Systems and methods for controlling electronically operable access devices using Wi-Fi and radio frequency technology

• US 9,098,953 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2013
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• 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., Santhanakrishnan, Lakshmi, Telljohann, Brian A., Oehler, Kevin P., Bitar, Nabeel
• Primary Examiner(s): Bee, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US13/888,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20140035722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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. A method, comprising:

transmitting a first signal from an access control device via a first network to a radio frequency bridge device of a second network;

in response to the first signal, transmitting a wake up signal from the radio frequency bridge device to at least one electronic access device that is operating in a sleep mode via a radio connection with the second network;

waking the at least one electronic access device from the sleep mode in response to receiving the wake up signal;

wirelessly connecting the electronic access device to the first network with a WI-FI connection, the WI-FI connection separate from the radio connection, in response to waking the at least one electronic access device with the wake up signal; and

transmitting operating parameters between the electronic access device and the access control device through the WI-FI connection with the first network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting operating parameters includes updating the electronic access device with user credentials that authorize one or more users to unlock the electronic access device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting operating parameters includes updating software of a logic and memory unit of the electronic access device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising unlocking or locking the electronic access device in response to an unlocking command or a locking command, respectively, associated with the wake-up signal.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a second signal from the electronic access device to the access control device through the WI-FI connection with the first network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second signal includes at least one of:

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

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring a plurality of electronic access devices to interrogate the wake up signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein only a portion of the plurality of electronic access devices wake in response to Interrogating the wake up signal from the radio frequency bridge device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each electronic access device of the portion of the plurality of electronic access devices that wake wirelessly connect to the first network through the WI-FI connection in response to receiving the wake up signal.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the first network is a local area network and further comprising connecting the local area network to the radio frequency bridge device with an Ethernet connection.

11. 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 multi-frequency transceiver connected to the logic and memory module, and a power source;

a radio frequency bridge device comprising a radio frequency transmitter and a transceiver configured to receive signals from a computer network, wherein the transceiver is operatively connected to the radio frequency transmitter to cause the radio frequency transmitter to output a radio signal in response to the signals from the computer network, wherein the multi-frequency transceiver of the access device is configured to receive the radio signal from the transmitter; and

an access control device operatively connected 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, and the access control device is further configured to transmit database information to the access device via a WI-FI connection of the multi-frequency transceiver of the access device to the computer network, wherein the WI-FI connection is established in response to the access device interrogating the radio signal from the radio frequency bridge device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the access device further includes a user interface.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the access device inch ides a keyed entry mechanism for manually operating the locking mechanism.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the keyless entry system includes a keypad for entering an access code to the logic and memory module.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the multi-frequency transceiver includes a radio frequency module configured to receive the radio signal from the radio frequency bridge device and a WI-FI module configured to establish a WI-FI connection with the computer network in response to interrogation of the radio signal.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the transceiver of the radio frequency bridge device is an internet protocol transceiver.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the radio frequency transmitter is configured to transmit the radio signal at sub-1 GHz.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising a router connecting the radio-frequency bridge device with the computer network.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the power source of the access device is a battery.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the radio frequency bridge device includes a network interface card connected to the transceiver and a microcontroller connected to the radio frequency transmitter and the network interface card.

21. A system comprising:

a computer network including an access control device with a database including at least user credentials and access device identification information, wherein the computer network further includes a wireless routing device connected to the access control device and to a radio frequency transmitter configured to transmit a radio signal; and

a plurality of access devices each 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 multi-frequency transceiver connected to the logic and memory module, and a power source, wherein the multi-frequency transceiver is operable to receive the radio signal from the radio frequency transmitter to transition the access device from a sleep mode of operation to a wake mode of operation, wherein when in the wake mode of operation the multi-frequency transmitter is configured to establish a WI-FI connection with the wireless routing device for data transmission between the access device and the access control device.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the multi-frequency transmitter includes a radio frequency module that is configured to interrogate the radio signal before transitioning the access device from the sleep mode of operation to the wake mode of operation.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the access control device is configured to identify a portion of the plurality of access devices and configure the radio frequency transmitter to transmit the radio signal to targeted access devices.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the radio frequency transmitter is part of a bridge device that is connected to the touting device with an Ethernet connection.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the multi-frequency transceiver of each of the plurality of access devices is operable to receive the radio signal from the radio transmitter and unlock or lock the access device in response to the radio signal.