Systems and methods for controlling an electronic lock for a remote device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9865109-B2
Application number	US-201615225509-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2016
Priority date	Jul 31, 2015
Publication date	Jan 9, 2018
Grant date	Jan 9, 2018

Abstract

A system for controlling an electronic lock of a remote device is disclosed. The system includes an input unit configured to receive a user code. The system includes a lock controller connected to the input unit and configured to transmit the user code to a power distribution unit. The system includes a memory configured to store a user access table of user codes associated with users having access to the remote device. The power distribution unit is configured to determine whether the user code is in the user access table. The power distribution unit is configured to communicate, to the lock controller, an indication to unlock the electronic lock when the user code is in the table of user codes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for controlling an electronic lock to manage access to a cabinet storing an electronic device, the system comprising:
an input unit configured to receive a user code;
a lock controller connected to the input unit and configured to:
lock the electronic lock to restrict access to the cabinet,
unlock the electronic lock to allow access to the cabinet, and
receive, from the input unit, the user code;

a memory configured to store a user access table of user codes associated with users who have access to the cabinet;
a cabinet hardware encryption chip that is paired with a server hardware encryption chip to encrypt and decrypt communication with an authentication server; and
a master power distribution unit connected to the cabinet, the lock controller and the memory and configured to:
provide power to the electronic device stored inside the cabinet,
receive, from the lock controller, the user code,
determine whether the user code is in the user access table,
communicate a verification request that includes the user code to the authentication server using the paired cabinet hardware encryption chip and the server hardware encryption chip to encrypt and decrypt the communication,
determine whether a user identifier associated with the user code has access to the cabinet based on the communication with the authentication server, and
communicate, to the lock controller, an indication to unlock the electronic lock when the user code is in the user access table and the user identifier is determined to have access to the cabinet.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the input unit includes a keycard reader configured to detect the user code from a keycard presented to the keycard reader.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a secondary input unit configured to receive a second user code;
a secondary lock controller connected to the secondary input unit and configured to:
lock a secondary electronic lock to restrict access to a secondary cabinet storing a second electronic device,
unlock the secondary electronic lock to allow access to the secondary cabinet, and
receive, from the secondary input unit, the second user code; and

a secondary power distribution unit connected to the master power distribution unit, the secondary lock controller, and the secondary cabinet, the secondary power distribution unit configured to:
provide power to the second electronic device stored inside the secondary cabinet,
receive, from the secondary lock controller, the second user code,
communicate, to the master power distribution unit, the second user code, and
receive, from the master power distribution unit, an indication to unlock the secondary electronic lock when the second user code is in the user access table.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an input/output expander connecting the lock controller and the master power distribution unit, the input/output expander configured to facilitate communication between the lock controller and the master power distribution unit, and provide a connection for a peripheral device.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the peripheral device is a temperature control unit, and wherein the master power distribution unit is configured to adjust temperature within the cabinet using the temperature control unit.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the peripheral device is an air control unit, and wherein the master power distribution unit is configured to adjust air flow within the cabinet using the air control unit.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the peripheral device is a humidity control unit, and wherein the master power distribution unit is configured to adjust humidity within the cabinet using the humidity control unit.

8. A master power distribution unit of a cabinet having an electronic lock and storing an electronic device, the master power distribution unit comprising:
a cabinet hardware encryption chip that is paired with a server hardware encryption chip to encrypt and decrypt communication with an authentication server;
a memory configured to store a user access table of user codes associated with users who have access to the cabinet and the electronic device stored within the cabinet; and
a cabinet control unit configured to:
provide power to the electronic device stored within the cabinet,
receive, from a lock controller, a user code,
determine whether the user code is in the user access table,
communicate a verification request that includes the user code to the authentication server using the paired cabinet hardware encryption chip and the server hardware encryption chip to encrypt and decrypt the communication,
determine whether a user identifier associated with the user code has access to the cabinet based on the communication with the authentication server, and
communicate, to the lock controller, an indication to unlock the electronic lock when the user code is in the user access table and the user identifier is determined to have access to the cabinet, thereby allowing access to the electronic device stored inside the cabinet.

9. The master power distribution unit of claim 8 , wherein the user code is detected from a keycard.

10. The master power distribution unit of claim 8 , wherein the cabinet control unit is further configured to provide a graphical user interface to a user device.

11. The master power distribution unit of claim 10 , wherein the cabinet control unit is further configured to update the user access table based on an indication received from the user device via the graphical user interface.

12. The master power distribution unit of claim 10 , wherein the cabinet control unit is further configured to adjust a temperature within the cabinet based on an indication received from the user device via the graphical user interface.

13. The master power distribution unit of claim 10 , wherein the cabinet control unit is further configured to adjust an air flow within the cabinet based on an indication received from the user device via the graphical user interface.

14. The master power distribution unit of claim 10 , wherein the cabinet control unit is further configured to adjust a humidity within the cabinet based on an indication received from the user device via the graphical user interface.

15. A method of controlling an electronic lock to manage access to a cabinet storing an electronic device, the method comprising:
providing, by a master power distribution unit, power to the electronic device stored inside the cabinet;
receiving by an input unit, a user code;
transmitting, by a lock controller connected to the input unit, the user code to a master power distribution unit;
storing, by a memory, a user access table of user codes associated with users who have access to the cabinet;
determining, by the master power distribution unit, whether the user code is in the user access table;
communicating, by the master power distribution unit to an authentication server, a verification request that includes the user code using a paired cabinet hardware encryption chip and a server encryption chip to encrypt and decrypt the communication;
determining, by the master power distribution unit, whether a user identifier associated with the user code has access to the cabinet based on the communication with the authentication server;
communicating, by the master power distribution unit to the lock controller, an indication to unlock the electronic lock when the user code is in the user access table of user codes and the user identifier is determined to have access to the cabinet; and

Assignees

• Chatsworth Prod Inc

Inventors

• Roth Wayne D
• Conner Donald A
• Orris Ronald S

Classifications

• G07C9/00174 Primary

  Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys (mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00) · CPC title

• G07C9/00571

  operated by interacting with a central unit · CPC title

• G07C2009/00753

  operated by active electrical keys · CPC title