Local and remote management of lock systems from a network

• US 20040189439A1
• Filed: 03/28/2003
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Juan Miguel Dominguez Cansino
• Original Assignee: Juan Miguel Dominguez Cansino
• Inventors: Cansino, Juan Miguel Dominguez
• Application Number:
  US10/401,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20040189439A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.2
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A local and remote lock management system including at least one electronic control device that allows electronic/electromechanical locks with an electronic keypad to be managed locally and remotely from a network supporting the TCP/IP protocol, thus benefiting from all the advantages provided by the Internet, and a remote lock management program for locally and remotely managing electronic/electromechanical locks through the at least one control device. Each lock is associated with its own control device having its own IP address. A basic, directly-connected configuration of the IP lock management system has an architecture with a series of electronic locks, the control devices for each lock acting as a Web server for any Internet/Intranet client that wants to connect remotely to it. The control devices serve up configuration and/or inquiry Web pages, handles interactions with the local keypad, and respond to remote orders that the remote lock management program gives from any control post on the network. A master/slave configuration has an architecture in which the system has a series of locks, only one of which has a web server. All locks are connected to the network. If a user wants to access the master and slave locks, the user will connect to the master control device, and from that single session the user will access the parameters of all the other control devices.

Claims

1. An Internet Protocol lock management system for use with at least one electronic/electromechanical lock, comprising:

at least one electronic control means for managing an associated electronic/electromechanical lock from a standard TCP/IP network, the at least one electronic control means having its own IP address.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic control means comprises:

means for serving up configuration and inquiry Web pages from a standard web browser;

means for controlling and supervising temporary processes that govern the lock; and

means for handling interactions with a local electronic input device.

3. The system of claim 2, where in the means for controlling and supervising temporary processes that govern the lock includes:

means for controlling who can use and operate the lock means for controlling when the lock is enabled and disabled;

means for controlling the length of time between entry of a lock combination and reaching a window when the lock is openable; and

means for recording an audit trail of who has opened the lock and what times the lock is opened and closed.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising means for responding to remote orders from a remote lock management program resident in a control post on the network.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer-resident lock management means for managing locks through the at least one control device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the lock management means includes:

means for adding a lock to a network supporting the TCP/IP protocol and configuring the lock;

means for deleting a lock from a network supporting the TCP/IP protocol;

means for editing the configuration of a lock in the network supporting the TCP/IP protocol;

means for programming resources of a lock in the network supporting the TCP/IP protocol; and

means for verifying the status of a lock in the network supporting the TCP/IP protocol.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the lock management means further includes:

means for adding a plurality of locks having the same configuration to a network supporting the TCP/IP protocol;

means for editing the configuration of a plurality of locks in the network supporting the TCP/IP protocol at the same time;

means for programming resources of a plurality of locks in the network supporting the TCP/IP protocol at the same time; and

means for verifying the status of a plurality of locks in the network supporting the TCP/IP protocol at the same time.

8. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of the electronic control means, each electronic control means being associated with a lock and including means for serving up configuration and inquiry Web pages from a standard web browser, wherein the system has a non-hierarchical configuration and each electronic control means communicates directly with a network supporting the TCP/IP protocol.

9. The system of claim 1, comprising a master control means and at least one slave control means, the master electronic control means and each slave electronic control means being associated with a lock, only the master control means including means for serving up configuration and inquiry Web pages from a standard web browser, wherein the system has a master/slave configuration and the master electronic control device and all of the slave electronic control devices communicate with a network supporting the TCP/IP protocol, the master and slave control means being controlled through the Web pages served by the master electronic control means.

11. The electronic control device of claim 8, where in the means for controlling and supervising temporary processes that govern the lock includes:

means for controlling who can use and operate the lock means for controlling when the lock is enabled and disabled;

means for controlling the length of time between entry of a lock combination and reaching a window when the lock is openable; and

means for recording an audit trail of who has opened the lock and what times the lock is opened and closed.

12. The electronic control device of claim 8, further comprising means for responding to remote orders from a remote lock management program resident in a control post on the network.

10. An electronic control device for managing a lock from a network supporting the TCP/IP protocol, the electronic control device having its own IP address and comprising:

means for serving up configuration and inquiry Web pages from a standard web browser;

means for controlling and supervising temporary processes that govern the lock; and

means for handling interactions with a local electronic input device.