US Patent 7236085 Lock with remotely activated lockout feature

A method for controlling access to a storage unit owned by an owner, wherein a renter has access to the storage unit unless the owner receives the legal right to deny the renter access to the storage unit and decides to do so. In this method, the storage unit is secured by a lock that is, at least in part, controlled by the renter. A remotely controllable lockout assembly, however, is capable of over locking the storage unit so that the renter can no longer gain entry when the lockout assembly is activated. The method includes remotely controlling the lockout assembly to deny the renter access to the unit when the owner receives the legal right to deny the renter access to the storage unit and decides to do so.