Apparatus and method for controlled access to a secured location

• US 5,451,757 A
• Filed: 04/22/1990
• Issued: 09/19/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brink's Incorporated (The Brink's Company)
• Original Assignee: Brink's Incorporated (The Brink's Company)
• Inventors: Heath, William D. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald
• Assistant Examiner(s): FILIPEK, JEFFER
• Application Number:
  US08/231,326
• Time in Patent Office: 1,976 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/381, 235/382, 235/382.5, 379/145, 379/102, 379/103, 379/104, 379/105, 379/445, 902/10, 902/9, 902/3, 340/825.31, 340/825.34, 340/825.35, 364/479
• US Class Current: 340/5.4
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/06 Coin boxes

Abstract

A system for authorizing access to a secured device, such as an automated teller machine (ATM) or a pay telephone, without a key or combination for the secured device, and without a fixed communication link extending to the device. An encoded access message is produced which identifies a present access code previously stored at the secured device, the personal identification number (PIN) of a technician, and the identification number of a particular portable terminal. The technician manually enters the encoded access message and a PIN into the terminal, which verifies the identification number of the terminal and the manually-entered PIN against information encoded in the access message. If that information is authenticated, the portable terminal is connected to the secured device. The encoded access message is transferred from the terminal to the secured device, which compares an access code previously stored at that device with information contained in the access message. The proper PIN also is re-entered. Access is granted only if all information is verified by information in the encoded access message. If access is allowed, the access code at the secured device is replaced by a new access code from the encoded access message, and that new access code is stored for the next authorized access to the particular secured device.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining selective access to a cash-receiving device having means for preventing unauthorized access to cash box, comprising the steps of:

generating an access message containing a present access code for a present access to a particular cash-receiving device an a new access code for a subsequent authorized access to the device;

entering that access message into a portable terminal separate from the device;

transferring the portable terminal to the device;

entering into the portable terminal a personal identification number (PIN) for a certain person authorized to access the device;

comparing the PIN entered into the portable terminal with a PIN known to the portable terminal and producing a certain logic state only when the entered PIN bears a predetermined relation to the known PIN;

transferring the access message from the portable terminal to the device only when the certain logic state is produced;

comparing the present access code in the transferred access message with an access code stored at the device to provide an authorization signal allowing access to the cash box only when a predetermined relation exits between the present and the stored access codes; and

in response to the predetermined relation between access codes, replacing the access code stored in the device with the new access code in the access message so that the transferred new access code becomes stored at the device for comparison with a subsequent present access code when a subsequent access is sought to the cash box a the particular device.

2. The method as in claim 1, comprising the further steps of:

affixing to each cash box an encoded label identifying that cash box; and

scanning the label on a cash box removed from the device and the label on an empty cash box replacing the removed cash box with a scanner associated with the portable terminal, so as to produce signals identifying the removed and replacement cash boxes and store those signals in the portable terminal.

3. The method as in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

generating the access message at a known time; and

providing the authorization signal for the device only during a predetermined time after the known time, so that an attempt to access the device after the predetermined time will not succeed.

4. Apparatus for obtaining selective access to a cash-receiving device having a selectively accessible cash box and an element for preventing unauthorized access to the cash box, comprising:

means associated with the device and operative to receive and stored an access code required for a next authorized access to the device;

a portable terminal separate from the device and operative to receive an access message containing an access code;

means associated with the portable terminal for entering a personal identification number (PIN) for a certain person authorized to access the device;

means associated with the portable terminal for producing a certain logic state when the entered PIN bears a predetermined relation to a PIN previously imparted to the portable terminal;

data transfer means associated with the terminal and selectively operative to transfer the access message to the device only when the certain logic state is present;

means associated with the device for comparing the access code in the transferred access message to an access code stored at the device and operative to provide an authorization signal only in response to a predetermined relation between the access codes, whereby the element allows access to the cash box;

an encoded label associated with cash box to identify that cash box; and

a scanner associated with the portable terminal and operative to scan the label on a first cash box associated with the device and on a second cash box for association with the device, whereby signals identifying the first and second cash boxes are stored in the portable terminal.

5. Apparatus as in claim 4, wherein:

the encoded label contains information to identify the location of the device from which the cash box is removed.

6. Apparatus for obtaining selective access to a cash-receiving device having a selectively accessible cash box and an element for preventing unauthorized access to the cash box, comprising:

a processor associated with the device and operative to receive and store and access code required for the next access to the device;

a portable terminal separate from the device and operative to receive an access message containing an access code;

a data entry device associated with the portable terminal for entering a personal identification number (PIN) for a certain person authorized to access the device;

a processor associated with the portable terminal for producing a certain logic state when the entered PIN bears a predetermined relation to a PIN previously imparted to the portable terminal;

data transfer means associated with the terminal and selectively operative to transfer the access message to the device only when the certain logic state is present;

the processor associated with the device is operative to compared the access code in the transferred access message to an access code stored at the device and provide an authorization signal allowing access to the cash box only in response to a predetermined relation between the access codes;

an encoded label associated with each cash box to identify that cash box; and

a scanner associated with the portable terminal to scan the label on a first cash box associated with the device and on a second cash box associated with the device, whereby signals identifying the first and second cash boxes are stored in the portable terminal.

7. A method for allowing access to a selected one of plural secured devices remotely located from a dispatch location, comprising the steps of:

generating at the dispatch location a present access code including a personal identification number (PIN) for a person authorized to access the selected secured device, the present access code being determined by the identity of the selected secured device and corresponding only to an access code required to grant the next authorized access to that selected secured device;

transferring the generated present access code to a particular secured device and entering generated access code to the particular secured device;

comparing the entered present access code with an access code supplied by the particular secured device;

entering a PIN at the selected secured device;

granting access to the particular secured device only if the comparison of PINs indicates that the entered PIN bears a predetermined relation to the PIN included in the present access code and if the comparison of access codes verifies that the particular secured device is the selected secured device; and

in response to said granting of access, enabling the particular secured device to supply a subsequent access code that is also obtainable from the dispatch location, in place of the present access code generated at the dispatch location, so that the particular secured device no longer is accessible in response to entry of the present access code obtained at the dispatch location but becomes accessible in response to entry of the subsequent access code.

8. The method as in claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

encrypting the PIN in the present access code; and

then

decrypting the encrypted PIN in the present access code after the present access code is transferred to the particular secured device; and

wherein

the step of comparing access codes includes comparing the decrypted PIN with the entered PIN, so that access to the particular secured device is granted only if the entered PIN bears a predetermined relation to the decrypted PIN.