Biometric cabinet lock
View Patent ↗A biometric locking system, including a biometric validation module for receiving a biometric profile and asserting a control signal responsive to a biometric evaluation of the biometric profile; an outer cylindrical housing; an inner housing, telescopingly coupled to the outer cylindrical housing, for operating in both an operational mode and a storage mode, the operational mode having the inner housing telescoped out from the outer cylindrical housing and the storage mode having the inner housing telescoped into the outer cylindrical housing wherein the operational mode reveals a biometric scanner coupled to the biometric validation module for creation of the biometric profile by a user and wherein the storage mode covers the biometric scanner.
1. A biometric locking system for a mechanical interlock, comprising:
a biometric validation module for receiving a biometric profile and asserting a control signal responsive to a biometric evaluation of said biometric profile;
an outer housing coupled to a lockable enclosure, said lockable enclosure secured using the mechanical interlock;
an inner housing, telescopingly coupled to said outer housing, for operating in both an operational mode and a storage mode, said operational mode having said inner housing telescoped out from said outer housing and said storage mode having said inner housing telescoped into said outer cylindrical housing wherein said operational mode reveals a biometric scanner coupled to said biometric validation module for creation of said biometric profile by a user and wherein said storage mode covers said biometric scanner; and
a mechanical interface, coupled to said biometric validation module and coupled to the mechanical interlock and responsive to said control signal, for controlling a physical locking mode of the mechanical interlock to selectively physically secure and physically unsecure said lockable enclosure.
2. The biometric locking system of claim 1 wherein said biometric scanner includes a fingerprint reader and said biometric profile includes a fingerprint.
3. The biometric locking system of claim 1 wherein said outer housing is generally cylindrical having a diameter less than about one inch.
4. A biometric locking method for a mechanical interlock, the method comprising:
a) telescoping an inner housing out from an outer housing disposed in a wall of a lockable enclosure, said telescoping moving said inner housing from a storage mode to an operational mode and said lockable enclosure mechanically securable using the mechanical interlock;
b) revealing a biometric sensor coupled to said inner housing for collecting a biometric profile;
c) evaluating said biometric profile to control a mechanical interface coupled to the mechanical interlock wherein said lockable enclosure is physically unlocked when said biometric profile is evaluated for an unlocked state and wherein said lockable enclosure is physically locked when said biometric profile is evaluated for a locked state; and
d) telescoping said inner housing into said outer housing to conceal said biometric sensor.