Electronic Lock Directory Service Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing access management solutions for physical spaces, such as key-based locks and enterprise systems, are cumbersome and expensive, requiring specialized infrastructure and lacking in efficient user authentication and authorization mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A lock system with a user interface, communication interface, and controller that queries a directory service for user authentication, allowing the locking mechanism to open only when the user is authorized and meets specified conditions, leveraging a computer-based system to manage access through a processor, memory, and network connectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional key-based or combination locks are used, then the locking mechanism is simple and reliable, but the system is cumbersome to manage and lacks efficient user authentication mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical key-based or combination lock systems with an electronic access control system that uses electronic communication interfaces and controllers to query directory services for user authentication. This substitution enables efficient user authentication through electronic means while maintaining security, resolving the contradiction between operational ease and management complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a directory service as an intermediary between the lock system and user authentication. The controller queries the directory service to verify user credentials and authorization, eliminating the need for complex local authentication mechanisms while maintaining simple lock hardware. This intermediary approach resolves the contradiction by centralizing authentication management.
2Reliability
If enterprise access management systems are used, then user authentication and authorization are robust, but the system is expensive and requires specialized infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the lock system universal by enabling it to query any standard directory service (such as LDAP, Active Directory, or cloud-based directory services) through standardized communication protocols. This multi-functionality allows the system to leverage existing organizational infrastructure for authentication without requiring specialized access management hardware or software, thereby maintaining reliable authentication while reducing infrastructure requirements and costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the lock system to autonomously query and verify user credentials against directory services without requiring specialized access management systems. The controller independently handles authentication requests by querying the directory service and executing access control logic, eliminating the need for expensive enterprise-grade access management infrastructure while maintaining robust authentication reliability.
3Productivity
If a directory service query system is implemented, then user authentication efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the access control system into distinct functional components: a simple locking mechanism, a communication interface for directory service queries, and a controller for logic execution. This segmentation allows the lock hardware to remain simple while the authentication efficiency is improved through external directory service integration. The complexity is distributed rather than concentrated in the lock device itself.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a lock comprises a locking mechanism selectively positionable between a locked position and an unlocked position, a user interface to receive a first user input which uniquely identifies a first user, a communication interface to enable electronic communication with a remote computer system and a controller comprising logic to generate a query to a directory service, wherein the query comprises the first user input, and open the locking mechanism in response to a signal from the directory service indicating that that the first user is authorized to open the lock and that a set of conditions required to open the lock are satisfied.