Dynamic keying assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10644451-B2
Application number	US-201715831788-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2017
Priority date	Jan 24, 2014
Publication date	May 5, 2020
Grant date	May 5, 2020

Abstract

A method and system for a dynamic keying system is disclosed. The method and system can include a male connector device having a first plurality of settings for one or more key features, and a female connector device having a second plurality of settings for one or more key features. The female connector device can be configured to operate in an initial mode in which it is configured to, in response to the introduction of the male connector device, correspond a first setting of the first plurality of settings to a second setting of the second plurality of settings. The female connector device can also be configured to operate in a subsequent mode, in which it can permit coupling with at least one male connector device having the first setting and consistently deny access to at least one male connector device having a third setting different than the first setting.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A dynamic keying system comprising:
a male connector device having a plurality of connecting members and one or more key features secured to the male connector that include first circuitry that is configurable to define a first plurality of settings; and
a female connector device defining a single aperture and having one or more key features that include second circuitry that is configurable to define a second plurality of settings,
wherein the female connector device is configured to receive, within the single aperture, each of the plurality of connecting members as well as the one or more key features of the male connector such that the male and female connector devices align the one or more key features of the male connector with the one or more key features of the female connector such that:
the female connector device is configured to, in response to the introduction of the male connector device into the single aperture, correspond a first setting of the first plurality of settings to a second setting of the second plurality of settings; and
the female connector device is configured to permit coupling with at least one male connector device having the first setting and consistently deny access to at least one male connector device having a third setting different than the first setting;

wherein:
the first circuitry is configured to communicate with the second circuitry and provide a first identification tag in response to an interrogation request from the second circuitry,
the second circuitry is configured to communicate with the first circuitry and provide an interrogation request, and, in response to receiving the first identification tag from the male connector device, verify the identification tag; and

a gate located at an entrance to the aperture of the female connector device, the gate configured to open in response to verification of the identification tag and allow coupling between the female connector device and the male connector device.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first identification tag is programmable using a code created with a timestamp identifier in one of a plurality of settings.

3. The system of claim 2 , further configured to verify the identification tag by determining whether a first setting of the first identification tag corresponds to a second setting of a second identification tag, the second identification tag associated with the second circuitry.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the female connector device is further configured to, in a subsequent mode, maintain the second setting of the plurality of settings.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more key features of the male connector device include one or more ridges protruding from the male connector device, the ridges configured to be physically adjustable in a first plane relative to the male connector device; and
the one or more key features of the female connector device include a receptacle located within the female connector device, the receptacle configured to be substantially deformable in an initial mode and substantially non-deformable in a subsequent mode.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the male connector includes at least three connecting members and the female connector includes at least three electrical contacts such that each of the at least three connecting members interface with one of the at least three electrical contacts when the female connector receives the male connector.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Mann Phillip V
• Plucinski Mark D
• Shirk/Heath Sandra J
• Sinha Arvind K

Classifications

• H01R13/447

  Shutter or cover plate · CPC title

• Y10T29/49117

  Conductor or circuit manufacturing · CPC title

• H01R13/70

  with built-in switch · CPC title

• H01R43/26

  for engaging or disengaging the two parts of a coupling device (structural association with two-part coupling device H01R13/629) · CPC title

• H01R13/665

  with built-in electronic circuit (H01R13/70, H01R13/719 take precedence) · CPC title