Secure remote control for operating closures such as garage doors

• US 9,373,208 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2013
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Candelore, Brant
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Point, Rufus
• Application Number:
  US14/023,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20150070132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.73, 340/5.3, 340/5.6, 340/5.61
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00222 by more than one push button
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00928 for garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/04 Access control involving a hierarchy in access rights
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

Actuation of an access closure such as a garage door may be initiated by a remote control (RC) if a correct authentication code is received by the RC and/or if a designated authorization device such as a mobile phone is within near field communication transceiver range of the RC.

Claims

1. An apparatus operatively associable with a vehicle garage, comprising:

at least one computer memory that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one processor to;

receive an actuation command generated by user manipulation of an actuation selector element on a remote control (RC);

receive, from a user device that is not the RC, an authentication code that is not received from he RC;

responsive to a determination that the authentication code is correct, actuate a movable access closure of the vehicle garage in accordance with the actuation command;

responsive to a determination that no correct authentication code is received, not actuating the movable access closure regardless of the presence of the actuation command such that the movable access closure is not actuated unless both the actuation command from the RC and the authentication code from the user device are both received.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a local processor associated with the closure, and the instructions are executable by the local processor to receive from the RC, along with the actuation command, a correct authentication code to execute the command.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to receive the authentication code from one of a near field communication (NFC) transceiver of the user device, and a short-wavelength radio transceiver of the user device.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the instructions are executable to initially establish the authentication code using communication over near field communication (NFC) or short-wavelength radio sent between the user device and the RC and/or the access closure during configuration of the RC and/or access closure.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising the at least one processor.

5. A method comprising:

actuating an access closure by;

receiving from a remote control (RC) an actuation command generated by user manipulation of the RC;

actuating the access closure according to the actuation command only if a designated wireless communication device (WCD) is within near field communication (NFC) or short-wavelength radio transceiver range of the RC and/or the access closure, such that the access closure is not actuated unless both the actuation is received and the WCD is present near the RC and/or the access closure.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising actuating the access closure according to the actuation command only if a correct authentication code also is received by the RC.

7. An access closure apparatus comprising:

at least one computer memory that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one processor to;

receive an actuation command generated by user manipulation of an actuation selector element on a remote control (RC);

receive a signal indicating the presence of a wireless communication device (WCD) different from the RC such that responsive to a determination that the WCD is an approved WCD, a movable access closure is actuated in accordance with the actuation command and responsive to a determination that no approved WCD is present, the movable access closure is not actuated regardless of the presence of the actuation command, wherein;

the actuation command includes an authentication code established using a master code associated with the RC and/or the movable access closure, the master code including a value initially provided by a manufacturer to owners to allow owners to securely configure the RC or the access closure.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the instructions are executable to receive from the RC, along with the actuation command, a correct authentication code to execute the command.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions are executable to receive the authentication code from a key entry element on the RC that is not the actuation selector element.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the instructions are executable to receive the signal indicating the presence of the first WCD from a near field communication (NFC) or short-wavelength radio transceiver of the first WCD.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the instructions are executable to initially establish a correct WCD identity against which the signal indicating the presence of the first WCD is compared by NFC or short-wavelength messaging sent between the first WCD and the RC during RC configuration.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the instructions are executable to initially establish a correct WCD identity against which the signal indicating the presence of the first WCD is compared by NFC or short-wavelength message sent between the first WCD and the processor.

15. The apparatus of claim 7, comprising the at least one processor.

13. An apparatus comprising:

at least one computer memory that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one processor to;

receive an authentication code from a telephone call or a text message from a wireless communication device (WCD);

receive an actuation signal generated by user manipulation of a actuation selector element of a remote control (RC) different from the WCD;

responsive to a determination that the authentication code is correct, send, from the apparatus, an actuation command to a movable access closure, the actuation command configured to cause the movable access closure to move, the apparatus not being the movable access closure; and

responsive to a determination that no correct authentication code is received, not send the actuation command to the movable access closure.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, comprising the at least one processor.