Electronic key provisioning

• US 8,120,460 B1
• Filed: 01/05/2009
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Zhu, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ma, Kam
• Application Number:
  US12/348,362
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.7, 340/5.73, 340/5.74
• US Class Current: 340/5.73
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/103 Near field communication [NFC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00865 remotely by wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A method for method of initializing an electronic lock is disclosed. The method comprises a point-of-sale terminal reading electronic lock identification information from the electronic lock and the point-of-sale terminal receiving confidential information from a mobile electronic device. The method also comprises an inventory control system that is coupled to the point-of-sale terminal and that transmits an electronic lock registration message, wherein the registration message contains at least some of the confidential information and at least some of the identification information. When the inventory control system receives an electronic access code in response to the electronic lock registration message, the point-of-sale terminal transmits the electronic access code to the mobile electronic device. The electronic access code is operable to lock and unlock the electronic lock when transmitted, using near-field-communication technology, to the electronic lock.

Claims

1. A method of initializing an electronic lock comprising:

a point-of-sale terminal reading electronic lock identification information from the electronic lock;

the point-of-sale terminal receiving confidential information from a mobile electronic device;

an inventory control system transmitting an electronic lock registration message, the registration message containing at least some of the confidential information and at least some of the identification information, the inventory control system coupled to the point-of-sale terminal;

the inventory control system receiving an electronic access code in response to the electronic lock registration message;

the point-of-sale terminal transmitting the electronic access code to the mobile electronic device, wherein the electronic access code is operable to lock and unlock the electronic lock when transmitted using near-field communication technology to the electronic lock;

the mobile electronic device transmitting an ownership transfer message to a trusted service manager (TSM) containing lock identification information and confidential information associated with a second mobile electronic device;

the trusted service manager determining a second electronic access code based on a primary access code;

the trusted service manager transmitting the second electronic access code to the second mobile electronic device, wherein the second electronic access code is operable to lock and unlock the electronic lock when transmitted using near-field-communication technology to the electronic lock; and

the trusted service manager transmitting an access code deletion message to the mobile electronic device, wherein the mobile electronic device is instructed to delete the electronic access code.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the point-of-sale terminal receives confidential information from the mobile electronic device using near field communication technology.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the confidential information received from the mobile electronic device is at least one of a customer name, a customer phone number, a customer address, and a driver'"'"'s license number.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the electronic access code to the mobile electronic device comprises one of providing a paper printout containing a printed value of the electronic access code, transmitting the electronic access code using a near field communication technology to the mobile electronic device, and transmitting the electronic access code in a short message service SMS text message to the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic access code is based on the primary access code received from the manufacturer of the electronic lock.

6. The method of claim 1, further including transmitting additional electronic access codes to the mobile electronic device, wherein the additional electronic access codes is transferred from the mobile electronic device to other mobile electronic devices, and wherein the additional electronic access codes are different from each other and from the electronic access code.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile electronic device is one of a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a media player, and a laptop computer.

8. A method of initializing an electronic lock, comprising:

a point-of-sale terminal reading electronic lock identification information from the electronic lock;

an inventory control system transmitting the lock identification information, the inventory control system coupled to the point-of-sale terminal;

the inventory control system receiving a first electronic access code in response to the an electronic lock registration message;

one of the inventory control system and the point-of-sale terminal printing the first electronic access code;

entering the first electronic access code into a first mobile electronic device using an input device of the first mobile electronic device, wherein the first electronic access code is operable to lock and unlock the electronic lock when transmitted using near-field-communication technology to the electronic lock;

the first mobile electronic device transmitting an ownership transfer message to a trusted service manager (TSM) containing lock identification information and confidential information associated with a second mobile electronic device;

the trusted service manager determining a second electronic access code based on a primary access code;

the trusted service manager transmitting the second electronic access code to the second mobile electronic device, wherein the second electronic access code is operable to lock and unlock the electronic lock when transmitted using near-field-communication technology to the electronic lock; and

the trusted service manager transmitting an access code deletion message to the first mobile electronic device, wherein the first mobile electronic device is instructed to delete the first electronic access code.

9. The method of claim 8, further including the trusted service manager receiving the electronic lock identification information and the primary access code from the manufacturer of the lock, wherein the first electronic access code is based on the primary access code.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the trusted service manager maintains a record of the ownership of the electronic lock.

11. The method of claim 8, further including maintaining the electronic lock information via a website maintained by the trusted service manager.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the mobile electronic device is one of a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, and a laptop computer.