Author: claimsbot

1. An interactive system for managing access via a communications network by one or more Device-Users and Database-Users with regard to at least one secured Location and an entry control Device assignable for use in gaining access to the Location by the one or more Device-Users, the system comprising in combination:
a searchable database configured to store information on at least one of the secured Location, the one or more Device-Users, the one or more Database-Users, or the entry control Device, wherein the at least one secured Location is associated with a place that is physically protected by the entry control Device, and
at least one computer coupled to the searchable database and configured to execute Software stored on a readable medium and configured to search the database and report one or more conflicts concerning the information.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the entry control Device further comprises a lock having a cylinder selectively configurable in multiple steps for operation with multiple, differently configured keys, and the Software is further configured to search the information for the status of each step and report one or more conflicts concerning the information on the status of each step.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the Software is configured to perform at least one of the following:
(a) determine if multiple steps of a lock cylinder have an issued status; andor
(b) determine if a future step has a status which is older than the status of an issued step.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein said entry control Device comprises a tangible item containing encoded criteria.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein said tangible item is selected from the group consisting of a key, an access card, a chip and bar code.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein said entry control Device comprises an intangible object assigned to and in possession of each said Device-User.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein said object is selected from the group consisting of code numbers, PIN numbers and code words or phrases.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the Software is configured to determine and report a conflict in a field in the database directed to assignment of a key blank to at least one of a Device-User and a Location.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the Software is configured to determine and report a conflict in a field in the database directed to a first Location tied to another Location.
10. An interactive system for security management, the system accessible via a communications network by a plurality of Database Users and adapted to manage a security system associated with places physically protected by corresponding security mechanisms used to gain physical entry to the places by security mechanism users, the system comprising in combination:
at least one searchable database configured to store information on a plurality of places, a plurality of security mechanisms and a plurality of security mechanism users, wherein the at least one searchable database is further configured to store information on the plurality of Database Users authorized to access the at least one searchable database; and
at least one computer coupled to the at least one searchable database and configured to execute Software accessible by the plurality of Database Users, the Software configured to:
search the at least one searchable database to identify one or more conflicts associated with the information on the plurality of places, the plurality of security mechanisms and the plurality of security mechanism users; and
report the one or more identified conflicts.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one security mechanism is a tangible item containing encoded criteria, said encoded criteria being assigned to a security mechanism user, and said tangible item being selected from the group consisting of a key, an access card, a chip and a bar code.
12. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one security mechanism is an intangible object assigned to and in possession of a security mechanism user, and said object is selected from the group consisting of code numbers, PIN numbers and code words or phrases.
13. The system of claim 10, wherein said Software is operative to display records of said data on the status of a security mechanism for a place and to display information pertaining to ownership and other associated data for said security mechanism.
14. The system of claim 10, wherein a security mechanism among the plurality of security mechanisms comprises a lock having a cylinder selectively configurable in multiple steps for operation with multiple, differently configured keys, and wherein the Software is further configured to search the information for the status of each step and report one or more conflicts concerning the information on the status of each step.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the Software is configured to report a conflict in response to determining that multiple steps have an issued status.
16. The system of claim 14, wherein the Software is configured to report a conflict in response to determining that a future step has a status that is older than the status of an issued step.
17. The system of claim 10, wherein the Software is configured to determine and report a conflict in a field in the database directed to assignment of a key blank to at least one of a security mechanism and a place.
18. The system of claim 10, wherein the Software is configured to determine and report a conflict in a field in the database directed to a first place tied to another place.
19. The system of claim 10, wherein the Software is configured to determine and report a conflict in a field in the database directed to a status level for a step among a plurality of steps associated with a security mechanism.
20. A method of checking for conflicts in information stored in at least one database and pertaining to an access control system for at least one secured Location, comprising:
providing a manner of assigning an entry control Device to the Location for use in gaining entry by a Device-User to the Location, wherein the Location is associated with a place that is physically protected by the entry control Device;
providing a manner of assigning a password to a Database-User enabling access to the database; and
providing Software executed by a computer and enabling the Database-User to search the database and selectively display the conflicts in the information on at least one of the Location, the Device, the Device-User, or Database-User.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the entry control Device further comprises a lock having a cylinder selectively configurable in multiple steps for operation with multiple, differently configured keys, and the Software is further configured to search the information for the status of each step and report one or more conflicts concerning the information on the status of each step.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the Software is configured to report a conflict in response to determining that multiple steps have an issued status.
23. The method of claim 21, wherein the Software is configured to report a conflict in response to determining that a future step has a status that is older than the status of an issued step.
24. The method of claim 20, wherein said entry control Device comprises a tangible item containing encoded criteria.
25. The system of claim 20, wherein said entry control Device comprises an intangible object assigned to and in possession of each said Device-User.
26. The method of claim 20, wherein the Software is configured to determine and report a conflict in a field in the database directed to assignment of a key blank to at least one of a Device-User and a Location.
27. The method of claim 20, wherein the Software is configured to determine and report a conflict in a field in the database directed to a first Location tied to another Location.
28. A method of checking for conflicts in information pertaining to an access control system associated with places physically protected by corresponding security mechanisms used to gain physical entry to the places by security mechanism users, comprising:
storing in at least one searchable database information on a plurality of places, a plurality of security mechanisms and a plurality of security mechanism users, wherein the at least one searchable database is further configured to store information on the plurality of Database Users authorized to access the at least one searchable database; and
executing Software accessible by the plurality of Database Users on at least one computer coupled to the at least one searchable database, the Software configured to:
search the at least one searchable database to identify one or more conflicts associated with the information on the plurality of places, the plurality of security mechanisms and the plurality of security mechanism users; and
report the one or more identified conflicts.
29. The method of claim 28, wherein a security mechanism among the plurality of security mechanisms comprises a lock having a cylinder selectively configurable in multiple steps for operation with multiple, differently configured keys, and wherein the Software is further configured to search the information for the status of each step and report one or more conflicts concerning the information on the status of each step.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein the Software is configured to report a conflict in response to determining that multiple steps have an issued status.
31. The method of claim 29, wherein the Software is configured to report a conflict in response to determining that a future step has a status that is older than the status of an issued step.
32. The method of claim 28, wherein at least one security mechanism is a tangible item containing encoded criteria, said encoded criteria being assigned to a security mechanism user, and said tangible item being selected from the group consisting of a key, an access card, a chip and a bar code.
33. The method of claim 28, wherein at least one security mechanism is an intangible object assigned to and in possession of a security mechanism user, and said object is selected from the group consisting of code numbers, PIN numbers and code words or phrases.
34. The method of claim 28, wherein the Software is configured to determine and report a conflict in a field in the database directed to assignment of a key blank to at least one of a security mechanism and a place.
35. The method of claim 28, wherein the Software is configured to determine and report a conflict in a field in the database directed to a first place tied to another place.
36. The method of claim 28, wherein the Software is configured to determine and report a conflict in a field in the database directed to a status level for a step among a plurality of steps associated with a security mechanism.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An electric vehicle having front, rear, and left and right sides defining four corners, comprising:
an electric propulsion system including a battery, a charger, and a state of charge monitor determining a battery state of charge; and
a plurality of exterior lamp assemblies each disposed at a respective one of the corners;
wherein each lamp assembly is comprised of:
a sequential chain of LEDs disposed across a respective dimension of the respective lamp assembly, wherein the LEDs of the chain have a placement and separation configured to make the LEDs resolvable at a predetermined distance from the vehicle, wherein the LEDs are configured to be illuminated in a driving mode and a charging mode, wherein the charging mode is comprised of illuminating a portion of the sequential chain of LEDs in proportion to the monitored state of charge of the battery.
2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein each sequential chain of LEDs has a sequential order between an initial LED and a final LED, wherein each LED represents a predetermined percentage of the battery state of charge, and wherein the illuminated portion of the chain of LEDs includes the initial LED with a number of adjacent LEDs in the sequential order corresponding to the monitored battery state of charge as a percentage of full charge.
3. The vehicle of claim 2 wherein each sequential chain of LEDs is comprised of ten LEDs, each LED representing a 10% increment in the battery state of charge.
4. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising:
a lighting control module for coordinating operation of the plurality of exterior lamp assemblies during driving of the vehicle, wherein the lighting control module activates the driving mode of a sequential chain of LEDs to provide substantially uniform illumination to mark a respective corner for drivers of other vehicles.
5. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein each lamp assembly further comprises an LED driver coupled to the lighting control module, the state of charge monitor, and the respective chain of LEDs, wherein the LED driver activates selected LEDs in the chain of LEDs according to the battery state of charge when in the charging mode and uniformly activates all the LEDs in the chain of LEDs under control of the lighting control module when in the driving mode.
6. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the charging mode is further comprised of flashing one of more LEDs in response to a fault condition associated with charging of the battery.
7. A method of operating an electric vehicle having front, rear, and left and right sides defining four corners, and having an electric propulsion system including a battery and a charger, the method comprising the steps of:
entering a charge mode of the vehicle;
determining a battery state of charge;
illuminating a sequential chain of LEDs in each of a plurality of exterior lamp assemblies each disposed at a respective one of the corners, wherein each sequential chain of LEDs is disposed across a respective dimension of the respective lamp assembly, wherein the LEDs of the chain have a placement and separation configured to make the LEDs resolvable at a predetermined distance from the vehicle, and wherein a portion of the sequential chain of LEDS is illuminated in proportion to the monitored state of charge of the battery;
entering a driving mode of the vehicle; and
activating at least one sequential chain of LEDs to provide substantially uniform illumination to mark a respective corner for drivers of other vehicles.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein each sequential chain of LEDs has a sequential order between an initial LED and a final LED, wherein each LED represents a predetermined percentage of the battery state of charge, and wherein the illuminated portion of the chain of LEDs includes the initial LED with a number of adjacent LEDs in the sequential order corresponding to the monitored battery state of charge as a percentage of full charge.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein each sequential chain of LEDs is comprised of ten LEDs, each LED representing a 10% increment in the battery state of charge.
10. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of:
flashing one of more LEDs in response to a fault condition associated with charging of the battery when in the charge mode.
11. An electric vehicle comprising:
a plurality of exterior lamp assemblies visible from respective directions at a distance from the vehicle;
wherein each lamp assembly comprises a sequential chain of LEDs configured to be activated in a driving mode having uniform illumination or a charging mode comprised of activating a portion of the sequential chain of LEDS in proportion to a monitored state of charge of the battery.

1. An electrical distribution harness assembly of a modular power assembly for providing power to an office furniture assembly including an article of office furniture including an exterior surface, said electrical distribution harness assembly comprising:
at least one electrical connector including a plurality of projections and an end configured for connecting to a plurality of electrical conductors;
a channel including a wireway and at least one slideway integral with said wireway, said channel coupled with said at least one electrical connector and configured for carrying said plurality of electrical conductors; and
a cover slidably received within said at least one slideway, said cover at least partly overlapping said end of said at least one electrical connector and thereby in part coupling said at least one electrical connector with said channel and preventing said at least one electrical conductor from disconnecting from said channel, said cover including a flat expanse, said channel including at least one end defining a first plurality of holes each of which is open toward said flat expanse of said cover, each of said plurality of projections positioned in a corresponding one of said first plurality of holes.
2. The electrical distribution harness assembly of claim 1, wherein said cover, together with said plurality of projections, couples said at least one electrical connector with said channel.
3. The electrical distribution harness assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one slideway includes an inwardly curled flange.
4. The electrical distribution harness assembly of claim 3, wherein said inwardly curled flange defines at least one second hole and at least one third hole and said cover includes a first longitudinal side defining at least one fourth hole, said at least one second, third, and fourth holes being respectively aligned.
5. The electrical distribution harness assembly of claim 1, wherein said channel has a low profile and is configured for being mounted to an underside of one of a table and a desk.
6. An office furniture assembly comprising:
an article of office furniture including an exterior surface; and
an electrical distribution harness assembly coupled with said exterior surface, said electrical distribution harness assembly including:
at least one electrical connector including a plurality of projections and an end configured for connecting to a plurality of electrical conductors;
a channel including a wireway and at least one slideway integral with said wireway, said channel coupled with said at least one electrical connector and configured for carrying said plurality of electrical conductors; and
a cover slidably received within said at least one slideway, said cover at least partly overlapping said end of said at least one electrical connector and thereby in part coupling said at least one electrical connector with said channel and preventing said at least one electrical conductor from disconnecting from said channel, said cover including a flat expanse, said channel including at least one end defining a first plurality of holes each of which is open toward said flat expanse of said cover, each of said plurality of projections positioned in a corresponding one of said first plurality of holes.
7. The office furniture assembly claim 6, wherein said cover, together with said plurality of projections, couples said at least one electrical connector with said channel.
8. The office furniture assembly of claim 6, wherein said at least one slideway includes an inwardly curled flange.
9. The office furniture assembly of claim 8, wherein said inwardly curled flange defines at least one second hole and at least one third hole and said cover includes a first longitudinal side defining at least one fourth hole, said at least one second, third, and fourth holes being respectively aligned.
10. The office furniture assembly of claim 6, wherein said channel has a low profile, said article of office furniture being one of a table and a desk, said exterior surface being an underside of said article of office furniture, said electrical distribution harness assembly configured for being mounted to said underside.
11. A method of assembling an electrical distribution harness assembly of a modular power assembly for providing power to an office furniture assembly including an exterior surface, said method comprising the steps of:
providing a cover and a channel including a wireway and at least one slideway integral with said wireway;
placing a plurality of electrical conductors and a portion of at least one electrical connector within said wireway;
connecting an end of said at least one electrical connector to said plurality of electrical conductors;
slidably receiving said cover within said at least one slideway, said cover at least partly overlapping said end of said at least one electrical connector and thereby in part coupling said at least one electrical connector with said channel and preventing said at least one electrical conductor from disconnecting from said channel; and
inserting a plurality of projections of said at least one electrical connector in a corresponding first plurality of holes defined by an end of said channel, said cover including a flat expanse, each of said first plurality of holes being open toward said flat expanse of said cover.
12. The method of assembling of claim 11, wherein said at least one slideway includes an inwardly curled flange.
13. The method of assembling of claim 11, wherein said cover, together with said plurality of projections, couples said at least one electrical connector with said channel.
14. The method of assembling of claim 11, further comprising the step of aligning at least one second hole, at least one third hole, and at least one fourth hole, said at least one second and third holes defined by said at least one slideway, said at least one fourth hole defined by a longitudinal side of said cover.
15. The method of assembling of claim 14, further comprising the step of securing said cover to said at least one slideway using said second, third, and fourth plurality of holes.
16. The method of assembling of claim 11, wherein said channel has a low profile, the office furniture assembly including an article of office furniture which is one of a table and a desk, the exterior surface being an underside of said article of office furniture, the electrical distribution harness assembly being mounted to said underside.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle frame having a first mounting arm;
a D-ring hinge assembly attached to the first mounting arm; and
a tire carrier assembly, which includes
a bracket assembly having a mounting post rotatably coupled to the D-ring hinge assembly;
a swing arm coupled to the braket assembly;
an actuator coupled to the bracket assembly and swing arm, the tire carrier assembly being repeatably moveable between raised and lowered positions in response to actuating the actuator, wherein the actuator is coupled to the bracket assembly and swing arm in the raised and lowered positions.
2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the tire carrier assembly includes a pivot arm repeatably moveable between extended and retracted positions, the pivot arm being rotatably coupled to the swing arm.
3. The vehicle of claim 2, further including a D-ring latch assembly attached to a second mounting arm of the vehicle frame, wherein the D-ring latch assembly includes a latch.
4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the pivot arm is repeatably moveable between latched and unlatched conditions with the D-ring latch assembly.
5. The vehicle of claim 1, further including a vehicle accessory carried by the tire carrier assembly.
6. The vehicle of claim 5, further including a wiring harness connected between the vehicle accessory and an electrical system of the vehicle.
7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the tire carrier assembly includes a pivot arm rotatably coupled to the swing arm, the pivot arm being repeatably moveable between latched and unlatched positions with the latch.
8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the pivot arm is repeatably moveable between extended and retracted positions.
9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the tire carrier assembly includes a U-joint coupled with the actuator.
10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the tire carrier bracket assembly includes opposed arm plates carried by the swing arm, the U-joint being positioned between the opposed arm plates.
11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the actuator is coupled to the swing arm in the raised and lowered positions.
12. The vehicle of claim 11, further including a U-joint attached to the opposed arm plates and actuator.
13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the swing arm carries the opposed arm plates.
14. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the tire carrier assembly includes a pivot arm rotatably coupled with the swing arm.
15. The vehicle of claim 5, further including a wiring harness connected to the vehicle accessory and an electrical system of the vehicle so that an electrical signal can flow therebetween.
16. A vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle frame having first and second mounting arms;
D-ring latch and hinge assemblies which include a latch and hinge sleeve, respectively, the D-ring latch and hinge assemblies being attached to the first and second mounting arms, respectively; and
a tire carrier assembly, which includes
a bracket assembly rotatably coupled to the hinge sleeve;
a swing arm coupled to the bracket assembly;
opposed arm plates carried by the swing arm;
an actuator coupled to the bracket assembly and opposed arm plates, the swing arm being repeatably moveable between raised and lowered positions, wherein the actuator is coupled to the bracket assembly and swing arm in the raised and lowered positions.
17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the actuator moves the swing arm between the raised and lowered, positions in response to actuating the actuator.
18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the tire carrier assembly includes a pivot arm repeatably moveable between extended and retracted positions, the pivot arm being pivotably coupled with the swing arm.
19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the pivot arm is repeatably moveable between latched and unlatched positions with the D-ring latch assembly.
20. A method of providing a vehicle with a spare tire, comprising:
providing a vehicle having a vehicle frame with a first mounting arm;
attaching a D-ring, hinge assembly to the first mounting arm; and
mounting a tire carrier assembly to the D-ring hinge assembly, wherein the tire carrier assembly includes
a tire carrier bracket assembly coupled to the D-ring hinge assembly;
a swing area coupled to the tire carrier bracket assembly;
opposed arm plates carried by the swing arm; and
an actuator coupled to the bracket assembly and opposed arm plates, the swing arm being repeatably moveable between raised and lowered positions, wherein the actuator is coupled to the bracket assembly and swing arm in the raised and lowered positions.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the tire carrier assembly includes a pivot arm repeatably moveable between extended and retracted positions, the pivot arm being rotatably coupled to the swing arm.
22. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of mounting the tire carrier assembly with the D-ring hinge assembly includes rotatably mounting the tire carrier bracket assembly with a hinge sleeve included with the D-ring hinge assembly.
23. The method of claim 20, further including positioning a vehicle accessory so it is carried by the tire carrier assembly.
24. The method of claim 21, further including attaching a D-ring latch assembly to a second mounting arm of the vehicle frame, wherein the D-ring latch assembly includes a latch.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the pivot arm is repeatably moveable between latched and unlatched conditions with the D-ring latch assembly.
26. A method of assembling a tire carrier assembly, comprising:
providing a tire carrier bracket assembly, wherein the tire carrier bracket assembly includes a downwardly extending mounting post;
coupling an actuator to the tire carrier bracket assembly;
coupling a swing arm to the tire carrier bracket assembly; and
coupling opposed arm plates to the actuator and swing arm and swing arm;
coupling the downwardly extending mounting post to a hinge sleeve of a D-ring hinge assembly, the D-ring hinge assembly being attached to a mounting arm of a vehicle frame;
wherein the tire carrier assembly is repeatably rotatable between raised and lowered positions in response to actuating the actuator, the actuator being coupled to the swing arm and tire carrier bracket assembly in the raised and lowered positions.
27. The method of claim 26, further including coupling the swing arm and the actuator together so that the swing arm moves between raised and lowered positions in response to actuating the actuator.
28. A vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle frame having a first mounting arm;
a D-ring hinge assembly attached to the first mounting arm; and
a tire carrier assembly, which includes
a bracket assembly having a mounting post rotatably coupled to the D-ring hinge assembly;
a swing arm with a proximal end coupled to the bracket assembly;
a pivot arm rotatably coupled to a distal end of the swing arm;
an actuator with a proximal end coupled to the bracket assembly;
an actuator handle operatively coupled to the actuator, the swing arm being repeatably moveable between raised and lowered positions in response to moving the actuator handle; and

a D-ring latch assembly attached to a second mounting arm of the vehicle frame, wherein the D-ring latch assembly includes a latch, and wherein a distal end of the pivot arm is repeatably moveable between latched and unlatched positions with the D-ring latch assembly.
29. The vehicle of claim 28, further including opposed arm plates carried by the swing arm, wherein a distal end of the actuator is coupled to the opposed arm plates.
30. The vehicle of claim 28, further including opposed arm plates carried by the swing arm, wherein the actuator extends between the opposed arm plates.
31. The vehicle of claim 30, further including a U-joint coupled with the opposed arm plates, wherein the distal end of the actuator is coupled to the opposed arm plates through the U-joint.
32. The vehicle of claim 29, wherein the distal end of the actuator is coupled to the opposed arm plates when the swing arm is in the raised and lowered positions.
33. The vehicle of claim 29, further including a hub unit coupled to one of the arm plates of the opposed arm plates.