# US 2021/0279983 A1 · Electronic lock pairing via passcode

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- Number: US 2021/0279983 A1
- Document ID: US20210279983A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/195,245
- Filed: 2021-03-08
- Published: 2021-09-09
- Earliest claimed: 2020-03-09
- Assignees: ASSA ABLOY Americas Residential Inc.
- Applicants: Spectrum Brands, Inc.
- Inventors: Derek Imanuel; Kevin Pasma
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210279983A1

## CPC

- G07C 9/00309: {operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks}
- G07C 9/215: {the system having a variable access-code, e.g. varied as a function of time}
- H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
- G07C 9/0069: {actuated in a predetermined sequence}
- G07C 2009/00396: {starting with prompting the keyless data carrier}
- G07C 2009/00769: {with data transmission performed by wireless means}
- 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

Secure passcode-triggered wireless communication pairing of a mobile device with an electronic lock is provided. The passcode is a limited-use (e.g., one time use, useful for a limited time span) pairing passcode that may be generated at the electronic lock or by an application executing on an administrative user's mobile device that can be communicated to a guest user as part of an invitation to connect to the electronic lock. The pairing passcode is not a lock actuation passcode and cannot be used to actuate the electronic lock from a locked to an unlocked position. Rather, the pairing passcode enables the guest user to pair a mobile device with the electronic lock and, once paired, to use an application executing on the guest user's mobile device to actuate the electronic lock.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electronic lock comprising:
a latch assembly including a bolt movable between a locked position and an unlocked position;
a motor configured to receive actuation commands causing the motor to move the bolt from the locked position to the unlocked position or from the unlocked position to the locked position;
a keypad for receiving a user input;
a wireless circuit configured to communicate wirelessly with an application installed on a mobile device;
at least one processor;
a memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor, the memory storing a pairing passcode and instructions which, when executed, cause the electronic lock to:
receive, via the keypad, user input of the pairing passcode, wherein the pairing passcode is provided to a guest user via the application installed on the mobile device responsive to an invitation provided to the guest user initiated by an administrative user account associated with the electronic lock; and
enter into a wireless communication pairing mode that enables the electronic lock to pair with the mobile device when the mobile device is within wireless communication range of the electronic lock.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electronic lock of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the electronic lock to:
pair with the mobile device;
receive an actuation command from the application installed on the mobile device; and
perform the actuation command to cause the motor to move the bolt from the locked position to the unlocked position or from the unlocked position to the locked position.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The electronic lock of claim 1, wherein the pairing passcode is a limited-use passcode.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The electronic lock of claim 1, wherein the pairing passcode, when input via the keypad, is not operable to actuate locking or unlocking functionalities of the electronic lock.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The electronic lock of claim 1, wherein:
the wireless communication is Bluetooth communication; and
the mobile device is a Bluetooth-enabled device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The electronic lock of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the electronic lock to generate the pairing passcode.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The electronic lock of claim 1, wherein, prior to receiving user input of the pairing passcode, the instructions further cause the electronic lock to:
communicate with a paired administrative user mobile device associated with the administrative user account via a wireless communication channel;
receive, from the mobile device, the pairing passcode; and
store the pairing passcode.

### Claim 8

A method for providing secure passcode-triggered wireless communication pairing of a mobile device with an electronic lock, comprising:
generating a pairing passcode;
storing the pairing passcode;
receiving, via a keypad, user input of the pairing passcode, wherein the pairing passcode is provided to a guest user via an application installed on the mobile device responsive to an invitation provided to the guest user initiated by an administrative user associated with the electronic lock;
entering into a wireless communication pairing mode; and
establishing a wireless communication channel with the mobile device when the mobile device is within wireless communication range of the electronic lock.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising:
receiving an actuation command, via the wireless communication channel, from the application installed on the mobile device; and
performing the actuation command.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising:
after establishing the wireless communication channel with the mobile device:
disabling the pairing passcode;
generating a new pairing passcode; and
storing the new pairing passcode.

### Claim 11

A system for providing secure passcode-triggered wireless communication pairing of a mobile device with an electronic lock, the system comprising:
at least one processor;
a memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor, the memory storing instructions which, when executed, cause the system to:
provide, on a first mobile device, a user interface;
receive, via the user interface, a selection to allow a guest user to pair a second mobile device with an electronic lock;
receive, via the user interface, contact information associated with the guest user;
generate an invitation link associated with the electronic lock;
send a message including the invitation link to the second mobile device using the contact information associated with the guest user, wherein the invitation link, when selected, allows the second mobile device to:
install an application to operate on the second mobile device;
use the application to create a guest user account associated with the electronic lock; and
use the application to display a pairing passcode associated with the electronic lock that, when entered using a keypad of the electronic lock, initiates a wireless communication pairing mode that enables the electronic lock to pair with the second mobile device when the mobile device is within wireless communication range of the electronic lock.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein:
pairing the electronic lock with the second mobile device allows the application operating on the second mobile device to communicate with the electronic lock via a wireless communication channel; and
wherein, via the wireless communication channel, the application is configured to communicate a guest user-selected command to control a functionality associated with the electronic lock.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the selection to allow the guest user to pair the second mobile device with the electronic lock is received from an administrative user associated with the electronic lock.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions further cause the system to:
in response to a request for a new pairing passcode, generate the new pairing passcode; and
when the first mobile device is within wireless communication range of the electronic lock, send the new pairing passcode to the electronic lock.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions further cause the system to:
when the electronic lock is Wi-Fi-enabled, send the new pairing passcode to an administrative user account on a server to be stored in association with the electronic lock and to be sent to the electronic lock via a Wi-Fi connection.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions further cause the system to:
send the contact information associated with the guest user to an administrative user account on a server to be stored in association with the electronic lock such that when the application is installed on the second mobile device using the invitation link, the guest user account is automatically populated with the contact information associated with the guest user.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions further cause the system to:
receive, via the user interface, an access control option for the guest user; and
when the guest user account is created, associating the access control option with the guest user account.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the access control option includes an option to allow the guest user to create an actuation passcode that, when entered using the keypad of the electronic lock, actuates a bolt of the electronic lock to move between a locked position and an unlocked position.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the pairing passcode is not operable to control locking or unlocking functionalities of the electronic lock.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein:
the wireless communication is Bluetooth communication; and
the mobile device is a Bluetooth-enabled device.