# US 2008/0188988 A1 · Multi-Purpose Computer System For Locking Mechanism and Method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0188988 A1 - Document ID: US20080188988A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/863,315 - Filed: 2007-09-28 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2007-02-07 - Inventors: Roger Goza - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080188988A1 ## CPC - G07C 9/00174: {Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys (mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00)} - G07C 9/00904: {for hotels, motels, office buildings or the like} - G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE ## Abstract Multi-purpose computers positioned throughout the facility are interfaced to respective locking mechanisms to operate the respective locking mechanism in response to access codes, which may be transmitted over the network. Additional steps may involve programming an authorization computer for providing all or part of the access codes in whole or in part for use with the multi-purpose computers. One or more access points may be functionally coupled, or programmed for series operation whereby a first access point is used to access a second access point, for a particular multi-purpose computer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system of multi-purpose computers for controlling a plurality of locking mechanisms within a facility, comprising: a plurality of multi-purpose computers electronically connected together to create a network, said plurality of multi-purpose computers running multiple programs to perform multiple different tasks, said plurality of multi-purpose computers being distributed throughout said facility; a plurality of locking mechanisms distributed throughout said facility, each of said plurality of locking mechanisms being electronically interfaced to a respective one of said plurality of multi-purpose computers; a plurality of input devices for respective ones of said plurality of multi-purpose computers, said plurality of input devices being operable to input a plurality of access codes; and at least one authorization multi-purpose computer, said at least one authorization multi-purpose computer being programmed to produce at least a portion of said plurality of access codes for said plurality of multi-purpose computers, said plurality of multi-purpose computers being programmed to operate respective ones of said plurality of locking mechanisms responsive to a respective access code from a respective one of said plurality of input devices. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of articulating cabinets configurable in both an open position and a closed secured position to define respective ones of a plurality of secured compartments, respective ones of said plurality of multi-purpose computers being supported by respective ones of said plurality of articulating cabinets, said plurality of locking mechanisms being mounted within respective ones of said plurality of articulating cabinets for controlling said plurality of secured compartments. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein said secured compartments contain one or more components of said plurality of multi-purpose computers for limiting access to said plurality of multi-purpose computers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of walls throughout said facility, and a plurality of secured compartments built into said plurality of walls, said plurality of locking mechanisms being mounted to said plurality of secured compartments. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, further comprising: at least one multipurpose computer programmed to keep a record of usage of said plurality of access codes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, further comprising: at least one multi-purpose computer programmed to keep a record of failed attempts to access said plurality of secured compartments. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: respective of said plurality of input devices comprise at least one of a keyboard, biometric sensor, RFID, camera, dongle, wireless communication device, proximity card, and magnetic strip. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein programming for said plurality of multi-purpose computers provides that a first of said plurality of input devices is utilized to limit access to a second of said plurality of input devices. ### Claim 9 A multi-purpose computer method for controlling a plurality of locking mechanisms within a facility, comprising: electronically interconnecting a plurality of multi-purpose computers to create a network; programming said plurality of multi-purpose computers with a plurality of programs to perform a plurality of different tasks; providing said plurality of multi-purpose computers in said facility; electronically interfacing a plurality of locking mechanisms to respective of said plurality of multi-purpose computers; interfacing a plurality of input devices to respective ones of said plurality of multi-purpose computers; providing that said plurality of input devices are operable to input a respective access code for locking and unlocking a respective locking mechanism; programming at least one authorization computer to provide at least portions of a plurality of access codes to said plurality of multi-purpose computers; and programming said plurality of multi-purpose computers to receive respective of said plurality of access codes through said network and to lock and unlock respective of said plurality of locking mechanisms responsively to receiving said access code through respective of said plurality of input devices. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: distributing a plurality of secured compartments throughout said facility; mounting said plurality of secured compartments such that said plurality of secured compartments are locked and unlocked by respective of said plurality of locking mechanisms. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: providing a plurality of articulating cabinets configurable in both an open position and a closed secured position to define a respective one of said plurality of secured compartments within said cabinet; mounting at least one of said plurality of multi-purpose computers within said at least one cabinet. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising storing at least one computer component of said at least one of said plurality of multi-purpose computers within said respective one of said plurality of secured compartments to limit access to said at least one of said plurality of multi-purpose computers. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein said step of storing at least one computer component further comprises storing a second input device in said respective one of said plurality of secured compartments, and providing programming for said at least one of said plurality of multi-purpose computers such that a respective one of said plurality of input devices is utilized to obtain access to said second input device by unlocking said respective one of said plurality of secured compartments. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: mounting at least one of said plurality of secured compartments within one of a plurality of walls of said facility. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: providing a plurality of cabinets in which respective of said plurality of multi-purpose computers are positioned. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: programming at least one multi-purpose computer to keep a record of usage of said plurality of access codes. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: programming at least one multi-purpose computer to keep a record of failed attempts to access said plurality of secured compartments. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: providing that respective of said plurality of input devices comprise at least one of a keyboard, biometric sensor, RFID, camera, dongle, wireless communication device, proximity card, and magnetic strip.