Persistent E-Ink Display for Smart Door Locks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional smart door locks and entry devices require frequent battery replacements and power-intensive display shutdowns to conserve energy, limiting their ability to continuously display information without consuming significant power.
Innovation Solution
An electronic access system with a persistent display that uses e-ink or e-paper technology, requiring minimal power to show static images, allowing it to remain 'always on' and display information such as scheduling, weather, and diagnostics, while using a controller to manage both lock and display functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If conventional smart door locks use traditional displays to show information, then users can view information clearly, but the display consumes significant power requiring frequent battery replacements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the display by using e-ink technology that fundamentally alters how images are displayed and maintained. Instead of continuous power consumption to maintain display states, the e-ink display uses minimal power to update images, and once updated, the images persist without additional power. This parameter change in display technology resolves the contradiction between information display capability and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional electronic display mechanism (which requires continuous power to maintain display states) with an e-ink display mechanism that uses electrostatic properties to hold display states. This substitution of the underlying physical mechanism allows the display to function with minimal power consumption while maintaining full information display capability.
2Use of energy by moving object
If smart door locks shut down the display to conserve power, then power consumption is reduced, but users cannot view information without interacting with the device
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous display functionality by using e-ink technology that maintains displayed information without requiring periodic refreshes or user interaction. The display continuously shows information in a static state without consuming power, eliminating the need for users to wake or activate the display to view information. This continuous useful action resolves the contradiction between power conservation and ease of operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If smart door locks use battery power for wireless operation, then the locks can be installed without wiring, but batteries require regular replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the power consumption parameters of the door lock system by implementing e-ink display technology, which dramatically reduces the overall power requirements of the device. This parameter change in power consumption allows battery-powered wireless operation to become practical for extended periods, effectively extending battery life while maintaining wireless installation capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables continuous, low-power display of information without battery replacement, enhancing user interaction and reducing maintenance needs by using a persistent display that consumes no power when showing static images, thus providing a cost-effective and efficient solution for smart door locks.
Implementation Method 1
a persistent display for information, wherein the persistent display requires substantially no power to display a static image
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic entry device such as a door lock includes a display that uses substantially no power when a static image is presented. Such a display can be “always on” and be used to display information to users of the entry device on a continuous basis. In some embodiments, the persistent display is an e-ink display. In some embodiments, the persistent display may present a scannable code, such as a QR code, that is statically displayed on the persistent display when a new product is unboxed. The persistent display can also present weather, news, scheduling, or other information.