Electronic Lock Wireless Interface Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic locks with keypad interfaces become cumbersome and prone to user errors when managing multiple access codes and settings, limiting user experience and feature richness, especially when the number of codes and settings exceeds a manageable number.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a mobile device user interface, utilizing a mobile device app to wirelessly communicate with the electronic lock, allowing users to easily manage lock settings without the need for additional hardware, using protocols like Bluetooth, NFC, or Wi-Fi, enabling offline changes and remote synchronization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a keypad interface is used for managing lock settings, then the basic lock function is maintained, but the user experience deteriorates when managing multiple access codes and settings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mobile device as an intermediary between the user and the electronic lock. The mobile device runs an application that communicates with the lock via wireless protocols (Bluetooth, NFC, Wi-Fi), serving as a mediator that simplifies the interaction. Instead of directly manipulating complex keypad sequences, users interact with a user-friendly mobile application interface that handles the complexity behind the scenes, thus improving ease of operation without adding physical complexity to the lock itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical keypad interface with a wireless digital communication system. The physical button-pressing mechanism is substituted by wireless data transmission protocols (Bluetooth, NFC, Wi-Fi). This substitution eliminates the need for physical button sequences and manual keypad entry, allowing users to manage lock settings through a mobile application that communicates electronically with the lock, thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity.
2Ease of operation
If a dedicated touch display is provided instead of a keypad, then the user interface improves, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the user interface functionality from the electronic lock itself and relocates it to the user's mobile device. Instead of embedding a dedicated touch display in the lock (which would increase manufacturing cost), the complex display and input interface are removed from the lock and implemented as a software application on the mobile device. The lock retains only the essential functions, while the mobile device provides the enhanced user interface, thus improving ease of operation without increasing manufacturing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent leverages the mobile device's existing display, processor, and input capabilities to provide the user interface functions. The mobile device, which the user already possesses and uses for multiple purposes, is utilized to manage the lock settings. This approach avoids the need to manufacture dedicated display hardware for the lock, as the universal mobile device serves multiple functions including lock management, thereby improving user interface quality while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
3Ease of operation
If voice feedback is provided to the user, then the user experience improves, but overall cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the mobile device to provide voice feedback and audio responses to the user through its built-in speaker and microphone capabilities. The mobile device, which the user already possesses, uses its own resources to provide the interactive voice feedback function. This eliminates the need for the electronic lock manufacturer to integrate expensive voice feedback hardware into the lock. The mobile device serves itself by utilizing its existing audio capabilities to enhance the user experience, thereby improving interactivity without increasing the lock's manufacturing cost.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic lock having one or more lock settings that can be updated using a mobile device. The mobile device includes an app that provides a user interface through which one or more lock settings of the electronic lock can be selected and modified. When the user has made the desired selections to the lock settings on the mobile device, the mobile device wirelessly transmits these settings to the electronic lock. The electronic lock is configured to update its lock settings based on the wireless communication from the mobile device.