Electronic lock system

• US 5,124,696 A
• Filed: 02/11/1991
• Issued: 06/23/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Multacc Corp.
• Original Assignee: Multacc Corp.
• Inventors: Bosley, Denis V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Magistre, Dervis
• Application Number:
  US07/653,301
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.30, 340/825.31, 340/825.33, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.34, 70/20, 70/24, 70/31, 70/52, 70/55, 70/56, 70/279, 70/63
• US Class Current: 340/5.73
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 19/0005 Key safes E05B35/086 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0002 with electromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0006 having a non-movable core; with permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/023 the bolt moving pivotally or rotatively
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/06 in which the securing part if formed or carried by a spring and moves only by distortion of the spring, e.g. snaps
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00825 remotely by lines or wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00865 remotely by wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00817 where the code of the lock can be programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00857 where the code of the data carrier can be programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/215 the system having a variable access-code, e.g. varied as a function of time
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/22 in combination with an identity check of the pass holder

Abstract

The electronic lock system is useful for a key safe where many different persons must have controlled, recorded access. Each user has a card key which is connected to one of a plurality of key safes to complete the system. The user inserts his personal identification number (PIN) into the card key in order to activate the card key. The card key is laid against a key safe so that an exchange of data takes place between key safe and card key to perform the security, access and control functions. The card key and key safe interact to exchange information so that the key safe may have memory of which card key is being used at which time, and vice versa. Updating of other memory functions can be accomplished. Validity is verified if a board number and a security level number in the card key relate correctly to their counterparts in the key safe and if the card identification (CID) number is not in the lock invalid CID number list. When valid, the key safe can be opened. By pressing in the key safe key compartment against a spring, the pole plate is pressed against its electromagnet. When the card key data have been verified, the electromagnet is turned on for a short period to hold the pole plate in released position. The key safe key compartment moves out away from latched position before the pole plate is released.

Claims

1. An electronic lock system comprising:

a plurality of locks, each of said locks having a housing, each of said locks having a communication port and having a unique lock identification number;

a plurality of card keys, each having a communication port, having a unique card key identification number and means for information input, each said card key being coupleable with said communication port of each of said locks, so that with an appropriate input to said card key information input means, said lock opens;

said lock having a key compartment on said housing movable with respect to said housing from a latched, locked, non-accessible position to an unlatched, unlocked, accessible position;

a hook and a latch, one of said hook and latch being mounted on said housing and the other being mounted on said movable key compartment, said hook being engageable with said latch to retain said movable key compartment in locked position and being movable to a position wherein said hook is disengaged from said latch to permit movement of said movable key compartment;

an electromagnet mounted in said lock housing and having a pole face, a pole plate movable in said housing with respect to said electromagnet so that said pole plate may be thrust against said pole face to said electromagnet, one of said latch and said hook being attached to said pole plate so that when said pole plate is against the pole face of said electromagnet, said latch is disengaged from said hook, means on said movable key compartment for thrusting said pole plate against said pole face of said electromagnet;

a control circuit connected to said electromagnet for controlling said electromagnet to energize said electromagnet when said card signals lock opening so that said movable key compartment thrusts said pole plate against said electromagnet pole face to be retained against said pole face by energization of said electromagnet as motion of said movable key compartment moves said hook and said latch apart to permit movement of said movable key compartment to the unlocked position.

2. The electronic lock system of claim 1 further including:

an invalid card key identification number register in each said lock and an invalid card key identification number register in each said card key;

means for updating said invalid card key identification number memory in said lock from said invalid card key identification number memory in said card key when said card key is placed on said communication port of said lock to be in communication with said lock;

means for updating said invalid card key identification number memory in said card key from said invalid card key identification number memory in said lock when said card key is placed on said communication port of said lock to be in communication with said lock;

means for inhibiting all other allowed functions including opening of said lock when opening is attempted using a card key having said card key identification number is listed on said invalid card key identification number memory in said lock;

a security number register in each said lock and a security number register in each said card key, each said security number register having successive security states;

means for advancing said security number register in said lock when said security number register in said card key is ahead of said security number register in said when said card key is placed on said communication port of said lock to be in communication with said lock;

means for erasing said invalid card key identification number memory when said security number register is advanced when said card key is placed on said communication port of said lock to be in communication with said lock; and

means for denying opening all other allowed functions including of said lock when said security number register of said lock is advanced beyond said security number register of said card key being used to attempt opening.

16. The electronic lock system of claim 1 wherein there is a switch positioned to be closed when said pole plate is pressed against said electromagnet and there is an electronic means for energizing said electromagnet at the instant that said switch changes between closed condition and open condition and to continue said energization for a time interval thereafter when said electromagnet is only actuated when said latch and hook are ready for release of said panel.

3. An electronic lock system comprising:

a plurality of locks, each of said locks having a housing, each of said locks having a communication port and having a unique lock identification number;

a plurality of card keys, each having a communication port, having a unique card key identification number and means for information input, each said card key being coupleable with said communications port of each of said locks, so that with an appropriate input to said card key information input means, said lock opens;

said lock having a key compartment on said housing movable with respect to said housing from a latched, locked, non-accessible position to an unlatched, unlocked, accessible position;

a hook and a latch, one of said hook and latch being mounted on said housing and the other being mounted on said movable key compartment, said hook being engageable with said latch to retain said movable key compartment in locked position and being movable to a position wherein said hook is disengaged from said latch to permit movement of said movable key compartment;

an electromagnet mounted in said lock housing and having a pole face, a pole plate movable in said housing with respect to said electromagnet so that said pole plate may be thrust against said pole face to said electromagnet, one of said latch and said hook being attached to said pole plate so that when said pole plate is against the pole face of said electromagnet, said latch is disengaged from said hook, means on said movable key compartment for thrusting said pole plate against said pole face of said electromagnet;

a control circuit connected to said electromagnet for controlling said electromagnet to energize said electromagnet when said card signals lock opening so that said movable key compartment thrust said pole plate against said electromagnet pole face to be retained against said pole face by energization of said electromagnet as motion of said movable key compartment moves said hook and said latch apart to permit movement of said movable key compartment to the unlocked position;

a control switch positioned to be actuated by said movable key compartment, said control switch being connected to control actuation of said electromagnet so that said electromagnet is energized for a time period starting only when said movable key compartment moves between pole plate thrusting position and the unlocked position.

4. The electronic lock system of claim 3 wherein:

said lock has a housing and a spring is secured to said housing, said spring carrying thereon one of said pole plate and said electromagnet so that said spring is deflected as said pole plate is thrust against said electromagnet pole face.

5. The electronic lock system of claim 4 wherein:

said pole plate is mounted on said latch and said hook is mounted on said movable key compartment.

6. An electronic lock system comprising:

a plurality of locks, each of said locks having a housing, each of said locks having a communication port and having a unique lock identification number;

a plurality of card keys, each having a communication port, having a unique card key identification number and means for information input, each said card key being coupleable with said communication port of each of said locks, so that with an appropriate input to said card key information input means, said lock opens;

said lock having a key compartment on said housing movable with respect to said housing from a latched, locked, non-accessible position to an unlatched, unlocked, accessible position;

a hook and a latch, one of said hook and latch being mounted on said housing and the other being mounted on said movable key compartment, said hook being engageable with said latch to retain said movable key compartment in locked position and being movable to a position wherein said hook is disengaged from said latch to permit movement of said movable key compartment;

an electromagnet mounted in said lock housing and having a pole face, a pole plate movable in said housing with respect to said electromagnet so that said pole plate may be thrust against said pole face of said electromagnet, one of said latch and said hook being attached to said pole plate so that when said pole plate is against the pole face of said electromagnet, said latch is disengaged from said hook means on said movable key compartment for thrusting said pole plate against said pole face of said electromagnet;

a control circuit connected to said electromagnet for controlling said electromagnet to energize said electromagnet when said card signals lock opening so that said movable key compartment thrusts said pole plate against said electromagnet pole face to be retained against said pole face by energization of said electromagnet as motion of said movable key compartment moves said hook and said latch apart to permit movement of said movable key compartment to the unlocked position;

a switch positioned in the path of said movable key compartment, said switch and said electromagnet being connected to said control circuit, said control circuit being connected to signal unlocking when a correct unlocking condition has been sensed so that when said movable key compartment is actuated, said switch is actuated and said pole plate is thrust against said pole face of said electromagnet so that upon release of said movable key compartment, said control circuit maintains energization of said electromagnet for a limited time period and said movable key compartment moves said hook away from said latch to open said lock.

7. The electronic lock system of claim 6 wherein:

a control switch is positioned to be actuated by said movable key compartment and said control switch is connected to control actuation of said electromagnet so that said electromagnet is energized for a time period starting only when said movable key compartment moves between pole plate thrusting position and the unlocked position.

8. The electronic lock system of claim 7 wherein said lock has a housing and a spring is secured to said housing, said spring carrying thereon one of said pole plate and said electromagnet so that said spring is deflected as said pole plate is thrust against said electromagnet pole face.

9. The electronic lock system of claim 8 wherein:

said pole plate is mounted on said latch and said hook is mounted on said movable key compartment.

10. An electronic lock system comprising:

a plurality of locks, each of said locks having a housing, each of said locks having a communication port and having a unique lock identification number;

a plurality of card keys, each having a communication port, having a unique card key identification number and means for information input, each said card key being coupleable with said communication port of each of said locks, so that with an appropriate input to said card key information input means, said lock opens;

said lock having a key compartment on said housing movable with respect to said housing from a latched, locked, non-accessible position to an unlatched, unlocked, accessible position;

a hook and a latch, one of said hook and latch being mounted on said housing and the other being mounted on said movable key compartment, said hook being engageable with said latch to retain said movable key compartment in locked position and being movable to a position wherein said hook is disengaged from said latch to permit movement of said movable key compartment;

an electromagnet mounted in said lock housing and having a pole face, a pole plate movable in said housing with respect to said electromagnet so that said pole plate may be thrust against said pole face of said electromagnet, one of said latch and said hook being attached to said pole plate so that when said pole plate is against the pole face of said electromagnet, said latch is disengaged from said hook, means on said movable key compartment for thrusting said pole plate against said pole face of said electromagnet;

a control circuit connected to said electromagnet for controlling said electromagnet to energize said electromagnet when said card signals lock opening so that said movable key compartment thrusts said pole plate against said electromagnet pole face to be retained against said pole face by energization of said electromagnet as motion of said movable key compartment moves said hook and said latch apart to permit movement of said movable key compartment to the unlocked position;

each of said locks having a unique lock identification number, a lock control circuit, a security number memory with a plurality of settings and a lock memory connected to actuate said lock control circuit and a communication port;

each said card key having a unique card key identification number, having an input for inputting a personal identification number, a security number memory having a plurality of settings, a card key memory and a communications port;

means for selecting one of said security number memory settings in said lock;

means for selecting one of said security number memory settings in said card key;

means associated with said lock security number memory and means associated with said card key security number memory for updating said lock security number memory to a new setting when the card key security number memory is ahead of said lock security number memory when said card key is placed on said communication port of said lock to be in communication with said lock.

11. The electronic lock system of claim 10 further including:

an invalid card key identification number register in each said lock and an invalid card key identification number register in each said card key;

means for updating said invalid card key identification number memory in said lock from said invalid card key identification number memory in said card key when said card key is placed on said communication port of said lock to be in communication with said lock;

means for updating said invalid card key identification number memory in said card key from said invalid card key identification number memory in said lock when said card key is placed on said communication port of said lock to be in communication with said lock;

means for inhibiting all other allowed functions including opening of said lock by a card key when said card key identification number is listed in said invalid card key identification number memory in said lock;

a security number register in each said lock and a security number register in each said card key, each said security number register having successive security states;

means for advancing said security number register in said lock when said security number register in said card key is ahead of said security number register in said lock when said card key is placed on said communication port of said lock to be in communication with said lock;

means for erasing said invalid card key identification number memory when said security number register is advanced; and

means for denying access to all other allowed functions including opening of said lock by a card key when said security number register of said lock is advanced beyond said security number register of said card key.

12. The electronic lock system of claim 11 wherein a circuit in said lock and a circuit in said card key each define a security number corresponding to a memory setting and comparison of selected memory settings is made by comparing security numbers.

13. The electronic lock system of claim 12 wherein said card key contains a use memory which stores time and lock identification information therein with respect to card key usage with any one of said locks.

14. The electronic lock system of claim 11 further including:

an invalid card key identification number memory in said lock and means for inhibiting access to all other allowed functions including opening of said lock by a card key when the card key identification number of said card key is in said invalid card key identification number memory; and

means for erasing said invalid card key identification number memory when said security number register in said lock is advanced.

15. The electronic lock system of claim 14 further including:

an invalid card key identification number memory in said card key and means for adding to the listing of invalid card key identification numbers in said card key memory from said lock memory each time said card key is utilized in a lock.