PH12011000108A1 - Universal key and electronic lock system - Google Patents

Abstract

The Universal Key and Electronic Lock System has been invented to finally deal with several security problems and inconveniences that exist on every type of lock systems being used today. The past century saw several popular inventions that were variations of the traditional lock and key system used since ancient times. Examples of these inventions are biometric locks, combinational (rotary/button) locks, and magnetic card lock system. Also, the last few years saw a spike in patents pertaining to locks either to make the lock hard to pick, or hard to forcibly open, or some other reasons that address security problems or inconveniences of the traditional locks. The Universal Key and Electronic Lock System seek to provide all the best features of the combinational locks and the magnetic card system - plus some new wonderful features – without sacrificing the security and convenience provided by the traditional lock and key. The Universal Key (also known as the Uni-key; see all the major parts in figure 1) has electronic parts like a microchip, static memory, battery and an output port. The Electronic Locks (also known as the E-Lock; see major parts in figure 2) has its own microchip, static memory, motors (not required on lock systems which may require only signals like car's ignition or in cashier's/teller's supervisor override) and an input port. The input port of the E-Lock is where the output port of the Uni-key can be inserted. The insertion of the Uni-key to the E-Lock - mimicking the insertion of keys to traditional locks – provides the electricity to power the E-Lock's components (though certain E-Locks may have its own electric power source -like in car ignitions, bank teller machines, cashier's cash machine, etc). This insertion process also allows the communication between the microchip of the Uni-key and the microchip of the E-Lock - which is required to ensure a particular "Uni"-key is the correct key that can open that particular "E"-Lock. The Electronic Locks are manufactured such that they can provide an equivalent type of lock to any traditional lock that uses a key (figure 2); they are packaged such that each type of E-Lock can be installed easily like its traditional lock counterpart. The Universal Key comes in a set of three (3) identical keys, just like traditional keys. Any Elock that can be opened by one of the three Uni-key of that set can only be opened by any Uni-key of that set. Each Universal Key can open an infinite number of E-Locks that is digitally configured to its set. Configuration of each E-Lock to a set of Uni-key is done upon their installation - not during manufacturing.