ONE-TIME ACCESS FOR ELECTRONIC LOCKING DEVICES

• US 20100176919A1
• Filed: 01/13/2009
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Americas Corporation, Inc. (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Americas Corporation, Inc. (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Russell, Gregory, Hays, Jonathan Gordon, Kuenzi, Adam, Myers, Peter Christian, Briskey, Teri Lynne, Speir, James, DeVore, Ryan, Hodroj, Ali, Dunn, Rick, Vertner, Kim, Larson, Wayne F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,797,138 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.730
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00865 remotely by wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00936 for key cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00857 where the code of the data carrier can be programmed

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing one-time access to electronic locking devices for non-keyholders. The one-time access rights are delivered from a server to the electronic locking device in real-time, or in near-real time, over short and long-range wireless communication links in a manner that is secure and traceable. A handheld device is coupled with the electronic locking device via the short-range communication link, and is coupled with the server via a long-range wireless communication link.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving over a long-range wireless communication link a request from a handheld device for one-time access rights to an electronic locking device, wherein the request includes access information, wherein the access information comprises data from which an electronic locking device identifier can be inferred;

authenticating an identity of a non-keyholder; and

transmitting a one-time access code over the long-range wireless communication link if the identity of the non-keyholder is authenticated, wherein the one-time access code is configured to open the electronic locking device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the handheld device is configured to deliver the access code to the electronic locking device over a short-range wireless communication link.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of authenticating an identity of a non-keyholder is performed by the electronic locking device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic locking device is a real-estate lockbox.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving over the long-range wireless communication link an access log transferred from the electronic locking device to the handheld device over the short-range wireless communication link, wherein the access log comprises one or more access events; and

notifying an authorized user of the electronic locking device of at least one of the one or more access events.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the access information further comprises a handheld device identifier.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the access information further comprises an identifier of a non-keyholder.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the identifier of the non-keyholder comprises caller-id information.

9. A system, comprising:

a server;

a handheld device configured to communicate access information to the server over a long-range wireless communication link, wherein the access information comprises data from which an electronic locking device identifier can be inferred; and

an electronic locking device configured to communicate with the handheld device over a short-range wireless communication link, wherein the electronic locking device is further configured to receive over the short-range wireless communication link an access code transmitted from the server to the handheld device over the long-range wireless link.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the electronic locking device is a real-estate lockbox.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the access information further comprises a handheld device identifier.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the access information further comprises an identifier of a non-keyholder.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the identifier of the non-keyholder comprises caller-id information.

14. A method of operating an electronic locking device, the method comprising:

initiating a first pairing;

obtaining a first pairing code;

connecting over the short-range wireless communication link to a handheld device having a Hands Free Protocol (“

HFP”

) resident thereon;

validating over the short-range wireless communication link the first pairing code;

obtaining an identifier from the handheld device;

obtaining a second pairing code using the identifier obtained from the handheld device;

initiating a second pairing;

validating over the short-range wireless communication link the second pairing code with a secret pairing code entered into the handheld device by a non-keyholder;

if validation succeeds,

calling a remote server using the HFP of the paired handheld device and a long-range communication link that couples the handheld device and the remote server; and

transmitting an access log to the remote server over the short and long-range communication links.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the access log comprises one or more access events.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving an input to wake-up prior to receiving the first pairing code.