Use of mobile device to configure a lock

• US 10,580,240 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2016
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
• Original Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
• Inventors: Caterino, Mark Anthony, Einberg, Fredrik Carl Stefan, Hoyer, Philip, Berg, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Dsouza, Adolf
• Application Number:
  US15/571,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20180137704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,383 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00388 code verification carried out according to the challenge/response method
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00412 the transmitted data signal being encrypted
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00825 remotely by lines or wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00841 by a portable device
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00817 where the code of the lock can be programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Methods, devices, and systems are provided for configuring a reading device and/or a lock using a mobile device. The mobile device, running a configuration application, communicates with the reading device, determines a configuration of the reading device, and makes a determination for configuring the reading device based at least partially on configuration information provided by the reading device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a mobile device, configuration information from a reading device in an access control system corresponding to a configuration status of the reading device;

determining, by a configuration application running via the mobile device, a particular type of the reading device and a configuration of the reading device based at least partially on the configuration information received;

determining, by the configuration application running via the mobile device, a configuration template for the determined particular type of the reading device;

determining, by the configuration application running via the mobile device and based on the configuration template for the determined particular type of the reading device, that the configuration of the reading device requires at least one change; and

sending, via the mobile device, a template configuration instruction to the reading device, the template configuration instruction configured to change at least one feature of the reading device to match a changed configuration for the particular type of the reading device stored in the configuration template.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to receiving the configuration information, the method further comprises:

initiating the configuration application via the mobile device; and

interrogating, automatically and in response to initiating the configuration application, the reading device for the configuration information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information is received in response to a user providing an interrogation input via the mobile device, the interrogation input configured to send a request to the reading device for the configuration information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration status includes at least one of an identification, location, operating status, manufacturer, type, make, current settings, active features, inactive features, versions of software installed, versions of firmware installed, and types of software installed on the reading device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information is received from the reading device that is in wireless communication with the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to sending the template configuration instruction to the reading device, the mobile device is configured to present configuration options via a graphical user interface rendered to a display associated with the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the graphical user interface is configured as a template specific to the particular type of the reading device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to receiving the configuration information, the method further comprises:

providing a configuration authorization code to the reading device that is configured to authenticate the mobile device and allow the mobile device to configure the reading device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the configuration authorization code is provided by the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the configuration authorization code is provided by a trusted credentials management system that is configured as a server remotely located across a communication network from the reading device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, in a memory of an access control server, the configuration template including the changed configuration for the reading device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, from a subsequent reading device in the access control system, configuration information corresponding to a configuration status of the subsequent reading device;

determining, by the configuration application running via the mobile device, that the configuration template stored in the memory applies to the subsequent reading device;

determining, by the configuration application running via the mobile device, that the configuration of the subsequent reading device requires at least one change included in the configuration template; and

sending, via the mobile device, a subsequent template configuration instruction to the subsequent reading device, the subsequent template configuration instruction configured to change features of the subsequent reading device to match the changed configuration in the configuration template.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform the method of claim 1.

14. An access control system, comprising:

a mobile device;

comprising;

a processor; and

a memory having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, wirelessly interrogates a reading device for configuration information and based on the configuration information determines a particular type of the reading device and a configuration of the reading device, determines a configuration template for the determined particular type of the reading device, and determines whether to send configuration instructions to the reading device, the configuration instructions configured to change at least one feature of the reading device to match a changed configuration for the particular type of the reading device stored in the configuration template; and

the reading device configured to provide the configuration information in response to receiving an interrogation signal provided by the mobile device.

15. The access control system of claim 14, wherein the reading device is further configured to authenticate the mobile device prior to providing the configuration information.

16. The access control system of claim 15, wherein the reading device is configured to exchange communications with a trusted credentials management system in authenticating the mobile device, and wherein the authentication includes determining whether the mobile device is authorized to provide configuration control instructions to the reading device.

17. The access control system of claim 16, wherein the trusted credentials management system is configured as a server remotely located across a communication network from the reading device.

18. The access control system of claim 16, wherein the trusted credentials management system provides a configuration authorization code to at least one of the mobile device and the reading device.

19. A mobile device, comprising:

a processor;

an antenna;

a communications module; and

a memory having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, interrogates a reading device for configuration information via a wireless interrogation signal transmitted via the antenna, receives configuration information corresponding to a configuration status of the reading device via the antenna, determines a particular type of the reading device and a configuration of the reading device, communicates, across a wireless communication network via the communications module, with an access control server for available configuration information templates for the determined particular type of the reading device, and determines whether to send configuration instructions that are configured to change at least one firmware feature installed on the reading device based on a changed configuration stored in at least one of the configuration information templates for the determined particular type of the reading device.

20. The mobile device of claim 19, further comprising:

a display device configured to render available configuration options for the reading device in a graphical user interface, wherein at least one element rendered to the graphical user interface identifies one or more configuration templates for the determined particular type of the reading device that are available remotely on the access control server.