Videx/Cyberlock introduced this lock system originally in about 2000. It was unique in access control at that time because the data and locking plan was stored in the KEY instead of in the LOCK. So, when the key reads the ID number of a lock, it checks to be sure the keyholder is allowed to access that lock. The key makes the go, no go decision, not the lock.
To update locks and keys with any changes to the locking plan, users must use one of several key stations around the property at least once per day. The simplest way to accomplish that is to lock employee entrances and use the key station to admit access to the building. The station will grant access (or not) and update the user key simultaneously. The key stations are the only components hard-wired to the computer that controls the system. No other locks are wired.
Cyberlock was the first “data on card (or token)” concept. In recent years, this concept has taken off, with Salto being the undisputed leader (as of 2025). Users spread changes to the locking plan as they use their cards in the locks, going about regular routines. (akin to a computer virus spreading) Like Cyberlock, some wired stations, usually connected to a common entrance that everyone has to use, serve to update the cards if something in the locking has changed. The locking plan and access rights are updated when an updated card is used in any lock. This concept delivers the features and benefits of a wired system for a fraction of the cost. It can be made more robust by adding wireless nodes that communicate with the locks.
Attached are pictures of a very early version of the Cyberlock cylinder and keys from my collection. The components have changed slightly in design over the years.
