Electronic lock authentication method and system

• US 10,102,699 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2016
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLC (Allegion PLC)
• Original Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLC (Allegion PLC)
• Inventors: Ahearn, John R., Baumgarte, Joseph W., Focke, Gabriel D., Henney, Michael S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, An T
• Application Number:
  US15/257,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20170092031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00412 the transmitted data signal being encrypted
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00174 Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit

Abstract

An electronic lock authentication system and associated method including an electronic lock and a cellular phone in communication with a network and in wireless communication with the electronic lock. The electronic lock has a lock identification and is configured to transmit the lock identification wirelessly to the cellular phone. The cellular phone has a phone identification and is configured to transmit the lock identification and the phone identification to the network. The network is configured to make a decision in real time whether the cellular phone is permitted access to the electronic lock based on the look identification and the phone identification, and is further configured to transmit a grant/deny message to the cellular phone based on the decision, and the cellular phone is configured to transmit the grant/deny message to the electronic lock.

Claims

1. A method of authenticating a lock system, comprising:

transmitting, by an electronic lock while in a low power sleep state, an advertisement indicating a presence of the electronic lock;

scanning, by the cellular phone, for the advertisement of the electronic lock;

initiating, by the cellular phone, wireless communication with the electronic lock in response to scanning for the advertisement and determining that the electronic lock is within a specified range of the cellular phone;

transmitting a lock identification from the electronic lock to the cellular phone in response to initiation of the wireless communication;

transmitting the lock identification and a phone identification from the cellular phone to a network for a determination of whether the cellular phone is permitted access to the electronic lock;

receiving, by the cellular phone, a request for additional credential information from the network;

prompting, by the cellular phone, a user to input the additional credential information into the cellular phone;

transmitting, by the cellular phone, the inputted additional credential information to the network;

receiving, by the cellular phone, a grant/deny message from the network-based upon the determination of whether the cellular phone is permitted access to the electronic lock; and

transmitting the grant/deny message from the cellular phone to the electronic lock.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the scanning is performed when the cellular phone is in a low power scan mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the additional credential information includes data relating to at least one of a pin code, a passphrase, a gesture with the cellular phone, facial recognition, and voice recognition.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising encrypting at least one of the lock identification and the grant/deny message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the network comprises a network cloud.

6. An electronic lock authentication system, comprising:

an electronic lock having a low power sleep state, wherein the electronic lock transmits an advertisement that indicates a presence of the electronic lock while in the low power sleep state; and

a cellular phone in communication with a network and in wireless communication with the electronic lock, wherein the cellular phone scans for the advertisement of the electronic lock and initiates wireless communication with the electronic lock in response to a scan for the advertisement and a determination that the electronic lock is within a wireless communication range of the cellular phone;

wherein the electronic lock has a lock identification and transmits the lock identification wirelessly to the cellular phone in response to initiation of the wireless communication;

wherein the cellular phone has a phone identification and transmits the lock identification and the phone identification to the network for a determination of whether the cellular phone is permitted access to the electronic lock;

wherein the cellular phone receives a request for additional credential information from the network, prompts a user to input the additional credential information into the cellular phone, and transmits the inputted additional credential information to the network;

wherein the cellular phone receives a grant/deny message from the network based on a the determination of whether the cellular phone is permitted access to the electronic lock; and

wherein the cellular phone is configured to transmit the grant/deny message to the electronic lock.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the network comprises a network cloud.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the lock identification and the grant/deny message is encrypted.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the cellular phone comprises a smartphone.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the electronic lock comprises a smart lock.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the electronic lock is configured to advertise its presence to the cellular phone while in the low power sleep state.

12. An electronic lock authentication system, comprising:

an electronic lock; and

a cellular phone in communication with a network and in wireless communication with the electronic lock;

wherein the electronic lock has a lock identification and is configured to encrypt the lock identification and transmit the encrypted lock identification wirelessly to the cellular phone;

wherein the cellular phone has a phone identification and is configured to encrypt the phone identification and transmit the encrypted lock identification and the encrypted phone identification to the network;

wherein the network is configured to make a decision in real time whether the cellular phone is permitted access to the electronic lock based at least in part on the encrypted lock identification and the encrypted phone identification, wherein the network is configured to transmit a message to the cellular phone indicative of a requirement for additional credential information;

wherein a user of the cellular phone is prompted to input the additional credential information into the cellular phone;

wherein the network further configured to transmit a grant/deny message to the cellular phone based on the decision; and

wherein the cellular phone is configured to transmit the grant/deny message to the electronic lock.