DIGITAL LOCK

• US 20190257117A1
• Filed: 09/21/2018
• Published: 08/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iLOQ Oy
• Original Assignee: Axtuator OU
• Inventors: PUKARI, Mika
• Granted Patent: US 10,450,777 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/2092 Means responsive to tampering or attack providing additional locking for safes E05B65/0082
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0028 using electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0036 Reversible actuators
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0057 Feeding
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0066 Reduced holding current
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0075 locked by gravity
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0079 Bi-stable electromagnet(s), different pulse to lock or unlock
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0092 including means for preventing manipulation by an external magnetic field, e.g. preventing opening by using a strong magnet
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0094 Mechanical aspects of remotely controlled locks electronic locks G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 27/0071 by means preventing opening by using the bump-technique
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0005 said core being rotary movable
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0006 having a non-movable core; with permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0038 using permanent magnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0041 with tumbler pins suspended for a pendulum movement
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/063 with a rectilinearly moveable blocking element
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0649 with a rectilinearly moveable coupling element
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0673 with a rectilinearly moveable blocking element
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0692 with a rectilinearly moveable coupling element
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00634 Power supply for the lock
• 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 9/00698 : actuated in function of displayed informations
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00722 : with magnetic components, e.g. magnets, magnetic strips, metallic inserts mechanical locks operated by permanent magnets E05B47/0038
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00817 : where the code of the lock can be programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 : specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00944 : Details of construction or manufacture

Abstract

The invention provides a digital lock including at least two magnets. One magnet is a semi hard magnet and the other magnet is a hard magnet. The hard magnet is configured to open or close the digital lock. The semi hard magnet and the hard magnet are placed adjacent to each other. A change in magnetisation polarisation of the semi hard magnet is configured to push or pull the hard magnet to open or close the digital lock.

Claims

1. A digital lock, comprising:

a semi-hard magnet; and

is a hard magnet, wherein;

the hard magnet is configured to move to open or close the digital lock,

the semi-hard magnet and the hard magnet are configured adjacent to each other, and

a change in magnetization polarization of the semi-hard magnet is configured to push or pull the hard magnet to open or close the digital lock.

2. A digital lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the semi-hard magnet is inside a magnetization coil, and has a coercivity less than a coercivity of the hard magnet.

4. A digital lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein a rest state of the digital lock is locked, and the digital lock is configured to return to a locked state.

5. A digital lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein a rest state of the digital lock is open, and the digital lock is configured to return to an openable state.

6. A digital lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the digital lock is a self-powered lock powered by any of the following:

NFC, solar panel, user'"'"'s muscle power, power supply or battery.

7. A digital lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the digital lock comprises a body, the body comprising a first axle, a second axle, and a user interface connected to the first axle, and wherein the semi-hard magnet and the hard magnet are inside the first axle.

8. A digital lock as claimed in claim 7, wherein the digital lock comprises a position sensor, configured to position a notch of the second axle in place for the hard magnet to enter the notch.

9. A digital lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the digital lock comprises electronics connected to an identification device via a communication bus, and wherein the identification device is configured to identify a user by any of the following:

electronic key, electronic tag, fingerprint, magnetic stripe, NFC phone.

10. A digital lock as claimed in claim 7, wherein in a locked state the hard magnet is configured to be inside the first axle, wherein the second axle does not rotate, and wherein the user interface rotates.

11. A digital lock as claimed in claim 7, wherein in an openable state the hard magnet is protruded into a notch of the second axle.

12. A digital lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the digital lock features at least one blocking pin that is configured to protrude into a notch of a lock body in the event of any of the following:

external magnetic field is applied, external hit or impulse is applied, or a first axle is turned too fast, to prevent unauthorized opening of the digital lock.

13. A digital lock as claimed in claim 12, wherein the blocking pins may protrude into the lock body from all different angles.

14. A digital lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the semi-hard magnet is made of Alnico and the hard magnet is made of SmCo.

15. A digital lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the digital lock is powered by mechanical movement of a lever or a knob attached to a lock system, or powered by electronic digital key insertion.

45. A digital lock as claimed in claim 2, wherein the semi-hard magnet has coercivity at least 5 times less than the coercivity of the hard magnet.

3. (canceled)

16. A software program product configured to control operation of a digital lock, the digital lock comprising

a semi-hard magnet;

and

a hard magnet, wherein the semi-hard magnet and the hard magnet are configured adjacent to each other;

the software program product comprising a processing module configured to operate the digital lock, the processing module comprising;

an input module configured to receive an input from a user interface;

an authentication module configured to authenticate the input received by the user interface;

a database to store identification information of one or more users; and

an output module configured to control a power source to power a magnetization coil to change magnetization polarization of the semi-hard magnet in response to successful identification of a user, and configured to control the hard magnet to open or close the digital lock, wherein the output module is configured to change the magnetization polarization of the semi-hard magnet to push or pull the hard magnet to open or close the digital lock.

17. A software program product as claimed in claim 16, wherein the semi-hard magnet is inside the magnetization coil, and wherein the magnetization coil is controlled by the output module for magnetization of the semi-hard magnet, which has a coercivity less than a coercivity of the hard magnet.

19. A software program product as claimed in claim 16, wherein a rest state of the digital lock is locked, and wherein the output module configures the digital lock to return to a locked state.

20. A software program product as claimed in claim 16, wherein a rest state of the digital lock is open, and wherein the output module configures the digital lock to return to an openable state.

21. A software program product as claimed in claim 16, wherein the digital lock is a self-powered lock powered by any of the following:

NFC, solar panel, user'"'"'s muscle power, power supply or battery.

22. A software program product as claimed in claim 16, wherein the digital lock comprises a body, the body comprising a first axle, a second axle, and a user interface connected to the first axle, and wherein the semi-hard magnet and the hard magnet are inside the first axle.

23. A software program product as claimed in claim 22, wherein the digital lock comprises a position sensor, configured to position a notch of the second axle in place for the hard magnet to enter the notch.

24. A software program product as claimed in claim 16, wherein the digital lock comprises electronics connected to an identification device via a communication bus, and wherein the identification device is configured to identify a user by any of the following:

electronic key, electronic key tag, fingerprint, magnetic stripe, NFC device.

25. A software program product as claimed in claim 22, wherein in a locked state the hard magnet is configured to be inside the first axle, wherein the second axle does not rotate, and wherein the user interface rotates.

26. A software program product as claimed in claim 22, wherein in an openable state the hard magnet is protruded into a notch of the second axle.

27. A software program product as claimed in claim 16, wherein the digital lock features at least one blocking pin that is configured to protrude into a notch of a lock body in the event of any of the following:

external magnetic field is applied, external hit or impulse is applied, or a first axle is turned too fast, to prevent unauthorized opening of the digital lock.

28. A software program product as claimed in claim 16, wherein the digital lock is powered by mechanical movement of a lever or a knob attached to a lock system, or powered by electronic digital key insertion.

29. A software program product as claimed in claim 16, wherein the processing module is further configured to provide instructions to provide notification of a locked state or openable state of the digital lock.

46. A software program product as claimed in claim 16, wherein the semi-hard magnet has coercivity at least 5 times less than the coercivity of the hard magnet.

18. (canceled)

30. A method for controlling a digital lock, the method comprising;

changing magnetization polarization of a semi-hard magnet, of the digital lock, to a first state;

responsive to the change of the magnetization polarization to the first state, pushing or pulling a hard magnet, of the digital lock, to open the digital lock;

changing the magnetization polarization of the semi-hard magnet to a second state; and

responsive to the change of the magnetization polarization to the second state, pushing or pulling the hard magnet to close the digital lock, wherein the semi-hard magnet and the hard magnet are configured adjacent to each other.

31-44. -44. (canceled)