# US 12,112,592 B2 · System and method of device identification

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- Number: US 12,112,592 B2
- Document ID: US12112592B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/446,881
- Filed: 2021-09-03
- Published: 2022-03-10
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2020-09-09
- Assignees: Carrier Corporation
- Applicants: Carrier Corporation
- Inventors: Ramesh Lingala; Suresh Raju Bethalam
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12112592B2

## CPC

- G07C 9/00896: {specially adapted for particular uses}
- G07C 9/00912: {for safes, strong-rooms, vaults or the like}
- G07C 9/00309: {operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks}
- G07C 9/27: with central registration
- H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
- E05B 19/0005: {Key safes (E05B35/086 takes precedence)}
- G07C 2009/00936: {for key cabinets}
- H04L 63/08: {for authentication of entities (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32)}
- 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
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- E05B: LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

A system and method for identifying a lock box, including a lock box corresponding to a property, the lock box having a communication module embedded therein for wirelessly receiving, storing and communicating identifying information associated with at least one of the lock box and the property, and for controlling access to the property by providing a mechanical or electronic key to a user; a mobile device configured to receive at least one of the identifying information and an image representative of the identifying information, when the lock box and the mobile device are at a distance to communicate by one of Bluetooth®, infrared, NFC, Wi-Fi, Zigbee® and radio signals; and a server configured to communicate with at least one of the mobile device and the lock box.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for identifying a lock box, the system comprising:
a lock box corresponding to a property, the lock box having a communication module embedded therein for wirelessly receiving, storing and communicating identifying information associated with the lock box and the property, and for controlling access to the property by providing a mechanical or electronic key to a user, wherein the communication module is configured to be activated responsive to locking and/or unlocking a lock box shackle;
a mobile device configured to communicate with the communication module of the lock box when the lock box and the mobile device are at a distance to communicate by one of Bluetooth®, infrared, NFC, Wi-Fi, Zigbee® and radio signals, wherein responsive to establishing communication with the lock box, the mobile device receives the identifying information and an image comprising an augmented reality overlay representative of the identifying information; and
a server configured to communicate with the mobile device and the lock box, the server comprising:
a processing system comprising one or more processors;
a lock box information database; and
a memory system comprising one or more computer-readable media, wherein the computer-readable media contain instructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to perform operations comprising:
storing the identifying information in the lock box information database;
associating the identifying information with the property and the lock box;
receiving the identifying information from the mobile device;
updating the lock box information database based on the identifying information received from the mobile device;
generating an image comprising an augmented reality overlay, from the identifying information; and
sending the identifying information and the image, comprising the augmented reality overlay, to the mobile device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the property comprises at least one of commercial real property, residential real property, and non-real estate property comprising vehicles, marine vessels, heavy equipment, and machinery.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the identifying information comprises one or more of: lock box ownership; a unique identifier associated with at least one of the lock box, the mobile device, and the property; a geographic location of at least one of the property and the lockbox; at least one of an image, a video, an anchor point, and an external link associated with at least one of the lock box and the property; a geographic location of other lock boxes within a geographic area; and augmented reality content.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the augment reality content comprises at least one of text, graphics, pictures, still images, videos, illustrations, and external links, corresponding to at least one of the property and the lock box.

### Claim 5

An apparatus comprising:
a lock box corresponding to a property, the lock box having a communication module embedded therein for wirelessly receiving, storing and communicating identifying information associated with at least one of the lock box and the property, and for controlling access to the property by providing a mechanical or electronic key to a user, wherein
the communication module is configured to be activated responsive to locking and/or unlocking a lock box shackle,
the communication module is configured to communicate with a mobile device
when the lock box and the mobile device are at a distance to communicate by one of Bluetooth®, infrared, NFC, Wi-Fi, Zigbee® and radio signals, and
wherein, responsive to establishing a communication between the lock box and the mobile device, the mobile device is configured to receive the identifying information and an image comprising an augmented reality overlay representative of the identifying information.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the property comprises at least one of commercial real property, residential real property, and non-real estate property comprising vehicles, marine vessels, heavy equipment, and machinery.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the identifying information comprises a geographic location of other lock boxes within a geographic area.

### Claim 8

A method for identifying a lock box, the method comprising:
deploying the lock box corresponding to a property;
activating, a lock box communication module for wirelessly receiving, storing and communicating identifying information associated with the lock box and the property, wherein activation of the communication module is responsive to locking and/or unlocking a lock box shackle;
establishing a communication between a mobile device and the lock box and a lock management server, when the lock box and the mobile device are at a distance to communicate by one of Bluetooth®, infrared, NFC, Wi-Fi, Zigbee® and radio signals;
receiving on the mobile device, the identifying information and an image, comprising an augmented reality overlay, representative of the identifying information from at least one of the lock box and the lock management server;
viewing on the mobile device, at least one of the lock box and the identifying information for identifying the lock box; and
unlocking the lock box and obtaining a lock box key by selecting at least one of the lock box and the identifying information displayed on the mobile device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein activating the lock box, comprises scanning at least one of a QR code and a bar code associated with the lock box, with the mobile device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the property comprises at least one of commercial real property, residential real property, and non-real estate property comprising vehicles, marine vessels, heavy equipment, and machinery.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the identifying information comprises one or more of: lock box ownership; a unique identifier associated with at least one of the lock box, the mobile device, and the property; at least one of an image, a video, an anchor point, and an external link associated with at least one of the lock box and the property.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the identifying information comprises augmented reality content, the augmented reality content comprising at least one of text, graphics, pictures, still images, videos, illustrations, and external links, corresponding to at least one of the property and the lock box.