SMART LOCK SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20150101369A1
• Filed: 12/17/2014
• Published: 04/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SkyBell Technologies Ip, LLC
• Original Assignee: Skybell Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Scalisi, Joseph Frank
• Granted Patent: US 9,109,378 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 70/101
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0016 with linearly reciprocating motion
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0059 by transfer between frame and wing
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0061 using induction
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0082 Induction for charging or current transformation
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0095 Mechanical aspects of locks controlled by telephone signals, e.g. by mobile phones electronic locks G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0001 with electric actuators; Constructional features thereof for vehicles E05B81/04
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/026 the bolt moving rectilinearly
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 1/12 with operating handle or equivalent member moving otherwise than rigidly with the latch
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00634 Power supply for the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• 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 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19684 Portable terminal, e.g. mobile phone, used for viewing video remotely
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/025 Door telephones adapted for television H04N7/186
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/186 Video door telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0969 Spring projected
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/097 Operating means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1014 Operating means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1021 Motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5199 : Swinging door
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7062 : Electrical type [e.g., solenoid]

Abstract

A lock can receive electricity from a transformer of a doorbell chime while the lock is mounted on a door. The lock can be electrically coupled to the face plate. The face plate can be electrically coupled to the strike plate of the door frame. The strike plate of the doorframe can be electrically coupled to the transformer of the doorbell chime.

Claims

1. A lock system for a building door comprising a lock configured to couple to the building door, wherein the lock is configured to receive electricity from a transformer that is located remotely relative to the building door, wherein the transformer is configured to provide electrical energy to a doorbell chime, the lock system comprising:

an outer housing;

a bolt configured to move between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the bolt moves with respect to the outer housing, wherein when the bolt is in the locked position the bolt protrudes from the outer housing, past a face plate, and into a hole in a door frame to thereby secure the building door to the door frame, wherein when the bolt is in the unlocked position the bolt does not protrude into the hole in the door frame to thereby allow the building door to move with respect to the door frame, and wherein the bolt comprises a throw distance;

an electrical control system configured to adjust the throw distance; and

an induction receiver coupled to the face plate, wherein the induction receiver is configured to inductively receive the electricity from an induction transmitter that is coupled to a strike plate, wherein the induction receiver comprises a first induction conductor and the induction transmitter comprises a second induction conductor, wherein the induction receiver is electrically coupled to the electrical control system such that the induction receiver is configured to provide the electricity to the electrical control system such that the electrical control system is capable of moving the bolt,

wherein when the bolt is in the locked position, the first induction conductor is located in a first location, and

wherein when the bolt is in the unlocked position, the first induction conductor is located in the first location.

2. The lock system of claim 1, wherein the bolt defines an exterior surface that faces at least a portion of the face plate, and the bolt defines an internal space opposite the exterior surface whereby the internal space is substantially enclosed, and wherein the first induction conductor is not located within the internal space of the bolt.

3. The lock system of claim 1, wherein the face plate comprises a first surface and the strike plate comprises a second surface,

wherein when the bolt is in the locked position, the first surface and the second surface face each other, and

wherein the first induction conductor is attached to the first surface and the second induction conductor is attached to the second surface.

4. The lock system of claim 1, wherein the induction transmitter is coupled to the strike plate, wherein the strike plate is configured to be coupled to the door frame, wherein the induction transmitter is configured to receive the electricity from the transformer, wherein the induction receiver is electrically coupled to the electrical control system such that the induction receiver is configured to provide the electricity to the electrical control system such that the electrical control system is capable of operating the bolt.

5. The lock system of claim 1, wherein the induction receiver is a wireless induction receiver and the induction transmitter is a wireless induction transmitter.

6. The lock system of claim 1, wherein the lock system further comprises a solenoid coupled to the outer housing, wherein the solenoid is configured to control the throw distance of the bolt.

7. The lock system of claim 6, wherein the solenoid is electrically coupled to the electrical control system, and wherein the solenoid is electrically coupled to the induction receiver that is coupled to the face plate such that the lock system is capable of providing the electricity from the transformer to the induction receiver that is coupled to the face plate, and then the induction receiver is capable of providing the electricity to the solenoid.

8. The lock system of claim 6, wherein the lock system further comprises a spring configured to apply a force on the bolt that pushes the bolt outward relative to the face plate such that the lock is configured to remain in the locked position when the solenoid receives insufficient electrical power to overcome the force.

9. The lock system of claim 6, further comprising a keyhole configured to enable a key to adjust the throw distance to unlock the lock, wherein the solenoid is located between the keyhole and the induction receiver of the face plate, and wherein the solenoid is electrically coupled to the induction receiver of the face plate such that the solenoid is configured to receive the electricity from the transformer.

10. The lock system of claim 1, further comprising:

a keyhole configured to enable a key to adjust the throw distance to unlock the lock;

a camera coupled to the outer housing, wherein the camera is configured to face outward from the building door;

a speaker coupled to the outer housing;

a microphone coupled to the outer housing, wherein the camera is configured to take a picture of a visitor to the lock, wherein the speaker is configured to enable communication with a user of a remote computing device, and wherein the microphone is configured to record sounds from the visitor for transmission to the remote computing device; and

a wireless data transmission system configured to receive lock commands from the remote computing device and configured to wirelessly transmit the picture and the sounds to the remote computing device.

11. A lock system for a building door comprising a lock configured to couple to the building door, wherein the lock is configured to receive electricity from a transformer that is located remotely relative to the building door, wherein the transformer is configured to provide electrical energy to a doorbell chime, the lock system comprising:

the lock comprising an outer housing, an electrical control system, a face plate, and a bolt, wherein the bolt and the face plate are coupled to the outer housing such that the bolt is arranged and configured to protrude from the outer housing and past the face plate to secure the building door by entering a first hole in a door frame, wherein the bolt comprises a throw distance, and wherein the electrical control system is configured to adjust the throw distance;

a strike plate configured to be coupled to the door frame, wherein the face plate comprises a first surface and the strike plate comprises a second surface, and wherein when the bolt protrudes from the outer housing, past the face plate, and into the first hole in the door frame, the first surface and the second surface face each other;

an induction transmitter attached to the second surface of the strike plate, wherein the induction transmitter is configured to be electrically coupled to the transformer to inductively receive the electricity from the transformer while the transformer is electrically coupled to a power source of a building and while the transformer is electrically coupled to the doorbell chime; and

an induction receiver attached to the first surface of the face plate, wherein the induction receiver is configured to inductively receive the electricity from the induction transmitter, and wherein the induction receiver is electrically coupled to the electrical control system such that the induction receiver is configured to provide the electricity to the electrical control system such that the electrical control system is capable of operating the bolt.

12. The lock system of claim 11, wherein the induction transmitter of the strike plate is electrically coupled to the induction receiver of the face plate to enable the lock to receive the electricity from the transformer.

13. The lock system of claim 11, wherein the induction transmitter is located within 20 centimeters of the induction receiver, and wherein the induction transmitter is inductively coupled with the induction receiver such that the induction transmitter is configured to inductively transmit the electricity to the induction receiver of the face plate via electrical induction.

14. The lock system of claim 13, wherein the induction receiver comprises a first induction conductor, and the induction transmitter comprises a second induction conductor, wherein the first induction conductor is located within 10 centimeters of the second induction conductor.

15. The lock system of claim 14, wherein the first induction conductor comprises a first induction coil and the second induction conductor comprises a second induction coil, wherein the face plate is aligned with the strike plate such that the first induction coil is inductively coupled with the second induction coil.

16. The lock system of claim 11, further comprising:

a junction assembly;

a first wire and a second wire, wherein the first wire and the second wire are electrically coupled to the transformer; and

a third wire and a fourth wire, wherein the third wire and the fourth wire are electrically coupled to the induction transmitter,

wherein the junction assembly electrically couples the first wire to the third wire, and wherein the junction assembly electrically couples the second wire to the fourth wire.

17. A lock system for a building door comprising a lock configured to couple to the building door, wherein the lock is configured to receive electricity from a transformer that is located remotely relative to the building door, wherein the transformer is configured to provide electrical energy to a doorbell chime, the lock system comprising:

an outer housing;

a bolt configured to move along a horizontal direction between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein when the bolt is in the locked position the bolt protrudes from the outer housing and past a face plate to thereby secure the building door by entering a hole in a door frame, wherein when the bolt is in the unlocked position the bolt does not protrude into the hole in the door frame to thereby allow the building door to move with respect to the door frame, and wherein the bolt comprises a throw distance;

an electrical control system configured to adjust the throw distance; and

an induction receiver coupled to the face plate, wherein the induction receiver is configured to inductively receive the electricity from an induction transmitter that is coupled to a strike plate, wherein the induction receiver comprises a first induction conductor and a third induction conductor and the induction transmitter comprises a second induction conductor and a fourth induction conductor, and wherein the induction receiver is electrically coupled to the electrical control system such that the induction receiver is configured to provide the electricity to the electrical control system such that the electrical control system is capable of moving the bolt.

18. The lock system of claim 17, wherein the first induction conductor of the face plate is spaced from the third induction conductor of the face plate along a vertical direction that is perpendicular to the horizontal direction, and the second induction conductor of the strike plate is spaced from the fourth induction conductor of the strike plate along the vertical direction,

wherein when the bolt is in the locked position, the first induction conductor of the face plate is physically aligned with the second induction conductor of the strike plate along the horizontal direction and the first induction conductor is inductively coupled with the second induction conductor such that the second induction conductor is configured to inductively transmit the electricity from the induction transmitter of the strike plate to the first induction conductor of the induction receiver of the face plate via electrical induction, and

wherein when the bolt is in the locked position, the third induction conductor of the face plate is physically aligned with the fourth induction conductor of the strike plate along the horizontal direction and the third induction conductor is inductively coupled to the fourth induction conductor such that the fourth induction conductor is configured to inductively transmit the electricity from the induction transmitter of the strike plate to the third induction conductor of the induction receiver of the face plate via electrical induction.

19. The lock system of claim 17, wherein the first, second, third and fourth induction conductors each define a rectangular shape.

20. The lock system of claim 17, wherein the electrical control system is communicatively coupled to the induction transmitter, and the induction transmitter is communicatively coupled to a network connection module that is electrically coupled to a power outlet of the building such that the network connection module is configured to transmit data to the lock.