Alarm-triggered gun safe

• US 10,132,113 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2016
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Protection, LLC
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Protection, LLC
• Inventors: Stevenson, Ryan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yang, James
• Application Number:
  US15/070,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20160194913A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• 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 63/0065 Operating modes; Transformable to different operating modes
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/0075 for safes, strongrooms, vaults, fire-resisting cabinets or the like safes, closures and fastenings therefor E05G
• CPC Class Codes: E05G 1/04 Closure fasteners locks E05B
• CPC Class Codes: E05G 1/10 with alarm, signal or indicator E05G1/14 takes precedence; burglar, theft or intruder alarm per se G08B13/00; fire or explosion alarm per se G08B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00912 for safes, strong-rooms, vaults or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

An electronically-operated gun safe or other lockable container is communicatively connected to an alarm system or one or more alarm system elements. When the alarm or the alarm system elements is/are triggered, a signal is received by the gun safe, which then unlocks the door to the gun safe to allow access to the contents of the gun safe, or takes other action to facilitate easier access to the contents of the gun safe.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

establishing a communication connection between an alarm system and an electronic controller of a gun safe, wherein the alarm system is a security alarm system for a residential or business building;

receiving, at the electronic controller of the gun safe and via the communication connection, an alarm signal from the security alarm system based upon the security alarm system detecting an unauthorized access event with respect to the residential or business building;

identifying, by the electronic controller, a pre-defined response that corresponds to the alarm signal; and

based on the pre-defined response, performing, by the electronic controller, one or more operations that changes a first access state of the gun safe that requires a user to enter an access code to open the gun safe to a second access state that allows the user to open the gun safe without having to provide the access code.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more operations comprise sending an electronic signal to an actuator that controls a door of the gun safe, and wherein the electronic signal causes the actuator to allow the door of the gun safe to open.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more operations further comprise:

detecting that a pre-defined period of time has passed since receiving the alarm signal from the alarm system; and

sending another electronic signal to the actuator that causes the actuator to prevent the door of the gun safe from opening.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more operations comprise:

accessing a password storage that stores a plurality of passwords, wherein when the gun safe is in the first access state the access code comprises a first password that is active, and upon the electronic controller receiving an indication of the first password while in the first access state, the electronic controller sends an electronic signal that causes an actuator to allow a door of the gun safe to open;

deactivating the first password of the plurality of passwords; and

activating a second password of the plurality of passwords.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving an indication that the user has entered the second password; and

based on receiving the indication of the second password, sending the electronic signal to the actuator that causes the actuator to allow the door of the gun safe to open.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more operations comprise:

activating a key fob receiver to detect a signal from a key fob;

receiving, from the key fob receiver, an indication of detection of the signal from the key fob; and

in response to the indication of detection of the signal from the key fob, sending an electronic signal to the actuator that causes the actuator to allow the door of the gun safe to open.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more operations comprise:

activating a biometric device to detect a biometric input;

receiving, from the biometric device, an indication of the biometric input; and

sending an electronic signal to the actuator that causes the actuator to allow the door of the gun safe to open based on receiving the indication of the biometric input.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the pre-defined response from a plurality of pre-defined responses based on user input received at the electronic controller of the gun safe.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon receiving the alarm signal from the security alarm system, determining whether a status of the gun safe indicates an armed status or an unarmed status;

if the status of the gun safe indicates the armed status, proceeding to identify the pre-defined response and performing the one or more operations based on the pre-defined response; and

if the status of the gun safe indicates the unarmed status, preventing the electronic controller from performing additional operations and preventing the door of the gun safe from opening.

10. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions thereon, that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to;

establish a communication connection between an alarm system and an electronic controller of a gun safe, wherein the alarm system is a security alarm system for a residential or business building;

receive, via the established communication connection, an alarm signal from the security alarm system based upon the security alarm system detecting an unauthorized access event with respect to the residential or business building;

identify a pre-defined response that corresponds to the alarm signal; and

based on the pre-defined response, perform one or more operations that changes a first access state of the gun safe that requires a user to enter an access code to open the gun safe to a second access state that allows the user to open the gun safe without having to provide the access code.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more operations comprise causing an actuator to allow a door of the gun safe to open.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to generate a human perceivable alert that indicates a user can open the gun safe.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein generating the human perceivable alert comprises activating a light.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein generating the human perceivable alert comprises producing an audible alert.

15. The system of claim 10, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

deactivate a first type of entry mode; and

activate a second type of entry mode, wherein deactivating the first type of entry mode and activating the second type of entry mode is based on the one or more operations.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the first type of entry mode comprises receiving the access code that comprises a password; and

the second type of entry mode comprises receiving a signal from an electronic device that is separate from the gun safe and the alarm system.

17. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions thereon, that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to;

establish a monitoring connection with at least one sensor of an alarm system, wherein the alarm system is a security alarm system for a residential or business building;

establish a communication connection with an electronic controller of a gun safe;

receive, from the at least one sensor and via the monitoring connection, a sensor alert that indicates the occurrence of an unauthorized access event or a fire event with respect to the residential or business building; and

based on receiving the sensor alert, send an alarm signal to the electronic controller of the gun safe via the communication connection, wherein the alarm signal causes the gun safe to perform one or more operations that changes a first access state of the gun safe that requires a user to enter an access code to open the gun safe to a second access state that allows the user to open the gun safe without having to provide the access code.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

receive user input via a control panel of the alarm system that defines the pre-defined response; and

send, via the communication connection, information representing the pre-defined response to the electronic controller of the gun safe.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

receive user input via a control panel of the alarm system that defines the access code as a password to open the gun safe; and

send, via the communication connection, information representing the password to the electronic controller of the gun safe, wherein a user can provide the password to open the gun safe via an input device on the gun safe.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to receive user input via a control panel of the alarm system that defines a second password to open the gun safe when in the second access state, wherein a user can provide the second password to open the gun safe when in the second access state via the control panel of the alarm system.