DE69125553T2 - Programmable security locks - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to programmable security locks and is particularly applicable to such locks which allow restricted access to hotels, business offices, industrial complexes and the like.

Programmable door locks are finding increasing use around the world and are used in some large hotels where security is a growing concern, with a programmable lock provided for each of the hotel rooms. When a new guest checks into a hotel, he/she is assigned a specific room, with the programmable door lock for the room being provided with a unique code that is applicable for the duration of the guest's stay. The guest is also given an "electronic key" encoded with the same unique code, which allows the guest to gain access to the hotel room when the key is inserted into the programmable door lock. When the guest departs the hotel, the programmable door lock is reprogrammed with a different code so that the key assigned to the departing guest will no longer work on the hotel room that he/she was assigned to. The "electronic key" may take a variety of forms and may be constructed in the form of a thin strip of cardboard or plastic, similar to a bank card, with the code typically stored, for example, on a magnetic strip provided on the key, or electronically or optically within the key body, or in the form of physical holes or deformations on a portion of the key.

EP-A-0 320 373 describes a programmable security lock which can be programmed with a security code controlling its opening, the lock having an electronic key which can be programmed with a security code corresponding to the security code of the lock.

The invention is based on the object of creating an improved form of such a programmable security lock.

According to the invention, this is achieved by providing that the lock can be remotely operated and by a device for querying the security code of the electronic key for opening the lock.

From EP-a-9 218 251 a programmable lock is known in which a device is provided for remotely querying the security code stored in the key of a car, but the car lock is not remotely programmable.

According to a preferred arrangement of the invention, the electronic key comprises a transponder arrangement, in which the lock comprises means for transmitting and interrogating a signal for the electronic key and means for receiving a transponder signal from the electronic key, the transponder signal indicating the security code of the electronic key.

Advantageously, the lock has a device for storing the security code of the lock and a processing device for comparing the security code of the received transponder signal from the electronic key with the security code of the storage device and for Cause a lock mechanism to be opened if the security codes match.

It may be arranged that the means for receiving a transponder signal is also operative to receive a programming signal indicating the programming of the security code into the lock, the processing means in response to the programming signal causing the security code thereof to be stored in the memory.

According to a preferred arrangement according to the invention, a remote lock control device can be provided which has a means for sending the programming signal and a means for receiving a signal sent by the lock.

The lock may be arranged to have means for sending an alarm signal to the remote lock control device if the security codes do not match, or alternatively for sending the security code of the received transponder signal to the remote lock control device.

The security code of each received transponder signal may be stored in the memory device and the security codes stored in the memory device may be sent to the remote lock control device, in which latter case the security codes stored in the memory device may be sent to the remote lock control device at certain time intervals or in response to a signal therefrom.

Actuating means may be provided which cause the means for sending the interrogation signal to the electronic lock to be operated, said actuating means suitably comprising a door handle for example, a door to which the lock is attached.

Preferably, the electronic key comprises a storage device for storing the security code of the key, a device for receiving the interrogation signal from the lock and a device for transmitting a transponder signal indicating the security code stored in the storage device of the key.

According to another aspect of the invention, an electronic key for use with a programmable security lock according to the first aspect is provided.

The invention is described in more detail below using an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawing. They show:

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a hotel access control system with a plurality of programmable security locks according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a programmable door lock according to the invention for use in the system according to Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 a block diagram of the programmable door lock according to Fig. 2 and

Fig. 4 is a block diagram of an electronic key for use with the programmable door lock according to Fig. 2 and 3.

The example described below is based on a hotel access control system such as one used in the UK Patent Application Publication No. 2 236 354 A. However, it should be recognized that the invention has a much broader application and can be used, for example, in commercial, industrial, economic, sporting and leisure environments.

The access control system to be described is based on the use of a programmable door lock fitted to each of the rooms of a hotel, each of the door locks being programmed with a unique code such that it can only be opened by an electronic key encoded with the same unique code to gain access to the room.

In Fig. 1, a hotel access control system is shown comprising a control unit 1, typically located at or near the hotel reception. Each of the hotel rooms is equipped with a programmable door lock 2, whereby each guest of the hotel receives an electronic key in the form of a "smart card" and similar to a slim calculator for gaining access to the hotel room assigned to him/her.

The control unit 1 has a reception/registration console 4, a key/lock programmer 5 and a transmitter/receiver Tx/Rx 6.

When a new guest checks in at the hotel, the receptionist designates an appropriate room for the guest via the reception/check-in console or check-in console 4, which also generates an appropriate security code to be associated with the particular room for the period of time the room is associated with the new guest. The code generated by the check-in console 4 is entered into the key/lock programmer 5, which contains the electronic key 3 associated with the new guest. The key/lock programmer 5 encodes the electronic key 3 with the required code, which code is also entered into the transmitter/receiver 6 where it is transmitted via an antenna 7 to the programmable door lock 2 of the room allocated to the new guest via its antenna 3. The encoded electronic key 3 is then issued to the new guest, allowing him/her access only to the room allocated to him/her, as described below. Other areas of the hotel which are solely for the comfort of hotel guests, such as gymnasiums, saunas, swimming pools, etc., may also be provided with programmable door locks 2 which can be programmed so that any guest with a valid electronic key can gain access thereto.

In Fig. 2 there is shown an illustrative view of a programmable door lock 2 fitted to a door 9 of a hotel room. An electronic key 3 is also shown which serves to open the lock 2 as described below. The lock 2 comprises a door handle 10, the axis of which is provided with a cam 11 which, when the handle 10 is rotated, causes the actuation of a microswitch 12 or other suitable switch. The output signal from the microswitch 12 is applied to an access control module 13 which is described in more detail below with reference to Fig. 3. The access control module 13 is powered by a battery 14 and is connected to the antenna 8 (Fig. 1) and a solenoid 15 of a lock mechanism 16. The lock mechanism 16 is provided with a projecting door latch 17 which normally locks the hotel door closed, but which is retracted when the solenoid 15 of the lock mechanism 16 is activated to release the door.

In Fig. 3, the access control module 13 according to Fig. 2 is shown in more detail and has a transmitter/receiver switch T/R 20 to which the antenna 8 is connected, a receiver (Rx) 21, a central processing unit (CPU) 22, a memory 23, a short-range transmitter (Tx) 24 and an input/output driver (I/o) 25 to which the lock mechanism 16 and the microswitch 12 are connected.

The programmable door lock 2 according to Fig. 2 and 3 functions as described below. Remote programming of the programmable door lock 2 is achieved by sending a suitably coded signal from the transmitter/receiver 6 according to Fig. 1. This signal is received by the antenna 8 and fed via the transmitter/receiver switch 20 to the receiver 21, where it is received and demodulated. The transmitted code is decoded by the central unit 22 and stored in the memory 23.

When a guest wishes to gain access to his hotel room, he operates the door handle 10 of the programmable door lock 2, which closes the microswitch 12. The closing of the microswitch 12 is detected by the central unit 22 via the input/output driver 25 and used to generate an interrogation signal which is sent by the transmitter 24 and the antenna 8 via the input/output driver 25 and the transmitter/receiver switch 20.

Assuming that the hotel guest has his electronic key 3 with him, which can be carried in a pocket or bag or in any other convenient way, the interrogation signal sent by the antenna 8 of the programmable door lock 2 is received by the electronic key 3. When the interrogation signal is received by the electronic key 3, it responds by sending a transponder signal indicating its own security code, which is received by the receiver 21 according to Fig. 3 via the antenna 8 and the transmitter/receiver switch 20. The received security code is decoded by the central unit 22, and if this whose own security code stored in the memory 23, this causes the solenoid 15 of the lock mechanism 16 to be activated so that the door lock 17 (as shown in Fig. 2) is retracted to release the door and allow access to the hotel room. If the security code received does not correspond to the code stored in the memory 23, this may indicate that someone is attempting to make a forced or illegal entry, generating a warning signal which is sent by the transmitter 24 via the antenna 8 and the transceiver switch 20 to the transceiver 6 of the control unit 1 as shown in Fig. 1, where it is used to inform the hotel staff of the illegal entry attempt.

In Fig. 4 there is shown a block diagram of the electronic key 3 referred to in Figs. 1 and 2. When an interrogation signal is received by the electronic key 3, it is received by an antenna 30 and fed to a receiver 32 via a transmitter/receiver (T/R) switch 31. The presence of the interrogation signal is detected by a central processing unit (CPU) 33, the programmed security code stored in the electronic key 3 and its memory 34 being used via an input/output driver 35 to generate a transponder signal which is transmitted by a short range transmitter 36 via the transmitter/receiver switch 31 and antenna 30 back to the programmable door lock which initiated the interrogation signal as previously described.

In this way, the electronic door lock 3 does not need to be plugged into the programmable door lock, it only needs to be near the door lock so that it can be used to open the door lock and allow access to the hotel room.

It will be understood that the security code programmed into the programmable door lock 2 and the electronic lock 3 may take various forms depending on each particular application and, in the hotel system described with reference to Fig. 1, may typically comprise a 16-bit "GUEST" code in combination with a 12-bit "ROOM" code.

The above described embodiment of the invention is merely exemplary and various modifications may be made while still using the basic principles. For example, instead of using transmitted signals to program the programmable door locks 2, they may be programmed using fixed electrical or optical connections between the locks and the programming console, optical transmission signal techniques, or mains electrical supply lines using frequency shift keying (FSK) techniques.

It can also be arranged that when the security code of each transponder signal is received by the receiver (Rx) 21 of the access control module 13 according to Fig. 3, it can be compared with the stored code in the memory 23 as well as itself stored in the memory 23. In this way, all security codes of all electronic keys with which access to a particular door lock has been attempted can be sent back to the control unit 1 according to Fig. 1. This can be done at the time when access is attempted, at certain time intervals or as a result of an interrogation signal sent from the control unit 1 to the access control module 13 according to Fig. 3. This would enable the hotel to obtain accurate information about the events taking place in the hotel. Also, although according to the described embodiment of the invention the programmable lock 2 is attached to the door, it can also be attached to a door frame, for example, and be operated in another way, for example by a hand switch or a proximity switch, instead of being operated by the door handle.

It is also understandable that the integrated design of the electronic key enables it to be easily used as a so-called electronic purse, electronic money or credit card. In operation, purchases made within the hotel can be recorded within the electronic key 3 and charged to a predetermined level of credit or added to a sum of transaction fees.

Claims (14)

1. Programmable security lock (2) which can be programmed with a security code controlling its opening, the lock (2) having an electronic key (3) which can be programmed with a security code corresponding to the security code of the lock (2), characterized in that the lock is remotely programmable, and a device (13) is provided for remotely querying the security code of the electronic key (3) so that the lock (2) is opened. 2. Castle according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronic key (3) has a transponder arrangement (31 - 36). 3. Lock according to claim 2, marked by a device (24) for sending and querying a signal for the electronic key (3) and a device (21) for receiving a transponder signal from the electronic key (3), wherein the transponder signal represents the security code of the electronic key (3). 4. Lock according to claim 3, marked by a storage device (23) for storing the security code of the lock (2) and a processing device (22) for comparing the security code of the transponder signal received from the electronic key (3) with the security code of the storage device (23) and for causing a locking mechanism (16) of the lock (2) to be opened if the security codes correspond to one another. 5. Lock according to claim 4, characterized in that the device (21) for receiving the transponder signal is also operative to receive a programming signal representing the security code to be programmed into the lock (2), the processing device (22) being operable in response to the programming signal to cause the security code thereof to be stored in the storage device (23). 6. Lock according to claim 4 or 5, marked by a remote lock control device (1) with devices (6, 7) for sending the programming signal and devices (6, 7) for receiving a signal sent from the lock (2). 7. Lock according to claim 6, marked by Means (22 - 24) for sending an alarm signal to the remote lock control device (1) if the security codes do not correspond to each other. 8. Lock according to claim 6, marked by Means (22 - 24) for sending the security code of a received transponder signal to the remote lock control device (1). 9. Lock according to claim 8, characterized in that the security code of each received transponder signal is stored in the storage device (23) and the security codes stored in the storage device (23) are sent to the remote lock control device (1). 10. Lock according to claim 9, characterized in that the security codes stored in the storage device (23) are sent to the remote lock control device at predetermined time intervals. 11. Lock according to claim 9, characterized in that the security codes stored in the storage device (23) are sent to the remote lock control device (1) in response to a signal received therefrom. 12. Lock according to one of claims 4 to 11, marked by an actuating device (10) which causes the device to be operated for sending the interrogation signal to the electronic key (3). 13. Lock according to claim 12, characterized in that the adjusting device (10) has a door handle (10). 14. Lock according to one of claims 3 to 13, characterized in that the electronic key (3) has a storage device (34) for storing the security code of the key (3), devices (20, 21) for receiving the interrogation signal from the lock (2) and devices (20, 24) for sending a transponder signal which represents the security code stored in the storage device (34) of the key.