Patent ID: 8462322

Claim:
A method of lock and key security, the lock comprising a light receptacle, a scatter pattern detecting module, and a locking mechanism, the key comprising a light source and shattered glass forming a prism, the method comprising: receiving, in the light receptacle of the lock, light transmitted by the light source in the key through the shattered glass forming the prism, wherein the transmission of the light through the shattered glass forms a unique scatter pattern in dependence upon physical characteristics of the shattered glass; identifying, by the unique scatter pattern detecting module, the scatter pattern of the received light; comparing, by the scatter pattern detecting module, the scatter pattern to a unique preauthorized pattern for operating the lock; if the scatter pattern matches the unique preauthorized pattern, switching, by the scatter pattern detecting module, the current locking state of the locking mechanism; and if the scatter pattern does not match the unique preauthorized pattern, maintaining the current locking state of the locking mechanism.