摘要 |
A lock system has an elongated key provided with a plurality of permanent magnets spaced axially and angularly apart along the key in a predetermined magnet array. A cylinder having no moving parts defines a passage generally complementary to this key and provided with a plurality of magnetic-field detectors at least some of which are arrayed to be in line with the magnets of the key when it is inserted into the passage. An electronic circuit is connected to these detectors and to an electrically operable latch and is programmed to open the latch when those detectors that are in line with the permanent magnets change state in a manner indicating that they are juxtaposed with the respective magnets, but not when one or more detectors out of line with the magnet array are similarly subjected to a magnetic field.
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