Energy harvesting lock system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020232255-A1
Application number	US-201916250284-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 17, 2019
Priority date	Jan 17, 2019
Publication date	Jul 23, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An exemplary method includes transmitting a wireless power signal from an electrical device connected to line power, receiving the wireless power signal at an electronic access control device, and operating the electronic access control device using electrical power harvested from the wireless power signal. In certain forms, the method further includes adjusting an orientation of the antenna by which the wireless power signal is transmitted.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system, comprising:
an electronic lock device configured for installation to a door mounted to a wall, the electronic lock device comprising:
a locking member movable between a locked position and an unlocked position to adjust a locked/unlocked state of the electronic lock device;
an electronic actuator operable to move the locking member between the locked position and the unlocked position to thereby adjust the locked/unlocked state of the electronic lock device;
a credential reader mounted to an outer side of the electronic lock device;
a controller in communication with the electronic actuator and the credential reader, wherein the controller is configured to actuate the electronic actuator to adjust the locked/unlocked state of the electronic device based upon information received from the credential reader; and
a wireless power receiver in communication with the controller; and
a light switch configured for installation to the wall and for connection to line power, wherein the light switch includes a wireless power transmitter; wherein the wireless power transmitter is configured to transmit a wireless power signal to the wireless power receiver; wherein the wireless power receiver is configured to receive the wireless power signal and to harvest electrical power from the wireless power signal; and wherein the controller is configured to operate using electrical power harvested by the wireless power receiver.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless power transmitter is configured to transmit the wireless power signal over an unregulated radio frequency band; and
wherein the radio frequency receiver is configured to receive over the unregulated radio frequency band.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless power transmitter is configured to transmit electrical power when the light switch is in an on state and when the light switch is in an off state.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic lock device further includes an energy storage device in communication with the wireless power receiver and the controller; and
wherein the energy storage device is configured to receive electrical power from the wireless power receiver and to transmit electrical power to the controller.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless power transmitter comprises:
an AC-to-DC converter configured to convert an AC power from the line power to a DC power; a wireless power signal generator configured to generate an initial radio frequency signal using the DC power; an amplifier configured to amplify the initial radio frequency signal to a selected power, thereby providing a wireless power signal; and an antenna configured to transmit the wireless power signal.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless power transmitter includes an antenna and is configured to transmit the wireless power signal via the antenna; and
wherein the light switch further comprises an adjustment mechanism operable to adjust an orientation of the antenna.

7 . A method, comprising:
transmitting, from a wall-mounted electrical device connected to line power, a wireless power signal, wherein the wall-mounted electrical device includes a wireless power transmitter operable to transmit the wireless power signal, and wherein the wall-mounted electrical device comprises one of a light switch or a power outlet; receiving, by an electronic access control device, the wireless power signal; and operating the electronic access control device using electrical power harvested from the wireless power signal.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the wall-mounted electrical device comprises the light switch.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the light switch is located within three feet of the electronic access control device when the door is in a closed position.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the electronic access control device comprises an electronic lockset comprising:
a locking member movable between a locked position and an unlocked position to adjust a locked/unlocked state of the electronic lock device; an electronic actuator operable to move the locking member between the locked position and the unlocked position to thereby adjust the locked/unlocked state of the electronic lock device; a credential reader mounted to an outer side of the electronic lockset; a controller in communication with the electronic actuator and the credential reader, wherein the controller is configured to actuate the electronic actuator to adjust the locked/unlocked state of the electronic device based upon information received from the credential reader; and a wireless power receiver in communication with the controller; and wherein the receiving the wireless power signal is performed by the wireless power receiver.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the electronic lockset further comprises an energy storage device in communication with the wireless power receiver and the controller; and
wherein the method further comprises storing the harvested energy at the energy storage device, and transmitting the harvested energy from the energy storage device to the controller.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein operating the electronic access control device comprises:
generating, by the credential reader, credential information; comparing, by the controller, the credential information to authorized credential information; in response to the credential information matching the authorized credential information, transmitting, from the controller to the electronic actuator, an unlock command; and moving, by the electronic actuator and in response to receiving the unlock command, the locking member from the unlocked position to the locked position.

13 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the light switch comprises a toggle operable to transition the light switch between a first state and a second state; and
wherein transmitting comprises transmitting the wireless power signal when the light switch is in the first state and transmitting the wireless power signal when the light switch is in the second state.

14 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
converting, by an AC-to-DC converter connected to the line power, an AC power from the line power to a DC power; generating, by a radio frequency generator connected to the AC-to-DC converter, an initial wireless signal using the DC power; and amplifying, by an amplifier connected to the wireless power signal generator, the initial wireless signal to a selected power, thereby providing an amplified wireless power signal; and wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting, by an antenna connected to the amplifier, the amplified wireless power signal.

15 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the wall-mounted electrical device further comprises an antenna by which the wireless power signal is transmitted and an adjustment mechanism operable to adjust an orientation of the antenna relative to the wall; and
wherein the method further comprises operating the adjustment mechanism to adjust the orientation of the antenna, thereby adjusting a received strength of the wireless power signal at the electronic access control device.

16 . A light switch configured for connection to AC line power, the light switch comprising:
a housing; a movable member movably mounted to the housing and operable to transition the light switch between a first state and a second state; and a wireless power transmitter mounted to the housing, the wireless power transmitter comprising:
an AC-to-DC power

Assignees

• Schlage Lock Co Llc

Inventors

• Langenberg Daniel
• Baumgarte Joseph W
• Seacat Justin D

Classifications

• H02M7/04

  by static converters · CPC title

• G07C9/00174 Primary

  Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys (mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00) · CPC title

• E05B47/0615 Primary

  operated by handles, e.g. by knobs · CPC title

• H02J50/001

  Energy harvesting or scavenging · CPC title

• G07C2009/00634

  Power supply for the lock · CPC title