Electronic lock and key assembly

• US 7,958,758 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2007
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KNOX & Associates LLC
• Original Assignee: Heather M. Knox
• Inventors: Trempala, Dohn J., Wolski, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrett; Suzanne D
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOSWELL, CHRISTOPHER J
• Application Number:
  US11/855,031
• Publication Number:
  US 20080066507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• Field of Search: 702/76, 702/77, 702/782, 702/783, 702/787, 702/791, 702/83, 702/831, 70367-369, 703/71, 703/79.A, 703/79.R, 703/80, 703/86, 703/89, 704/16, 704/17, 704/21, 340/5.7
• US Class Current: 70/283.1
• 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 49/002 Keys with mechanical characteristics, e.g. notches, perforations, opaque marks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00634 Power supply for the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00777 by induction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00706 with conductive components, e.g. pins, wires, metallic strips
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7068 Actuated after correct combination recognized [e.g., numerical, alphabetical, or magnet[s] pattern]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7073 Including use of a key
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7136 Key initiated actuation of device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7486 Single key
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/765 Key only controlled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7915 Tampering prevention or attack defeating

Abstract

A locking device comprises a key that comprises a key power coil and a key data coil and an electronically-actuatable lock comprising a lock power coil and a lock data coil. The key power coil and the lock power coil are coaxial and at least partially overlapping one another when the key engages the lock. The key data coil lies in a first plane and the lock data coil lies in a second plane. The first plane and the second plane are substantially parallel to one another.

Claims

1. A locking device comprising:

a key comprising a key power coil and a key data coil, wherein said key power coil and said key data coil each comprises an inductor; and

an electronically-actuatable lock comprising a lock power coil and a lock data coil, said key power coil and said lock power coil being coaxial and at least partially overlapping one another when said key engages said lock, said key data coil lying in a first plane, said lock data coil lying in a second plane, said first plane and said second plane being substantially parallel to one another, wherein;

the lock power coil comprises a plurality of first wire windings surrounding a longitudinal axis,

the lock data coil comprises a plurality of second wire windings defining a substantially toroidal-shaped coil surrounding a central axis, and

wherein the lock data coil lies in a plane substantially orthogonal both to the central axis of the lock data coil and to the longitudinal axis of the lock power coil, thereby attenuating magnetic interference between the lock power coil and the lock data coil and enabling the transmission of data and power simultaneously between the key and the lock.

2. The locking device of claim 1, wherein said lock further comprises a lock cylinder rotatable in a lock housing.

3. The locking device of claim 2, wherein a rotation of said key rotates said lock cylinder when said key engages said lock.

4. The locking device of claim 1, wherein said key further comprises a power source capable of providing power to said lock.

5. The locking device of claim 1, wherein said lock further comprises a lock cartridge.

6. The locking device of claim 5, wherein said lock further comprises a ball located coaxial with said lock cartridge, said ball located between said cartridge and said key when said key engages said lock.

7. The locking device of claim 5, wherein said cartridge further comprises:

a solenoid; and

a first sliding barrier; and

a second sliding barrier, said solenoid, said first sliding barrier, and said second sliding barrier being axially aligned along a longitudinal axis of said lock, and said first sliding barrier being located on a first side of said solenoid and said second sliding barrier being located on second side of said solenoid.

8. The locking device of claim 1, wherein said key power coil comprises a cylinder extending from said key and said lock power coil comprises a cup capable of receiving said cylinder.

9. The locking device of claim 1, wherein said lock further comprises a power source capable of providing power to said key.

10. The locking device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the key power coil, the lock power coil, the key data coil, and the lock data coil comprises a metal casing, the metal casing comprising at least one opening to allow magnetic fields to pass through the metal casing.

11. The locking device of claim 1, wherein said electronically-actuatable lock further comprises a power conversion circuit operative to convert current from said key power coil into direct current, to transmit alternating current to said solenoid, and to transmit direct current to a processor.

12. The locking device of claim 1, wherein said lock data coil has a radius of greater magnitude than a radius of said lock power coil.

13. The locking device of claim 1, wherein said key data coil has a radius of greater magnitude than a radius of said key power coil.

14. The locking device of claim 1, wherein one of said key power coil and said lock power coil is inserted into the other of said key power coil and said lock power coil when said key engages said lock.

15. The locking device of claim 1, wherein said key power coil and said key data coil are separate coils.

16. A locking device, comprising:

a key comprising a key power coil and a key data coil, wherein said key power coil and said key data coil each comprises an inductor; and

an electronically-actuatable lock comprising a lock power coil and a lock data coil, said key power coil and said lock power coil being inductively coupled when said key engages said lock, said key data coil and said lock data coil being inductively coupled when said key engages said lock, wherein;

the lock power coil comprises a plurality of first wire windings surrounding a longitudinal axis,

the lock data coil comprises a plurality of second wire windings defining a substantially toroidal-shaped coil surrounding a central axis, and

wherein the lock data coil lies in a plane substantially orthogonal both to the central axis of the lock data coil and to the longitudinal axis of the lock power coil, thereby attenuating magnetic interference between the lock power coil and the lock data coil and enabling the transmission of data and power simultaneously between the key and the lock.

17. The locking device of claim 16, wherein said lock further comprises a lock cylinder rotatable in a lock housing.

18. The locking device of claim 16, wherein a rotation of said key rotates said lock cylinder when said key engages said lock.

19. The locking device of claim 16, wherein said key further comprises a power source capable of providing power to said lock.

20. The locking device of claim 16, wherein said lock further comprises a lock cartridge.

21. The locking device of claim 20, wherein said lock further comprises a ball located coaxial with said lock cartridge, said ball located between said cartridge and said key when said key engages said lock.

22. The locking device of claim 16, wherein said cartridge further comprises:

a solenoid; and

a first sliding barrier; and

a second sliding barrier, said solenoid, said first sliding barrier, and said second sliding barrier being axially aligned along a longitudinal axis of said lock, and said first sling barrier being located on a first side of said solenoid and said second sliding barrier being located on second side of said solenoid.

23. The locking device of claim 16, wherein said lock data coil and said key data coil comprise a torus shape.

24. The locking device of claim 16, wherein said key power coil comprises a cylinder extending from said key and said lock power coil comprises a cup capable of receiving said cylinder.

25. The locking device of claim 16, wherein said key power coil and said key data coil are separate coils.

26. A method for communicating with an electronic lock, the method comprising:

inductively coupling a key power coil with a lock power coil comprising a plurality of first wire windings surrounding a longitudinal axis;

inductively coupling a key data coil with a lock data coil comprising a plurality of second wire windings defining a substantially toroidal-shaped coil surrounding a central axis, wherein the lock data coil lies in a plane substantially orthogonal both to the central axis of the lock data coil and to the longitudinal axis of the lock power coil, thereby attenuating magnetic interference between the lock power coil and the lock data coil, ; and

transmitting data and power between said key data coil and said lock data coil, said data operative to move a lock to an unlocked position.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said interface comprises an annular region between said key data coil and said lock data coil.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising retrieving data from the lock, said data comprising data relevant to an audit.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein transmitting data between said key data coil and said lock data coil comprises using a pulse-width modulation scheme.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising transmitting power between said key data coil and said lock data coil, wherein said power is transmitted at a higher frequency than said data.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein said inductively coupling the key power coil with the lock power coil comprises inserting one of said key power coil and said lock power coil into the other of said key power coil and said lock power coil.

32. A key comprising:

a key power coil comprising a plurality of first wire windings surrounding a longitudinal axis; and

a key data coil comprising a plurality of second wire windings defining a substantially toroidal-shaped coil surrounding a central axis,

wherein the key data coil lies in a plane substantially orthogonal both to the central axis of the key data coil and to the longitudinal axis of the key power coil, thereby attenuating magnetic interference between the key power coil and the key data coil and enabling the transmission of data and power simultaneously from the key to an electronically-actuatable lock.

33. The key of claim 32, wherein the first wire windings have a radius of greater magnitude than a radius of the second wire windings.

34. The key of claim 32, wherein the key power coil is configured to be positioned within a lock power coil of the electronically-actuatable lock.

35. The key of claim 34, wherein the key power coil is further configured to transmit power inductively to the lock power coil.

36. The key of claim 32, wherein the key power coil is at least partially enclosed in a metal casing, the metal casing comprising at least one opening to allow magnetic fields to pass through the metal casing.

37. The key of claim 32, wherein the key data coil is configured to transmit data inductively to a lock data coil of the electronically-actuatable lock.