Electronic lock and key apparatus and method
OwnerJames S. Biancoinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one preferred embodiment, an electronic key, including: a housing; unlocking apparatus extending from the housing, insertable in an electronic lock to unlock the electronic lock; and optical indicia reading apparatus disposed in the housing to read optical indicia. In another preferred embodiment, a lock system, including: at least two electronic cylinder locks; and a single electronic controller to which the at least two electronic cylinder locks are operatively attached, the electronic controller being adapted to monitor usage of the at least two electronic cylinder locks.
Claims8
An electronic key, comprising:
- (a) a housing;
- (b) unlocking means extending from said housing, said unlocking means being insertable in an electronic lock to unlock said electronic lock;
- and
- (c) optical indicia reading means disposed in said housing to read optical indicia associated with said electronic lock for storage of electrical signals representative of information in said optical indicia for later use.
A method of unlocking an electronic lock and reading optical indicia, comprising:
- (a) providing integrated electronic key means and optical indicia reading means;
- (b) unlocking an electronic lock with said electronic key means;
- and
- (c) reading optical indicia with said optical indicia reading means and storing electrical electrical signals representative of information in said optical indicia for later use.
A lock system, comprising:
- (a) at least two electronic cylinder locks unlockable by key means;
- and
- (b) an electronic controller to which said at least two electronic cylinder locks are operatively attached, said electronic controller being adapted to monitor usage of said at least two electronic cylinder locks and to make a record of at least which said key means have been used to unlock said at least two locks electronic cylinder locks and at what times and in what sequence said at least two electronic cylinder locks have been unlocked.
A method of using a lock system, comprising:
- (a) providing at least two electronic cylinder locks unlockable by key means;
- (b) providing an electronic controller to which said at least two electronic cylinder locks are operatively attached, said electronic controller being adapted to monitor usage of said at least two electronic cylinder locks;
- and
- (c) using said electronic controller to make a record of at least which said key means have been used to unlock said at least two electronic cylinder locks and at what times and in what sequence said at least two electronic cylinder locks have been unlocked.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.