The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 11, 2013
Filed:
Oct. 08, 2008
William R. Duffy, Iii, Raleigh, NC (US);
Phillip D. Jones, Raleigh, NC (US);
Michael K. Trivette, Morrisville, NC (US);
David T. Windell, Raleigh, NC (US);
William R. Duffy, III, Raleigh, NC (US);
Phillip D. Jones, Raleigh, NC (US);
Michael K. Trivette, Morrisville, NC (US);
David T. Windell, Raleigh, NC (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for lock and key security, the lock including a light receptacle, a scatter pattern detecting module, and a locking mechanism, the key including a light source and a prism, the lock and key security including receiving, in the light receptacle of the lock, light transmitted by the light source in the key through the prism; identifying, by the scatter pattern detecting module, a 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.