Patent ID: 6851369

Claim:
Apparatus for controlling detonators comprising: a central command station for transmitting at least one command signal; at least one blasting machine in signal communication with both the central command station and a at least one group of detonators, said at least one blasting machine being able to (a) generate a data package comprising a randomly generated access code, (b) receive at least one command signal and at least one data package transmitted by the central command station, and (c) compare generated and received data packages; and at least one authorization key physically associatable with said at least one blasting machine for direct transfer to and storage of said at least one data package, and physically transferable from said at least one blasting machine to the central command station for delivery of said at least one data package to the central command station; wherein the central command station, after receiving said at least one data package from said at least one authorization key transmits the at least one command signal and said at least one data package to said at least one blasting machine, whereupon said at least one blasting machine responds to said at least one command signal only if a data package received from the central command station is the same as the data package originally generated by said at least one blasting machine.