Some embodiments include a lock cylinder comprising: a plug assembly having a front portion and a back portion; a housing shell within which the plug assembly is rotatably disposed, wherein the housing shell includes a notch; wherein the back portion of the plug assembly comprises: a locking pin that is movably disposed, and wherein the locking pin is configured to prevent a rotation of the plug assembly when the locking pin is engaged in the notch and prevented from retracting by a multi-stable mechanism; and the multi-stable mechanism having at least two stable configurations corresponding to respectively to a locked state and an unlocked state, wherein the multi-stable mechanism can maintain the stable configurations without consuming energy; wherein, at a first stable configuration, the multi-stable mechanism prevents the locking pin from retracting, and, at a second stable configuration, the multi-stable mechanism enables the locking pin to retract.

A cooler access control system locks a cooler when occurrence of an event is detected that requires limiting access to the inside of the cooler. Examples of such events include the loss of power to the cooler for a predetermined period of time, the opening of the cooler door for longer than an allowed time, the loss of functionality of a temperature probe and others. In an embodiment, a service mode is supported wherein the door is left unlocked despite the occurrence of such an event, to allow a stocker or other personnel to leave the cooler door open while stocking the cooler with product.

An iris biometric recognition module includes technology for capturing images of an iris of an eye of a person, whether the person is moving or stationary, and whether the person is located near the iris image capture device or at a distance from the iris image capture device. The iris biometric recognition technology can perform an iris matching procedure for, e.g., authentication or identity verification purposes. The iris biometric recognition module can be incorporated into, for example, a door lock assembly and other access controlled devices, mechanisms, and systems.

A gun safe includes an enclosing structure and a communication module. The enclosing structure substantially encloses a firearm. The communication module is coupled to the enclosing structure. The communication module facilitates electronic communication with a user device to set two or more access variables to determine at least one access parameter to access the gun safe.

Systems and methods for a tamper-evident cargo container seal bolt lock are disclosed herein. The device can include a receiving member, a conductive bolt member adapted to be snap-locked into the receiving member, and a plastic encapsulant which tethers the bolt member to the receiving member. The encapsulant can contain an electrically conductive medium, such as a wire, which runs from the receiving member to the second end of the bolt. A sensory circuit disposed within the receiving member can be configured to sense whether the circuit has been interrupted (e.g., if the bolt has been cut). In the event of an interruption, the circuit can record the present time and/or date in memory. An RFID transponder disposed within the encapsulant or the receiving member can then transmit the recorded date/time to an RFID interrogator if a dispute subsequently arises as to when the lock had been broken.

A lock control device of a vehicle includes: a door lock device that causes a door of the vehicle to be in an unlocked state or a locked state; a door handle that is operated in order to allow the door to become an open state from a closed state; a sensor array that is provided in the vicinity of the door handle and that is arranged with a plurality of contact detection sensors; and a main controller that controls the door lock device to be in the unlocked state when the plurality of contact detection sensors sequentially detect the contact in a first direction which is a direction from the sensor array toward the door handle.

A cooler access control system locks a cooler when occurrence of an event is detected that requires limiting access to the inside of the cooler. Examples of such events include the loss of power to the cooler for a predetermined period of time, the opening of the cooler door for longer than an allowed time, the loss of functionality of a temperature probe and others. In an embodiment, a service mode is supported wherein the door is left unlocked despite the occurrence of such an event, to allow a stocker or other personnel to leave the cooler door open while stocking the cooler with product.

Systems and methods for a tamper-evident cargo container seal bolt lock are disclosed herein. The device can include a receiving member, a conductive bolt member adapted to be snap-locked into the receiving member, and a plastic encapsulant which tethers the bolt member to the receiving member. The encapsulant can contain an electrically conductive medium, such as a wire, which runs from the receiving member to the second end of the bolt. A sensory circuit disposed within the receiving member can be configured to sense whether the circuit has been interrupted (e.g., if the bolt has been cut). In the event of an interruption, the circuit can record the present time and/or date in memory. An RFID transponder disposed within the encapsulant or the receiving member can then transmit the recorded date/time to an RFID interrogator if a dispute subsequently arises as to when the lock had been broken.

A cooler and freezer access control system locks a cooler or freezer when occurrence of an event is detected that requires limiting access to the inside of the cooler or freezer. Examples of such events include the loss of power to the cooler or freezer for a predetermined period of time, the opening of the cooler or freezer door for longer than an allowed time, the loss of functionality of a temperature probe and others. In an embodiment, a service mode is supported wherein the door is left unlocked despite the occurrence of such an event, to allow a stocker or other personnel to leave the cooler or freezer door open while stocking the cooler or freezer with product.

A cooler access control system locks a cooler when occurrence of an event is detected that requires limiting access to the inside of the cooler. Examples of such events include the loss of power to the cooler for a predetermined period of time, the opening of the cooler door for longer than an allowed time, the loss of functionality of a temperature probe and others. In an embodiment, a service mode is supported wherein the door is left unlocked despite the occurrence of such an event, to allow a stocker or other personnel to leave the cooler door open while stocking the cooler with product.