Typical electronic lock systems function with electronic key cards and are controlled by computer systems. Upon checking in at the front desk of the hotel and being assigned a room, a customer is given an electronic key corresponding to the electronic lock securing access to the room. Typically, an electronic lock system comprises a key generating station which is located at the check-in counter or front desk of the hotel and an electronic lock which is mounted in a door of a room and provides access to the room. The lock is opened by a key having magnetic data (key code) thereon. The typical electronic lock has a microprocessor which either has an incorporated or an associated read-only memory as well as at least one other memory.

The key is in the form of a card and the magnetic data is encoded onto the key by the key generating station when it is assigned to the guest at the front desk. An electronic lock may perform processing upon user input before causing a locking mechanism to activate or deactivate. Such processing allows more sophisticated functionality than the aforementioned mechanical locks. A higher level of security may be maintained than was previously achievable using mechanical locks. Electronic locks provide for increased security since the lock can be reprogrammed so that it will not accept keys which it would previously accept. An electronic lock and key system also has the advantage of not using a mechanical key which can be easily duplicated.