Patent Publication Number: US-2020291684-A1

Title: Multi-purpose biometric locking assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF TOE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is generally directed to a multi-purpose biometric locking system having interchangeable cables and a biometric lock. As described herein, the locking system includes multiple length locking cables that are interchangeable in the locking system. The locking system also includes a biometric sensor to allow the lock to be operated using the fingerprints of the users. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A variety of locks for numerous different functions have been disclosed in the art. A group of these locks include electronic or biometric features that provide the added convenience of being usable without the need for a key or other mechanical mechanism for opening the lock. 
     As disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. US 2003/0016847, a microprocessor operated keyless entry padlock is disclosed. This disclosure describes a fingerprint sensor for reading a fingerprint and comparing it to at least one fingerprint stored in the memory of the padlock. If a match is found, the padlock may be manually opened by a knob or is automatically opened by operating a drive gear portion connected to a locking bar to open the padlock. 
     As disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. US 2007/0126551, a padlock is disclosed having a body and a shackle having two ends, one end of the shackle being rotatably secured within the body, the other end of the shackle being releasable from the body when the padlock is unlocked. The padlock comprises a biometric interlace disposed in a bottom wall defined in a base of the body. The interface includes a fingerprint scanner and a user access interface. A biometric validation module is disposed within the hotly and communicated to the biometric interface for processing a biometric profile from the fingerprint Scanner and for indicating a status with the user access interface. The biometric validation module provides a lock control signal responsive to processing of the biometric profile; and a mechanical interface, coupled to the biometric validation module and to a latch, for controlling a mode of the padlock responsive to a lock control signal from the biometric validation module, the mode including the unlocked mode in which the latch releases the shackle and the locked mode wherein the larch retains the shackle within the body when the shackle is inserted into the body, 
     U.S. Pat. No. 8,353,187 granted to Wood ling discloses a keyless padlock system that includes an electromagnetic switch system, a combination code and a fingerprint process system. The switch system and fingerprint process system operate a conventional clasp member which is movable between open and closed positions. The electromagnetic switch system operates the padlock with a mechanical actuated mechanism. The fingerprint process system allows the padlock device to operate similar to a key system. The buttons and LED&#39;s manage the padlock device using both fingerprint and a combination code. A changeable battery system is utilized without losing tire memory to provide a padlock device that is reliable and easily programmed. 
     SUMMARY OF THK INVENTION 
     Briefly and in general terms, the present invention provides a new and improved system and method for using a fingerprint and identification system for use with a multipurpose locking device. 
     It is a particular object of the present invention to have an improved cable system that includes a plurality of interchangeable cables that arc adapted for use in a variety of different situations. For example, a three-cable system may he provided wherein cable  1  may he a travel sized cable for use with luggage, zippers, bags, etc. Cable  2  may be a heavier duty cable for lockers, fences, storage units and heavy-duty applications. Cable  3  may be a longer heavy-duty cable for use with bikes, skis/snowboards, equipment etc. 
     It is still another particular object of the present invention to provide a fingerprint identification switch system connected with an actuated mechanical operation system to the locking device. More particularly, in an embodiment of the present invention, the locking device is provided with one or more LED buttons and a USB element for operating the fingerprint management. The LED on the buttons indicates the operation and the battery status without loss of the memory of fingerprint installed. It is a further object of the present invention to have both administrative, user and manufacturing access though the fingerprint microprocessor system to the locking system. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of locking system of the present invention showing the front and side of the locking system. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of locking system of the present invention showing the front side of the locking system with multiple length and varied thickness cable structures of the preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is side view of locking system of the preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the locking system of the preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of locking system of an alternate embodiment showing the from and side of the locking system. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the alternate embodiment of the locking system. 
         FIG. 7  is a front view in cross section of the locking system of the preferred embodiment of the locking system. 
         FIG. 8  is a side view in cross section of the locking system of the preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a flow diagram of the installation of the user fingerprints, and instructions for the operation of the locking system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic of the operation of the locking system of the preferred embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention is directed to an improved system and method for providing a user with an improved multi-purpose locking system having the features of a traditional padlock. The preferred embodiments of the improved system and method are fully detailed, illustrated and described herein. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the present invention relates to a biometric locking system  10  having a cable member  12  that is retained in a locked position within the housing  14  of the locking system. As shown in  FIG. 2 , a three-cable system may be provided wherein cable A may be a shorter, travel sized cable for use with luggage, zippers, bags. etc. Cable B may be a medium length heavier duty cable for lockers, fences, storage units and heavy-duty applications. Cable C may be a longer heavy-duty cable for use with bikes, skis/snowboards, equipment etc. 
     The front surface of the housing  14  has at least one LED  16  indicator to indicate the status of the locking system  10  for the fingerprint installation and system management. The user uses the LED  16  to control and manage the locking system  10  with the set-up provided from a software program or microprocessor  46 . The user can install and manage the fingerprint storage by following the LED  16  colors and indications. 
     The fingerprint sensor  18  is shown at the front surface of the locking system  10  in  figure 1  and  FIG. 2 . The user may use any desired finger to press the finger into the recess on the sensor frame  20  to install the initial fingerprint data into the locking system  10  or open the locking system  10 . The location of the fingerprint sensor  18  provides a safe position for applying the fingerprint of the user to avoid inadvertent contact and to provide a convenient operational position for the user to place their finger on the sensor  18 . 
     On the bottom surface of the locking system  10  of the present invention show n in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , there is USB opening  22  for providing access to the locking system with a USB connector  24  which is inserted into the bottom of the housing  14 . A battery  26  is located inside of housing  18  and is preferably rechargeable through the use of the USB connector  24  or an optional solar panel  56 . Alternately, the battery  26  may he exchanged without affecting the existence of previously stored fingerprint data. 
     The cable post  28  of the cable member  12  is shown in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 . The cable post  28  is shown as being held in the inner locking recess  30  of the housing  14 . The cable post  28  may be spring biased and/or of any desired shape, such as a U-shaped, recessed or with an extending element  32 . The extending element  32  is preferably attached to or formed on the cable post  28  as described more fully below. Upon actuation of a knob or motor  34 . as described below, the drive gear  36  may be rotated to turn gear portion  38 , to release the cable post  28  from the closed or locked position, to allow the user to open the locking system  10 . The drive gear  36  may be directly connected between a drive shaft of a knob or motor  34  and gear portion  38 . The drive gear  36  may be connected to intermediate gears or a gear reducer. A knob (not shown) may also be manually actuated to open the locking recess and release the cable post  28 . If an electrical motor is used, it must be sized and dimensioned to fit within the housing in the locking system  10  and have sufficient torque to open the locking member under worst case power availability and temperature conditions. At the same time, the motor must be capable of being operated at low power so as not to quickly drain the power battery or other power source. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 or 6 , a fingerprint sensor  18 , which may be of any known type, such as a capacitive, optical or thermal, is secured in a pre-selected area and electrically connected to a circuit board  42  having a power source  26 , such as one or more batteries, between the front and back surfaces of the housing  14 . The fingerprint sensor  18  is directly connected to a microcontroller or microprocessor  46  held on the circuit board  42 . When an authorized fingerprint is detected or sensed by fingerprint sensor  18 , a signal is sent to the microprocessor  46 . In response to the generation of a signal, a motor  34  is actuated by the power source  26  to rotate and release the cable post  28  by means of the gear drive  36  and gear portion  38  or a knob that is released and turned, as explained below, Before the knob is turned or the motor  34  may operate, a latch arm or lever  50  is actuated by a solenoid  52 , to release the holding element on gear  36 . The latch  50  may include a spring  48  held between the front and back surfaces to bias the latch in a closed position. The mechanism may be designed so that the motor may only unlock or release the cable post  28 , whereby a user must manually close or open the locking system  10  by removing or inserting the cable post  28  into or from the locking recess  30 . A secondary sensor  58  is mounted adjacent the latch  50  to sense if the latch is in the open or closed position. The fingerprint sensor  18  is preferably mounted behind or protected by a window or the like and the sensor frame  20  is secured to the front surface of the housing  14 . Additionally, to save power, when in a standby mode, tire circuit is designed to draw nearly zero current. Therefore, when it is desired to open the lock, it is preferable to have a sensor that is pressed or activated to start the power-up process. An authorized user may then pass their finger across window of the sensor frame  20  to have their fingerprint read to activate the motor  34  or allow the knob to be turned to open the locking system  10 . 
     An alternate locking mechanism which is primarily electromagnetic may also be used with the present invention. The mechanism of the electromagnetic switch system of the locking system  10  of the present invention includes a rod that is assembled to a major electromagnetic switch that is retracted into the solenoid  52  and a magnetic body when the unlocking signal is turned on. The magnetic body holds the rod until the locking signal pushes the rod back to the locking position. A minor electromagnetic switch is used to retract the rod to the solenoid body and pull a stop plate back to squeeze a spring following the rod after receiving the unlocking signal. The rod and the slop plate will be released by the spring after the off signal is received. The minor electromagnetic switch works before the major electromagnetic switch is activated. The microprocessor  46  controls the signals in the fingerprint processing system. 
     The preferred form of this alternate locking system includes an internal structure at the locking and unlocking position of the cable post  28  of the present invention. The electromagnetic switch system works by receiving an on or off signal from microprocessor  46 . When the unlocking signal is on, an end cap will follow the rod. The rod then slides off the sliding block with an end spring. The sliding block with the end spring is moved free from the cable post  28 . The user can then pull the cable member  12  tree from the housing  14  to open the locking system  10 . 
     When the user pushes the cable post  28  into the housing  14  as a normal lock to lock the locking system, the return block with the return spring acts as a return switch to provide a locking signal to push the rod back to the locking position. The sliding block is then pushed by cable post  28  and spring back to the locking position. The sliding block with the end spring preferably has a 90-degree motion with respect to the cable post  28 . When the extending element  32  on the cable post  28  is blocked by the sliding block with the end spring, the locking system  10  w ill be locked. When the extending element  32  of the cable post  28  has not been blocked by the sliding block with the end spring, the cable post  28  can be moved up and down in the locking recess  30 . In this embodiment, the user is able to pull or push the cable member  12  and cable post  28  to unlock or lock the locking system  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the cable system of the present invention includes cable members  12  of varying length, size and diameter shown as Cables A, B or C. As described herein, the cable members  12  may be used in the locking system  10  to secure multiple different objects. The cable member  12  preferably includes a strong, flexible cable section  60  that is preferably not easily cut. The cable member  12  includes the cable post  28  with the extending element  32  thereon. The other end of the cable member  12  preferably includes a secondary post member  62  that is retained in a secondary locking member  64  of the locking system  10 . The secondary post member  62  includes an extension or similar member that is releasably retained in the secondary locking member  64 . When the locking system  10  is in the locked configuration, the secondary post member  62  is retained in the secondary locking member  64  of the locking system  10 . When the locking system  10  is in the unlocked configuration, the secondary post member  62  is releasable front or insertable into the secondary locking member  64 . In this form of the invention, the secondary post member  62  is releasable from the secondary locking member  64  upon actuation by the secondary sensor  58 . Bach of the cable members  12  preferably include standardized cable posts  28  and secondary post members  62  to allow the various cable members to be interchangeable with the locking system  10 . This versatile feature allows the user to select the desired length and thickness of the cable member for the intended use. In an alternate or additional feature of this embodiment, the secondary post member  62  may be fixedly retained in the secondary locking member  64  and a threaded portion  66  may be located on the cable section  60  adjacent to the secondary post member  62  to allow the user to threadedly remove the cable section  60  from the secondary post member  62 . The cable section  60  of this embodiment is then interchangeable to allow the user to select the desired length and diameter for the intended use. It is preferable that the threaded portion  66  is not accessible or utilized while the locking system  10  is in the locked configuration as determined by a component such as the secondary sensor  58 . In this embodiment, the threaded portion  66  may not be rotated to release the cable member when the other end of the cable is locked in the housing  14 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 8 . the USB access port  22  of the locking system  10  is shown. The USB connector  24  is accessible through the access port in the bottom surface of the housing  14 . When the locking system is connected to a computer via the USB connector  24 , the microprocessor  46  may be updated, the saved fingerprints may be cleared or updated and/or the batteries  26  may be recharged. 
     An alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown in  figures 5 and 6 . In this embodiment, the locking system  10  includes one or more cable members  12 , a housing  14  and fingerprint sensor  18 . This embodiment includes one or more gripping surfaces  70  located along the sides of the housing  14 . In this embodiment, the sides of the housing  14  are preferably slightly recessed such that the user may easily grasp the locking system to place their index finger on the fingerprint sensor  18 . The gripping surface  70  may be formed of a rubber material or similar materials to provide a durable surface along the sides of the housing  14  and may include a plurality of raised horizontally aligned members to facilitate the grasping of the sides of the locking system. 
     When a user&#39;s fingerprint is sampled, the details of the fingerprint are extracted and stored in memory as a data set. In the preferred form of the present invention, up to 10 fingerprints may be stored in the microprocessor  46 . If the design allows only for one data set to be stored, then each time a fingerprint is stored in record mode it erases the previous set. To record multiple fingerprints for more than one authorized user, each user may be required to follow the steps set forth below. This assures that previously stored data sets are not inadvertently erased. If memory capacity allows for multiple fingerprints to be stored, then the microcontroller firmware may be programmed such that the oldest stored fingerprint set is replaced with the newest fingerprint over a preset amount. Alternately, an administrator fingerprint retained in storage and the secondary fingerprints are selectively deleted. For example, if memory was provided for up to 10 fingerprint data sets, when the 11th fingerprint is recorded, it will overwrite the first non-administrator fingerprint, A small amount of memory is allocated to keep track of the order of the data sets in a format such as a circular buffer or flash memory  72 . A mode may be provided which will allow an authorized user to erase all fingerprints stored in the memory. For example, if the user first placed their linger on the fingerprint sensor, this could store the new fingerprint details, leaving the previously stored data alone. 
     An example of programming the locking system  10  of the present invention includes programming the fingerprint of an administrator and then multiple secondary users. In this embodiment, the administrator presses the finger print sensor for an extended duration. When a blue light is illuminated, the finger is lifted. When a green light flashes, the finger is pressed against the sensor up to ten times while the blue and green light flash. If the storage of the finger print individual application is successful, a blue light flashes. If the finger print individual finger print storage is unsuccessful, a red-light flashes. When ten successful recordings have been stored, a tone is heard and a green light flashes continuously. 
     For secondary users, the process for recording the finger print involves pressing the finger against the fingerprint sensor for an extended duration until a blue light flashes continuously. The recording of the secondary finger print is then started when the green light flashes. The finger is applied to the sensor ten times as the blue light and green light flash. If the application of the finger is successful, the blue light flashes. If the recording of the application of the finger is unsuccessful, the red-light flashes. When there a total of ten successful recordings of a single fingerprint, a tone is heard and the green light flashes continuously. 
     Fingerprints may be deleted only by the administrator in one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the administrator places their finger on the fingerprint sensor for an extended duration. When the red-light flashes continuously, the administrator fingerprint is recognized. The administrator may then delete the secondary fingerprints individually or all stored secondary fingerprints at the same time. The preferred form of the fingerprint sensor allows for at least 180 degree or 270 degree fingerprint recognition. The resolution is preferably about  508  DPI. The battery is preferably 3.7V 300 mAh. The charger may be 5V and  1 A. When the voltage is less than 3.5V, the red-light indicator will flash and then an alarm will sound every minute. 
       FIG. 9  is a flow diagram of the operation of the electronics of the device of the present invention. After one or more fingerprints have been stored in the locking system  10 , the locking system  10  is operated as described below. The sensor frame  20  is initially pushed or activated to provide a wake signal to the circuitry. As a finger is passed over the fingerprint sensor  18 ; the microcontroller or microprocessor  46  is initialized. The microprocessor  46  will then send out the required control signals to activate the fingerprint sensor  18  and will read data from the fingerprint. The data will then be analyzed to determine if a valid fingerprint has been read. Several attempts will be made to read a valid fingerprint and if a valid print is read, the cable post  28  will be releasable from the locking recess  30  and the locking system  10  will be opened. Alter the locking system  10  is opened, the circuit will return to the sleep mode. 
     The electronics of the present invention may be programmed whereby if the system is run too many times, or receives too many false fingerprint readings, the locking system  10  may enter into an un-interruptible mode to prevent tampering. Once in the uninterruptible mode, the locking system  10  would then have to be actuated by USB connector  24 , so as to be again capable of being actuated by use of the fingerprint Sensor  34 . Alternately, a time out configuration may be provided. When the locking system  10  is in the record mode or set to receive new fingerprints, the data will be stored for later comparison. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates a block diagram of the locking system  10  of the present invention having a motor  34 . The microprocessor  46  contains the logic necessary for reading the data from the fingerprint sensor  18  and determining when to open or lock the locking system  10 . The power supply or battery  26  may be charged by an optional solar panel  56  and an associated power control circuit to ensure that the battery  26  is not discharged during the standby mode. The fingerprint sensor  18  is connected to the microprocessor  46  through a conventional signal conditioning mechanism and data conversion mechanism. The output from the microprocessor  46  runs the motor  34  to the driver or drive gear  36 . An optional flash memory  12  may be used to store fingerprint patterns indefinitely, even when battery power is low or lost. Similarly, the optional solar panel  56  may be utilized to provide power to the locking system  10 . 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiments can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.