Prismatic lock and key security

A lock for lock and key security, the key comprising a light source and shattered glass forming a prism, the lock comprising:

• a locking mechanism;
• a light receptacle configured to receive light transmitted by the light source in the key through the shattered glass forming the prism, wherein the transmission of the light through the shattered glass forms a unique scatter pattern in dependence upon physical characteristics of the shattered glass;
• a scatter pattern detecting module operatively coupled for data communications to the light receptacle and the locking mechanism, the scatter pattern detecting module configured to:
• identify the scatter pattern of the received light transmitted by the light source in the key through the shattered glass forming the prism;
• compare the scatter pattern to a unique preauthorized pattern for operating the lock;
• if the scatter pattern matches the unique preauthorized pattern, switch the current locking state of the locking mechanism;
• and
• if the scatter pattern does not match the unique preauthorized pattern, maintain the current locking state of the locking mechanism.

An apparatus for lock and key security, the lock comprising a light receptacle, a scatter pattern detecting module, and a locking mechanism, the key comprising a light source and shattered glass forming a prism, the apparatus comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions capable of:

• receiving, in the light receptacle of the lock, light transmitted by the light source in the key through the shattered glass forming the prism, wherein the transmission of the light through the shattered glass forms a unique scatter pattern in dependence upon physical characteristics of the shattered glass;
• identifying, by the scatter pattern detecting module, the scatter pattern of the received light;
• comparing, by the scatter pattern detecting module, the scatter pattern to a unique preauthorized pattern for operating the lock;
• if the scatter pattern matches the unique preauthorized pattern, switching, by the scatter pattern detecting module, the current locking state of the locking mechanism;
• and
• if the scatter pattern does not match the unique preauthorized pattern, maintaining the current locking state of the locking mechanism.

A method of lock and key security, the lock comprising a light receptacle, a scatter pattern detecting module, and a locking mechanism, the key comprising a light source and shattered glass forming a prism, the method comprising:

• receiving, in the light receptacle of the lock, light transmitted by the light source in the key through the shattered glass forming the prism, wherein the transmission of the light through the shattered glass forms a unique scatter pattern in dependence upon physical characteristics of the shattered glass;
• comparing, by the scatter pattern detecting module, a scatter pattern to a unique preauthorized pattern for operating the lock;
• if the scatter pattern matches the unique preauthorized pattern, switching, by the scatter pattern detecting module, the current locking state of the locking mechanism;
• and
• if the scatter pattern does not match the unique preauthorized pattern, maintaining the current locking state of the locking mechanism.