Electronic Lock Having Automatic User Slot Assignment for Passcodes

• US 20150135307A1
• Filed: 10/17/2014
• Published: 05/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASSA Abloy Americas Residential Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Kwikset Corporation (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: NGUYEN, THUAN DUY, YEH, KEN CHING YING
• Granted Patent: US 9,697,302 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/18
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0058 by batteries
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0084 Key or electric means; Emergency release
• 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 47/026 the bolt moving rectilinearly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90344 by using string matching techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00833 by code input from switches
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/0069 actuated in a predetermined sequence

Abstract

An electronic lock in which new passcodes can be added and/or deleted without specifying the user slot to which the new passcode should be assigned. A circuit in the electronic lock determines whether the new passcode to be added is unique compared to existing passcodes stored in memory. If so, the circuit searches for an available user slot for which no authorized passcodes are associated and associates the new passcode with an available user slot.

Claims

1. An electronic lock comprising:

a latch assembly including a bolt movable between a locked position and an unlocked position;

a circuit including at least one input device and memory;

wherein the memory has a plurality of user slots stored thereon that are capable of being associated with an authorized passcode;

wherein the circuit is configured to control movement of the bolt from the locked position to the unlocked position responsive to receiving an authorized passcode via the input device;

wherein the circuit is configured to enter into an add mode responsive to input received from the input device;

wherein in the add mode the circuit is configured to add a new passcode to memory without specifying a user slot; and

wherein the circuit is configured to enter into a delete mode responsive to input received from the input device;

wherein in the delete mode the circuit is configured to delete a passcode to be deleted from existing passcodes stored in memory without specifying a user slot.

2. The electronic lock as recited in claim 1, wherein in the add mode, the circuit is configured to search existing passcodes stored in memory to determine whether the new passcode is a duplicate of any existing passcodes.

3. The electronic lock as recited in claim 2, wherein the circuit is configured to store the new passcode in memory as an authorized passcode if the new passcode is not a duplicate of any existing passcodes.

4. The electronic lock as recited in claim 3, wherein the circuit is configured to search for an available user slot for which no authorized passcodes are associated and associate the new passcode with an available user slot.

5. The electronic lock as recited in claim 4, wherein the circuit is configured to move the bolt from the locked position to the unlocked position responsive to entering the new passcode via the input device.

6. The electronic lock as recited in claim 2, wherein the circuit is configured to reject the new passcode if the new passcode is a duplicate of an existing passcode.

7. The electronic lock as recited in claim 6, wherein the circuit is configured to communicate an audible and/or visual indication that the new passcode has been rejected.

8. The electronic lock as recited in claim 1, wherein in the delete mode, the circuit is configured to search existing passcodes stored in memory to determine whether the passcode to be deleted matches any existing passcodes.

9. The electronic lock as recited in claim 8, wherein the circuit is configured to delete the passcode to be deleted from memory as an authorized passcode if the passcode to be deleted matches an existing passcode.

10. The electronic lock as recited in claim 9, wherein the circuit is configured to reject the passcode to be deleted if the passcode to be deleted does not match an existing passcode stored in memory.

11. The electronic lock as recited in claim 10, wherein the circuit is configured to communicate an audible and/or visual indication that the passcode to be deleted has been rejected.

12. An electronic lock comprising:

a latch assembly including a bolt movable between a locked position and an unlocked position;

a circuit including at least one input device and memory, wherein the memory has a plurality of user slots stored thereon that are capable of being associated with an authorized passcode;

wherein the circuit is configured to control movement of the bolt from the locked position to the unlocked position responsive to receiving an authorized passcode via the input device;

wherein the circuit is configured to enter into an add mode responsive to input received from the input device;

wherein in the add mode the circuit is configured to associate a new passcode entered via the input device with one of the plurality of user slots by determining whether a new passcode is unique compared to existing passcodes stored in memory;

wherein responsive to a determination by the circuit that the new passcode is not unique compared to existing passcodes stored in memory, the circuit is configured to reject the new passcode; and

wherein responsive to a determination by the circuit that the new passcode is unique compared to existing passcodes stored in memory, the circuit is configured to search for an available user slot for which no authorized passcodes are associated and associate the new passcode with the available user slot.

13. The electronic lock as recited in claim 12, wherein the circuit is configured to enter into a delete mode responsive to input received from the input device, wherein in the delete mode the circuit is configured to delete a passcode to be deleted from existing passcodes stored in memory without specifying a user slot.

14. The electronic lock as recited in claim 13, wherein in the delete mode, the circuit is configured to search existing passcodes stored in memory to determine whether the passcode to be deleted matches any existing passcodes.

15. The electronic lock as recited in claim 14, wherein the circuit is configured to delete the passcode to be deleted from memory as an authorized passcode if the passcode to be deleted matches an existing passcode.

16. The electronic lock as recited in claim 15, wherein the circuit is configured to reject the passcode to be deleted if the passcode to be deleted does not match an existing passcode stored in memory.

17. The electronic lock as recited in claim 16, wherein the circuit is configured to communicate an audible and/or visual indication that the passcode to be deleted has been rejected.

18. A method of updating an electronic lock, the method comprising the steps of:

entering into an add mode responsive to receiving input from an input device associated with an electronic lock, wherein the electronic lock includes memory having a plurality of user slots stored thereon that can be associated with authorized passcodes that are capable of unlocking the electronic lock;

receiving a new passcode to be added as an authorized passcode for the electronic lock via the input device;

automatically assigning the new passcode to an available user slot of the plurality of user slots stored in memory without receiving an identification of a user slot from the input device; and

wherein upon assignment of the new passcode to the available user slot, the new passcode acts as an authorized passcode to unlock the electronic lock.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising the step of entering into a delete mode responsive to receiving input from an input device associated with an electronic lock and automatically deleting a passcode entered via the input device without receiving an identification of a user slot from the input device.

20. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the automatically assigning step includes a determination of whether the new passcode is unique compared to existing passcodes stored in memory.