Method and system for data control in electronic locks

• US 8,970,344 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2010
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CompX International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CompX International Incorporated
• Inventors: Payson, John B., Garlisch, John A., Robinson, Brock E., Kaczmarz, Kenneth A., Mavromatis, Jesse
• Primary Examiner(s): YANG, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US12/834,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20110012709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,695 Days
• Field of Search: 340/1.1, 340 51- 52, 340 56- 561, 340 564- 565, 340 57- 592
• US Class Current: 340/5.61
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00912 for safes, strong-rooms, vaults or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration

Abstract

Disclosed are apparatus and corresponding methodologies for data control in an electronic access control system. A plurality of electronic locks are connected to a central server over a network such as an 802.11 WiFi wireless network that may be used to provide data updates and management for the individual electronic locks. To address power management problems associated with electronic locks having the capability to communicate over an 802.11 WiFi network, the present disclosure provides method and apparatus for selectively powering on and off an 802.11 WiFi communications module integrated into the electronic lock to conserve power resources. An electronic access control system is disclosed which allows efficient data exchange between a central server and a plurality of electronic locks using a database structure, and which allows for multiple simultaneous database manipulations in a cost effective manner.

Claims

1. An electronic network system for electronically controlled locks, comprising:

a communications network configured to communicate with 802.11 WiFi wireless communications modules;

a plurality of electronic locks, respectively associated with a plurality of securable enclosures, each of said electronic locks having;

respective 802.11 WiFi wireless communications modules for respectively connecting said each electronic lock with said communications network,

a battery,

a microprocessor-based controller for selectively powering on and off said 802.11 WiFi wireless communications module with said battery,

a main housing associated with an enclosure,

data memory to record associated electronic lock activities and data,

an electronic latch,

a visual display, and

a user interface; and

a central server, connected with said plurality of electronic locks over said network, and selectively providing data updates and data management for each of said electronic locks;

wherein each of said electronic locks is operative to provide access to an associated enclosure through actuation of an associated electronic latch upon presentation of a valid access credential to said user interface thereof;

said central server and each of said plurality of electronic locks each include a database structure with multiple databases;

said system further includes a PC in communication with one of said central server and said network, and operable with said database structure, for data exchange with said plurality of electronic locks, to facilitate data exchange between said central server and said plurality of electronic locks by allowing multiple simultaneous database manipulations via said communications network;

each of said controllers for said plurality of electronic locks is further operative for selectively powering on and off an associated 802.11 WiFi communications module;

each of said controllers for said plurality of electronic locks is further operative for powering on an associated 802.11 WiFi communications module with said battery at predetermined time intervals to enable communication over said network, and for powering off said associated module at one of either of a predetermined time interval after said associated communications module has been powered on, or once updates have been downloaded from said central server and once all data from said data memory have been uploaded to said central server;

each of said controllers further include a control panel for programming directly at each said electronic lock selected operational characteristics of an associated electronic lock; and

said multiple databases of said databases structures of said central server and each of said plurality of electronic locks each includes databases LOCKIS, LOCKWAS, PCIS, and PCWAS, each for holding data corresponding with its respective database name; and

said system further including reconciling means for temporarily storing differences between selected of said LOCKIS, LOCKWAS, PCIS, and PCWAS databases in a temporary database UPDATEIS respectively in each of said database structures, and reconciling said databases relative to differences between data in said data memories of said electronic locks and data at said central server.

2. An electronic network system as in claim 1, wherein each of said data memories includes recorded therein for an associated electronic lock at least one of user name, credential type and ID, supervisor level, valid access times, lock name, access hardware type, open time, authorized user lists, inventory data, audit trail data, and environmental tracking data.

3. An electronic network system as in claim 1, wherein:

at least one of said securable enclosures comprises a temperature controlled cabinet with an associated temperature transducer therein for providing environmental tracking data; and

selected of said electronic locks include adjustable settings, including at least one of alarm settings and temperature limit settings, and records data for alarm status and events, and supervisor status required after alarm events.

4. An electronic network system as in claim 1, wherein said PC in communication with one of said central server and said network is configured to allow a supervisor level user to selectively update said plurality of electronic locks and to selectively track lock data from said plurality of electronic locks.

5. An electronic network system as in claim 1, wherein:

selected of said plurality of electronic locks each respectively have associated housings for retrofit to said plurality of securable enclosures;

selected of said enclosures include a plurality of separate compartments; and

selected of said plurality of electronic locks are respectively associated with respective separate compartments of a given enclosure.

6. Methodology for extending battery life for electronically controlled locks operative in an electronic network system, comprising the steps of:

providing a communications network configured to provide wireless communications;

providing a plurality of electronic locks, respectively associated with a plurality of securable enclosures, each of said electronic locks having respective wireless communications modules, a battery, and data memory to record associated electronic lock activities and data;

providing a central server, connected with said plurality of electronic locks over said network;

selectively providing data updates and data management for each of said electronic locks;

selectively providing access to an associated enclosure through actuation of an associated electronic lock upon presentation of a valid access credential to said electronic lock;

providing respective controllers for each of said plurality of electronic locks, operative for powering on an associated communications module with said battery at predetermined time intervals to enable communication over said network, and for powering off said associated module at one of either of a predetermined time interval after said associated communications module has been powered on, or once updates have been downloaded from said central server and once all data from said data memory have been uploaded to said central server, in order to maximize life of said battery;

providing said central server and each of said plurality of electronic locks each with a database structure with multiple databases;

providing a PC in communication with one of said central server and said network, and operable with said database structure, for data exchange with said plurality of electronic locks, to facilitate data exchange between said central server and said plurality of electronic locks by allowing multiple simultaneous database manipulations via said communications network;

providing each of said controllers with a control panel to permit directly at each such lock programming of selected operational characteristics of an associated electronic lock;

providing said multiple databases of said database structures of said central server and each of said plurality of electronic locks each with databases LOCKIS, LOCKWAS, PCIS, and PCWAS, each for holding data corresponding with its respective database name; and

temporarily storing differences between selected of said LOCKIS, LOCKWAS, PCIS, and PCWAS databases in a temporary database UPDATEIS respectively in each of said database structures, and reconciling said databases relative to differences between data in said data memories of said electronic locks and data at said central server.

7. Methodology as in claim 6, wherein:

said wireless communications modules comprise 802.11 WiFi wireless communications modules; and

said communications network is configured to communicate with 802.11 WiFi wireless communications modules.

8. Methodology as in claim 6, further including:

providing each of said electronic locks with a main housing associated with an enclosure, an electronic latch, a visual display, and a user interface; and

wherein each of said controllers comprises a microprocessor-based controller for selectively powering on and off said wireless communications module with said battery.

9. Methodology as in claim 6, further including recording in each of said data memories for an associated electronic lock at least one of user name, credential type and ID, supervisor level, valid access times, lock name, access hardware type, open time, authorized user lists, inventory data, audit trail data, and environmental tracking data.

10. Methodology as in claim 6, further including:

providing at least one of said securable enclosures as a temperature controlled cabinet with an associated temperature transducer therein for providing environmental tracking data; and

providing selected of said electronic locks with adjustable settings, including at least one of alarm settings and temperature limit settings, and for such selected locks recording data for alarm status and events, and supervisor status required after alarm events.

11. Methodology as in claim 6, further comprising configuring said PC in communication with one of said central server and said network for allowing a supervisor level user to selectively update said plurality of electronic locks and to selectively track lock data from said plurality of electronic locks.

12. Methodology as in claim 6, further including:

providing selected of said plurality of electronic locks each respectively with associated housings which are retrofit to said plurality of securable enclosures;

providing selected of said enclosures with a plurality of separate compartments; and

respectively associating selected of said plurality of electronic locks with respective separate compartments of a given enclosure.