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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to an electric lock system, and in
particular to an electric lock system in which a central processor is
capable of selectively interrogating remote lock locations for the purpose
of recording certain parameters of the locking operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The security requirements of modern office buildings, factories and similar
facilities are extensive. Such facilities often have several
geographically remote buildings, rooms, floors or laboratories, any one or
more of which may require a secure lock, and may require the capability of
recording and reporting lock opening and closing times, identifications of
the person opening or closing the lock and other information.
Current locking mechanism generally consist of mechanical and
electromechanical systems which monitor the activities of a particular
lock, and genrate hard copy reports of desired parameters. These systems
suffer from the requirement of a high degree of manual handling of hard
copy reports; delays caused by mailing such reports; the need for manual
setting and/or winding a clock at each lock location; the inability to
identify individual keys or other user identification means and other
problems. The present invention was designed to overcome these
deficiencies.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a microprocessor-based
electronic lock system which contains no moving parts, except for those
included in the lock and the switches coupled to it and the telephone
relay thereby providing for high reliability.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a
microprocessor-based electronic lock system which is totally automatic and
eliminates the need for the mailing of hard copy reports of lock
operations, by use of an automatic telephone answering capability, so that
the central processor may sequentially interrogate the remote locks.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electronic
lock system which is automatic, and which does not involve employees in
the reporting process.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an
electronic lock system which may be directly compatible with existing
locks, and which permits the monitoring of vital system parameters at each
lock location.
In accordance with the present invention, an electronic lock system
includes a lock which is selectively lockable and unlockable in response
to an input signal, for example the insertion of a proper key, the
insertion of an optically-readable identification card, the pressing of
the input switches in the correct sequence, or the like. Buffer means are
provided for receiving these user commands, and for generating an input
signal only in response to one or more preselected user commands i.e., the
use of a proper key, etc. The buffer means identify certain parameters
incident to the locking or unlocking of each such lock, and transmit these
parameters. A series of remote microprocessors each includes a random
access memory coupled to the buffer means for recording these parameters.
A central processor is capable of selectively interrogating these remote
microprocessors and recording these parameters. An interface is coupled
between the microprocessors and the central processor for transmitting
these parameters from the microprocessor memory to the central processor
memory in response to this interrogation. Multiple locks may be coupled to
one remote microprocessor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
These and other objects and features of the present invention will best be
described by reference to a presently-preferred, but nonetheless
illustrative, embodiment of the present invention as shown in the
accompanying drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 is an overall diagrammic representation of the present invention
including one remote location interfacing with the central processor.
FIG. 2 is a diagrammic representation of the pin connections of a remote
microprocessor;
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of the pin connections of a
mircoprocessor random access memory;
FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of the pin connections of a buffer
means;
FIG. 4a is a schematic representation of a lock;
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic representation of the pin connections of the modem
which forms a part of the central processor/remote microprocessor
interface;
FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of the system lock and associated
oscillator;
FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of the power supply for a remote
microprocessor;
FIG. 8 and 9 are schematic representations of the circuitry which form a
part of the interface between the central processor and the remote
microprocessor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Turning to the drawing, and in particular, to FIG. 1, an electronic lock
system in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by
the reference numeral 10. Electronic lock system 10 includes a
microprocessor 12 which includes a built-in read only memory (ROM).
Microprocessor 12 is coupled to microprocessor compatible memory, for
example random access memory (RAM) 14 or an EEPROM.
Buffer 16 provides the interface between the user commands, for example, as
encoded through identification switches 18, and microprocessor 12.
Identification switches 18 also communicate with lock 20. When the
facility is closed, the alarm is set at alarm location 22.
Central processor 24 is remote from electronic lock system 10, includes a
random access memory, and is capable of generating reports 26. The
interface between microprocessor 12 and central processor 24 is made by
interface circuitry 28 which includes modem 30. The functions of
microprocessor 12 and related circuitry are synchronized by system clock
32.
The internal working operations of the several integrated circuit devices
shown in the following figures are described in detail in the product
literature covering the same, do not form part of the present invention,
and will not be discussed except as specifically relevant.
Turning to FIG. 2, microprocessor 12 is a single component 8-bit
microcomputer, for example, an Intel 8048/8748, or the equivalent.
Pins 1, 8, 10, 11, 23, 35, 38 and 40 are coupled to RAM 14 as indicated by
the notations adjacent these pin connections. Pin 12 to 19 form a bus
which is a bidirections port coupling the microprocessor 12 to RAM 14,
thus forming the data interface between these two devices, Data may be
read or written between microprocessor 12 and RAM 14 using the RD and WR
strobe signals.
Pins 27, 28 and 29 of microprocessor 12 are coupled to identification
switches ID0, ID1 and ID2 as shown in detail in FIG. 4a. Pin 30 is coupled
to the power output of the power supply shown in FIG. 7; pin 33 is coupled
to pin 2 of buffer 16 as shown in FIG. 4; pin 34 is coupled to the logical
ring output of the telephone supervision circuitry of FIG. 9, and pin 36
is couplled to the hook input of Q1 as also shown in the telephone
supervision circuitry of FIG. 9. Pin 37 is coupled to pin 11 of modem 30
as shown in FIG. 5. The 3MHZ signal at pin 2 is generated by the system
clock as shown in FIG. 6.
Microprocessor 12 transfers to RAM 14, for subsequent interrogation, the
parameters which are received from buffer 16, and subsequently retrieves
the same and transmits them through telephone interface circuitry 28 upon
interrogation by central processor 24.
Turning to FIG. 3, RAM 14 may be an Intel 8156 RAM with input-output ports
and timer, or the equivalent. Pins 3, 4 and 6-11 are coupled to pin
locations or microprocessor 12 as indicated by the notation adjacent the
pin locations, and pins 12-19 form the data bus to microprocessor 12.
Turning to FIG. 4, the buffer between the identification switches and
microprocessor 12 is formed by buffer 16 which may be a National 74C914 or
the equivalent.
Pin 1 is coupled both to the open/close switch of lock 20 as shown in FIG.
4a, and to the Vunint output of the power supply. Pin 2 is coupled to the
lock shown in FIG. 4a; pins 3, 5 and 7 are coupled to the lock switch
common (LSC) line of FIG. 4a; pins 8, 10 and 12 are coupled to pins 29, 28
and 27 respectively of microprocessor 12 and transmit to microprocessor 12
the information which has been provided to buffer 16 through pins 9, 11
and 13 which are coupled to ID switches 2, 1 and 0 as shown in FIG. 42.
Turning to FIG. 4a, the ID switches, 2, 1 and 0 identify which exployee's
key was used to open the lock, and this information is transmitted to
buffer 16 and then to microprocessor 12 as described above. The open/close
switch identifies the lock status (i.e. open or closed).
The interface between microprocessor 12 and central processor 24 is created
by the modem 30 in combination with the telephone circuitry shown in FIGS.
8 and 9.
Turning to FIG. 5, modem 30 may be a Motorola MC14412VP model, or
equivalent. Pin 1 of modem 30 is coupled to modem demodulator input of the
circuits shown in FIG. 8; pins 4, 7 and 11 are coupled to pins 1, 6 and 11
of microprocessor 12, and pin 9 is coupled to the Xmit Carrier input of
the modem analog circuitry shown in FIG. 8.
FIG. 6 shows the conventional system clock arrangement, and FIG. 7
describes the conventional power supply circuitry.
Turning to FIG. 8, the required input to modem 30 is generated by a series
of operational amplifiers 40 and 42 which may be Motorola 324 or
equivalent.
The output of operational amplifier 42 is passed through a bandpass filter,
which may be a TRW UTC CCF-542 or equivalent, and thence into quad
comparators 46, 48 which may be Motorola 339 quad comparators or
equivalent. The output of comparator 48 is coupled to pin 1 of modem 30.
FIG. 9 shows the conventional telephone supervision circuitry, which
actually engages and disengages the telephone lines in accordance with the
commands of microprocessor 12, the most relevant connections of which are
the connection of the logical ring line to pin 34 of microprocessor 12 and
the hook line to pin 36 of microprocessor 12.
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R12,R13,R24,R30,R31
10K
R27 620
R32 100
(The following fixed resistors are 1/4 Watt, +/- 1% tolerance)
R10 1200
R19,R20 499
R25,R26 22.1K
(The following variable resistor is 10 turn, +/- 20% tolerance)
R14 50K
(The following capacitors are electrolytic, +/- 10% tolerance
unless otherwise noted)
C1-C4 1 F, 35 volts, tantalum +/-
C7,C8,C10,C11 10%
C5,C14 20 F, 10 volts
C6 22 F, 10 volts
C9 2200 F, 25 volts
C12,C13 100 F, 6 volts
C16 20 F 25 volts
Filter TRW/UTC CCF-542 or equivalent
Oscillator MF Electronics 5406-6M or
equivalent
Relay Fifth Dimension W1725-5-5
Opto Opto couple type 4N32
T1 Microtran T5115 or equivalent
T2 PCmount 12 VRMS at 600 mA
secondary 100 v RMS 60 Hz
primary
B1 12 V Gamp-hr, Gel type-
Powersonic PS1250 or equivalent
Heat sink for IC6
Staver V1-3 or equivalent
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The values of the several components shown in the accompanying drawing are
listed for illustrative purposes in the Table 1, but may be varied
depending for example, on the use of different integrated circuit
components, as would be well understood to those skilled in the art.
TABLE I
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COMPONENT TYPE OR VALUE
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IC1 Intel 8048/8748
IC2 Intel 8156P
IC3 National 74C914N
IC4 Motorola MC14412VP
IC5 74LS73N
IC6 7805A, 5 Volt
Regulator 5%
IC7 National LM 339
IC8 National LM 324
Q1 2N 4124
Q2 2N 2218
Q3 2N 4126
D1-D6 1N 4001
Bridge 4-1N4001 rectifiers or
1-50 v, 1 Amp, bridge
rectifier
(The following fixed resistors are 1/4 Watt, +/- 5% tolerance)
R1-R5,R15,R17 22K
R6-R21 1K
R7,R8, R11,R16,R18 2.7K
R9,R28,R29 1 M
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In operation, input information (for example, the actuation of ID switches
0, 1 and 2 which identify the user and whether the lock is open or closed)
transmitted to buffer 16 through ID switches 18, into microprocessor 12.
Microprocessor 12 stores several parameters including the user
identification, the time, day, interface status, power status, locking and
unlocking status in RAM 14. Upon interrogation by central processor 24,
through telephone interface circuitry 28 which controls modem 30,
microprocessor 12 is interrogated, and upon proper command, the parameters
stored in RAM 14 are transmitted through microprocessor 12, phone
interface circuitry 28 and modem 30 to central processor 24, where the
same may be used to generate reports 26. Multiple interrogators of
multiple lock locations are possible.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications
and improvements to the foregoing invention may be made without departing
from the spirit and scope thereof.
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