Contextual data delivery to mobile users responsive to access of an electronic lockbox

• US 9,053,629 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SentriLock, LLC
• Original Assignee: SentriLock, LLC
• Inventors: Fisher, Scott R., Adams, Marcus D., Bollas, Robert A., Caupp, Steve L., Carver, Connie F., Etgen, Kyle T., Hunt, Christopher A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alizada, Omeed
• Application Number:
  US13/830,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20140266586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 19/0005 Key safes E05B35/086 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/16 Real estate
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

An electronic lockbox sends identifying data to a portable communications device, which relays that data to a central computer, generating a response from the central computer containing customized information of special interest to the user. Such data can include information relating to the lockbox'"'"'s property, and contextually relevant information relating to other similar properties nearby. Such data from the central computer also can be delivered to one more auxiliary portable communication devices, including such devices carried by individuals either in close proximity to the lockbox or at a remote location. The data also could comprise visitation history relevant to the user, allowing an agent or a prospect to review information about previous visits to properties. The central computer can also query a user to provide location information for a lockbox that has been added to the system database.

Claims

1. A method for operating an electronic lockbox system, said method comprising:

(a) providing a first electronic lockbox having a first processing circuit, a first memory circuit, a first short range wireless communications circuit, and a secure compartment having a movable opening element that is under the control of said first processing circuit;

(b) providing at least one portable communications device, including a first portable communications device of said at least one portable communications device, said first portable communications device having a second processing circuit, a second memory circuit, a display, a data entry device, a second short range wireless communications circuit, and a first WAN communications circuit for communicating with a wide area network;

(c) providing a central computer having a third processing circuit, a third memory circuit containing at least one database, and a second WAN communications circuit for communicating with said wide area network, said at least one database of said central computer having a capability for storing information for a plurality of electronic lockboxes assigned to said electronic lockbox system, including said first electronic lockbox;

(d) in response to a communication event occurring between said first electronic lockbox and said first portable communications device, sending, by use of said first WAN communications circuit, an indication of such communication event to said central computer;

(e) at said central computer, assimilating a first data set of contextually relevant information relating to a property to which said first electronic lockbox is assigned;

(f) after assimilating said at least one data set of contextually relevant information pertaining to said first electronic lockbox;

(i) searching through said at least one database to determine whether at least a second data set of contextually relevant information pertaining to said first electronic lockbox is already stored in said at least one database;

(ii) if so, then comparing said second data set to said first data set, to determine if substantially identical information exists in both said first and second data sets;

(iii) if so, then identifying, by the central computer, said first and second data sets as being duplicate data sets;

(iv) then filtering, by the central computer, said duplicate data sets, by combining said first data set and second data set into a remaining data set of contextually relevant information pertaining to said first electronic lockbox;

(g) generating a history report about property visits by a first user of said first portable communications device, said history report including;

(i) said remaining data set of contextually relevant information pertaining to said first electronic lockbox; and

(ii) a history log of property visits; and

(g) sending, by use of said second WAN communications circuit, said history report to said first portable communications device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a second portable communications device of said at least one portable communications device, said second portable communications device having a fourth processing circuit, a fourth memory circuit, a second display, a second data entry device, and a third WAN communications circuit for communicating with said wide area network;

(b) generating a second history report about property visits by a second user of said second portable communications device, said second history report including;

(i) said remaining data set of contextually relevant information pertaining to said first electronic lockbox; and

(ii) a history log of property visits by said second user; and

(c) sending a message to said second portable communications device, wherein;

(i) said second user comprises a sales prospect who cannot generate a communication event with said first electronic lockbox; and

(ii) said first user comprises a sales agent of said electronic lockbox system who is able to generate a communication event with said first electronic lockbox.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving said at least one data element at said at least one portable communications device; and

(b) displaying said at least one data element at said at least one portable communications device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said data set contains information relating to at least one of the following:

(a) Multiple Listing Service data about properties;

(b) environmental information;

(c) property tax information; and

(d) school district information.

5. An electronic lockbox system, said system comprising:

(a) a first electronic lockbox having a first processing circuit, a first memory circuit, a first short range wireless communications circuit, and a secure compartment having a movable opening element that is under the control of said first processing circuit;

(b) at least one portable communications device, including a first portable communications device of said at least one portable communications device, said first portable communications device having a second processing circuit, a second memory circuit, a display, a data entry device, a second short range wireless communications circuit, and a first WAN communications circuit for communicating with a wide area network; and

(c) a central computer having a third processing circuit, a third memory circuit containing at least one database, and a second WAN communications circuit for communicating with said wide area network, said at least one database of said central computer having a capability for storing information for a plurality of electronic lockboxes assigned to said electronic lockbox system, including said first electronic lockbox;

wherein said first, second, and third processing circuits are programmed with computer code to perform functions of;

(d) in response to a communication event occurring between said first electronic lockbox and said first portable communications device, to send, by use of said first WAN communications circuit, an indication of such communication event to said central computer;

(e) at said central computer, to assimilate a first data set of contextually relevant information relating to a property to which said first electronic lockbox is assigned;

(f) after assimilating said at least one data set of contextually relevant information pertaining to said first electronic lockbox;

(i) to search through said at least one database to determine whether at least a second data set of contextually relevant information pertaining to said first electronic lockbox is already stored in said at least one database;

(ii) if so, then to compare said second data set to said first data set, to determine if substantially identical information exists in both said first and second data sets;

(iii) if so, then to identify, by the central computer, said first and second data sets as being duplicate data sets;

(iv) then to filter, by the central computer, said duplicate data sets, by combining said first data set and second data set into a remaining data set of contextually relevant information pertaining to said first electronic lockbox;

(g) to generate a history report about property visits by a first user of said first portable communications device, said history report including;

(i) said remaining data set of contextually relevant information pertaining to said first electronic lockbox; and

(ii) a history log of property visits; and

(g) to send, by use of said second WAN communications circuit, said history report to said first portable communications device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said third processing circuit is further programmed with computer code to perform functions of:

(a) to provide a second portable communications device of said at least one portable communications device, said second portable communications device having a fourth processing circuit, a fourth memory circuit, a second display, a second data entry device, and a third WAN communications circuit for communicating with said wide area network;

(b) to generate a second history report about property visits by a second user of said second portable communications device, said second history report including;

(i) said remaining data set of contextually relevant information pertaining to said first electronic lockbox; and

(ii) a history log of property visits by said second user; and

(c) to send a message to said second portable communications device, wherein;

(i) said second user comprises a sales prospect who cannot generate a communication event with said first electronic lockbox; and

(ii) said first user comprises a sales agent of said electronic lockbox system who is able to generate a communication event with said first electronic lockbox.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said second processing circuit is further configured:

(a) to receive said at least one data element at first portable communications device; and

(b) to display said at least one data element at said first portable communications device.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein said data set contains information relating to at least one of the following:

(a) Multiple Listing Service data about properties;

(b) environmental information;

(c) property tax information; and

(d) school district information.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein said first and second short range wireless communications circuits each comprise at least one of:

(a) a wireless electromagnetic radio transmitter;

(b) a wireless electromagnetic radio receiver;

(c) a wireless electromagnetic optical transmitter;

(d) a wireless electromagnetic optical receiver;

(e) a wireless magnetic field generator; and

(f) a wireless magnetic field sensor.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein said first and second WAN communications circuits each comprise at least one of:

(a) a cellular telephone;

(b) a smart phone that interfaces with a cellular telephone network;

(c) a wireless electromagnetic radio transmitter that interfaces with the Internet;

(d) a wireless electromagnetic radio receiver that interfaces with the Internet;

(e) a land line transmission circuit that interfaces with the Internet; and

(f) a land line receiver circuit that interfaces with the Internet.

11. A method for operating an electronic lockbox system, said method comprising:

(a) providing an electronic lockbox having a first processing circuit, a first memory circuit, a first short range wireless communications circuit, and a secure compartment having a movable opening element that is under the control of said first processing circuit;

(b) providing a plurality of portable communications devices, including a first portable communications device of said plurality of portable communications devices, said first portable communications device having a second processing circuit, a second memory circuit, a display, a data entry device, a GPS receiver, a second short range wireless communications circuit, and a first WAN communications circuit for communicating with a wide area network;

(c) providing a central computer having a third processing circuit, a third memory circuit containing at least one database, and a second WAN communications circuit for communicating with said wide area network;

(d) establishing a first database in said third memory circuit of the central computer, said first database used for containing relationship information between agents and prospects;

(e) sending, using said first WAN communications circuit, a message from said first portable communications device to said central computer, said message including GPS location data;

(f) updating said first database in said central computer, based on a proximal GPS location of said first portable communications device substantially at a time when said first portable communications device communicates with said electronic lockbox;

(g) providing a second portable communications device of said plurality of portable communications devices, said second portable communications device having a fourth processing circuit, a fourth memory circuit, a second display, a second data entry device, a second GPS receiver, a third short range wireless communications circuit, and a third WAN communications circuit for communicating with said wide area network;

(h) sending, using said third WAN communications circuit, a message from said second portable communications device to said central computer, a message including GPS location data;

(i) updating said first database in said central computer, based on a proximal GPS location of said second portable communications device substantially at a time when said second portable communications device communicates with said central computer;

(j) determining if said central computer can match a first user of said first portable communications device and a second user of said second portable communications device, from said GPS location data in real time; and

(k) if so, then creating a new entry in said first database of the central computer, for containing appropriate match information of said first and second users.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

establishing a second database in said second memory circuit of the first portable communications device, said second database used for containing portable communications device relationships; and

updating said second database in said first portable communications device, based on a proximal GPS location of said first portable communications device substantially at a time when said first portable communications device communicates with said electronic lockbox.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

(a) creating a data set at said central computer based upon said first database of portable communications device relationships; and

(b) disseminating said data set to at least one of said plurality of portable communications devices.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a second portable communications device of said plurality of portable communications devices, said second portable communications device having a fourth processing circuit, a fourth memory circuit, a second display, a second data entry device, a third short range wireless communications circuit, and a third WAN communications circuit for communicating with said wide area network; and

(b) accessing information stored in said third memory circuit of the central computer, using said second portable communications device, thereby receiving said data set at said second portable communications device.

15. An electronic lockbox system, said system comprising:

(a) an electronic lockbox having a first processing circuit, a first memory circuit, a first short range wireless communications circuit, and a secure compartment having a movable opening element that is under the control of said first processing circuit;

(b) a plurality of portable communications devices, including a first portable communications device of said plurality of portable communications devices, said first portable communications device having a second processing circuit, a second memory circuit, a display, a data entry device, a GPS receiver, a second short range wireless communications circuit, and a first WAN communications circuit for communicating with a wide area network; and

(c) a central computer having a third processing circuit, a third memory circuit containing at least one database, and a second WAN communications circuit for communicating with said wide area network;

wherein said first, second, and third processing circuits are programmed with computer code to perform functions of;

(d) to establish a first database in said third memory circuit of the central computer, said first database used for containing relationship information between agents and prospects;

(e) to send, using said first WAN communications circuit, a message from said first portable communications device to said central computer, said message including GPS location data; and

(f) to update said first database in said central computer, based on a proximal GPS location of said first portable communications device substantially at a time when said first portable communications device communicates with said electronic lockbox;

further comprising;

a second portable communications device of said plurality of portable communications devices, said second portable communications device having a fourth processing circuit, a fourth memory circuit, a second display, a second data entry device, a second GPS receiver, a third short range wireless communications circuit, and a third WAN communications circuit for communicating with said wide area network; and

wherein said third and fourth processing circuit are programmed with computer code to perform functions of;

(g) to send, using said third WAN communications circuit, a message from said second portable communications device to said central computer, a message including GPS location data;

(h) to update said first database in said central computer, based on a proximal GPS location of said second portable communications device substantially at a time when said second portable communications device communicates with said central computer;

(i) to determine if said central computer can match a first user of said first portable communications device and a second user of said second portable communications device, from said GPS location data in real time; and

(j) if so, then to create a new entry in said first database of the central computer, for containing appropriate match information of said first and second users.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said first and second processing circuits are further configured:

(a) to establish a second database in said second memory circuit of the first portable communications device, said second database used for containing portable communications device relationships; and

(b) to update said second database in said first portable communications device, based on a proximal GPS location of said first portable communications device substantially at a time when said first portable communications device communicates with said electronic lockbox.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein said third processing circuit is further configured:

(a) to create a data set at said central computer based upon said first database of portable communications device relationships; and

(b) to disseminate said data set to at least one of said plurality of portable communications devices.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a second portable communications device of said plurality of portable communications devices, said second portable communications device having a fourth processing circuit, a fourth memory circuit, a second display, a second data entry device, a third short range wireless communications circuit, and a third WAN communications circuit;

wherein said fourth processing circuit is configured to access information stored in said third memory circuit of the central computer, using said second portable communications device, and thereby receive said data set at said second portable communications device.

19. A method for operating an electronic lockbox system, said method comprising:

(a) providing an electronic lockbox having a first processing circuit, a first memory circuit, a first short range wireless communications circuit, and a secure compartment having a movable opening element that is under the control of said first processing circuit;

(b) providing at least one portable communications device, including a first portable communications device of said at least one portable communications device, said first portable communications device having a second processing circuit, a second memory circuit, a display, a data entry device, a second short range wireless communications circuit, and a first WAN communications circuit for communicating with a wide area network;

(c) providing a central computer having a third processing circuit, a third memory circuit containing at least one database, and a second WAN communications circuit for communicating with said wide area network, and a network server;

(d) interacting with said electronic lockbox by said first portable communications device, by using said first and second short range wireless communications circuits;

(e) sending a message from said first portable communications device to said central computer, using said first and second WAN communications circuits, informing said central computer of the interaction between said electronic lockbox and said first portable communications device;

(f) at said central computer, identifying said electronic lockbox that was interacted with by a user of the first portable communications device; and

(g) at said central computer, determining if the identified lockbox is associated with a property in said at least one database of the central computer, and if not so associated, then;

(h) querying said user of said first portable communications device for at least one of;

an address, and a location, of said electronic lockbox.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

(a) waiting for a predetermined time interval, and if said user does not respond to said query, then;

(b) effectively preventing interaction between said first portable communications device and said electronic lockbox.

21. An electronic lockbox system, said system comprising:

(a) an electronic lockbox having a first processing circuit, a first memory circuit, a first short range wireless communications circuit, and a secure compartment having a movable opening element that is under the control of said first processing circuit;

(b) at least one portable communications device, including a first portable communications device of said at least one portable communications device, said first portable communications device having a second processing circuit, a second memory circuit, a display, a data entry device, a second short range wireless communications circuit, and a first WAN communications circuit for communicating with a wide area network; and

(c) a central computer having a third processing circuit, a third memory circuit containing at least one database, and a second WAN communications circuit for communicating with said wide area network, and a network server;

wherein said first, second, and third processing circuits are configured;

(d) to interact with said electronic lockbox by said first portable communications device, by using said first and second short range wireless communications circuits;

(e) to send a message from said first portable communications device to said central computer, using said first and second WAN communications circuits, informing said central computer of the interaction between said electronic lockbox and said first portable communications device;

(f) at said central computer, to identify said electronic lockbox that was interacted with by a user of the first portable communications device; and

(g) at said central computer, to determine if the identified lockbox is associated with a property in said at least one database of the central computer, and if not so associated, then;

(h) to query said user of said first portable communications device for at least one of;

an address, and a location, of said electronic lockbox.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said second and third processing circuits are further configured:

(a) to wait for a predetermined time interval, and if said user does not respond to said query, then;

(b) to effectively prevent interaction between said first portable communications device and said electronic lockbox.

23. A method for operating an electronic lockbox system, said method comprising:

(a) providing a plurality of electronic lockboxes, including a first electronic lockbox of said plurality of electronic lockboxes, said first electronic lockbox having a first processing circuit, a first memory circuit, and a secure compartment having a movable opening element that is under the control of said first processing circuit;

(b) providing at least one portable communications device, including a first portable communications device of said at least one portable communications device, said first portable communications device having a second processing circuit, a second memory circuit, a display, a data entry device, and a first WAN communications circuit for communicating with a wide area network; and

(c) providing a central computer having a third processing circuit, a third memory circuit containing at least one database, and a second WAN communications circuit for communicating with said wide area network, wherein said at least one database includes a first database having a plurality of entries that record information about visits to at least one property in said electronic lockbox system;

(d) sending login message information from said first portable communications device to said central computer;

(e) at said central computer, determining if said login message information is correct, and if so, allowing a user of said first portable communications device to obtain access to predetermined portions of said at least one database;

(f) upon request by said user, sending a history of at least one property visit at said plurality of electronic lockboxes involving said user, from said central computer to said first portable communications device, and displaying said history on said display of the first portable communications device;

(g) allowing said user, by use of said data entry device of the first portable communications device, to select one of the property visits from said history of at least one property visit, and sending that selection to said central computer; and

(h) sending relevant information about said selected property visit from said central computer to said first portable communications device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said user comprises one of:

(a) a sales agent of said electronic lockbox system; and

(b) a sales prospect.

25. An electronic lockbox system, said system comprising:

(a) a plurality of electronic lockboxes, including a first electronic lockbox of said plurality of electronic lockboxes, said first electronic lockbox having a first processing circuit, a first memory circuit, and a secure compartment having a movable opening element that is under the control of said first processing circuit;

(b) at least one portable communications device, including a first portable communications device of said at least one portable communications device, said first portable communications device having a second processing circuit, a second memory circuit, a display, a data entry device, and a first WAN communications circuit for communicating with a wide area network; and

(c) a central computer having a third processing circuit, a third memory circuit containing at least one database, and a second WAN communications circuit for communicating with said wide area network, wherein said at least one database includes a first database having a plurality of entries that record information about visits to at least one property in said electronic lockbox system;

wherein said first, second, and third processing circuits are configured;

(d) to send login message information from said first portable communications device to said central computer;

(e) at said central computer, to determine if said login message information is correct, and if so, to allow a user of said first portable communications device to obtain access to predetermined portions of said at least one database;

(f) upon request by said user, to send a history of at least one property visit at said plurality of electronic lockboxes involving said user, from said central computer to said first portable communications device, and to display said history on said display of the first portable communications device;

(g) to allow said user, by use of said data entry device of the first portable communications device, to select one of the property visits from said history of at least one property visit, and then to send that selection to said central computer; and

(h) to send relevant information about said selected property visit from said central computer to said first portable communications device.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said user comprises one of:

(a) a sales agent of said electronic lockbox system; and

(b) a sales prospect.