# US 12,113,911 B1 · Method and apparatus for key printing

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- Number: US 12,113,911 B1
- Document ID: US12113911B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/946,793
- Filed: 2020-07-07
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2015-07-17
- Assignees: Marriott International, Inc.
- Applicants: Marriott International, Inc.
- Inventors: David M. Straitiff; Gregory J. Durrer; Suraj Saraf; Neil R. Schubert, III; Naveen Singhal; Nathan Van Orden
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12113911B1

## CPC

- H04L 9/0897: {involving additional devices, e.g. trusted platform module [TPM], smartcard or USB}
- H04L 9/3247: {involving digital signatures}
- G07C 9/00571: {operated by interacting with a central unit}
- G07C 9/00857: {where the code of the data carrier can be programmed}
- G07C 9/00896: {specially adapted for particular uses}
- H04L 9/0822: {using key encryption key}
- H04L 63/061: {for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838)}
- H04L 63/0853: {using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234)}
- H04W 12/04: Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
- G07C 9/00904: {for hotels, motels, office buildings or the like}
- H04L 2209/80: Wireless
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- 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)

## Abstract

System and methods for key printing may include a control panel operable to receive a mobile device identifier from a mobile device. A property management system in communication with the control panel may assign or allocate a room in a hotel to a guest. A lock server may be in communication with the property management system, the lock server may create a digital key. A virtual encoder may be in communication with the property management system and the lock server, the virtual encoder may transmit a room number, lock information, authorized zones, a start time, an expiration, and the digital key to the mobile device. A key printer may receive the digital key from the mobile device, authenticate the mobile device, and print a physical key based on the received digital key.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A key printing method for printing a physical key for access to one or more restricted areas of a lodging site, the method comprising:
receiving, by a lodging system, identification information from a mobile guest device;
establishing, by the lodging system, a connection with the mobile guest device based on the identification information received from the mobile guest device, wherein the identification information includes a device identifier of the mobile guest device;
assigning, by the lodging system, the one or more restricted areas of the lodging site for access;
transmitting, by the lodging system, a status of the assigned one or more restricted areas of the lodging site to a lodging application of the mobile guest device;
receiving, by the lodging system, a connection request transmitted from the mobile guest device using the lodging application;
establishing, by the lodging system, an exclusive connection with the mobile guest device;
receiving, by the lodging system, a machine-readable bar code produced with the lodging application of the mobile guest device;
scanning, by the lodging system, the machine-readable bar code received from the lodging application of the mobile guest device;
authenticating, by the lodging system, the mobile guest device based on the scanned machine-readable bar code, wherein authenticating the mobile guest device, by the lodging system:
encrypting, by the lodging system, a random number with a shared key, wherein the hash value of the number includes a hash value of the random number;
transmitting, by the lodging system, the random number as a challenge to the mobile guest device;
receiving, by the lodging system, the hash value of the random number from the mobile guest device, wherein the random number is decrypted using the shared key by the mobile guest device; and
authenticating, by the lodging system, the mobile guest device based on the hash value of the random number received from the mobile guest device; and
printing, by the lodging system, a physical key for the access to the assigned one or more restricted areas of the lodging site based on the authentication of the mobile guest device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The key printing method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving, by the lodging system, credential information from the mobile guest device, wherein authenticating the mobile guest device, by the lodging system, comprises validating the mobile guest device based on the identification information received and the credential information received from the mobile guest device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The key printing method of claim 2, wherein validating the mobile guest device further includes decrypting a shared key and authenticating the mobile guest device based on the shared key.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The key printing method of claim 1, wherein the physical key comprises one of a magnetic stripe, an RFID card, or a machine-readable bar code card.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The key printing method of claim 1, wherein the physical key is produced while offline.

### Claim 6

A physical key printing system for printing a physical key for access to one or more restricted areas of a lodging site, the physical key printing system comprising:
a check-in computer system configured to:
receive identification information from a mobile guest device;
establish a connection with the mobile guest device based on the identification information received from the mobile guest device, wherein the identification information includes a device identifier of the mobile guest device;
assign the one or more restricted areas of the lodging site for access; and
transmit a status of the assigned one or more restricted areas of the lodging site to a lodging application of the mobile guest device; and
a key printing system configured to:
receive a connection request transmitted from the mobile guest device using the lodging application;
establish an exclusive connection with the mobile guest device;
receive a machine-readable code produced with the lodging application of the mobile guest device;
scan the machine-readable code received from the lodging application of the mobile guest device;
authenticate the mobile guest device based on the scanned machine-readable code, wherein authenticating the mobile guest device comprises:
encrypting a random number with a shared key;
transmitting the random number as a challenge to the mobile guest device;
receiving the hash value of the random number from the mobile guest device, wherein the random number is decrypted using the shared key by the mobile guest device; and
authenticating the mobile guest device based on the hash value of the random number received from the mobile guest device; and
print a physical key for the access to the assigned one or more restricted areas of the lodging site based on the authentication of the mobile guest device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The physical key printing system of claim 6, wherein the key printing system is further configured to:
receive credential information from the mobile guest device, and
validate the mobile guest device based on the identification information received and the credential information received from the mobile guest device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The physical key printing system of claim 7, wherein the mobile guest device is validated based on the key printing system further configured to:
decrypt a shared key; and
authenticate the mobile guest device based on the shared key.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The physical key printing system of claim 6, wherein the physical key comprises one of a magnetic stripe, an RFID card, or a machine-readable code card.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The physical key printing system of claim 6, wherein the physical key is produced while offline.

### Claim 11

A key printing system for access to one or more restricted areas of a temporary dwelling site by printing a physical key, the key printing system comprising:
a kiosk comprising:
a physical key printer;
a receiver configured to receive identification information from a mobile device;
at least one processor; and
at least one memory coupled with the at least one processor, wherein the at least
one processor and the at least one memory are configured to:
establish a connection with the mobile device based on the identification information received from the mobile device, wherein the identification information includes a device identifier of the mobile device;
assign the one or more restricted areas of the temporary dwelling site for access; and
transmit a status of the assigned one or more restricted areas of the temporary dwelling site to a lodging application of the mobile device;
establish an exclusive connection with the mobile device based on a connection request transmitted from the mobile device using the lodging application;
receive a machine-readable code produced with the lodging application of the mobile device;
scan the machine-readable code received from the lodging application of the mobile device;
authenticate the mobile device based on the scanned machine-readable code, wherein authenticating the mobile device comprises:
encrypting a random number with a shared key;
transmiting the random number as a challenge to the mobile device;
receiving the hash value of the random number from the mobile device, wherein the random number is decrypted using the shared key by the mobile device; and
authenticating the mobile device based on the hash value of the random number received from the mobile device; and
print a physical key for the access to the assigned one or more restricted areas of the temporary dwelling site using the physical key printer based on the authentication of the mobile device.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The key printing system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor and the at least one memory are configured to receive credential information from the mobile device, wherein authentication of the mobile device comprises validating the mobile device based on the identification information received and the credential information received from the mobile device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The key printing system of claim 12, wherein the validation of the mobile device further includes decrypting a shared key and authenticating the mobile device based on the shared key.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The key printing system of claim 11, wherein the physical key comprises one of a magnetic stripe, an RFID card, or a machine-readable code card.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The key printing system of claim 11, wherein the physical key is produced while offline.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The key printing system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor and the at least one memory are further configured to:
determine a signal strength of the mobile device, wherein the signal strength of the mobile device is based on a distance of the mobile device to the receiver; and
establish the exclusive connection with the mobile device based on the signal strength.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The key printing system of claim 11, wherein the status of the assigned one or more restricted areas of the temporary dwelling site transmitted to the lodging application of the mobile device includes:
a notification related to accessibility of the assigned one or more restricted areas, and
an instruction on producing the machine-readable code using the lodging application.
