Integrated sensing for energy-efficient electromagnetic (EM) locks

这项ENGAGE提案旨在通过结合低成本传感技术，为开发更智能、更节能的电磁锁的可行性研究寻求资金。电磁锁通过电磁力运行，需要持续的电力消耗来保持锁定状态。本研究的动机是由于存在许多应用，其中具有电磁锁的门在正常情况下很少被访问，但电磁锁必须保持锁定所有的时间，消耗不必要的电力。本提案的主要思想是研究通过现有电磁铁监测磁阻（或磁阻）以检测初始和即将尝试开门的可行性。如果磁性锁可以配备这种“自我感应”能力，我们可能在大多数时间内以非常低的有效保持力（即吸收非常小的电流）运行它们，而不施加任何力来开门。这将带来显著的节能，因为只有当试图通过门进入时才能应用全功率。提出的研究的技术目标是1)调查现有的磁阻实时监测技术，以及2)开发一种可靠且经济有效的方法将这种传感能力集成到当前的电磁锁中。

This ENGAGE proposal seeks funding for the feasibility study on the development of a smarter and more energy-efficient electromagnetic (EM) lock by incorporating low-cost sensing technologies. EM locks operate by electromagnetic forces and require continuous power consumption to remain locked. This research is motivated from the fact that there exist many applications where the door with an EM lock is rarely accessed in normal situation yet the EM lock has to remain locked all the time consuming unnecessary electric power. The main idea of this proposal is to investigate on the feasibility of monitoring the magnetic reluctance (or the magnetic resistance) through the existing electromagnet to detect initial and imminent attempt to open the door. If magnetic locks can be equipped with such a "self-sensing" capability, we can possibly run them with a very low effective holding force (i.e. drawing very little current) in most of time while no force is applied to open the door. This will bring significant energy saving since the full power can only be applied when an attempt is made to gain entry through the door. The technical objectives of the proposed research are 1) to investigate on the existing technologies of realtime monitoring of magnetic reluctance, and 2) to develop a reliable and cost-effective way to integrate such a sensing capability into the current EM locks.