Access code management systems

• US 9,141,090 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2012
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Master Lock Company LLC (Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Master Lock Company LLC (Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kalous, D. Scott, Trapani, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mahase, Pameshanand
• Application Number:
  US13/673,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20130120110A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.6
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 1/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00476 dynamically
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/0069 actuated in a predetermined sequence

Abstract

In a method of managing access codes, a product is provided with an access restricting mechanism configured to permit operation of the product in response to entry of either one of first and second access codes using a code interface. The first access code is displayed on the product without displaying the second access code on the product. The second access code is identified to a user in response to user input of at least one of the first access code and a serial number into a terminal in communication with an electronically accessible code storage unit associating the second access code with the at least one of the first access code and the serial number.

Claims

1. A method of managing access codes for an access restricted product including a code interface for entry of an access code to permit operation of the product, the method comprising:

providing the product with an access restricting mechanism configured to permit operation of the product in response to entry of either one of a first access code and a second access code using the code interface;

providing the product with indicia identifying the first access code and a product code and without identifying the second access code;

providing an electronically accessible code storage unit associating the second access code with at least one of the first access code and the product code; and

identifying the second access code to a user, for subsequent user entry of the second access code using the code interface, in response to user input of the at least one of the first access code and the product code into a terminal in communication with the code storage unit;

wherein the second access code is associated with the at least one of the first access code and the product code in the electronically accessible code storage unit prior to any user input of the at least one of the first access code and the product code into the terminal in communication with the code storage unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the product includes a device and a packaging element provided with the device, the indicia identifying at least one of the first access code and the product code is provided on at least one of the device and the packaging element.

3. The method of claim 1, the indicia identifying at least one of the first access code and the product code is provided on at least one of a sales receipt and a sales invoice corresponding to a sale of the product.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the access restricting mechanism is configured to permit performance of a first set of functions by the product in response to user entry of the first access code, and wherein the access restricting mechanism is configured to permit performance of a second set of functions by the product in response to user entry of the second access code, the second set of functions being different from the first set of functions.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first set of functions is a subset of the second set of functions.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the second set of functions includes restoring the access restricting mechanism to an original condition.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the second set of functions includes modifying the access restricting mechanism to subsequently permit operation of the product in response to user entry of the first access code using the code interface.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving user registration information from the terminal prior to identifying the second access code to the user.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a user account prior to identifying the second access code to the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the access restricting mechanism is further configured to prevent operation of the product in response to entry of the second access code using the code interface after one of a predetermined number of entries of the second access code using the code interface and a predetermined elapsed time after a first entry of the second access code using the code interface.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein after the one of the predetermined number of entries of the second access code using the code interface and the predetermined elapsed time after the first entry of the second access code using the code interface, the access restricting mechanism is configured to permit operation of the product in response to entry of a third access code using the code interface.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising associating the third access code with at least one of the first access code and the product code in the code storage unit, and thereafter identifying the third access code to the user in response to user input of the at least one of the first access code and the product code.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the access restricting mechanism is further configured to generate the third access code using a first algorithm and the electronically accessible code storage unit is configured to receive the third access code from a second algorithm matching the first algorithm.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing access to the electronically accessible code storage unit on a web site.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the product with a user operable code changing mechanism configured to modify the access restricting mechanism to permit operation of the product in response to user entry of a user selected third access code using the code interface, and to thereafter prevent operation of the product in response to user entry of the first access code using the code interface.

16. An access code management system for an access restricted product, the system comprising:

a product comprising;

a code interface;

an access restricting mechanism configured to permit operation of the product in response to entry of either one of a first access code and a second access code using the code interface; and

indicia identifying the first access code and a product code and without identifying the second access code; and

a user controlled terminal configured to access a code storage unit associating the second access code with at least one of the first access code and a product code displayed on the product, for communication of the second access code to the user controlled terminal in response to user input of the at least one of the first access code and the product code into the user controlled terminal, for subsequent user entry of the second access code into the code interface;

wherein the second access code is associated with the at least one of the first access code and the product code in the electronically accessible code storage unit prior to any user input of the at least one of the first access code and the product code into the terminal in communication with the code storage unit.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the user controlled terminal communicates with the code storage unit through a server remote from the product.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the user controlled terminal comprises one of a computer and a smart phone.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the product includes a device and a packaging element provided with the device, wherein at least one of the first access code and the product code is displayed on at least one of the device and the packaging element.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the code interface comprises an electronic keypad.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the product comprises an electromechanical locking device.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the product further comprises a user operable code changing mechanism configured to modify the access restricting mechanism to permit operation of the product in response to user entry of a user selected third access code using the code interface, and to thereafter prevent operation of the product in response to user entry of the first access code using the code interface.