Systems and methods for magnet-equipped locks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11624211-B2
Application number	US-202016805653-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2020
Priority date	Apr 19, 2019
Publication date	Apr 11, 2023
Grant date	Apr 11, 2023

Abstract

The disclosed computer-implemented method may include a magnetic insertable lock component with a magnet-sensing lock housing. By using a magnet within a pin and a magnetic field sensor within the lock housing, the apparatus may accurately detect the state of the lock. In some embodiments, the apparatus may determine the pin is inserted fully into the lock, the pin is inserted partially into the lock, the pin is not inserted in the lock, and/or that a foreign object that is not the pin is inserted into the lock. By using a magnet within the pin to track the state of the lock, the apparatus may improve both the user experience and the security of the lock. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A personal mobility vehicle locking system comprising:
a pin comprising a magnet and an undercut along a shaft of the pin, the undercut configured to secure the pin in a locked position; and
a lock for a wheel of a personal mobility vehicle, the lock comprising:
a locking mechanism comprising a slider and configured to secure the pin in the locked position by positioning the slider into the undercut; and
a sensor adjacent to the locking mechanism and configured to detect one or more positions of the pin relative to the sensor based on a magnetic field generated by the magnet that is detected by the sensor at the one or more positions,

wherein the sensor is further configured to output information regarding a state of the lock based on the one or more positions of the pin relative to the sensor.

2. The personal mobility vehicle locking system of claim 1 , wherein the information regarding the state of the lock is used by a dynamic transportation matching system to deallocate the personal mobility vehicle from a user of the personal mobility vehicle.

3. The personal mobility vehicle locking system of claim 1 , wherein the state of the lock comprises one of a locked state, an unlocked state with pin inserted, a not lockable state, or an unlocked state with pin removed.

4. The personal mobility vehicle locking system of claim 1 , wherein the information regarding the state of the lock is used by a dynamic transportation matching system to perform an action.

5. The personal mobility vehicle locking system of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a motor and a cam connected to the slider, and wherein the motor is configured to drive the slider into the undercut using the cam.

6. The personal mobility vehicle locking system of claim 1 , wherein the pin further comprises a bevel along the shaft adjacent to the undercut, and wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a spring configured to move the slider over the bevel and engage the slider into the undercut in the locked position.

7. The personal mobility vehicle locking system of claim 1 , further comprising a release component configured to disengage the slider from the undercut.

8. The personal mobility vehicle locking system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is further configured to detect a foreign object within the lock, and wherein an alert is transmitted by the personal mobility vehicle locking system to a transportation service provider based on detecting the foreign object.

9. The personal mobility vehicle locking system of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is further configured to adjust the slider to obstruct securing the pin in the locked position for a predetermined amount of time when the state of the lock is in an unlockable state.

10. The personal mobility vehicle locking system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a holster configured to secure the pin when the pin is removed from the lock.

11. The personal mobility vehicle locking system of claim 10 , wherein the holster comprises an additional sensor configured to detect the magnetic field generated by the magnet.

12. A method comprising:
detecting, using a sensor of a lock for a personal mobility vehicle, a strength of a magnetic field generated by a magnet within a pin of the lock;
determining a position of the pin relative to the sensor based on the strength of the magnetic field at the position; and
outputting information regarding a state of the lock based on the position of the pin relative to the sensor.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the strength is a maximum strength at the position relative to strengths of the magnetic field at other positions of the pin relative to the sensor and the position indicates the pin is fully inserted into the lock.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising deallocating the personal mobility vehicle from a user of the personal mobility vehicle based on the strength being the maximum strength.

15. A locking pin for a personal mobility vehicle, the locking pin comprising:
a shaft having a first end of the locking pin and configured to be insertable into a lock;
a handle at a second end of the locking pin; and
a magnet within the shaft and spanning in a longitudinal direction of the shaft, wherein the magnet extends past an undercut of the shaft.

16. The locking pin of claim 15 , wherein the shaft further comprises a bevel portion adjacent to the undercut and tapering down toward the first end.

17. The locking pin of claim 15 , wherein the magnet has a first end extending toward the first end of the locking pin and a second end extending toward the second end of the locking pin, and wherein the first end of the magnet and the second end of the magnet have opposite polarities.

18. The locking pin of claim 15 , wherein the handle is wider than the shaft.

19. The locking pin of claim 15 , wherein the shaft has a bevel portion tapering down toward the first end.

Assignees

• Lyft Inc

Inventors

• Luedtke Peter Rex
• Rosenkranz Andrew Paul
• Chelminski Richard Stephen
• Peng James Jeng-Yeu

Classifications

• B62H5/145 Primary

  by means of removable bolts · CPC title

• B62H5/20

  indicating unauthorised use, e.g. acting on signalling devices {(alarm locks in general E05B45/00, e.g. alarm cable or chain lock E05B45/005)} · CPC title

• B62M6/45

  Control or actuating devices therefor · CPC title

• E05B73/0005

  using chains, cables or the like (chain- or cable-locks of the padlock type E05B67/003; lockable clothing hangers or hanger racks E05B69/006) · CPC title

• B62H5/08

  preventing the drive (by acting on powered drive B62M) · CPC title