Claims for Patent # EP0501715

Abstract:
A locking system is utilized to control the locking and unlocking of a lock, such as on a door. The lock includes a magnetic card reader for reading a coded key card into a lock computer which in turn determines functions of and access to the lock. The key card includes a key code, key level code, and key record number stored thereon. The lock includes a memory accessed by the computer which is partitioned and includes a level storage area with level records identified by a lock level code and operational information for the level, and a key storage area for storing lock key records identified by a lock record number and associated with at least one lock level for storing key information associated with the record number. The computer validates a key card by reading and comparing the key level code to the lock level code to determine the level and the key record number to one of the lock record numbers identified with the level in the key storage area. The key code is representative of a real time based on time of issuance, and validation occurs by comparing a lock time to the key code. Additional functions include invalid and valid day operation, diagnostic operation for errors, interrogation for lock information, display keys for displaying lock conditions, and key expiration times to limit access time to the lock.

What is claimed:

1. In a locking system of the type comprising: a lock including a locking means to place the lock in a locked or unlocked condition, a microcomputer including memory, a plurality of keys of different types, each key having a key level code stored thereon, said memory having a control program stored therein for program control of said microcomputer, a key reader coupled with said microcomputer and being adapted to coact with anyone of said keys to read the stored thereon into said microcomputer, and an electrically controlled actuator for controlling said locking means and coupled with an output of said microcomputer, the improvement comprising: : said keys including a selected key having a key record number stored thereon, said memory including a level storage area having a plurality of level records identified by lock level code for storing operational information for a lock level associated with said selected key, and a key storage area having a plurality of lock key records each identified by a lock record number and associated with at least one of said lock levels for storing key information associated with said record number, said microcomputer operating under program control for validating said selected key by reading and comparing said key level code to said lock level code, and upon a match, comparing said key record number to one of said lock record numbers identified with said lock level code, and if said key record number matches one of said lock record numbers, performing said operational information stored with said lock level.

2. A system as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said memory includes program storage area for storing a plurality of operation routines and function routines, each of said routines adapted to perform a different lock operating function, said level storage area including an operation code and a function code associated with each of said lock levels, said microcomputer being operative under program control of said control program for selecting one of said operation routines and one of said function routines identified by said operation code and said function code for operating the lock to perform the functions represented thereby.

3. In a locking system of the type comprising: a lock including a locking means to place the lock in a locked or unlocked condition, a microcomputer including memory, a plurality of keys of different types, each key having a key code and stored thereon, said memory having a control program stored therein for program control of said microcomputer, a key reader coupled with said microcomputer and being adapted to coact with any one of said keys to read the key code stored thereon into said microcomputer, and an electrically controlled actuator for said locking means coupled with an output of said microcomputer, the improvement comprising: : said keys including a selected key having a key record number stored thereon and said key code comprising a new key time, said memory storing a lock record number and a current key time, said microcomputer operating under program control for comparing said key record number with said lock record number, and upon a match, comparing said new key time with said current key time for invalidating said selected key when said new time is less than said current key time, and validating said selected key and replacing said current key time with said new time when said new key time is greater than said current key time.

4. In a locking system of the type comprising: a lock including a locking means to place the lock in a locked or unlocked condition, a microcomputer including memory, a plurality of keys of different types, each key having a key code stored thereon, said memory having a control program stored therein for program control of said microcomputer, a key reader coupled with said microcomputer and being adapted to coact with any one of said keys to read the key code stored thereon into said microcomputer, and an electrically controlled actuator for said locking means coupled with an output of said computer, the improvement comprising: : said plurality of keys including a selected key having a valid day code stored thereon indicative of which days of the week the key will be operative to unlock said lock means, said lock including clock means for producing a clock signal indicative of real time, and said memory means including a timing register for storing real time and day based on said clock means, said microprocessor operating under program control for receiving said valid day code from said selected key and for comparing same with said timing register to allow operation of said lock means when said valid day code equals the day stored in said timing register and to prevent operation of said lock means when said valid day code is not equal to said day stored in said timing register.

5. In a locking system of the type comprising: a lock including a locking means to place the lock in a locked or unlocked condition, a microcomputer including memory, a plurality of keys of different types, each key having a key code and a control code stored thereon, said memory having a control program stored therein for program control of said microcomputer, a key reader coupled with said microcomputer and being adapted to coact with any one of said keys to read the key code and control code stored thereon into said microcomputer, and an electrically controlled actuator for said locking means coupled with an output of said computer, the improvement comprising: : said plurality of keys including a selected key having including a key property code and a plurality of key pass group codes stored thereon, said memory including a register for storing a lock property code and a pass number for storing a plurality of lock pass group codes associated with said lock; ; said microcomputer operating under program control for receiving and comparing said key property code and said key pass group code to said lock property code and said lock pass group codes, respectively, to allow operation of said lock means when said key property code equals said lock property code and said key pass group code equals at least one of said lock pass group codes, and to prevent operation of said lock means when said key property code or said key pass group code is not equal to said lock property code or at least one of said lock pass group code, respectively.

6. A system as set forth in Claim 18 wherein each of said plurality of lock pass group codes and said plurality of key pass group codes having first and second logic states, said microcomputer operating under program control for reading each of said key pass group codes in said first logic state and for comparing same to said lock pass group codes to allow operation of said lock means when said associated lock pass group code is in the first logic state and for preventing operation of said lock means when the associated lock pass group code is in the second logic state.

7. In a locking system of the type comprising: a lock including a locking means to place the lock in a locked or unlocked condition, a microcomputer including memory, a plurality of keys of different types, each key having a key code stored thereon, said memory having a control program stored therein for program control of said microcomputer, a key reader coupled with said microcomputer and being adapted to coact with any one of said keys to read the key code and control code stored thereon into said microcomputer, and an electrically controlled actuator for said locking means coupled with an output of said computer, the improvement comprising: : said plurality of keys including a selected key having a key property code and key batch sequence code stored thereon, said memory including a property for storing a lock property code and a batch for storing a plurality of lock batch sequence codes having valid and invalid conditions, said microcomputer operating under program control for receiving and comparing said key property code and said key sequence number to said lock property code and said lock sequence codes, respectively, and for allowing operation of said lock means when said key property code equals said lock property code and said key sequence number equals at least one of said lock sequence codes having a valid condition, and to prevent operation of said lock means when said key property code is not equal to said lock property code or when said key sequence number equals one of said lock sequence codes in said invalid condition.

8. A system as set forth in Claim 7 wherein said memory stores a current batch sequence code representing the key batch sequence code of the last used valid key, said microcomputer operating under program control for reading said key batch sequence and for comparing same to said current batch sequence code to allow operation of said lock when said key batch sequence code equals said current batch sequence code, or comparing key batch sequence code to the lock batch sequence codes to allow operation when said key batch sequence code equals lock batch sequence code having said valid condition whereupon said lock sequence code is set to said invalid condition and stored in said current batch code and wherein said memory current lock code, said microcomputer operating under program control for receiving said key code and for determining whether the key code on the selected key has a predetermined requisite relationship to said lock code indicating a new key and if so, for resetting each of said lock sequence codes to said valid condition, storing said key code in said lock code register, and for storing said key sequence number from said selected key code in said current batch code register while setting said lock sequence code which is equal to said key sequence number, to the invalid condition.

9. In a locking system of the type comprising: a lock including a locking means to place the lock in a locked or unlocked condition, microcomputer including memory, a plurality of keys of different types, each key having a key code and a control code stored thereon, said memory having a control program stored therein for program control of said microcomputer and lock field stored therein, a key reader coupled with said microcomputer and being adapted to coact with any one of said keys to read the key code and control code stored thereon into said microcomputer, and an electrically controlled actuator for said locking means coupled with an output of said computer, the improvement comprising: : said memory including a plurality of lock fields for storing information particular to the lock, said keys including a primary program key having a plurality of authorization fields having set and unset conditions for specifying which of said lock fields are authorized to be changed, and a program information key for providing information for substitution into said authorized lock fields, said microcomputer operating under program control for reading and identifying said authorized lock fields from said primary program key and for reading the information from said program information key and storing same in said authorized lock fields.

10. In a locking system of the type comprising: a lock including a locking means to place the lock in a locked or unlocked condition, a microcomputer including memory, said memory having a control program stored therein for program control of said microcomputer, eliminate that related to keys, and an electrically controlled actuator for said locking means coupled with an output of said computer, the improvement comprising: : clock means for producing a clock signal indicative of real time, said memory including an unlatch record for storing start and end times and a timing register for storing the real time based on said clock means, said microprocessor operating under program control for comparing said unlatch record with said timing register and for automatically placing said locking means in said unlock condition when said real time is between said start and end times.

11. In a locking system of the type comprising: a lock including a locking means to place the lock in a locked or unlocked condition, a microcomputer including memory, a plurality of keys of different types, each key having a key level code stored thereon, said memory having a control program stored therein for program control of said microcomputer, a key reader coupled with said microcomputer and being adapted to coact with any one of said keys to read the stored thereon into said microcomputer, and an electrically controlled actuator for controlling said locking means and coupled with an output of said microcomputer, the improvement comprising: : said keys including a selected key having a sequence field for storing a key sequence number and combination code enciphered together; said memory storing a lock combination code, current sequence number, and sequence range; said microcomputer operating under program control for reading said sequence field and deciphering said key sequence number based on said lock combination code, and for performing validation when said key sequence number equals is greater than said current sequence number by a range less than said sequence range.