IP Library Granted Patent US 12,219,081
Granted Patent B2
US 12,219,081 · App. 16/911,941 · Granted Feb 4, 2025

Systems and methods for controlling a locking mechanism using a portable electronic device

Inventors: Paul Michael Gerhardt (Palo Alto, CA); Charles Cameron Robertson (Mountain View, CA)
Assignee: THE CHAMBERLAIN GROUP LLC.
H04M1/72415G07C9/00309G07C9/00571H04L63/0428H04L63/0492H04L63/08H04W12/06H04W12/08H04W12/50G07C2009/00365G07C2009/00412G07C2209/64H04W12/64H04W12/77
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,219,081
App. No.
16/911,941
Granted
Feb 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for operating a remotely operable lock. In an example embodiment, a method comprises receiving credentials at a web service from a portable electronic device, authenticating the credentials, and based on a successful authentication, issuing a command for receipt by the lock from the web service or the portable electronic device.

Claims (49)

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed, cause performance of a method by an access control device of a secured premises, the method comprising:

receiving, at the access control device, a command that instructs the access control device to enable access to the secured premises by a first entity, wherein the command is received by the access control device from a server computer after receipt by the server computer of an authentication code from a mobile device associated with the first entity, and wherein the authentication code is used by the server computer to authenticate the first entity before communication by the server computer of the command to the access control device;

after the command is received at the access control device, determining that the mobile device associated with the first entity is proximate to the access control device;

after the access control device receives the command, enabling, by the access control device, access to the secured premises after determining that the mobile device is proximate to the access control device and an authorization to access the secured premises has been granted to the first entity by a second entity with administrative status associated with the secured premises; and

communicating, by the access control device, a notification from the access control device to the server computer indicating the first entity has been granted access to the secured premises.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

causing broadcast of a communication signal adjacent the access control device via a short-range wireless communication protocol; and

wherein the mobile device associated with the first entity is determined to be proximate to the access control device based on reception by the mobile device of the communication signal.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a response via the short-range wireless communication protocol from the mobile device that indicates the reception; or

receiving a communication from the server computer that indicates the reception.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2 , wherein the short-range wireless communication protocol is selected from the group consisting of a near field communication protocol, a Bluetooth communication protocol, and a Wi-Fi communication protocol.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from the mobile device or the server computer, a location of the mobile device; and

wherein the first entity is determined to be proximate to the access control device based at least in part on comparison of the location of the mobile device with a location of the access control device or with an area adjacent the access control device.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5 , wherein the comparison is performed by at least one of the access control device, the mobile device, and the server computer.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the authorization to access the secured premises includes a temporal restriction, a spatial restriction, or a spatial-temporal restriction.

8. A method of granting access to a secured premises, the method comprising:

receiving, at an access control device at the secured premises, a command that instructs the access control device to enable access to the secured premises by a first entity, wherein the command is received by the access control device from a server computer after receipt by the server computer of an authentication code from a mobile device associated with the first entity, and wherein the authentication code is used by the server computer to authenticate the first entity before communication by the server computer of the command to the access control device;

after the command is received at the access control device, determining that the mobile device associated with the first entity is proximate to the access control device; and

after receiving the command, enabling, by the access control device, access to the secured premises after determining that the mobile device associated with the first entity is proximate to the access control device and an authorization to access the secured premises has been granted to the first entity by a second entity with administrative status associated with the secured premises.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

causing broadcast of a communication signal adjacent the access control device via a short-range wireless communication protocol; and

wherein the mobile device associated with the first entity is determined to be proximate to the access control device based on reception by the mobile device of the communication signal.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

receiving a response from the mobile device that indicates the reception; or

receiving a communication from the server computer that indicates the reception.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the short-range wireless communication protocol is selected from the group consisting of a near field communication protocol, a Bluetooth communication protocol, and a Wi-Fi communication protocol.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

receiving, from the mobile device or the server computer, a location of the mobile device; and

wherein the first entity is determined to be proximate to the access control device based at least in part on comparison of the location of the mobile device with a location of the access control device or with an area adjacent the access control device.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the comparison is performed by at least one of the access control device, the mobile device, and the server computer.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the authorization to access the secured premises includes a temporal restriction, a spatial restriction, or a spatial-temporal restriction.

15. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

communicating, by the access control device, a notification from the access control device to the server computer indicating the first entity has been granted access to the secured premises.

16. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

receiving, at the access control device, a command that instructs the access control device to revoke access to the secured premises by the first entity, wherein the command is received by the access control device from the server computer; and

in response to receiving the command, revoking, by the access control device, access to the secured premises by the first entity.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed, cause performance of a method by an access control device of a secured premises, the method comprising:

receiving, at the access control device, a command that instructs the access control device to enable access to the secured premises by a first entity, wherein the command is received by the access control device from a server computer after receipt by the server computer of an authentication code from a mobile device associated with the first entity, and wherein the authentication code is used by the server computer to authenticate the first entity before communication by the server computer of the command to the access control device;

after the command is received at the access control device, causing broadcast of a communication signal adjacent the access control device via a short-range wireless communication protocol;

receiving a response via the short-range wireless communication protocol from the mobile device that indicates reception of the signal by the mobile device;

in response to the access control device determining that the mobile device is proximate to the access control device; and

after the access control device receives the command, enabling, by the access control device, access to the secured premises after determining that the mobile device is proximate to the access control device and an authorization to access the secured premises has been granted to the first entity by a second entity with administrative status associated with the secured premises.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from the mobile device or the server computer, a location of the mobile device; and

wherein the first entity is determined to be proximate to the access control device based at least in part on comparison of the location of the mobile device with a location of the access control device or with an area adjacent the access control device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the comparison is performed by at least one of the access control device, the mobile device, and the server computer.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the authorization to access the secured premises includes a temporal restriction, a spatial restriction, or a spatial-temporal restriction.

Assignments (6)
NOTICE OF TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jan 26, 2024
From: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: THE CHAMBERLAIN GROUP LLC; SYSTEMS, LLC
Reel/Frame 066374/0749 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 3, 2021
From: THE CHAMBERLAIN GROUP LLC; SYSTEMS, LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058014/0931 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 3, 2021
From: THE CHAMBERLAIN GROUP LLC; SYSTEMS, LLC
To: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058015/0001 →
CONVERSION Recorded Sep 10, 2021
From: THE CHAMBERLAIN GROUP, INC.
To: THE CHAMBERLAIN GROUP LLC
Reel/Frame 057465/0627 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 10, 2020
From: GERHARDT, PAUL MICHAEL; ROBERTSON, CHARLES CAMERON
To: APIGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 053175/0733 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 10, 2020
From: APIGY, INC.
To: THE CHAMBERLAIN GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 053175/0790 →