Method and apparatus for remote control of locks

• US 5,646,605 A
• Filed: 12/18/1995
• Issued: 07/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Leonaggeo, Patricia, Lamb, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, BRIAN A
• Application Number:
  US08/573,762
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.31, 340/825.34, 340/825.44, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 70/278, 379/103
• US Class Current: 340/5.64
• 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 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00825 remotely by lines or wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00865 remotely by wireless communication
• 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 9/00857 where the code of the data carrier can be programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/007 with remote control systems remote control in general G08C

Abstract

A remote controlled lock system (100) includes a computer (111), a system controller (102), a transmitter (109), and at least one remote controlled lock device (105). The system controller (102) generates one of a digital lock or unlock code upon a change of a user access condition of the computer (111). The transmitter (109) transmits a radio signal including the lock code or the unlock code, and a selective call receiver address. The remote controlled lock device (105) includes a selective call receiver (310) and an electromechanical lock (311). The electromechanical lock (311) has a locking member (1205) which is switched to a mechanically stable lock or unlock position in response to the lock or unlock code when the radio signal when the transmitted selective call receiver address matches a predetermined address stored in the selective call receiver (310).

Claims

1. A remote controlled lock system, comprising:

a computer, comprising;

a security utility for generating a change of a user access condition of the computer in response to one of a user password input and an event, and for generating a corresponding output signal which indicates the change of the user access condition, wherein the user access condition either allows or prevents user access to at least one program or file in the computer; and

a command generator, coupled to said security utility, for generating at least one digital lock command in response to the output signal, wherein the at least one digital lock command includes one of a lock instruction and an unlock instruction;

a paging system controller, coupled to said computer, for receiving the at least one digital lock command and generating at least one selective call receiver address corresponding to a selective call receiver identity and generating one of a digital lock code and a digital unlock code;

a transmitter, coupled to said paging system controller, for transmitting a radio frequency signal including the at least one selective call receiver address and the one of the digital lock code and digital unlock code;

at least one remote controlled lock device, comprising;

a selective call receiver for receiving the radio frequency signal and for generating one of a lock signal and an unlock signal when the at least one selective call receiver address matches a predetermined address stored in the selective call receiver and the one of the digital lock code and the digital unlock code matches a predetermined respective lock code and unlock code stored in said selective call receiver; and

an electromechanical lock having a locking member, wherein the locking member is switched to one of a mechanically stable lock position and a mechanically stable unlock position, respectively, in response to the one of the lock signal and unlock signal.

2. A remote controlled lock system for automatically controlling remote locks, comprising:

a computer, comprising;

a security utility for generating a change of a user access condition of the computer in response to one of a user password input and an event, and for generating a corresponding output signal which indicates the change of the user access condition, wherein the user access condition either allows or prevents user access to at least one program or file in the computer; and

a command generator, coupled to said security utility, for generating at least one lock command in response to the output signal, wherein the at least one lock command includes one of a lock instruction and an unlock instruction;

a system controller coupled to said computer for receiving the at least one lock command, and generating one of a lock code and an unlock code corresponding to the one of the lock instruction and the unlock instruction in the at least one lock command;

a transmitter, coupled to said system controller, for transmitting a signal including the one of the lock code and the unlock code; and

at least one remote controlled lock device, comprising;

a receiver for receiving the signal and for generating one of a lock signal and an unlock signal when the one of the lock code and the unlock code matches one of two corresponding codes stored in said receiver; and

an electromechanical lock having a locking member, wherein the locking member is switched to a mechanically stable position, which is one of a lock position and an unlock position, in response to the one of the lock signal and the unlock signal.

3. The remote controlled lock system according to claim 2, wherein the signal is an infrared signal.

4. The remote controlled lock system according to claim 2, wherein said system controller and transmitter are included within the computer, and wherein the lock code and the unlock code are digital codes.

5. The remote controlled lock system according to claim 2, wherein said system controller and transmitter are external to the computer and the at least one lock command is generated as a digital signal.

6. The remote controlled lock system according to claim 2, wherein the system controller is coupled to the at least one remote controlled lock device by a cable.

7. The remote controlled lock system according to claim 2, wherein the signal is a radio frequency signal.

8. The remote controlled lock system according to claim 2,

wherein said receiver is a selective call receiver, and

wherein the at least one lock command further includes at least one selective call receiver identity, and

wherein said system controller generates at least one selective call receiver address corresponding to the at least one selective call receiver identity, and

wherein said selective call receiver generates the one of the lock signal and the unlock signal when said selective call receiver address matches a predetermined address stored in said selective call receiver and the one of the lock code and the unlock code matches the one of the two corresponding codes stored in said selective call receiver.

9. The remote controlled lock system according to claim 8, wherein said system controller is a paging terminal.

10. In a remote controlled lock system, a method for automatically controlling locks, comprising the steps of:

changing a user access condition of the computer in response to one of a user password input and an event, and generating a corresponding output signal which indicates the change of the user access condition, wherein the user access condition either allows or prevents user access to at least one program or file in the computer;

generating at least one lock command automatically, including one of a lock instruction and an unlock instruction, in response to the output signal;

transmitting a signal including one of a lock code and an unlock code corresponding to the one of the lock instruction and the unlock instruction, to the remote lock device;

receiving the signal at the remote lock device; and

activating, at the remote lock device, an electromechanical lock to set a locking member at one of a lock position and an unlock position corresponding to the one of the lock instruction and unlock instruction included in the signal.