SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING ELECTRONICALLY OPERABLE ACCESS DEVICES USING WI-FI AND RADIO FREQUENCY TECHNOLOGY

• US 20180041964A1
• Filed: 10/16/2017
• Published: 02/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLC (Allegion PLC)
• Original Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLC (Allegion PLC)
• Inventors: Kincaid, Ryan C., Telljohann, Brian A., Oehler, Kevin P., Bitar, Nabeel, Santhanakrishnan, Lakshmi
• Granted Patent: US 10,231,183 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00825 remotely by lines or wireless communication
• 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 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00817 where the code of the lock can be programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for controlling access devices including WI-FI and dual radio communications between an access control database and one or more access devices in a facility. The systems and methods allow real time communications between the database and the access devices utilizing existing communications WI-FI infrastructure in the facility while minimizing loss of battery life of the access devices by employing the radio network to target all or a portion of the access devices for communications when needed.

Claims

1-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A method, comprising:

capturing, with a camera, one or more images of a person seeking entry through a door secured by an electronic access device;

transmitting the one or more images of the person seeking entry through the door to a remote access control device;

transmitting a first signal from the access control device via a computer network to a radio frequency bridge device, wherein the first signal includes an instruction for the electronic access device to lock or unlock a lock mechanism of the electronic access device;

in response to receiving the first signal, transmitting a second signal including the instruction from the radio frequency bridge device to the electronic access device via a radio frequency network; and

controlling the lock mechanism of the electronic access device to lock or unlock the lock mechanism in response to receiving the second signal.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising transmitting operating parameters between the access control device and the electronic access device for updating the electronic access device with user credentials that authorize one or more users to unlock the electronic access device.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein transmitting the operating parameters includes updating software of a logic and memory unit of the electronic access device.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising transmitting a notification from the electronic access device to the access control device that indicates at least one of:

whether the electronic access device is located or unlocked, whether the electronic access device has been accessed, an identity of a user who has accessed or attempted to access the electronic access device, or whether a distress code has been entered.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the computer network includes a local area network connected to the radio frequency bridge device with an Ethernet connection.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the camera is communicatively paired with the electronic access device.

32. The method of claim 26, further comprising generating output to the person seeking entry via at least one of a visual indicator or a sound-generating device of the electronic access device.

33. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

electronically reading an access code of the person seeking entry using a reader of the electronic access device; and

making an access control decision by the electronic access device based on the access code.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein making the access control decision comprises determining whether to lock or unlock the lock mechanism without input from the access control device.

35. A system comprising:

an access device comprising a locking mechanism movable between a locked and unlocked position, a keyless entry system operably connected to the locking mechanism, a logic and memory module connected to the keyless entry system, a transceiver connected to the logic and memory module, and a power source;

a camera in communication with the access device and configured to capture one or more images of a person seeking entry through a door secured by the access device;

a radio frequency bridge device comprising a radio frequency communication circuit configured to communicate over radio frequency signals and a transceiver configured to communicate over a computer network, wherein the transceiver is communicatively coupled to the radio frequency communication circuit, wherein the transceiver of the access device is configured to receive radio signals from the radio frequency communication circuit; and

an access control device communicatively coupled to the computer network, the access control device including a database with user credentials and access device identification information, wherein the access control device is configured to transmit signals over the computer network to the radio frequency bridge device, wherein the access control device is configured to communicate with the radio frequency bridge device over the communication network.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the access device further includes a user interface.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein the access device includes a keyed entry mechanism for manually operating the locking mechanism.

38. The system of claim 35, wherein the transceiver of the radio frequency bridge device is an internet protocol transceiver.

39. The system of claim 35, wherein the radio frequency communication circuit is configured to communicate over one or more sub-1 GHz radio frequencies.

40. The system of claim 35, further comprising a router connecting the radio-frequency bridge device with the computer network.

41. The system of claim 35, wherein the radio frequency bridge device includes a network interface card connected to the transceiver and a microcontroller connected to the radio frequency communication circuit and the network interface card.

42. The system of claim 35, wherein the access control device is configured to communicate with the access device to remotely add or delete a user access code for authorized access to the electronic device.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the access control device is configured to communicate with the access device to remotely add or delete the user access code via the radio frequency bridge device.

44. The system of claim 35, wherein the access control device is configured to communicate with the radio frequency bridge device over a WI-FI connection.

45. The system of claim 35, wherein the access device includes the camera.