Patent ID: 9691199
Date: 2017-06-27
CPC Classifications: G07C,G10L

Claim:
1. A method for providing access to a residence, the method comprising: receiving, by an electronic device, a telephone call, the electronic device being associated with a first housing unit of the residence; determining a telephone number from which the telephone call is received; determining that the telephone number corresponds to a call box for the residence; answering the telephone call from the call box; determining an access word that allows access to the first housing unit; determining an access question to ask such that a correct answer to the access question is the access word; generating an audio message that includes the access question; sending the audio message to the call box from the electronic device during the telephone call such that the audio message is played by a speaker of the call box; receiving, at the electronic device, an additional audio message representing an answer to the access question received by a microphone of the call box; determining, using keyword spotting technology, a likelihood score that the answer is the access word; determining that the likelihood score is greater than a threshold value indicating that the access word is declared as being spoken within the additional audio message; determining a button on a touch-tone telephone keypad for unlocking a door of the residence; determining a dual-tone sound associated with the button, wherein determining the dual-tone sound comprises: generating an audio signal representing the dual-tone sound that, when played by a speaker of the call box, causes the door to unlock, wherein generating the audio signal comprises combining the sinusoidal low frequency tone and the sinusoidal high frequency tone such that the play simultaneously; and sending the audio signal to the call box to unlock the door, thereby providing access to the residence.