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

• Main Author: HIGGINS; STEVEN WAYNE
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 20.04.1999
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDEDFOR ELSEWHERE; CHECKING-DEVICES; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTINGELECTRIC POWER; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER; ELECTRICITY; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; GENERATION; PHYSICS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS

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.