# US 6,724,303 B2 · Method and apparatus for monitoring a safe > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,724,303 B2 - Document ID: US6724303B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 09/982,384 - Filed: 2001-10-18 - Published: 2003-04-24 - Granted: 2004-04-20 - Earliest claimed: 2001-10-18 - Assignees: Corporate Safe Specialists, Inc. - Inventors: Edward J. McGunn; James Ivey, III; Gregory Grzegorz Dylewski; Eduardo DeCastro Barcellos - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6724303B2 ## CPC - G08B 13/19669: {Event triggers storage or change of storage policy} - G07C 9/00912: {for safes, strong-rooms, vaults or the like} - G07F 5/18: specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place - G07F 9/002: {Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines} - G07F 19/20: {Automatic teller machines [ATMs]} - G08B 13/08: by opening, e.g. of door, of window, of drawer, of shutter, of curtain, of blind - G08B 13/19697: {Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves} - E05F 15/77: using wireless control - E05G 1/04: Closure fasteners (locks E05B) - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - 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 - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) - E05F: DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION; CHECKS FOR WINGS; WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WING - E05G: SAFES OR STRONG-ROOMS FOR VALUABLES; BANK PROTECTION DEVICES; SAFETY TRANSACTION PARTITIONS ({devices to prevent theft of bags, trunks or baskets A45C13/18;} alarm arrangements per se G08B) ## Abstract The present invention generally relates to a method of monitoring a safe comprising the steps of providing (402) an electronic lock for the safe; receiving (404) information from a security device in an area proximate to the safe; and making (406) security information from the security device during a transaction with the electronic lock. According to another aspect of the invention, an apparatus for monitoring a safe comprises an electronic lock (144) incorporated in a safe; a control unit (142) coupled to the electronic lock; and a security system (148) coupled to the control unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of monitoring a safe, said method comprising the steps of: providing an electronic lock for said safe through which a plurality of different types of transactions can be performed; monitoring said transactions with said electronic lock over a time period and recording first information related to said transactions that identifies the type of transactions performed through the lock safe; recording second information with a security device external to said safe; marking said second information recorded by said security device in response to the detection of at least one specific recorded transaction with said electronic lock within the time period; and correlating and reviewing by transaction the first information and the second marked information. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further including a step of providing the second information recorded by said security device at the time of said at least one specific transaction to a control unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 further comprising a step of detecting a duress condition at said safe. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 further comprising a step of marking said information recorded by said security device at a time coincident with said duress condition. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 further comprising a step of providing information related to said duress condition to said control unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 wherein said step of detecting a duress condition comprises detecting a predetermined code entered by a user on the electronic lock. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 wherein said step of detecting a duress condition comprises detecting a duress condition recorded by a sensor associated with said safe. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 further comprising a step of saving information related to said duress condition with said second information recorded by said security device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 further comprising a step of providing an audit trail of said duress condition and said second information recorded by said security device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of detecting a state of a door for said safe. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of providing said second information recorded by said security device and first information related to said at least one specific transaction to a user at a location remote from the safe. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said step of recording the second information with a security device comprises recording the second information with a photographic device that produces visual information. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 further comprising a step of time-stamping said visual information. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of enabling the access of said second information recorded by said security device from a location remote from the safe. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of monitoring a safe according to claim 1 wherein the step of marking said second information comprises marking said second information recorded with said security device at a time coincident with the detection of the at least one specific recorded transaction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of monitoring a safe according to claim 1 wherein one of the different types of transactions is reading currency removed from the safe. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of monitoring a safe according to claim 1 wherein one of the different types of transactions is reading currency deposited to the safe. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of monitoring a safe according to claim 1 wherein one of the different types of transactions is sensing the state of a door on the safe. ### Claim 19 An apparatus for monitoring a safe, said apparatus comprising: an electronic lock for controlling in a safe and through which a plurality of different types of transactions can be performed; a control unit external to said safe and coupled to said electronic lock for controlling said electronic lock; and a security means coupled to said control unit for recording security information related to the different types of transactions and selectively marking the recorded security information in response to the occurrence of at least one specific transaction. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said control unit comprises a computer. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said computer comprises a remote computer coupled to said electronic lock by way of a communications network. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said computer comprises a memory. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said memory comprises a database having an audit trail. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said electronic lock comprises a bill reader. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said electronic lock comprises a door sensor. ### Claim 26 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said electronic lock comprises a duress sensor.