Wireless locking device

• US 10,176,656 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2017
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Noke, Inc. (Janus International Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Noke, Inc. (Janus International Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gengler, David P., Healey, Arthur, Gibbs, Cameron
• Primary Examiner(s): Foxx, Chico A
• Application Number:
  US15/669,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20180018843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0095 Mechanical aspects of locks controlled by telephone signals, e.g. by mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 67/00 Padlocks permutation locks E05B37/00; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00746 by knocking on a surface for inputting the code, e.g. detecting a series of taps on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit

Abstract

An electronic locking device can be configured to become active from a low power state, receive physical input to unlock, and provide access to a replaceable power supply. An electronic locking device can use a combination of physical input and discovery of an authorized mobile device to enable transition from a locked state to an unlocked state. Authorization can be internally stored or externally obtained through a service. An electronic locking device can match a series of physical interactions to a series of stored interactions to enable transition from a locked state to an unlocked state, when an authorized device is unavailable. An electronic locking device can provide access to a replaceable power supply when a latch is released.

Claims

1. An electronic lock, comprising:

a lock body;

a locking mechanism to transition between a locked state and an unlocked state;

a touch sensor to detect touch input interactions of varying durations from an operator;

a digital storage medium to store an unlock code, the unlock code comprising a series of touch input interactions of at least two different durations;

a controller to;

detect a series of touch input interactions of varying durations via the touch sensor,

compare the durations of the detected series of touch input interactions with those in the stored unlock code, and

transition the locking mechanism from the locked state to the unlocked state based on a determination that the durations of the touch input interactions in the detected series of touch input interactions match those in the stored unlock code; and

a status light to indicate whether each touch input interaction of the detected series of touch input interactions was detected as a long duration touch input interaction or a short duration touch input interaction during its respective detected duration.

2. The electronic lock of claim 1, wherein the electronic lock comprises a U-lock padlock.

3. The electronic lock of claim 1, further comprising a power supply module configured to remain in a low power state until a first touch input interaction is detected via the touch sensor.

4. The electronic lock of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor comprises one of:

a light-based touch sensor, a capacitive touch sensor, and a resistive touch sensor.

5. The electronic lock of claim 1, wherein each touch input interaction in the stored unlock code comprises one of a short duration touch input interaction and a long duration touch input interaction.