Access Control System And Method For Use By An Access Device

What is this patent about?

’053 is related to the field of access control systems, particularly those utilizing mobile devices for granting entry. The background involves managing access to resources like electric vehicle chargers and hotel rooms, where users need a convenient way to reserve and activate these services. Existing solutions lacked seamless integration with mobile devices and efficient reservation management.

The underlying idea behind ’053 is to use a smartphone as a digital key to unlock doors or activate devices like EV chargers. A user makes a reservation through a website or app, and the system sends a digital certificate to their phone. When the phone is near the access point (e.g., a door lock), it transmits the certificate wirelessly, allowing the system to verify the reservation and grant access.

The claims of ’053 focus on an access control system comprising an access device with a door lock, a reservation interface, a reservation server, and a smartphone application. The smartphone application receives a reservation certificate and a short-range wireless communication setting from the reservation server. The application then transmits the reservation certificate to the access device, which activates the door lock based on the receipt of the certificate.

In practice, a user would use a smartphone app to reserve a time slot for, say, charging their electric vehicle. The server then sends a digital certificate and the charger's communication settings to the phone. Upon approaching the charger, the phone uses short-range wireless communication (like Bluetooth) to send the certificate. The charger verifies the certificate's validity and, if everything checks out, enables the charging process.

This system differentiates itself by using a digital certificate transmitted directly from a smartphone to the access device, eliminating the need for physical keys or cards. The system also allows for updating parameters, such as device IDs or encryption keys, within the certificate, enhancing security and preventing replay attacks. Furthermore, the system can operate even when the access device lacks a direct internet connection, relying solely on the smartphone's communication capabilities.