Patent ID: 7373352
Filing Date: 2008-05-13
Classification: G06F,G06Q,G07C,G07F

Abstract:
1. A key management system for management of electronic keys used to access electronic locks of vending machines, comprising a computer having a software program for key management functionality; a database containing key management data; and a cradle communicating with the computer for interfacing the computer with an electronic key; the software program having computer-executable instructions for performing an automatic key refreshing operation; receiving a the steps of receiving an initial transmission from a key through the cradle, the initial transmission initiating the automatic key refreshing operation; receiving a key identification number from the key through the cradle; retrieving from the database information of a user of the key and operation limit parameters for said user based on the key identification number; and sending the operation limit parameters through the cradle to the key for writing into a memory of the key, wherein the key contains audit trails data collected from vending machines accessed using said key, and wherein the software program has further computer-executable instructions for receiving the audit trails data from the key, and storing the received audit trails data into the database.