Electronic locking system with mechanical override and keyless locking system

An electronic access control apparatus comprising:

• an electronic lock assembly comprising a controller, an electronic actuator operably engaged with the controller, a latching mechanism operably engaged with the electronic actuator, and a blocking plate configured to be operably interfaced with a handle of a door or an access point of an enclosure,
• wherein the electronic actuator is configured to actuate the latching mechanism between a locked position and an unlocked position in response to a command signal from the controller,
• wherein the blocking plate is configured to be selectively interfaced with the latching mechanism when the latching mechanism is positioned in the locked position such that the blocking plate and the latching mechanism are operably configured to lock the handle of the door or the access point of the enclosure;
• and
• a keyed lock assembly comprising a lock cylinder, a keyed lock driver operably coupled to the lock cylinder, and a flange extending from a distal end of the keyed lock driver,
• wherein the keyed lock driver is configured to receive a mechanical key at a proximal end of the keyed lock driver, wherein the proximal end of the keyed lock driver is configured to be operably installed on an exterior surface of the door or the access point of the enclosure,
• wherein the mechanical key comprises an RFID tag storing identification data for the mechanical key,
• wherein the electronic lock assembly comprises an RFID reader configured to receive a signal from the RFID tag comprising the identification data when the mechanical key is received,
• wherein the controller is configured to store the identification data in memory in association with a mechanical override event,
• and wherein the controller is configured to communicate a signal comprising the identification data to at least one alarm system controller,
• wherein, upon receiving the mechanical key, the keyed lock driver is configured to rotate the flange around an axis of the lock cylinder,
• wherein, upon rotating the flange in a first direction, the flange is configured to apply force to the latching mechanism to position the latching mechanism from the locked position to the unlocked position,
• wherein the keyed lock driver is key-retaining such that the mechanical key is not removable unless the keyed lock driver is returned to a locked state.

An electronic access control method comprising:

• receiving, with a controller of an electronic lock assembly, an electronic access code from at least one input device via a data transfer interface,
• wherein the electronic lock assembly is operably installed at an access point of an enclosure and configured to selectively restrict and enable access to the access point of the enclosure,
• wherein the electronic lock assembly comprises an electronic actuator and a locking mechanism operably engaged with the electronic actuator,
• wherein the electronic actuator is configured to actuate the locking mechanism between a locked position and an unlocked position in response to a command signal from the controller;
• processing, with at least one processor, the electronic access code to authorize an electronic access request for the access point of the enclosure;
• commanding, with the controller, the electronic actuator to actuate the locking mechanism from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to authorizing the electronic access request with the least one processor;
• and
• in response to not authorizing the electronic access request with the least one processor or in response to the electronic actuator failing to actuate the locking mechanism,
• receiving at a keyed lock assembly operably installed at the access point of the enclosure, a mechanical key, wherein the mechanical key is keyed to a lock driver of the keyed lock assembly,
• wherein the keyed lock assembly comprises a lock cylinder, the lock driver operably coupled to the lock cylinder, and a flange extending from a distal end of the lock driver;
• receiving, with an RFID reader of the electronic lock assembly, a signal from an RFID tag of the mechanical key comprising identification data for the mechanical key;
• storing, with the controller, the identification data in memory in association with a mechanical override event;
• communicating, with the controller, a signal comprising the identification data to at least one alarm system controller;
• suppressing, with the at least one alarm system controller, an alarm for the enclosure based on the identification data;
• and
• rotating, via the mechanical key, the lock driver in a first direction,
• wherein upon rotating the lock driver in the first direction, the flange is rotated around an axis of the lock driver from a first position to a second position,
• wherein upon rotating the flange to the second position, the flange is configured to apply force to at least one surface of the electronic lock assembly to actuate the locking mechanism from the locked position to the unlocked position.