Key control with real time communications to remote locations

• US 8,437,740 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2009
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carrier Fire & Security Americas LLC (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Americas Corporation, Inc. (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Despain, Jay, Petrizzi, James, Fale, Casey, Larson, Wayne F., Hays, Jonathan G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vuong, Quochien B
• Application Number:
  US12/561,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20110053557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.01, 455/3.06, 455/410, 340/5.25, 340/5.6, 340/5.73, 340/5.74, 340/5.8, 379/93.37, 379/102.06
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/10 Key holders; Key boards key cases A45C11/32
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 19/0005 Key safes E05B35/086 takes precedence
• 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 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/21 having a variable access code
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration

Abstract

A key control system includes at least one premise, a lockbox capable of securing a key to the premise and at least one mobile telephone associated with a user and having a stored access device program capable of communicating an access request to the lockbox. The premise is subject to authorized access by others, such as the user, based on preferences of an approval party established with the system. If specified by these preferences, the mobile telephone automatically initiates a communication to a selected destination to request approval of the access request.

Claims

1. A lockbox access apparatus, comprising:

a wireless communications device having a stored program configured to cause the wireless communications device to communicate an access request to a lockbox and, as a result of communicating the access request to the lockbox, to automatically receive information from the lockbox that the wireless communications device can use to initiate a communication to a selected destination to request approval of the access request.

2. The lockbox access apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information received from the lockbox comprises a lockbox identifier.

3. The lockbox access apparatus of claim 2, wherein the information received from the lockbox comprises instructions that configure the wireless communications device to prompt a user to take an action to initiate the communication to the selected destination.

4. The lockbox access apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information received from the lockbox comprises information about the selected destination.

5. The lockbox access apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless communications device is configured to initiate the communication to the selected destination via a data communication sent over the wireless communications device'"'"'s wireless carrier network.

6. The lockbox access apparatus of claim 1, wherein the selected destination to which the wireless communications device initiates the communication includes a central authority having a computer receptive to communications from the wireless communications device over the wireless communications device'"'"'s wireless carrier network.

7. The lockbox access apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless communications device and the lockbox are configured such that the access request is communicated wirelessly.

8. The lockbox access apparatus of claim 7, wherein the wireless communication includes infrared communication.

9. The lockbox access apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless communications device is further configured to receive information from the selected destination if the access request is approved.

10. The lockbox access apparatus of claim 9, wherein the wireless communications device is further configured to communicate the received information to a user of the wireless communications device to complete the approved access.

11. The lockbox access apparatus of claim 9, wherein the wireless communications device further comprises:

a keypad, and

wherein the received information comprises an approval code capable of being entered via the keypad on the wireless communications device.

12. The lockbox access apparatus of claim 9, wherein the received information includes an approval code configured to authorize access to the lockbox within a predetermined time period.

13. The lockbox access apparatus of claim 12, wherein the approval code is configured to expire at an end of the predetermined time period.

14. The lockbox access apparatus of claim 9, wherein the received information includes an approval code configured to authorize access to the lockbox exactly once within a predetermined time period.

15. The lockbox access apparatus of claim 9, wherein the received information includes an approval code configured to authorize access to the lockbox for a predetermined number of times.

16. The lockbox access apparatus of claim 9, wherein the lockbox comprises a first lockbox and at least a second lockbox, and wherein the received information includes an approval code configured to authorize access to both the first lockbox and at least the second lockbox.

17. The lockbox access apparatus of claim 9, wherein the received information comprises termination instructions configured to block access to the lockbox.

18. The lockbox access apparatus of claim 17, wherein the termination instructions are further configured to supercede an approval code.