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EP0152678A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electronic lock and key system for hotels and the like

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1984-10-30
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-10-30
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Abstract

Abstract An electronic key and lock system is provided which is particularly suited for use in hotels and motels to control access to the rooms of the establishment. The system includes a battery energized microcomputer controlled unit in each door which is capable of activating an electromechanical deadbolt mechanism when a magnetically encoded card bearing a selected code is inserted into a slot in that particular door, and which includes a non-contact proximity magnetic sensor for the cards. The microcomputer controlled unit has five levels of response, namely, guests, maid, master, grand master and emergency. The microcomputer is programmed to respond to cards bearing a new code when a new guest inserts his card into the slot in the door, and of adjusting the unit to respond to the new code and to reject the previous card. The microcomputer is capable not only of reading a magnetically encoded card inserted into the corresponding slot and of releasing the deadbolt mechanism of the door when the card bears the proper code, but it is also capable of recording the time and identity of all hotel personnel gaining access to the room, and of responding to a particular guest card only for a particular time period, corresponding to the duration of the guest's intended occupancy of the room.

Inventors

  • 👤 James W. Raymond
  • 👤 James A. Millet

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 08:38
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07C; G07C9/00; G07C9/20; G07C9/21; G07C9/00174; G07C9/00571; G07C9/00658; G07C9/00722; G07C9/00896; G07C9/00904; G07C9/27

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 211 words
An electronic lock control system to be mounted in a door including: microcomputer means having first binary counter means for storing binary data representative of a first predetermined multi-bit binary number and second binary counter means for storing binary data representative of a second predetermined multi-bit binary number having a predetermined numeral relationship with said first predetermined multi-bit number; a key member having multi-bit binary data stored thereon corresponding to an entrance code; key reading means connected to said microcomputer means for reading the binary data stored on said key member and for introducing inputs corresponding to such data into said micro-computer, the entrance code of said key member and the binary data stored on said first counter means for producing an access output, and said microcomputer responding to a match between the entrance code of said key member and the binary data stored in said second binary counter means for producing said access output; means connected to said microcomputer and responsive to said access output to unlock the door; and said microcomputer responding to a match between said entrance code stored on said key member and the binary data stored in said second binary counter for changing the count of said first and second binary counters by a predetermined amount.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 211 words
An electronic lock control system to be mounted in a door including: microcomputer means having first binary counter means for storing binary data representative of a first predetermined multi-bit binary number and second binary counter means for storing binary data representative of a second predetermined multi-bit binary number having a predetermined numeral relationship with said first predetermined multi-bit number; a key member having multi-bit binary data stored thereon corresponding to an entrance code; key reading means connected to said microcomputer means for reading the binary data stored on said key member and for introducing inputs corresponding to such data into said micro-computer, the entrance code of said key member and the binary data stored on said first counter means for producing an access output, and said microcomputer responding to a match between the entrance code of said key member and the binary data stored in said second binary counter means for producing said access output; means connected to said microcomputer and responsive to said access output to unlock the door; and said microcomputer responding to a match between said entrance code stored on said key member and the binary data stored in said second binary counter for changing the count of said first and second binary counters by a predetermined amount.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 49 words
The combination defined in claim 1, in which said microcomputer means changes the count of said first and second binary counters by one count in response to a match between said binary data stored on said key member and the binary data stored in said second binary counter means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 51 words
The combination defined in claim 1, in which said key member is magnetized to cause said key reading means to generate electric signals corresponding to the binary data stored on said key member and also to generate corresponding clock signals when said key member is read by said key reading means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 45 words
The combination defined in claim 1, and which includes a privacy switch connected to said microcomputer means and operable from the interior of the door to prevent said microcomputer means from producing said access signal when the privacy switch is set to a particular position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 114 words
The combination defined in claim 1, and which includes receiving means for said key member; a switch mounted in said key receiving means to be actuated to a first position when said key member is inserted in said key receiving means, and which is actuated to a second position when the key is withdrawn from said key receiving means, and circuitry connected to said switch and to said microcomputer for causing the microcomputer to produce said access output a predetermined time interval after the switch has been actuated to its first position and returned to its second position by the insertion and withdrawal of the key member in and from said key receiving means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 74 words
The combination defined in claim 1, further including a battery for energizing said micro- computer, receiving means for said key member, a switch being mounted in said key receiving means to be actuated when said key member is inserted into said key receiving means, and a circuit connected to said switch and to said battery for testing the state of said battery each time said key member is inserted into said key receiving means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 37 words
The combination defined in claim 1, in which certain of the data bits constitute identification bits, and in which said microcomputer means includes a memory for storing information concerning the identity of the person using the card.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 52 words
The combination defined in claim 1, in which certain of the data bits constitute a duration code, and said microcomputer means responds to said duration code to change the count of said first and second binary counters by said predetermined amount after a predetermined time represented by said duration code has expired.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 73 words
The combination defined in claim 1, in which the difference between said first and second multi-bit binary numbers is greater than one, and in which said microcomputer responds to a match between the entrance code stored in said key member and any multi-bit binary number between said first and second multi-bit binary numbers to produce said access output and for changing the count of said first and second counters by a predetermined amount.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 40 words
The combination defined in claim 9, in which the data bits are symmetrically positioned on either side of the clock bits so that the key member may be inserted in the slot with either face up and still be effective.

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