🚀 go-pugleaf

> I've been wondering for a while about those card-keyed door locks
> that you find in newer hotels.  I have three questions:
> 
> 	1) How are they powered?  (I can find no evidence of wires
> 	   running to the door itself.)
> 	
> 	2) What is the means by which they are reprogrammed?  Is
> 	   it done using RF?  Carrier current?  Microwaves?
> 	
> 	3) If they are battery powered, what kind of batteries
> 	   are used, how often must they be replaced, and how
> 	   does one open the lock to replace the batteries?
> -- 
> Andrew Siegel, N2CN		NBC Computer Imaging, New York, NY
> philabs!nbc1!abs		(212)664-5776

To answer your questions there are a number of different types of
door locks which are now being used. Let me quickly cover (off the
top of my head) them without going into a lot of detail.

type 1)	This type of door lock uses a paper/plastic card with the
	magnetic strip on the back. The lock is normally in the door
	frame not the door itself. It is power/reprogrammed from the
	main desk using a PC. The computer contains quite a number of
	different bit of information about the room. Such as the last
	time the card was used, if it was a maid, etc. This system also
	makes it very easy for a master key system to be set up and
	changed at any time all control from the main desk.

type 2) This type of lock can be in the door or not. It is magnetically
	driven. The card is more like a plastic/metal dog tag. To change
	the combination a new tag is inserted into the lock and a special
	key is inserted and turned. Pull the key and the new dog tag out
	and you have a new combination. Changing time is about 30 seconds.
	Cost is about $80.00 per door. The door handle can be a free
	spinning handle or it can be fixed. This type can also be used
	for apartment complex with a number of them next to the door.

type 3) Each lock has its own microprocessor in it with an E^2. I believe
	that I was told that it is battery driven. I don't know much about
	this version. It does not have any moving parts as far as the card
	reader is concern. I have a friend working on a chip for this
	version. The type I have the least amount of knowledge about.


I hope that this little amount of information has help you. If there is
still an interest I will try to bring more information to work instead of
off the top of my head.


						Tony Cratz

					Full time: System Administrator
					Part time: Locksmith


UUCP: hplabs!intelca!catsim!tony
MAIL: 4051 Burton Dr. Santa Clara, Ca. 95054
Phone: 408-980-9144