Electronic Key Interlocking System for Secure Access Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing interlocking mechanisms fail to securely restrict access to protected areas, as unauthorized operators can still actuate locks, and they require custom design and manufacturing, making them expensive and difficult to reuse.
Innovation Solution
A security system with a secondary locking module using electronic keys and a control unit that stores and compares codes, featuring a temporary list of authorized codes for actuation and alert mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access, and a mechanical key locking mechanism that ensures only authorized operators can change the lock's actuation position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mechanical key interlocking mechanism is used, then access to the protected area can be controlled, but unauthorized operators can still actuate the lock with spare keys
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical key system with an electronic key system. The electronic key reader detects electronic keys and communicates with a control unit that verifies authorization codes. This substitution eliminates the physical key sharing problem while maintaining access control functionality, as electronic keys can be programmatically managed and tracked.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback through the electronic key reader and control unit. When an electronic key is presented, the system provides immediate feedback by comparing the authorization code against the temporary list and either granting or denying access. This feedback mechanism ensures that only authorized operators can actuate the lock at any given time.
2Reliability
If custom interlocking mechanisms are designed for each use, then specific access control requirements can be met, but the mechanisms become expensive and difficult to reuse
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal interlocking mechanism where the electronic key reader and control unit can serve multiple functions across different applications. The system can be configured with different authorization codes and temporary lists to meet various access control requirements, eliminating the need for custom-designed mechanisms for each use case.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic configuration through the temporary list of authorization codes that can be programmatically updated. This allows the same physical mechanism to adapt to different access control scenarios by changing the electronic authorization data, rather than requiring physical redesign or remanufacturing.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple operators use mechanical keys to enter the protected area, then access is granted to multiple users, but the machine cannot be restarted until all keys are returned
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic key system replaces the mechanical key return requirement with electronic verification. Operators present their electronic keys to the reader, and the control unit checks their authorization codes against the temporary list. This eliminates the need to physically collect and return keys, allowing the machine to be restarted as soon as all authorized operators have been verified, significantly reducing downtime.
4Reliability
If electronic keys with individual codes are used, then unauthorized access is prevented, but the system requires complex code management and comparison
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the authorization management into two distinct parts: the electronic keys held by operators containing their individual authorization codes, and the control unit containing the temporary list of authorized codes. This segmentation simplifies the overall system by distributing the code management burden - operators only need to possess their key, while the system automatically handles the complex comparison and verification processes.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The system has a set of electronic keys each comprising an authorizable code distinct from authorizable codes stored in other keys of the set. The authorizable codes are individually allotted to each of several determined operators such that each authorizable code corresponds to a single determined operator. The code in the electronic key is read using a reader of a secondary locking module, and the read code is stored by an electronic control unit. An independent claim is also included for a method for implementing a safety system.