Secure smartphone-operated locking device

• US 9,222,740 B1
• Filed: 10/10/2014
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Karl F. Milde Jr
• Original Assignee: Karl F. Milde Jr
• Inventors: Milde, Karl F. Jr., Matos, Jeffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Allen T
• Application Number:
  US14/511,222
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 340 51- 59, 340/5.11, 42 7004- 7008, 42/701.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/063 comprising a transponder
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/066 having means for recognizing biometric parameters, e.g. voice control, finger print or palm print control
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 35/00 Accessories or details not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00325 and the lock having only one limited data transmission range
• 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 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses

Abstract

A battery-powered trigger-locking device, which is configured to be disposed on a gun with a trigger for firing, includes a data receiver, a data memory and a logic device for determining whether data received by the receiver is the same, or substantially the same, as data stored in the memory. If a data match is indicated, the logic device causes an electromagnetic device to move a trigger-locking member to an unlocked position, permitting the gun to be fired. A separate electronic gun key is provided to transmit gun unlock data to the data receiver of the trigger-locking device. This gun unlock data may be a password, a long pseudo-random number or biologic data identifying the gun owner or some other person who is licensed or otherwise authorized to fire the gun.

Claims

1. Locking apparatus which is unlocked only by an authorized person, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a locking device having a first source of electrical power and including, in combination;

(1) a movable member, movable between a locked position, in which the locking device is locked, and an unlocked position in which the locking device is unlocked;

(2) an electromechanical device coupled to the first source of power and to the moveable member for moving the movable member from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to at least one electric signal;

(3) a first data memory, coupled to the first source of power, for storing first unlock data pertaining to at least one person who is authorized to unlock the locking device, said first unlock data including biologic identifying information of said at least one authorized person;

(4) a wireless receiving (“

R”

) device, coupled to the first source of power, for receiving a transmitted signal representing second unlock data; and

(5) a first logic device, coupled to the first source of power, to the first data memory and to the R device, for comparing said second unlock data represented by said transmitted signal with said first unlock data stored in the first data memory and for producing said at least one electric signal to actuate the electromechanical device, thereby to move the movable member to the unlocked position, when the first unlock data stored in said first data memory and the second unlock data received by the R device are substantially the same;

(b) a phone app for a portable smartphone which includes a second source of electrical power and comprises the following components;

(1) a wireless transmitting (“

T”

) device coupled to said second source of power for transmitting said signal representing said second unlock data to said R device;

(2) an input device, coupled to said second source of power, for producing digital data representing biologic identifying information of a putative authorized person who wishes to unlock the locking device, and

(3) a second logic device, coupled to said second source of power, to said T device and to said input device, for generating said second unlock data from said digital data representing said biologic identifying information;

said phone app being operative to control said second logic device (i) to generate said second unlock data from said biologic identifying information and (ii) to cause said T device to transmit said signal representing said second unlock data to said R device;

thereby to unlock said locking device when said second unlock data transmitted to said locking device is substantially the same as said first unlock data stored in said first data memory.

2. The locking apparatus of claim 1, wherein said input device includes a microphone, coupled to said second logic device, for inputting a voice of said putative authorized person as said biologic identifying information, and

wherein the second logic device is operative to receive said digital data representing a said voice as said biologic identifying information and to generate said second unlock data therefrom.

3. The locking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portable smartphone further includes a keypad, coupled to said second logic device, for inputting alphanumeric data,

and wherein the second logic device is further operative to process a password entered into the keypad by the putative authorized person and, together with said digital data representing said biologic identifying information, to generate said second unlock data therefrom.

4. The locking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portable smartphone further includes a touch-sensitive pad, coupled to said second logic device, for inputting a lock command, and wherein the second logic device is further operative to generate a lock signal representing said lock command, said R device is further operative to receive said lock signal, and said first logic device, upon receipt of said lock signal, is operative to produce at least one electric signal to actuate the electromechanical device and cause said movable member to move to the locked position.

5. The locking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input device includes a camera, coupled to said second logic device, for inputting an image of a bodily aspect of said putative authorized person as said biologic identifying information, and

wherein the second logic device is further operative to receive said digital data representing said image as said biologic identifying information and to generate said second unlock data therefrom.