Easy-To-Retrofit, Electronically Controlled Door Lock System

• US 20070204663A1
• Filed: 03/16/2005
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRevo, Inc. (Assa Abloy AB)
• Original Assignee: iRevo, Inc. (Assa Abloy AB)
• Inventors: Lee, Yong-Jong
• Granted Patent: US 8,035,478 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 70/279.100
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0091 Retrofittable electric locks, e.g. an electric module can be attached to an existing manual lock electrically driven keys E05B2047/0083
• 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 47/0012 with rotary electromotors actuators with rotary electromotors per se H02K7/06, H02K23/68
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00904 for hotels, motels, office buildings or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5562 Removable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7028 Electric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7107 And alternately mechanically actuated by a key, dial, etc.

Abstract

Disclosed is an easy-to-retrofit, electronically controlled door lock system designed to change or expand functions of a door lock without having to replace the door lock as a whole. The door lock system includes a door lock 100 for locking and unlocking a door in response to an input signal from a key means, the door lock having predetermined inherent functions, and a function expanding device 200 having additional functions other than the predetermined inherent functions of the door lock, the function expanding device being replaceably attached to the door lock.

Claims

1. An easy-to-retrofit, electronically controlled door lock system, comprising:

a door lock for locking and unlocking a door in response to an input signal from a key means, the door lock having predetermined inherent functions;

and a function expanding device having additional functions other than the predetermined inherent functions of the door lock and being replaceably attached to the door lock,

wherein the door lock comprises an authentication unit for authenticating the key means of the door lock, a multi-purpose interface device for separably connecting the function expanding device to the door lock, a multi-purpose interface device control unit for controlling an operation of the function expanding device, a controller unit for controlling a whole operation of the door lock, and a driving unit for causing the door lock to perform the locking and unlocking function under the control of the controller unit.

2. The door lock system as recited in claim 1, wherein the multi-purpose interface device control unit includes an algorithm for controlling the function expanding device connected to the multi-purpose interface device, a protocol for performing a data communication with the controller unit and the function expanding device, an encoder and a decoder each for processing signals for the data communication.

3. The door lock system as recited in claim 1, wherein the multi-purpose interface device control unit is adapted to identify the function expanding device connected to the multi-purpose interface device by use of electric characteristics including a voltage, a frequency and a timing of signals, mechanical characteristics of connector pins and logical characteristics including a command response, and has an ability to control the operation of the function expanding device.

4. The door lock system as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller unit is adapted to control the operation of the function expanding device by generating an electric signal for controlling the function expanding device.

5. The door lock system as recited in claim 1, wherein the function expanding device is adapted to control the operation of the door lock by inputting an electric signal to the controller unit.

6. The door lock system as recited in claim 1, wherein the function expanding device comprises:

a multi-purpose interface device connection unit separably connected to the multi-purpose interface device of the door lock;

a subset module for implementing the additional functions other than the inherent functions of the door lock; and

a multi-purpose interface device signal processing unit for processing signals inputted and outputted from the subset module to the multi-purpose interface device.

7. The door lock system as recited in claim 6, wherein the subset module includes software for implementing the functions to be added to the door lock.

8. The door lock system as recited in claim 1, wherein the additional functions of the function expanding device include functions of camera, fingerprint authentication, fire monitoring and home network interaction.

9. The door lock system as recited in claim 1, wherein the function expanding device includes a subset module for implementing a camera function, and the subset module comprises a camera module, an input/output port, a memory and a camera control processor.