MOTOR VEHICLE KEY AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE KEY

• US 20120249073A1
• Filed: 03/16/2012
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: GSCHWENG, Joerg, LAYNE, Jeromy
• Application Number:
  US13/422,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20120249073A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/114
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00579 Power supply for the keyless data carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00944 Details of construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/32 for charging batteries from a charging set comprising a non-electric prime mover rotating at constant speed

Abstract

A motor vehicle key is provided that includes, but is not limited to a number of electronic devices, a rechargeable battery for the power supply of the electronic devices, and a device for charging the battery with energy harvesting.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle key comprises:

a plurality of electronic devices;

a rechargeable battery for a power supply of the plurality of electronic devices; and

a device that is configured to charge the rechargeable battery by energy harvesting.

2. The motor vehicle key according to claim 1, wherein the device is integrated with the rechargeable battery to form a module.

3. The motor vehicle key according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to use optical energy.

4. The motor vehicle key according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured for piezoelectric use of vibrational energy.

5. The motor vehicle key according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured for electromagnetic use of vibrational energy.

6. The motor vehicle key according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to use energy from radio waves.

7. The motor vehicle key according to claim 1, wherein the rechargeable battery is a button cell.

8. The motor vehicle key according to claim 7, wherein the device is a substantially flat cylinder having a substantially same diameter as the button cell and configured to rest with a first base surface of the device on a second base surface of the button cell.

9. The motor vehicle key according to claim 2, wherein the module further comprises a second device that is configured to control a charging process of the rechargeable battery.

10. A method for operating a motor vehicle key, comprising:

providing a power supply to a plurality of electronic devices of the motor vehicle key in a form of a rechargeable battery; and

charging the rechargeable battery with energy harvesting.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the charging of the rechargeable battery is accomplished with optical energy.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the charging of the rechargeable battery is accomplished with piezoelectric use of vibrational energy.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the charging of the rechargeable battery is accomplished with electromagnetic use of vibrational energy.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the charging of the rechargeable battery is accomplished with energy from radio waves.