Control and response systems and units

[57] ABSTRACT

A coded signal system particularly useful for operating locks in a security institution comprising a portable signaling unit capable of activating a number of response units at various lock locations. The signaling unit comprises a matrix of lights in spatial arrangement which are electrically energized by corresponding selectively operable switches according to a different predetermined coded combination for each response unit. Each response unit comprises a matrix of photoconductive cells in spatial arrangement corresponding to that of the lights of the signaling unit and operatively conductive in response to illuminatiop therefrom, the photoconductive cells being arranged in circuits to operate the lock only when all of a predetermined coded combination of photoconductive cells are illuminated, and to prevent activation of the lock whenever any other photoconductive cells are illuminated, thereby preventing unauthorized operation of the lock by use of an external light such as a flashlight.

Claims, 4 Drawing Figures

PUSH BUTTON

------------ί,ΐ---INHIBITING <39

PHOTOCONDUCTIVE 23 CELLS

INHIBITING RELAY CONTROL SOLENOID

<img file="US3772650A_D0001.tif" />

i³⁸

I INHIBITING RELAY I—t CO IL

LOCK ACTIVATION

RELAY CONTACTS c31 32

LOCK SOLENOID

29⁷\

NO

NC

<img file="US3772650A_D0002.tif" />

.75 SEC. DELAY SW.

<img file="US3772650A_D0003.tif" />

³⁷

34^ ^λ INHIBITING RELAY CONTACTS

<img file="US3772650A_D0004.tif" />

ACTIVATION PHOTOCONDUCTIVE CELLS

LOCK ACTIVATION

RELAY COIL

PATENTED NOV 13 1973

3,772,650

<img file="US3772650A_D0005.tif" />

₍18 FIG. 3

<img file="US3772650A_D0006.tif" />

PUSH BUTTON

------------Jit--INHIBITING ^39

PHOTOCONDUCTIVE 23 CELLS

<img file="US3772650A_D0007.tif" />

LOCK ACTIVATION RELAY CONTACTS r 3!

FIG. 4

INHIBITING RELAY I—I CONTROL SOLENOID ^38

I INHIBITING RELAY COIL

<img file="US3772650A_D0008.tif" />

LOCK pg SOLENOID

NC

NO

<img file="US3772650A_D0009.tif" />

.75 SEC. DELAY SW.

<img file="US3772650A_D0010.tif" />

<img file="US3772650A_D0011.tif" />

° ^λ INHIBITING RELAY CONTACTS

ACTIVATION ^L0Ct( ACTIVATION

PHOTOCONDUCTIVE RELAY COIL

CELLS

3,772,650

CONTROL AND RESPONSE SYSTEMS AND UNITS

CROSS-REFERENCE

This application is a continuation-in-part of an application entitled “CONTROL AND RESPONSE SYSTEMS AND UNITS” by James E. Baskerville and Charles T. Creekman, Jr., filed on Aug. 4, 1971 and having Ser. No. 168,951, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to control and response systems and units, and more particularly to electronic security systems useful for operating locks in a security institution which prevent unauthorized operation of locks.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Electronic security systems have been provided which employ the use of cards containing coding information for operating a photoelectric locking system. The system disclosed in U. S. Pat. No. 3,239,815 employs a dual card system comprising both a master code card and mating key card simulating the master card to operate a locking system. However, the need has arisen for a coded signal system especially suitable for operating locks in a security institution which prevents unauthorized operation of locks resulting from the theft or loss of cards containing coding information.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention employs a portable signaling unit, capable of activating a number of response units, which comprises a matrix of lights in spatial arrangement which are energized by corresponding selectively operable switches according to a different predetermined coded combination for each lock. The response units at various lock locations each comprise a matrix of photoconductive cells in spatial arrangement corresponding to that of the lights of the signaling unit and operatively conductive in response to illumination therefrom, the photoconductive cells being arranged in circuits to operate the lock only when all of the predetermined coded combination of cells are illuminated, and to prevent activation of the lock if any other photoconductive cells are illuminated. The coding information required to operate the system of the present invention is provided by selective operation of the switches located on the signaling unit. The different predetermined coded combination of switch operations required to activate each lock is memorized by an authorized lock operator. Since operation of any switch other than that comprising the predetermined coded combination will operate to prevent activation of the lock, theft or loss of the signaling units will not result in unauthorized lock operation. Furthermore, if unauthorized operation of any lock is unsuccessfully attemped, the lock is rendered deactivated until the system is reset from a remote location.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a hand-held portable signaling unit embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the signaling unit illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a simplified electrical schematic diagram of the signaling unit illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is an electrical schematic diagram of one of the response units operated by the signaling unit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED

EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the signaling unit, illustrated generally at 10, comprises a hand-held portable device comprising a handle 11 and a body 12 having a front face 13 and a rear face 14. A matrix of light generating means or lights 16 is mounted in spatial arrangement partially inside the front face 13 such that the illumination of each of said lights is operatively directed forward from the signaling unit 10. A corresponding matrix of selectively operable switches 17 is provided on the rear face 14, each of said switches 17 corresponding to a particular one of said lights 16, for simultaneously energizing a preselected coded combination of lights 16, in conjunction with a master switch 18, from a battery 19 mounted within the body 12, the circuit being illustrated in FIG. 3. An operator first sets or closes the memorized preselected combination of switches 17 corresponding to the lights 16 which are desired to be illuminated and then energizes said combination of lights 16 upon closing master switch 18, which is preferably of the momentary contact type. It should be noted that, because of the large number of lights 16 and corresponding switches 17, there are many possible combinations of lights 16 that can be illuminated.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the response units are fixedly mounted at various lock locations and are operable by a portable signaling unit 10 to activate a lock. Although the physical form of a typical response unit is not illustrated in the drawings, the electrical schematic of FIG. 4 illustrates its principal features. A response unit, illustrated generally at 21, comprises a matrix of light responsive conducting means or photoconductive cells, partially illustrated in that figure for purpose of simplification. The photoconductive cells of the response units comprise two groups: the activation photoconductive cells 22 connected in series circuit arrangement, and the inhibiting photoconductive cells 23 connected in parallel circuit arrangement. Both groups comprise the matrix of photoconductive cells which are mounted in spatial arrangement corresponding to the spatial arrangement of the lights 16 of the signaling unit 10. In operating the signal system, the signaling unit 10 is held next to a response unit such that the matrix of lights 16 is located directly opposite and adjacent to the matrix of photoconductive cells of the response unit 21, whereby each photoconductive cell is operatively conductive in response to illumination from a corresponding light 16.

The matrix of photoconductive cells comprises a combination of activation photoconductive cells 22, with the remaining photoconductive cells comprising the group of inhibiting photoconductive cells 23. The response unit 21 comprises a sealed box or case containing the electrical connection such that it is impossible to determine which photoconductive cells of the matrix comprise the group of activation photoconductive cells 22 by visual inspection of its exterior. Furthermore, the external case of the response unit 21 is preferably constructed of a strong material in order to prevent tampering with the electrical connections contained therein.

As shown in FIG. 4, the response unit 21 comprises a source of electrical energy 24, preferably an externally supplied DC source interconnected with an emer-

3,7' 3 gency portable rechargeable battery, in parallel circuit arrangement with the group of activation photoconductive cells 22 and the group of inhibiting photoconductive cells 23, only a few of the photoconductive cells of each said group being illustrated in FIG. 4. The group of activation photoconductive cells 22, interconnected in series, comprises a plurality of photoconductive cells spatially distributed in the matrix of photoconductive cells according to a predetermined coded arrangement which may vary with each of the response units 21. The remaining photoconductive cells of the matrix comprises the group of inhibiting photoconductive 23, which are interconnected in parallel. A lock activation relay coil 26 of a lock activation relay is connected in series with the group of activation photocon- 15 ductive cells 22 and is operatively energized from the DC source 24 in response to simultaneous conduction of all of the activation photoconductive cells 22. An inhibiting relay coil 27 of an inhibiting relay is similarly connected in series with the group of inhibiting photo- 20 conductive cells 23, but is operatively energized from the DC source 24 in response to conduction of any of the inhibiting photoconductive cells 23. The lock activation relay coil 26 operates to energize a lock solenoid 28 from the DC source 24, which results in the opening 25 of the desired lock (not illustrated). The inhibiting relay coil 27, however, operates to isolate the lock solenoid 28 from the DC source 24 even when the lock activation relay coil 26 is also energized. It is important to note that the response unit 21 will operate a lock only when all of the activation photoconductive cells 22 are illuminated by corresponding lights 16 of the signaling unit 10 and none of the inhibiting photoconductive cells 23 are also illuminated, in order to prevent unauthorized operation of the lock.

The lock activation relay coil 26 operates to close normally open relay contacts 29 of the lock activation relay by moving movable relay contact 31 into engagement therewith in order to energize the lock solenoid 28 from the DC source 24 through a time delay switch 32 and normally closed relay contacts 33 of the inhibiting relay. The time delay switch, operating to delay completion of the lock solenoid circuit by a period of time, preferably on the order of 0.75 seconds, prevents energization of the lock solenoid 28 until the inhibiting relay coil 27 has sufficient time to open the normally closed relay contact 33 and to close normally open relay contacts 34 by means of a movable relay contact 36, if the inhibiting relay coil operates at all. When the inhibiting relay coil 27 operates, an alarm light 37, preferably remotely located from the response unit 21, is energized from the DC source 24 when the normally open relay contacts 34 are closed by the movable relay contact 36. 55

The inhibiting relay is further provided with conventional latching means to prevent restoration of the inhibiting relay contacts to their normal positions until released and reset by an inhibiting relay control solenoid 38, which is energized from the DC source 24 ₆θ through a pushbutton switch 39, preferably remotely located from the response unit 21. Once unauthorized operation of the response unit is unsuccessfully attemped, the inhibiting relay coil operates to first isolate the lock solenoid 28 from the DC source 24, then to en- ₆₅ergize a remotely located alarm light 37 and to prevent further response unit operation until response unit 21 is reset from a remote location. Thus, theft or loss of

2,650 the signaling unit 10 will not permit unauthorized operation of a lock controlled by a response unit 21 unless the operator correctly selects and sets only those switches 17 of the predetermined coded combination, 5 which is most unlikely to occur because of the numerous possible arrangements of activation photoconductive cells 22 and the deactivation effect of the inhibiting photoconductive cells 23. It will be appreciated that a larger or smaller number of the photoconductive cells 10 may be used as activation cells 22 than the three in the illustrated embodiment, even one cell 22 being effective, and that the larger the number of cells employed as inhibiting cells 23, the greater are the chances that an unauthorized attempt to energize the lock solenoid 28 will be prevented. It also is apparent that response unit 21 cannot be unauthorizedly operated by light from an external source, such as a flashlight, since such attempted operation invariably will illuminate at least one of the inhibiting photoconductive cells 23.

The light generating means or lights 16 of the signaling unit 10 could be selected to emit light at different frequencies according to a predetermined code, with corresponding activation photoconductive cells 22 responsive only to illumination at those particular frequencies by means of light filters, for example, in order to render the system of the present invention even more secure from tampering.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing ³⁰ description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described ³³ being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.