ELECTRONIC SECURITY SYSTEMS FOR MULTI-ROOMED BUILDINGS

• US 3,694,810 A
• Filed: 12/01/1969
• Issued: 09/26/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomas R. Mullens, Trevor J. Glave
• Original Assignee: Thomas R. Mullens, Trevor J. Glave
• Inventors: Mullens, Thomas R., Glave, Trevor J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Application Number:
  US04/881,199
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 340/149,164,286,171 317/134
• US Class Current: 340/5.33
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00904 for hotels, motels, office buildings or the like

Abstract

An electronic security system is provided for use in large institutions, such as hotels. A particular room is assigned a data-bearing room access device, (which may physically resemble a key), chosen at random from a group of such devices, the device bearing coded information which is entered and stored in a control unit at a memory location previously assigned to that room number. Until this information is removed from the memory, access to the room cannot be obtained except through the use of a device containing the required information, and further, attempted unauthorized access will cause an alarm signal to be activated.

Claims

1. A security system for controlling access to a plurality of enclosures, comprising:

a plurality of portable permanently coded data-bearing devices used in gaining access to the enclosures, each said device bearing a unique set of datA represented by a non-magnetic coding pattern;

a computer located at a central location and including a memory location dedicated to each of said plurality of enclosures;

a programmer means located at the central location for, in cooperation with said data bearing devices, programming the data borne by said data bearing devices and enclosure identification data into said computer prior to use of the data-bearing device to gain access to a said enclosure, said programmer means comprising means for physically receiving individual ones of the said data-bearing devices and for sensing the data borne by a said data-bearing device received thereby so that the said data-bearing device provides data used in programming the computer, and means for entering enclosure identification data for each enclosure into said programmer means;

read-out means for controlling reading out of data from said programmer means when the data borne by a said data-bearing device is sensed by said data-bearing device receiving means and enclosure identification data is entered into said programmer means;

means for connecting the output of said programmer means to said computer to provide storage the data read out of said programmer means so that the sensed data borne by the said databearing device received by said data-bearing device receiving means is stored at an enclosure dedicated memory located within said computer in accordance with the enclosure identification data contained in said read out data;

a locking means, for and at each enclosure, for normally locking that enclosure;

lock release means associated with each said locking means for controlling release of said locking means;

reader means located at each enclosure for receiving the said data-bearing devices, for sensing data borne by the received data-bearing devices and for producing an output in accordance with the data sensed;

means for connecting the outputs of each said reader means to said central computer, said computer acting to identify the sensed data output received from a said reader means with the corresponding enclosure, to compare the sensed data received from that reader means with the corresponding data stored at the memory location dedicated to the corresponding enclosure, and to produce an output signal for actuating the lock release means of said corresponding enclosure so as to release the locking means associated therewith to thereby unlock said corresponding enclosure, when the sensed data and the corresponding data match.

2. A security system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reader means includes means for transmitting a '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'request service'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' signal to said computer, said computer transmitting a release signal to said lock release means when the sensed data received from the reader means matches the corresponding data stored at the memory location dedicated to the enclosure associated with that reader means.

3. A security system as claimed in claim 1 in which at least some of the data-bearing devices include additional data for uniquely identifying the respective data-bearing devices to the computer.

4. A security system as claimed in claim 1 in which, when a data-bearing device is received by the programmer means and identification data for an enclosure is entered into the programmer means, said data-bearing device cancels any previous data in the computer memory section dedicated to the identified enclosure.

5. A security system as claimed in claim 1 including a data-bearing device with data thereon which when said device is inserted into the programmer means and the identification of an enclosure is inserted into said programmer means, cancels any previous data in the computer memory section dedicated to the identified enclosure and leaves the latter section blank.

6. A security system as claimed in claim 1 including a data display unit adapted to display information transmitted to it by the computer.

7. A security system as claimed in claim 1 in which each data-bearing device compriseS a plurality of spaced-apart conducting slugs extending through a non-conducting body and arranged in a predetermined pattern, the pattern of each device being different from the patterns of other similar devices.

8. A security system as claimed in claim 1 including a means associated with the programmer unit for indicating the enclosure identification inserted in said programmer means.

9. A security system as claimed in claim 1 in which said programmer means includes a register for receiving the enclosure identification, and said read out control means comprises means for initiating the operation of the computer to cause the storage of any data being sensed by the programmer unit in the computer memory section dedicated to the identified enclosure.

10. A security system as claimed in claim 9 including a means associated with the programmer unit for indicating the enclosure identification inserted into said register.

11. A security system as claimed in claim 1 in which the computer has a plurality of memory sections dedicated to each enclosure, and at least some of the data-bearing devices include additional data for identifying the respective data-bearing devices to the computer, said additional data being stored in a different memory section for each enclosure from the memory section in which the first-mentioned data is stored.

12. A security system as claimed in claim 2 including an alarm which is activated upon receipt of a signal from the computer indicating that the data being compared in the computer does not match.

13. A security system as claimed in claim 2 in which said lock release means includes a solenoid connected to the computer, said solenoid being energized by said signal from the computer to unlock said locking means.

14. A security system as claimed in claim 13 wherein said locking means comprises a bolt controlled by said solenoid.