FIG. 5, a sequence may be initialized wherein the trigger matrix may be read. If no trigger is detected, the trigger matrix may be read again. If a trigger is detected, the door may be unlocked, and the door status may be checked. If the door is not open, a timer may be started for a predetermined period of time. Once the timer expires, the door may be locked, and then the trigger matrix may be read. If the door is open, a timer may be reset, and the door status may be checked again. If the door is closed, a waiting period (such as 8 seconds) may be employed, and the door may be checked again to confirm it is closed. If the door is not closed, the door status may be checked again. FIG. 8 depicts another high-level algorithm associated with the control circuitry. This algorithm is similar to that described with respect to FIG. 5; however, a timer may be started when the door is unlocked. When the timer expires, the door may be locked and go to sleep.

The locking mechanism of an automated lock as depicted in FIG. 3 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may ensure that the door remains locked after it is closed, such as to avoid pets from escaping out of the opening. The locking mechanism may include a DC motor based linear actuator that may have a stroke long enough to extend out and lock the two doors together. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the locking mechanism may be battery-powered, thereby not requiring a hard-wired power supply to operate. Solar power may be used to operate the locking mechanism in other embodiments of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the locking mechanism may run on its own as opposed to requiring power to be run directly to the location where the locking mechanism is being used.

The locking mechanism may allow a user to choose to procure the door separately or obtain a locking kit which may be an add-on module. The locking mechanism may include intelligence to activate or not activate the linear actuator when the doors are open or not properly closed.

The locking mechanism may include four independent stainless steel spring latches, two for each of the two-way doors. The latch base may have a triangular cut on one side (the outer side) for the door to swing through and is flat on the other side. All four spring latches may be attached to a stainless-steel plate that slides vertically on the main stainless-steel frame which is to be mounted on the door frame. The sliding plates may move up and down to attain unlock and lock positions respectively. The sliding plates may include four spring latches that may move up and down to attain unlock and lock positions respectively. The sliding may be achieved with a linear actuator mechanism that comprises a DC Servo motor that controls a rack and pinion combination, with the rack attached to the sliding plate and the pinion to the motor. The add-on mechanism may also have a magnetic sensor that will provide feedback about the door status to the control circuitry. The functioning of the locking mechanism may be such that it ensures that the door latches as soon as it swings back and closes, after which the actuator keeps the latch in place, locking the door. The actuator may provide freedom of movement to the latching mechanism as soon as the triggering circuit sends a signal to the control circuit.

FIGS. 6A-6D depict a latching mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. More specifically, FIGS. 6A-6D show an upper section of the automated gate and the locking mechanism that may secure it. The locking mechanism may be mounted to upper lip 609 of frame 101. At least two door stops 601 may be attached to the at least two doors 105, with one of the at least two door stops 601 being attached to each of the at least two doors 105. The at least two door stops 601 may have a general S-shape so that they may be attached to the at least two doors 105, but still allow the doors to open and close. The locking mechanism may feature support 605 (FIG. 6B) that may be attached to frame 101 as well as upper lip 609 so as to provide stability for the other components of the locking mechanism. Elbow 607 (FIG. 6C) may be pivotably attached to support 605. Clasp 603 (FIG. 6A) may be pivotably attached to the opposite end of support 605 from elbow 607. Clasp 603 may have a cut-out so that it is operable to accept door stop 601. The other end of clasp 603 may feature another cut-out operable to accept elbow 607.

A linear actuator may get a signal to unlock the gate. The linear actuator may then move causing elbow 607 to move which may pull back on the cut-out of clasp 603. When elbow 607 pulls on clasp 603, it may cause clasp 603 to no longer be at an angle that holds door stop 601 in place which may allow the at least two doors 105 to open freely. Once the mower has passed through the gate, the linear actuator may receive a signal to lock the gate again. The linear actuator may return to its original position which may then cause elbow 607 to return to its original position in the cut-out of clasp 603 which in turn will return the other cut-out in clasp 603 to return to its position around door stop 601 locking the at least two doors 105.

The initial state may be when the door is in the locked position. Once the triggering circuit senses the mower and sends a signal to the main control circuit, the actuator may pull up the latch to attain the unlock state. The door still may remain stable in the closed position with the help of ball plungers attached vertically to the main frame of the locking mechanism. The ball plungers may keep the door in closed position in case the door is unlocked while the mower is not intending to pass through the door. When the latches move down, they are aligned with the latch plate and the door is locked again.

Once unlocked, the mower then pushes to open the gate and pass through. The linear actuator may push down the sliding plate with the latches, just a few seconds after the doors are pushed open by the mower, ready to receive the doors as they swing back after letting the mower pass through. The doors swing back hitting on the triangular face of the latch base lifting the spring latches and being stopped by the flat face of the latch on the other side, thus getting into the lock state as soon as the spring latch comes down in a fraction of a second.

FIGS. 6E-6I depict different stages of locking mechanism attached to the door frame that may enable the mower to pass through the gate while keeping it locked when unauthorized access is made. FIG. 6E depicts a back view of a locking mechanism in a locked position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6F depicts a front view of a locking mechanism in a locked position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6G depicts a side view of a locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6H depicts an isometric view of a locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6I depicts a top view of a locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.