Control Device Access Method and Apparatus

• US 20140266573A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc. (The Chamberlain Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc. (The Chamberlain Group LLC)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Edward
• Granted Patent: US 9,367,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/4.32
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/04 Access control involving a hierarchy in access rights
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit

Abstract

Application software for a mobile device can provide an owner or operator of a premises with the ability to remotely grant a guest authorization to access an access control device on or in the premises. The access control device can control the operation of the one or more secondary devices, so that with the owner authorization, the guest can access the access control device to cause an action at the premises with the secondary device. The application software can further provide the owner/operator the ability to restrict the third party access, such as temporally or spatially.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive one or more transmissions over a communication network at the behest of an owner device, the transmissions including at least application identification information and access rights data to an owner access control device;

a processor device configured to download, install, and run the application;

a user input device, the application configured to receive instruction from the user input device; and

a transmitter configured to transmit a control signal based on the access rights data to the owner access control device in response to instruction from the application to cause an action at a premises associated with the owner access control device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the access rights data comprises access control device identification information and credentials for authorized communication with the access control device.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the access rights data further comprises restrictions on the use of the credentials.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the application identification information and access rights data are transmitted in a single transmission.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the application identification information comprises a link to download the application.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the application identification information comprises the application.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the receiver and transmitter are configured to operate over the internet.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a storage device having the application stored thereon.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the application is non-native.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein owner access control device is a movable barrier operator and the transmitter is configured to transmit via the application a control signal to move a movable barrier with the movable barrier operator.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the owner access control device is a door access control and the transmitter is configured to transmit via the application a control signal to unlock a door with the door access control.

12. A method comprising:

receiving one or more transmissions over a communication network at the behest of an owner device at a guest device, the transmissions including at least application identification information and access rights data to an owner access control device;

operating the application on the guest device;

receiving an instruction signal from a user input device;

transmitting a control signal with a transmitter of the guest device based on the access rights data to the owner control device via the application, the control signal configured to cause an action at a premises associated with the owner access control device.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein receiving and transmitting is performed over the internet.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the application identification information and the access rights data are received via separate transmissions.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein transmitting the control signal to the owner access control device comprises transmitting the control signal to an intermediary server device, with the intermediary server device transmitting the control signal to the owner access control device.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein transmitting the control signal to the owner access control device comprises sending a confirmation signal to the owner device.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein receiving the access rights data comprises receiving owner access control device identification information and credentials for authorized communication with the owner access control device.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein receiving the credentials comprises receiving restrictions on the use of the credentials.

19. The method of claim 12 further comprising downloading and installing the application on the guest device.

20. The method of claim 12 further comprising transmitting a self-test signal to the access control device.

21. The method of claim 12 wherein owner access control device is a movable barrier operator and transmitting the control signal comprises transmitting a control signal to move a movable barrier with the movable barrier operator.

22. The method of claim 12 wherein the owner access control device is a door access control device and the transmitting the control signal comprises transmitting a control signal to unlock a door with the door access control device.

23. An apparatus comprising:

a processor device configured to run an application;

an interface configured to receive input to instruct the application to send a package to a guest device, the package comprising identification information for the application and access rights data for accessing an owner access control device;

a transmitter configured to send the package to the guest device via the application, the application and the access rights data configured to allow the guest device to send a control signal to the owner access control device to cause an action at a premises associated therewith.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising a storage device configured to store an application therein;

25. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising a receiver configured to receive a confirmation signal upon the guest device successfully receiving the package via the application.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the transmitter is configured to send the package over the internet via the application.

27. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the transmitter is configured to send the package via the application to the guest device through an intermediary server.

28. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising a receiver configured to receive the control signal from the guest device via the application, and wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the control signal to the owner access control device.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the application is configured to present an option on the interface to deny transmitting the control signal to the owner access control device.

30. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein owner access control device is a movable barrier operator and the transmitter is configured to transmit a control signal to move a movable barrier with the movable barrier operator.

31. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the owner access control device is a door access control and the transmitter is configured to transmit a control signal to unlock a door with the door access control.

32. A method comprising:

running an application on an owner device;

receiving application identification information and access rights data for accessing an owner access control device at the owner device;

transmitting a package to a guest device, the package comprising the application identification information and the access rights data, the package configured to allow the guest device to send a control signal to the owner access control device to cause an action at a premises associated therewith.

33. The method of claim 32 transmitting the package is performed over the internet.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein the application identification information and the access rights data are transmitted via separate transmissions.

35. The method of claim 32 wherein transmitting the package to the guest device comprises transmitting the package to an intermediary server device, with the intermediary server device transmitting the package to the guest device.

36. The method of claim 32 further comprising receiving a confirmation signal from the guest device upon successful reception of the package.

37. The method of claim 32 wherein receiving the access rights data comprises receiving owner access control device identification information and credentials for authorized communication with the owner access control device.

38. The method of claim 37 further comprising receiving restrictions on the use of the credentials.

39. The method of claim 32 wherein owner access control device is a movable barrier operator and wherein the package is configured to allow the guest device to send a control signal to the movable barrier operator to move a movable barrier with the movable barrier operator.

40. The method of claim 32 wherein the owner access control device is a door access control and the wherein the package is configured to allow the guest device to send a control signal to the door access control to unlock a door with the door access control.