Programmable electronic lock
First Claim
1. A programmable electronic lock, comprising:
- a card, having fields respectively encoded with a card code, a shift code, and a card type code;
a card reader;
means for storing said card code;
means for storing said shift code;
means for storing said card type code;
a system code;
means for storing said system code;
means for receiving said card, system, and shift codes, and calculating a key code therefrom;
means for storing said key code;
a plurality of lock codes for said card type code;
means for storing said plurality of lock codes for said card type code;
means for receiving said card type code and retrieving a lock code from said plurality of lock codes for said card type code;
means for receiving and comparing said key code and said lock code;
said means for receiving and comparing said key code and said lock code producing an active output signal at a first output when said key code is equal in value to said lock code;
said means for receiving and comparing said key code and said lock code producing an active signal at a second output when said key code value is within a predetermined tolerance value of said lock code value;
means for setting and storing said predetermined tolerance value;
means for opening a lock responsive to either of said active output signals from said means for receiving and comparing said key code and said lock code;
means for automatically updating said lock code, by replacing said lock code with said key code, responsive to said second active output signal from said means for receiving and comparing said key and said lock codes.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A programmable electronic provides security among multiple users, allows independent use by multiple users of different types, and is modularly adaptable to various applications. Security is provided by the automatic updating of a lock code if an inserted card'"'"'s key code bears a predetermined relation to the stored lock code. The present invention allows multiple types of users to access a given lock without affecting lock codes associated with other types or invalidating the stored lock codes of other users of the same type. For example, in a hotel room lock, a maid'"'"'s key will not change the code for a guest'"'"'s key, and other maid'"'"'s keys will still open a lock after a first maid has accessed the lock if their lock codes are stored in the lock. The present invention also provides an additional functions circuit which allows add-on functions to be attached to the basic circuit to fit the needs of a particular site. Some examples of add-on functions include: a real time clock, a timetable function, a privacy function, an office function, a keyboard function, and a secret code function.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A programmable electronic lock, comprising:
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a card, having fields respectively encoded with a card code, a shift code, and a card type code; a card reader; means for storing said card code; means for storing said shift code; means for storing said card type code; a system code; means for storing said system code; means for receiving said card, system, and shift codes, and calculating a key code therefrom; means for storing said key code; a plurality of lock codes for said card type code; means for storing said plurality of lock codes for said card type code; means for receiving said card type code and retrieving a lock code from said plurality of lock codes for said card type code; means for receiving and comparing said key code and said lock code; said means for receiving and comparing said key code and said lock code producing an active output signal at a first output when said key code is equal in value to said lock code; said means for receiving and comparing said key code and said lock code producing an active signal at a second output when said key code value is within a predetermined tolerance value of said lock code value; means for setting and storing said predetermined tolerance value; means for opening a lock responsive to either of said active output signals from said means for receiving and comparing said key code and said lock code; means for automatically updating said lock code, by replacing said lock code with said key code, responsive to said second active output signal from said means for receiving and comparing said key and said lock codes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 11)
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6. A programmable electronic lock comprising:
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a card, having fields respectively encoded with a card code, a shift code, a card type code, and an additional functions code; a card reader; means for storing said card code; means for storing said shift code; means for storing said type code; means for storing said additional functions code; a system code; means for storing said system code; means for receiving said card, system, and shift codes, and producing a key code therefrom; means for storing said key code; a plurality of lock codes for said card type code; means for storing said plurality of lock codes for said card type code; means for receiving said card type code and retrieving a lock code from said plurality of lock codes for said card type code; means for receiving and comparing said key code and said lock code; said means for receiving and comparing said key code and said lock code producing an active output signal at a first output when said key code is equal in value to said lock code; said means for comparing said key code and said lock code producing an active signal at a second output when said key code value is within a predetermined tolerance value of said lock code value; means for setting and storing said predetermined tolerance value; means for opening a lock, responsive to either of said active output signals from said means for receiving and comparing said key code and said lock code; means for automatically updating said lock code, by replacing said lock code with said key code, responsive to said second active output signal from said means for receiving and comparing said key and said lock codes; and means for connecting a plurality of modular additional elements to adapt a lock to the needs of a particular site. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13)
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14. A programmable electronic lock comprising:
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means for reading a key code from a card; means for storing a lock code in said lock; means for setting and storing an allowable maximum difference between said key code and said lock code; and means, responsive to a difference between said key code and said lock code being less than said allowable maximum difference for enabling activation of said electronic lock. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification