A lock which is operated by keycards is called as the keycard lock. It is flat, and is a plastic card that is rectangular in shape that contains identical dimensions like the drivers licenses and credit cards that will store a digital signature that the door mechanism will accept and will disengage the door lock. There are a lot of key cards in different types that are used, some of these are barcode, mechanical hole card, mechanical stripe or strip, and some more.

Key cards are often used in hotels, being an alternative for those usual keys that are mechanical. These are first used for lowering and raising the gates in the automated parking lots. Hotel key card sleeves, the common device that prevents it from being damaged. Until now, investigations on the development of new ideas for these devices are continuing.

One if these is the top loader. It is a stiff plastic that has a one open end. Another one is the less expensive card sleeve. This is just the same with the size of card and is like a clear plastic envelope with one end open. There is also called as the 9 pocket pages which is designed in order to store trading cards in albums or binders.

The system is operated through moving the detainers and then inserting the card to the locking mechanism. Through the patterns that are LED, the result will then be detected. And it ay be detected by swiping a magnetic stripe or inserting it. These are also used as identification cards. Most systems today are using RFID or the radio frequency identification technology. The types of key cards are magnetic stripes, mechanical, and the passive RFID.

The mechanical lock is making use of detainers arranged in pre selected position. This consist of many different hole patterns. There are a number of 32 positions that are possibly formed in the different locations of holes. And also, it means that it has 4.3 billion possible number of keys. Each new guest may have been changed with keys by the insertion of a new template that matches the key which is new.

Another type is the magnetic stripe, or called as strip. This is operated by running the strip through a sensor that will read the contents of the strip. The contents are being compared to the ones which are stored in the lock or in the central system. Some of centralized systems are using hardwired connections to controllers and the others are using radio wave frequencies in order to communicate with central controllers.

Passive RFID cards are containing small chips and induction loops where the transmitter of the reader can enter. One of the advantages of this is removing it from the wallet or pass holder may not be done. It is because the reader can be able to read them even in a few inches away.

Privacy is one very important advantage that is to be considered when using computerized authentication systems. The reason for this is it enables the monitoring of the entries with using computer surveillance. These types are very known today because it can be easily used.

There are already a lot of households today that are making use of this kind of system. Some are having the combination of biometric fingerprints and keypad pins. Most offices are also making use of these digital locks.