Smart lock systems and methods

• US 9,109,378 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2014
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SkyBell Technologies Ip, LLC
• Original Assignee: Skybell Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Scalisi, Joseph Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao, Andy
• Assistant Examiner(s): WALKER, JARED T
• Application Number:
  US14/572,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20150101369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 244 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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
• 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 bolt configured to move between a locked position and an unlocked position; and

an induction receiver configured to be coupled to a face plate of the building door, wherein the induction receiver is configured to inductively receive electricity from an induction transmitter coupled to a strike plate of a building, and wherein the induction receiver does not move with respect to the face plate.

2. The lock system of claim 1, wherein when the bolt moves between the locked position and the unlocked position, the bolt moves with respect to the induction receiver.

3. The lock system of claim 2, wherein the induction receiver is located outside of the bolt.

4. The lock system of claim 3, further comprising the induction transmitter, wherein the induction transmitter does not move with respect to the strike plate.

5. The lock system of claim 4, wherein when the bolt moves between the locked position and the unlocked position, the bolt moves with respect to the induction transmitter.

6. The lock system of claim 5, wherein the induction transmitter is electrically coupled to a transformer such that the induction transmitter receives the electricity from the transformer.

7. A lock system for a building door, comprising:

a face plate configured to be coupled to the building door;

a bolt slidably received by the face plate, wherein the bolt is configured to move between a locked position and an unlocked position;

an induction receiver coupled to the face plate, wherein the induction receiver is configured to inductively receive electricity, and

wherein the induction receiver does not move with respect to the face plate as the building door moves between an open position and a closed position.

8. The lock system of claim 7, wherein the face plate comprises a first surface, the lock system further comprising:

a strike plate configured to be coupled to a door frame, wherein the strike plate comprises a second surface, and wherein when the building door is in a closed position, the first surface and the second surface face each other; and

an induction transmitter coupled to the second surface of the strike plate, wherein the induction transmitter is configured to inductively transmit electricity to the induction receiver,

wherein when building door is in the closed position, the induction transmitter is located within 20 centimeters of the induction receiver.

9. The lock system of claim 8, wherein the induction receiver comprises a first induction conductor, and the induction transmitter comprises a second induction conductor, and wherein when the building door is in the closed position, the first induction conductor is located within 10 centimeters of the second induction conductor.

10. The lock system of claim 9, wherein the first induction conductor comprises a first induction coil and the second induction conductor comprises a second induction coil, and wherein the face plate is aligned with the strike plate such that the first induction coil is inductively coupled with the second induction coil.

11. The lock system of claim 8, 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.

12. A lock system for a building door, comprising:

a housing;

a camera coupled to the housing;

a wireless data transmission system coupled to the housing, wherein the wireless data transmission system is configured to receive lock commands from a remote computing device, and wherein the wireless data transmission system is configured to transmit images captured by the camera to the remote computing device;

a bolt slidably received by a face plate of the building door, wherein the bolt is configured to move between a locked position and an unlocked position such that the bolt moves with respect to the housing; and

an induction receiver coupled to the face plate, wherein the induction receiver is configured to inductively receive electricity from an induction transmitter coupled to a strike plate of a building,

wherein when the bolt is in the locked position, the induction receiver is located in a first location, and wherein when the bolt is in the unlocked position, the induction receiver remains located in the first location.

13. The lock system of claim 12, 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 induction receiver is not located within the internal space of the bolt.

14. The lock system of claim 12, 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 coupled to the first surface and the second induction conductor is coupled to the second surface.

15. The lock system of claim 12, wherein the induction receiver is a wireless induction receiver and the induction transmitter is a wireless induction transmitter.

16. The lock system of claim 12, further comprising a solenoid electrically coupled to the induction receiver, wherein the solenoid is configured to move the bolt between the locked position and the unlocked position.

17. The lock system of claim 16, further comprising a transformer located remotely relative to the building door, wherein the transformer is capable of providing electricity to the induction receiver, and the induction receiver is capable of providing the electricity to the solenoid.

18. The lock system of claim 16, 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.

19. The lock system of claim 16, further comprising a keyhole configured to enable a key to move the bolt between the locked position and the unlocked position, 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.

20. The lock system of claim 12, further comprising:

a speaker coupled to the housing; and

a microphone coupled to the housing.