Abstract:
A system including a mobile device; a lock device having a lock identification, and configured to communicate wirelessly with the mobile device; and a server having access to a database wherein (a) a key is associated with said lock identification and (b) said lock identification is associated with at least one authorized user of said lock device, the server is configured to receive from the mobile device said lock identification and a user identification and to transmit the key associated with the lock identification when the user identification corresponds to an authorized user associated with said lock identification.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention is directed to a method and system for controlling networked wireless locks using a mobile device, and, in one embodiment, to a method and system for using a cell phone to obtain a key from a computer network and to communicate with a lock using a short range radio link in order to unlock the lock using the key.  
         [0003]     2. Discussion of the Background  
         [0004]     Many types of locks are in use today including (a) traditional lock and key combinations, (b) keyless number pad locks, and (c) locks opened using electronic badges, fobs, or the like. Each of these types of locks has limitations  
         [0005]     For instance, traditional lock and key combinations require possession of the key to open the lock even in the circumstance where only temporary access is required to the thing locked. For example, if a landlord wants to provide a potential tenant temporary access to a property, then the landlord has to either entrust the key to the potential tenant or be physically present to open the lock. Likewise, keyless number pad locks require knowledge of an access number—even for temporary access.  
         [0006]     Lost or misplaced electronic badges (fobs) require implementation of various inconvenient solutions including issuing a temporary badge. Similarly, if a key to a home lock is lost, then resort to a spare key stored offsite is typically required. Lastly, electronic badges present various issues regarding distributing badges that require the physical presence of the employee.  
         [0007]     Many locks today can be opened using some form of wireless remote technology. However, none of the currently employed locks have network connectivity functionality via mobile devices. Such functionality would allow for management and deployment of networked wireless locks (NWL) in many environments.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention is directed to networked wireless lock controlled by a mobile device using, but not limited to, a short range wireless technology such as Zigbee™, Bluetooth™, or active radio frequency identification (“RFID”) tags, among others.  
         [0009]     In one embodiment, the mobile device is configured to communicate with a stand-alone lock using a key retrieved from a local server.  
         [0010]     In another embodiment, the mobile device is configured to communicate with a networked lock and a local server. The local server is networked with the lock. Hence, the mobile device obtains the ID of the lock and provides the ID to the local server and the local server communicates via the network (directly) with the lock.  
         [0011]     In another embodiment, the mobile device is configured to send an unlock command to an application server via a gateway. The unlock message gets relayed to a remote server residing on a local area network (“LAN”) connected to the lock. The remote server verifies the user ID of the mobile device and the lock is controlled.  
         [0012]     A management interface program can run directly on a server, on a remote computer, or on a mobile device. The management interface enables the host to have the following functionality: (a) adding/deleting new users to the system and (b) modifying user lock access permissions. The management interface can also be used to access logs (databases) and automate diagnostics and maintenance activities. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of a lock, mobile device, and server configured according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration of a lock, mobile device, and server configured according to a second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration of a lock, mobile device, and server configured according to a third embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a schematic illustration of a lock, mobile device, and first and second servers configured according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a schematic illustration of the process for running a management interface program of a networked wireless lock directly on a server, on a remote computer, or on a mobile device according to an embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a schematic illustration of a computer for implementing at least a portion of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0020]     Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views,  FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of a lock, mobile device, and server configured according to an embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 1 a  mobile device  102  is configured to communicate with a wireless lock  104  using a short range, low power radio link such as Bluetooth™, 802.15.4/Zigbee™, proprietary ISM, or the like. The mobile device  102  could be in the form of a laptop, a personal digital assistant (“PDA”), cell phone, satellite phone, smart phone, or two-way pager. The mobile device manages at least one key and is able to control the wireless lock  104 .  
         [0021]     The wireless lock  104  according to one embodiment of the invention is configured for bi-directional communication with the mobile device  102  using a low power radio link. In another embodiment, the wireless lock only requires wireless reception functionality relative to the mobile device  102  as it is connected to a computer network which provides control. The wireless lock  104  has a LockID which according to one embodiment of the invention can be modified.  
         [0022]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the mobile device  102  obtains the LockID from wireless lock  104  using the low power radio link. Upon obtaining the LockID, the mobile device  102  makes a key request to a local server  106 . The mobile device  102  can communicate with the local server for example via a Global System for Mobile Communications/General Packet Radio Service (GSM/GPRS) enabled network or any wireless communication system which enables packet-based communication between a mobile device and a server.  
         [0023]     In one embodiment of the invention, the local server  106  securely stores a key to at least one wireless lock including wireless lock  104 . Further, the local server  106  is configured to distribute keys in view of dynamically configurable rules/controls and maintain a log of transactions (e.g., the time the key was granted and to whom the key was granted). A client-server architecture can be employed where a server manages access to multiple locks. As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the server can be remote as opposed to local.  
         [0024]     Whether the server is local or remote, the server is a computer. As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the computer  600  has a housing  602  which a motherboard  604  which contains a CPU  606 , memory  608  (e.g., DRAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, SRAM, SDRAM, and Flash RAM), and other optional special purpose logic devices (e.g., ASICs) or configurable logic devices (e.g., GAL and reprogrammable FPGA). The computer  600  also includes plural input devices, (e.g., a keyboard  622  and mouse  624 ), and a display card  610  for controlling monitor  620 . In addition, the computer system  600  further includes a floppy disk drive  614 ; other removable media devices (e.g., compact disc  619 , tape, and removable magneto-optical media (not shown)); and a hard disk  612 , or other fixed, high density media drives, connected using an appropriate device bus (e.g., a SCSI bus, an Enhanced IDE bus, or a Ultra DMA bus). Also connected to the same device bus or another device bus, the computer  600  may additionally include a compact disc reader  618 , a compact disc reader/writer unit (not shown) or a compact disc jukebox (not shown). Although compact disc  619  is shown in a CD caddy, the compact disc  619  can be inserted directly into CD-ROM drives which do not require caddies. In addition, a printer (not shown) also provides printed listings related to the management interface of the invention.  
         [0025]     As stated above, the system includes at least one computer readable medium. Examples of computer readable media are compact discs  619 , hard disks  612 , floppy disks, tape, magneto-optical disks, PROMs (EPROM, EEPROM, Flash EPROM), DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, etc. Stored on any one or on a combination of computer readable media, the present invention includes software for controlling both the hardware of the computer  600  and for enabling the computer  600  to interact with a human user. Such software may include, but is not limited to, device drivers, operating systems and user applications, such as development tools. Together, the computer readable media and the software thereon form a computer program product of the present invention for managing wireless locks and their associated keys. The computer code devices of the present invention can be any interpreted or executable code mechanism, including but not limited to scripts, interpreters, dynamic link libraries, Java classes, and complete executable programs. Moreover, the computer code devices of the present invention need not be co-resident and may instead be physically separate and communicate with each other. Such communications may be via either physically linked communication (e.g., over serial or USB connections) or may be via indirect communications (e.g., using packet-based communications where addressing is used to identify the destination (and potentially source) of the communication). Examples of packet based communications include TCP/IP, UDP/IP, and Reliable Datagram Protocol (RDP). Such communications may be over any communications adapter, including, but not limited to, Ethernet, Token-ring, ATM, and FDDI.  
         [0026]     As would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the present invention need not be implemented on a general purpose computer, but may instead be implemented on any hand-held or fixed (e.g., desktop) device. Examples of such devices include PDAs, mobile and/or smart phones.  
         [0027]     Again referring to  FIG. 1 , in response to the key request, the local server  106  replies back to the mobile device  106  with the wireless lock&#39;s associated key if the controls/rules associated with the wireless lock  104  have been satisfied. In the event that the associated rules/controls are not satisfied, then the local server  106  denies the key request and the unlock operation fails.  
         [0028]     If the mobile device  102  successfully obtains the key associated with the wireless lock  104 , UNLOCK_Lock_ID, then the mobile device is able to unlock the wireless lock  104  when the mobile device is in communication range. The UNLOCK_Lock_ID is sent to the mobile device  102  from the local server  106  in encrypted format. According to one embodiment, the wireless lock  104  has reduced capabilities relative to the server in terms of memory and computing power. However, devices of this nature typically do not have any operating system, and are highly integrated devices in which functions such as protocol stacks and encryption capabilities are implemented in hardware. Regarding wireless lock  104 , the UNLOCK_Lock_ID command would be encrypted using a form of encryption such as AES. The encryption would be implemented at the application level in order that it could be completed on at least one of the server  106  and the wireless device  102 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 2  illustrates another embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The system illustrated in  FIG. 2  includes a wireless lock  104  which is configured for unidirectional communication. In this instance, the wireless lock  104  is configured to receive the UNLOCK_Lock_ID command from the mobile device  102 , but is not configured to transmit the Lock_ID to the mobile device  102 . Rather, the mobile device  102  must either have stored in its memory the Lock_ID of the wireless lock  104  or the user of the mobile device  102  must manually obtain the Lock_ID for the wireless lock  104 . Upon obtaining the Lock_ID, the embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIG. 2  functions in the same manner as the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 3  illustrates another embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The system illustrated in  FIG. 3  includes a wireless lock  104  which is configured for bi-directional communication as described with regard to  FIG. 1 . However, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , if the request by the mobile device  102  is granted by local server  106 , then the local server  106  sends the encrypted key directly to the wireless lock  104  via a local area network (“LAN”)  108 .  
         [0031]      FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment of the invention utilizing a remote server  110  as opposed to a local server enabling a user of the mobile device  102  to communicate with the wireless lock  104  even when the mobile device is not located near the lock. The mobile device  102  is configured to send an unlock command to an application server  112  via a gateway to the Internet. The unlock command includes a user identification (“userID”). The unlock command is relayed from the application server to a remote server  110  residing on the LAN where the wireless lock  104  is connected to. The remote server  110  verifies the userID and the wireless lock  104  is subsequently unlocked. An acknowledgment that the lock has been opened is sent to the mobile device  102  via the remote server  110  and the application server  112 .  
         [0032]     A management interface program can run directly on a local server, on a remote server, or on a mobile device. The management interface enables the host to have the following functionality: (a) adding/deleting new users to the system and (b) modifying user lock access permissions. The management interface can also be used to access logs (databases) and automate diagnostics and maintenance activities.  FIG. 5  illustrates a message exchange for adding a new user.  
         [0033]     Hence, the present invention enables control of a locking device using a radio interface, without reliance of the public switched telephone network. Further, keys are managed using a server which provides added flexibility and variability. Encryption renders the process and the system secure. Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.