Electronic lock

Claim 2

An electronic locking arrangement comprising: a source of light energy; a first and a second sensor responsive to intermittent exposure to light energy from said source to generate a plurality of multi-state signals; a coded key having a first and a second set of aligned apertures; a key guide for guiding said key in a path between said source and said sensors wherein said first set of apertures are aligned along a line intersecting a line extending from said source to said first sensor and said second set of apertures are aligned along a line intersecting a line extending from said source to said second sensor, whereby said sensors are intermittently exposed to light energy from said source when said key is slidingly inserted into said guide; said apertures of said first set each having a substantially rectangular shape and having a forward edge and a rearward edge, the center of each of said apertures of said second set being approximately aligned with one of said forward or one of said rearward edges; a multi-state shift register; means for connecting said sensors to said shift register, said shift register being responsive to signals from said first sensor to store the states of signals generated by said second sensor in said shift register; and means connected to said shift register for selectively operating a locking solenoid.

Claim 3

An electronic locking arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for connecting said first sensor to said shift register comprises first pulse generating means responsive to the transition from a first state to a second state of a signal from said first sensor to generate a first output pulse and second pulse generating means responsive to the transition from said second to said first state of a signal from said first sensor to generate a second output pulse and means responsive to said first and second output pulses to generate a shift register advance pulses.

Claim 4

An electronic locking arrangement in accordance with claim 2, and further comprising a signal amplification circuit having signal feedback connected between said first sensor and said first and said second pulse generating means, and having an effective hysteresis characteristic.

Claim 5

An electronic locking arrangement in accordance with claim 1, and further comprising reset means responsive to a signal from said first sensor of substantially longer duration than signals produced by normal insertion of said key in said guide to generate a reset signal for resetting said shift register.

Claim 6

In combination, a key and an electronic lock having a source of light energy, a pair of liGht sensitive detectors for generating an output signal when exposed to light energy emitted by said source, and means responsive to signals from said detectors to generate a lock operative signal; said key having at least one longitudinally extending edge, and a plurality of code slot areas along said edge defining slots which may be cut across said edge, and having predetermined spacing between centers of said areas; a number of substantially rectangular holes in said key aligned along a line parallel to said edge, each of said holes having a first and a second edge extending in a direction transverse to said line; and the centers of each of said slots being in alignment with the first or the second edge of one of said holes.

Claim 7

In combination, a key and an electronic lock having a source of light energy, a pair of liGht sensitive detectors for generating an output signal when exposed to light energy emitted by said source, and means responsive to signals from said detectors to generate a lock operative signal; said key having at least one longitudinally extending edge, and a plurality of code slot areas along said edge defining slots which may be cut across said edge, and having predetermined spacing between centers of said areas; a number of substantially rectangular holes in said key aligned along a line parallel to said edge, each of said holes having a first and a second edge extending in a direction transverse to said line; and the centers of each of said slots being in alignment with the first or the second edge of one of said holes.

Claim 8

An electronic key lock comprising: an energy emitting source; a first and a second sensing device; a coded key having a plurality of code apertures aligned along a first line and a plurality of clock apertures aligned along a second line; a key guide mounted between said source and said devices; said first line of said key being aligned with said first device, and said second line of said key being aligned with said second device, when said key is in said guide; said first device being responsive to intermittent exposure to said source resulting from sliding motion of said key in said guide to generate a plurality of code pulses corresponding to the code apertures of said key; said second device being responsive to intermittent exposure to said source resulting from the sliding motion of said key in said guide to generate a plurality of clock pulses corresponding to said clock apertures; a pulse circuit comprising a signal amplification circuit having an effective hysteresis characteristic, connected to said second sensing device and responsive to said clock pulses to generate shift register advance pulses; shift register means having a plurality of stages, connected to said first sensing device and said pulse circuit and responsive to said advance pulses to store said code pulses therein; and means connected to said shift register and responsive to a predetermined code stored therein to generate a lock operate signal.

Claim 9

An electronic key lock comprising: an energy emitting source; a first and a second sensing device; a coded key having a plurality of code apertures aligned along a first line and a plurality of clock apertures aligned along a second line; a key guide mounted between said source and said devices; said first line of said key being aligned with said first device, and said second line of said key being aligned with said second device, when said key is in said guide; said first device being responsive to intermittent exposure to said source resulting from sliding motion of said key in said guide to generate a plurality of code pulses corresponding to the code apertures of said key; said second device being responsive to intermittent exposure to said source resulting from the sliding motion of said key in said guide to generate a plurality of clock pulses corresponding to said clock apertures; a pulse circuit comprising a signal amplification circuit having an effective hysteresis characteristic, connected to said second sensing device and responsive to said clock pulses to generate shift register advance pulses; shift register means having a plurality of stages, connected to said first sensing device and said pulse circuit and responsive to said advance pulses to store said code pulses therein; and means connected to said shift register and responsive to a predetermined code stored therein to generate a lock operate signal.

Claim 10

An electronic key lock comprising: an energy emitting source; a first and a second sensing device; a coded key having a plurality of code apertures aligned along a first line and a plurality of clock apertures aligned along a second line; a key guide mounted between said source and said devices; said first line of said key being aligned with said first device, and said second line of said key being aligned with said second device, when said key is in said guide; said first device being responsive to intermittent exposure to said source resulting from sliding motion of said key in said guide to generate a pluraltiy of code pulses corresponding to the code apertures of said key; said second device being responsive to intermittent exposure to said source resulting from the sliding motion of said key in said guide to generate a plurality of clock pulses corresponding to said clock apertures; shift register means having a plurality of stages, said shift register being connected to said first and said second sensing devices and responsive to said clock pulses to store said code pulses therein; shift register reset means comprising a timing circuit and responsive to a signal from said second sensing device of substantially greater duration than signals produced by normal insertion of said key in said guide to generate a reset signal for resetting said shift register means; and means connected to said shift register means and responsive to a predetermined code stored therein to generate a lock operate signal.

Claim 11

An electronic key lock comprising: an energy emitting source; a first and a second sensing device; a coded key having a plurality of code apertures aligned along a first line and a plurality of clock apertures aligned along a second line; a key guide mounted between said source and said devices; said first line of said key being aligned with said first device, and said second line of said key being aligned with said second device, when said key is in said guide; said first device being responsive to intermittent exposure to said source resulting from sliding motion of said key in said guide to generate a pluraltiy of code pulses corresponding to the code apertures of said key; said second device being responsive to intermittent exposure to said source resulting from the sliding motion of said key in said guide to generate a plurality of clock pulses corresponding to said clock apertures; shift register means having a plurality of stages, said shift register being connected to said first and said second sensing devices and responsive to said clock pulses to store said code pulses therein; shift register reset means comprising a timing circuit and responsive to a signal from said second sensing device of substantially greater duration than signals produced by normal insertion of said key in said guide to generate a reset signal for resetting said shift register means; and means connected to said shift register means and responsive to a predetermined code stored therein to generate a lock operate signal.