Saturday, March 05, 2011

Won't someone please take my keys away?

Things were bad around 2007. I carried an ancient PalmOS device, an iPod, keys and wallet. I didn't have enough pockets.

Post-iPhone I'm one device down. That's good. My wallet is unchanged. That's okay. My keys though ...

My keys keep getting clunkier. Our $@%@ insane Subaru Forrester requires a fat (chipped) key and an iPhone sized key fob. I need a backpack to carry my keys.

Forget using Near Field Communications (iPhone 5 the rumors say) to replace my wallet [2]. I don't care about my wallet. I can live with it. I want something to replace my $#@$ car keys ...

GadgetX - Blog - NFC Smart Locks

... NFC could also allow our phones to interact in new ways with old objects, like say, a door lock. You would hold your phone close to the lock while turning the knob. An electromechanical power circuit converts that turning force into enough energy for about about 300 miliseconds, or about 1/3 of a second processing time. A low power microcontroller within the lock accesses a connected NFC chip containing the locked/unlocked status of the lock. This NFC chip would receive it's power over the air through the short range RF interface with the phone's corresponding NFC device, relaying the unlock code to the lock's microcontroller. The balance of the doorknob turning force would then be used to mechanically move the bolt, opening the door. ...

A vehicle solution doesn't need this an OTA RF powered unlock code though, it can take power from the battery like it does today. Either way, I like the idea of shrinking my key chain.

[1] What sadistic madman devised that system? If I lock the door with a key, then open it with a key, the alarm goes off? WTH is this supposed to be protecting against? We bought a dealer used car, so we didn't have  choice on the system. We need to use the remote to safely unlock our car; the remote is bigger than my iPhone. Oh ... and the key. It's chipped. It can't get wet ...

[2] Anyone remember when the IR port would eliminate keys and wallet? Then RFID? Bluetooth? I'm really not all that hopeful.

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