Electronic lock system with audible entry monitor

• US 4,463,349 A
• Filed: 09/29/1982
• Issued: 07/31/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kokusan Kinzoku Kogyo Company Limited, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Shimizu, Keiichi, Mochida, Haruo, Namazue, Hirotoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): YUSKO, DONALD
• Application Number:
  US06/428,234
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.31, 340/825.32, 340/365 E, 340/543, 340/825.56
• US Class Current: 340/5.31
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/0069 actuated in a predetermined sequence

Abstract

An electronic lock system is provided with an audible entry monitor for confirmation of entry of an input code and a mischief preventive circuit for disabling the audible entry monitor for a given period of time in response to an excessive number of inaccurate code input attempts. The audio signal generator is associated with a pushbutton input unit having a plurality of push buttons. The audio signal generator is adapted to produce an audible signal whenever an input code is entered through the input unit. The audible signal generator is also associated with a comparator for comparing the input code and a permanent code. The comparator is adapted to allow the system to change a voluntary code and operates the audible signal generator to produce another audible signal for a predetermined period while the system is capable of accepting entry of the new voluntary code to be preset.

Claims

1. An electronic lock system comprising:

a lock mechanism including an actuator;

a pushbutton input unit having a plurality of push buttons for entry of an input code;

a memory for storing a preset code which is read out in response to entry of said input code;

a comparator for comparing said input code with said preset code and producing a driver signal for operating said actuator when said input code matches said preset code;

an audible signal generator for confirming entry of input code whenever one of said push buttons is depressed; and

a counter means associated with said audible signal generator for counting occurrence of entry of code elements of said input code and producing a disabling signal for disabling said audible signal generator for a predetermined time when the counter value exceeds a given threshold.

2. An electronic lock system comprising:

a lock mechanism including an actuator;

a pushbutton input unit having a plurality of push buttons for entry of an input code;

a memory for storing a preset code which is read out in response to entry of said input code;

a comparator for comparing said input code with said preset code producing a driver signal for operating said actuator when said input code matches said preset code;

an audible signal generator means for generating a confirming audible signal of a given duration when each of said push buttons is depressed for entry of a code element of said input code; and

a counter means associated with said audible signal generator for counting occurrences of entry of a plurality of said code elements and producing a disabling signal for disabling said audible signal generator means when the counter value thereof exceeds a given threshold value.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein said counter means is associated with said comparator and responsive to said driver signal to reset the counter value.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3, which further comprises a timer circuit means associated with said counter means for defining a duration of said disabling signal for thus defining a time period in which said audible signal generator is disabled.

5. An electronic lock system comprising:

a lock mechanism including an electromagnetic actuator for operating said lock mechanism between a locking position and an unlocking position;

a pushbutton input unit having a plurality of push buttons for entry of an input code;

a first memory for storing a first preset code which is comprised of several digits of code elements and is read out in response to entry of said input code;

a second memory for storing a second preset code which is comprised of several digits of code elements and read out in response to entry of said input code, said second memory being variable in its operation mode between a read mode in which said second preset code can be read out and a write mode in which said input code is written in as replacement of said second preset code;

a first comparator for comparing said input code and said first preset code to produce a first comparator signal when said input code matches said first code, said first comparator signal switching said second memory operation mode from said read mode to said write mode;

a second comparator for comparing said input code and said second preset code to produce a second comparator signal when said input code matches said second preset code to actuate said actuator;

an audible signal generator means responsive to entry of each code element of said input code for producing a first audible signal and resonsive to said first comparator signal to produce a second audible signal; and

a counter means associated with said audible signal generator means for counting occurrence of entry of said input code elements and producing a disabling signal for disabling said audible signal generator when the counter value exceeds a given threshold.

6. The system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said first comparator signal has a given duration and said second memory is maintained at said write mode within said given duration of said first comparator signal.

7. The system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said second audible signal has a duration corresponding to said given duration of said first comparator signal and is interrupted whenever one of said push buttons is depressed for entry of said input code element.

8. The system as set forth in claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein said counter means is associated with said second comparator and responsive to said second comparator signal to reset the counter value thereof.

9. The system as set forth in claim 8, which further comprises a timer circuit associated with said counter means for defining a duration of said disabling signal in order to define a time period in which said audio signal generator is disabled.