An industrial locking switch includes an inductive sensing circuit that uses a non-contact technique to detect when the switch's locking bolt has transitioned to the lock position. The inductive sensing circuit can comprise an inductive coil, a capacitor, and a converter that converts a frequency of a current signal through the inductive coil to a digital frequency value. A controller detects when the locking bolt has advanced to the lock position by monitoring the digital frequency value for frequency shifts indicative of a disturbance of the induction coil's magnetic field by the locking bolt. To validate operation of the inductive sensing system without requiring actuation of the locking bolt, a diagnostic switch connects a diagnostic capacitor to the inductive circuit to simulate the frequency shift caused by the locking bolt, and the inductive sensing system is validated if the expected frequency shift is detected.

The invention relates generally a device that authenticates a user, operator, or object using multiple factors, thus decreasing the likelihood of unauthorized use. These factors preferably are independent from each other and difficult to defeat. By combining a mechanical key with a number of physically unclonable functions (PUF), the resulting system may be impossible to duplicate or defeat. The addition of the PUF can be deployed to mechanical keys or RFID's of different types without reducing the functionality of the first factors operation.

Wine and liquor bottles have a shrink-wrap seal, or other type, that is applied to the cap/cork end of the bottle. This seal material can be loaded with randomly magnetized particles, such as flakes of an alloy of neodymium, iron, and boron (NdFeB). The randomly magnetized particles provide a unique unclonable magnetic fingerprint to the bottle. The magnetic field may be recorded for one or more circumferential bands around the surface of the bottle's neck and used as a magnetic fingerprint to authenticate the bottle. Authentication can be performed by inserting the bottle in an appropriate fixture, which measures the magnetic fingerprint.

The invention provides a digital lock including at least two magnets. One magnet is a semi-hard magnet and the other magnet is a hard magnet. The hard magnet is configured to move to close the digital lock in the event of malicious attack, blocking the intruder thereby the magnets acting as a blocking pin, and the mechanical and/or electromagnetic energy of the attack is configured to move the hard magnet to seal the digital lock from the intruder.

Barricade devices and methods of barricading a door are disclosed. Such devices and methods may be used to barricade a door, and thereby prevent an intruder from entering a sheltering space, such as a classroom, storeroom, or hallway. The barricade-device may have a pivotable stop-device that is pivotable from a location adjacent to a door. The pivot-location may be at an elevation that is lower than a door handle. The stop-device may be pivotable from a reserve-position to a stop-position. In the reserve-position, the stop-device does not barricade the door. In the barricade-position, the stop-device barricades the door. Operation of the barricade-device may require the application of an activation operation to an activator. A wide range of people having differing physical and mental capabilities may use the barricade-device properly and quickly.

The invention provides a magnetic actuator including at least two magnets. One magnet is a semi hard magnet and the other magnet is a hard magnet. The hard magnet is configured to open or close the magnetic actuator. The semi hard magnet and the hard magnet are placed adjacent to each other. A change in magnetization polarization of the semi hard magnet is configured to push or pull the hard magnet to open or close a digital lock realised with the magnetic actuator. The magnetic actuator of the invention can also be used to realise a valve.

A storage container can include at least one movement sensor in or on a frame of the storage container and at least one movement sensor in or on a door of the storage container. A processor can compare outputs of the movement sensors to determine whether the door is open.

A magnetic strip card includes a partial encrypted card payload encrypted with a long shared key to provide a final encrypted payload. A method for encoding the magnetic strip card includes encrypting a card payload with a code key of a access controls with a short key of the access control to generate a partial encrypted payload and encrypting the partial encrypted payload with a long shared key to provide a final encrypted payload.

An electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention may comprise: a wireless communication interface; a display; a magnetic stripe transmission (MST) module comprising a coil for inducing generation of a magnetic field; a processor electrically connected to the wireless communication interface, the display, and the MST module; and a memory electrically connected to the processor, wherein the memory stores instructions for controlling the processor, the instructions, when executed, causing the processor to: receive digital card key information for unlocking a door lock apparatus from an external device through the wireless communication interface; convert the digital card information into an MST signal containing the same; activate the MST module in response to an MST module activation request input thereto; and unlock the door lock apparatus by transmitting the converted MST signal through magnetic induction and waking up the door lock apparatus through the transmitted MST signal. Other embodiments are also possible.

The invention provides a magnetic actuator including at least two magnets. One magnet is a semi hard magnet and the other magnet is a hard magnet. The hard magnet is configured to open or close the magnetic actuator. The semi hard magnet and the hard magnet are placed adjacent to each other. A change in magnetization polarization of the semi hard magnet is configured to push or pull the hard magnet to open or close a digital lock realised with the magnetic actuator. The magnetic actuator of the invention can also be used to realise a valve.