Patent ID: 8037511

Claim:
One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-useable instructions embodied thereon for performing a method of operating an electronic locking mechanism using a communications network, the method comprising: receiving a request to operate an electronic locking mechanism from a sensing device, wherein the request is initially issued to the sensing device from a requesting mobile device automatically upon the requesting mobile device entering within a predefined proximity of the sensing device, the request comprising an identifier; employing a targeting application on a communications-network server to determine whether the requesting mobile device is authorized to operate the electronic locking mechanism, wherein the determining comprises: (a) identifying a target mobile device that has been predetermined to be associated with the identifier provided by the requesting mobile device; (b) determining validation data associated with the target mobile device; (c) transmitting a message from the communications-network server, wherein the message is addressed to be delivered to the target mobile device, wherein the message includes the validation data, and wherein the message is transmitted, in part, across a secure pathway within an infrastructure of the communications network; (d) receiving authentication information from the sensing device, wherein the authentication information is initially issued to the sensing device from the target mobile device, and wherein the authentication information is generated via a process carried out at the target mobile device that employs the validation data carried within the message; and (e) comparing the received authentication information against the validation data to determine whether the target mobile device is authorized to operate the electronic locking mechanism; and upon determining that the received authentication information corresponds with the validation data, permitting the requesting mobile device to operate the electronic locking mechanism.