US3801742A — Remote electronic lock apparatus and methods

Claim 1

Independent Claim 166 words

Apparatus for remote electronic lock operation comprising: a plurality of electronic lock means associated with respective ones of a plurality of mobile instrumentalities, each of said electronic lock means being adapted for operation according to a preselected lock operation code which is associated with the respective mobile instrumentality; a central lock control facility, said mobile instrumentalities each being adapted to be located at locations which are geographically remote with respect to said central facility; means for establishing a voice frequency communication link having a first terminus at said central facility and a second terminus near a predetermined one of said remote instrumentalities; means for transmitting a lock operation code over said communication link from said first terminus to said second terminus; means for transferring said lock operation code from said second terminus to the predetermined mobile instrumentality, the last-said lock operation code causing operation of said electronic means if said last-said code compares correctly with the preselected lock operation code associated with said predetermined mobile instrumentality.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 166 words

Apparatus for remote electronic lock operation comprising: a plurality of electronic lock means associated with respective ones of a plurality of mobile instrumentalities, each of said electronic lock means being adapted for operation according to a preselected lock operation code which is associated with the respective mobile instrumentality; a central lock control facility, said mobile instrumentalities each being adapted to be located at locations which are geographically remote with respect to said central facility; means for establishing a voice frequency communication link having a first terminus at said central facility and a second terminus near a predetermined one of said remote instrumentalities; means for transmitting a lock operation code over said communication link from said first terminus to said second terminus; means for transferring said lock operation code from said second terminus to the predetermined mobile instrumentality, the last-said lock operation code causing operation of said electronic means if said last-said code compares correctly with the preselected lock operation code associated with said predetermined mobile instrumentality.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 64 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said electronic lock means comprises an electrically energizable lock, means for defining said preselected lock operation code, means for receiving said transmitted lock operation code, means for comparing the preselected and received lock operation codes, and means, operative in response to comparison of the codes by said comparing means, for controlling electrical energization of said lock.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 33 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means for receiving the transmitted lock operation code is constituted by a binary register and said comparing means is constituted by a binary comparator.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 44 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said binary register is a shift register and further comprising frequency-responsive means for controlling entry into the shift register of the transmitted lock operation code and further frequency-responsive means for controlling clearing of the shift register.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 41 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the voice frequency communications link is a teLephone circuit and transmitted lock operation code is adapted to be generated by a touch button tone-coded dialing mechanism of a telephone at said first terminus.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 34 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein the transmitted lock operation code is adapted to be generated in a binary format by operation of a plurality of touch buttons of the dialing mechanism.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 32 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mobile instrumentalities are constituted by vehicles, said electronic lock means each including an electrically energizable lock for controlling access to a respective vehicle.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 45 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said transferring means includes provision for supplying electric power for energizing said lock, said lock being energized to permit access to the vehicle if the transmitted lock operation code compares correctly with the preselected lock operation code.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 37 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said communications link includes a receiver means at said second terminus and said transferring means comprises a cable connection for connecting the receiver means with one of the vehicles.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 13 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said vehicles comprise railway cars.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 12 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said vehicles comprise semitrailers.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 179 words

Apparatus for remote electronic lock operation comprising: a plurality of electronic lock means associated with respective ones of a plurality of vehicles, each of said lock means including an electrically energizable lock for controlling access to the respective vehicle, the lock being operable to provide access to the respective vehicle in response to receiving of a preselected lock operation code associated uniquely with the respective vehicle; a central lock control facility, said vehicles being adapted to be located at locations which are geographically remote from the central facility; means for establishing a telephone link having a first terminus at said central facility and a second terminus near a predetermined one of the vehicles; means for transmitting a lock operation code over said telephone link from said first terminus to said second terminus; means for interconnecting the electronic lock means of said predetermined vehicle with said second terminus for transferring the transmitted lock operation code to said lock means, whereby said lock is operated to provide access to said vehicle if the transmitted code is said preselected lock operation code.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 179 words

Apparatus for remote electronic lock operation comprising: a plurality of electronic lock means associated with respective ones of a plurality of vehicles, each of said lock means including an electrically energizable lock for controlling access to the respective vehicle, the lock being operable to provide access to the respective vehicle in response to receiving of a preselected lock operation code associated uniquely with the respective vehicle; a central lock control facility, said vehicles being adapted to be located at locations which are geographically remote from the central facility; means for establishing a telephone link having a first terminus at said central facility and a second terminus near a predetermined one of the vehicles; means for transmitting a lock operation code over said telephone link from said first terminus to said second terminus; means for interconnecting the electronic lock means of said predetermined vehicle with said second terminus for transferring the transmitted lock operation code to said lock means, whereby said lock is operated to provide access to said vehicle if the transmitted code is said preselected lock operation code.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 157 words

A method of remote electronic lock operation for controlling access to one of a plurality of instrumentalities adapted to be geographically remotely located with respect to a central control facility, each of said instrumentalities having a predetermined identification, and electronic lock means providing access to the instrumentality in response to receiving of a preselected lock operation code corresponding to the respective identification, said method comprising transmitting to the central facility from a location near to one of said instrumentalities the identification of the last-said instrumentality, determining at the central facility the lock operation code corresponding to the transmitted identification, transmitting as tone-coded signals the corresponding lock operation code in coded format to said location from the central facility for electronic transfer to the last-said instrumentality, and electronically storing and comparing the transmitted lock operation code with the preselected lock operation code corresponding to the identification of the last-said instrumentality whereby access to the last-said instrumentality is provided.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 157 words

A method of remote electronic lock operation for controlling access to one of a plurality of instrumentalities adapted to be geographically remotely located with respect to a central control facility, each of said instrumentalities having a predetermined identification, and electronic lock means providing access to the instrumentality in response to receiving of a preselected lock operation code corresponding to the respective identification, said method comprising transmitting to the central facility from a location near to one of said instrumentalities the identification of the last-said instrumentality, determining at the central facility the lock operation code corresponding to the transmitted identification, transmitting as tone-coded signals the corresponding lock operation code in coded format to said location from the central facility for electronic transfer to the last-said instrumentality, and electronically storing and comparing the transmitted lock operation code with the preselected lock operation code corresponding to the identification of the last-said instrumentality whereby access to the last-said instrumentality is provided.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 23 words

A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the transmitting of said identification and corresponding lock operation code is carried out telephonically.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 40 words

A method as set forth in claim 13 including the step of supplying electrical power from an outside source to the last-said instrumentality for operation of said electronic lock means when a lock operation code is transferred to the instrumentality.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1977-04-01	1977-10-01	1978-04-02	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1981-04-01	1981-10-01	1982-04-02	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1985-04-01	1985-10-01	1986-04-02	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Remote electronic lock apparatus and methods

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