Near field communication based key sharing techniques

• US 9,384,613 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2012
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Vasquez, Juan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, An T
• Application Number:
  US13/587,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20140049366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.22, 340/5.54, 340/5.6, 340/5.61, 340/5.65, 340/5.7, 340/539.11
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00849 programming by learning
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00865 remotely by wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00857 where the code of the data carrier can be programmed

Abstract

A computer-implemented technique includes storing keychains in a memory of a computer. A login identifier and a password are received from a mobile device. The login identifier and the password are verified. Subsequent to the verification, one of the keychains is downloaded from the computer to the mobile device. The keychain includes N keys that are each associated with one of M physical locks of M locking devices, where N and M are integers greater than or equal to 1. The M locking devices or another locking device are monitored. Information in a key log is recorded when each of the N keys is used on one of the M locking devices or the other locking device. The information includes a locking device identifier and a key identifier. The mobile device is alerted when each of the N keys is used based on the key log.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

remotely logging into one of a computer and a server via a control module of a mobile computing device;

subsequent to the logging into the one of the computer and the server, downloading, to a memory of the mobile computing device, a keychain from one of the computer and the server, wherein the keychain comprises N keys, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and wherein each of the N keys unlocks one or more of M physical locks, wherein M is an integer greater than or equal to 1, wherein each particular key of the N keys is assigned a rank that restricts;

(i) use of the particular key, or (ii) sharing of the particular key with another mobile device, each rank comprising one of;

a first rank that corresponds to unlimited use and unlimited sharing of the particular key;

a second rank that corresponds to unlimited use and limited sharing of the particular key; and

a third rank that corresponds to limited use and limited sharing of the particular key;

transferring, from the mobile computing device, one of the N keys to a locking device using short range wireless communication to unlock one of the M physical locks, the locking device being associated with a restricted area; and

transmitting, from the mobile computing device, user preferences of a user associated with the mobile computing device to at least one of the locking device and the one of the computer and the server, the user preferences being associated with one or more settings of the restricted area,

wherein receipt of the one or more settings results in adjustment of the restricted area in accordance with the one or more settings.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the restricted area comprises a vehicle and the one or more settings comprise vehicle settings.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the restricted area comprises a facility and the one or more settings comprise facility settings.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

copying one of the N keys from a physical key via a key sniffer module of the mobile computing device; and

transmitting the one of the N keys from the mobile computing device to a second locking device of a second one of the M physical locks to unlock the second one of the M physical locks.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein a physical key is not a mobile computing device.

6. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, at a first mobile computing device, a keychain from one of a computer, a server, a second mobile computing device, and a physical key, wherein the keychain comprises N keys, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and wherein each of the N keys unlocks one or more of M physical locks, wherein M is an integer greater than or equal to 1;

storing, at a memory of the first mobile computing device, the keychain, wherein each particular key of the N keys is assigned a rank that restricts;

(i) use of the particular key, or (ii) sharing of the particular key with another mobile device, wherein each rank comprises one of;

a first rank that corresponds to unlimited use and unlimited sharing of the particular key;

a second rank that corresponds to unlimited use and limited sharing of the particular key; and

a third rank that corresponds to limited use and limited sharing of the particular key;

transferring, from the first mobile computing device, one of the N keys to a locking device using short range wireless communication to unlock one of the M physical locks; and

transmitting, from the first mobile computing device, user preferences of a user associated with the first mobile computing device to the locking device, the user preferences being associated with one or more settings of a restricted area associated with the locking device,

wherein unlocking one of the M physical locks grants access to the restricted area, and

wherein receipt of the one or more settings results in adjustment of the restricted area in accordance with the one or more settings.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the restricted area comprises a vehicle and the one or more settings comprise vehicle settings.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the restricted area comprises a facility and the one or more settings comprise facility settings.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising:

copying one of the N keys from a physical key via a key sniffer module of the first mobile computing device; and

transmitting the one of the N keys from the first mobile computing device to a second locking device of a second one of the M physical locks to unlock the second one of the M physical locks.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein a physical key is not a mobile computing device.

11. A first mobile computing device, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

receiving a keychain from one of a computer, a server, a second mobile computing device, and a physical key, wherein the keychain comprises N keys, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and wherein each of the N keys unlocks one or more of M physical locks, wherein M is an integer greater than or equal to 1,

storing, at a memory, the keychain, wherein each particular key of the N keys is assigned a rank that restricts;

(i) use of the particular key, or (ii) sharing of the particular key with another mobile device, wherein each rank comprises one of;

a first rank that corresponds to unlimited use and unlimited sharing of the particular key;

a second rank that corresponds to unlimited use and limited sharing of the particular key; and

a third rank that corresponds to limited use and limited sharing of the particular key,

transferring one of the N keys to a locking device using short range wireless communication to unlock one of the M physical locks, the locking device being associated with a restricted area, and

transmitting user preferences of a user associated with the first mobile computing device to at least one of the locking device and a computer in communication with the locking device, the user preferences being associated with one or more settings of the restricted area,

wherein receipt of the one or more settings results in adjustment of the restricted area in accordance with the one or more settings.

12. The first mobile computing device of claim 11, wherein the restricted area comprises a vehicle and the one or more settings comprise vehicle settings.

13. The first mobile computing device of claim 11, wherein the restricted area comprises a facility and the one or more settings comprise facility settings.

14. The first mobile computing device of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

copying one of the N keys from a physical key via a key sniffer module of the first mobile computing device; and

transmitting the one of the N keys from the first mobile computing device to a second locking device of a second one of the M physical locks to unlock the second one of the M physical locks.

15. The first mobile computing device of claim 14, wherein a physical key is not a mobile computing device.

16. The first mobile computing device of claim 11, wherein the short range wireless communication comprises near field communication.