An electronic lock with interchangeable charging modules

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an electronic lock comprising an authentication module configured to authenticate a user based on an authentication request received from an input device. The electronic lock includes a processor configured to control locking and unlocking operations of the electronic lock in response to successful authentication of the user, a rechargeable battery configured to power the electronic lock, a battery controller electrically connected to the rechargeable battery, wherein the battery controller is configured to monitor a status of the rechargeable battery, and an attachment interface fitted on an exterior portion of the electronic lock and configured to removably attach one or more interchangeable charging modules. The electronic lock further includes one or more interchangeable charging modules configured to supply electrical power to charge the rechargeable battery when the status of the rechargeable battery falls below a predefined threshold, wherein each interchangeable charging module is selectively switched based on one or more applications.

Description

An Electronic Lock with Interchangeable Charging ModulesTechnical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to electronic lock systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an electronic lock with interchangeable charging modules.Background

[0002] The following discussion of the background to the invention is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention. However, it should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgment or admission that any of the material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge in any jurisdiction as at the priority date of the application.

[0003] Electronic locks have become increasingly popular due to their enhanced security features, ease of use, and integration capabilities with other smart devices. Typical electronic locks are powered by battery packs that are removable and disposable or a rechargeable source that requires independent charging. Therefore, one of the challenges with electronic locks is their dependency on a power source. This is particularly problematic in remote and inaccessible areas where reliable power sources may not be readily available.

[0004] In these far-flung areas, traditional power sources such as electricity grids may be unreliable or non-existent. Even if battery-operated electronic locks are used, replacing or recharging batteries can pose significant logistical challenges due to the remote location. In areas where the premises are not frequently accessed, the loss of power source of an electronic lock could be problematic. This could potentially leave the electronic lock inoperable, compromising the security of the premises.

[0005] Accordingly, the present invention attempts to address or to overcome at least some of the aforementioned problems.Summary of the Invention

[0006] In one embodiment, an electronic lock is disclosed. In one example, the electronic lock comprises an authentication module configured to authenticate a user based on an authentication request received from an input device. The electronic lock further includes a processor configured to control locking and unlocking operations of the electronic lock in response to successful authentication of the user, a rechargeable battery configured to power the electronic lock and a battery controller electrically connected to the rechargeable battery, wherein the battery controller is configured to monitor a status of the rechargeable battery. The electronic lock further includes an attachment interface fitted on an exterior portion of the electronic lock. Further, the attachment interface is configured to removably attach one or more interchangeable charging modules and the one or more interchangeable charging modules is configured to supply electrical power to charge the rechargeable battery when the status of the rechargeable battery falls below a predefined threshold, wherein each interchangeable charging module is selectively switched based on one or more applications.

[0007] In another aspect, the electronic lock includes the one or more interchangeable charging modules comprising a wireless charging module for wirelessly harvesting electrical energy from an external power source, a solar power module for harvesting the electrical energy from photovoltaic panels, and a vibration power module for harvesting the electrical energy from a movement associated with the electronic lock.

[0008] In another aspect, the electronic lock includes a storage unit housed within the one or more interchangeable charging modules configured to store the electrical power obtained from at least one interchangeable charging module for charging the rechargeable battery.

[0009] In another aspect, the wireless charging module comprises a microprocessor configured to periodically monitor a status of the storage unit to determine a need for recharging the storage unit, a transmitter electrically coupled with the microprocessor and the battery controller, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit at least one of the status of the storage unit and the status of the rechargeable battery to the external power source via a data communication link. Further, a receiver is configured to receive a wireless charging signal from the external power source upon determining the need for recharging the storage unit based on the at least one of the status of the storage unit and status of the rechargeable battery.

[0010] Tn another aspect, the electronic lock includes a battery controller that is further configured to transmit a signal to the storage unit to initiate charging of the rechargeable battery, when the status of the rechargeable battery falls below the threshold level.

[0011] In another aspect, the solar power module comprises at least one photovoltaic panel placed on an exterior surface of the solar power module configured for harvesting light energy, and a converter configured to convert the light energy into the electrical energy, wherein the electrical energy obtained from the solar power module is stored in the storage unit for charging the rechargeable battery.

[0012] In another aspect, the vibration power module comprises a kinetic energy harvester configured to harvest a kinetic energy generated by the movement associated with the electronic lock; and a converter configured to convert the kinetic energy into the electrical energy, wherein the electrical energy obtained from the vibration power module is stored in the storage unit for charging the rechargeable battery.

[0013] In another aspect, in order to authenticate the user, the authentication module is configured to receive an authentication request from the user via the input device; and authenticate the user based on authentication data stored in a memory.

[0014] In another aspect, the authentication data comprises at least one of biometric data captured by a biometric sensor on the electronic lock, a facial profile information of the user captured by an image capturing sensor on the electronic lock, and a password or a pattern entered by the user via the input device on the electronic lock.

[0015] In another aspect, when the biometric sensor is absent on the electronic lock, the biometric data is obtained from a lock control device, and wherein the lock control device is configured to remotely control the electronic lock.

[0016] In another aspect, the electronic lock further includes a wireless transceiver configured to transmit at least one of the status of the rechargeable battery and details of the one or more interchangeable charging modules to an access management system, wherein the access management system is configured to trigger alert upon detection of a low battery status or malfunctions in the one or more interchangeable charging modules.

[0017] In one embodiment, an electronic lock system is disclosed. The electronic lock system includes an authentication module configured to authenticate a user based on an authentication request received from an input device, a processor configured to control locking and unlocking operations of the electronic lock in response to successful authentication of the user, a rechargeable battery configured to power the electronic lock, a battery controller electrically connected to the rechargeable battery, wherein the battery controller is configured to monitor a status of the rechargeable battery, an attachment interface fitted on an exterior portion of the electronic lock and configured to removably attach one or more interchangeable charging modules. In one example, the one or more interchangeable charging modules are configured to supply electrical power to charge the rechargeable battery when the status of the rechargeable battery falls below a predefined threshold, wherein each interchangeable charging module is selectively switched based on one or more applications. Further, a wireless transceiver is configured to transmit at least one of the status of the rechargeable battery and details of the one or more interchangeable charging modules to an access management system, wherein the access managementsystem is configured to trigger alert upon detection of a low battery status or malfunctions in the one or more interchangeable charging modules.

[0018] Tn one aspect, the one or more interchangeable charging modules comprises a wireless charging module for wirelessly harvesting electrical energy from an external power source, a solar power module for harvesting the electrical energy from photovoltaic panels, and a vibration power module for harvesting the electrical energy from a movement associated with the electronic lock.

[0019] In one aspect, the electronic lock system further includes a storage unit housed within the one or more interchangeable charging modules configured to store the electrical power obtained from at least one interchangeable charging module for charging the rechargeable battery.

[0020] In one aspect, the wireless charging module comprises a microprocessor configured to periodically monitor a status of the storage unit to determine a need for recharging the storage unit, a transmitter electrically coupled with the microprocessor and the battery controller, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit at least one of the status of the storage unit and the status of the rechargeable battery to the external power source via a data communication link; and a receiver configured to receive a wireless charging signal from the external power source upon determining the need for recharging the storage unit based on the at least one of the status of the storage unit and status of the rechargeable battery.

[0021] In one aspect, the battery controller is further configured to transmit a signal to the storage unit to initiate charging of the rechargeable battery, when the status of the rechargeable battery falls below the threshold level.

[0022] In one aspect, the solar power module comprises at least one photovoltaic panel placed on an exterior surface of the solar power module configured for harvesting light energy; and a converter configured to convert the light energy into the electrical energy,wherein the electrical energy obtained from the solar power module is stored in the storage unit for charging the rechargeable battery.

[0023] Tn one aspect, the vibration power module comprises a kinetic energy harvester configured to harvest a kinetic energy generated by the movement associated with the electronic lock; and a converter configured to convert the kinetic energy into the electrical energy, wherein the electrical energy obtained from the vibration power module is stored in the storage unit for charging the rechargeable battery.

[0024] In one aspect, in order to authenticate the user, the authentication module is configured to receive an authentication request from the user via the input device; and authenticate the user based on authentication data stored in a memory.

[0025] In one aspect, the authentication data comprises at least one of a biometric data captured by a biometric sensor on the electronic lock, a facial profile information of the user captured by an image capturing sensor on the electronic lock; and a password or a pattern entered by the user via the input device on the electronic lock, wherein when the biometric sensor is absent on the electronic lock, the biometric data is obtained from a lock control device, and wherein the lock control device is configured to remotely control the electronic lock.Brief Description of the Drawings

[0026] In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. The dimensions of the various features or elements may be arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity. In the following description, various embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the following drawings, in which:

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a high-level block diagram of an electronic lock with interchangeable modules according to various embodiments;

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a high-level block diagram of another electronic lock with interchangeable modules according to various embodiments; and

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a high-level overview diagram of a wireless charging module for an electronic lock according to various embodiments.Detailed Description

[0030] The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings that show, by way of illustration, specific details and embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments may be utilized and structural, and logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The various embodiments are not necessarily mutually exclusive, as some embodiments can be combined with one or more other embodiments to form new embodiments.

[0031] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “one example,” or “an example” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” “one example,” or “an example” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, databases, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable combinations and / or sub-combinations in one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, it should be appreciated that the figures provided herewith are for explanation purposes to persons ordinarily skilled in the art and that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0032] Accordingly, in one or more example embodiments, the functions described may be implemented in hardware, software, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions may be stored on or encoded as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium.

[0033] Tn the specification the term “comprising” shall be understood to have a broad meaning similar to the term “including” and will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. This definition also applies to variations on the term “comprising” such as “comprise” and “comprises”.

[0034] In order that the invention may be readily understood and put into practical effect, particular embodiments will now be described by way of examples and not limitations, and with reference to the figures. It will be understood that any property described herein for a specific system may also hold for any system described herein. It will be understood that any property described herein for a specific method may also hold for any method described herein. Furthermore, it will be understood that for any system or method described herein, not necessarily all the components or steps described must be enclosed in the system or method, but only some (but not all) components or steps may be enclosed.

[0035] The term “coupled” (or “connected”) herein may be understood as electrically coupled or as mechanically coupled, for example attached or fixed, or just in contact without any fixation, and it will be understood that both direct coupling or indirect coupling (in other words: coupling without direct contact) may be provided.

[0036] To achieve the stated features, advantages and objects, the present disclosure described herein disclose a device and methods thereof that are configured to recharge a rechargeable battery that is associated with, and power, an electronic lock system.

[0037] FIG. 1 illustrates a high-level block diagram showing the internal components of an electronic lock 100 according to various embodiments. The electronic lock 100 is installed on an entry point of an object, property or key installation. The entry point may include a door, such as a door of a building, a door in a residential or commercial unit, a door of a cabinet, a door of a safe, a door of a vehicle, door of a container, door of a keyinstallation, etc.. The term ‘electronic lock’ is broadly intended to include any type of lockset that uses electrical power in some manner, including but not limited to electronic deadbolts, electronic lever sets, electronic door locksets, and padlocks. The electronic lock 100 comprises a processor 110 in data communication with a memory 120 and a wireless transceiver 130, a rechargeable battery 170, and a mechanical motor 150 coupled to a physical lock 160. In some embodiments, the electronic lock 100 includes an input device (not shown) such as a touch screen or a virtual keypad for entering an input. In some embodiments, the electronic lock 100 includes a biometric sensor for capturing biometric data such as a fingerprint sensor for capturing fingerprint information or an image capturing sensor for capturing facial profile information of users. In some embodiments, in the absence of a biometric sensor on the electronic lock 100, the biometric data may be obtained from a lock control device, for example, a mobile device, in wireless communication with the electronic lock 100. The lock control device may be configured to remotely control the electronic lock 100.[00381 The electronic lock 100 includes a wireless transceiver 130 for wireless communication with an access management application (not shown) on the lock control device or a server via a network. In some embodiments, the wireless transceiver 130 can communicate wirelessly with the lock control device via the network. In various embodiments, the wireless transceiver 130 can communicate via any of various technologies already mentioned above, such as a cellular network, a short-range wireless network, a wireless local area network (WLAN), a low-power Wide Area Network (LP- WAN), etc. The cellular network can be any of various types, such as code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), global system for mobile communication (GSM), long term evolution (LTE), 3G, 4G, 5G, etc. The short-range wireless network can also be any of various types, such as Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), near field communication (NFC) etc..[00391 In some embodiments, the electronic lock 100 also includes the standard structure of conventional door locks with moving parts to lock or to unlock the door. The electronic lock 100 can be installed on any asset requiring secure protection or any doorthat provides access to a building, residential unit, room, hotel room, car, safe, cabinet, or the like. The processor 110 controls a mechanical motor 150 which causes the mechanical motor 150 to open or close the physical lock 160. The mechanical motor 150 can have the associated gears in order to generate the torque required to move the physical lock 160. The physical lock 281 may take many form factors including padlocks, deadbolts, mortises, rim locks, latches and electro-magnetic door locks. The processor 110 includes a memory 120 that stores digital keys, biometric data, access details, logs of user interactions or associated timestamps and a record of the owner or administrator data. The memory 120 may be a volatile memory, for example a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) or a non-volatile memory, for example a PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory), an EPROM (Erasable PROM), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable PROM), or a flash memory, e g., a floating gate memory, a charge trapping memory, an MRAM (Magneto resistive Random Access Memory) or a PCRAM (Phase Change Random Access Memory). Broadly, the components of the electronic lock controlling the locking and unlocking of the electronic lock can be referred to as electronic lock components.

[0040] As used herein, the term ‘processor’ broadly refers to and is not limited to single or multi-core general purpose processor, a special purpose processor, a conventional processor, a graphical processing unit, a digital signal processor (DSP), a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in association with a DSP core, a controller, a microcontroller, one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), one or more Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) circuits, any other type of integrated circuit, a system on a chip (SOC), and / or a state machine.

[0041] The processor 110 cooperates with the authentication module 140 to authenticate the user based upon an authentication request received from the input device on the electronic lock or the lock control device. In some embodiments, where the lock control device is used for the authentication request, when the user is within an active space or proximity of the electronic lock, an authentication process may be activated. For example, the lock control device may include a location detection module that automatically activates the input unit of the lock control device when the lock controldevice is within a predetermined geolocation around the electronic lock 100. In some embodiments, the location detection module may be a Global Positioning System (GPS) that allows the lock control device to configure a virtual perimeter for the active space around the respective lock groups. When the user is in the active space, the authentication process is activated and the wireless transceiver 130 is configured to wirelessly receive a secret key from the lock control device without requiring any user input on the input device of the electronic lock. The secret key, which involves the use of secret key cryptography using symmetric-key algorithms, are algorithms for cryptography that uses the same cryptographic keys for both encryption of plaintext and decryption of ciphertext and are well-known in the art. The user may then proceed to perform the predetermined input gesture on the display of the lock control device, which may include a figure, pattern or virtual button, that is matched with a password of the user stored in the password database.

[0042] In some embodiments, the electronic lock 100 includes an attachment interface 180 on the exterior portion of the electronic lock 100. The attachment interface 180 (not shown) is substantially flat and includes a plurality of apertures configured for mounting an interchangeable module and a connector (not shown). The attachment interface 180 is configured to fit any one of the interchangeable modules 190 and may be a different shape or size if desired. The number of apertures is any number more than one and may include mounting fasteners if desired. In one embodiment, the interchangeable module can be a wireless charging module 191 , a solar power module 192 or a vibration power module 193. Each of these modules can be removably attached to the attachment interface 180 as desired by the user depending on context and application. In other words, multiple energy power sources are capable of charging the rechargeable battery to charge or extend the life of the rechargeable battery A person skilled in the art would understand that the energy sources are intended as examples and alternative energy sources could be used. Depending on the context and application, one or more of the energy power sources can be optional.

[0043] Electronic locks such as electronic door locks and electronic padlocks offer a high level of security and convenience, making them an ideal choice for securing properties or assets. However, these devices typically rely on internal batteries for power, which canpose significant challenges in terms of maintenance and reliability, especially when the electronic locks are located in areas that are difficult to access regularly. The need for frequent battery replacements not only increases the operational costs but also leaves the lock vulnerable to power failures, which could compromise the security of the property. Moreover, in remote locations, the logistics of battery replacement can be complex and time-consuming, further exacerbating the problem.

[0044] By providing an attachment interface 180 on the electronic lock 100 capable of switching between more than one interchangeable module that provides various sources of power depending on context and application, this enhances the reliability of the electronic lock and also reduces maintenance costs and efforts.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 1, and according to one embodiment, the interchangeable modules 200 include one or more energy harvester modules, for example, a wireless charging module 210, a solar power module 220 and a vibration power module 230. Other types of energy harvester modules include heat, and radio frequency energy. Each energy harvester module includes a circuit configured with an energy harvester device that feeds into a converter and a storage / distributor for storing the energy provided from the converter, details of which will be explained later. The electrical energy is subsequently distributed by the distributor for charging the rechargeable battery that it is in electrical communication with. Tn one embodiment, the energy harvester device is a solar panel that includes photovoltaic cells capable of convering light into DC electricity. In another embodiment, the energy harvester device is a vibration power module capable of harvesting movement associated with the electronic lock and converting the kinetic energy to electrical energy. Other forms of energy harvester devices include heat or radio frequency waves that are capable of being harvested and converted into electrical energy. With reference to FIG. 1, the converter 190 and the distributor 195 is located, but not limited to, in the housing of the electronic lock and electrically coupled to the attachment interface 180.

[0046] FIG. 2 illustrates a high-level block diagram of some of the energy harvester modules in the electronic lock according to one embodiment. With reference to FIG. 2, the converter 225 and the distributor / storage 228 is housed within the interchangeable module 200. The storage 228 and the distributor is frequently combined together for the purpose of storing and distributing electrical energy. For the purposes of this specification, the terms “storage” and “distributor” are used interchangeably throughout this specification. The converter 225 is configured to convert the energy sources to electrical energy and combine the energy sources into an aggregate power source for conversion into electrical energy. For example, the solar power module include photovoltaic (PV) panels on the exterior surface of the module that harvests light energy that is converted by the converter into electrical energy. The electrical energy is supplied to the storage 228 that stores the electrical energy for charging the rechargeable battery that is subsequently used by one or more of the electronic lock components 120-160. A battery controller 185 is in electrical communication with the attachment interface 180, storage 228 and the rechargeable battery 170. The battery controller 185 monitors the status of the rechargable battery and when the status of charge on the rechargeable battery falls below a threshold level, the battery controller 185 will send a signal to the storage 228 to initiate charging of the rechargeable battery 170. Tn this way, the recchargeable battery is always recharged in a continuous manner due to the non-continuous signal whenever the status of charge falls below a threshold level. The battery controller 185 receives periodic input data from the rechargeable battery which indicates the battery status level. If the battery controller 185 determines that the battery status level is at or below the threshold level, it will send a signal to the interchangeable module to initate charging of the rechargeable battery.

[0047] FIG. 3 illustrates a high-level block diagram of the wireless charging module in an electronic lock according to one embodiment The wireless charging module 210 is provided as an interchangeable module 200 which includes, but is not limited to, the energy harvester modules mentioned above. In this embodiment, the wireless charging module 210 includes a module that is capable of establishing a bidirectional data communication link and a wireless charging link. The bidirectional data communication link allows bidirectional exchange of data between an external power source and the wireless chargingmodule 210. In one embodiment, the microprocessor 214, the receiver 212 and the transmitter 218 disposed within the wireless charging module 210 provide a means to establish a bidirectional data communication link with an external power source. For example, the data exchanged can relate to the battery status levels on the rechargeable battery or the storage 216 on the wireless charging module 220. In one embodiment, the storage 216 can be a central storage for harvesting the electrical energy supplied from all the energy harvester modules 210, 220, 230. In one embodiment, the wireless charging link is a unidirectional wireless link that wirelessly transmits a charging signal used to recharge the storage 216 that in turns recharge the rechargeable battery 170 when required. The wireless charging link wirelessly transmits the charging signal from the external power source. Some example methods to implement the bidirectional data communication link and the wireless charging link include radio frequency (RF), inductive coupling, magnetic coupling, infrared or any combination of these. Other examples of radio frequency wireless communication links include Bluetooth, BLE, ZigBee or any other wireless bidirectional RD data communication link. In some embodiments, inductive coupling include wirewound solenoids and air-wound coils. In operation, the microprocessor 214 periodically monitors the battery status of the storage 216 on the wireless charging module 210 and periodically transmits the battery status to the external power source via the bidirectional data communication link. The external power source receives periodic updates from the wireless charging module 210 and when the battery status of the storage 216 falls below a threshold level, the microprocessor 214 determines that the storage 216 needs to be recharged and initiates charging. The external power source wirelessly transmits a charging signal to the wireless charging module via the wireless charging link and initiates charging of the storage 216. Once the storage 216 is sufficiently charged, it will proceed to initiate charging of the rechargeable battery 170 located in the electronic lock. In other embodiments, the battery controller 190 disposed in the housing of the electronic lock sends a signal to the microprocessor 214 when the rechargeable battery 170 is at or falls below a threshold battery level. This also initiates the transmission of the battery status to the external power source via the bidirectional data communication link from the transmitter 218, and proceeds to initiate the wireless transmission of the charging signal to the wireles charging module and initiating charging of the storage 216.

[0048] The present invention can be applied to an electronic lock that is configurable for access to an access management system accessible by a lock control device. The electronic lock includes a wireless transceiver 130 that is capable of transmitting the rechargeable battery status level to the access management system (not shown). The processor 110 monitors the status of the rechargeable battery to ensure optimal functionality and reliability. In this way, the access management system is configured to monitor the state of the rechargeable battery and the charging times. By also obtaining data of the energy harvesting modules from the battery controller, the efficiency of the energy harvesting modules can be monitored and logged.

[0049] According to various embodiments, the access management system includes a notification alert and / or alarm mechanism associated with potential malfunctions or the absence of the energy harvester module. This enhances the security and prevent potential disruptions. The access management system monitors the integrity and functionality of the energy harvester modules, ensuring that they operate optimally. Tn the event of a low battery situation or a missing / malfunctioning energy harvester module, an immediate alarm is triggered, and the user / administrator will receive immediate notifications of the potential issue, enabling proactive measures to address the problem promptly.

[0050] The access management application is operable on the lock control device or a mobile device The lock control device or mobile device may include a display, a processor, an input unit, a communication unit and a storage. In some embodiments, any other suitable component, including but not limited to a system bus or a controller (not shown), may also be included in the lock control device. In some embodiments, a mobile operating system (e.g., iOSTM, AndroidTM, Windows PhoneTM, etc.) and one or more applications (not shown), for example, the access management application, may be loaded into a memory (not shown) from the storage in order to be executed by the processor of the lock control device. The applications may include a browser or any other suitable mobile apps for receiving information relating to the access management application. As appreciated by a person skilled in the art, user interactions with the information stream may be achieved viathe I / O devices (not shown) and provided to the processor and / or other components of the system via the network.

[0051] The lock control device may be a computer, laptop, handheld computer, mobile communication device, smartphone, tablet, loT device, a key fob, a hardware token, a software token, or any other device. In some embodiments, the lock control device is capable of sending and / or receiving data over a communication network via short-range wireless communication protocols such as Bluetooth or Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). In some embodiments, the lock control device is capable of transmitting data via Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) or Ultra High Frequency (UHF).

[0052] As used herein, the term ‘controller’ broadly refers to and is not limited to single or multi-core general purpose processor, a special purpose processor, a conventional processor, a graphical processing unit, a digital signal processor (DSP), a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in association with a DSP core, a controller, a microcontroller, one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), one or more Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) circuits, any other type of integrated circuit, a system on a chip (SOC), and / or a state machine

[0053] While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to specific embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. The scope of the invention is thus indicated by the appended claims and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embrace.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An electronic lock, comprising: an authentication module configured to authenticate a user based on an authentication request received from an input device; a processor configured to control locking and unlocking operations of the electronic lock in response to successful authentication of the user, a rechargeable battery configured to power the electronic lock, a battery controller electrically connected to the rechargeable battery, wherein the battery controller is configured to monitor a status of the rechargeable battery; an attachment interface fitted on an exterior portion of the electronic lock and configured to removably attach one or more interchangeable charging modules; and the one or more interchangeable charging modules configured to supply electrical power to charge the rechargeable battery when the status of the rechargeable battery falls below a predefined threshold, wherein each interchangeable charging module is selectively switched based on one or more applications.

2. The electronic lock of claim 1, wherein the one or more interchangeable charging modules comprises: a wireless charging module for wirelessly harvesting electrical energy from an external power source; a solar power module for harvesting the electrical energy from photovoltaic panels; and a vibration power module for harvesting the electrical energy from a movement associated with the electronic lock.3 The electronic lock of claim 1 , further comprising a storage unit housed within the one or more interchangeable charging modules configured to store the electrical power obtained from at least one interchangeable charging module for charging the rechargeable battery.

4. The electronic lock of claim 2, wherein the wireless charging module comprises:a microprocessor configured to periodically monitor a status of the storage unit to determine a need for recharging the storage unit; a transmitter electrically coupled with the microprocessor and the battery controller, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit at least one of the status of the storage unit and the status of the rechargeable battery to the external power source via a data communication link; and a receiver configured to receive a wireless charging signal from the external power source upon determining the need for recharging the storage unit based on the at least one of the status of the storage unit and status of the rechargeable battery.5 The electronic lock of claim 4, wherein the battery controller is further configured to transmit a signal to the storage unit to initiate charging of the rechargeable battery, when the status of the rechargeable battery falls below the threshold level.

6. The electronic lock of claim 2, wherein the solar power module comprises: at least one photovoltaic panel placed on an exterior surface of the solar power module configured for harvesting light energy; and a converter configured to convert the light energy into the electrical energy, wherein the electrical energy obtained from the solar power module is stored in the storage unit for charging the rechargeable battery.

7. The electronic lock of claim 2, wherein the vibration power module comprises: a kinetic energy harvester configured to harvest a kinetic energy generated by the movement associated with the electronic lock; and a converter configured to convert the kinetic energy into the electrical energy, wherein the electrical energy obtained from the vibration power module is stored in the storage unit for charging the rechargeable battery.

8. The electronic lock of claim 1, wherein to authenticate the user, the authentication module is configured to: receive an authentication request from the user via the input device; andauthenticate the user based on authentication data stored in a memory.

9. The electronic lock of claim 8, wherein the authentication data comprises at least one of: biometric data captured by a biometric sensor on the electronic lock; a facial profile information of the user captured by an image capturing sensor on the electronic lock; and a password or a pattern entered by the user via the input device on the electronic lock.

10. The electronic lock of claim 9, wherein when the biometric sensor is absent on the electronic lock, the biometric data is obtained from a lock control device, and wherein the lock control device is configured to remotely control the electronic lock.

11. The electronic lock of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless transceiver configured to transmit at least one of the status of the rechargeable battery and details of the one or more interchangeable charging modules to an access management system, wherein the access management system is configured to trigger alert upon detection of a low battery status or malfunctions in the one or more interchangeable charging modules.

12. An electronic lock system, comprising: an electronic lock comprising: an authentication module configured to authenticate a user based on an authentication request received from an input device; a processor configured to control locking and unlocking operations of the electronic lock in response to successful authentication of the user; a rechargeable battery configured to power the electronic lock; a battery controller electrically connected to the rechargeable battery, wherein the battery controller is configured to monitor a status of the rechargeable battery;an attachment interface fitted on an exterior portion of the electronic lock and configured to removably attach one or more interchangeable charging modules; the one or more interchangeable charging modules configured to supply electrical power to charge the rechargeable battery when the status of the rechargeable battery falls below a predefined threshold, wherein each interchangeable charging module is selectively switched based on one or more applications; and a wireless transceiver configured to transmit at least one of the status of the rechargeable battery and details of the one or more interchangeable charging modules to an access management system, wherein the access management system is configured to trigger alert upon detection of a low battery status or malfunctions in the one or more interchangeable charging modules.

13. The electronic lock system of claim 12, wherein the one or more interchangeable charging modules comprises: a wireless charging module for wirelessly harvesting electrical energy from an external power source; a solar power module for harvesting the electrical energy from photovoltaic panels; and a vibration power module for harvesting the electrical energy from a movement associated with the electronic lock.

14. The electronic lock system of claim 12, further comprising a storage unit housed within the one or more interchangeable charging modules configured to store the electrical power obtained from at least one interchangeable charging module for charging the rechargeable battery.

15. The electronic lock system of claim 13, wherein the wireless charging module comprises:a microprocessor configured to periodically monitor a status of the storage unit to determine a need for recharging the storage unit; a transmitter electrically coupled with the microprocessor and the battery controller, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit at least one of the status of the storage unit and the status of the rechargeable battery to the external power source via a data communication link; and a receiver configured to receive a wireless charging signal from the external power source upon determining the need for recharging the storage unit based on the at least one of the status of the storage unit and status of the rechargeable battery.16 The electronic lock system of claim 15, wherein the battery controller is further configured to transmit a signal to the storage unit to initiate charging of the rechargeable battery, when the status of the rechargeable battery falls below the threshold level.

17. The electronic lock system of claim 13, wherein the solar power module comprises: at least one photovoltaic panel placed on an exterior surface of the solar power module configured for harvesting light energy; and a converter configured to convert the light energy into the electrical energy, wherein the electrical energy obtained from the solar power module is stored in the storage unit for charging the rechargeable battery.

18. The electronic lock system of claim 13, wherein the vibration power module comprises: a kinetic energy harvester configured to harvest a kinetic energy generated by the movement associated with the electronic lock; and a converter configured to convert the kinetic energy into the electrical energy, wherein the electrical energy obtained from the vibration power module is stored in the storage unit for charging the rechargeable battery.

19. The electronic lock system of claim 12, wherein to authenticate the user, the authentication module is configured to:receive an authentication request from the user via the input device; and authenticate the user based on authentication data stored in a memory.20 The electronic lock system of claim 19, wherein the authentication data comprises at least one of: biometric data captured by a biometric sensor on the electronic lock; a facial profile information of the user captured by an image capturing sensor on the electronic lock; and a password or a pattern entered by the user via the input device on the electronic lock, wherein when the biometric sensor is absent on the electronic lock, the biometric data is obtained from a lock control device, and wherein the lock control device is configured to remotely control the electronic lock

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