IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,217,560
Granted Patent B2
US 12,217,560 · App. 18/203,386 · Granted Feb 4, 2025

Ultra-wideband technologies for seamless access control

Inventors: Ryan C. Kincaid (Indianapolis, IN); Robert Prostko (Carmel, IN); Robert Martens (Carmel, IN); Benjamin J. Hopkins (Zionsville, IN); David M. Baty (Indianapolis, IN); Srikanth Venkateswaran (Carmel, IN); Christopher R. Baker (Fishers, IN)
Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLC
G07C9/00182H04W4/021H04W52/0229H04W76/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,217,560
App. No.
18/203,386
Granted
Feb 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system according to one embodiment includes a first computing device comprising ultra-wideband communication circuitry, and a second computing device comprising ultra-wideband communication circuitry configured to communicate with the ultra-wideband communication circuitry of the first computing device to determine the angle and distance of the first computing device relative to the second computing device.

Claims (45)

1. A method, comprising:

communicating, via a Bluetooth communication circuitry of a first computing device associated with an access control device that controls access to a passageway, with a second computing device over a Bluetooth communication connection established between the first computing device and the second computing device to determine that the second computing device includes ultra-wideband (UWB) communication circuitry for UWB-based communication;

waking the UWB communication circuitry of the second computing device from a low power state in response to the Bluetooth communication;

determining, by the first computing device based on at least one UWB communication signal received from the second computing device, a location of the second computing device relative to the first computing device;

determining a location of the second computing device within a building based on the location of the second computing device relative to the first computing device; and

directing, via an interface of the second computing device, a user of the second computing device to an exit of the building based on the location of the second computing device within the building.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein communicating with the second computing device over the Bluetooth communication connection further comprises receiving access credentials from the second computing device with respect to access to the access control device.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising communicating, from the first computing device, an alert to the second computing device in response to determining that the second computing device is approaching an area that a user of the second computing device is unauthorized to access.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first computing device comprises the access control device.

5. A system, comprising:

an access control device configured to control access to a passageway;

a first computing device associated with the access control device, the first computing device comprising a first Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication circuitry and a first ultra-wideband (UWB) communication circuitry; and

a second computing device comprising a second BLE communication circuitry and a second UWB circuitry;

wherein the first computing device is configured to communicate with the second computing device over a BLE communication connection established between the first computing device and the second computing device to determine that the second computing device is capable of UWB-based communication;

wherein the second computing device is configured to wake the second UWB communication circuitry from a low power state in response to the BLE communication;

wherein the first computing device is further configured to determine a location of the second computing device relative to the first computing device based on at least one UWB communication signal received from the second computing device;

wherein the first computing device is further configured to determine a location of the second computing device within a building based on the location of the second computing device relative to the first computing device; and

wherein the first computing device is further configured to direct a user of the second computing device, via an interface of the second computing device, to an exit of the building based on the location of the second computing device within the building.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein to communicate with the second computing device over the BLE communication connection further comprises to receive access credentials from the second computing device with respect to access to the access control device.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the first computing device comprises the access control device.

8. A first computing device, comprising:

a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication circuitry;

an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication circuitry;

a processor; and

a memory comprising a plurality of instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, causes the first computing device to:

communicate with a second computing device over a BLE communication connection established between the first computing device and the second computing device to determine that the second computing device is capable of UWB-based communication;

determine a location of the second computing device relative to the first computing device based on at least one UWB communication signal received from the second computing device in response to UWB communication circuitry of the second computing device being awaken based on the BLE communication with the first computing device;

determine a location of the second computing device within a building based on the location of the second computing device relative to the first computing device; and

direct a user of the second computing device, via an interface of the second computing device, to an exit of the building based on the location of the second computing device within the building.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the location of the second computing device within the building comprises determining a three-dimensional location of the second computing device within the building.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein directing the user of the second computing device to the exit of the building comprises directing the user of the second computing device to a nearest exit of the building based on the location of the second computing device within the building.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein directing the user of the second computing device to the nearest exit of the building comprises directing the user of the second computing device to the nearest exit of the building in response to determining that an emergency situation exists.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a count of a plurality of mobile computing devices within the building prior to an emergency alert indicative of an emergency situation, wherein the plurality of mobile computing devices comprises the second computing device; and

tracking the count of the plurality of mobile computing devices remaining within the building during the emergency situation.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising monitoring a respective location within the building of each mobile computing device of a plurality of mobile computing devices within the building in response to determining that an emergency situation exists, wherein the plurality of mobile computing devices comprises the second computing device.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising unlocking a lock mechanism of the access control device during the emergency situation.

15. The system of claim 5 , wherein to determine the location of the second computing device within the building comprises to determine a three-dimensional location of the second computing device within the building.

16. The system of claim 5 , wherein to direct the user of the second computing device to the exit of the building comprises to direct the user of the second computing device to a nearest exit of the building based on the location of the second computing device within the building.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein to direct the user of the second computing device to the nearest exit of the building comprises to direct the user of the second computing device to the nearest exit of the building in response to a determination that an emergency situation exists.

18. The system of claim 5 , wherein the first computing device is further configured to:

determine a count of a plurality of mobile computing devices within the building prior to an emergency alert indicative of an emergency situation, wherein the plurality of mobile computing devices comprises the second computing device; and

track the count of the plurality of mobile computing devices remaining within the building during the emergency situation.

19. The system of claim 5 , wherein the first computing device is further configured to monitor a respective location within the building of each mobile computing device of a plurality of mobile computing devices within the building in response to a determination that an emergency situation exists, wherein the plurality of mobile computing devices comprises the second computing device.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the access control device is configured to unlock a lock mechanism of the access control device during the emergency situation.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 25, 2024
From: KINCAID, RYAN C.; PROSTKO, ROBERT; MARTENS, ROBERT; HOPKINS, BENJAMIN J.; BATY, DAVID M.; VENKATESWARAN, SRIKANTH; BAKER, CHRISTOPHER R.
To: SCHLAGE LOCK COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 066248/0353 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17105737 · Nov 27, 2020
Provisional Application 62940997 · Nov 27, 2019
Related Publication 20240104983A1 · Mar 28, 2024
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