Security system

Claim 1

A security system for controlling a steering lock mechanism of a vehicle, said security system comprising: a plurality of information media having information identifying a plurality of operators, respectively; a reading device which reads the information on an information media presented to the reading device; a memory device which stores predetermined information; a comparator which is coupled to the reading device and the memory device and which compares the information read by the reading device to the predetermined information and, if they match, issues a first signal from an output of the comparator to the steering lock mechanism; an operator-actuated write-enable switch; and a writing apparatus which is coupled between the reading device and the memory device, which is operatively connected to the output of the comparator and the write-enable switch, and which writes the information read by the reading device in the memory device in accordance with the status of the write-enable switch and the output of the comparator wherein the writing apparatus includes a writing device and a write gate coupled to the writing device and to the output of the comparator, the write gate connecting the writing device to the memory device when the comparator detects a match and the write-enable switch is actuated, and wherein the writing apparatus further includes a temporary memory, the temporary memory and the write-enable switch being coupled in series between the output of the comparator and the write gate and the temporary memory temporarily storing the output of the comparator.