Patent ID: 8047027

Claim:
A method for opening a dual function padlock having a body and a shackle, the body containing a first locking mechanism and a second locking mechanism, comprising: an authority receiving a key, wherein the key has a differentiated pattern adapted to open the first locking mechanism and the key is larger than a length of the body and the shackle of the dual function padlock; the authority engaging the differentiated pattern of the key with the first locking mechanism in the dual function padlock, wherein the first and the second locking mechanisms can each independently unlock a shackle of the dual function padlock; and the authority non-destructively moving the first locking mechanism with the key from a locked state into an unlocked state, wherein the key cannot disengage from the body of the dual function padlock after the key has been engaged with the first locking mechanism and the first locking mechanism is in the unlocked state.