Exit device systems and methods

An exit device, comprising:

• a dogging mechanism having an undogged state, a dog-on-next-exit state, and a dogged state;
• a control assembly that electromechanically controls operation of the dogging mechanism;
• a pushbar having a projected position and a depressed position;
• a wireless communication circuitry;
• a processor;
• and
• a memory comprising a plurality of instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, causes the exit device to:
• receive, via the wireless communication circuitry, an instruction from a management system to change a dogging state of the exit device by moving the dogging mechanism to one of the undogged state or the dog-on-next-exit state;
• and
• transmit, in response to the instruction, one or more electrical signals to the control assembly to cause the dogging mechanism to move to the one of the undogged state or the dog-on-next-exit state;
• wherein the dogging mechanism comprises:
• a movable member having a first position correlated with the projected position of the pushbar and a second position correlated with the depressed position of the pushbar;
• and
• a trigger operable to engage the movable member to selectively retain the movable member in the second position;
• wherein, with the dogging mechanism in the undogged state, the trigger permits movement of the movable member between the first position and the second position, thereby permitting movement of the pushbar between the projected position and the depressed position;
• wherein, with the dogging mechanism in the dogged state, the trigger retains the movable member in the second position, thereby retaining the pushbar in the depressed position;
• and
• wherein, with the dogging mechanism in the dog-on-next-exit state, a next depression of the pushbar causes the dogging mechanism to transition to the dogged state.

A method, comprising:

• determining, by an exit device, a door position status that indicates whether a door is in one of a closed position or an open position based on sensor data generated by a door position sensor,
• determining, by the exit device, a latchbolt status that indicates whether a latch mechanism is in one of an actuated state or a deactuated state based on sensor data generated by a latchbolt sensor,
• determining by the exit device, a dogging status that indicates whether a dogging mechanism of the exit device is in a dogging state based on sensor data generated by a dogging status sensor, wherein the dogging mechanism includes a trigger element and a movable member, and in the dogging state, a pushbar of the exit device is depressed making a drive assembly operatively connected to a pushbar of the exit device to move the movable member into engagement with the trigger element, retaining the pushbar of the exit device in a depressed position,
• determining, by the exit device, a security state of the exit device based on the door position status, the latchbolt status, and the dogging status, and
• transmitting, by the exit device, a notification of the security state to a management system over a wireless communication connection established between the exit device and the management system,
• wherein a determination of the security state indicates that the door is secured in response to the door position status indicating that the door is in the closed position, the latchbolt status indicating that the latchbolt is in the deactuated state, and the dogging status indicating that the dogging mechanism is not positioned such that the pushbar is held in the depressed position.