GPS ENABLED KEY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• US 20090167488A1
• Filed: 05/30/2008
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carrier Fire & Security Americas LLC (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Americas Corporation, Inc. (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Purdue, Adam, Hays, Jonathan Gordon
• Granted Patent: US 8,040,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.500
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00912 for safes, strong-rooms, vaults or the like

Abstract

Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer-readable media are provided for acquisition of a lockbox position. For example, in one embodiment a method is provided which receives positional data for a lockbox. After receiving the lockbox, when the lockbox is associated with one listing, the method determines proximity of the positional data to that one listing. If however, there is more than one listing within a predetermined distance of the positional data, the method compares the positional data with each listing in the plurality of listings. Thereafter, the method transmits a query, which includes at least, a result of the comparison. Embodiments of the invention also include other methods, computer-readable media, apparatuses, and systems that contain features similar to the features in the above described method.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a lockbox comprising satellite navigation system receiver circuitry; and

a monitoring station configured to receive location data for said lockbox.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said navigation system receiver circuitry remains inactive until an event occurs.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said event is one of an expiration of predetermined time interval and a tamper indication.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said satellite navigation system receiver circuitry is adapted for one of code division multiple access (“

CDMA”

) or global systems for mobile communications (“

GSM”

).

5. A method comprising:

receiving positional data for a lockbox;

determining, when said lockbox is associated with one listing;

a proximity of said positional data to said one listing;

comparing, when there are a plurality of listings within a predetermined distance of said positional data, said positional data with each listing in said plurality; and

transmitting a query comprising a result of said comparison.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a response to said query indicative of an appropriate listing for said lockbox.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

updating a database in accordance with said response.

8. A method comprising:

initiating communication with a lockbox;

acquiring a global positioning system (“

GPS”

) location for said lockbox;

transmitting lockbox information towards a key; and

transmitting data from said key towards a server.

9. An apparatus comprising:

cellular network circuitry adapted for communication of lockbox position related data;

a processor adapted to analyze said lockbox position related data; and

a memory adapted to store at least one of said lockbox position related data and a derivative of said lockbox position related data.

10. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps comprising:

receiving positional data for a lockbox;

determining, when said lockbox is associated with one listing, a proximity of said positional data to said one listing;

comparing, when there are a plurality of listings within a predetermined distance of said positional data, said positional data with each listing in said plurality; and

transmitting a query comprising a result of said comparison.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a response to said query indicative of an appropriate listing for said lockbox.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising:

updating a database in accordance with said response.

13. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps comprising:

initiating communication with a lockbox;

acquiring a global positioning system (“

GPS”

) location for said lockbox;

transmitting lockbox information towards a key; and

transmitting data from said key towards a server.