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US 11,804,084 B2Granted
Contactless electronic access control system
AssigneeLockFOB, LLC
InventorGregory Paul Kirkjan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An embodiment of an electronic access control system includes an electronic access apparatus, an electronic lock, and an access control administration program. The electronic access apparatus provides a wireless power signal and a wireless digital data signal to the electronic lock. The wireless power signal can be the only source of power used by the electronic lock to actuate an electronic lock mechanism. In some embodiments, the lock mechanism includes a piezoelectric latch.
Claims31
An electronic lock module comprising:
- an electromagnetic radiation receiver configured to:
- receive an electromagnetic wireless digital data signal from a handheld electronic apparatus;
- and
- receive an electromagnetic wireless power signal from the handheld electronic apparatus;
- wherein the electromagnetic radiation receiver is configured to output electric power;
- at least one capacitor electrically connected to receive the electric power from the electromagnetic radiation receiver;
- and
- a power management circuitry configured to:
- supply the electric power to a lock mechanism over an actuation time period to actuate the lock mechanism based at least in part on input received from the handheld electronic apparatus via the electromagnetic wireless digital data signal,
- wherein a voltage of the electric power varies over the actuation time period;
- wherein the lock mechanism is configured to actuate between a locked state and an unlocked state within the actuation time period, wherein the lock mechanism is configured to actuate between the locked state and the unlocked state using only the electric power supplied by the electromagnetic wireless power signal.
8 more elements
An electronic lock module comprising:
- an electromagnetic radiation receiver configured to:
- receive an electromagnetic wireless digital data signal from a handheld electronic apparatus, and
- receive an electromagnetic wireless power signal from the handheld electronic apparatus;
- the electronic lock module configured to control actuation of a lock mechanism based on the electromagnetic wireless digital data signal from the handheld electronic apparatus, wherein the lock mechanism is configured to actuate between a locked state and an unlocked state;
- at least one capacitor electrically connected to receive electric power from the electromagnetic radiation receiver;
- and
- a power management circuitry configured to provide the electric power to actuate the lock mechanism based at least in part on an electrical energy level of the at least one capacitor and input received from the electromagnetic wireless digital data signal, wherein a voltage of the electric power supplied to the lock mechanism varies during a period of time while the lock mechanism is actuated;
- wherein the electronic lock module is configured to use a combined total of electric energy less than or equal to 100 millijoules in order to actuate the lock mechanism between the locked state and the unlocked state.
5 more elements
A method of locking or unlocking an electronic lock using a handheld electronic apparatus, the method comprising:
- receiving, by an electromagnetic radiation receiver, electromagnetic radiation from the handheld electronic apparatus, wherein the electromagnetic radiation comprises a power signal configured to provide electric power to the electronic lock;
- receiving, by the electromagnetic radiation receiver, electromagnetic radiation comprising a digital data signal from the handheld electronic apparatus;
- charging at least one capacitor in the electronic lock during a first period of time using the electric power received from the handheld electronic apparatus, wherein the at least one capacitor receives the electric power from the electromagnetic radiation receiver at a first voltage;
- receiving, by a power management circuitry, electric power from the at least one capacitor based on a lock actuation instruction to actuate a lock mechanism received from the handheld electronic apparatus, wherein the power management circuitry receives the electric power from the at least one capacitor at the first voltage;
- and
- supplying, by the power management circuitry, the electric power to the lock mechanism at a second voltage is greater than an actuation voltage threshold during at least an actuation time period wherein the lock mechanism is actuated between a locked state and an unlocked state within a second period of time, and wherein the second voltage varies over the second period of time;
- wherein the lock mechanism is configured to actuate using the electric power received only from the power signal during transmission of the power signal.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.