Electronic padlocks and related methods

• US 10,210,686 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2017
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Noke, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Noke, Inc.
• Inventors: Gengler, David P., Healey, Arthur, Gibbs, Cameron
• Primary Examiner(s): Alunkal, Thomas D
• Application Number:
  US15/669,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20180018841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0095 Mechanical aspects of locks controlled by telephone signals, e.g. by mobile phones electronic locks G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 67/22 Padlocks with sliding shackles, with or without rotary or pivotal movement
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00865 remotely by wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/08 With time considerations, e.g. temporary activation, valid time window or time limitations
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed are electronic padlocks and related methods. An electronic padlock includes a lock body, a shank, and a locking mechanism operably coupled to electronic circuitry configured to detect physical interactions of a user with the shank and control the locking mechanism. A method of operating the electronic padlock includes detecting physical interactions of a user with a shank of an electronic padlock, comparing the detected physical interactions with a stored predetermined series of physical interactions, and transitioning from a locked state to an unlocked state responsive to determining that the detected physical interactions match the predetermined series of physical interactions. A method of transforming a mobile device into a device configured to interface with an electronic padlock includes distributing computer-readable instructions configured to instruct one or more processors of the mobile device to display a graphical user interface configured to enable a user to alter settings of the electronic padlock.

Claims

1. A method for unlocking an electronic lock, comprising:

detecting, via a manually actuatable sensor associated with an electronic lock, durations of each of a series of manual input interactions while a locking mechanism of the electronic lock is in a locked state,

wherein the series of input interactions comprises an ordered plurality of distinct input interactions of varying durations based on the movement of a first portion of the electronic locking system with respect to a second portion of the electronic locking system;

comparing the detected series of manual input interactions of varying durations with a stored series of ordered manual input interactions of at least two different durations; and

instructing the locking mechanism to transition to an unlocked state based on a determination that the detected ordered series of durations of manual input interactions of movements of the first portion of the electronic system matches the stored series of ordered manual input interactions of varying durations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the detected series of manual input interactions with the stored series of manual input interactions is performed by a remote processing device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the remote processing device, the sensor, and the locking mechanism are each an independent component, and wherein the sensor is in communication with the remote processing device and the remote processing device is in communication with the locking mechanism.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is integral with the electronic lock.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is directly connected to a processing unit, and wherein a processing unit within the electronic lock performs the steps of comparing and instructing.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the series of input interactions via the sensor comprises detecting a series of triggers of a light sensor of varying durations.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein instructing the locking mechanism to transition to an unlocked state is further based on a determination that a second sensor has been activated.

8. An electronic locking system, comprising:

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

a manually actuatable sensor associated with the locking mechanism to detect manual input interactions of varying durations by an operator that include moving one portion of the electronic locking system with respect to another portion of the electronic locking system;

a digital storage medium associated with the locking mechanism to store an unlock code as an ordered plurality of distinct input interactions of at least two different durations; and

a controller to perform operations to;

detect a series of manual input interactions of varying durations via the manually actuatable sensor that each include movement of one portion of the electronic locking system with respect to another portion of the electronic locking system;

compare durations of the detected series of manual input interactions with the stored unlock code defined by the ordered series of input interactions and corresponding input durations; and

transition the locking mechanism from the locked state to the unlocked state when the detected series of manual input interactions of varying durations matches the stored unlock code defined by the ordered series of input interactions and corresponding input durations.

9. The electronic lock of claim 8, wherein the stored ordered series of input interactions comprises an ordered plurality of distinct input interactions that additionally vary in intensity.

10. The electronic lock of claim 8, wherein the electronic lock comprises a U-lock.

11. The electronic lock of claim 8, wherein the electronic lock comprises a door lock.

12. The electronic lock of claim 8, further comprising a power supply module configured to remain in a low power state until a first input interaction is detected via the sensor.

13. The electronic lock of claim 8, wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer.

14. The electronic lock of claim 8, wherein the sensor comprises one of a button and a switch.

15. The electronic lock of claim 8, wherein the sensor comprises a touch sensor.