Asset management systems, such as key management systems, are known. Effective key management requires that a number of individual keys can be securely stored when not in use, but one or more of the keys can be made available to an authorized user in an efficient manner. Enhanced capabilities of key management systems would include tracking of keys that are in use or missing, as well as the ability to generate reports about activity relating to access of the keys and/or the locked areas unlocked by the keys.
In one type of application, key management systems are used to administer the use of keys for a large fleet of vehicles, e.g., at a car dealership. The dealership expects the system to assist in permitting only authorized individuals, e.g., salespersons, mechanics, managers, etc., to have access to vehicles in its possession, but it does not wish to impede these authorized individuals from conducting business with cumbersome security measures.
According to one current approach, vehicle keys are maintained in a centralized location, e.g., the dealership showroom. In today's larger dealerships, returning from the sales lot to the showroom each time a different key is needed may pose a real inconvenience. Therefore, a salesperson may try to guess all of the vehicles that a sales prospect may be interested in, and then take the keys to these vehicles. The keys may not be returned to the centralized location for some time, because the salesperson is busy or because the salesperson gives the keys to another salesperson who is seeking them. As a result, some keys may be “out of circulation” for an extended period, even though they may not be in actual use.
Some centralized systems are as simple as a key board having hooks on which the keys are hung, thus providing a visual indication of which vehicles are available on the lot based on which keys are present on the board. Another centralized system requires each individual seeking access to login through an attached computer with an ID and a password. Authorized individuals are provided access to a secure drawer with a compartment assigned to the keys for each vehicle in the dealership's inventory. This system records who removes a key from the drawer, the time the key was removed, and the time it was returned, based in part on an electronic identifier attached to each vehicle's keys. One problem with such centralized electronic systems, however, is that when they inevitably fail, the secured keys to an entire inventory of vehicles cannot be accessed until the problem is corrected.
According to another current approach, which is decentralized, the keys are securely stored at or near each parked vehicle. The keys to each vehicle (or at least the ignition key) are secured in a locked key container when not in use. For example, each vehicle can be outfitted with a key box or key container having a conventional lock accessed by a conventional key, such as the present assignee's Indigo® key box. A dealership's collection of key containers might be keyed alike, or might require a small number of different keys.
In any case, theft or loss of one of the keys to the key containers poses a security risk until detected. It is also expensive to retool each lock to accept only a new key that has not been compromised. There are also limits on the number of different new keys that can be made for conventional locks, so a careful thief with a collection of stolen keys still might have access.
There are also drawbacks to using the conventional key container in its intended way. A busy salesperson may forget to replace the keys in the key container for a first vehicle before taking a sales prospect for a test drive in a second vehicle. There is a chance that the salesperson may eventually return both sets of keys, but may return them to the wrong key containers. There is no way to track past accesses with the conventional key container system.
Another type of decentralized system also makes use of remotely located key containers secured by conventional locks, but each user has a custom-cut conventional key capable of accessing each key container. This system is able to track which custom-cut key was used to access which key container, but there is no assurance that the current key user is the assigned user. Loss or theft of the custom-cut key requires all of the key containers to be re-keyed, which is expensive. The key container of this system communicates access information to a centralized location, but this requires a supply of power and associated circuitry that makes this container much more expensive.
It would be advantageous to provide a key management system that addresses some of the drawbacks of the prior systems.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds