Contactless electronic access control system

• US 8,922,333 B1
• Filed: 09/10/2013
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockfob, LLC
• Original Assignee: Gregory Paul Kirkjan
• Inventors: Kirkjan, Gregory Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Akhter, Sharmin
• Application Number:
  US14/023,248
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 340 51- 592, 340 101- 106, 70277-2831, 235/376, 235/380, 235/439, 235/450, 705/75, 705/77, 705/79
• US Class Current: 340/5.1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00634 Power supply for the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/62 Comprising means for indicating the status of the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7062 Electrical type [e.g., solenoid]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7136 Key initiated actuation of device

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.

Claims

1. A rechargeable electronic apparatus for use with an electronic lock, the apparatus comprising:

a housing comprising;

a processor configured to communicate with a lock microcontroller associated with the electronic lock;

a memory device storing a key identifier;

a rechargeable battery, configured to supply energy to components of the apparatus;

an electromagnetic radiation source configured to

transmit a wireless digital data signal to an electromagnetic radiation receiver,

transmit a wireless power signal to the electronic lock to provide power to the electronic lock sufficient to actuate a lock mechanism within the electronic lock,

wherein the electronic lock is configured to remain in a locked state without power being supplied by the electronic apparatus and the electronic lock is configured to remain in an unlocked state without power being supplied by the electronic apparatus,

wherein the wireless power signal delivers less than or equal to 50 millijoules of electric energy to the electronic lock,

wherein the wireless power signal lasts for less than or equal to five seconds, wherein the electric power provided to the electronic lock is less than or equal to 10 milliwatts,

wherein the electronic lock has at least one capacitor configured to store the electric energy transmitted to electromagnetic radiation receiver and provide electric power to the electronic lock,

wherein a voltage of the electric power supplied to the electronic lock drops while the electronic lock is actuated,

wherein the electronic lock is configured to actuate using electric power received during transmission of the wireless power signal; and

wherein the electromagnetic radiation source is configured to transmit the key identifier to the lock microcontroller via the digital data signal,

wherein the apparatus is capable of actuating the electronic lock without any electrical conductor power connection to the electronic lock,

wherein the apparatus and/or optical light incident on the electronic lock are the only sources of electric power for the electronic lock.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation source is configured to transmit power via an optical light source.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a display, the display having a user interface having a visual indication of a status of the electronic lock, and one or more control elements configured to control the operation of the electronic lock.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a mobile phone or an electronic key.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus does not have a mechanical configuration that is configured to match a mating mechanical configuration of the electronic lock.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation source configured to transmit the wireless digital data signal and the wireless power signal is the same.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation source comprises an antenna configured to transmit radio frequency signals.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the antenna is configured to transmit the digital data signal and the power signal to the electronic lock.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the antenna is configured to transmit the power signal to the electronic lock via contactless inductive coupling.

26. The electronic lock of claim 1, wherein the wireless power signal is compliant with the near field communication (NFC) protocol.

27. The electronic lock of claim 1, wherein the wireless power signal lasts for less than or equal to three seconds.

10. An electronic lock capable of being locked and unlocked with a handheld electronic apparatus, the electronic lock comprising:

a lock housing;

a lock mechanism electrically connected to a lock microcontroller, the lock mechanism configured to actuate between a locked state and an unlocked state;

an electromagnetic radiation receiver configured to

receive an electromagnetic wireless digital data signal from the handheld electronic apparatus, and

receive an electromagnetic wireless power signal from the electronic apparatus;

a memory device storing key access information;

the lock microcontroller configured to control operation of the lock mechanism based on the digital data signal from the electronic apparatus; and

a capacitor configured to store electric energy received by the electromagnetic radiation receiver and provide electric power to the lock mechanism;

a power management module configured to actuate the lock mechanism based on input received from the lock microcontroller and an electrical energy level of the capacitor, wherein a voltage of the electric power supplied to the lock mechanism drops while the lock mechanism is actuated;

wherein the lock mechanism is capable of actuating between the locked state and the unlocked state without any electrical conductor power connection to the electronic lock, wherein the lock mechanism is configured to remain in a locked state without power being supplied by the electronic us and the lock mechanism is configured to remain in an unlocked state without power being supplied by the electronic apparatus;

wherein the wireless power signal delivers less than or equal to 50 millijoules of electric energy to the electronic lock, wherein the wireless power signal lasts for less than or equal to five seconds, wherein the electric power provided to the electronic lock is less than or equal to 10 milliwatts,

wherein the lock mechanism is configured to actuate using electric power received from the wireless power signal during transmission of the wireless power signal, and

wherein the apparatus and/or optical light incident on the electromagnetic radiation receiver are the only sources of electric power for the electronic lock.

11. The electronic lock of claim 10, wherein the digital data signal comprises a key identifier, and wherein lock microcontroller is further configured to determine whether the key identifier matches the key access information stored in the memory device.

12. The electronic lock of claim 10, wherein the lock mechanism is capable of actuating between the locked state and the unlocked state with less than or equal to 10 milliwatts and the electronic apparatus can be greater than 0.5 centimeters from the electronic lock when providing power.

13. The electronic lock of claim 10, wherein the electronic lock does not have a mechanical configuration that is configured to match a mating mechanical configuration of the electronic apparatus.

14. The electronic lock of claim 10, wherein the power management module is configured to actuate the lock after the electrical energy level of the electronic lock reaches an electrical energy level threshold.

15. The electronic lock of claim 14, wherein the power management module is configured to increase the voltage to actuate the lock.

16. The electronic lock of claim 15, wherein the power management module comprises a voltage conversion circuit that is configured to increase a voltage value that is not greater than 2.7 volts to a voltage value between 3.6 volts and 6.8 volts.

17. The electronic lock of claim 10, wherein the electromagnetic radiation receiver comprises an electromagnetic radiation sensor and a signal processing circuit, wherein the signal processing circuit is configured to process digital data signal received from the electronic apparatus.

18. The electronic lock of claim 10, wherein the electromagnetic radiation receiver comprises an antenna configured to receive radio frequency signals.

19. The electronic lock of claim 18, wherein the antenna is configured to receive the digital data signal and the power signal from the electronic apparatus.

20. The electronic lock of claim 19, wherein the antenna is configured to receive the power signal from the electronic apparatus via contactless inductive coupling.

21. The electronic lock of claim 19, wherein the lock mechanism is configured to toggle between the locked state and the unlocked state based on a lock instruction received from the electronic apparatus.

22. The electronic lock of claim 10, wherein the electromagnetic radiation receiver is not a photovoltaic cell.

28. The electronic lock of claim 10, further comprising a capacitor in electrical communication with the power management module, wherein the power management module is configured to monitor a charge state of the capacitor and actuate the lock mechanism when the charge state of the capacitor satisfies an electrical energy level threshold.

29. The electronic lock of claim 28, wherein the electrical energy level threshold is less than or equal to 30 millijoules.

30. The electronic lock of claim 10, wherein the power management module is configured to increase the voltage to a limit of the lock mechanism in order to actuate the lock mechanism before the voltage drops below an actuation threshold of the lock mechanism.

23. An 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;

booting a lock microcontroller after an electrical energy level satisfies an electrical energy level threshold;

receiving, by the electromagnetic radiation receiver, electromagnetic radiation comprising a digital data signal from the electronic apparatus, the digital data signal comprising a key identifier;

determining, by the lock controller, whether the key identifier matches key access information stored in memory in the electronic lock;

storing electric energy received from the electronic apparatus in a capacitor in the electronic lock;

if the key identifier matches the key access information, actuating a lock mechanism when the stored electric energy in the capacitor reaches an energy level threshold by providing electric power to the lock mechanism from the capacitor, wherein a voltage of the electric power supplied to the lock mechanism drops while the lock mechanism is actuated,

wherein the lock mechanism is configured to actuate between a locked state and an unlocked state, wherein the lock mechanism is configured to remain in the locked state without power being supplied to the lock mechanism and the lock mechanism is configured to remain in an unlocked state without power being supplied by the electronic apparatus;

wherein the electronic lock consumes less than or equal to 50 millijoules of electric energy when locking or unlocking, wherein the wireless power signal lasts for less than or equal to five seconds, wherein the electric power provided to the electronic lock is less than or equal to 10 milliwatts; and

wherein the lock mechanism is configured to actuate using electric power received from the power signal during transmission of the power signal.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the key access information is stored in memory in the electronic lock.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the electronic lock is capable of actuating the lock mechanism without the handheld electronic apparatus physically contacting the electronic lock.