IP Library Granted Patent US 12,579,854
Granted Patent B2
US 12,579,854 · App. 18/428,518 · Granted Mar 17, 2026

Lock system with integrated sensors for translatable structure

Inventors: Chad Kingston (Provo, UT); Christopher Harris (Provo, UT); Kris Nosack (Provo, UT); Adam Richards (Murray, UT)
Assignee: Vivint LLC
G07C9/00182E05B47/0001E05B2047/0069E05B2047/0094
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,579,854
App. No.
18/428,518
Granted
Mar 17, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A lock system includes a mount, a lock device, a sensor, and a communications interface. The mount configured to be coupled to a first surface located at a wall, the wall defining an opening in which a translatable structure is positioned, the mount including an engagement feature. The lock device configured to couple to a second surface located at the wall and proximate the first surface and includes a locking mechanism configured to engage with the engagement feature to inhibit the translatable structure from translating between open and closed positions. The communications interface configured to communicate signals to cause a controller configured to actuate the locking mechanism to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state to engage and disengage with the engagement feature of the stationary mount in response to the sensor sensing that the locking mechanism and the engagement feature are engageably aligned.

Claims (47)

1 . A lock system, comprising:

a stationary mount configured to be coupled to a first surface located at a wall, the wall defining an opening in which a translatable structure is positioned, the translatable structure configured to translate between an open position and a closed position and to permit access to a space when in the open position, the stationary mount including an engagement feature and a second engagement feature;

a lock device configured to be coupled to a second surface located at the wall and proximate the first surface, the lock device including a locking mechanism configured to engage with the engagement feature of the stationary mount to inhibit the translatable structure from translating between the open position and the closed position in a locked state, the locking mechanism to engage with the second engagement feature to secure the translatable structure in a partially open position in the locked state;

a sensor configured to sense relative position of the locking mechanism relative to the engagement feature and/or the second engagement feature;

electronics configured to determine whether the lock device is in the locked state or an unlocked state; and

a communications interface configured to communicate signals, the communication signals comprising:

a first signal indicative of the locking mechanism engaged with the engagement feature in the closed position in the locked state;

a second signal indicative of the locking mechanism engaged with the second engagement feature in the partially open position in the locked state; and

a third signal indicative of the locking mechanism in the unlocked state; and

a controller in communication with the communications interface, the controller configured to actuate the locking mechanism of the lock device to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state to engage and disengage with the engagement feature and/or the second engagement feature of the stationary mount in response to (i) receiving a signal to cause the controller to actuate the locking mechanism and (ii) the sensor sensing that the locking mechanism and the engagement feature or the second engagement feature are engageably aligned.

2 . The lock system of claim 1 , wherein the lock device includes a manual control feature that is in mechanical communication with the locking mechanism to enable a user to actuate the locking mechanism of the lock device between the locked state and the unlocked state.

3 . The lock system of claim 2 , wherein the sensor is configured to sense that the locking mechanism is manually actuated to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state, and the communications interface is configured to, in response to the sensor sensing that the locking mechanism is manually actuated to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state:

generate a notification signal indicative of a manual state transition of the locking mechanism; and

communicate the notification signal to the controller.

4 . The lock system of claim 1 , wherein the second engagement feature is spaced along the stationary mount from the engagement feature, wherein the locking mechanism is configured to engage with the second engagement feature to inhibit the translatable structure from translating between the open position and the closed position.

5 . The lock system of claim 4 , wherein the sensor is further configured to sense relative position of the locking mechanism relative to the second engagement feature, and the communications interface is configured to communicate signals to the controller configured to actuate the locking mechanism of the lock device to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state to respectively engage and disengage the locking mechanism with the second engagement feature of the stationary mount in response to the sensor sensing that the locking mechanism and the second engagement feature are engageably aligned.

6 . The lock system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes a proximity sensor configured to sense a position of the lock device relative to the stationary mount, thereby sensing that the locking mechanism is engageably aligned with the engagement feature or the second engagement feature.

7 . The lock system of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is a tapered bolt and the engagement feature and/or the second engagement feature is an aperture defined by the stationary mount, such that the tapered bolt extends through the aperture when the lock device is in the locked state.

8 . The lock system of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is a rotational bolt and the engagement feature and/or the second engagement feature is an aperture defined by the stationary mount, such that the rotational bolt extends through the aperture when the lock device is in the locked state.

9 . The lock system of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is a pawl and the engagement feature and/or the second engagement feature is a plurality of teeth defined by the stationary mount, such that the pawl engages with at least one tooth of the plurality of teeth when the lock device is in the locked state.

10 . The lock system of claim 1 , wherein the lock device includes an actuator configured to actuate the locking mechanism to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state in response to receiving an actuation signal from the controller.

11 . The lock system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes a motion sensor configured to:

sense that the translatable structure is being translated, and the communications interface is configured to, in response to the motion sensor sensing that the translatable structure is being translated:

generate a signal indicative of a translation of the translatable structure; and

communicate the signal to the controller.

12 . The lock system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes a vision sensor configured to monitor a surrounding environment around the lock system, and the communications interface is configured to generate an environment signal indicative of the surrounding environment, and communicate the environment signal to the controller.

13 . The lock system of claim 12 , further comprising a light configured to illuminate the surrounding environment.

14 . The lock system of claim 1 , further comprising a speaker and a microphone, the microphone configured to capture audio from a surrounding environment around the lock device, wherein the communications interface is configured to generate an audio signal indicative of the audio captured and communicate the audio signal to the controller.

15 . The lock system of claim 14 , wherein the sensor is configured to determine a type of the audio captured, and the type of the audio captured includes at least one of a knock, a vibration, a voice, or a weather event.

16 . The lock system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured as a mobile app being executed on a mobile device.

17 . The lock device of claim 1 , further comprising an alarm system including an alarm, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the alarm system is activated and, in response to determining that the alarm system is activated, initiate activation of the alarm.

18 . A method of controlling a lock system of a translatable structure, comprising:

automatically determining:

whether a lock device is in a locked state or an unlocked state, the lock device being configured with the translatable structure so as to inhibit translatable motion of the translatable structure when in a locked state and to enable translatable motion of the translatable structure when in an unlocked state;

whether the lock device is in the locked state when a locking mechanism of the lock device is engaged with an engagement feature of a stationary mount; and

whether the locking mechanism is engaged with a second engagement feature of the stationary mount, the engagement feature positioned to secure the translatable structure in a closed position and the second engagement feature positioned to secure the translatable structure in a partially open position;

in response to receiving a command signal to transition the lock device between the unlocked state to the locked state while the lock device is in the unlocked state, automatically determining whether the locking mechanism of the lock device and the engagement feature or the locking mechanism and the second engagement feature of the stationary mount are engageably aligned with one another; and

in response to determining that the locking mechanism and the engagement feature or the second engagement feature are engageably aligned, actuating the locking mechanism to engage with the engagement feature or the second engagement feature.

19 . A lock system, comprising:

a stationary mount configured to be coupled to a first surface located at a wall defining an opening in which a translatable structure is positioned, the translatable structure configured to translate between an open position and a closed position and to permit access to a space when in the open position, the stationary mount including an engagement feature and a second engagement feature;

a lock device configured to be coupled to a second surface located at the wall and proximate the first surface, the lock device including a locking mechanism configured to engage with the engagement feature of the stationary mount when engageably aligned so as to inhibit the translatable structure from translating between the open position and the closed position in a locked state, the locking mechanism to engage with the second engagement feature to secure the translatable structure in a partially open position in the locked state;

a sensor configured to sense relative position of the locking mechanism relative to the engagement feature and/or the second engagement feature;

electronics configured to determine;

whether the lock device is in the locked state or an unlocked state;

whether the locking mechanism is engaged with the engagement feature in the locked state in the closed position; and

whether the locking mechanism is engaged with the second engagement feature in the locked state in the partially open position; and

an electronics device in electronic communication with the lock device, the electronic devices configured to enable communications to the electronic device configured to, in response to receiving an input from a user, communicate a control signal to actuate the locking mechanism of the lock device to transition between the locked state and the unlocked state so as to engage and disengage the locking mechanism with the engagement feature and/or the second engagement feature of the stationary mount in response to the sensor sensing that the locking mechanism and the engagement feature or the second engagement feature are engageably aligned.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 11, 2026
From: KINGSTON, CHAD; HARRIS, CHRISTOPHER; NOSACK, KRIS; RICHARDS, ADAM
To: VIVINT LLC
Reel/Frame 075605/0120 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 13, 2026
From: KINGSTON, CHAD; HARRIS, CHRIS; NOSACK, KRIS; RICHARDS, ADAM
To: VIVINT, INC.
Reel/Frame 073778/0496 →
AFTER-ACQUIRED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 27, 2025
From: VIVINT LLC; SMART HOME PROS, INC.; VIVINT AMIGO, INC.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS PRIORITY COLLATERAL TRUSTEE
Reel/Frame 070349/0816 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 14, 2025
From: VIVINT, INC.
To: VIVINT LLC
Reel/Frame 069857/0718 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63482568 · Jan 31, 2023
Related Publication 20240257588A1 · Aug 1, 2024
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