Electronic cylinder internal key apparatus and method

A method of forming a cylinder lock device comprising the steps of:

• forming a bore in a body housing of the cylinder lock device having a first end and a second end, the body housing having a direction of elongation defining an axial direction for the device;
• inserting a rotatable cylindrical plug in the bore, the plug having an outer end, substantially aligned with the first end, and having an inner end with an axially extending key slot from the inner end to the outer end;
• configuring a plurality of tumbler pins at least partially within the plug, whereby a key is inserted from the first end and displaces the tumbler pins to enable rotation of the plug;
• deploying an opening mechanism comprising a shaft opening mechanism to drive a shaft connected to a key emulator, wherein the key emulator is permanently deployed within the body housing and wherein the key emulator is translated into the key slot from the inner end, the key emulator being shaped to match and engage the plurality of tumbler pins and to displace the plurality of tumbler pins, such that rotation of the plug is alternately enabled by insertion of the key from the first end and by operation of the opening mechanism;
• and
• configuring a mechanically accessible handle permanently mechanically linked to the plug at the first end, the handle adapted to allow insertion and removal of a key from the slot and which is further adapted to rotate the plug when the plug is freed to rotate and when no key is present in the slot.