Patent US4929880A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4929880A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic lock system with battery conservation features
Assignee: SUPRA GROUP Inc
•
Filing: 1988-12-27
•
Granted: 1990-05-29
•
Expires: 2008-12-27
Abstract
Abstract A battery powered electronic lock system includes a battery monitoring feature that detects three states of the lock system battery. These states correspond to three progressively weaker states of the battery. When the battery is in the first state, the lock system operates in normal fashion. When the battery is in the second state, an indicator informs the user, but operation of the lock system otherwise continues in substantially normal fashion. When the battery is in the third state, normal lock operation is curtailed and the remaining battery energy is reserved for the purpose of opening the lock for specially authorized keys.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter G. Henderson
- 👤 George A. Ellson
- 👤 Edgar J. Unrein
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 21:02
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07C; G07C9/00; G07C9/00174; G07C9/00571; G07C1/00; G07C1/32; G07C9/00309; G07C9/00817; G07C9/00857; G07C9/00896; G07C9/20; G07C9/21; G07C9/215; G07C9/27; E; E05; E05B; E05B19/00; E05B19/0005; E05B47/00; E05B2047/0048; E05B2047/005; E05B2047/0053; G07C2009/00753; G07C2009/00769; G07C2009/00825; G07C2009/00865; G07C2209/00; G07C2209/08; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S320/00; Y10S320/18; Y10S320/21
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
132 words
In an electronic lock system that includes a battery powered lock, an improvement comprising: battery monitoring means for monitoring the status of the battery; means for permitting usual operation of the lock if the battery monitoring means indicates that the battery is in a first state; means for permitting usual operation of the lock and for indicating a low battery condition if the battery monitoring means indicates that the battery is in a second state corresponding to a battery energy lower than the first state; and means for curtailing usual operation of the lock and for thereafter permitting operation of the lock only by a specially authorized key if the battery monitoring means indicates that the battery is in a third state corresponding to a battery energy lower than the second state.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
132 words
In an electronic lock system that includes a battery powered lock, an improvement comprising: battery monitoring means for monitoring the status of the battery; means for permitting usual operation of the lock if the battery monitoring means indicates that the battery is in a first state; means for permitting usual operation of the lock and for indicating a low battery condition if the battery monitoring means indicates that the battery is in a second state corresponding to a battery energy lower than the first state; and means for curtailing usual operation of the lock and for thereafter permitting operation of the lock only by a specially authorized key if the battery monitoring means indicates that the battery is in a third state corresponding to a battery energy lower than the second state.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The electronic lock system of claim 1 which further includes a key having a display means thereon for indicating to the user if the lock battery is in the second or third state.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
The electronic lock system of claim 1 in which the battery monitoring means further includes counting means for counting the number of lock operations after the battery monitoring means has indicated that the battery is in the second state and in which the battery monitoring means indicates that the battery is in the third state after said counting means has counted N lock operations.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
64 words
A method of operating a battery powered lock system, comprising the steps: monitoring the lock system to determine a low battery condition; reserving a portion of the battery's energy for operating the lock system during a low battery condition by a specially authorized key; and refusing to operate the lock system during a low battery condition for keys other than said specially authorized key.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
64 words
A method of operating a battery powered lock system, comprising the steps: monitoring the lock system to determine a low battery condition; reserving a portion of the battery's energy for operating the lock system during a low battery condition by a specially authorized key; and refusing to operate the lock system during a low battery condition for keys other than said specially authorized key.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
118 words
The method of claim 4 which further includes the steps: monitoring the lock system to determine whether the battery is in first, second or third states, said second state corresponding to a battery energy less than the first state, and said third state corresponding to a battery energy less than the second state; indicating a low battery condition if the battery is in the second state but permitting continued normal operation of the lock system while the battery is in said second state; and curtailing normal operation of the lock system if the battery is in the third state and permitting only a specially authorized key to operate the lock while the battery is in said third state.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 5 which further includes the steps: permitting N operations of the lock system in the second state before determining that the battery is in the third state.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 5 in which the monitoring step includes monitoring the elapsed time since the battery was installed in the lock system.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 5 in which the monitoring step includes monitoring the operations performed by the lock system since the battery was installed.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 5 in which the monitoring step includes monitoring current drain from a backup battery.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
76 words
In an electronic lock system having an electronic locking apparatus powered by a battery, an improvement comprising: first means for determining when the battery is nearing the end of its useful life; second means for counting uses of the locking apparatus after the first means determines that the battery is nearing the end of its useful life; and third means for curtailing operation of the locking apparatus after the second means counts to a predetermined point.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
76 words
In an electronic lock system having an electronic locking apparatus powered by a battery, an improvement comprising: first means for determining when the battery is nearing the end of its useful life; second means for counting uses of the locking apparatus after the first means determines that the battery is nearing the end of its useful life; and third means for curtailing operation of the locking apparatus after the second means counts to a predetermined point.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
The system of claim 10 which further includes means for ascertaining the identity of users of the locking apparatus and in which the third means inhibits operation of the locking apparatus by all but selected users of the locking apparatus after the second means counts to a predetermined point.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
66 words
The system of claim 10 which further comprises detector means for detecting the installation of a battery in the locking apparatus and in which the first means determines when the battery is nearing the end of its useful life by monitoring the approximate amount of energy consumed by the electronic locking apparatus since the detector means detected the installation of the battery in the locking apparatus.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
71 words
The system of claim 10 in which the locking apparatus includes a primary battery from which power is normally drawn and a backup battery from which power can be drawn when the primary battery is unable to supply adequate power and in which the first means determines when the primary battery is nearing the end of its useful life by monitoring whether any power is being drawn from the backup battery.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
61 words
The system of claim 10 which further comprises detector means for detecting the installation of a battery in the locking apparatus and in which the first means includes means for determining when the battery is nearing the end of its useful life by monitoring the time elapsed since the detector means detected the installation of a battery in the locking apparatus.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3906447A
Cited
US3857018A
Cited
US4148012A
Cited
US4411144A
Cited
US4079605A
Cited
US4201887A
Cited
US4439670A
Cited
US4353064A
Cited
US4558175A
Cited
US4525805A
Cited
US4575719A
Cited
GB2171144A
Cited
US4800255A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-05-28 | 1993-11-27 | 1994-05-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-05-28 | 1997-11-27 | 1998-05-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-05-28 | 2001-11-27 | 2002-05-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |