Portable lock

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11302131-B2
Application number	US-201916408255-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2019
Priority date	May 11, 2018
Publication date	Apr 12, 2022
Grant date	Apr 12, 2022

Abstract

The invention relates to a portable lock having an unlocking motor, an authentication module for authenticating a user of the lock by which the unlocking motor can be actuated to unlock the lock on a successful user authentication, and having a transport security element that can be actuated by the user and whose actuation moves the lock into a transport security mode in which an unlocking of the lock is precluded. A further subject matter is a locking system comprising such a lock and a mobile end device by means of which a user of the lock can authenticate himself thereat. The invention furthermore relates to a method of unlocking a mobile lock.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A portable lock comprising:
a lock body;
an unlocking motor positioned within the lock body;
an authentication module configured for receiving a wireless authentication signal to authenticate a user of the lock;
a transport security element comprising a user actuatable device coupled to the lock body and accessible for manual actuation by the user from outside of the lock body, wherein the transport security element is configured to be actuated by the user and wherein upon an actuation by the user, the transport security element switches the lock from a normal mode into a transport security mode, wherein authentication of the user is precluded as long as the lock is in the transport security mode; and
an actuation element configured to be actuated by the user;
wherein, with the lock in the normal mode and with the user authenticated, the actuation element is configured so that actuating the actuation element by the user causes the unlocking motor to unlock the lock; and
wherein, with the lock in the transport security mode, the actuation element is configured so that actuating the actuation element by the user does not cause an actuation of the unlocking motor to unlock the lock.

2. The lock in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the lock is movable from the transport security mode back into a normal mode by actuating the transport security element, and wherein while in the normal mode the unlocking motor can be actuated to unlock the lock on a successful user authentication.

3. The lock in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the transport security element is an impulse generator.

4. The lock in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the transport security element is formed by an optically acting, capacitively acting, or inductively acting control surface.

5. The lock in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the authentication module comprises a transceiver configured for receiving the wireless authentication signal from a mobile end device of the user.

6. The lock in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the wireless authentication signal is a Bluetooth signal.

7. The lock in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the authentication module is actuable by actuating the actuation element.

8. The lock in accordance with claim 1 ,
wherein the actuation element is formed by a motion sensor coupled to the lock body and connected to the authentication module for detecting a movement of the lock.

9. The lock in accordance with claim 8 , further comprising an alarm in electronic communication with the motion sensor and with the authentication module and configured to output an alarm in the event of a movement of the lock detected by the motion sensor and of an unsuccessful user authentication.

10. A portable lock comprising:
a lock body;
an unlocking motor positioned within the lock body;
an authentication module configured for receiving a wireless authentication signal to authenticate a user of the lock;
a transport security element comprising a user actuatable device coupled to the lock body and accessible for manual actuation by the user from outside of the lock body, wherein the transport security element is configured to be actuated by the user and wherein upon an actuation by the user, the transport security element switches the lock from a normal mode into a transport security mode; and
an actuation element formed by a motion sensor coupled to the lock body and connected to the authentication module for detecting a movement of the lock, the actuation element configured to be actuated by the user;
wherein, with the lock in the normal mode and with the user authenticated, the actuation element is configured so that actuating the actuation element by the user causes the unlocking motor to unlock the lock; and
wherein, with the lock in the transport security mode, a reading of the motion sensor is blocked, and wherein, with the lock in the transport security mode, the actuation element is configured so that actuating the actuation element by the user does not cause an actuation of the unlocking motor to unlock the lock.

11. The lock in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the lock is movable from the transport security mode back into a normal mode by actuating the transport security element, and wherein while in the normal mode the unlocking motor can be actuated to unlock the lock on a successful user authentication.

12. The lock in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the transport security element is an impulse generator.

13. The lock in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the transport security element is formed by an optically acting, capacitively acting, or inductively acting control surface.

14. The lock in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the authentication module comprises a transceiver configured for receiving the wireless authentication signal from a mobile end device of the user.

15. A method of unlocking a portable lock, the portable lock comprising a lock body, an unlocking motor positioned within the lock body, an authentication module configured for receiving a wireless authentication signal to authenticate a user of the lock, a transport security element, comprising a user actuatable device formed at the lock and accessible for manual actuation by the user from the outside of the lock body, wherein the transport security element is configured to be actuated by the user and wherein upon an actuation by the user, the transport security element switches the lock from a normal mode into a transport security mode, and an actuation element configured to be actuated by the user, the method comprising:
receiving, by the authentication module, a wireless authentication signal from the user, wherein receiving the wireless authentication signal is prevented as long as the lock is in the transport security mode;
wirelessly authenticating, by the authentication module, the user based on the received wireless authentication signal; and
receiving an actuation event by the user through the actuation element, wherein in response to receiving the actuation event with the lock in the normal mode, actuating the unlocking motor to unlock the lock on a successful user authentication with the authentication module, and wherein in response to receiving the actuation event with the lock in the transport security mode precluding actuation of the unlocking motor.

16. The method in accordance with claim 15 ,
wherein the lock is moved from the transport security mode back into a normal mode by actuating the transport security element, in which normal mode the unlocking motor can be actuated to unlock the lock on a successful user authentication.

17. The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the wireless authentication signal from the user is received from a mobile end device comprising a transceiver to establish a wireless connection to the authentication module of the lock.

Assignees

• Bremicker Soehne Kg A

Inventors

• Kolb Marcus
• Mueller Marvin

Classifications

• E05B2047/0065

  Saving energy (E05B2047/0053, E05B2047/0074, E05B2047/0077, E05B2047/0079, E05B2047/0081 take precedence) · CPC title

• E05B45/005 Primary

  Chain-locks, cable-locks or padlocks with alarms · CPC title

• E05B2047/0058

  by batteries · CPC title

• G07C9/00944

  Details of construction or manufacture · CPC title

• G07C2209/62

  Comprising means for indicating the status of the lock · CPC title