U.S. patent number 3,800,284 [Application Number 05/323,098] was granted by the patent office on 1974-03-26 for electronic combination lock and lock system.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Pitney-Bowes, Inc.. Invention is credited to Alton B. Eckert, Seymour Feinland, Bruce E. Hinman, Fredric E. Zucker.
United States Patent |
3,800,284 |
Zucker , et al. |
March 26, 1974 |
ELECTRONIC COMBINATION LOCK AND LOCK SYSTEM
Abstract
An electronic lock system utilizes a function generator at each
access point to generate a pair of digitally encoded lock
combinations, which, when matched by a digitally encoded lock
combination borne by a key, permits access. One of the
combinations, when matched, additionally controls the function
generator to change the other combination to a next combination
based on a pseudo-random number sequence. A central station
utilizes a corresponding function generator to appropriately encode
the various keys which constitute the sole communication link
between the central station and plural access points.
Inventors: |
Zucker; Fredric E. (Stamford,
CT), Eckert; Alton B. (Norwalk, CT), Hinman; Bruce E.
(Ridgefield, CT), Feinland; Seymour (Stamford, CT) |
Assignee: |
Pitney-Bowes, Inc. (Stamford,
CT)
|
Family
ID: |
23257721 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/323,098 |
Filed: |
January 12, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
340/5.26;
340/5.6; 70/277 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07C
9/27 (20200101); G07C 9/00904 (20130101); G07C
9/00571 (20130101); Y10T 70/7062 (20150401) |
Current International
Class: |
G07C
9/00 (20060101); H04q 003/00 (); G06k 007/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;340/147R,147MD,149R,164R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Yusko; Donald J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Soltow, Jr.; William D. Scribner;
Albert W. Wittstein; Martin D.
Claims
Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired
to secure by Letters Patent is:
1. A combination lock comprising, in combination:
A. entry means for accepting a lock combination entry;
B. means for establishing first and second lock combinations:
C. comparing means responsive to a match between a lock combination
entry and either one of said first and second lock combinations for
developing an access enabling signal; and
D. logic means responsive to a match between a lock combination
entry and said second combination for controlling said establishing
means to cancel said first combination and establish a third
combination in conjunction with said second combination, wherein
said first, second and third combinations are successive lock
combinations derived from consecutive numbers in a pseudo-random
sequence.
2. The combination lock of claim 1, wherein said logic means
further controls said establishing means to establish said second
combination in place of said first combination and said third
combination in place of said second combination for any subsequent
lock combination entry.
3. The combination lock of claim 2, wherein said establishing means
is a function generator capable of being indexed by said logic
means through the consecutive numbers in said pseudo-random
sequence.
4. A combination lock system comprising, in combination:
A. a combination lock located at each of a plurality of access
points, each said lock including
1. entry means for accepting a lock combination entry,
2. means for establishing first and second lock combinations,
3. comparing means responsive to a match between a lock combination
entry and either one of said first and second lock combinations for
developing an access enabling signal, and
4. logic means responsive to a match between a lock combination
entry and said second combination for controlling said establishing
means to cancel said first combination and establish a third
combination in conjunction with said second combination, wherein
said first, second and third combinations are successive lock
combinations derived from consecutive numbers in a pseudo-random
sequence; and
B. a central station including
1. a memory storing at least one of said first and second lock
combinations established in each said combination lock,
2. means for accessing said memory to retrieve the stored lock
combination for a selected one of said combination locks,
3. means for deriving the next successive lock combination to said
retrieved lock combination for said selected one combination lock
and entering said next successive lock combination in said memory,
and
4. readout means for communicating said retrieved and next
successive lock combinations to persons seeking access.
5. The combination lock system of claim 4, wherein said retrieved
lock combination corresponds to said first lock combination
established at said selected one combination lock and said next
successive lock combination corresponds to said second combination
at said selected one combination lock.
6. The combination lock system of claim 4, wherein said
establishing means in each said combination lock and said deriving
means in said central station are corresponding function generators
capable of being indexed through the consecutive numbers in said
pseudo-random sequence.
7. The combination lock system of claim 6, wherein the lock
combinations are encoded on a record member, said readout means at
said central station is a recorder for recording a lock combination
on a record member and said entry means in each said combination
lock is a reader for reading the lock combination from a record
member.
8. An electronic combination lock comprising, in combination:
A. a lock mechanism;
B. means for generating a digital readout of an encoded lock
combination borne by a key;
C. a function generator for generating first and second digitally
encoded lock combinations;
D. a first comparator for comparing said first lock combination
with said key readout and, upon comparison, generating a first
compare signal effective to initiate actuation of said lock
mechanism;
E. a second comparator for comparing said second lock combination
with said key readout and, upon comparison, generating a second
compare signal also effective to initiate actuation of said lock
mechanism; and
F. logic means responsive to said second compare signal for
controlling said function generator to cease generating said first
lock combination and to generate a third digitally encoded lock
combination, wherein said first, second and third lock combinations
are successive lock combinations derived from consecutive numbers
in a pseudo-random number sequence.
9. The electronic combination lock of claim 8, wherein said logic
means further controls said function generator to generate said
second lock combination in place of said first lock combination and
to generate said third lock combination in place of said second
lock combination signal for any subsequent key readout.
10. The electronic combination lock of claim 9, wherein said logic
means indexes said function generator through the consecutive
numbers in said pseudo-random sequence.
11. The electronic combination lock of claim 10, which further
includes reset means responsive to a key readout signifying a
combination reset function for conditioning said function generator
to generate first and second lock combinations based on a
predetermined lock reset combination.
12. The electronic combination lock of claim 11, wherein said
predetermined reset combination is derived from a key readout
entered into said function generator.
13. An electronic combination lock system comprising, in
combination:
A. an electronic combination lock located at each of a plurality of
access points, each said lock including
1. a lock mechanism,
2. reading means for generating a digital readout of an encoded
lock combination borne by a key,
3. a function generator for generating first and second digitally
encoded lock combinations,
4. a first comparator responsive to a comparison between said first
lock combination and said key readout for generating a first
compare signal effective to initiate actuation of said lock
mechanism,
5. a second comparator responsive to a comparison between said
second lock combination and said key readout for generating a
second compare signal also effective to initiate actuation of said
lock mechanism, and
6. logic means responsive to said second compare signal for
controlling said function generator to generate said second lock
combination in place of said first lock combination and to generate
a third digitally encoded lock combination in place of said second
lock combination, wherein said first, second and third lock
combinations are successive combinations derived from consecutive
numbers in a pseudo-random number sequence; and
B. a central station including
1. a memory storing at least one of said digitally encoded lock
combinations being generated in each said electronic combination
lock,
2. means for accessing said memory to retrieve the stored lock
combination for a selected one of said electronic combination
locks,
3. a function generator for deriving the next successive lock
combination to said retrieved lock combination from said
pseudo-random sequence for said selected one electronic combination
lock and entering said next successive lock combination in said
memory, and
4. recording means for encoding keys with said retrieved and said
next successive lock combinations.
14. A hotel electronic combination lock system, comprising in
combination:
A. a separate electronic combination lock for controlling access to
each guest room, each said electronic combination lock
including
1. reading means for generating a digital readout of an encoded
lock combination borne by a key,
2. a function generator for generating separate and distinct
digitally encoded guest, guest change, maid and maid change lock
combinations,
3. a first comparator responsive to a comparison between said guest
lock combination and said key readout for generating a first
compare signal,
4. a second comparator responsive to a comparison between said
guest change lock combination and said key readout for generating a
second compare signal,
5. a third comparator responsive to a comparison between said maid
lock combination and said key readout for generating a third
compare signal,
6. a fourth comparator responsive to a comparison between said maid
change lock combination and said key readout for generating a
fourth compare signal,
7. gating means responsive to any one of said first, second, third
and fourth compare signals for generating a room access enabling
signal, and
8. logic means responsive to said second compare signal for
controlling said function generator to generate said guest change
lock combination in place of said guest lock combination and to
generate a third new guest change lock combination in place of said
guest change lock combination, wherein said guest, guest change and
new guest change lock combinations are successive combinations
derived from consecutive numbers in a pseudo-random number
sequence, said logic means being further responsive to said fourth
compare signal for controlling said function generator to generate
said maid change lock combination in place of said maid lock
combination and to generate a new maid change lock combination in
place of said maid change lock combination, wherein said maid, maid
change and new lock combinations are successive combinations
derived from consecutive numbers in a pseudo-random number
sequence; and
B. a central station for administering said electronic combination
locks, said central station including
1. a random access memory storing at least one of said guest and
guest change lock combinations and at least one of said maid and
maid change lock combinations being generated in each of said
electronic combination locks,
2. means for accessing said memory to retrieve a selected stored
lock combination for the electronic combination lock controlling
access to a selected guest room,
3. a function generator for deriving the said successive lock
combination to said retrieved lock combination for said selected
one electronic lock and entering same in said memory in the place
of said retrieved lock combination, and
4. a recorder for encoding keys with said retrieved and next
successive lock combinations for use by guests and maids authorized
for access to the selected guest room.
15. The hotel lock system of claim 14 which further includes means
responsive to separate guest or maid combination reset indications
included in said key readout for controlling said function
generator to generate predetermined guest or maid lock reset
combinations as said guest or maid lock combinations,
respectively.
16. The hotel lock system of claim 15 wherein said guest or maid
lock reset combinations are derived from said key readout by said
function generator.
17. The hotel lock system of claim 16 wherein said predetermined
guest and maid lock reset combinations for each said electronic
combination lock are separately stored in and retrieveable from
said random access memory.
18. The hotel lock system of claim 14, which further includes means
responsive to a maid lockout indication included in said key
readout for suppressing said third and fourth compare signals.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Prior art electronic lock systems of type contemplated herein, as
exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,694,810, 3,673,569, 3,662,342,
3,622,991 and 3,599,454, require special wiring to link a central
station to each of the various access points in the system. This
has the distinct disadvantage of rendering installation very
expensive. On the other hand, standalone electronic locks, such as
exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,700,859, 3,688,269, 3,587,051 and
others, are not conducive to convenient changing of the access
enabling code, since to do this requires adjustment of each lock at
the various access points.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an
electronic security, access control or lock system which
efficiently overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.
A more specific object of the invention is to provide a system of
the above character wherein each access point or location functions
in standalone fashion, without special wiring linking it to a
central station.
Still another more specific object of the invention is to provide a
system of the above character wherein the access enabling code or
lock combination is automatically changed in pseudo-random fashion
on appropriate, preselected occasions so as to provide a virtually
secure system.
Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part
be made apparent from the specification and claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The electronic lock system of the present invention, while
disclosed herein in its application in a hotel or motel lock
system, is equally applicable to a wide variety of security systems
where controlled access at a plurality of remote locations is
desired. In accordance with the invention, a standalone electric
combination lock is provided at each controlled access point. A
function generator included in each combination lock generates a
"current" digitally encoded access enabling code or combination in
conjunction with a digitally encoded access enabling "change" code
or combination. Electronic logic, upon detection of a match between
either one of the internally generated combinations and a
combination entered by a person seeking access, generates an access
enabling signal to, for example, release a lock mechanism. However,
when the "change" combination is matched, the logic additionally
triggers the function generator to generate a "new" combination in
lieu of the previous "current" combination anf further provides
that the previous "change" combination becomes the "current"
combination, while the "new" combination becomes the "change"
combination. Thus, a person equiped with the previous "current"
combination is denied access, while persons having the now
"current" combination and/or the now "change" combination are
afforded access.
The successions of different combination pairs generated by the
function generators in the various combination locks follow a
predetermined pseudo-random number sequence which is capable of
duplication by a corresponding function generator located at a
central station. A memory at the central station separately stores
one or both of the combinations then prevailing at each access
point. When the appropriate occassion arises, the change
combination for the combination lock at a selected access point is
retrieved from the memory or the change combination is derived by
the function generator based on the current combination for the
combination lock at the selected access point as retrieved from the
memory and is given to the person or persons authorized for
access.
In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the change
combination or, in some instances, the current combination is
digitally encoded on a record element, which takes the form of a
key, by an encoding mechanism, such as a keymaker. The key is then
taken by the authorized person to the access point where the
combination is entered into the combination lock by a key reader or
the like. It is understood that the key may take a variety of
physical forms and be fashioned from numerous materials. Also, the
encoding thereof may utilize a variety of well known techniques. It
will also be appreciated that the access enabling combination could
be communicated to the authorized person in a readily intelligble
form, such as orally or imprinted in numeric form, and the
authorized person may then enter the combination via a keyboard or
the like to gain access.
In the hotel lock system application of the present invention
herein specifically disclosed, a current combination is given to
each guest, thereby giving access to the room for which he is
registered. When this guest checks out, the next guest to occupy
that room is given the change combination applicable thereto. The
first time this next guest uses his change combination to access
his room, the electronic combination lock automatically, in effect,
cancels the previous current combination to deny room access to the
previous guest. The combination possessed by this next guest
becomes the current combination, while the internally generated new
combination becomes the change combination preparatory for the
arrival of the next subsequent guest.
As an additional feature of the invention, the function generator
in each combination lock also generates a current combination and a
change combination specifically for use by hotel personnel, such as
maids, who require daily access to the rooms. The electronic
combination lock and central station of the invention utilize these
maid combinations to afford room access in the same manner as in
the case of the guest combinations. The electronic combination lock
logic is also equipped to respond to a special and individually
unique lockout code given to the guest, which is effective to
temporarily inhibit room access to the maid. Also, the logic is
equipped to respond to a reset code applicable to either the guest
or maid combinations to permit the entry of a predetermined access
enabling combination into the function generator to, in effect,
reset it to a known point in its pseudo-random number generation
sequence. This reset function would be typically implemented in the
event the function generator in a particular electronic combination
lock gets out of step with the central station, i.e., desk.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,
combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be
exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the
scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the
invention, reference should be made to the following detailed
description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
FIG. 1 is a logic block diagram of an electronic combination lock
constructed in accordance with the invention for specific
application in a hotel lock system;
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the construction of a
central station adapted for system operation with a plurality of
the electronic combination locks exemplified in FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is a logic block diagram of one form of a function generator
utilized in each electronic combination lock of FIG. 1 and in the
central station of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The electronic combination lock, shown in FIG. 1 in a form
applicable to a hotel lock system application, includes a key
reader 10 for reading a digitally encoded access enabling
combination recorded on a key 12 inserted therein. The particular
recording and encoding techniques employed are not material to the
present invention, but, by way of example, the access enabling
combination may be recorded in the shank of key 12 in the form of
digitally encoded perforations or holes, such as disclosed in U.S.
Pat. No. 3,688,269. The combination read from key 12 by key reader
10 is temporaily stored in a register 14 and from which it is put
out on a data bus 16. The combination in register 14 is thus
supplied over connection 17 to a guest comparator 18, over
connection 19 to a maid comparator 20, over connection 21 to a next
maid comparator 22, and over connection 23 to a next guest
comparator 24.
A function generator 26, included in each electronic combination
lock of the invention, simultaneously generates a current or guest
combination G COMB in digitally encoded signal form for application
over connection 27 to the guest comparator 18, a current or maid
combination M COMB in digitally encoded signal form for application
over connection 28 to maid comparator 20, a change or next maid
combination NM COMB for application over connection 29 to next maid
comparator 22, and a change or next guest combination NG COMB for
application over connection 30 to next guest comparator 24. If the
combination stored in register 14 and impressed on data bus 16
compares with any one of the four combinations generated by
function generator 26, one of the four comparators 18, 20, 22 and
24 will generate a true output, either G COMP on output lead 34
from guest comparator 18, M COMP on output lead 35 from maid
comparator 20, NM COMP on output lead 36 from next maid comparator
22 or NG COMP on output lead 37 from next guest comparator 24. A
true output from any one of these comparators is gated through an
OR gate 40 as an access enabling signal on output lead 42 to a lock
mechanism 44. This access enabling signal may serve to initiate
actuation of a solenoid, or the like, releasing the lock mechanism
to thereby afford room access to the possesser of key 12.
As long as the access enabling combination entered into register 14
is either a current guest combination G COMB or a current maid
combination M COMB, the resulting comparator output, either G COMP
or M COMP, is gated through OR gate 40 as an access enabling signal
to the lock mechanism. If the person seeking room access possesses
a change combination, i.e., either the next maid combination NM
COMB or the next guest combination NG COMB generated by function
generator 26, the resulting comparator output, either NM COMP or NG
COMP, in addition to releasing lock mechanism 44, is fed back over
leads 36a or 37a to the function generator. As will be seen more
clearly from FIG. 3, the function generator 26 operates in response
to the receipt of either of these signals to generate a new current
combination and a new change combination for either the guest or
the maid, as the case may be. In practice, the logic of the
function generator 26 is designed such that the change combination,
NM COMB or NG COMB, becomes the current combination, G COMB or M
COMB, and the function generator is, in effect, indexed or
incremented so as to generate a new combination which is the next
combination derived from a pseudo-random number sequence for which
the function generator 26 is programmed to generate. The logic of
the function generator, in effect, adopts this next combination as
the new change combination NM COMB or NG COMB, as the case may
be.
It is thus seen that the possesser of the key 12 bearing the change
combination is afforded room access while at the same time
triggering the electronic combination lock of the invention to
change the internally generated access enabling combinations which
must be matched to be afforded subsequent room access. However,
since the change combination which precipitated the changing of the
lock combinations now becomes the current combination, the
possesser of this key is assured subsequent room access since the
combination encoded therein is thereafter treated as a current
combination and not as a change combination. It will be appreciated
that possessers of the keys bearing the previous current
combination are denied room access.
In the application of the electronic combination lock of FIG. 1 in
a hotel lock system, a registered guest is provided with a key 12
having the guest combination G COMB encoded therein for the
electronic combination lock to the room for which he is assigned.
Using this key, this guest is afforded continuing room access. When
this guest checks out and a next guest is assigned the same room,
the next guest receives a key encoded with the next guest
combination NM COMB (change combination). The first time this new
key is used in the electronic combination lock whose function
generator 26 is generating the same change combination, the access
enabling signal is generated to lock mechanism 44 and the function
generator is incremented to generate the next combination in the
pseudo-random number sequence. The logic circuitry of the function
generator then converts the next guest combination NG COMB to the
guest combination G COMB, and the new combination becomes the next
guest combination NG COMB.
Maid keys encoded with the maid combination M COMB and the next
maid combination NM COMB are used in the same manner as the
combination encoded guest keys to control room access. Typically,
in the case of the maids, a plurality of electronic combination
locks of the invention, e.g., those on the same floor, will contain
the same maid combination M COMB and next maid combination NM
COMB.
Still referring to FIG. 1, guests may be provided with a key having
a special lockout combination encoded therein. This lockout
combination imposed on data bus 16 is compared in a comparator 50
with a lockout combination held in a register 52 unique to each
electronic combination lock. When the lockout combinations match,
the output of comparator 50 sets a flip-flop 54, causing its reset
output on lead 56 to go false. This false reset output is supplied
as an inhibiting input to the maid comparator 20 and the next maid
comparator 22, with the result that the comparator outputs M COMP
and NM COMP otherwise issuing upon the entry into the electronic
lock of the maid and next maid combinations are supressed. It is
thus seen that the guests can effectively lock out the maid. To
remove this lockout function, the guest enters the appropriate
access enabling combination, either the guest combination G COMB or
the next guest combination NG COMB. The resulting comparator output
signal, either G COMP or NG COMP, is gated through OR gate 40 as
the access enabling signal to lock mechanism 44. This access
enabling signal is also gated through an OR gate 58 to force
flip-flop 54 to its reset condition, thereby imposing a true
condition on its reset output and thereby removing the inhibiting
input from the maid and next maid comparators 20 and 22.
On occassion, it may become necessary to reset the function
generator 26 in a particular electronic combination lock to a
starting position, suct that it is generating a predetermined guest
or maid combination pair. To this end, a key 12 is provided having
encoded therein a reset flag digit or digits and the particular
combination to which the function generator 26 is to be reset.
Desirably, the guest and maid combinations are reset separately,
but may be reset concurrently with a single key. As seen in FIG. 1,
a reset register 60 stores a guest reset flag digit GR FLAG which
is imposed on output connection 62 and a maid reset flag digit MR
FLAG which is imposed on an output connection 64. The guest reset
flag digit is supplied as one input to a comparator 66 while the
maid reset flag digit is supplied as one input to a separate
comparator 68. The other input to each of these comparators is
derived from data bus 16. If a guest reset flag digit GR FLAG is
entered, comparator 66 supplies an output GR COMP on lead 70 to the
function generator, conditioning it to accept the guest reset
combination also present on data bus 16 and supplied thereto over
connection 72. As will be seen from FIG. 3, function generator 26
derives the next guest combination NG COMB from the guest
combination G COMB, and thus to reset function generator 26, it is
only necessary to enter the guest reset combination as encoded on
key 12 which then becomes the guest combination G COMB.
If it is desired to reset the maid combination, a key 12 encoded
with the appropriate maid reset flag digit and the maid reset
combination is inserted in key reader 10. Recognition of the maid
reset flag MR FLAG on data bus 16 causes comparator 68 to generate
a maid reset signal MR COMP on output lead 74 which is returned to
the function generator 26, conditioning it to accept the maid reset
combination appearing on data bus 16 and supplied over connection
72. The generator 26 supplies this maid reset combination as the
maid combination M COMB on output connection 28 and derives from
this the next maid combination NM COMB which is imposed on output
connection 29. The comparator outputs GR COMP are gated together in
an OR gate 76 and supplied over lead 77 to OR gate 58, thereby
insuring that flip-flop 54 is reset to remove any pre-existing
lockout function.
The administration of a hotel lock system comprising a plurality of
the electronic combination locks of FIG. 1 is carried out at a
central station, such as the hotel desk, whose principle system
components are shown in FIG. 2. As seen therein, these components
include a keyboard 80, a random access memory 82, a key maker 84
and function generator 86 corresponding to the function generator
26 in each of the electronic combination locks. Keyboard 80
accesses the memory 82 by room number under which is stored the
guest and maid combination G COMB and M COMB then being generated
by the function generator 26 in the electronic combination lock
located thereat. Also stored in the memory in each room number
address access location is the appropriate lock-out combination,
guest and maid reset flag digits, and guest and maid reset
combinations.
To issue a new key to a guest just checking in, memory 82 is
accessed by keyboard 80 under the room number of the room being
assigned and the guest combination G COMB is retrieved. This guest
combination is routed by a switch 88 to function generator 86 which
proceeds to derive therefrom the change or next guest combination
NG COMB. This next combination at the output of function generator
86 is returned to the memory for storage in the address location
where the guest combination had just been retrieved to become the
current guest combination G COMB. At the same time, this next guest
combination is supplied to key maker 86 which encodes a key 12
accordingly. If it is desired to issue a duplicate key to a
particular guest, the appropriate guest combination G COMB is
retrieved from the memory 82 and routed by switch 88 directly to
the key maker. Since the function generator 86 is not operative in
this instance, the guest combination, as stored in its assigned
memory location, is unaltered. Similarly, should a guest desire a
maid lockout key, memory 82 is accessed by keyboard 80 to retrieve
the lockout combination for the electronic combination lock to the
guest's room, and this combination is routed by switch 88 directly
to the key maker 84. To issue a guest or maid reset combination for
a particular room, memory 82 is accessed and the reset flag digit
and reset combination are routed by switch 88 directly to the key
maker. In this instance, a second switch 90 is closed such that the
reset combination retrieved from the memory is stored as the guest
combination G COMB or maid combination M COMB, as the case may be,
in place of the combination previously stored there. This reset
combination then becomes the current guest combination affording
room access. With the arrival of the next guest, the reset
combination is retrieved from memory and supplied to the function
generator through routing switch 88 with switch 90 open. The
function generator then generates the next guest combination which
is returned to memory 82 and also used by the key maker 84 to
encode this next guest's key.
The function generator 26 seen in FIG. 3 includes a guest
combination register 100 and a maid combination register 102.
Register 100 stores the guest combination G COMB which is impressed
on output connection 27 to the guest comparator 18 (FIG. 1), while
register 102 stores the maid combination M COMB which is supplied
on output connection 28 to maid comparator 20. The next guest
combination NG COMB supplied on output connection 30 is derived
from the guest combination G COMB by adding to the latter a number
which corresponds to the increment by the pseudorandom number
sequence generated by function generator 26. Thus, se seen in FIG.
3, the guest combination stored in register 100 is added to the
increment number stored in a register 104 by an adder 106 to derive
the next guest combination NG COMB on output connection 30.
Similarly, in the case of the maid combination, the content of
register 102 is augmented by a fixed increment member stored in a
register 108 by an adder 110 to derive the next maid combination NM
COMB on output connection 29.
Further as seen in FIG. 3, the next guest combination on output
connection 30 is normally supplied through a multiplexer 112 to the
input of guest combination register 100. When the next guest
combination NG COMB is entered into the electronic combination
lock, the comparator output signal NG COMB on comparator output
lead 37a returned to the function generator 26 is gated through an
OR gate 114 to control the guest combination register 100 to accept
the next guest combination NG COMB supplied thereto by multiplexer
112. It is thus seen that register 110 now contains the next guest
combination which becomes the guest combination G COMB generated on
output connection 27, while the new next guest combination NG COMB
is generated on output connection 30 from adder 106.
Similarly, when the next maid combination NM COMB is entered into
the electronic combination lock, the comparator output NM COMP on
lead 36a returned to function generator 26 is routed to OR gate 116
causing the maid combination register 102 to accept the next maid
combination supplied thereto from the output of adder 110 via a
multiplexer 118.
When the situation arises to reset the guest and/or maid
combination, the appropriate reset flag digit and reset combination
are entered into the electronic combination lock of FIG. 1 via key
reader 10, as previously described. If the guest combination is to
be reset, the entry of the guest reset flag digit causes comparator
66 to generate the output GR COMP on lead 70, returning to function
generator 26. This signal conditions multiplexer 112 to connect
data bus 16 via connection 72 to the input of guest combination
register 100. This signal GR COMP is also supplied through OR gate
114 to condition the guest reset register 100 to accept the reset
combination from data bus 16 via multiplexer 112. Upon entry of the
guest reset combination therein, it becomes the guest combination G
COMB on output connection 27 and, since this same combination is
also impressed on data bus 16, guest comparator 18 generates its
output G COMP to afford room access.
To reset the maid combination, entry of the maid reset flag digit
and maid reset combination into the electronic lock combination
lock causes the issuance of the signal MR COMP at the output of
comparator 68. This signal is returned over lead 74 to the function
generator to condition multiplexer 118 so as to connect the data
bus via connection 72 to the input of the maid combination register
102. This signal also conditions the maid combination register 102
via OR gate 116 to accept the entry of the maid reset combination
which is then generated as the maid combination M COMB on output
connection 28 to afford room access. It will be appreciated that
upon the removal of the reset compare signals GR COMP and MR COMP
from their respective multiplexers, the multiplexers revert to
their normal condition of connecting the associated adder outputs
to the inputs of registers 100 and 102.
The function generator 86 (FIG. 2) at the desk would simply
comprise an adder corresponding to adder 106 and a fixed increment
register corresponding to register 104 in order to derive the next
combinations for the various electronic combination locks based on
their current combinations as retrieved from memory 82.
It will be appreciated that the function generator shown in FIG. 3
may in practice be considerably more complex and sophisticated to
enhance the security of the lock system. For example, the function
generator 26 may be a trigonometric function generator or a
logarithmic function generator. Alternatively, a random number
generator may be employed which uses the guest and miad
combinations as seed numbers for generating the next combinations
in accordance with a pseudo-random number algorithm. In this
connection, for example, the fixed increment registers 104 and 108
in the function generator 26 (FIG. 3) could take the form of
pseudo-random number generators which are respectively indexed by
the NG COMP and NM COMP signals, such that variable numbers are
supplied to adders 106 and 110. Additional security can be afforded
by compounding, manipulating, and/or computating the random numbers
generated pursuant to establishing the next combinations. Using
these more sophisticated function generators would permit the
internal derivation of reset combinations rather than requiring the
external entry of the reset combinations via the key reader.
From the foregoing description, it is seen that the present
invention provides an electronic combination lock system including
a plurality of electronic combination locks which are conducive to
being administered from a central location without requiring
electrical connections therebetween. The only link between the
central station and the various electronic combination locks of the
invention are the combination encoded keys possessed by those
persons authorized for access. Consequently, no special wiring is
required to implement the lock system of the invention. Since the
combinations of the various electronic combination locks of the
invention can be changed simply by using a new key encoded with the
appropriate change combination there is no necessity for security
personnel to visit each access point to adjust the lock thereat.
Moreover, upon use of the change combination, possessers of the
previous access enabling combinations who are no longer authorized
access are automatically denied future access.
It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those
made apparent from the preceding description are efficiently
attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above
construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it
is intended that all matter contained in the above description or
shown in the accompanying drawings should be interpretated as
illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
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