TRUSTED VENDOR ACCESS

• US 20120180123A1
• Filed: 01/06/2011
• Published: 07/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carrier Fire & Security LLC (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Kuenzi, Adam, Briskey, Teri Lynne, Young, James, Harkema, Jonah J., Fale, David Casey
• Granted Patent: US 9,135,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

A system is provided and facilitates management of a device by a first entity and management of a third entity by a second entity, wherein by way of the system access rights permitting access otherwise prevented by the device are assignable by the first entity to the second entity, the access rights are able to be administrated by the second entity to the third entity, and the access is obtainable by the third entity using a combination of the access rights and personal identification information to affect the device.

Claims

1. A system facilitates management of a device by a first entity and management of a third entity by a second entity, wherein by way of the system:

access rights permitting access otherwise prevented by the device are assignable by the first entity to the second entity,

the access rights are able to be administrated by the second entity to the third entity, and

the access is obtainable by the third entity using a combination of the access rights and personal identification information to affect the device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device prevents unauthorized access to a secure resource.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein by way of the system the first entity manages a plurality of devices.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first, second and third entities each comprises a plurality of first, second and third entities, respectively.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein by way of the system multiple first entities assign the access rights to each second entity and each second entity administers the access rights to multiple third entities.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein by way of the system multiple second entities administer the access rights to each third entity and each third entity gains the access to devices of multiple first entities.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first, second and third entities communicate with a portal.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the first, second and third entities have access to tracking information via the portal.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein by way of the system the access rights are able to be administered to the third entity as an access token, which is available upon upload of the tracking information, and which is used in cooperation with the personal identification information to affect the device.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein by way of the system the access rights are able to be administered to the third entity as an access token used in cooperation with the personal identification information to affect the device.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the access token is accessible via a wired or a wireless network.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the access token is impermanent.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the third entity reacquires a newly issued access token at a predefined interval.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the third entity passively reacquires a newly issued access token.

15. The system according to claim 10, wherein the access token comprises variable information relating to the device.

16. The system according to claim 10, wherein the access token comprises an encrypted version of the personal identification information and the access token and the personal identification information are input to the device via a wired or wireless connection in a form readable by the device along with an unlock instruction in a form that is also readable by the device to be executed when the personal identification information matches the encrypted version thereof and when the access token is recognized by the device as permitting access.

17. A system facilitates management of a locking device preventing access to a secured resource by a lock owner and management of a trusted vendor possessing a portable device by a trusted vendor organization, wherein by way of the system:

access rights permitting access to the secured resource otherwise prevented by the locking device are assignable by the lock owner to the trusted vendor organization,

the access rights are able to be administered by the trusted vendor organization to the trusted vendor, and

access to the secured resource is obtainable by the trusted vendor using the portable device to unlock the locking device with a combination of the access rights and personal identification information.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the trusted vendor uses the portable device to determine a type of the locking device and downloads the access rights as an access token to the portable device, the access token including:

an encrypted version of the personal identification information, which is generated in a form associated with the locking device type to be readable by the locking device; and

an unlock instruction, which is generated in a form associated with the locking device type to be readable by the locking device, to be executed when the personal identification information matches the encrypted version thereof and when the access token is recognized by the locking device as permitting access.

19. A system facilitates separate management of one or more locking devices preventing access to secured resources by one or more lock owners and separate management of one or more trusted vendors each of whom possesses a portable device by one or more trusted vendor organizations, wherein by way of the system:

access rights permitting access otherwise prevented by the one or more locking devices to the secured resources are assignable by the lock owners to the trusted vendor organizations,

the access rights are able to be administered by the trusted vendor organizations to the trusted vendors, and

access to the secured resources is obtainable by each of the one or more trusted vendors using the respective portable device to unlock the corresponding one or more locking devices with a combination of the access rights and personal identification information.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein each of the one or more trusted vendors uses the respective portable device to determine a type of the one or more locking devices and downloads the access rights as an access token to the respective portable device, the access token including:

an encrypted version of the personal identification information, which is generated in a form associated with the locking device types to be readable by the one or more locking devices; and

an unlock instruction, which is generated in a form associated with the locking device types to be readable by the one or more locking devices, to be executed when the personal identification information matches the encrypted version thereof and when the access token is recognized by the locking device as permitting access.