Power conservation and management system for a self-powered electronic lock

• US 5,896,026 A
• Filed: 03/20/1998
• Issued: 04/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mas-Hamilton Group (dormakaba Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Mas-Hamilton Group (dormakaba Holding AG)
• Inventors: Higgins, Steven Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US09/045,001
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 320/123, 320/166, 320/FOR 111, 320/FOR 100, 320/FOR 156, 320/FOR 160, 320/FOR 161, 320/DIG. 10, 70/256, 70/278, 70/275, 70/277, 70/280
• US Class Current: 320/166
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/14 for charging batteries from dynamo-electric generators driven at varying speed, e.g. on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/005 using a power saving mode for copiers G03G15/5004
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7113 Projected and retracted electrically

Abstract

The charge on a capacitor is supplied by a manual generator in a self-powered lock. The capacitor retains a reduced level charge after completion of the operation of the electronic lock controls that may serve as a capacitor pre-charge. The pre-charge reduces the amount of manual input to the generator required. The drain of the electronic control circuitry on the capacitor is disconnected responsive to a microprocessor command at the completion of microprocessor operations. The disconnection may occur at a higher level of charge voltage on the capacitor when the control is from the microprocessor without having to wait for charge decay to reach a disconnect or power down level based on charge voltage level.

Claims

1. An electrical power management system for a self-powered electronic lock comprising:

an electrical generator, manually driven by an operator;

an electrical energy storage device charged by operation of said generator;

a first voltage detector having a predetermined voltage activation threshold electrically connected with said storage device through a first switching circuit element for connecting a charge voltage of said storage device to said first voltage detector, said voltage detector controllingly connected with a second switching element for controlling application of said capacitor charge voltage to a voltage regulator, said voltage regulator providing an output to a microprocessor of said lock, whereby said voltage regulator output is only provided to said microprocessor when said charge voltage exceeds a predetermined voltage.

2. An electronic power management system for claim 1 further comprising a second voltage detector arranged to detect an output from said generator and control a signal indicative of said generator operation, said voltage signal controllingly connected to said first switching element, thereby providing a capacitor voltage to said first voltage detector only when said generator is generating a power output.

3. The electrical power management system of claim 2 farther comprising a third switching element connected between the output of said voltage regulator and said second switching element, said third switching element controlled by said processor to latch said second switching element in a connective state only so long as a control signal from said microprocessor maintains said second switching element operative in a conductive state.

4. An electrical power management system for a self-powered lock comprising:

a manually operated power source;

a microprocessor

a capacitor chargeable by said power source and providing power to said microprocessor;

a first control providing a conductive path between said capacitor and said microprocessor upon said power source operation and said capacitor charge being at least a predetermined minimum;

a second control providing said conductive path upon obtaining and maintaining of a charge of a predetermined level on said capacitor from power source operation and operation of said microprocessor in response thereto;

said second control operative to interrupt said conductive path upon receipt of a signal from said microprocessor indicative of termination of microprocessor operations, whereby said electronic controls are disabled and disconnected from said power source at a stage of operation of said microprocessor where said microprocessor operations will not be adversely affected and remaining charge is conserved for future use thereby minimizing operations of said manually operated power source.