IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,859,407
Granted Patent B1
US 11,859,407 · App. 16/896,869 · Granted Jan 2, 2024

Remotely accessible secure enclosure

Inventors: Chad W. Bohlmann (Oak Park, IL); Emad S. Isaac (Downers Grove, IL)
Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company
E05B19/0005G07C9/00182H04W12/03H04W12/06G07C2009/00198
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,859,407
App. No.
16/896,869
Granted
Jan 2, 2024
Kind
B1
Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatuses in accordance with embodiments of the invention can use a variety of computing devices to interact with and/or control a secure enclosure for a key fob. The secure enclosure may enclose the key fob, and includes a computing device, a locking mechanism, and at least one actuator. An actuator may control the locking mechanism. The actuator, when activated, may exert a force on a key fob secured within the secure enclosure, which may cause one of the buttons of the key fob to be depressed. The computing device controls the activation of the actuators. The computing device may have wireless communication capability that allows a user to wirelessly control the actuators of the computing device, for example, to lock or unlock the enclosure, or to depress a button of the key fob secured within the enclosure.

Claims (58)

1. A secure enclosure comprising:

a first housing comprising:

a plurality of pins that are attached to a bottom portion of the first housing;

a second housing configured to correspondingly connect with the first housing, the second housing comprising:

a first actuator and a second actuator positioned along the second housing; and

a locking mechanism that, when locked, is adapted to secure the first housing to the second housing; and

wherein the first actuator is positioned such that, when the first actuator is activated:

an object, having a first button and a second button and arranged within a cavity of the secure enclosure, is moved into forced contact with a first portion of the plurality of pins, thereby activating the first button, and

wherein the second actuator is positioned such that, when the second actuator is activated:

the object is moved into forced contact with a second portion of the plurality of pins, thereby activating the second button.

2. The secure enclosure of claim 1 , further comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory storing instructions, that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the secure enclosure to:

receive, from a computing device, a wireless signal; and

activate at least one of the first actuator or the second actuator based on receiving the wireless signal.

3. The secure enclosure of claim 2 , wherein the wireless signal causes the at least one of the first actuator or the second actuator to be activated.

4. The secure enclosure of claim 2 , wherein the wireless signal comprises at least one of: a Wi-Fi signal or a Bluetooth signal.

5. The secure enclosure of claim 2 , wherein the instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive the wireless signal further comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

authenticate a sender of the wireless signal; and

activate the at least one of the first actuator or the second actuator based on the sender being authenticated.

6. The secure enclosure of claim 2 , wherein the activation of the at least one of the first actuator or the second actuator causes the at least one of the first actuator or the second actuator to exert a force perpendicular to the second housing.

7. The secure enclosure of claim 2 , wherein the wireless signal comprises a payload encrypted with Transport Layer Security (TLS).

8. The secure enclosure of claim 2 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the secure enclosure to:

based on receiving the wireless signal, either lock or unlock the locking mechanism.

9. The secure enclosure of claim 1 , wherein a cap is attached to, and covers tops of, at least some of the plurality of pins.

10. The secure enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pins are perpendicular to the bottom portion, and

wherein at least some of the plurality of pins have a semi-spherical head.

11. The secure enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the object comprises a key fob.

12. The secure enclosure of claim 1 , further comprising a movable member adapted to secure the object within the cavity.

13. A system comprising:

a secure enclosure including a computing device;

the secure enclosure adapted to contain a key fob within a housing, the secure enclosure comprising:

first and second actuators;

a plurality of pins;

a locking mechanism;

one or more processors; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed, by the one or more processors, cause the secure enclosure to:

receive, from the computing device, an authenticated message to activate at least one of a first actuator or a second actuator; and

activate the at least one of the first actuator or the second actuator based on receiving the message,.

wherein the key fob is moved into forced contact with a first portion of the plurality of pins when the first actuator is activated, thereby activating a first button of the key fob, and

wherein the key fob is moved into forced contact with a second portion of the plurality of pins when the second actuator is activated, thereby activating a second button of the key fob.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

receive, from the computing device, a message indicating a mapping between a function of the key fob and a corresponding actuator of the first and second actuators.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

based on the received mapping, activate the corresponding actuator.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the message indicates at least one of: a duration that the at least one of the first actuator or the second actuator is to be activated or a number of times that the at least one of the first actuator or the second actuator is to be activated.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the message is authenticated using Transport Layer Security (TLS).

18. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform steps comprising:

receiving, from a computing device and via a wireless connection, an authenticated message indicating which of at least one of a first actuator or a second actuator of a secure enclosure to be activated; and

activating the at least one of the first actuator or the second actuator based on receiving the message,

wherein the first actuator is positioned such that when the first actuator is activated:

a key fob, having first and second buttons and arranged within a cavity of the secure enclosure, is moved into forced contact with a first portion of a plurality of pins of the secure enclosure, thereby activating the first button, and

wherein the second actuator is positioned such that when the second actuator is activated:

the key fob is moved into forced contact with a second portion of the plurality of pins of the secure enclosure, thereby activating the second button.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to perform steps comprising:

receiving, from a computing device, a message indicating a mapping between a function of the key fob and the first and second actuators.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 18 ,

wherein the authenticated message indicates at least one of: a duration that the at least one of the first actuator or the second actuator is to be activated or a number of times the at least one of the first actuator or the second actuator is to be activated.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 8, 2020
From: BOHLMANN, CHAD W.
To: ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY
Reel/Frame 053153/0813 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 9, 2020
From: ISAAC, EMAD S.
To: ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY
Reel/Frame 052883/0760 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,497,803