KEY MANAGEMENT BOX

• US 20130127594A1
• Filed: 11/05/2012
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokai Riken Co Ltd (Tokai RIKA Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Tokai Riken Co Ltd (Tokai RIKA Company Limited)
• Inventors: SATO, Akihiro, UMEMURA, Masami, SEGI, Nobuhiko
• Granted Patent: US 9,053,592 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.73
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/10 Key holders; Key boards key cases A45C11/32
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/00 Operating or controlling locks or other fastening devices by electric or magnetic means electric permutation locks E05B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/46 for drawers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses

Abstract

A key management box includes a card reader configured to read ID for personal authentication, a data writing unit to write information on at least the ID read by the card reader in an electronic key, a data erasing unit configured to communication with the electronic key and disable the electronic key when the electronic key is determined to be a key on-lending, and a control substrate configured to determine that a lending mode is established when the card reader reads the ID and cause an electronic lock to permit opening/closing of a door and then activate the data writing unit, or configured to cause the electronic lock to permit opening/closing of the door when the data erasing unit determines that the electronic key is a key on-lending through communication with the electronic key while the card reader does not read ID.

Claims

1. A key management box for collectively storing and managing electronic keys each including an IC chip from/on which data is readable/writable, each electronic key being to be used by a user to unlock one or more locks of storage cabinets placed in an office, the key management box comprising:

a main body for housing the electronic keys;

a door attached in openable and closable manner to the main body to cover the electronic keys;

opening/closing permission means for permitting opening/closing of the door;

a plurality of electronic-key holding means attached to the main body and covered by the door and configured to individually hold the electronic keys;

personal authentication means provided on outside of the main body and configured to read personal identification information to perform personal authentication;

data writing means configured to specify at least the personal identification information read by the personal authentication means and write information for identifying a person in the IC chip;

electronic-key disabling means provided on the outside of the main body and configured to communicate with the IC chip of one of the electronic keys and disable the one electronic key when this key is determined to be an electronic key on-lending; and

control means configured to determine that a lending mode is established to allow lending of the electronic key when the personal authentication means reads the personal identification information, and cause the opening/closing permission means to permit opening/closing of the door and then activate the data writing means, or to determine that a returning mode is established to allow returning of the electronic key when the electronic-key disabling means communicates with the IC chip and detects that the electronic key is a key on-lending while the personal authentication means does not read the personal identification information, and cause the opening/closing permission means to permit opening/closing of the door.

2. The key management box according to claim 1, wherein the data writing means is provided on inside of the main body to be covered by the door.

3. The key management box according to claim 1, wherein the data writing means is provided on the outside of the main body.

4. The key management box according to claim 1, further including:

electronic-key lending information storage means for storing personal identification information of a user to which the electronic key is on-lending; and

double-lending prevention means for inhibiting the opening/closing permission means from permitting opening/closing of the door when the personal identification information coincides with personal identification information stored in the electronic-key lending information storage means.

5. The key management box according to claim 1, further including electronic-key presence detecting means for detecting presence/absence of the electronic key.

6. The key management box according to claim 5, further including alarm means for issuing an alert when the number of electronic keys detected by the electronic-key presence detecting means is different from the number obtained by subtracting the number of electronic keys on-lending from the total number of electronic keys collectively managed.

7. The key management box according to claim 2, further including:

electronic-key lending information storage means for storing personal identification information of a user to which the electronic key is on-lending; and

double-lending prevention means for inhibiting the opening/closing permission means from permitting opening/closing of the door when the personal identification information coincides with personal identification information stored in the electronic-key lending information storage means.

8. The key management box according to claim 3, further including:

electronic-key lending information storage means for storing personal identification information of a user to which the electronic key is on-lending; and

double-lending prevention means for inhibiting the opening/closing permission means from permitting opening/closing of the door when the personal identification information coincides with personal identification information stored in the electronic-key lending information storage means.

9. The key management box according to claim 2, further including electronic-key presence detecting means for detecting presence/absence of the electronic key.

10. The key management box according to claim 3, further including electronic-key presence detecting means for detecting presence/absence of the electronic key.

11. The key management box according to claim 4, further including electronic-key presence detecting means for detecting presence/absence of the electronic key.

12. The key management box according to claim 7, further including electronic-key presence detecting means for detecting presence/absence of the electronic key.

13. The key management box according to claim 8, further including electronic-key presence detecting means for detecting presence/absence of the electronic key.

14. The key management box according to claim 9, further including alarm means for issuing an alert when the number of electronic keys detected by the electronic-key presence detecting means is different from the number obtained by subtracting the number of electronic keys on-lending from the total number of electronic keys collectively managed.

15. The key management box according to claim 10, further including alarm means for issuing an alert when the number of electronic keys detected by the electronic-key presence detecting means is different from the number obtained by subtracting the number of electronic keys on-lending from the total number of electronic keys collectively managed.

16. The key management box according to claim 11, further including alarm means for issuing an alert when the number of electronic keys detected by the electronic-key presence detecting means is different from the number obtained by subtracting the number of electronic keys on-lending from the total number of electronic keys collectively managed.

17. The key management box according to claim 12, further including alarm means for issuing an alert when the number of electronic keys detected by the electronic-key presence detecting means is different from the number obtained by subtracting the number of electronic keys on-lending from the total number of electronic keys collectively managed.

18. The key management box according to claim 13, further including alarm means for issuing an alert when the number of electronic keys detected by the electronic-key presence detecting means is different from the number obtained by subtracting the number of electronic keys on-lending from the total number of electronic keys collectively managed.