Electronic lock and key mechanism

• US 5,079,411 A
• Filed: 05/14/1985
• Issued: 01/07/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jui Chang Lin, Na Liu
• Original Assignee: Jui Chang Lin, Na Liu
• Inventors: Lee, Jiunn Kuen
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US06/733,926
• Time in Patent Office: 2,429 Days
• Field of Search: 235/382, 235/468
• US Class Current: 235/382
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 49/006 actuating opto-electronic devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/12 using a selected wavelength, e.g. to sense red marks and ignore blue marks

Abstract

An electronic lock mechanism utilizing for the opening thereof a card-key upon which digital codes are imprinted. The digital codes are created by infrared light transmissive portions and infrared light non-transmissive portions on the card-key. The electronic lock mechamism determines the digital codes of the card-key by directing infrared light upon the surface of the card-key, and measuring the times in which the light passes through the infrared light transmissive portions of the card-key, and compares these digital codes with pre-selected digital codes. Only during those times in which the digital codes imprinted upon the card-key and the pre-selected digital codes are identical may the electronic lock mechanism unlock.

Claims

1. An electronic lock and key mechanism including:

a card-key having card parts which are infrared light transmissive in some portions thereof and infrared light non-transmissive in other portions thereof to thereby create digital codes thereupon;

infrared light generating means for continuously generating and transmitting infrared light upon first surfaces of said card parts of the card-key;

infrared light detecting means positioned proximate to a second surface of the card-key and in alignment with said infrared light generating means for detecting those times in which light generated by said generating mean is passed through said card parts which are infrared light transmissive, said detecting mean further producing first electrical signals those times in which infrared light is detected by the detecting means, said first electrical signals therefore being representative of the digital codes of the card-key;

means for generating second electrical signals representative of a pre-selected digital code;

comparator means for comparing said first electrical signals with said second electrical signals, and for producing third signals when said first electrical signals and said second electrical signals are similar;

control means for applying said first electrical signals to said comparator means at preselected times; and

unlocking means for unlocking said lock mechanism, said unlocking means being operable once said third signal is generated.

2. The electronic lock mechanism of claim 1, wherein said infrared light generating means includes infrared light frequency light emitting diodes.

3. The electronic lock and key mechanism of claim 2, wherein said light emitting diodes are powered by an alternating current source.

4. The electronic lock and key mechanism of claim 1 wherein said infrared light detecting means includes infrared frequency-sensitive photodiodes.

5. The electronic lock and key mechanism of claim 1 further including amplifying and rectifying means for amplifying and rectifying said first electrical signals.

6. The electronic lock and key mechanism of claim 1 wherein said control means determines those times in which said infrared light detecting means detects light indicative of said digital codes of the card-key and allows said first electrical signals to be provided to the comparator means during those times.

7. The electronic lock and key mechanism of claim 1 further including latch means for latching said first electrical signals.

8. The electronic lock and key mechanism of claim 1 wherein said second electrical signals are generated by mechanical switches connected to a voltage source.

9. The electronic lock and key mechanism of claim 2 wherein said light emitting diodes are powered by a direct current source.

10. The electronic lock and key mechanism of claim 1 wherein said second electrical signals are stored in electronic memory devices.

11. The electronic lock and key mechanism of claim 10 wherein said electronic memory devices include flip-flops.