Method and system utilizing magnetic card key with a QRC

• US 8,985,443 B1
• Filed: 03/06/2013
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NRT Technology Corp.
• Original Assignee: Joingo, LLC (NRT Technology Corp.)
• Inventors: Boyle, Stephen S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Claude J
• Application Number:
  US13/787,777
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 235/382, 235/382.5
• US Class Current: 235/382.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00722 with magnetic components, e.g. magnets, magnetic strips, metallic inserts mechanical locks operated by permanent magnets E05B47/0038
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00857 where the code of the data carrier can be programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00904 for hotels, motels, office buildings or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration

Abstract

A method and system for self-service access to a card key locked room of a facility is disclosed herein. A magnetic card key with a QRC is utilized with a mobile application resident on a mobile communication device to activate the card and allow for self-service access to check into a hotel.

Claims

1. A method for self-service access to a card key locked room of a facility, the method comprising:

retrieving a card key for a room of a facility, the card key having a unique card identifier and a graphical identifier printed on a surface of the card key;

activating a mobile application resident on a mobile communication device of a guest, the mobile application authenticated to the guest to produce a unique guest identity for the guest, the mobile application for a loyalty program of the facility;

scanning the graphical identifier with mobile communication device using the mobile application to decode and produce the unique card identifier for the card key;

transmitting the guest identity and the unique card identifier from the mobile application over a network to a remote server, the server in communication with a card key management system;

receiving the guest identity and the unique card identifier at the server, interfacing with the card key management system and registering the card identifier with a room selected for the guest associated with the guest identity; and

accessing the room using the card key.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the guest identity is produced through one of loyalty program information, a reservation code or other account information.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the network is a cellular or WiFi network.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the mobile communication device is a mobile phone or a tablet computer.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the graphical identifier is a QRC.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the facility is a hotel, and the room is a hotel room, or the facility is a club, and the room is a recreational room of the club.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the graphical identifier is a barcode.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of card keys is a magnetic card key having a magnetic strip with the unique card identifier.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of card keys is a proximity card key.

10. A system for self-service access to a card key locked room of a facility, the system comprising:

a facility having a plurality of rooms;

a plurality of card keys located at the facility, each of the plurality of card keys having a unique card identifier and a graphical identifier printed on a surface of each of the plurality of card keys;

a plurality of mobile communication devices, each of the plurality of mobile communication devices having a mobile application resident on the mobile communication device, each of the mobile applications authenticated to a particular guest to produce a unique guest identity for each guest, each of the mobile applications associated with a loyalty program for the facility, each of the mobile applications configured to scan the graphical identifier of a card key with the mobile communication device to decode and produce the unique card identifier for the card key and transmit the guest identity and the unique card identifier over a network;

an interaction server in communication with the mobile application of each of the mobile communication devices over the network, the interaction server configured to receive the guest identity and the unique card identifier; and

a card key management server configured to communicate with the interaction server to receive the guest identity and the unique card identifier to register a room of the facility with a unique guest.

11. The system according to claim 10 wherein the guest identity is produced through one of loyalty program information, a reservation code or other account information.

12. The system according to claim 10 wherein the network is a cellular or WiFi network.

13. The system according to claim 10 wherein each of the plurality of mobile communication devices is a mobile phone or a tablet computer.

14. The system according to claim 10 wherein the graphical identifier is a QRC.

15. The system according to claim 10 wherein the facility is a hotel, and the room is a hotel room, or the facility is a club, and the room is a recreational room of the club.

16. The system according to claim 10 wherein the graphical identifier is a barcode.

17. The system according to claim 10 wherein each of the plurality of card keys is a magnetic card key having a magnetic strip with the unique card identifier.

18. The system according to claim 10 wherein each of the plurality of card keys is a proximity card key.

19. A method for self-service access to a card key locked room of a facility, the method comprising:

retrieving a magnetic card key, the magnetic card key having a unique card identifier on a magnetic strip and a QRC printed on a surface of the magnetic card key;

activating a mobile application resident on a mobile communication device of a guest, the mobile application authenticated to the guest to produce a unique guest identity for the guest, the mobile application associated with a for the facility;

scanning the QRC with mobile communication device using the mobile application to decode and produce the unique card identifier for the magnetic card;

transmitting the guest identity and the unique card identifier from the mobile application of the mobile communication device over a network to an interaction service, the interaction service in communication with a card key management system;

receiving the guest identity and the unique card identifier at the interaction service, interfacing with the card key management system and registering the card identifier with a room selected for the guest associated with the guest identity; and

accessing the room using the magnetic card.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein the interaction service is a remote server.