Server and computer interaction via local shared objects

• US 9,571,416 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2013
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trane International Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Company (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Sharp, Daniel R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jacobs, Lashonda
• Application Number:
  US14/075,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20140129711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00904 for hotels, motels, office buildings or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation

Abstract

A computer and a server may communicate via one or more local shared objects. The computer may detect one local shared object and generate a second local shared object based on the first local shared object. The computer may perform an action based on the second local shared object. The computer may display whether the action was a success.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

creating a status local shared object with a processing application executed by a computing device, the status local shared object storing a connection status of a hardware device structured to communicate access signals to any of a plurality of door access control devices;

storing the status local shared object in memory on the computing device;

detecting, with a web browser executed by the computing device, the status local shared object stored on the computing device;

in response to detecting the status local shared object, generating a user interface with the web browser which requests input from a user indicating a selection to program one or more of the plurality of door access control devices;

in response to input from the user, generating a command local shared object with the web browser;

storing the command local shared object in memory on the computing device;

detecting, with the processing application, the command local shared object on the computing device, the command local shared object comprising a value structured as both an instruction to be interpreted by the processing application and a value allowing authentication by the server;

in response to detecting the command local shared object with the processing application, requesting with the processing application programming information for the one or more door access control devices indicated by the user input from a server using the value of the command local shared object;

in response to the requesting, receiving the programming information from the server with the processing application; and

in response to the receiving, deleting with the processing application the command local shared object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the status local shared object and the command local shared object are stored in a first file system location.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, with the processing application executed by the computing device, a second status local shared object, wherein the second status local shared object indicates whether an instruction of the command local shared object was performed successfully;

detecting, with the web browser running on the computing device, the second status local shared object; and

in response to detecting the second status local shared object, displaying with the web browser whether the set of instructions was performed successfully.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the status local shared object indicates a connection status of a handheld device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

transmitting the access control information received from the server to the handheld device with the processing application; and

transmitting at least a portion of the access control information from the handheld device to a lock.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device and the server communicate via the Internet.

7. An access control system comprising:

a multi-family building having at least one restricted area and a plurality of controllable door structured to grant access to one restricted area;

a computing device located in the multi-family building having memory, a web browser and a processing application;

wherein the processing application is configured to create a status local shared object and store the status local shared object in the memory of the computing device;

wherein the web browser is configured to detect the status local shared object, generate a command local shared object with the web browser in response to detecting the status local shared object, and store the command local shared object in the memory of the computing device;

wherein the command local shared object comprises a command action configured to be executed by the processing application;

wherein the processing application is further configured to detect the command local shared object and execute the command action;

wherein the command action comprises requesting data from an external device in communication with the computing device; and

wherein the processing application is further configured to delete the command local shared object in response to successfully performing the command action.

8. The access control system of claim 7, wherein the external device is one of a handheld device, a card reader, and an iButton reader.

9. The access control system of claim 8, wherein the status local shared object is created in response to the processing application detecting the external device.

10. The access control system of claim 7, wherein the multi-family building is one of an apartment building, a condominium building, and a hotel.

11. The access control system of claim 7, wherein the status local shared object comprises a token reflecting the presence of a file stored in memory on the computer or the existence of a communication connection between the computing device and an external device.