Electronic locking systems, methods, and apparatus

• US 10,127,752 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2017
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digilock Asia Limited
• Original Assignee: Digilock Asia Limited
• Inventors: Ribas, Gabriel Bestard, Bakondi, Steven Thomas, Seliber, Lloyd
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V
• Application Number:
  US15/454,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20170178437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• Field of Search: 340 565, 340 554, 340 551, 340 52, 455411, 364562, 380 25, 700 94
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00412 the transmitted data signal being encrypted
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00753 operated by active electrical keys
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00825 remotely by lines or wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00865 remotely by wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00174 Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00817 where the code of the lock can be programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

Electronic locking devices, systems, and methods may require the utilization of an electronic key generated by an electronic key generation device. The electronic key may be generated using a data payload received from server and/or an administrative device. The administrative device is enabled to remotely manage the locking device and locking system via, for example, a software application running on the administrative device and/or a website.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an encrypted electronic key from an electronic key generation device at a processor included within a locking device;

decrypting, by the processor, the electronic key;

extracting, by the processor, a data payload from the decrypted electronic key;

determining, by the processor, whether the data payload is included within a list of a plurality of permissible data payloads stored on a memory included within the locking device;

instructing, by the processor, a locking mechanism communicatively coupled to the processor and included within the locking device to translate from a closed position to an open position or to translate from the open position to the closed position, wherein the translation is responsive to the determination, and wherein the open position corresponds to an unlocked state for the locking device and the closed position corresponds to a locked state for the locking device; and

responsive to the determination, if the data payload is not included within the list;

transmitting, by the processor, a message to the key generation device, the message instructing the electronic key generation device to nullify the unlocking function of the electronic key generation device;

otherwise;

not transmitting the message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording, by the processor, at least one of the received encrypted electronic key, the decrypted electronic key, the extracted data payload, whether the extracted data payload was included within the list of a plurality of permissible data payloads, a translation of locking device, and an action taken when the data payload was not included within the list of permissible data payloads.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, by the processor, an alarm when the data payload is not included within the list of a plurality of permissible data payloads.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

transmitting, by the processor, the alarm to at least one of a law enforcement agency, an administrator of the locking device, a user of the key generation device, and a private security agency.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, a modification of the list of a plurality of permissible data payloads from the administrator;

updating, by the processor, the list of a plurality of permissible data payloads responsively to the received modification; and

storing, by the processor, the updated list on the memory.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein electronic key is received from the electronic key generation device via a wireless electromagnetic signal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the wireless electromagnetic signal is at least one of a cellular signal, a radio signal, an ultrasonic signal, an infrared signal, a short-wavelength radio signal, a telecommunication signal, a cellular communication signal, a near-field communication signal, a Bluetooth™

signal, a Bluetooth™

low energy signal, and a Wi-Fi signal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the data payload and the electronic key is unique to the electronic key generation device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the message comprises a personalized greeting, a status of the locking device, or an indication of recent activity at the locking device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying on a display of the locking device a personalized greeting for a user associated with the electronic key.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the personalized greeting includes an image.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the image comprises an image of a last individual to lock or unlock the locking device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the image comprises an image of a user associated with the electronic key.

14. A method comprising:

receiving an encrypted electronic key from an electronic key generation device at a processor included within a locking device, the electronic key including instructions to enable the automatic translation of the locking mechanism from an open position to a closed position or from the closed position to an open position after the expiration of a time period, wherein the open position corresponds to an unlocked state for the locking device and the closed position corresponds to a locked state for the locking device;

determining, by the processor, whether the electronic key is valid for the locking device and, if so, issuing signals to lock or unlock the locking mechanism, as appropriate; and

displaying, on a display of the locking device, a personalized message for a user associated with the electronic key, wherein the personalized message includes an image captured by a camera associated with the locking device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the image comprises an image of a last individual to lock or unlock the locking device.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the image comprises an image of the user associated with the electronic key.