GB2426279A

GB2426279A - Locking apparatus comprising number generator

Info

Publication number: GB2426279A
Application number: GB0509382A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Paul Roy Winter; Thomas John Parry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-05-07
Filing date: 2005-05-07
Publication date: 2006-11-22
Also published as: GB0509382D0

Abstract

A locking apparatus 3 is fitted to a container 1 comprising a door 2, and comprises a locking cylinder 5 which operates a latch 4 to secure or release the door, wherein when the door is locked an internal device generates a multi-digit number, the number being displayed in a display window 6 and stored electronically within the locking apparatus along with the date and time that the door is locked. The stored data may be downloaded from the locking apparatus via an infra-red link (7, Fig. 4) to provide evidence of when the lock was operated. The multi-digit number may be pseudo-random, such that a unique number is displayed each time the door is locked. The locking apparatus may be operated by a pre-programmed multi-digit code device. The apparatus may be used on an in-flight cabin trolley.

Description

TITLE: A SELF CONTAINED TAMPER EVIDENT LOCK WITH AN

INTEGRAL NUMERICAL IDENITY DISPLAY AND FULL AUDIT TRAIL

FACILITY TO REPLACE PADLOCKS, LOCKS AND OTHER SEALING

DEVICES FOR AIRLINE IN-FLIGHT CABIN TROLLEYS AND

ASSOCIATED IN-FLIGHT CONTAINERS

DESCRIPTION

The ability to lock and secure in-flight catering trolleys and associated in-flight containers has long been a cause for concern to the airline industry.

There is a clear need to protect airline in-flight trolleys against both surreptitious attack by terrorists and to prevent the theft of high value duty-free goods when the aircraft is on the ground having just arrived from a journey or when awaiting departure.

At present such trolleys are locked with an external padlock used in conjunction with a plastic seal that has to be broken in order to open the trolley door. Both are unsatisfactory in that a small padlock (usually of brass construction) and a plastic seal offer little resistance to a determined thief. Furthermore, these devices rely on the efficiency of the cabin crew to secure them before leaving the aircraft and there are many recorded instances when aircrew forget to secure the trolleys.

An unlocked and unsealed trolley is an easy target for ground crew or other personnel to steal goods and there is little chance of apportioning blame or identifying who is responsible if a theft occurs.

Airline service companies are currently enduring considerable losses from the theft of high value duty-free goods and the new invention addresses this problem by providing a new and efficient lock for the trolley, integrated with a pseudo-random number generator that produces a unique number each time the trolley is locked. The lock is also equipped with a "Day Date and Time" Audit Trail facility which records, for future reference, each time the trolley is opened before use or locked after use, when a new identity number is generated.

By following correct in-flight procedures, aircrew cannot "forget" to lock individual trolleys because they are required to enter the identity number (which is the equivalent of a plastic seal) on the cargo manifest and such a number can only be recorded when the trolley is locked.

In the event that aircrew fail to follow the correct procedure, the integral audit trail monitor will record that the trolley remained unlocked after use so that culpability can be allocated to the responsible organisation.

In the event of a straight forward theft or attempt at surreptitious entry into the trolley the lock cannot be attacked without showing clear evidence of the attack. In addition, the Audit Trail Monitor will automatically record when the door was attacked and opened and therefore which organisation was responsible for the safety of the trolley at the time. This could be the Airline Service Company or the Airline Company itself.

In all instances, the lock is designed to show clear evidence that the trolley has been attacked by unauthorised persons thus allowing the trolley to be rejected or removed from the aircraft pending further investigation. / 2.

The device can be manufactured and designed to fit all known makes of airline cabin trolleys and is secured to each trolley by bolts only accessible when the trolley door is unlocked.

The lock can be operated by either a key or numeric key pad but all other internal function are electronic and apart from the actual locking cylinder there are no mechanical components and the lock will resist attack from either power surge or electronic spike in an attempt to destroy the electronic sensors within the printed circuitry thus rendering the identity number generator inoperative.

The new invention effectively generates a pseudo-random number which looks random but is in reality a number generated through a computed mathematical formula which prevents the previous number from being reselected.

Furthermore the device has no moving parts relating to the electronic circuitry and all signals used to cause the generation of pseudo-random number are by way of an electronic beam projected through the outer casing of the device with the effect that there is no direct connection between the locking cylinder and the pseudo-random number generator.

The new invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows the Service Trolley 1 with the Cabinet Door 2 and the Locking Apparatus 3 fitted to the Trolley with the Locking Latch 4 operated by the Key Cylinder 5 in the locked position and the Pseudo-Random Number Display Window 6 Fig. 2 shows the Service Trolley 1 with the Cabinet Door 2 and the Locking Apparatus 3 fitted to the Trolley with the Locking Latch 4 operated by the Key Cylinder 5 in the unlocked or open position and the Pseudo-Random Number Display Window 6.

FigS 3 shows the Locking Apparatus 3 with the Cam Latch 4 in the open or up position thus allowing the Cabinet Door 2 in Figs 1 & 2 to open. The Cam Latch 4 is unlocked by the Key Cylinder 5 causing the Display Window 6 to read OPEN. The Infra Red Audit Trail Download Port is shown at 7.

Fig. 4 shows the Locking Apparatus 3 with the Cam Latch 4 in the locked or down position thus preventing the Cabinet Door 2 in Figs 1 & 2 from opening. The Cam Latch 4 is controlled by the Key Cylinder 5 causing the Display Window 6 to show a multi-digit Pseudo-Random Identification Number. The Infra Red Audit Trail Download Port is shown at 7. 3.

Claims

CLAIMS Claim

1. A self contained locking apparatus so designed as to fit all aircraft in-cabin service trolleys and containers preferably manufactured from solid plastic or alluminium with all internal components sealed inside with a specialist potting compound so as to protect the mechanism from outside contamination and designed so that a locking cylinder is incorporated and operated by preferably a key so as to allow a rotating cam latch to either secure or release the trolley door so that when the door is locked an internal device, preferably a micro-controller inside the lock body will generate and illuminate in a display window a multidigit number, preferably pseudo-random in origin which will remain in operation although not illuminated unless recalled by operating a switch, preferably an infra-red beam located in an indentation on the side of the lock in which case the number will reappear on the screen for a predetermined length of time before ceasing to be illuminated again but despite not being illuminated, will remain active and be recorded by an audit trail facility built into the lock body storing data showing the day date and time the lock was operated either to lock or unlock the mechanism in such a manner as this information can be recovered from the lock by downloading this information via direct link but preferably an infra-red link, into a computer data storage bucket which will hold the information until ft is downloaded into an external printer, or computer linked to a printer, so that the said information can be used as evidence as to when the lock was operated.

2. A self contained locking apparatus as claimed in claim 1, but operated by a pre- programmed multi-digit code device of preferably five or more digits any of which can be numbered from one to zero and the operation of which is controlled by two switches, preferably infra-red sensors, located in two special indentations in the device in such a way that if the first sensor is touched so that an infra-red beam is broken wruich in turn links to a micro controller in the locking apparatus the micro controller generates a number one followed by successive numbers two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine and zero every time the infra-red beam is broken by touching the indentation in the body of the device so that the once the preferred number shows in the display window, the second indentation in the body of the device is touched so that the infra-red beam in this indentation is broken to send a signal to the micro controller indicating that the preferred number displayed in the display window should be locked in place and the next number in the sequence is ready to be displayed in exactly the same manner as the first number in the display was generated and this sequence of events is continued until the pre- programmed five digit code is generated after which time the lock will open.

3. A self contained locking apparatus as claimed in claims 1 and 2, but operated in such a manner so that when the key or multi-digit code is used to release the trolley door these devices act upon an internal locking lever or bar incorporated in a modification to the trolley door that will prevent the trolley door from being opened when the locking apparatus is in the locked position and allow the trolley door to open when in the unlocked position.