Systems and methods for location enabled electronic lock controls

1. A computer-implemented method, the method being performed in a system comprising an electronic lock and a client device comprising a central processing unit, a localization signal receiver and a memory, the computer-implemented method comprising:

a. receiving at least one localization signal using the localization signal receiver;

b. measuring a strength of the received localization signal;

c. using the central processing unit to extract an identifier from the received localization signal, wherein the extracted identifier uniquely identifies the source of the received localization signal;

d. determining a location of the client device based at least on the measured strength of the received localization signal and the extracted identifier, wherein determining the location comprises transmitting a request comprising the measured strength of the received localization signal and the extracted identifier to a location server and receiving the location from the location server and wherein the request is digitally signed with a private cryptographic key of the client device; and

e. causing the electronic lock to unlock based on the determined location.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the location comprises a location identifier.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the location received from the location server is signed with a private cryptographic key of the location server.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein causing the electronic lock to unlock comprises transmitting a request comprising the location information to a lock server.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the request is digitally signed with a cryptographic key.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the request comprises an identifier of the client device, an identifier of a user of the client device and an identifier of the electronic lock.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a request comprising an identifier of the client device and an identifier of a user of the client device to a lock server, receiving, in response to the request, from the lock server a list of locks and displaying the received list of locks to the user.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein causing the electronic lock to unlock comprises identifying a second user capable of approving the unlock of the electronic lock, transmitting an approval request from a lock server to a second client device of the identified second user and receiving an approval message of the unlock of the electronic lock.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the approval message comprises an identifier of the second client device, an identifier of the second user of the client device and an identifier of the electronic lock.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the approval message is digitally signed with a private cryptographic key of the second client device.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein causing the electronic lock to unlock comprises identifying a second user capable of witnessing the unlock of the electronic lock, transmitting a witness request from a lock server to a second client device of the identified second user, determining a location of the second client device and receiving a witness message of the unlock of the electronic lock.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the witness message comprises an identifier of the second client device, an identifier of the second user of the client device, an identifier of the electronic lock and the determine location of the second client device.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the witness message is digitally signed with a private cryptographic key of the second client device.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein receiving at least one localization signal using the localization signal receiver comprises receiving a plurality of localization signals provided by a plurality of beacons disposed within a building and wherein the location is determined based on the received plurality of localization signals.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein receiving at least one localization signal using the localization signal receiver comprises receiving a plurality of localization signals provided by a plurality of WIFI hotspots disposed within a building and wherein the location is determined based on the received plurality of localization signals.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising validating the determined location of the client device, wherein validating the determined location comprises comparing a key extracted from the received localization signal with the second randomly generated key previously sent to a beacon, which generated the received localization signal, wherein the determined location is invalidated if the key and the second key are not the same.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying a set of computer-executable instructions, which, when executed in connection with a system comprising an electronic lock and a client device comprising a central processing unit, a localization signal receiver and a memory, cause the system to perform a method comprising:

a. receiving at least one localization signal using the localization signal receiver;

b. measuring a strength of the received localization signal;

c. using the central processing unit to extract an identifier from the received localization signal, wherein the extracted identifier uniquely identifies the source of the received localization signal;

d. determining a location of the client device based at least on the measured strength of the received localization signal and the extracted identifier, wherein determining the location comprises transmitting a request comprising the measured strength of the received localization signal and the extracted identifier to a location server and receiving the location from the location server and wherein the request is digitally signed with a private cryptographic key of the client device; and

e. causing the electronic lock to unlock based on the determined location.

18. A system comprising an electronic lock and a client device comprising a central processing unit, a localization signal receiver and a memory, the memory storing a set of computer-readable instructions causing the system to perform a method comprising:

a. receiving at least one localization signal using the localization signal receiver;

b. measuring a strength of the received localization signal;

c. using the central processing unit to extract an identifier from the received localization signal, wherein the extracted identifier uniquely identifies the source of the received localization signal;

d. determining a location of the client device based at least on the measured strength of the received localization signal and the extracted identifier, wherein determining the location comprises transmitting a request comprising the measured strength of the received localization signal and the extracted identifier to a location server and receiving the location from the location server and wherein the request is digitally signed with a private cryptographic key of the client device; and

e. causing the electronic lock to unlock based on the determined location.