Electronic lock in cylinder of standard lock

Details Electronic lock in cylinder of standard lock Electronic lock in cylinder of standard lock

1998-11-05

2002-05-07

Horabik, Michael (Department: 2635)

Communications: electrical

Selective

Intelligence comparison for controlling

C070S277000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06384711

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electronic security systems, and more particularly to electronic security systems for money-containing devices such as vending machines, etc., which must be periodically accessed by a collector in order to retrieve the funds accumulated in the device or by technicians to perform service and maintenance.
2. Background and Prior Art
Typically, the collection of money from coin or currency operated devices such as pay telephones, transit system fare card machines or the like is a costly and burdensome operation. For instance, a company may own tens or even hundreds of thousands of pay telephones for which tens or hundreds of thousands of keys must be kept in order to prevent the loss of a key from requiring the changing of locks on thousands of devices which would operate with the lost key.
Another problem involved with the collection of funds from currency operated devices is the possibility of fraud or theft by a collector. In some cases, a collector should remove a locked coin box from the device and replace it with an empty lock box to which he does not have access. However, it is possible that a removed coin box will not be replaced with another lock box but rather will be replaced with an unlocked receptacle which can be later removed by that collector before turning in his key at the end of the collection shift. In other cases, the coin box and validator are readily accessible to the collector or technician.
Yet another cost involved in the collection process is the significant manpower required for the task of distributing, collecting, and keeping track of many thousands of keys on a daily basis.
Although electronic security systems are known and have been used for various purposes, see e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,789,859, 4,738,334, 4,697,171, 4,438,426, applicants are unaware of any which specifically address the problems, noted above.
Another problem pertaining to existing locks is that certain mechanical lock structures are not readily adapted and/or modified to include electronic capabilities. For example, existing devices are not available that can easily upgrade vending locks, etc., (such as, for example, standard N.A.M.A. vending locks) to have electronic capabilities.
BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY OF ASSIGNEE
The present invention also improves upon existing technology of the present assignee. This technology is described herein as background to the present invention, rather than as prior art.
The disclosures of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/026,781, entitled ELECTRONIC SECURITY SYSTEM WITH NOVEL ELECTRONIC T-HANDLE LOCK, filed Mar. 5, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,005,487, which is a continuation-in-part of the following application, (2) Ser. No. 07/865,849, filed Apr. 9, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,745,044, which is a continuation-in-part of the following application, (3) Ser. No. 522,017 filed May 11, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,317, are all incorporated herein by reference herein and discussed in this section.
FIGS. 1A and 1B
illustrate an electronic key
100
according to one embodiment. The key has a key body
101
which contains logic and power transfer circuitry, and a key blade
102
with appropriately cut key bits for operating pin tumblers as is known in the art. The key
100
also carries a spring loaded data and power electrical contact
103
, which is made of a suitable material and is preferably gold plated.
Portable battery and logic housing
104
contains a battery power supply and electronic circuitry, a battery charging port
105
, a wrist strap or belt clip
106
, and a plug-connected cable
107
for transferring power and data signals between the housing
104
and the key body
101
.
FIG. 1B
is an end view of the key body showing the orientation of the spring loaded contact
103
with relation to the key blade
102
. The key
100
and connected housing
104
with their components are portable and are referred to as “key means”.
FIG. 2
illustrates a lock cylinder and bolt mechanism included in a housing
201
(with its cover removed). As shown in
FIG. 2
, within the housing is a bolt
202
operated by a lock cylinder
203
containing a key cylinder plug
204
having a keyway
205
for key blade
102
, and an electrical contact
206
which makes contact with the power and data contact
103
of the key body when the key blade
102
is inserted into the key blade opening
205
.
A bolt cam
207
is rotated by the lock cylinder
203
to move the bolt
202
between the locked position shown and an unlocked position in which the bolt is withdrawn downward to be substantially within the housing
201
. The lock housing
201
further includes electronic logic circuitry
208
and an electrically powered solenoid
209
. Solenoid
209
includes a spring biased bolt blocking plunger
210
which, when extended, prevents bolt
202
from being withdrawn by the bolt cam into the housing
201
to its unlocked position. Upon operation of the solenoid
209
, bolt blocking plunger
210
is retracted toward the solenoid to enable the key
100
to be turned in the clockwise direction which rotates bolt cam
207
against the bolt
202
and causes the movement of the bolt
202
downward into the housing
201
.
FIG. 3
illustrates a programmer for writing data into and reading data from the circuitry in key body
104
through cable
107
. The programmer includes a host computer
301
which may be a minicomputer, personal computer, or any other type of computer, but which preferably is an IBM® compatible microcomputer. A key programmer interface unit
302
is connected to the computer
301
by means of a cable
303
which plugs into a communication port of the computer
301
. The programmer interface unit
302
contains a key receptacle
304
having electrical contacts into which the plug end of the key cable
107
is inserted after being disconnected from key body
101
to allow the computer to write into the memory within key housing
104
. The computer
301
is loaded with a software program
305
for loading and retrieving files from the key logic housing
104
.
FIG. 4
illustrates a portable programmer interface unit
401
including a modem which enables the portable programmer interface unit
401
to communicate with the computer
301
through the public switched telephone network (PSTN) via a standard phone jack
402
. In this embodiment, an operator in the field needing to update the contents of files in the key housing
104
would dial up the host computer using a standard phone set
403
which is connectable via a jack to the programmer interface
401
. Once communication with the host computer
301
is established, the programmer interface unit
401
operates in the same manner as the office programmer interface unit
302
.
FIG. 5
is a schematic block diagram illustrating the components within the electronic key housing
104
. The components include a microcontroller or microprocessor
501
, an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM)
502
coupled to the controller
501
, an oscillator or clock
503
which provides clock signals for the operation of controller
501
, and a battery power source
504
which operates the controller
501
as well as the solenoid
209
and the circuitry
208
within the lock mechanism housing
201
. The electronic key components further include an electronic switch
505
operated by the controller
501
and a power sensing circuit
506
.
FIG. 6
is a schematic block diagram of the electronic circuitry
208
within the lock housing
201
. This circuitry includes a microprocessor
601
, an EEPROM
602
coupled to the microprocessor
601
, an oscillator or clock
603
for providing operational clock signals to the microprocessor
601
, a power filter
604
, electronic switch
605
and load
606
for transmission of signals to the key controller
501
via line
607
, and an electronic switch
608
for allowing power to flow from power source
504
within the key housing
104
through cable
107
and contacts
103
-
206
through the

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