Patent ID: 8479982

Claim:
Apparatus comprising: an electronic safety deposit box key docking station, wherein the docking station is associated with a plurality of safety deposit boxes, each of which includes a cover lock assembly comprising a lock operable to prevent manual access to a door key opening configured to receive therein a physical key, wherein the docking station is operative to communicate with a plurality of hand held user devices, at least one user input device operative to receive identifying inputs from authorized users of the safety deposit boxes, at least one computer, wherein the at least one computer is associated with the docking station and the at least one user input device, wherein the at least one computer is operable responsive to at least one identifying input received through the at least one user input device from a first user, to cause the docking station to provide to a first hand held user device associated with the first user, safety deposit box unlocking data for a particular safety deposit box corresponding to the at least one identifying input, wherein the safety deposit box unlocking data enables the first hand held user device when placed in operative communication with the cover lock assembly of the particular safety deposit box, to cause the lock to be placed in an unlocked condition in which the door key opening is manually accessible, wherein the docking station is operative to receive from the first hand held user device, usage data corresponding to use of the particular safety deposit box by the first user.