WO2010041923A2

WO2010041923A2 - Electronic locking system

Info

Publication number: WO2010041923A2
Application number: PCT/MX2009/000111
Authority: WO
Inventors: José Adalberto TERAN MATUS; Rafael Guillermo Ramos Elizondo; Antonio Vidaurri Ojeda; Carlos Albores Borja
Original assignee: Rfid Mexico S.A. De C.V.
Priority date: 2008-10-10
Filing date: 2009-10-12
Publication date: 2010-04-15
Also published as: WO2010041923A3; CA2740185A1; EP2463827A2

Abstract

An electronic locking system in which a control computer and a plurality of locking devices are connected by means of a communication bus and in which said control computer and each locking device communicate by means of commands sent via said communication bus.

Description

ELECTRONIC CLOSURE SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A. FIELD OF THE INVENTION.

The present invention relates to closure systems for locking and unlocking access means such as doors, drawers, etc. And more particularly to an electronic closing system in which the control computer and a plurality of closing devices are connected by means of a communication bus, and in which the communication between said control computer and each closing device is carried out by means of commands sent through said communication bus.

B. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART.

Typically, a closing system with multiple closing devices requires a master controller to emit an electrical signal through a dedicated line for each closing device installed to lock / unlock a plurality of access means such as doors or drawers. Additionally, if the system includes a sensor to detect the position of each door / drawer, it must be read directly on a second line, usually at the voltage level. If a compartment has additional sensors and indicators (for example status lights), additional lines must be used and channeled to the control system. When a control system with multiple compartments must control several lines per compartment, the control and energy lines are abundant, which increases the complexity of the wiring and the control of the system in addition to the rising costs.

In view of the above problems, the applicant developed a system that requires only a 4-line data bus (RS-485 dual channel) to control multiple closing devices. Said bus has additional benefits due to its design, since it is capable of operating over long distances and has a high tolerance to noise, which gives it the ability to have the external computer and the closing devices in different places or separated by distances long (may be possible more than 300 feet). An additional information channel is provided on the same information bus that allows the information to be channeled to and from additional sensors or indicators in the door or drawer.

Reducing the amount of control wiring and the amount of power lines is a very important step to reduce costs and complexity. The above in turn improves the reliability and reusability of the entire closure system SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a main objective of the present invention to provide a closing system that includes a plurality of closing devices to close a plurality of access means such as doors or drawers, which requires only a 4-line information bus (dual channel RS-

485) to control said plurality of closing devices.

It is another additional objective of the present invention to provide a closure system and the nature described above in which the information bus is capable of operating over long distances and has a high noise tolerance.

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a closure system of the nature described above in which additional information channels are provided on the same bus that allows the information to be channeled from extra sensors or to indicators in the doors or drawers.

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a closure system of the nature described above in which the amount of wiring and the amount of power lines is reduced, whereby the complexity of the system is reduced thanks to the use of the bus of information of 4 lines.

These and other objectives and advantages of the closure system of the present invention will become apparent to those people having a medium skill in the field of the following detailed description of the invention, which will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a diagram of a closing device of the closing system of Ia

Figure 2 is a diagram of a closure system of the present invention installed in a toolbox that has a plurality of drawers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The closure system of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which the same numbers refer to the same parts of the closure system. In a preferred embodiment, the closure system is installed in a toolbox that has a plurality of drawers, compartments or containers that require locking means in order to secure their contents. The closing system of the present invention comprises: an external computer 1; a four-line information bus 2 connected to the external computer, comprising an RS-485 double channel bus including an additional data channel; a plurality of closing devices 4, each connected to the bus and each comprising: an external bus port 3 connected to the four-line data bus; an electronic card 5 connected to the external bus port 3; a sensor 6 for each access means, to detect magnetically, optically, mechanically or any other equivalent means, the position of the compartment, door or drawer, as for example if the compartment, door or drawer is open or closed , where the sensor is connected to the electronic card; closing means 7, to lock or unlock said compartment or drawer when they receive a specific instruction, which may comprise a solenoid, a motor / actuator, or a servo device, said closing means connected to the electronic card; a containment structure for the closing device (not shown), to contain the electronic card, the closing means and the sensor in a stable position for optimum performance of the elements;

Wherein the electronic card 5, controls the closing means 7 to block a compartment, door or drawer (not shown), controls the communication of the bus with the external computer 1, receives the output of the sensor 6 and sends it to the external computer 1, and provides an additional channel of information to act as a bridge for communication between each closing device with the external computer, and additionally receives instructions from the external computer 1 through the four-channel data bus 2 and the port of external bus 3, to process and respond to the commands of the external computer 1 such as "block all devices", "unlock all devices", "report their status all devices", "report their ID all devices".

The electronic card 5 of each closing device 4 includes memory means (not shown), which store a unique ID identification number that identifies each closing device 4 and allows the external computer 1 to direct instructions to closing devices 4 specific.

The electronic card 5 of each closing device 4 receives information from its respective sensor 6, said information being related to the status of each drawer or container such as "locked closing device", "unlocked closing device", "open drawer" or "closed drawer" and sends said information to the external computer 1 through the external bus port 3 and through the four-channel data bus.

Additionally, the electronic card 5 controls the blocking means in accordance with their characteristics, which is configurable and depends on the electromechanical characteristics of the blocking means. For example, some mechanisms require a pulse for a certain period of time to change the blocking position, other mechanisms they require a constant current to maintain a locked position (i.e. a 12v signal to lock and Ov to unlock).

The external computer 1 receives said information and sends a specific command to the plurality of closing devices or to a specific closing device 4 through the four-channel data bus 2 and the external bus port 3 in order to lock or unlock the respective drawers or containers.

The commands sent by the computer 1 and processed by each closing device 4 are divided into macro-commands, which are sent to the entire plurality of closing devices 4 and commands for a single device, which are only sent to devices of specific closing 4 that have a specific identification number ID, which allows the external computer 1 to control or request the status of a specific closing device 4. Commands for a single closing device sent via data bus 2 contain the identification number ID of the closing device 4 to which it is addressed, such that the command is processed by the correct closing device.

The macro-commands that are sent by the central computer 1 and processed by all the closing devices are:

• Block all devices: it causes all the closing devices connected to the bus, to change their status to a locked position and to block their respective compartments if they are closed, otherwise they will continue monitoring the status of their sensors and block them as soon as the compartments close. The closing devices can be blocked simultaneously or in sequence (with a small delay calculated according to their ID number) in order to minimize instantaneous power requirements to the power source. • Unlock all devices: causes all closing devices connected to the bus to change their status to an unlocked position and unlock their respective compartment. Locking devices can be unlocked simultaneously or in sequence (with a small delay calculated according to its ID number) in order to minimize instantaneous energy requirements to the power source.

• Report status of all devices: causes all closing devices connected to the bus to send the status provided by their corresponding sensor sequentially, with a delay calculated according to their ID to eliminate collisions on the bus.

• Report ID all devices: causes all blocking devices connected to the bus to send their ID sequentially, with a delay calculated according to ID number to avoid collisions on the bus. This allows you to automatically find out all the closing devices that are available and operating on the bus.

The commands for a single device that are sent by the external computer 1 and processed by a closing device have a specific ID identification number to which said commands are specifically sent, said commands being:

• Block device #ID: causes a specific closing device having a specific ID, change its status to locked and lock its respective compartment if it is closed, otherwise, the closing device will continue monitoring the status of its sensor and change its status has been locked as soon as its respective compartment is closed.

• Unlock device #ID: causes a specific closing device that has a specific ID to change its status to unlocked and unlock its respective compartment.

• Device Status #ID: causes a specific closing device to report status information received from its respective sensor.

The electronic card 5 of each closing device 4 provides the functionality to block its respective compartment if the communication is lost with the external computer 1, which occurs when the communication with the external computer 1 is lost (when no commands are received by a certain period of time), as soon as the The respective compartments are closed (if the compartment was closed at the time of loss of communication, it will be automatically locked).

The electronic card 5 has an additional bidirectional information channel, which allows it to act as a bridge through the use of the bridge port 8, which is connected to the electronic card 5 to provide communication with other devices 9 installed in the compartments and with

The external computer 1.

It should finally be understood that the closure system of the present invention is not limited to the modality described above and that experts in the field will be trained, by the teachings set forth herein, to effect changes in the closure system of the present invention, whose scope will be established exclusively by the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMS.

1. An electronic closing system that includes more than one electronic closing device for locking and unlocking a corresponding means of access, said closing system comprising: an external computer; a data bus connected to the external computer, including an additional data channel; a plurality of closing devices for each access means, each connected to the bis and each including: an external bus port connected to the information bus; an electronic card connected to the external bus port; closing means for blocking or unlocking a corresponding access means when receiving an instruction, said closing means connected to the electronic card; sensor means for corresponding access means, to detect if said access means are open or closed and if the closing means are locked or unlocked, wherein said sensor means are connected to the electronic card; wherein each electronic card controls its respective closing means to block or unblock a corresponding access means, controls the communication with the external computer by means of the bus, receives information from the sensor means which is sent to the external computer, and It receives instructions from the external computer through the data bus.

2. A closure system according to claim 1, wherein the data bus comprises a four-channel RS-485 type information bus.

3. A closing system according to claim 1, wherein the closing means are selected from the group comprising a solenoid, a motor, an actuator or a servo device.

4. A closing system according to claim 1, wherein the control card, the closing means and the sensor means are they find contents within a containment structure to keep said components in a stable position.

5. A closing system according to claim 1, wherein each electronic card has an additional bidirectional data channel that allows it to act as a bridge using a bridge port that connects to the electronic card of each closing device to provide communication between other devices connected to said additional bidirectional data channel and the external computer.

6. A closing system according to claim 1, wherein the commands sent by the computer and processed by each closing device are divided into macro commands which are sent to each of the closing devices and commands for a single device, which are sent to specific closing devices, which allow the external computer to control or find out the status of a specific closing device.

7. A method for controlling at least one closing device to lock and unlock a corresponding access means, said method comprising: providing an external computer; provide an information bus connected to the external computer; provide at least one closing device for each access means, each controlled by electronic means, said access means connected to the data bus and having a sensor to detect if the corresponding access means are open or closed or if the locking device is locked or unlocked; send commands to each closing device by means of the computer through said information bus to control the at least one closing device and said at least one closing device responding to the commands received from the external computer.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the data bus comprising a four channel data bus.

9. A method according to claim 7, further comprising providing an additional bidirectional data channel which allows it to act as a bridge through the use of a bridge port which is connected to the electronic means of each closing device to communicate other devices connected to said additional data channel with the external computer.

10. A method according to claim 7, further comprising sending macro commands to each closing device.

11. A method according to claim 7, further comprising sending commands for a single device, which allows the external computer to control or find out the status of specific closing devices.

12. A method according to claim 7, further comprising sending macro commands to each closing device., Said macro commands selected from the group comprising: blocking all devices: causes all closing devices connected to the bus to change their status to a locked position and block their respective compartments if they are closed, otherwise they will continue to monitor the status of their sensors and block them as soon as the access means close, where hundred-e devices can block simultaneously or in sequence in order to minimize instantaneous energy requirements to a power source. unlock all devices: causes all closing devices connected to the bus to change their status to an unlocked position and unlock their respective access means, where the blocking devices can be unlocked simultaneously or in sequence in order to minimize instantaneous energy requirements to the power source. Report status of all devices: causes all closing devices connected to the bus to send the status provided by their corresponding sensor sequentially, with a delay calculated according to a specific identification number to eliminate collisions on the bus. Report ID all devices: causes all blocking devices connected to the bus to send their ID sequentially, with a delay calculated according to an ID identification number to avoid collisions on the bus.

13. A method according to claim 7, further comprising sending commands for a single device, which allows the external computer to control or find out the status of specific closing devices, said commands for a single device selected from the group which comprises: blocking device #ID: causes a specific closing device having a specific ID, change its status to blocked and block its respective access means if it is closed, otherwise, the closing device will continue monitoring its status sensor and will change its status to locked as soon as its respective means of access is closed. unlock device #ID: causes a specific closing device that has a specific ID to change its status to unlocked and unlock its respective access means. #ID device status: causes a specific closing device to report the status information received from its respective sensor to the external computer, said status information selected from the group comprising: "lock device locked", "lock device unlocked", "closed access means", "open access means".

14. A method according to claim 7, wherein the electronic means of each closing means change their status to a locked position and block the respective access means as soon as its sensor detects that the access means are closed if the Communication with the external computer is lost.