# US 10,873,634 B2 · Apparatus and method for temporarily loaning internet of things (IOT) devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,873,634 B2 - Document ID: US10873634B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/593,042 - Filed: 2019-10-04 - Published: 2020-04-09 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-14 - Assignees: Afero, Inc. - Applicants: Afero, Inc. - Inventors: Martin Arnberg; Steve Hales; Phillip Myles - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873634B2 ## CPC - H04L 67/125: involving control of end-device applications over a network - H04L 9/0822: {using key encryption key} - H04L 9/0891: {Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying} - H04L 9/3226: {using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN (network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083)} - H04L 63/0428: {wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload} - H04L 63/108: {when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time} - H04W 4/50: Service provisioning or reconfiguring - H04W 4/70: Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] - H04W 12/02: Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII] - H04W 12/033: of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic - H04W 12/06: Authentication - H04W 12/08: Access security - H04W 12/35: {Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning} - H04L 2209/805: Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor - H04W 4/12: Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements - H04W 12/77: Graphical identity - H04W 88/04: adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user - 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) ## Abstract A system and method are described for loaning IoT devices. For example, one embodiment of a method comprises receiving a command submitted by a first user to loan a plurality of Internet of Things (IoT) devices associated with a first user account to a second user, establishing a secure communication channel between an IoT service and an IoT app on an IoT device used by the second user, and receiving an identification code from the IoT app to provide the IoT app access to the plurality of IoT devices over the secure communication channel, wherein the IoT app is to capture the identification code from an optical code, the IoT service to use the identification code to identify the plurality of IoT devices, wherein the IoT service prevents access to the plurality of IoT devices by the first user while the second user has access to the IoT devices. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving a command submitted by a first user to loan a plurality of Internet of Things (IoT) devices associated with a first user account to a second user; establishing a secure communication channel between an IoT service and an IoT app on an IoT device used by the second user; and sending an identification code from the IoT app to the IoT service to provide the IoT app access to the plurality of IoT devices over the secure communication channel, wherein the IoT app is to capture the identification code from an optical code, the IoT service to use the identification code to identify the plurality of IoT devices, wherein the IoT service prevents access to the IoT devices by the first user while the second user has access to the IoT devices. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the optical code is a QR code displayed by the first user or received on the second IoT device via an electronic message. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein the first user is to initially associate the plurality of IoT devices with the identification code. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 wherein the identification code is printed and displayed at a property location where the IoT devices are configured and/or emailed or texted to the second user. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the command submitted by the first user includes a time period during which the IoT devices are to be loaned to the second user. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 further comprising: transferring control of the IoT devices back to the first user after the time period has ended. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting an association ID read from the IoT device to the IoT service, the IoT service identifying a device ID associated with the association ID and using the device ID to establish a secure connection between the IoT service and the IoT device. ### Claim 8 A system comprising: an Internet of Things (IoT) service to receive a command submitted by a first user to loan a plurality of IoT devices associated with a first user account to a second user; the IoT service to establish a secure communication channel between the IoT service and an IoT app on an IoT device used by the second user; and wherein the IoT app is to send an identification code from the IoT app to the IoT service to provide the IoT app access to the plurality of IoT devices over the secure communication channel, wherein the IoT app is to capture the identification code from an optical code, the IoT service to use the identification code to identify the plurality of IoT devices, wherein the IoT service prevents access to the IoT devices by the first user while the second user has access to the IoT devices. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8 wherein the optical code is a QR code displayed by the first user or received on the second IoT device via an electronic message. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9 wherein the first user is to initially associate the plurality of IoT devices with the identification code on the IoT service. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10 wherein the identification code is printed and displayed at a property location where the IoT devices are configured and/or emailed or texted to the second user. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8 wherein the command submitted by the first user includes a time period during which the IoT devices are to be loaned to the second user. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12 wherein the IoT service is further to transfer control of the IoT devices back to the first user after the time period has ended. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8 wherein the IoT service is further to identify a device ID associated with an association ID read from the IoT device and use the device ID to establish a secure connection between the IoT service and the IoT device. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of: receiving a command submitted by a first user to loan a plurality of Internet of Things (IoT) devices associated with a first user account to a second user; establishing a secure communication channel between an IoT service and an IoT app on an IoT device used by the second user; and receiving an identification code from the IoT app to provide the IoT app access to the plurality of IoT devices over the secure communication channel, wherein the IoT app is to capture the identification code from an optical code, the IoT service to use the identification code to identify the plurality of IoT devices, wherein the IoT service prevents access to the plurality of IoT devices by the first user while the second user has access to the IoT devices. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein the optical code is a QR code displayed by the first user or received on the second IoT device via an electronic message. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 wherein the first user is to initially associate the plurality of IoT devices with the identification code. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the identification code is printed and displayed at a property location where the IoT devices are configured and/or emailed or texted to the second user. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein the command submitted by the first user includes a time period during which the IoT devices are to be loaned to the second user. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to perform the step of: transfer control of the IoT devices back to the first user after the time period has ended.