# US 12,223,783 B2 · System and method for digitally providing access to an article > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,223,783 B2 - Document ID: US12223783B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/373,312 - Filed: 2023-09-27 - Published: 2024-01-18 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-21 - Assignees: Skeleton Key Systems, LLC - Applicants: Skeleton Key Systems, LLC - Inventors: Michael Burns; Adam Phillip Treiser; Adam Green; Eric Goldberg - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12223783B2 ## CPC - G07C 9/00182: {operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks} - G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders - G06Q 10/08744: {by distributed inventory management} - G06Q 10/0877: {by inventory control or reporting using inventory tracking or counting} - G06Q 20/203: {Inventory monitoring} - G06Q 20/227: {characterised in that multiple accounts are available, e.g. to the payer} - G06Q 20/4037: {Remote solvency checks} - G06Q 30/0635: {replenishment orders; recurring orders} - G07C 9/00309: {operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks} - G07C 9/00571: {operated by interacting with a central unit} - G07F 9/026: {for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty} - G07F 17/12: comprising lockable containers, e.g. for accepting clothes to be cleaned - 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 - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) ## Abstract In one embodiment, a system for digitally providing access to an article is disclosed. The system includes a locking unit to secure and article in a locked state and a server. The server generates a digital key associated with the article or the locking unit. When the digital key is provided to a portable electronic device of a user, the digital key enables the portable electronic device to alter the locking unit between the locked state and the unlocked state without the user paying for the article or authorizing payment for the article. Upon a first event, the digital key is assigned to the user and provided to the portable electronic device of the user. The first event includes the user initiating a request for access to the article or the digital key, and verification that the user satisfies a predetermined condition. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for digitally providing access to an article comprising: a locking unit configured to secure the article in a locked state, the locking unit being alterable between the locked state and an unlocked state; and a server configured to: generate a digital key associated with the article or the locking unit, the digital key being configured such that, when the digital key is provided to a portable electronic device of a user, the digital key enables the portable electronic device to alter the locking unit between the locked state and the unlocked state without the user paying for the article or authorizing payment for the article; upon a first event, assign the digital key to the user and cause the assigned digital key to be provided to the portable electronic device of the user to enable the portable electronic device to alter the locking unit between the locked state and the unlocked state; wherein the first event comprises the user initiating a request for access to the article or the digital key, and verification that the user satisfies a predetermined condition; and wherein the first event does not comprise a payment for the article or an authorization of payment for the article. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the server is further configured to un-assign the digital key from the user based on a second event such that the digital key is no longer usable by the user for causing the locking unit to alter between the locked state and the unlocked state, wherein the first event and the second event are different events. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2 wherein the first event comprises an initiation of a purchase of the article and the second event comprises at least one of a purchase of the article or a return of an article. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2: wherein the user is a potential purchaser; and wherein the second event comprises at least one of the purchase of the article, the return of the article to the locking unit, the elapsing of a predetermined amount of time, the movement outside a predetermined geographical area, or a predetermined number of uses of the digital key. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined condition is a predetermined financial condition of the potential purchaser. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the first event further comprises authentication of the identity of the user initiating the request for access. ### Claim 7 A method for digitally providing access to an article, the method comprising: generating a digital key associated with an article or a locking unit, wherein the article is secured by the locking unit in a locked state, and the locking unit is alterable between the locked state and an unlocked state, and wherein the digital key being is configured such that, when the digital key is provided to a portable electronic device of a user, the digital key enables the portable electronic device to alter the locking unit between the locked state and the unlocked state without the user paying for the article or authorizing payment for the article; upon a first event, assigning the digital key to the user and causing the assigned digital key to be provided to the portable electronic device of the user to enable the portable electronic device to alter the locking unit between the locked state and the unlocked state; wherein the first event comprises the user initiating a request for access to the article or the digital key, and verification that the user satisfies a predetermined condition; and wherein the first event does not comprise a payment for the article or an authorization of payment for the article; providing the assigned digital key to a portable electronic device of the user to enable the user's portable electronic device to cause the locking unit to alter between the locked state and the unlocked state. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 further comprising un-assigning the digital key from the user based on a second event such that the digital key is no longer usable by the user for causing the locking unit to alter between the locked state and the unlocked state, wherein the first event and the second event are different events. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the first event is an initiation of a purchase of the article and the second event comprises at least one of a purchase of the article or a return of an article. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the first event comprises an initiation of a purchase of the article and the second event comprises at least one of a purchase of the article or a return of an article. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9: wherein the user is a potential purchaser; and wherein the second event comprises at least one of the purchase of the article, the return of the article to the locking unit, the elapsing of a predetermined amount of time, the movement outside a predetermined geographical area, or a predetermined number of uses of the digital key. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein the predetermined condition is a predetermined financial condition of the potential purchaser. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein the first event further comprises authentication of the identity of the user initiating the request for access. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein the digital key is associated with a serial number of the article. ### Claim 15 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein the digital key is transferable amongst a plurality of stores. ### Claim 16 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7: wherein the digital key is further configured to cause the locking unit to alter between the locked state and the unlocked stated based on a role of the user; wherein the role of the user is (a) a user authorized to purchase the article or a user authorized to return the article; or (b) an employee of a store. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein the digital key is further configured to cause the locking unit to alter between the locked state and the unlocked stated based on a sub-role of the user, the sub-role comprising at least one of an associate of the store, a manager of the store, or an owner of the store. ### Claim 18 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein, while the digital key is assigned to the user, the digital key is not assigned to another user. ### Claim 19 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7: wherein, upon the digital key being assigned to the user based on the first event, the digital key is stored locally on the portable electronic device of the user; and wherein the digital key is useable only for one transaction. ### Claim 20 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein the digital key is associated with an identifier for the article.