EP2116157A2 - Transportable control system - Google Patents

Abstract

The transportable control system has a storage device, particularly case and key provided in case or a valuable article. An electronic unit is provided, which is arranged in case, where each key has a code, which is mechanical, electronic or electromechanical. Each key of electronic unit is identified on basis of its coding, where presence or absence of each key is recorded by electronic units with additional information in data records. A receipt module is provided, over which signals are free-to-air, such as time or date or Global positioning systemcoordinates.

Description

The invention relates to a portable control system for storing keys according to independent claims 1 and 7.

In the area of security companies, especially in the field of building protection and control, companies are required to maintain a high degree of reliability and effort in order to store and handle the keys or key systems required for the security check. The key storage and the authorization for key issue or key receipt must be regulated. Keys must be coded so that the name and address of the area to which they belong is not directly identifiable.

A coding added unambiguously to each key, with the aid of the corresponding coding data records, always permits the unique assignment of the key to a respective closing area. In the course of carrying out inspections by employees of the security companies, the corresponding coded keys must be carried as access authorization to the rooms or buildings to be checked. After completion of an order, a mission or a change of service, the keys handed over to the security company must be examined objectively. This exam is proof thereof. The security company must ensure that the received keys are issued only to authorized persons. A revision of the keys at the security company should be checked at least once a month for the correct presence of all keys provided, this verification process should be verifiably carried out with a signature of the verifier and a record of the result.

Storage systems for keys are currently known from the prior art, which are housed as a key cabinet mostly in the security centers of companies or as a key cabinet in central buildings of individual security companies, each stored in such a key cabinet key on an insoluble, or at least not non-destructively releasable key ring with an identification device, for example a plug with integrated and coded identification hint is provided.

Keys in the sense of this application can be both mechanical keys, electronic contact-bound keys, such as magnetic stripe cards, or even electronic contactless keys, such as wirelessly interrogated identification chips or RFID chips. In the broadest sense, a key according to this application means any device which allows the user of the key access to an area which would not be accessible without the corresponding key.

In a key cabinet according to the prior art, the keys introduced there are detected electronically by means of their unique coding, wherein both the time of insertion of the key and the position in the cabinet and the duration of removal from the cabinet may be the subject of detection. The thus determined Data can be stored in a central storage unit, for example in a computer, so that by means of a corresponding evaluation can be performed on how long and at what times each key was removed by an employee of the security company to perform, for example, inspection or control trips. By an appropriate identification of the removing employee, for example, by a pin number to release the Sehlüsselschranks can be additionally achieved that also the withdrawing employee is recorded during the removal of keys from the key cabinet data.

However, the described and known key cabinets from the prior art have the significant disadvantage that the removed keys are recorded from the time of removal until the time of return in the key cabinet only as removed. The employee of the security company, who has taken the keys to carry out a tour or a control trip, usually carries with him all the removed keys, which he needs for the inspection to be carried out. With the known systems, however, it is not possible to provide evidence as to when the employee used which key so that no proof of the presence and position of each individual key can be provided throughout the duration of the inspection. In addition to the obligation to provide proof, there is also the risk that keys collected for a tour may be lost or that the employee of the security company may be the victim of a crime, such as a robbery, in which the collected keys are stolen from him.

The object of the invention is thus to provide a control system for storing keys, which is the Time window, in which the keys are neither in their position nor in their use, minimized.

This object is achieved by a portable control system with a storage device according to claim 1 and by a portable control system with a garment according to claim 7. In the dependent claims expedient developments and advantageous embodiments of the portable control system according to the invention are given.

The portable control system according to the invention comprises a storage device, in particular a suitcase and at least one stored in the case key or valuables. For example, both individual holders and an arrangement of compartments in the interior of the case can be provided for storage. Furthermore, the transportable control system according to the invention comprises, for example, an electronics arranged in the case and an item to be stored, in particular any key unique assignable mechanical, electronic or electromechanical coding, which can be detected by the arranged in the case electronics and is identifiable by their coding. Furthermore, the presence and / or absence of each key along with additional information in records is logged by the electronics arranged in the case. Additional information may in this case relate, for example, to the corresponding position data of the transportable control system, that is, to information relating to the space and / or to information regarding the time, in particular the date and / or the time. In particular, geographic coordinates or reference signals transmitted by the environment may be used as a position relative to the room.

Furthermore, data about the respective employee of the security company can be recorded, which carries the portable control system with him.

In an advantageous development of the portable control system, the electronics of the control system comprise at least one reading device, at least one processor module and at least one memory module. The reading device is designed such that it can detect the coding of a key wirelessly and / or by wire, process it via the processor module and supply the information to the memory module.

In a further embodiment of the transportable control system, in particular of the key case, the electronics arranged in the case are connected via a wired and / or wireless transmission unit with at least one transmission module, for example a GSM module, an infrared transmission, a wireless LAN connection, an RFID Connection or other conceivable communication links able to send the created records and additional information. A combination of the individual types of transmission, both wired and wireless transmission types is possible to ensure redundancy.

In a refinement of the portable control system, the electronics are able to receive signals via a wired and / or wireless receiving unit via at least one receiving module, for example a GSM, infrared, wireless LAN module or the like, in particular signals such as time and / or date and / or GPS coordinates and / or interrogation signals can be received. Such signals may be used to periodically update, for example, the position of the portable control system in the form of GPS data, the received data can also be processed and stored in the form of additional information.

In a further development of the portable control system, a fastening device is provided in addition to the design, for example as a suitcase, which can be provided in particular as a kind of docking station in a vehicle or a building. In a development of a fastening device according to the invention for a transportable control system, means for exchanging the data records and the additional information with a central unit, for example a server, are provided on the fastening device.

A further embodiment of the portable control system comprises a garment, in particular a belt or a jacket and at least one storeable on the garment key, the control system comprises an arranged on the garment electronics, which each key on the basis of a key present unique coding, such as a mechanical , electronic or electromechanical coding identified and which records the presence and / or absence of each key by means of the electronics together with additional information in records. The additional information here also relates to information relating to the space and / or time and may be detectable in particular as geographic coordinates and / or date information and / or time information.

In a development of the portable control system in the form of a garment, the electronics of the control system is at least one reader, a processor module and at least one memory module formed, wherein the coding of the key can be detected wirelessly and / or wired by the reader.

In an advantageous embodiment of the transportable control system in the form of a piece of clothing, the electronics via a wired and / or a wireless transmitting unit, via at least one transmission module, such as a GSM, infrared, WLAN module or the like, the data sets created via to send the encoded keys.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the transportable control system in the form of a piece of clothing, the electronics is able, via a wired and / or wireless receiving unit with at least one receiving module, such as a GSM, infrared, wireless LAN module or the like, via which signals are receivable, in particular signals such as time and / or date and / or GPS coordinates and / or interrogation signals to receive.

In addition to the possibilities of recording data sets and additional information by electronic detection means arranged on the transportable control system, which document the removal of keys, for example in time and space, other devices can also be actuated by the electronics. For example, alarms are in case of not timely return of a key in the portable control system conceivable, which in the form of signal outputs, such as a siren or a beep, as well as in the form of alarm signal transmissions, for example on the possibility of an existing transmitter module using the additional information available Data, in particular the geographical coordinates takes place.

The transportable control system according to the invention in the form of a storage device, in particular a suitcase, as well as the transportable control system according to the invention in the form of a garment are to be illustrated below by the exemplary embodiments.

The figures show in detail:

FIG. 1

the functional diagram of the electronics included in the transportable control system,

FIG. 2

a portable control system in the form of a key case,

FIG. 3

a key with key ring and correspondingly coded plug 3a and a key card 36,

FIG. 4

the transportable control system in the form of a garment, here in the form of a belt.

In detail, the shows FIG. 1 a functional diagram 1 of the detection electronics according to the invention for coded keys. The functional diagram 1 is shown here only as an overview in order to document the basic mode of operation of the transportable control system in this case for the detection and verification of a key.

The transportable control system according to the invention checks the status of the main function 2 in a first step, for example the activation of the general release for the key removal or the corresponding user. The checking of the status of the main function 2 takes place regularly and in each case the collection of data records goes to each coded key ahead. The start of the data record acquisition 3 takes place before an initialization 4 of the detecting electronics, wherein after the initialization a clear identification of the key and its corresponding coding takes place in the step of key acquisition 5. If the key were removed, the missing key is sent along the logic path 6 to a time monitor 7, which can also record additional information, such as date and geographic coordinates, among other things. Depending on the specification of the time monitoring parameters, a "status 1" 8 or a "status 2" 9 is reported by the time monitoring 7, which leads into the corresponding logic paths 10 and 11, respectively. If the key withdrawal is within a permissible range based on the time monitoring parameters, it is noted along the logic path 11 on a display 12 or a data record update that the key has been removed. The data sets determined accordingly by the time monitoring 7 are stored in the area of the data record storage as an update. If the parameters of the time monitoring 7 indicate the "status 1" 8, then the logic path 10 is transferred to an alarm status 13, which can be output on the display 12 as signaling and data record logging. The alarm status can be subdivided into several areas, for example a key forgotten in the keyhole can be quickly found again quickly by a slight reminder signal, but if the key is lost, a longer-term recognition of the absence in the time monitoring 7 can signal to a central unit , For example, via a GSM module. The display or data record storage 12 can be controlled back via an evaluation device or a keyboard input 14 or a communication and evaluation device 15, so that the key detection 5 can be reconciled or programmed with the display 12.

In a not shown here, but the scheme of FIG. 1 In the following embodiment, the described alarm status can result both in a local alarm, for example by an alarm signal, as well as in an alarm message to a control center, for example a control center or the headquarters of a security company. The achievement of an alarm status can on the one hand, as in FIG. 1 shown, done by means of a time monitoring 7, but there are also other factors conceivable, which can trigger an alarm status. For example, the monitoring could also be coupled to the condition of the start of a motor vehicle, so that an alarm status is triggered when the key is missing, as soon as the vehicle transporting the suitcase is started. In principle, a coupling to general position detection means in the key case is also conceivable, for example, if, in the absence of an object key, the case moves beyond a defined radius beyond the associated object. The position determination and reference to the corresponding object can be done for example via GPS coordinates.

This in FIG. 1 Scheme shown can also be applied to a present in a suitcase arrangement of individual lockers, in which case takes the place of the presence of a key, the status of an open locker or the filling of a corresponding locker with a monitored content, such as a valuable item.

In FIG. 2 a portable control system in the form of a key case 30 is shown, which is shown here unlocked and without lid shown. The key case 30 includes a carrying handle 31 and an inner portion 32 in which a plurality of slots 33 are provided. In addition to the slots 33, a display 34 may be provided in the interior, which Output information about the current status of the key case. Not shown here also corresponding electronics are provided in the key case for carrying out the key detection according to the invention, as well as corresponding power supplies or other necessary components. Furthermore, the possibility for attachment of operating elements 35 is provided in the interior 32, which can provide a direct influence on the function of the key case. In addition, a connection socket 36, for example a USB connection or a differently designed interface may be provided in the inner region 32, which may be designed both for data transmission and for programming or for power supply. At the bottom of the key case 30, a docking pedestal 37 is provided which allows the key case to be docked, for example in a vehicle or in a building, with an existing storage device to transfer the data sets stored in the key case or the power supply to charge or manufacture.

In the interior area 32 of the key case 30, a key 40, fastened to a non-destructively openable key ring 41, is presently shown in a slot 33, wherein the mechanical key shown here is permanently connected to a plug with coding 42. The plug with coding 42 is plugged into a slot 33, whereby it is thus recognized by the electronics contained in the key case 30 as available. About the electronics present in the key case can via a corresponding regulation 50 for the respective, in FIG. 1 described case, the control of a data transmission device 51, for example, a GPS module, a GSM module, a wireless LAN module or the like. The data transmission can be used both for the transmission of recorded data records as well as for Transmission of position coordinates from GPS data, for example, for the continuous exact position determination of the key case or for the return of key extraction data or other information can be used. Furthermore, the control 50 can also be used to activate a signal generator 52 which, on the one hand, signals a malfunction, an unauthorized removal or an excessively long removal of a key and / or returns it to a control center on the way of data transmission can.

FIG. 3 shows two examples of keys coded according to the invention, the invention being not limited to the examples shown, but rather comprising all those keys which serve as access authorization for buildings or rooms or other devices to which no access is granted without keys. FIG. 3a in this case shows a mechanical key with coding 60, which has a mechanical key 61, a non-destructively releasable key ring 62 and a plug 63 with existing coding chip 64. In the present case, the coding chip can be present either in the form of a simply configured identification chip, but also in the form of an RFID module or a more complex circuit, including the possibility of data storage. The plug 63 has in the front region plug contacts 65, which can serve for the transmission or detection of the coding in the key case.

FIG. 3b shows a key according to the invention in the form of a key card 70, which also has a passage 71 for a corresponding key ring 62. The key card 70 can be connected both via a plug 63 according to the invention with Kodierungschip 64 via a key ring 62 to accommodate them in a key case, on the other hand, but also in the Key card provided encoding chip 72 may be formed, for example in the form of an RFID chip, which is detected wirelessly from the key case, so that the implementation 71 must be used to hold the key card 70 maximum.

As a coding device for a transportable control system according to the invention, it is possible to use both specially designed plugs with coding chips and commercially available uniquely identifiable dongels, for example USB dongels, as provided in the field of software copy protection technology.

In principle, a portable control system in the form of a key case would be conceivable in which the housed keys are recognized with coding solely due to their proximity to the sensing electronics, so that a sole insertion of the key with coding in the key case for detecting the presence of the key leads.

FIG. 4 shows a transportable control device according to the invention in the form of a garment 80, in the form of a belt 81 with a belt buckle 82. The belt 81 comprises an electronics with detection device 83 wherein in the electronics 83, both a chip in the electronics, the chip 84 and a Chip in the area of the key, the chip 85 is provided. Both identification chips can be both individually coded on each other as well as independent of each other, for example, to control the removal possibility of the key 86 from the electronics 83, but also serve for data transmission between the key 86 and the electronics 83. The key 86 may store, for example, removal data from the electronics 83, which then transferred to this upon return in a key case according to the invention become. The stored data can also be stored in a copy on the electronics 83, so that in case of loss of the key 86, the stored data in the electronics 83 are present, for example, to be able to reconstruct the exact loss time.

Furthermore, on the item of clothing according to the invention in the form of a belt 81, a pure holder 90 may be provided, which is designed to hold a key with identification device, wherein in the present case shown only the key 92 with the key ring 93 via the connector 94 with identification chip 95 in the holder 90 can be fixed, so that a simplified transport by the garment-carrying employees of the security company is guaranteed. In addition, the simple holder 90 and the electronics equipped bracket 83 can be equipped with a signal generator, for example, the forgetting of a key in the keyhole or the loss of a key promptly indicated by acoustic signaling.

The invention is not limited to the present embodiments, but rather includes all those embodiments of the portable control systems according to the invention, which make use of the invention essential thought.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

functional diagram

2

Status of the main function

3

begin

4

initialization

5

Capture keys

6

Key is missing

7

Time-Assistant Watch.

8th

Status 1

9

Status 2

10

Status 1

11

Status 2

12

Display / Update

13

alarm status

14

Evaluation / keyboarding

15

Communication evaluation

30

Transportable control system / key helpers

31

handle

32

interior

33

slot

34

display

35

operating element

36

socket

37

Connection / docking socket

50

regulation

51

Data transfer device

52

alarm

60

Key with coding

61

Key (mechanical)

62

key ring

63

plug

64

coding chip

65

key ring

70

key card

71

execution

72

Coding chip (RIFD or similar)

80

garment

81

belt

82

belt buckle

83

Electronics with detection

84

chip

85

chip

86

key

90

bracket

91

key

92

key

93

key ring

94

plug

95

chip

Claims (10)

Transportable control system comprising a storage device, in particular a suitcase and at least one store in the case key or valuables, characterized in that the control system comprises an electronics arranged in the case, - that each key comprises a coding (mechanical, electronic, electromechanical), each key being identifiable by the electronics based on its coding, wherein the presence and / or absence of each key is recordable in records by means of the electronics together with additional information, - Where the additional information relating to space and / or time and in particular as geographic coordinates and / or date and / or time can be detected. Transportable control system according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronics of the control system comprises at least one reading device, at least one processor module and at least one memory module, wherein by the reading device, the coding of the key wirelessly and / or wired detected. Transportable control system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electronics comprises a wired and / or a wireless transmission unit with at least one transmission module, via which the created record is mailable. Transportable control system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electronics has a wired and / or a wireless receiving unit with at least one receiving module, via which signals can be received, in particular signals such as time and / or date and / or GPS coordinates and / or interrogation signals can be received. Transportable control system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a connection to a fastening device, in particular for attachment in a vehicle or a building is provided. Transportable control system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connection to the fastening device comprises means for exchanging the data records. Transportable control system comprising a piece of clothing, in particular a belt or jacket and at least one key which can be stored on the item of clothing, characterized in that the control system comprises an electronic unit located on the item of clothing, - that each key comprises a coding (mechanical, electronic, electromechanical), each key being identifiable by the electronics based on its coding, wherein the presence and / or absence of each key is recordable in records by means of the electronics together with additional information, - Where the additional information relating to space and / or time and in particular as geographic coordinates and / or date and / or time can be detected. Transportable control system according to claim 7, characterized in that the electronics of the control system comprises at least one reading device, at least one processor module and at least one memory module, wherein by the reading device, the coding of the key wirelessly and / or wired detected. Transportable control system according to one of claims 7 to 8, characterized in that the electronics comprises a wired and / or a wireless transmitting unit with at least one transmission module, via which the created record is mailable. Transportable control system according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the electronics has a wired and / or a wireless receiving unit with at least one receiving module, via which signals are receivable, in particular signals such as time and / or date and / or GPS Coordinates and / or interrogation signals are receivable.

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