# US 10,872,484 B1 · Mobile digital locking technology > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,872,484 B1 - Document ID: US10872484B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/821,880 - Filed: 2020-03-17 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2019-11-06 - Assignees: Axtuator Oy - Applicants: Axtuator Oy - Inventors: Mika Pukari - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10872484B1 ## CPC - G07C 9/00904: {for hotels, motels, office buildings or the like} - G06F 21/31: User authentication - G06F 21/35: communicating wirelessly - G06F 21/44: Program or device authentication - G07C 9/00182: {operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks} - G07C 9/00571: {operated by interacting with a central unit} - H04B 5/48: Transceivers - H04B 5/77: for interrogation - H04B 5/79: for data transfer in combination with power transfer - H04L 63/0861: {using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231)} - H04W 4/021: Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences - H04W 4/025: {using location based information parameters} - H04W 4/029: Location-based management or tracking services - H04W 4/12: Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements - H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication - H04W 12/0471: Key exchange - H04W 12/06: Authentication - H04W 12/47: using near field communication [NFC] or radio frequency identification [RFID] modules - H04W 12/61: Time-dependent - H04W 12/63: Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent - G07C 2009/00634: {Power supply for the lock} - G07C 2009/00769: {with data transmission performed by wireless means} - G07C 2209/08: With time considerations, e.g. temporary activation, valid time window or time limitations - G07C 2209/62: Comprising means for indicating the status of the lock - G07C 2209/64: using a proximity sensor - H04L 67/12: specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks - H04L 67/34: {involving the movement of software or configuration parameters (network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416)} - H04W 4/02: Services making use of location information - H04W 4/50: Service provisioning or reconfiguring - H04W 88/02: Terminal devices - Y04S 40/18: Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network - Y04S 40/20: Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security - G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS ## Abstract Techniques for using a mobile station to open the doors of buildings and vehicles, instead of a dedicated physical key. The mobile station is configured to provide the operating power to a lock without a power cord. A mobile station app is then configured to communicate with the lock via a short-range wireless communication connection, and open and close the lock. This can provide an electronic software-based key and lock system that is cheaper and easier to use than the physical key. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A digital locking system, comprising: a mobile station; a mobile station app; a cloud server; and a self-powered lock configured to lock an object, wherein the mobile station app is installed in the mobile station and is configured to be updated and maintained by software updates from the cloud server, the mobile station is configured to provide operating power to the lock without a power cord, the mobile station app is configured to communicate with the lock via a Near Field Communication (NFC) connection, and the mobile station app is configured to: authenticate a user of the mobile station when a screen lock for the mobile station is unlocked, remember the authentication of the user for the mobile station for a pre-defined time period that is longer than a time it takes for the screen lock to activate, wherein during the pre-defined time period the mobile station app is configured to submit a digital key relating to the user via the NFC connection to the lock, thereby opening the lock, and determine a location of the mobile station, store a record correlating the authentication with the location, and, inside a pre-defined distance of the location and based on the record, permit multiple lock operations without requesting the authentication. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the lock is one of: a door lock for a building or a vehicle, a padlock, or a bicycle lock. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operating power of the lock is transmitted to the lock by a wireless power transmission device of the mobile station, wherein the wireless power transmission device may include any of NFC or Qi, and wherein when the lock is powered, the NFC connection is established between the lock and the mobile station. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile station is configured so that the user may send the digital key or a copy of the digital key to another person via an electronic message, thereby authorizing the opening of the lock to this person. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the electronic message is sent via a cellular communication network or via a short-range wireless communication connection. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the pre-defined time period extends to the time after the mobile station screen becomes locked, and wherein the mobile station app is configured to communicate the digital key to the lock without the user having to unlock the mobile station screen by reauthentication. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile station app is configured to store multiple digital keys and to at least one of: (i) keep security copies of the digital keys on a cloud server account of the user or (ii) generate new digital keys. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the lock is configured to operate based on at least one of: (i) touching the lock with the mobile station or (ii) bringing the mobile station within operating range of NFC for the lock. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile station app is configured to use NFC to open the lock without a need for the user to retouch the mobile station to the lock or provide a further approval for opening the lock, beyond accessing the unlocked object. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile station app is configured to, based on a determination that the mobile station is stationary using at least one of gyroscope or accelerometer values for the mobile station, activate a power transmission device to scan for nearby locks during said pre-defined time period. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile station app is configured to periodically activate a power transmission device to scan for nearby locks during said pre-defined time period. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein after the pre-defined period the lock is automatically locked using the operating power received from the mobile station. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the user is authenticated with the mobile station screen lock. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the mobile station screen lock uses biometric identification. ### Claim 15 A digital locking mobile station app stored in a non-transient memory medium in a mobile station, having computer-readable program code embodied therewith, the computer-readable program code executable by one or more computer processors to perform an operation, the operation comprising: authenticating a user of the mobile station when a screen lock for the mobile station is unlocked; remembering the authentication of the user for the mobile station for a pre-defined time period that is longer than the time it takes for the mobile station screen lock to activate; submitting, during the pre-defined time period, a digital key relating to the user via a Near Field Communication (NFC) connection to a self-powered lock configured to lock an object, thereby opening the lock; determining a location of the mobile station; storing a record correlating the authentication with the location; and, inside a pre-defined distance of the location and based on the record, permitting multiple lock operations without requesting the authentication, wherein the mobile station app is configured to be updated and maintained by software updates from a cloud server, the mobile station is configured to provide operating power to the lock without a power cord, and the mobile station app is configured to communicate with the lock via the NFC connection. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The mobile station app of claim 15, wherein the operating power of the lock is transmitted to the lock by a wireless power transmission device of the mobile station, wherein the wireless power transmission device may include any of NFC or Qi, and wherein when the lock is powered, the NFC connection is established between the lock and the mobile station. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The mobile station app of claim 15, wherein the pre-defined time period extends to the time after the mobile station screen becomes locked, and wherein the mobile station app is configured to communicate the digital key to the lock without the user having to unlock the mobile station screen by reauthentication. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The mobile station app of claim 15, wherein the lock is configured to operate based on at least one of: (i) touching the lock with the mobile station or (ii) bringing the mobile station within operating range of NFC for the lock. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The mobile station app of claim 15, wherein the user is authenticated with the mobile station screen lock. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The mobile station app of claim 19, wherein the mobile station screen lock uses biometric identification. ### Claim 21 A digital locking method, comprising; updating a mobile station app installed in a mobile station using a cloud server; providing, from the mobile station, operating power to a self powered lock configured to lock an object without a power cord; communicating from the mobile station app to the lock via a Near Field Communication (NFC) connection; authenticating a user of the mobile station, using the mobile station app, when a mobile station screen lock is unlocked; remembering the authentication of the user for the mobile station for a pre-defined time period that is longer than the time it takes for the mobile station screen lock to activate; submitting, during the pre-defined time period, a digital key relating to the user via the NFC connection to the lock, thereby opening the lock: determining a location of the mobile station; storing a record correlating the authentication with the stored location; and inside a pre-defined distance of the location and based on the record, permitting multiple lock operations without requesting the authentication. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the operating power of the lock is transmitted to the lock by a wireless power transmission device of the mobile station, wherein the wireless power transmission device may include any of NFC or Qi, and wherein when the lock is powered, the NFC connection is established between the lock and the mobile station. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising: sending the digital key or a copy of the digital key from the mobile station to another person via an electronic message, thereby authorizing the opening of the lock to this person. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the pre-defined time period extends to the time after the mobile station screen becomes locked, the method further comprising: communicating the digital key from the mobile station app to the lock without the user having to unlock the mobile station screen by reauthentication. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the lock is configured to operate based on at least one of: (i) touching the lock with the mobile station or (ii) bringing the mobile station within operating range of NFC for the lock. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the mobile station app, based on a determination that the mobile station is stationary using at least one of gyroscope or accelerometer values for the mobile station, activates a power transmission device to scan for nearby locks during said pre-defined time period. ### Claim 27 A digital locking system, comprising: a mobile station; a mobile station app; and a self-powered lock configured to lock a door, wherein the mobile station is configured to provide operating power to the lock, the mobile station app is configured to communicate with the lock via a Near Field Communication (NFC) connection, and the mobile station app is configured to: authenticate a user of the mobile station when the screen lock for the mobile station is unlocked, remember the authentication of the user for the mobile station for a pre-defined time period that is longer than a time it takes for the screen lock to activate, wherein during the pre-defined time period the mobile station app is configured to submit a digital key relating to the user via the NFC connection to the lock, thereby opening the lock, and determine a location of the mobile station, store a record correlating the authentication with the location, and, inside a pre-defined distance of the location and based on the record, permit multiple lock operations without requesting the authentication.