Methods and apparatus for accessing secured physical assets
Asset access systems in accordance with various embodiments of the invention utilize a two-dimensional (2D) code that allows a user to gain physical access to and take possession of a key fob, where key fob is understood to represent any wireless device that interacts with a vehicle control system to access, manage, and operate the asset. Users of the system will present the 2D code to a transaction client that grants the user access to the key fob. Transaction clients can reside at various facilities that do not employ humans as part of the asset transfer to the user. Upon completion of the return of the asset to the facility, the user will present a new 2D code to the human-less access system that allows the user to return the key fob or other physical asset to a designated location at the transaction client.
1. An access system configured to enable a transaction in which a user to gains access to a secure compartment upon the presentation of a unique code, the access system comprising:
an asset housing having one or more actuated features configured to provide selective access to one or more assets each securely housed within one of a plurality of secure compartments within the housing, each asset comprising a key or key fob housed within a secure compartment to be retrieved from the secure compartment and subsequently returned by the user to the secure compartment to complete the transaction with the access system, the asset housing including—
an optical unit configured to receive a unique code presented by the user;
a computing platform configured to (i) validate the unique code received by the optical unit, (ii) extract an asset ID code from the unique code identifying at least one of the one or more assets securely housed within the housing, (iii) extract an asset status code, associated with the asset ID code, reflecting the present status of the at least one asset as available, transacted, or transferred, and (iv) actuate the secure compartment corresponding to the at least one asset identified by the asset ID code, thereby permitting selective access to the at least one asset for retrieval or subsequent return of the key or key fob by the user;
a sensor configured to sense a retrieval or a return of the at least one asset, wherein the computing platform is further configured to update the asset status code of the at least one asset to reflect a change in status based on the retrieval or the return; and
a display screen configured to display details of the transaction to the user.
2. The access system of claim 1 , wherein the unique code includes information relating to both the user and the at least one asset.
3. The access system of claim 1 , wherein the unique code is a dimensional (2D) code selected from one of the following kinds of codes:
QR code, Aztec Code, Code 1, Color Code, Color Construct Code, CrontoSign, CyberCode, DataGlyphs, Data Matrix, Datastrip Code, digital paper, EZcode, High Capacity Color Barcode, Han Xin Barcode, HueCode, InterCode, MaxiCode, MMCC, NexCode, PDF417, Qode, Shot Code, Snap Code, SparQ Code, Voice Eye, or RFID.
4. The access system of claim 1 , wherein the optical unit is configured to receive the unique code presented via the screen of a mobile computing device.
5. The access system of claim 1 , wherein the computing platform is further configured to enable a third party to remotely identify who was last in possession of the at least one asset based on the asset status code.
6. A method of enabling a transaction in which a user to gains access to a secure compartment upon the presentation of a unique code, the method comprising:
securing one or more assets within one of a plurality of secure compartments within a housing, each asset comprising a key or key fob housed within a secure compartment to be retrieved from the secure compartment and subsequently returned by the user to the secure compartment to complete the transaction with the access system;
receiving a unique code presented by the user via an optical unit to access the secure compartment within the housing;
validating the unique code received by the optical unit;
extracting an asset ID code from the unique code identifying the secure compartments within the housing;
extracting an asset status code associated with the at least one key or key fob identifying the present status of the key or key fob as available, transacted, or transferred;
verifying the asset status code is transacted;
actuating at least one actuated feature of the housing corresponding to the secure compartment identified by the asset ID code, thereby permitting selective access to the secure compartment for retrieval of the at least one key or key fob;
sensing the removal of the at least one key or key fob from the secure compartment within the housing;
updating the asset status code to transferred;
receiving the unique code presented by the user via an optical unit for return of the at least one key or key fob;
validating the unique code received by the optical unit;
extracting an asset ID code from the unique code identifying the secure compartments within the housing;
extracting the asset status code associated with the at least one key or key fob;
verifying the asset status code is transferred;
actuating at least one actuated feature of the housing corresponding to the secure compartment identified by the asset ID code, thereby permitting selective access to the secure compartment for return of the at least one key or key fob;
sensing the return of the at least one key or key fob to the secure compartment within the housing;
updating the asset status code to available; and
displaying details of the transaction to the user on a display screen.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the unique code includes information relating to both the user and the at least one asset.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the unique code is a dimensional (2D) code selected from one of the following kinds of codes:
QR code, Aztec Code, Code 1, Color Code, Color Construct Code, CrontoSign, CyberCode, DataGlyphs, Data Matrix, Datastrip Code, digital paper, EZcode, High Capacity Color Barcode, Han Xin Barcode, HueCode, InterCode, MaxiCode, MMCC, NexCode, PDF417, Qode, Shot Code, Snap Code, SparQ Code, Voice Eye, or RFID.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the optical unit is configured to receive the unique code presented via the screen of a mobile computing device.
10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising enabling a third party to remotely identify who was last in possession of the asset based on the asset status code.