JP2001182388A - Key control method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To permit to definitely perform the key control such as taking key out without notice or forgetting key return by anybody. SOLUTION: In order to store keys K1 to KN in a key box 2, identification tag devices 3-1 to 3-N are strongly and non-detachably attached to the key K1 to KN respectively from which particular identification code can be read from the outside in an electrically contactless manner, key identification codes stored in the key box 2 are read out by using a loop antenna 41, based on the identification code read out, the key control information for the keys K1 to KN is displayed on a liquid crystal section 4A.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a key management method and apparatus capable of securely storing a plurality of keys in a key box and managing the keys.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, when attempting to guard a building or a factory, it is necessary to securely manage a large number of keys for locking and unlocking various doorways, document lockers, safes, and the like. For this reason, conventionally, a lockable key box is prepared and keys to be managed are stored in this key box, and a key manager manages opening and closing of the key box to take out the key without permission, loss, He checked for theft at appropriate timing.

As an example of such a case where a large number of keys must be managed, there is a case where security is outsourced by a security company or the like. In other words, a security company that has entered into a security contract with a large number of customers will visit the security area once or several times a day to check for intruders, etc. They carry the patrol key in a predetermined order by loading the key of the security target facility that they are responsible for on the car. Therefore, if there are 100 patrol destinations and five keys must be managed per location, it is necessary for one patrol staff to manage more than 500 keys to protect them from loss or theft. Was.

[0004] For this reason, keys to be managed are grouped together in a ring for each patrol destination, and the key bundles are suspended in a predetermined order in a key storage locker installed in the passenger seat of the patrol car. It was checked whether all keys to be managed were stored in this key storage locker at the time of departure to the patrol and at the time of returning from the patrol.

[0005]

However, according to the above-described key management system using the conventional key box or locker for key storage, the more the number of keys increases, the more the management becomes more thorough due to the manual operation. It becomes difficult. Therefore, if a third party removes the key without permission or loses the key, the third party does not notice this, and unknowingly gets stolen, causing problems with the management of the building or forgetting to return the key. There is a tendency for problems such as the inability to use the key when needed and security inconvenience.

In the case where the key of a security destination used for patrol is managed using a locker for key storage, a considerable amount of keys are always loaded on the patrol car, so that the weight is large and the space inside the car is large. However, this method also has problems such as being considerably narrowed. In addition, carrying such a large number of keys in a car is likely to result in a crime targeting the keys,
There was also a problem in terms of safety. Another issue is that if there is an alert at one of the security destinations, the patrol personnel will take out the required key bundle from the key storage locker installed in the car, move it to the key mall, and head to the site. However, it is difficult for a traveling person with little experience to find the necessary key bundle from multiple key bundles at the site, and to quickly find and unlock the necessary key in the key bundle. However, there has been a problem that prompt action cannot be taken for the alert. Furthermore, if a criminal trying to enter after arriving at the scene and releasing the security of the mechanical security system was attacked by a patrol person and the key was taken away, it would easily allow the criminal to enter the building It also has the problem of becoming

It is an object of the present invention to provide a key management method and apparatus which can solve the above-mentioned problems in the prior art.

[0008]

According to the present invention, a key for storing and managing a plurality of predetermined keys in a key box installed at a predetermined place is provided. In the management method, an identification member having a unique identification code given to each of the plurality of keys is attached so as not to be easily detached from an identification member, and is attached to a key housed in the key box. A key management method is proposed in which all identification codes of an attached identification member are read in a non-contact manner, and a storage state of the plurality of keys in the key box is determined based on the read identification codes. Is done.

When the key is stored in the key box, an identification code unique to the identification member attached to the stored key is read without contact. Therefore, it is possible to easily determine the key storage state such as whether or not all the keys to be stored in the key box are stored in the key box based on the read identification code.

According to the present invention, in a key management device for storing and managing a plurality of predetermined keys in a key box installed at a predetermined location, each of the key management devices has a predetermined unique identification. A plurality of identification tag devices configured so that a code can be electrically read from the outside in a non-contact manner and can be attached to a key to be managed so as not to be easily detached, and a key housed in the key box An identification code reading unit for reading an identification code from the identification tag device attached to the key box in a non-contact manner, and a determination unit for determining a storage state of the key in the key box in response to a read output from the identification code reading unit A key management device including an output unit that outputs key management information in response to the determination unit is proposed.

In the identification tag device, an identification electric circuit member configured as an electric circuit chip is embedded in a cover member so that the identification code can be electrically read from outside without contact. Can be attached to the key knob so as not to be easily detached.

The identification code reading section is configured to be able to read a unique identification code electrically written therein without contact with an electric circuit member for identification by electromagnetic coupling. The identification code reading unit reads each unique identification code from all the identification tag devices stored in the key box, and all the read identification codes are sent to the determination unit and processed.

The discriminating section stores in advance each identification code of a plurality of keys to be stored in the key box, and compares the stored identification code with the read identification code to obtain a key. The storage state of the can be understood.
That is, the key stored in the key box and the key not stored can be quickly and accurately grasped by electrical processing, and this determination signal can be output from the output unit as key management information.

The key management information output from the output unit can indicate only whether all keys are stored or not, and display the number of keys not stored and their contents. Can also.

The opening and closing of the key box door can be controlled by attaching a known mechanical lock. However, when an identification member dedicated to a key manager is used and the identification code of the identification member is read, The lock of the electromagnetic lock device can be released to open the key box door.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an embodiment of a key management device according to the present invention. The key management device 1 is a device for storing and managing a plurality of keys necessary for managing entrance and exit of a building, and stores a plurality of predetermined keys K1 to KN to be managed. Key box 2 is provided.

In this embodiment, the key box 2 is made of a rigid material, and is fixed to a wall surface or the like so as not to be easily removed.
And a door 24 hinged to be openable and closable by a key 23, and a key K1 is attached to a rod 25 disposed in the box body 21.
To KN are suspended as described later. The lock box 2 is provided with an electric lock device including an electric lock main body 26A and a receiving seat 26B for locking and unlocking the door 24.

FIG. 2 shows the key K1 in an enlarged manner. 2A is a front view, and FIG. 2B is a side view. As shown in FIG. 2, the knob K of the key K1
1a is mechanically fixed so that the identification tag device 3-1 cannot be easily detached from the key K1.

In this embodiment, the identification tag device 3-1 has a cover member 31 made of a synthetic resin, which is composed of a cover body 31A and a locking piece 31B combined with the cover body 31A, and is embedded in the cover body 31A. The cover body 31A and the locking piece 31B are engaged with each other so that the knob K1a of the key K1 is sandwiched between the cover main body 31A and the locking piece 31B.
-1 is fixed to the key K1, whereby the identification tag device 3-1
Are not easily detached from the key K1.

That is, in the present embodiment, a pair of engaging claws 31Aa (FIG. 2) formed on both sides of the cover body 31A.
In this case, only one of them can be seen) is engaged in a groove (not shown) provided in the locking piece 31B corresponding to these, so that both can be firmly engaged. ing. Therefore, the identification tag device 3-1 can be easily attached to the knob K1a simply by fitting the cover body 31A and the engagement piece 31B so that the knob K1a of the key K1 is sandwiched between the cover body 31A and the engagement piece 31B. It can be attached and cannot be easily detached once attached. However, the configuration for attaching the identification tag device 3-1 is not limited to this, and may be an adhesive or the like.

The cover body 31A and the locking piece 31B
Are provided with through holes 31Ab and 31Ba, respectively, in accordance with the holes K1b of the knob K1a of the key K1,
When the identification tag device 3-1 is attached to the knob K1a as shown in FIG. 2, the hole K1b and the through holes 31Ab, 31A
Ba is aligned and has a configuration in which a ring R1 for suspension to the rod 25 can pass therethrough (see FIG. 1). For this reason, even if the material of the identification tag device 3-1 is a synthetic resin, the ring R1 penetrates the hole K1b of the metal key K1, so that the ring R1 is separated from the identification tag device 3-1 and the key K1. It does not come off easily. The ring R1 is configured to be freely openable and closable, so that the key K1 can be detachably suspended from the rod 25 by the ring R1.

The electric circuit chip 32 is provided with a unique identification code as electrical information, and has an electric circuit configuration capable of electrically reading the unique identification code from outside without contact. In the present embodiment, as will be described later, the power required for operating the electric circuit is supplied from the outside, and the power supply itself does not need to be equipped with a battery or the like.

The key K1 and the identification tag device 3-1 and the ring R1 attached to the key K1 among the plurality of keys K1 to KN have been described in detail above. However, as shown in FIG. , The other identification tag devices 3-2, 3-3,...
3-N is mounted so as not to be easily detached from the corresponding key, and the rod 25 is attached by the rings R2-RN.
Hanged on. And these identification tag devices 3-
2, 3-3,..., 3-N are embedded with an electric circuit chip 32 in which a unique identification code is given as electrical information so that the identification code can be distinguished from the others. It is configured to be able to read electrically without contact. Thus, the identification tag device 3-2
3-N also has the same configuration as the above-described identification tag device 3-1 except that the content of the identification code is different.
Further detailed description of the configuration of the identification tag devices 3-2 to 3 -N will be omitted.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 4 denotes an identification code for reading the identification codes of the identification tag devices 3-1 to 3-N attached to the keys K1 to KN in a non-contact manner. This is a control box with a reading function.

The control box 4 is connected to a loop antenna 41 for performing communication for reading an identification code with an electric circuit chip in the identification tag device 3-1 to 3-N. The identification code read using 41 is processed in the control box 4 for key management. Here, 4A is a liquid crystal display, and 4B is a speaker. In the present embodiment, the loop antenna 4
Numeral 1 is fixed to the inner surface of the box main body 21 so that the required electromagnetic coupling is possible with any of the identification tag devices 3-1 to 3-N stored in the key box 2.

Next, a configuration for key management using an identification code in the key management device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The identification code reading unit 42 including the loop antenna 41 is electromagnetically coupled to each of the electric circuit chips 32 in the identification tag devices 3-1, 3-2,..., 3-N via the loop antenna 41. Then, a reading process for sequentially reading the unique identification codes C1, C2,..., CN different from each other is executed. Such a reading function of the identification code reading unit 42 can be realized by using a known hardware circuit, and details of the configuration will be described later.

The identification code Ci read by the identification code reading section 42 is sequentially sent to the discrimination section 43, where the key K1 in the key box 2 is read based on the set of read identification codes. To KN are determined. This determination is performed, for example, by comparing N identification codes C1 to CN corresponding to a plurality of known keys K1 to KN to be stored in the key box 2 with a set of identification codes read at that time. (1) Whether all keys are stored. (2) When is the take-out time and return time of each key? (3) How many keys are not stored? (4) Where is the key that is not stored? (5) Is there a key that has been taken out for a predetermined time or more? If so, what key? And the like are determined. This determination operation can be easily realized by using a microcomputer and executing a program process for collating the identification code and retrieving the key data. The discrimination process in the discrimination unit 43 may be performed for all of the above items (1) to (5), but only a part thereof or other discrimination processes can be appropriately performed. Of course.

For discriminating items (2) and (5), a time data generating means is provided in the discriminating section 43, and the key is held by referring to the time data at the time of processing for obtaining the identification data. The departure time and the return time may be determined.

The discrimination data D indicating the discrimination result of the discrimination unit 43 is sent to the output unit 44, where an output process for outputting necessary key management information according to the content of the discrimination data D is executed. .

In the present embodiment, the control box 4 is provided with a liquid crystal display section 4A and a speaker 4B, and the results of the above-described determination items (1) to (5) are displayed in characters on the liquid crystal display section 4A. , And
The key storage status at that time, such as "All keys are stored." Or "Insufficient keys." Or "The key of XX is not stored." It can be configured to appropriately notify by voice. Alternatively, the configuration may be such that when the key is stored and the appropriate key is not stored, the warning sound is simply output from the speaker 4B.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the configuration of the electric circuit chip 32 necessary for realizing the configuration shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 61 denotes a loop antenna, 62 denotes a transmission / reception switching circuit, and 63 denotes an electromagnetic wave detection circuit for detecting an externally applied electromagnetic wave or the like and outputting electric power necessary for operating the electric circuit chip 32.

When an interrogation wave is input from the outside via the loop antenna 61, the interrogation wave is sent to the interrogation wave reception circuit 64 via the transmission / reception switching circuit 62, and is electrically connected to the ID writing circuit 67 by the ID generation circuit 66. Is referred to, and the identification code Ci is output. The electromagnetic wave from the electromagnetic wave generation circuit 65 is transmitted to the loop antenna 61 via the transmission / reception switching circuit 62 together with the identification code Ci, and transmitted to the outside.

Here, when the interrogation wave receiving circuit 64 receives a write command signal from the outside at the time of initial setting of the electric circuit chip 32, the switch 68 is closed and the required identification code Ci is written in the ID writing circuit 67. . Thereafter, the written identification code Ci is used as the ID generation circuit 6
6 and, if necessary, the identification code Ci can be sent out as described above. Note that the identification code Ci once written in the ID writing circuit 67 is hereinafter referred to as
It is configured so that it cannot be changed.

While an example of the configuration of the electric circuit chip 32 has been described above, the configuration of the electric circuit chip is not limited to this, and may be another known configuration.

On the other hand, FIG.
A configuration example on the side is shown. In the identification code reading section 42, the transmission / reception switching circuit 7 connected to the loop antenna 41
1 is connected to an electromagnetic wave generation circuit 72, and when an electromagnetic wave from the electromagnetic wave generation circuit 72 is output from the loop antenna 41, the electric circuit chip 32 receives the electromagnetic wave to generate energy for operation. can get.
The interrogation wave from the interrogation wave generation circuit 73 is transmitted from the loop antenna 41 via the transmission / reception switching circuit 71.

The response wave receiving circuit 74 includes the electric circuit chip 3
2 is a circuit for receiving a response wave containing the identification code Ci sent from the second ID generation circuit 66 and reading out the identification code Ci. The signal is output to the circuit 81. The response wave processing circuit 81 is connected to a memory 82 in which data of each key relating to all the identification codes used is stored. . Further, based on the data processed by the response wave processing circuit 81, data necessary for key management, for example, data relating to the take-out time and return time of each key are stored in the memory 82 together with the identification code. The data can be read from the memory 82 as needed.

The response wave processing circuit 81 is based on various data stored in the memory 82, and
The determination processing of (5) is performed, and processing for displaying whether or not the key of the designated code is stored, the time at which the key is taken out, the return time, and whether or not the state of taking out has continued for a predetermined time or more is executed. The result obtained by the processing is sent to the output unit 44, and management information of various keys can be given to the key manager by the liquid crystal display unit 4A or the speaker 4B. Reference numeral 45 denotes a power supply circuit for supplying necessary power to each unit in the control box 4.

Next, a configuration for managing the locking and unlocking of the key box 2 will be described. As described above, the key box 2 is provided with an electric lock device including the electric lock main body 26A and the receiving seat 26B. This electric lock device is configured to be locked and unlocked using an identification tag device 28 for a key manager that sends identification data by electromagnetically coupling with a loop antenna 27 attached to the inside of the door 24.

That is, by bringing the identification tag device 28 close to the loop antenna 27, the control box 4
, When the unique identification code CK of the identification tag device 28 is read, the lock signal S
Is output to the electric lock main body 26A, whereby the electric lock device is locked, and the door 24 can be opened. The identification tag device 28 is moved away from the loop antenna 27, and the electric lock device from which the identification code CK is obtained in the control box 4 is again locked, and the door 24 cannot be opened.

However, as a matter of course, the door 24 may be locked and unlocked using a normal mechanical lock.

[0042]

According to the present invention, as described above, the presence of a plurality of keys to be housed, stored and managed in a key box is electrically detected in a non-contact manner to ensure the housed state of each key. Therefore, the information necessary for the required key management can be appropriately and accurately given to the administrator. For this reason, even if the key is taken out without permission or forgotten to return, for example, such information can be accurately grasped at any time by the key manager, and anyone can manage the key easily and without fail.

Further, according to the present invention, in a security company or the like, a key required for security of a security contractor is stored in a key box provided at the security destination, and this key is used during patrol. If the necessary keys are taken out of the box, it is not necessary to carry the key box, and it is possible to surely grasp the unauthorized removal of the key, so that the work load of the patrol personnel can be greatly reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of an embodiment of a key management device according to the present invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are views showing a state in which an identification tag device is attached to a key, wherein FIG. 2A is a front view and FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration for key management using an identification code in the key management device.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the electric circuit chip shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of a circuit configuration on the control box side shown in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Key management device 2 Key box 3-1-3-N Identification tag device 4 Control box 4A Liquid crystal display part 4B Speaker 21 Box body 24 Door 41 Loop antenna 42 Identification code reading part 43 Discrimination part 44 Output part C1-CN, Ci , CK identification code

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G06K 19/10 G06K 19/00 R H04L 9/32 H04L 9/00 673B (72) Inventor Kimito Kuriuchi 1-2-4, Hoshigaoka, Utsunomiya, Tochigi Pref. Japan Electronics Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toshio Ozaki 2-10-19, Ueda-shi, Nagano Pref. Ueda Nippon Radio Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Okabe Akihiko 2-10-19 Ueda-Nippon Radio Co., Ltd., Ueda Nippon Radio Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) NA26 NA36 PA15

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A key management method for storing and managing a plurality of predetermined keys in a key box installed at a predetermined place, wherein a unique identification code is provided for each of the plurality of keys. The identification member provided as electrical information is attached so as not to be easily detached, and all the identification codes of the identification member attached to the key stored in the key box are read in a non-contact manner, A key management method, wherein a storage state of the plurality of keys in the key box is determined based on the read identification code. 2. A key management device for storing and managing a plurality of predetermined keys in a key box installed at a predetermined place, each of which stores a predetermined unique identification code from outside in a non-contact manner. A plurality of identification tag devices that are configured to be electrically readable by a key and that can be attached to a key to be managed so as not to be easily detached, and an identification tag attached to a key housed in the key box. An identification code reading unit configured to read an identification code from the tag device in a non-contact manner, a determination unit that determines a storage state of a key in the key box in response to a read output from the identification code reading unit, An output unit for outputting key management information in response to the key management information.