ELECTRONIC VARIABLE COMBINATION LOCK AND MONITORING SYSTEM

• US 3,838,395 A
• Filed: 12/04/1972
• Issued: 09/24/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Francis John Jr. Suttill, John M. Holt, Robert H. Ray
• Original Assignee: Francis John Jr. Suttill, John M. Holt, Robert H. Ray
• Inventors: Holt, John M., Ray, Robert H., Suttill, Francis John Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US05/312,067
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 340/149A,147R,274
• US Class Current: 340/5.5
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 49/006 actuating opto-electronic devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00904 for hotels, motels, office buildings or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/21 having a variable access code
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration

Abstract

A variable combination electronic lock is provided in which the combination may be varied electronically. The lock is provided with means for receiving a key having a combination. The combination of the key is detected and the detected combination is checked or compared with the combination assigned to the lock. If the combination on the inserted key is identical to the assigned combination, a lock release means of the lock is enabled. In one preferred use, a plurality of locks is provided with each lock being assigned an address. All of the locks may be connected to an electronic processor by means of a single system cable. The electronic processor stores a combination for each of the locks. Each of the plurality of locks is addressed in sequence, and the combination of the key, if any, inserted into the key receiving means of the lock is transmitted to the electronic processor for comparison with the combination stored. In addition, other information indicative of predetermined conditions at the location of each lock, such as the existence of excessive heat due to a fire, may be transmitted to the electronic processor. If the combination transmitted to the electronic processor from a particular location agrees with the stored combination, a lock enable signal is transmitted over the system cable with the address of the particular lock thereby enabling or opening that lock.

Claims

1. An electronic security system for controlling access and monitoring a predetermined number of conditions at each of a plurality of controlled areas, each controlled area being provided with a door, comprising:

a lock unit means being provided in each of said plurality of controlled areas, each lock unit means being connected to a system cable, each lock unit means being assigned a distinct predetermined address code and being provided with means for receiving address codes from said system cable, means for detecting its distinct predetermined address code, means for receiving a lock enable signal and data in response to the detection of its distinct address code by said address code detecting means, lock means for locking said door of the controlled area in which the lock unit means is located, said lock means being releasable in response to the lock enable signal, said data received in said receiving means being available for operative use in the controlled area in which the lock unit means is located, means for receiving a key provided with a combination, said key receiving means being provided with means for detecting the combination of a key inserted Into said key receiving means, means for receiving controlled area data indicative of a predetermined number of conditions from operative devices located in the controlled area in which the lock unit is located, means for transmitting the detected combination of an inserted key, when a key is inserted, and controlled area data over said system cable in response to said address code detecting means detecting its predetermined address code; and

an electronic processor, means for interfacing said electronic processor with said system cable, means for generating the address code of each of said lock unit means, means for sending said address codes and data over said system cable via said interface means, said electronic processor being provided with means for storing the combination of each of said plurality of lock means and means for changing the combinations stored in said storage means, means for comparing the combination transmitted by an addressed lock means and the combination stored in said storage means for the lock means address, said comparator means being operative to generate the lock enable signal in response to the combinations being identical, and means for sending to said addressed lock unit means its address code, the lock enable signal and data via said interface means and said system cable.

2. An electronic security system in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said key combination detector means includes a light source and a predetermined number of light detectors positioned to detect substantially transparent areas of a key inserted in said key receiving means.

3. An electronic security system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for changing the combination stored in said storage means includes a random number generator.

4. An electronic system, comprising:

a plurality of lock means, each of said lock means being connected to a system cable, each of said plurality of lock means being provided with means for detecting a predetermined address signal, means for receiving a key provided with a combination, said key receiving means being provided with means for detecting the combination of a key inserted into said key receiving means, means for transmitting the detected combination of an inserted key over said system cable in response to said address detecting means detecting the predetermined address signal, and lock release means operative in response to a lock enable signal; and

an electronic processor, means for interfacing said electronic processor with said system cable, said electronic processor being provided with means for storing the combination of each of said plurality of lock means and means for changing the combinations stored in said storage means, means for comparing the combination transmitted by an addressed lock means and the combination stored in said storage means for the lock means addressed, said comparator means being operative to generate the lock enable signal in response to the combinations being identical.

5. An electronic system in accordance with claim 4 wherein each of said plurality of lock means includes means for detecting a sync signal occuring at the beginning of each transmission from said electronic processor.

6. An electronic system in accordance with claim 4 wherein each said address detecting means of each of said plurality of lock means includes a storage means for temporarily storing signals transmitted over said system cable and gating means for detecting a predetermined address corresponding to the particular lock means in which the address detecting means is located.

7. An electronic system in accordance with claim 4 wherein each said key combination detecting means of each of said plurality of lock means includes means for detecting the presence of a key.

8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein each said key combination detecting means of each of said plurality of lock means includes a light source and a predetermined number of light detectors.

9. AN electronic system in accordance with claim 4 wherein each said key combination detecting means of each of said plurality of lock means includes a predetermined number of light sources and a predetermined number of light detectors.

10. An electronic system in accordance with claim 4 wherein each said transmitting means of each of said plurality of lock means includes storage means for receiving the combination detected by said detecting means from said detecting means in parallel form and transmitting the combination on said system cable in serial form.

11. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said interface means of said electronic processor includes a shift register, said shift register transferring combinations to said electronic processor and receiving information from said electronic processor in parallel form, said shift register transmitting information on and receiving combinations from said system cable in serial form.

12. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said means for changing the combinations stored in said storage means includes a random number generator.

13. Apparatus, comprising:

means adapted to receive a digital signal containing a sync signal, address information and data, said sync signal occurring at the beginning of each transmission;

means for detecting whether the address information corresponds to a predetermined address, said address detecting means including storage means for temporarily storing received signals and gating means for detecting the predetermined address;

means for receiving a key provided with a combination, said key receiving means being provided with means for detecting the presence of a key inserted into said key receiving means and means for detecting the combination of said inserted key;

means for providing the received data to operative devices;

means for receiving data indicative of conditions from operative means;

means adapted to transmit said detected key combination and the data indicative of conditions to a remote location;

said receive means adapted to recieve a digital signal including a lock enable signal from a remote location when said detecting means detects a predetermined combination; and

lock means, said lock means being provided with a lock release means responsive to the lock enable signal to release said lock means.

14. Apparatus in accordance with claim 13 wherein said means for detecting the combination of the inserted key includes a light source and a predetermined number of light detectors.

15. Apparatus in accordance with claim 13 wherein said key combination detecting means includes a predetermined number of light sources and a predetermined number of light detectors.

16. Apparatus in accordance with claim 13 wherein said means adapted to transmit said detected key combination and the data indicative of conditions to a remote location includes storage means for receiving the combination detected by said detecting means from said detecting means in parallel form and transmitting the combination and data indicative of conditions in serial form.

17. A system, comprising:

an electronic processor, a plurality of stations and a system cable connecting said electronic processor to each of said plurality of stations, each of said plurality of stations being provided with means for detecting a predetermined address signal sent over said system cable by said electronic processor, means for receiving a key provided with a combination, said key receiving means being provided with means for detecting the combination of a key inserted into said key receiving means, means for receiving data indicative of predetermined conditions at the station, means for transmitting the detected combination of the inserted key and the condition indicative data in serial form over said system cable to said electronic processor, lock means, said lock means including a lock release means operative in response to a lock enable signal received oVer said system cable from said electronic processor when the inserted key has the combination corresponding to the station addressed.

18. A system in accordance with claim 17 wherein each of said plurality of lock means includes means for detecting a sync signal occurring at the beginning of each transmission from said electronic processor.

19. A system in accordance with claim 17 wherein each said address detecting means of each of said plurality of lock means includes storage means for temporarily storing signals transmitted over said system cable and gating means for detecting a predetermined address corresponding to the particular lock means in which the address detecting means is located.

20. A system in accordance with claim 17 wherein each said key combination detecting means of each of said plurality of lock means includes means for detecting the presence of a key.

21. A system in accordance with claim 17 wherein each said key combination detecting means of each of said plurality of lock means includes a light source and a predetermined number of light detectors.

22. A system in accordance with claim 17 wherein each said key combination detecting means of each of said plurality of lock means includes a predetermined number of light sources and a predetermined number of light detectors.

23. A system in accordance with claim 17 wherein each said transmitting means of each of said plurality of lock means includes storage means for receiving the combination detected by said detecting means from said detecting means in parallel form and transmitting the combination on said system cable in serial form.

24. A system in accordance with claim 17 including an interface means for interfacing said electronic processor to said system cable, said electronic processor including a shift register, said shift register transferring combinations to said electronic processor and receiving information from said electronic processor in parallel form, said shift register transmitting information on and receiving combinations from said system cable in serial form.

25. A system in accordance with claim 17 wherein each of said plurality of stations is a room and said means for receiving data indicative of predetermined conditions includes a switch, said switch having a first and second position, said switch in said first position being operative to indicate that the room has been prepared for new guests and said switch in said second position being operative to indicate that the room has not been prepared.

26. A system in accordance with claim 17 wherein each of said plurality of stations is a room and said means for receiving data indicative of predetermined conditions includes a fire detector, said fire detector being sensitive to heat, said fire detector providing an indication of fire in response to the temperature of the room exceeding a predetermined temperature.