Lock Cylinder Electronic Key Recognition Sensor Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lock devices with electronic key recognition mechanisms are susceptible to wear, tampering, and improper authentication of unauthorized keys, leading to security vulnerabilities.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a lock cylinder with a plug, key followers, a sensor assembly, and a controller that senses the positions of the key followers using sensors and generates output signals indicative of the key's bitting profile, allowing for secure authentication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If electronic sensing mechanisms are used to recognize key bitting profiles, then key recognition capability is improved, but susceptibility to wear and tampering increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical sensing mechanisms with electronic sensors (optical, capacitive, or inductive) to detect key bitting profiles. This substitution enables more precise electronic recognition while the sensors are positioned to read key features without mechanical contact, thereby improving measurement precision while reducing wear and tampering susceptibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces sensor assemblies as intermediary elements between the key and the locking mechanism. These sensors non-contactly detect key bitting profiles by reading features through the keyway, acting as a mediator that transfers information without mechanical interaction, thus improving recognition capability while maintaining reliability against wear and tampering.
2Measurement precision
If sensor assemblies are positioned to read key features, then authentication accuracy is improved, but vulnerability to improper authentication of unauthorized keys increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates controller logic that receives sensor signals and compares them against authorized key profiles stored in memory. This feedback mechanism enables the system to verify authentication accuracy and reject unauthorized keys, thereby improving authentication precision while protecting against improper authentication of unauthorized keys through multi-layer verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent pre-stores authorized key bitting profiles in the controller's memory before key insertion. The sensor assembly reads the inserted key's profile and compares it against these pre-stored references, enabling preliminary verification that improves authentication accuracy while preventing unauthorized key access through pre-established security criteria.
Data Source
AI summary
A lock cylinder including a plug, a plurality of key followers, a sensor assembly structured to sense positions of the key followers, and a controller in communication with the sensor assembly. The plug includes a keyway and a plurality of plug tumbler shafts. Each of the key followers is movably seated in a corresponding one of the plug tumbler shafts and includes a sensor interface. The sensor assembly includes a plurality of sensors, each of which includes at least one sensing region. Each of the key followers is associated with one of the sensors via an associative link formed between the sensor interface and the corresponding sensing region. The sensors are structured to generate an output signal indicative of the transverse position of the associated key follower, and the controller is structured to select and perform actions based upon the output signals.