# US 11,908,255 B2 · Power connection for smart lock devices

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- Number: US 11,908,255 B2
- Document ID: US11908255B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/947,746
- Filed: 2022-09-19
- Published: 2023-01-19
- Granted: 2024-02-20
- Earliest claimed: 2019-07-19
- Assignees: Alarm.com Incorporated
- Applicants: Alarm.com Incorporated
- Inventors: John Varn; Dean Constantine; Donald Gerard Madden
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11908255B2

## CPC

- G05B 15/02: electric
- G07C 9/00174: {Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys (mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00)}
- G05B 19/042: using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence)
- G07C 9/00944: {Details of construction or manufacture}
- G08B 21/182: {Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold}
- H01R 13/11: Resilient sockets (carrying separate resilient parts H01R13/15)
- G05B 2219/2639: Energy management, use maximum of cheap power, keep peak load low
- G05B 2219/2642: Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
- G07C 9/00571: {operated by interacting with a central unit}
- G07C 2009/00634: {Power supply for the lock}
- G07C 2209/62: Comprising means for indicating the status of the lock
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- 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
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
- H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS

## Abstract

A power connection for a smart lock device including a strike plate that is mounted to a door frame, the strike plate having one or more spring contacts in a recessed portion of the strike plate, a back portion of the strike plate that is connected to a power source, wherein the one or more spring contacts in the recessed portion of the strike plate are connected to the power source via an electrical wiring, and a smart lock device that is mounted to a door, the smart lock device including a deadbolt that is configured to extend from a side portion of the door, where the one or more spring contacts in the recessed portion of the strike plate are configured to align with one or more conductive segments of the deadbolt.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system comprising:
a connected door hinge that is configured to open and close a door, the connected door hinge comprising:
a first plate that is connected to a door frame;
a second plate that is connected to the door; and
a telescopic rod that is connected to the second plate, and that is configured to extend across to the first plate; and
a monitoring control unit that is configured to perform operations comprising:
receiving status data from a smart lock device that has a power connection and is mounted to the door, wherein the status data includes data indicating a power level of the smart lock device and whether the door is opened or closed;
in response to receiving the status data from the smart lock device, comparing the power level of the smart lock device to a threshold power level;
in response to comparing the power level of the smart lock device to the threshold power level, determining that the power level of the smart lock device does not satisfy the threshold power level; and
in response to determining that the power level of the smart lock device does not satisfy the threshold power level, transmitting an instruction to the connected door hinge to cause the telescopic rod to contract to close the door to allow the smart lock device to charge.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise in response to determining that a second power level of the smart lock device does not satisfy a second threshold power level, communicating a notification to a user device indicating that the second power level of the smart lock device does not satisfy the second threshold power level.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise
receiving second status data from the smart lock device;
in response to receiving the second status data from the smart lock device, comparing the power level of the smart lock device to the threshold power level;
in response to comparing the power level of the smart lock device to the threshold power level, determining that the power level satisfies the threshold power level; and
in response to determining that the power level of the smart lock device satisfies the threshold power level, transmitting an instruction to the connected door hinge to cause the telescopic rod to extend to open the door to end charging the smart lock device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise after transmitting the instruction to the connected door hinge to close the door to allow the smart lock device to charge, transmitting an instruction to the smart lock device to cause engaging a lock portion of a deadbolt to lock the smart lock device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the smart lock device is unlocked by disengaging the lock portion of the deadbolt when the smart lock device is fully charged.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise:
receiving data indicating that the smart lock device is locked and is charging; and
in response to receiving the data indicating that the smart lock device is locked and is charging, generating an audible alert.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise:
receiving sensor data from a sensor that is located in a room with the door that has the smart lock device mounted on the door;
using the sensor data, determining that a person is likely in the room; and
in response to determining that the person is likely in the room, determining to skip transmitting the instruction to the connected door hinge to close the door.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise:
receiving a timing schedule for opening and closing of one or more doors that have a corresponding smart lock device mounted on the one or more doors;
using a current time and the timing schedule, determining a first subset of the one or more doors to open, and a second subset of the one or more doors to close; and
in response to determining the first subset of the one or more door to open and the second subset of the one or more doors to close, transmitting an instruction to a corresponding connected door hinge on each of the one or more doors to open or close the one or more doors.

### Claim 9

A computer implemented method comprising:
receiving status data from a smart lock device that has a power connection and is mounted to a door, wherein the status data includes data indicating a power level of the smart lock device and whether the door is opened or closed;
in response to receiving the status data from the smart lock device, comparing the power level of the smart lock device to a threshold power level;
in response to comparing the power level of the smart lock device to the threshold power level, determining that the power level of the smart lock device does not satisfy the threshold power level; and
in response to determining that the power level of the smart lock device does not satisfy the threshold power level, transmitting an instruction to a connected door hinge to cause a telescopic rod, that extends across a first plate connected to a door frame and is connected to a second plate connected to the door, to contract to close the door to allow the smart lock device to charge.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising:
in response to determining that a second power level of the smart lock device does not satisfy a second threshold power level, communicating a notification to a user device indicating that the second power level of the smart lock device does not satisfy the second threshold power level.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, comprising:
receiving second status data from the smart lock device;
based on receiving the second status data from the smart lock device, comparing the power level of the smart lock device to the threshold power level;
in response to comparing the power level of the smart lock device to the threshold power level, determining that the power level satisfies the threshold power level; and
in response to determining the power level of the smart lock device satisfies the threshold power level, transmitting an instruction to the connected door hinge to cause the telescopic rod to extend to open the door to end charging the smart lock device.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising: after transmitting the instruction to the connected door hinge to close the door to allow the smart lock device to charge, transmitting an instruction to the smart lock device to cause engaging a lock portion of a deadbolt to lock the smart lock device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising:
receiving third status data from the smart lock device indicating that the smart lock device is fully charged; and
in response to receiving the third status data from the smart lock device indicating that the smart lock device is fully charged, transmitting an instruction to the smart lock device to cause disengaging the lock portion of the deadbolt to unlock the smart lock device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, comprising:
receiving data indicating that the smart lock device is locked and is charging; and
in response to receiving the data indicating that the smart lock device is locked and is charging, generating an audible alert.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, comprising:
receiving sensor data from a sensor that is located in a room with the door that has the smart lock device mounted on the door;
using the sensor data, determining that a person is likely in the room; and
in response to determining that the person is likely in the room, determining to skip transmitting the instruction to the connected door hinge to close the door.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, comprising:
receiving a timing schedule for opening and closing of one or more doors that have a corresponding smart lock device mounted on the one or more doors;
using a current time and the timing schedule, determining a first subset of the one or more doors to open, and a second subset of the one or more doors to close; and
in response to determining the first subset of the one or more door to open and the second subset of the one or more doors to close, transmitting an instruction to a corresponding connected door hinge on each of the one or more doors to open or close the one or more doors.

### Claim 17

A non-transitory computer storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
receiving status data from a smart lock device that has a power connection and is mounted to a door, wherein the status data includes data indicating a power level of the smart lock device and whether the door is opened or closed;
in response to receiving the status data from the smart lock device, comparing the power level of the smart lock device to a threshold power level;
in response to comparing the power level of the smart lock device to the threshold power level, determining that the power level of the smart lock device does not satisfy the threshold power level; and
in response to determining that the power level of the smart lock device does not satisfy the threshold power level, transmitting an instruction to a connected door hinge to cause a telescopic rod, that extends across a first plate connected to a door frame and is connected to a second plate connected to the door, to contract to close the door to allow the smart lock device to charge.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 17, the operations further comprise:
in response to determining that a second power level of the smart lock device does not satisfy a second threshold power level, communicating a notification to a user device indicating that the second power level of the smart lock device does not satisfy the second threshold power level.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 17, the operations comprise:
receiving second status data from the smart lock device;
based on receiving the second status data from the smart lock device, comparing the power level of the smart lock device to the threshold power level;
in response to comparing the power level of the smart lock device to the threshold power level, determining that the power level satisfies the threshold power level; and
in response to determining the power level of the smart lock device satisfies the threshold power level, transmitting an instruction to the connected door hinge to cause the telescopic rod to extend to open the door to end charging the smart lock device.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 17, the operations further comprise: after transmitting the instruction to the connected door hinge to close the door to allow the smart lock device to charge, transmitting an instruction to the smart lock device to cause engaging a lock portion of a deadbolt to lock the smart lock device.