Systems and methods for anticipatory locking and unlocking of a smart-sensor door lock

• US 9,990,788 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2017
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Malhotra, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Neyzari, Ali
• Application Number:
  US15/786,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20180040182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 231 Days
• Field of Search: 340 57
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/62 Comprising means for indicating the status of the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• 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 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00904 for hotels, motels, office buildings or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2829 involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol

Abstract

An electronic device associated with a lock device detects a trigger event related to security of a smart home environment, determines a target state of the lock device based on the trigger event, and determines a current state of the lock device. A notification is sent to a user device including an indication of the trigger event and a prompt for an override input, and instructions to operate the lock device are either provided or not provided to the lock device based on a result of a comparison of the target state with the current state, and further based on a received override input or lack of a received override input.

Claims

1. A method of operating a battery-powered lock device, the method comprising:

at an electronic device having one or more processors and memory for storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors, wherein the electronic device is associated with a smart home environment that includes the battery-powered lock device;

detecting a trigger event related to security of the smart home environment;

determining, based on the trigger event, a target state of the lock device;

determining a current state of the lock device;

comparing the target state of the lock device with the current state of the lock device;

sending a notification to a user device, the notification including an indication of the trigger event and a prompt for an override input; and

providing or foregoing provision of instructions to operate the lock device based on (i) the result of the comparison, and (ii) a received override input or lack thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the instructions to operate the lock device comprise instructions to extend or retract a bolt of the lock device, thereby conserving battery power when foregoing provision of the instructions to operate the lock device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an override input prior to providing or foregoing provision of the instructions to operate the lock device;

wherein providing or foregoing provision of the instructions to operate the lock device is based on the received override input.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an override input subsequent to providing or foregoing provision of the instructions to operate the lock device; and

providing further instructions to operate the lock device in accordance with the subsequently received override input.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an override input; and

creating an adjustment rule in accordance with the received override input.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the adjustment rule is configured to adjust one or more security settings stored in a database associated with the smart home environment, wherein the one or more security settings serve as a basis for determining, based on the trigger event, the target state of the lock device.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

detecting a subsequent trigger event related to security of the smart home environment; and

determining, based on the subsequent trigger event and the adjustment rule, a subsequent target state of the lock device.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the adjustment rule is created in response to receiving a threshold number of override inputs with respect to a plurality of trigger events having similar circumstances.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the adjustment rule is created in response to receiving the override input within a predefined window of time after providing the instructions to operate the lock device.

10. An electronic device associated with a battery-powered lock device, the electronic device comprising:

a processor; and

memory for storing one or more programs for execution by the processor, the one or more programs including instructions for;

detecting a trigger event related to security of a smart home environment;

determining, based on the trigger event, a target state of the lock device, the lock device being associated with the smart home environment;

determining a current state of the lock device;

comparing the target state of the lock device with the current state of the lock device;

sending a notification to a user device, the notification including an indication of the trigger event and a prompt for an override input; and

providing or foregoing provision of instructions to operate the lock device based on (i) the result of the comparison, and (ii) a received override input or lack thereof.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the instructions to operate the lock device comprise instructions to extend or retract a bolt of the lock device, thereby conserving battery power when foregoing provision of the instructions to operate the lock device.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving an override input prior to providing or foregoing provision of the instructions to operate the lock device;

wherein providing or foregoing provision of the instructions to operate the lock device is based on the received override input.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving an override input subsequent to providing or foregoing provision of the instructions to operate the lock device; and

providing further instructions to operate the lock device in accordance with the subsequently received override input.

14. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving an override input; and

creating an adjustment rule in accordance with the received override input, wherein the adjustment rule is configured to adjust one or more security settings stored in a database associated with the smart home environment, wherein the one or more security settings serve as a basis for determining, based on the trigger event, the target state of the lock device.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

detecting a subsequent trigger event related to security of the smart home environment; and

determining, based on the subsequent trigger event and the adjustment rule, a subsequent target state of the lock device.

16. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the adjustment rule is created in response to:

receiving a threshold number of override inputs with respect to a plurality of trigger events having similar circumstances;

or

receiving the override input within a predefined window of time after providing the instructions to operate the lock device.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:

detecting a trigger event related to security of a smart home environment;

determining, based on the trigger event, a target state of a lock device associated with the smart home environment;

determining a current state of the lock device;

comparing the target state of the lock device to the current state of the lock device; and

sending a notification to a user device, the notification including an indication of the trigger event and a prompt for an override input;

in accordance with a determination that the current state is equivalent to the target state, retaining the current state of the lock device by foregoing provision of instructions to operate the lock device unless an override input is received from the user device; and

in accordance with a determination that the current state is not equivalent to the target state, providing instructions to operate the lock device unless an override input is received from the user device.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions to operate the lock device comprise instructions to extend or retract a bolt of the lock device, thereby conserving battery power when foregoing provision of the instructions to operate the lock device.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving an override input prior to providing or foregoing provision of the instructions to operate the lock device;

wherein providing or foregoing provision of the instructions to operate the lock device is based on the received override input.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving an override input subsequent to providing or foregoing provision of the instructions to operate the lock device; and

providing further instructions to operate the lock device in accordance with the subsequently received override input.