Systems and methods for anticipatory locking and unlocking of a smart-sensor door lock

• US 10,685,522 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2018
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Malhotra, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, An T
• Application Number:
  US15/970,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20180268632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/62 Comprising means for indicating the status of the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• 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 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• 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 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00904 for hotels, motels, office buildings or the like
• 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: G07C 9/38 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2829 involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol

Abstract

An electronic device associated with a lock device detects a trigger event related to security of a smart home environment, determines a target state of the lock device based on the trigger event, and in accordance with a determination that the target state indicates a security threat: determines a current state of the lock device, compares the target state of the lock device with the current state of the lock device, and provides or foregoes provision of instructions to operate the lock device based on a result of the comparison.

Claims

1. A method of operating a battery-powered lock device, the method comprising:

at an electronic device having one or more processors and memory for storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors, wherein the electronic device is associated with an environment that includes the battery-powered lock device;

determining a current state of the lock device to be an unlocked state;

detecting, while the current state of the lock device is the unlocked state, a trigger event related to security of the environment;

determining if the trigger event indicates a security threat; and

in accordance with a determination that the trigger event does not indicate a security threat, forgoing provision of instructions to operate the lock device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in accordance with a determination that the trigger event indicates a security threat;

determining, based on the trigger event, a target state of the lock device;

comparing the target state of the lock device with the current state of the lock device; and

providing or forgoing provision of instructions to operate the lock device based on a result of the comparison.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the instructions to operate the lock device comprise instructions to extend or retract a bolt of the lock device, thereby conserving battery power when forgoing provision of the instructions to operate the lock device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the lock device includes a bolt, and wherein a state of the lock device is:

a first state, wherein the bolt of the lock device is extended into a door jamb;

a second state, wherein the bolt of the lock device is retracted;

or

a third state, wherein the bolt of the lock device is extended, but not into the doorjamb.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the instructions cause the bolt of the lock device to be extended if the current state of the lock device is the second state and the target state of the lock device is the first state.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the instructions cause the bolt of the lock device to be retracted if the current state of the lock device is the third state and the target state of the lock device is the first state.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising, in accordance with a determination that the current state of the lock device is the third state:

providing a notification to an occupant of the environment.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the lock device includes a bolt, and wherein determining the current state of the lock device comprises detecting a state of the bolt in relation to a door jamb.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein detecting a state of the bolt in relation to a door jamb comprises detecting whether the bolt is extended into the door jamb.

10. An electronic device associated with an environment that includes a battery-powered lock device, comprising:

a processor; and

memory for storing one or more programs for execution by the processor, the one or more programs including instructions for;

determining a current state of the lock device to be an unlocked state;

detecting, while the current state of the lock device is the unlocked state, a trigger event related to security of the environment;

determining if the trigger event indicates a security threat; and

in accordance with a determination that the trigger event does not indicate a security threat, forgoing provision of instructions to operate the lock device.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

in accordance with a determination that the trigger event indicates a security threat;

determining, based on the trigger event, a target state of the lock device;

comparing the target state of the lock device with the current state of the lock device; and

providing or forgoing provision of instructions to operate the lock device based on a result of the comparison.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the instructions to operate the lock device comprise instructions to extend or retract a bolt of the lock device, thereby conserving battery power when forgoing provision of the instructions to operate the lock device.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the lock device includes a bolt, and wherein a state of the lock device is:

a first state, wherein the bolt of the lock device is extended into a door jamb;

a second state, wherein the bolt of the lock device is retracted;

or

a third state, wherein the bolt of the lock device is extended, but not into the doorjamb.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause the bolt of the lock device to be extended if the current state of the lock device is the second state and the target state of the lock device is the first state.

15. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause the bolt of the lock device to be retracted if the current state of the lock device is the third state and the target state of the lock device is the first state.

16. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

in accordance with a determination that the current state of the lock device is the third state, providing a notification to an occupant of the environment.

17. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the lock device includes a bolt, and wherein determining the current state of the lock device comprises detecting a state of the bolt in relation to a door jamb.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the bolt and/or the door jamb include one or more components;

and wherein detecting the state of the bolt in relation to the door jamb comprises detecting with the one or more components whether the bolt is extended into the door jamb.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the one or more components include:

(i) passive and/or active components forming an open electrical circuit indicating that the bolt is not extended into the doorjamb, or a short electrical circuit indicating that the bolt is extended into the doorjamb;

or (ii) one or more touch-sensitive components for detecting whether the bolt is extended into the door jamb.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:

determining a current state of a lock device of an environment to be an unlocked state;

detecting, while the current state of the lock device is the unlocked state, a trigger event related to security of the environment;

determining, based on the trigger event, a target state of the lock device;

in accordance with a determination that the target state indicates a security threat;

comparing the target state of the lock device with the current state of the lock device; and

providing or forgoing provision of instructions to operate the lock device based on a result of the comparison; and

in accordance with a determination that the target state does not indicate a security threat, forgoing provision of instructions to operate the lock device.