Power controller for a door lock and method of conserving power

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016307681-A1
Application number	US-201615098484-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 14, 2016
Priority date	Apr 14, 2015
Publication date	Oct 20, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A power control system for use with an electric lock mechanism having an actuator comprises a power supply to output an output voltage to the actuator. A credential device signals the power supply to output the voltage upon receiving an authorized code. A microcontroller controls the power supply, the credential device, and the actuator and may operate in an Access Mode or a Dog Mode. When in Access Mode, the actuator is unpowered and the credential device is powered until an authorized code is received and the power supply powers the actuator. The Dog Mode has an awake mode where the actuator is powered and the credential device is unpowered after the actuator remains in the powered state for a length of time. A sleep mode has the actuator unpowered and the credential device powered until an authorized code is received and the power supply powers the actuator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A power control system for use with an electric lock mechanism having an electric actuator, said power control system comprising:
a) a power supply configured to receive power from a voltage source and to selectively output an output voltage to the actuator; b) a credential device selectively powered by the power supply, said credential device configured to signal the power supply to output the output voltage to said actuator upon receiving an authorized access code; c) a microcontroller operatively connected to said power supply and said credential device; wherein said microcontroller is configured to selectively operate in either an access mode or a dog mode; wherein, when in the access mode, the credential device is in a powered state and the actuator is in an unpowered state until said credential device receives said access code after which the actuator is placed in a powered state.

2 . The power control system of claim 1 , said dog mode having an awake mode wherein, when in said awake mode, said credential device is placed in an unpowered state and said actuator is place in a powered state.

3 . The power control system of claim 2 wherein said credential device is placed in said unpowered state after the actuator remains in said powered state for a predetermined period of time.

4 . The power control system of claim 1 , wherein said dog mode has a sleep mode and wherein, when in said sleep mode, the actuator is in said unpowered state.

5 . The power control system of claim 4 wherein said power control system includes a battery to selectively power said credential device and wherein when in said sleep mode, said credential device is a powered by said battery.

6 . The power control system of claim 2 , wherein said dog mode has a sleep mode and wherein, when in said sleep mode, the actuator is in said unpowered state.

7 . A power control system for use with an electric lock mechanism having an electric actuator, said power control system comprising:
a) a power supply configured to receive power from a voltage source and to selectively output an output voltage to the actuator; b) a credential device selectively powered by the power supply, said credential device configured to signal the power supply to output the output voltage to said actuator upon receiving an authorized access code; c) a microcontroller operatively connected to said power supply and said credential device; wherein said microcontroller is configured to selectively operate in both an access mode and a dog mode, wherein said dog mode includes an awake mode or a sleep mode; wherein, when in the access mode, the credential device is in a powered state and the actuator is in an unpowered state until said credential device receives said access code after which the actuator is placed in a powered state; wherein, when in said awake mode of said dog mode, said credential device is placed in an unpowered state and said actuator is place in a powered state. And wherein, when in said sleep mode of said dog mode, the actuator is in said unpowered state.

8 . The power control system of claim 7 wherein said power control system includes a battery to selectively power said credential device and wherein when in said sleep mode, said credential device is a powered by said battery.

9 . A power control system for use with an electric lock mechanism having an actuator, said power control system comprising:
a) a power supply configured to output an output voltage having a drive current to the actuator; b) a credential device powered by the power supply, said credential device configured to signal said power supply to output the output voltage upon receiving an authorized access code; c) an actuator driver including a multiple-gain current-sensing circuit; and d) a microcontroller configured to monitor and control said power supply, said credential device, said actuator driver, and the actuator, wherein said microcontroller is populated by a look-up table having performance data for a plurality of actuator types such that the microcontroller selects a duty ratio to establish the drive current.

10 . The power control system in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the actuator is a solenoid and the drive current has a first pick current component and a second hold current component, wherein said microcontroller selects a first combination of one or more gain resistors to measure the first pick current component and selects a second combination of one or more gain resistors to measure the second hold current component.

11 . The power control system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said second combination of one or more gain resistors are selected after a predetermined period of time.

12 . A power control system for use with two or more electric lock mechanisms each having an actuator, said power control system comprising:
a) a power supply configured to output an output voltage to each respective actuator, b) a respective credential device coupled to each electric lock mechanism and powered by said power supply, each respective credential device configured to signal said power supply to output the output voltage upon receiving a credential code; and c) a microcontroller configured to monitor and control said power supply, each respective credential device, and each respective actuator, wherein, in the event two or more of said credential devices signal said power supply simultaneously, the microcontroller instructs said power supply to sequentially output the output voltage to successive actuators.

13 . The power control system in accordance with claim 12 , wherein said input is a fire alarm signal.

14 . The power control system in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the output voltage to a first and second of said respective actuators each has a first pick current component and a second hold current component, the pick current component being greater in magnitude that the hold current component, said microcontroller instructing the power supply to output the first pick current component to the second actuator after the output voltage to the first actuator has begun its second hold current component.

15 . A method of optimizing the magnitude of current being supplied to a provided solenoid during pick or hold or both pick and hold operations of the provided solenoid wherein a microprocessor is provided and populated with a look-up table comprising various solenoid current/time curves and wherein firmware is provided that includes a self-calibration routine that accommodates a variety of solenoid coil impedances, said method comprising the steps of:
a) providing a switching circuit containing a current-sensor with multiple gain resistors; b) measuring a current through said provided solenoid at a selected measurement time; c) comparing said measured current at said selected measurement time to said solenoid current/time curves in said look-up table; d) selecting a particular current/time curve from said look-up table that best fits said measured current thereby determining a solenoid coil type; e) from the selected current/time curve, determining a required duty ratio to establish an optimum pick or hold, or pick and hold current for the provided solenoid; and f) selecting a combination of two or more gain resisters that results in said pick and hold current measurements.

16 . A method of supplying a pick current and a hold current to a multiple of actuator devices, said method comprising the steps of:
a) providing a first pick current to a first actuator device of said mult

Assignees

• Hanchett Entry Systems Inc

Inventors

• Shaffer Randall
• Corbin David

Classifications

• E05B2047/0057

  Feeding · CPC title

• E05B2047/0097

  including means for monitoring voltage, e.g. for indicating low battery state · CPC title

• E05B2047/0058

  by batteries · CPC title

• E05B2047/0054

  using microprocessor, printed circuits, or the like · CPC title

• E05B47/0001 Primary

  with electric actuators; Constructional features thereof (for vehicles E05B81/04) · CPC title