Patent ID: 7334443

Claim:
A lock and key assembly comprising a front body, a rear body and a key, the front body containing a printed circuit board, a battery electrically connected to the printed circuit board, a lock radio frequency antenna operatively connected to the printed circuit board, and a window in front of the lock radio frequency antenna, the rear body having a first cavity which rotatably receives a plug such that the plug is operatively connected to a cam, and the cam interacts with hardware in a door for locking and unlocking the door, the key comprising a passive radio frequency identification device, a key radio frequency antenna, and a key blade, the plug having a key slot for receipt of the key blade such that when the key blade is inserted into the key slot the distance between the lock radio frequency antenna and the key radio frequency antenna is sufficiently small to permit communication, the rear body having a second cavity housing a motor and a blocker, the motor being electrically connected to the printed circuit board such that when power is provided to the motor, the motor rotates the blocker from a locked position to an unlocked position, a lever blocker operator movably mounted within the front body such that the lever blocker operator has a sleep position and a wake-up position, wherein in the sleep position the lock and key assembly consumes very little or no power, and in the wake-up position power is supplied to the printed circuit board, such that when the key blade is inserted into the key slot the lever blocker operator is moved from the sleep position to the wake-up position, wherein when the blocker is in the locked position the blocker prevents displacement of a sidelock pin from a depression in the plug, and when the blocker is in the unlocked position the blocker does not prevent displacement of the sidelock pin from the depression, and wherein the lever blocker operator is rotatably mounted within the front body.