Intelligent door lock system with firmware updates

• US 9,727,328 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2016
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: August Home, Inc. (Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: August Home, Inc. (Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.)
• Inventors: Johnson, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US15/184,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20160291966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 340 57, 340 585, 340540, 340541, 340551
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00841 by a portable device
• 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 9/00904 for hotels, motels, office buildings or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

An intelligent door lock system is provided with firmware updates. A position sensing device is configured to be coupled to a drive shaft of a lock device, the position sensing device sensing position of the drive shaft to assist in locking and unlocking a lock of a lock device. An engine is provided with a memory, the engine being coupled to the positioning sensing device. A circuit coupled to the engine and an energy source coupled to the circuit. Firmware updates are provided to intelligent door lock system from server.

Claims

1. An intelligent door lock system with firmware updates, comprising:

a position sensor coupled to a drive shaft of a lock device, the position sensor sensing position of the drive shaft to assist in locking and unlocking a lock of a lock device at a door, the sensor configured to know its current position even if it has been moved since it has been turned off to provide that the position will always know its current position relative to the lock device;

an engine coupled to or including a memory, the engine being coupled to the position sensor and to the drive shaft to assist in locking and unlocking the lock, the memory providing information relating to open or closed status of a door to a dwelling occupant or a third party designated by the dwelling occupant;

a circuit coupled to the engine;

an energy source coupled to the circuit, the circuitry providing connectivity between the engine, the energy source and the memory; and

wherein firmware updates are provided to the intelligent door lock system from a cloud based server.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein Bluetooth energy is sent by sending a packet with or without acknowledgement.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the server coupled to the intelligent door lock system sends updates to a mobile device or A Bluetooth to Wifi bridge.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein e mobile device sends the updates to a Bluetooth device at the dwelling.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the update is send as a payload.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein a payload of N bits is sent.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the payload is 96 bits.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein each bit has a traceable marker.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the payload is sent without a response.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the payload is sent without the response for an increased speed of sending.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein in response to receipt of the payload a notification is required from lock system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the notification is a bit mask of how many bits of the payload were received.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein not all of the bits are received by the lock system.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein in response to not all of the bits being received notification is provided to the server of the non-received bits.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein one or more subsequent payloads of non-received bits is resent until all of the bits have been received.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein with the subsequent payloads a checksum is made on the payload and a checksum is sent back.