providing element and to control the inductive charge providing element to start to transfer electric power based on the detection .

According to a corresponding variation of the sixth aspect, the method for granting access further comprises detecting the inductive charge receiving element being placed adjacent the inductive charge providing element and controlling the inductive charge providing element to start the transfer of electric power based on the detection. According to another variation of the fifth aspect, the access granting device further comprises a demodulating unit connected to the inductive charge providing element, wherein the demodulating unit is configured to demodulate the access code from an energy wave received by the inductive charge providing element.

According to a corresponding variation of the sixth aspect, the method for granting access further comprises receiving, in the inductive charge providing element, an energy wave comprising the access code and demodulating the access code from the received energy wave.

According to another variation of the fifth aspect, the access granting device further comprises a wireless receiving unit configured to receive the access code via a radio signal.

According to a corresponding variation of the sixth aspect, the method for granting access further comprises receiving the access code via a radio signal According to another variation of the fifth aspect, the access granting device is provided in a vehicle. The processor used for implementing the access granting unit may then be a vehicle processor. As an alternative this processor may be the processor of a charger comprising the charge providing element.

It should be emphasized that the term "comprises/ comprising" when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described in more detail in relation to the enclosed drawings, in which :

fig. 1 schematically shows a portable area accessing device in the form a mobile phone together with a vehicle, the interior of which is an area that a u ser wants to access,

fig. 2 shows a block schematic of some elements u sed in the portable area accessing device,

fig. 3 shows a block schematic of corresponding elements of an access granting device in the vehicle,

fig. 4 schematically shows one way of realizing an area accessing unit of the portable area accessing device,

fig. 5 schematically shows one way of realizing an access granting unit provided in the access granting device,

fig. 6 shows a flow chart of method steps in a method for accessing an area controlled by the access granting device according to a first embodiment, fig. 7 shows a flow chart of method steps in a corresponding method for granting access to an area according to the first embodiment,

fig. 8 shows a flow chart of method steps in a method for granting access to an area according to a second embodiment,

fig. 9 schematically shows one variation of the portable area accessing device, where the area accessing unit is to formed as separate processor when there is a main processor,

fig. 10 schematically shows a variation of the access granting device where it is provided for granting access to a building,

fig. 11 shows a computer program product comprising a data carrier with computer program code for implementing the functionality of the area accessing unit, and

fig. 12 shows a computer program product comprising a data carrier with computer program code for implementing the functionality of the access granting unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description , for purposes of explanation and not limitation, specific details are set forth such as particular architectures, interfaces, techniques, etc. in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention . However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be practiced in other embodiments that depart from these specific details . In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known arrangements, devices, circuits and methods are omitted so as not to obscure the description of the invention with unnecessary detail.

Fig. 1 schematically shows a portable area accessing device 10 , which in this example is a mobile phone. The portable area accessing device is u sed to access an area, which in this example is the interior of a vehicle 12, in the form of a car. In order to access this area the area accessing device transmits an access code AC to an access granting device (not shown) provided in the vehicle 12. The access code is furthermore wirelessly transferred to the access granting device. The portable area accessing device is not necessarily limited to a mobile phone but may be any portable electronic device. It may in fact be an electronic key. It may also be a palm top computer or a mu sic player. It may in fact be any type of portable electronic device that is capable of wirelessly transmitting an access code. In a similar manner the access granting device is not limited to being provided in a vehicle, but may be provided for granting access to any area, such as a room in a building, to a building as such, to a parking space etc.

However, a mobile phone is an example of a portable area accessing device and a vehicle is an example of an area in which granting of access may be of special interest.

Fig. 2 shows a block schematic of an example of some elements u sed in the portable area accessing device 10 in order to obtain access as well in order to be charged . The device 10 comprises an inductive charge receiving element 14, here in the form of a first inductive coil 14, which coil 14 is connected to an alternating current (AC) side of a rectifier 16 , which rectifier 16 has a direct current (DC) side connected to a chargeable energy storage unit 18 . The first coil may also be con sidered to be a secondary coil, becau se it is to receive electric power from another coil, a primary coil.

The chargeable energy storage unit 18 may be a battery, such as a main battery of the mobile phone. As an alternative it may be an auxiliary battery. It may also be one or more capacitors . In any event it is used to power an area accessing unit 20 and is therefore also shown as being connected to this area accessing unit 20. It may also be u sed to power other entities . The rectifier 16 is a converter that converts from AC to DC and which more particularly tran sfers power from the inductive charge receiving element 14 to the chargeable energy storage unit 18.

The area accessing unit 20 is u sed for allowing a u ser to send the access code to the access granting device. For this reason it is shown as being connected to an optional u ser interface 22 as well as to a wireless transmitting unit 24 via which the access code AC is transmitted .

The u ser interface 22 may be provided as a touch screen . However it may also be provided as a combination of key or key pad with display. It can also be a keypad combined with speakers, microphone and speaker combination or even microphone display combination . Here the keypad or microphone is u sed to provide u ser inputs, while the display or speaker provides in structions for entering u ser inputs . The touch screen is u sed for both u ser inputs and u ser instruction s. The wireless tran smitting unit 24 may be any type of suitable wireless transmitter. It may be the radio circuit u sed by a phone for communicating in a mobile communication network, it may be a Bluetooth communication unit, a near field communication (NFC) unit or a Radio Frequency

Identification (RFID) unit. As it is to be u sed for transmitting an access code one of the three latter technologies is often preferred from a safety aspect, as they may implement wireless point-to-point communication . As will be seen later also the wireless transmitting unit is optional. The power requirement may also be lower than in a radio circuit.

If the display 22 and wireless transmitting unit 24 are included in the portable area accessing device 10 , they may also be powered by the chargeable energy storage unit 18 . For this reason the unit 18 is shown as being connected also to the display 22 and wireless tran smitter 24.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic of the portable area accessing device 25, which in this example is thu s provided in the vehicle 12. The access granting device 25 comprises an inductive charge providing element 26 , here in the form of a second coil or primary coil, which is connected to the AC side of an inverter 28 . The inverter 28 also has a DC side which is connected to a power source 34 via at least one switch 32. Such a switch can be controlled to break the connection between the power source 34 and the inverter 28 and thu s discontinue operation of the charge providing element 26. There is in this case two switches between the power source and the inverter 28 . The power source 34 may be a DC voltage source.

The inverter 28 converts DC power obtained from the DC source 34 into AC power, which power may be tran smitted via the second coil 26. As mentioned earlier the switches 32 can be controlled . For this reason there is an access investigating unit 40 , which comprises an inductive charging control block 42 controlling both the switches 32. There is also a sensor 30 connected to the connection between the second coil 26 and the inverter 28 . This sen sor 30 may be set to sense if there is an inductive charge receiving element or secondary coil in the vicinity of the inductive charge providing element or primary coil 26. The sen sor 30 may also be set to sense if any power is tran smitted by this primary coil 26. The inductive charging control block 42 is also connected to a timer 38 . The access granting unit 40 also comprises an access investigating block 44 and the inductive charging control block 42 is connected also to this access investigation block 44. Finally the access granting block 44 is also connected to a wireless receiving unit 46, which is shown as receiving the access code AC. The wireless receiving unit 46 is a wireless receiver communicating according to the same principles as the wireless

transmitter 24 of the portable area accessing device 10. Depending on the implementation of the wireless transmitter 24 , the wireless receiver 46 may thu s be a mobile radio circuit, Bluetooth unit, RFID unit or NFC unit. It should be realized that also this unit is optional.

Fig. 4 shows a block schematic of one way of realizing the area accessing unit 20. The area accessing unit 20 may be provided in the form of a processor 48 connected to a program memory M 50. The program memory 50 may comprise a number of computer in structions implementing the functionality of the area accessing unit 20 and the processor 48

implements this functionality when acting on these instruction s. It can thu s be seen that the combination of processor 48 and memory 50 provides the area accessing unit 20. In some variations of the portable area accessing device 10 , this memory 50 may also be u sed for storing the access code. In other variation s it is stored on a separate memory, such as flash memory. In the case of a mobile phone, the access code may with advantage be stored on a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) of this phone. The access code is thu s with advantage stored on a non-volatile memory.

The access code may furthermore be an access code selected by the u ser for u se in accessing the area. Fig. 5 shows a block schematic of one way of realizing the access granting unit 40. The access granting unit 40 may be provided in the form of a processor 52 connected to a program memory M 54. The program memory 54 may comprise a number of computer instruction s implementing the functionality of the access granting unit 40 and the processor 52 implements this functionality when acting on these instructions . It can thu s be seen that the combination of processor 52 and memory 54 provides the access granting unit 40.

In some variations the processor and memory also implements the timer 38 . In other embodiments this is provided as a separate integrated circuit.

As mentioned initially the portable accessing device 10 is to be u sed for accessing an area controlled by the access granting device 25, which area in this example is the interior of the vehicle 12.

A u ser may then u se his or her mobile phone to unlock the vehicle. The u ser may here select, via the u ser interface 22, an access obtaining procedure provided by the area accessing unit 20 and the area accessing unit 20 obtains an access code, which may be tran smitted to the access investigating block 44 of the access granting unit 40 via the wireless tran smitter 24 and wireless receiver 46 , which leads to the access investigating block 44 sending a signal to a lock controlling function of the vehicle, which in turn unlocks the vehicle.

However, if the u ser the next time he or she tries to do this, is out of battery, then it is impossible to unlock the vehicle unless the battery is somehow powered .

Now a first embodiment will be described which addressed this and other problems . The first embodiment will be described with reference also being made to fig. 6 , which shows a flow chart of method steps in a method for accessing an area controlled by the access granting device 25 and being performed by the portable area accessing device 10 and to fig. 7, which shows a flow chart of method step s in a corresponding method for granting access to an area performed by the access granting device 25.

As mentioned earlier, it is of interest to u se the portable area accessing device 10 for accessing the area controlled by the access granting device 25 even though the chargeable energy storage unit 18 is discharged.

For this reason the access granting device 25 is provided with the inductive charge providing element 26. This may be provided in a location that is easily accessible from outside of the area. In the example of a vehicle, it may for instance be provided on the interior surface of a windshield .

In a similar manner the inductive charge receiving element 14, should be provided in the portable area accessing device 10 so that it can be placed close to the inductive charge providing element 26. For this reason the inductive charge receiving element 14 may be provided on the exterior surface of a casing of the device 10 , embedded in the casing or on an interior surface of the casing. What is important is that the inductive charge providing element 26 would be inductively coupled to the inductive charge receiving element 14 when the portable area accessing device 10 is brought in proximity of the inductive charge providing element 26.

The operation according to the first embodiment therefore starts with the u ser bringing the inductive charge receiving element 14 in close proximity of the inductive charge providing element 26. This may in the example of the vehicle 12 be done through the part of the casing that hou ses the inductive charge receiving element 14 being placed on the windscreen of the vehicle 14 ju st in front of the inductive charge providing element 26.

Thereby they are inductively coupled to each other. If now the inductive charge providing element 26 has a connection to the power source 34, then electric power will be transferred from the inductive charge providing element to the inductive charge receiving element, step 64. It is here possible that the access granting unit 40 controls the starting of such charging. It is for in stance possible that the switches 32 are initially turned off and that a proximity sensor detects the placing of the portable area accessing device 10 close to at least a part of the access granting device 25, for instance through detecting the inductive charge receiving element being placed adjacent the inductive charge providing element. The proximity sensor may here be the sen sor 30. However it is also possible with other types of proximity sen sors. The sensor would then inform the inductive charging control block 42 of the access granting unit 40 about the detection , which block 42 would in turn close the switches 32. As an alternative it is possible that the power source 34 in a default mode is always connected to the inductive charge providing element 26 and that any inductive charge receiving element brought close to the inductive charge providing element 26 wirelessly receives electric power from the inductive charge providing element. In both cases electric power is thu s wirelessly transmitted to the inductive charge receiving element 14. As another alternative it is also possible that the inductive charging control block 42 starts the timer 38 .

The electric power tran smitted by the access granting device is thereby wirelessly received by the inductive charge receiving element 14, step 56, from where the power is supplied to the chargeable energy storage unit 18 via the rectifier 16, step 58 . The power transmitted this way may be the bare minimum that is needed for allowing the area accessing unit 20 to be able to tran sfer an access code AC. However, it is possible that also more power is transferred, which may be done in order to also allow more functionality of the device lo to be u sed . It may for in stance be enough power for allowing the u ser to be verified by the area accessing unit 20.

As the area accessing unit 20 now has power it will initiate an access obtaining procedure. The access obtaining procedure may involve obtaining an access code AC that is to be sent to the access granting device 25, step 60. It is possible that the start of the access obtaining procedure requires the u ser to be verified . The u ser may have to provide verification data such as enter a PIN code in order for the access obtaining procedure to be initiated . It is also possible that other types of verification are u sed such as reading of biometric data, voice detection etc. The area accessing unit 20 may obtain the access code based on a u ser selection of the sending of the access code via the u ser interface 22. As an alternative it is possible that the access code AC is automatically tran smitted when the area accessing unit 20 receives power after the energy storage unit 18 has been depleted. There are thu s a number of ways in which the area accessing unit 20 may initiate an access obtaining procedure. There are also a number of ways in which the access code may be obtained . The u ser may enter it via the u ser interface 22. It is also possible that the area accessing unit 20 fetches the access code AC from a non-volatile memory, such as a flash memory. In case the portable areas accessing device 10 is mobile phone the access code may be fetched from a SIM card. In this respect it is also possible to u se an identifier of the phone as access code. It is for in stance possible to u se the International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI) . However, it is also possible with other identifiers such as an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) . It can of course also be an identifier that the u ser has previou sly selected him- or herself. The obtaining of the access code is thu s powered by the chargeable energy storage unit 18 with electric power received by the inductive charge receiving element 14 from the access granting device 12.

After the area accessing unit 20 has obtained the access code AC it then sends it to the area accessing device, step 62. This may be done through employing the wireless tran smitter 24 to wirelessly transmit the access code AC to the wireless receiver 46 of the access granting device 25 via a radio signal. However, as an alternative it is possible that the access code AC is modulated onto an energy wave being provided via the inductive charge receiving element 14. The portable area accessing device 10 may in this case comprise a modulating unit that modulates the access code on such an energy wave being provided via the inductive charge receiving element 14. In both cases the tran smission of the access code is powered by the chargeable energy storage unit 18 with electric power received by the inductive charge receiving element 14 from the access granting device 12.

After having delivered electric power, the access granting unit 40 of the access granting device 12 awaits an access code AC. It more particularly gives access to the area based on a correct access code or it discontinues charging, step 66. This means that if an access code is received via a radio signal by the wireless receiver 46 or via a demodulating unit connected to the inductive charge providing element 26 , which demodulating unit demodulates the access code from an energy wave obtained via the inductive charge providing element 26, then access to the area is granted.

Such a code may then be provided from the receiving entity to the access investigating block 44, which receiving entity thu s may be the wireless receiver 46 or the demodulating unit. The access investigating block 44 may then compare the code AC with a set of access codes for which access to the area is to be granted, where the set may comprise only one access code. If there is match, the access investigating block 44 may then give the u ser access to the area, which may in the case of a vehicle involve opening one or more of the doors . It may also inform the inductive charge control block 42, which then knows that the default charging scheme is to be continued. If however the code is incorrect, then no access is given . However, it is possible that the portable area accessing device is given a number of tries, for instance three, in order to provide a correct access code. Furthermore also in this case the inductive charging control block 42 may be informed that an incorrect access code was received .

If an incorrect access code is received the inductive charging control block 42 may therefore disconnect the switches 32. As the timer 38 may have been started when wireless transfer of electric power was started, the timer 38 may also be set to inform the inductive charging control block 42 that the switches 32 are to be opened after a time out period has elap sed, which period may be a period deemed to sufficient for energizing and operating the area accessing unit together with the time required for a u ser to be able to provide an access code. The time may as an example be half a minute, one minute or two minutes .

The switch control unit 40 may in this case also be set to keep the energy providing element 26 disconnected from the power source 34 for an extended time, such as for 5 or lo minutes or even an hour. During this disconnection time period it is then not possible to charge any device via the charge providing element 26.

In this way it is possible for a u ser to access the area even though the energy storage unit 18 of the portable area accessing device 10 is depleted. This is furthermore combined with the access granting device 25 being able to control the charging so that it is not abu sed . In case a malignant u ser wants to access the area or ju st steal energy through u sing the charger, this is avoided through disconnecting the energy providing element 26 from the energy source during an extended length of time.

Now a second embodiment will be described with reference again being 5 made to fig. 6 but now together with fig. 8 , which shows a flow chart of method step s in a method for granting access to an area and performed by the access granting device 25. In this second embodiment the charge providing element is termed a primary coil and the inductive charge receiving element is termed a secondary coil, becau se they together act as a 1 0 transformer, where the primary coil tran sfers electric power to the

secondary coil. In this embodiment the access granting device 25 is provided in a vehicle 12 and the portable area accessing device 10 is mobile phone.

15 The operation according to the second embodiment also starts with the u ser bringing the secondary coil 14 in close proximity of the primary coil 26 , which again may be through a part of a casing that hou ses the secondary coil 14 being placed on the windscreen of the vehicle ju st in front of the primary coil 26 in order to inductively couple the coils 14 and

2 0 26 to each other.

In one variation of this embodiment, the switches 32 initially connect the primary coil 26 to the energy source 34. Furthermore, the access granting unit 40 may here control the whole charging process. For this reason the

25 sensor 30 may sen se that there is an inductive coupling between the two coils 14 and 26. The power source 14 may here initially be controlled to only submit enough power to enable detection of the secondary coil 14, but not to transfer any substantive power. The sen sor 30 thu s detects that there is a secondary coil, step 68 , and may send a signal indicative of this

3 0 coupling to the inductive charging control block 42. It may also control the power source 34 to enable substantial power tran sfer. The inductive charging control block now starts the timer 38 , step 70. In this way the timer 38 is started based on the detection of the secondary coil 14. At the same time the primary coil 26 starts to wirelessly tran sfer electric power to the secondary coil 14, step 72.

In another variation of the second embodiment, the detection of the secondary coil 14 is made via another proximity sen sor, in which case the switches 32 may be initially open . As this proximity sensor reports the detecting to the inductive charging control block 42, the inductive charging control block could then close the switches 32 in order to enable wireless transfer of electric power.

The electric power tran smitted by the access granting device 25 is thereby wirelessly received by the secondary coil 14, step 56, from where it is supplied to the chargeable energy storage unit 18 , step 58 , which then powers the area accessing unit 20 , wireless tran smitter 24 and u ser interface 22.

As the area accessing unit 20 now has power it will obtain the access code. It is again possible that the u ser will have to be verified before the access code is fetched and tran sferred, such as through the entering of a PIN code, through reading of biometric data or voice recognition . In this embodiment the pre-defined, u ser selected access code AC is stored in a non-volatile memory, which may be the SIM. The access code AC is however obtained powered by the chargeable energy storage unit 18 .

After the area accessing unit 20 has obtained the access code AC it then sends it to the area accessing device, step 62. This is in this embodiment done through employing the wireless transmitter 24 that wirelessly transmits the access code AC to the wireless receiver 46 of the access granting device 25 via a radio signal. The fetching, u ser verification and wireless tran smission performed by the wireless tran smitter 24 is also here powered by the chargeable energy storage unit 18 .

After the having delivered electric power, the inductive charging control block 42 of the access granting unit 40 investigates the timer 38 . More particularly, it investigates if the timer 38 has reached a time out period. The time our period may here again be set so that the enough power is transferred to power the area accessing unit 20 to be able to perform the access obtaining procedure, which time may comprise a reasonable time for u ser interaction . If the timer has reached the time out period, step 74, then the inductive charging control unit 42 ensures that the tran sfer of electric power is discontinued, step 76, which may be done through opening the switches 32. The disconnection of the switches in the case of expiry of the time out period may be a fairly long time, such as 5 or lo minutes or even an hour. During this time period it is then not possible to charge any device via the primary coil 26. However, if the time out period has not been reached, step 74, the access investigating block 44 investigates if an access code AC has been received . An access code AC will in this embodiment be received via a radio signal by the wireless receiver 46 , which then forwards the received access code AC to the access investigation block 44. If one has been received, step 78 , the access investigating block 44 then compares the code with a set of registered access codes for which access to the area is to be granted, step 80 , where the set may comprise only one access code. If there is match, step 82, the access investigating block 44 may then give the u ser access to the area, step 84, which in the case of a vehicle 14 may involve opening one or more of the doors . It may also inform the inductive charging control block 42, which then knows that the default charging scheme is to be allowed to continue. The inductive charging control block 44 may therefore ensure that the primary coil 26 tran sfers electric power until the secondary coil is removed, step 86.

If however, no access code was received, step 78 , or there is no match, step 82, the access investigating block 44 informs the inductive charging control block 42, which repeats the investigation of the time out period.

In this way it is possible for a u ser to access the area even though the energy storage unit of the portable area accessing device is depleted. This is furthermore combined with the access granting device 25 being able to control the charging so that charging is not abu sed. In case a malignant u ser wants to access the area or ju st steal energy through u sing the inductive charging possibility. This is avoided through disconnecting the energy providing element from the power source during an extended length of time.

There are a number of variations that are possible to make of the invention . As mentioned earlier the area accessing unit may be

implemented through u sing a main CPU of a mobile phone. In this case the charging required for performing the access obtaining procedure may be fairly exten sive, since such a CPU is dimensioned for performing a number of additional activities. In order to lower this charging

requirement it is possible that the area accessing unit is implemented through a smaller "slave" CPU that is dedicated to handling the access obtaining procedure. This situation is schematically shown in fig. 9 , where the processor 48 of fig. 4 implementing the area accessing unit 20 is a slave CPU that is provided together with a main CPU 88 , which is a second processor for the rest of the functionality of the mobile phone. The first processor is here an auxiliary processor dedicated to obtaining access to the area, while the second processor 88 provides other functionality. Furthermore, the same type of division may be made also with regard to the access granting unit. The access granting unit may be a part of the vehicle processor or vehicle computer often termed onboard computer. However, it is also possible that it is implemented as a separate processor, for instance as a processor of a charge or charging circuit comprising the charge providing element, in which case the whole access granting device may form such a charging circuit.

As was mentioned earlier, the access granting device is not limited to being provided in a vehicle. It may for instance also be provided in relation to a room or a whole building. Fig. 10 shows one example of such a situation where access to a building 90 is provided through the building comprising an access granting device comprising an access granting unit 40 as well as a primary coil 26 in the proximity of a door to the building.

The area accessing unit of the portable area accessing device as well as the access granting unit of the access granting device may each, as was implied initially, be provided in the form a processor with associated program memory comprising computer program code with computer program instructions executable by the processor for performing the functionality of the respective unit.

The computer program code of an area accessing unit may also be provided on a computer program product for instance in the form of a data carrier, such as a CD ROM disc or a memory stick. In this case the data carrier or memory stick carries a computer program with the computer program code, which will implement the functionality of the above- described area accessing unit. One such data carrier 92 with computer program code 94 is schematically shown in fig. 11.

Also the computer program code of an access granting unit may be provided on a computer program product that may be a data carrier, such as a CD ROM disc or a memory stick. In this case the data carrier or memory stick carries a computer program with the computer program code, which will implement the functionality of the above-described access granting unit. One such data 96 with computer program code 98 is schematically shown in fig. 12.

Furthermore in the portable area accessing device the inductive charge receiving element may be considered form means for wirelessly receiving electric power from the access granting device and mean s for supplying the electric power to the chargeable energy storage unit.

The area accessing unit may in turn be con sidered to form mean s for obtaining an access code for accessing the area, while the wireless tran smitting unit or combination of modulating unit and inductive charge receiving element may be considered to form mean s for sending the access code to the access granting device.

The u ser interface may further be considered to form mean s for receiving user input from the u ser.

The above describe demodulating unit may furthermore be considered to form means for modulating the access code on an energy wave sent via the inductive charge receiving element, while the wireless tran smitting unit may be considered to form mean s for transmitting the access code to the access granting device via a radio signal.

In the access granting device, the inductive charge providing element may be considered to form mean s for tran sferring electric power to the inductive charge receiving element.

The access granting unit may in turn be con sidered to form mean s for giving access to the area based on a correct access code received from the portable accessing device or otherwise discontinuing the tran sfer of electric power to the inductive charge receiving element, where the access investigation block may be considered to form mean s for giving access to the area based on a correct access code and the inductive charging control block may be con sidered to form mean s for discontinuing the transfer of electric power to the inductive charge receiving element

Furthermore the access investigation block may also be con sidered to form means for comparing the access code with a set of registered access codes and give access in the case of a match .

The inductive charging control block may in turn be con sidered to form means for starting the timer when starting to tran sfer electric power to the inductive charge receiving element. In this case the access investigation block may further be con sidered to form means for giving access if the correct access code is received within the time out period of the timer.

The sensor may in turn be con sider to form mean s for detecting the inductive charge receiving element being placed adjacent the inductive charge providing element and the inductive charging control block may further be con sidered to form means for controlling the inductive charge providing element to start the tran sfer of electric power based on the detection . The inductive charge providing element may further be considered to form means for receiving an energy wave comprising the access code and the optional demodulator may be considered to form mean s for demodulating the access code from the received energy wave. The wireless receiver may be con sidered to form means for receiving the access code via a radio signal. While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various

modifications and equivalent arrangements. Therefore the invention is only to be limited by the following claims.