Electronic Access Control Device and Management System

• US 20110187496A1
• Filed: 03/30/2011
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Micro Enhanced Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Micro Enhanced Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Denison, William D., Silvers, Bradley S., Brownfield, Lawrence C.
• Application Number:
  US13/076,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20110187496A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.53
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit

Abstract

A mobile electronic control device, such as an electronic key, is used to access or otherwise control the operations of a field device, such as an appliance, power tool, shipping container, etc. In a control event in which the mobile control device interacts with the field device via wired or wireless communications, the control device obtains the current location and the field device ID. The communications between the mobile control device and the field device may be secured with encryption. The location information is used by the mobile control device to determine whether the field device should be accessed or enabled. Alternatively, the location information may be stored separately in a location sensing device, and the control event data recorded by the key and the location information recorded by the location sensing device are later combined when they are downloaded into a management system for auditing. Moreover, an electronic access control device is disclosed comprising two microprocessors.

Claims

1. A battery-powered electronic-access control device comprising:

memory containing a stored code;

a circuit comprising a thumb or fingerprint sensor enabled to generate an input code;

a communication port for receiving the input code to access the battery-powered electronic-access control device;

a circuit generating a wake-up signal;

a processor having an awake mode drawing greater than 100 micro-amps from a battery for a period of time in response to receiving the wake-up signal from the circuit and the input code, one of either the processor or another circuit configured to generate a driver signal to activate a lock actuator in response to the input code corresponding to the stored code;

wherein the processor enters a sleep mode of less than 100 micro-amps current drawn from the battery after the period of time, the sleep mode causing the processor to operate at a lower power consumption rate than when the processor is in the awake mode;

wherein the processor receives a program signal and in response to the program signal, the processor receives a code and stores the code into the memory to form the stored code when the processor is in the awake mode, and then enters the sleep mode thereafter.

2. A battery-powered electronic-access control device comprising:

memory containing a stored code;

a circuit comprising a thumb or fingerprint sensor enabled to generate an input code;

a communication port for receiving an input code to access the battery-powered electronic-access control device;

a circuit generating a wake-up signal;

a processor having an awake mode for a period of time in response to receiving the wake-up signal from the circuit and the input code, one of either the processor or another circuit configured to generate a driver signal to activate a lock actuator in response to the input code corresponding to the stored code;

wherein the processor enters a sleep mode after the period of time, the sleep mode causing the processor to operate at a lower power consumption rate than when the processor is in the awake mode;

a low-battery detection circuit for measuring a voltage associated with the battery, and wherein the low-battery detection circuit is either disabled, selectively enabled or initiated for measurement of a voltage associated with the battery in the awake mode;

wherein the processor receives a program signal and in response to the program signal, the processor receives a code and stores the code into the memory to form the stored code when the processor is in the awake mode, and then enters the sleep mode thereafter.

3. A battery-powered electronic-access control device comprising:

memory containing a stored code;

a circuit comprising a thumb or fingerprint sensor enabled to generate an input code;

a communication port for receiving the input code to access the battery-powered electronic-access control device;

an oscillator or timer circuit generating a wake-up signal;

a processor having an awake mode for a period of time in response to receiving the wake-up signal from the oscillator or timer circuit and the input code, one of either the processor or another circuit configured to generate a driver signal to activate a lock actuator in response to the input code corresponding to the stored code;

wherein the processor enters a sleep mode after the period of time, the sleep mode causing the processor to operate at a lower power consumption rate than when the processor is in the awake mode;

wherein the processor receives a program signal and in response to the program signal, the processor receives a code and stores the code into the memory to form the stored code when the processor is in the awake mode, and then enters the sleep mode thereafter.

4. A battery-powered electronic-access control device comprising:

memory containing a stored code;

a keypad comprising one or more keys;

a circuit comprising a thumb or fingerprint sensor enabled to generate an input code;

a communication port for receiving an input code to access the battery-powered electronic-access control device;

a circuit generating a wake-up signal generated by actuation of any key of the keypad;

a processor having an awake mode for a period of time in response to receiving the wake-up signal from the circuit and the input code, one of either the processor or another circuit configured to generate a driver signal to activate a lock actuator in response to the input code corresponding to the stored code;

wherein the processor enters a sleep mode after the period of time, the sleep mode causing the processor to operate at a lower power consumption rate than when the processor is in the awake mode;

wherein the processor receives a program signal and in response to the program signal, the processor receives a code and stores the code into the memory to form the stored code when the processor is in the awake mode, and then enters the sleep mode thereafter.

5. A battery-powered electronic-access control device comprising:

memory containing a stored code;

a circuit generating a wake-up signal;

a thumb or fingerprint sensor circuit entering an enabled mode for a period of time and generating an input code to access the battery-powered electronic-access control device, and enters a disabled mode at a time thereafter, the disabled mode causing the battery-powered electronic-access control device to operate at a lower power consumption rate than when the thumb or fingerprint sensor is in the enabled mode;

a processor having an awake mode for a period of time, one of either the processor or another circuit configured to generate a driver signal to activate a lock actuator in response to the input code corresponding to the stored code;

wherein the processor enters a sleep mode after the period of time, the sleep mode causing the processor to operate at a lower power consumption rate than when the processor is in the awake mode;

wherein the processor receives a program signal and in response to the program signal, the processor receives a code and stores the code into the memory to form the stored code when the processor is in the awake mode, and then enters the sleep mode thereafter.

6. A battery-powered electronic-access control system for accessing an enclosure or a secure area by energizing a lock actuator, the battery-powered electronic-access control system comprising:

a circuit comprising a thumb or fingerprint sensor enabled to generate an input code;

a first processor operatively connected to a second processor;

a first processor circuit comprising a battery and the first processor, the first processor including an activated mode of operation and a deactivated mode of operation, wherein the deactivated mode of operation requires less power supplied by the battery than the activated mode of operation;

memory comprising a stored access code;

a circuit for sensing a wake-up signal to activate the first processor, the circuit capable of obtaining the input code and storing the input code in the memory;

a communication port configured to communicate the input code while the first processor is in activated mode;

a second processor circuit including the second processor and an actuator driver, the second processor circuit being separated from and operatively connected to the first processor circuit, the second processor circuit powered by the battery of the first processor circuit;

wherein the first processor is activated in response to sensing the wake-up signal and transmits the input code to the second processor, the second processor having an unlock output signal generated in response to the input code corresponding to the stored access code, and the actuator driver energizing the lock actuator in response to the unlock signal.

7. A battery-powered electronic-access control system comprising:

memory containing at least one stored code;

a circuit comprising a thumb or fingerprint sensor enabled to generate an input code;

a communication port for entering an input code to access the battery-powered electronic-access control device;

a circuit generating an activation signal;

a first processor configured to receive an input code, the first processor being activated for a first period of time in response to the activation signal, the first processor receiving the input code from the communication port;

a second processor separate from the first processor and being activated for a second period of time, the second processor being configured to generate a driver output signal to activate a lock actuator in response to the input code corresponding to one of the at least one stored code;

wherein the first processor and the second processor become deactivated after the first period of time and the second period of time, respectively, the deactivated mode causing the first processor and the second processor to operate at a lower power consumption rate than when the first processor and the second processor are activated;

wherein the first processor or the second processor receives a program signal through the communication port, and in response to the program signal, the first processor;

enters a program mode of operation;

receives a code through the communication port;

stores the code into the memory to form one of the at least one stored codes when the first processor or the second processor is in the awake mode, and

enters a sleep mode thereafter.

8. A battery-powered electronic-access control device comprising:

memory containing a stored code;

a circuit comprising a processor enabled to receive an input code;

a temporarily enabled thumb or fingerprint sensor circuit for generating the input code in an enabled mode, and a disabled mode causing the sensor circuit to operate at a lower power consumption rate than when in the enabled mode;

a processor capable of entering an awake mode for a period of time in response to receiving a wake-up signal and the input code, one of either the processor or another circuit configured to generate a driver signal to activate a lock actuator in response to the input code corresponding to the stored code;

wherein the processor enters a sleep mode after the period of time, the sleep mode causing the processor to operate at a lower power consumption rate than when the processor is in the awake mode;

wherein the processor receives a program signal and in response to the program signal, receives a code and stores the code into the memory to form the stored code when the processor is in the awake mode, and enters the sleep mode thereafter.

9. A method for accessing a battery-operated electronic-access control device that draws less than 100 micro-amps from a battery while deactivated, the method comprising the steps of:

activating the battery-operated electronic-access control device and initiating the operation of a thumb and fingerprint sensor circuit;

drawing greater than 100 micro-amps from a battery;

generating an input code;

receiving an input code through the communication port and comparing the input code to an authorization code in a memory;

generating a driver signal to activate a lock actuator in response to the input code corresponding to the authorization code;

deactivating the electronic access control device; and

,

drawing less than 100 micro-amps from the battery.