As technology continues to improve, it is having an effect on almost every industry, including security. A big ring of jagged edge keys are becoming less and less obvious. Hotels, office buildings and other commercial establishments are switching to key-cards and going away from traditional keys. Although the technology is changing, that is not eliminating the role of a commercial locksmith in Chicago; if anything it is enhancing it.
There are four basic types of key-card systems;
* Bar code cards
* Hole cards
* Magnetic strip cards
* Radio frequency cards
Each one of these card systems are easy to use, however, there are differences in the level of security they give.
The key-card system works when the plastic card and the electronic access device work hand in hand. Every card is uniquely programmed to work with a particular reader or readers, a lock or a host of different locks. The plastic key-card is programmed by computer input and it receives a unique signature that works with only the electronic access device it is programmed to work with. In the event the card is lost or stolen, a replacement card with a new signature can easily be produced; the missing card is voided and can no longer be used to operate the electronic lock. These modern security systems are installed and maintained by the commercial locksmith in Chicago.
The earliest form of keyless entry was the hole card which was developed in the mid 1970s. It was not really keyless as we think of it today; it was punched with a series of 32 holes which corresponded with a set of 32 pins that were inside the locking mechanism, when the card was inserted into a slot, if the holes and pins lined up, the door opened. It was a good first step but the combinations were limited and building the locks was time consuming.
The next generation of devices introduced into the market by a commercial locksmith in Chicago was the bar code system. This system is identical to the system used in the grocery store, a bar code is offered to a scanner, the scanner takes the information from the bar code. In the case of the grocery store, it adds the price to running total, in the case of a door opener, if the code matched with the code held by the computer, the door opened.
The system used most frequently today is the magnetic strip. These access cards are used extensively in multi-room facilities such as hotels. Upon check-in, the magnetic stripe on the key card is generated by the hotel computer; this information is fed into the remote door lock. When the electronic card is swiped, much like a credit card, the information is compared and if it matches, the door opens.
