Biometric deadbolt lock assembly

A self-contained biometric deadbolt lock assembly comprising:

• a deadbolt assembly housing;
• a deadbolt mechanism at least partially in the deadbolt assembly housing;
• at least one battery in the deadbolt assembly housing;
• a fingerprint sensor in the assembly housing and accessible from outside of the assembly housing;
• a controller within the housing, the controller electronically coupled to the fingerprint sensor and associated with memory storing data indicating at least one approved fingerprint;
• an exterior manual actuator selectively couplable with the deadbolt mechanism;
• at least one visual indicator in the assembly housing and viewable from outside of the assembly housing to physically indicate when the exterior manual actuator is engaged with the deadbolt mechanism, the visual indicator coupled to the controller and configured to indicate a result of a comparison by the controller of a received fingerprint and the data relating to the at least one approved fingerprint, wherein actuation of the interior visual indicator disengages the exterior manual actuator from the deadbolt mechanism;
• and
• wherein the controller is configured to couple the exterior manual actuator with the deadbolt mechanism to enable the deadbolt mechanism to be operated by the exterior manual actuator upon receiving an indication that an approved fingerprint has been received at the fingerprint sensor.

A method of operating a self-contained biometric deadbolt lock assembly, the method comprising:

• receiving fingerprint data through a fingerprint sensor in and accessible from outside of a housing of the deadbolt lock assembly;
• comparing the fingerprint data received with approved fingerprint data stored in memory associated with a controller in the assembly housing that is powered by at least one battery in the assembly housing;
• initiating through the controller a coupling of an exterior manual actuator of the deadbolt lock assembly with a deadbolt mechanism of the deadbolt lock assembly such that rotation of the exterior manual actuator causes movement of the deadbolt mechanism when the exterior manual actuator is coupled with the deadbolt mechanism;
• visually indicating that the exterior manual actuator is engaged with the deadbolt mechanism through an interior visual indicator on an interior side of the deadbolt lock assembly;
• and
• uncoupling the exterior manual actuator from the deadbolt mechanism when the interior visual indicator is actuated.