Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
  • G07C9/00—Individual registration on entry or exit
  • G07C9/00174—Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys
  • G07C9/00944—Details of construction or manufacture
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
  • G07C9/00—Individual registration on entry or exit
  • G07C9/00174—Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys
  • G07C2009/00753—Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys operated by active electrical keys

Definitions

• the invention described below consists of a code-based mechanical-electronic system for locking and unlocking doors and windows and actuating locks. It is designed so that the components forming the interface (keyslot) between the lock and the command and control component (key) can constitute a "standard” that can supplant the current arrangements which envisage an infinity of types of these components (keyslots and keys).
• a mechanical system for physically closing a latch generally with a handle, which includes an electrical releasing mechanism which prohibits or, if activated, permits its operation (a mechanism generally consisting of a movable (retractable) piston, activated by a solenoid controlled by an electrical current, with a return spring which, in the state of rest, specifically prohibits the functionality of the mechanical part);
• the mechanical locking systems and electronic decoding cards can be of any type, complexity, degree of security and, the cards, can be programmable and even capable, possibly, of providing further services (e.g. access control with the possibility of differentiating access codes by person).
• components on the other hand, which are called above "components for acquiring access codes" represent elements which, as a result of being made in conformity with the types proposed in this patent application or another similar one, and as a result of the process of standardising them, could enable the achievement of the hoped-for results of the use of a single "component for acquiring access codes", a single key (therefore) for all the locks to all one's own premises.
• the "component for acquiring access codes” into two elements: l. the interface (keyslot) (Fig. 3), interposed between the electronic decoding card (Fig. 2) and the actual component for entering the access codes (key) (Fig. 5), to be located exclusively on the outside of the frames, doors and articles to be protected or to which one wishes to limit access;
• the actual component for enter the access codes is a mobile and portable numerical keypad (Fig. 5) on which to key the codes, physically connecting the component in intimate contact with the interface (keyslot) (Fig. 3) which, in turn, will connect to the programmable decoding card (Fig. 2).
• the keypad (or command and control component) constitutes the essential and salient element of the invention, having a sufficient number of keys (buttons) and electrical contacts and/or other interfacing devices (ex.: infrared, radio frequency, DTMF tone and modulated light systems etc.) for communicating with the interface (or keyslot).
• This keypad can contain systems for pre-entering the codes, and, where high levels of security are required, this pre-entering can be performed in a different place from where the interface (or keyslot) is located.
• the code are held in a flash memory in the keypad (or command and control component) until it is entered into the keyslot (or interface), which also causes the deletion of the flash memory).
• the interface complies with standard conventions, can be made of any type of material suitable for the purpose.
• electrical slot (Fig. 3c), with a layout that complies with the standard conventions, which can come into contact with the complementary connector (Fig. 5a) of the component for entering the access codes, that is the mobile and portable keypad (Fig. 5).
• this slot is provided of electrical contacts for imput/autput electric current, and at least contacts, for any further functionalities or future integrations.
• the interface is equipped with four different-coloured indicating LEDs (ex.: electrical current present [green], unlock activated [yellow], error [red], other function [blue])
• Fig. 3d and Fig. 6 It is configured, in line with standard conventions (Fig. 3d and Fig. 6), to accept, according to need, the elements (such as phototransistors, antennae, transducers etc.) to connect to other devices in order to control the lock, including through coded infrared signals (produced for example by cellphones or mobile computer apparatus), by means of modulated light signals, by radio signals complying with the standards adopted for cellphones and computers, or by signals generated by apparatus generating DTMF tones.
• the elements such as phototransistors, antennae, transducers etc.
• the mobile keypad (control component or removable key) constitutes the essential and salient element and the lynchpin of the invention, and it is provided with a connector (Fig. 5a) providing a sufficient number of electrical contacts and/or other interfacing devices (ex.: infrared, radio frequency, DTMF tone and modulated light systems etc.) (Fig. 5b) communicating with the complementary slot of keyslot (or interface) (Fig. 3).
• buttons activate pure and simple electrical contacts that would allow a numerical code to be entered, which through the interface (or keyslot) would be decoded by the electronic card (on which the identical code would have been previously set so that the card recognises it) in order to send a command to the locking/unlocking mechanism or other type of system for the performance of any other service or function in consequence or otherwise of being appropriately integrated with electrical circuits, in which the above-mentioned components (interface or keyslot - command component or keypad or removable key - decoding card) can be used either singly or together or in combinations which could be derived from them for a fruitful and useful and desired function.
• the code must be entered after the keypad (or control component or removable key) has been inserted into the interface (or keyslot), and the code can be changed, for reasons of security, at any time and with the frequency desired or considered appropriate, by means of settings entered into the decoding card.
• the keypad (or control component, or removable key) can include a system for pre-keying the access code such that this code can be keyed in, for example while walking along the street, or in a car, or elsewhere but at all events in a different place than the lock or the entrance or the mechanism concerned in the manoeuvre.
• the code can then be held in a special flash memory until it is transmitted to the keyslot (or interface) by pressing a button on the keypad (or removable key); this operation would however also delete the flash memory so as to avoid the possibility that theft of the keypad (or removable key) could allow outsiders to ascertain the exact access code.
• the decoding cards would obviously be suitable for the purpose, and could be provided with mechanisms for generating alarm signals after a particular number of incorrect attempts at entering the codes.
• This solution would make it impractical for ill-intentioned people to position videocameras or set up other methods of finding out the codes for opening or activating the command. With this solution, as may be guessed, it is necessary to key in the code each time one wants to activate a command.
• the decoding card must be installed inside the premises to be protected, and it must be made inaccessible even from the inside, at least with the door closed.
• the code can be different for each lock and for each person even in a family situation, to allow or prevent access and to store the codes in memory with control systems.
• the code can be entered or keyed, in the majority of cases, at the time of executing the command, action or function desired, or, in the case of people not capable of.
• the interface is also usable for allowing dialogue between advanced systems for securing or releasing locks or access mechanisms on the basis of reading/analysing fingerprints, the pupil of the eye and other items differentiating human beings.
• Fig. i lock mechanism (example); connector (Fig. ia);
• Fig. 2 Electronic card or system for the decoding and the processing of the codes; connectors (Fig. 2a);
• Fig. 3 - Interface (keyslot) front view example of embodiment; Connector (Fig. 3°a); signalling LEDs (Fig. 3b); cavity containing the electrical contacts, to connect to the keypad and windows for other coupling systems (Fig. 3c); windows for other coupling systems (Fig. 3d) ;
• Fig.4 Outside door with interface (keyslot) and door handle: example;
• Fig. 5 - Mobile keypad ( Key - command organ), example, door electrical contacts (Fig. 5a), windows for other connection systems (IR, DTMF tones, etc .) (Fig. 5b) and leds (Fig. 5c). Front view (Fig. 5-1); retro view (Fig. 5-2); view of top side (Fig. 5-
• Fig.6 Detail of Interface. Three-dimensional detail of compartment configured for recessed housing of other coupling systems, with transparent window or grille facing towards the outside (the interface has three windows).

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=39712241

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 2007
  • 2007-04-06 IT IT000006A patent/ITAQ20070006A1/it unknown
• 2008
  • 2008-03-28 CA CA002684942A patent/CA2684942A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2008-03-28 WO PCT/IT2008/000205 patent/WO2008123002A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2008-03-28 AU AU2008236331A patent/AU2008236331A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2008-03-28 EP EP08751526A patent/EP2137706A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 2009
  • 2009-10-28 AP AP2009005024A patent/AP2009005024A0/en unknown

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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