Patent Application
20140260447
A real-estate lock box is shaped to be secured to a doorknob or other structure attached to a property. The lock box contains a key to a home, apartment, office or other locked portion of real estate property. To obtain the key, a user of the lock box uses another manual key, a security code or a swipe card to open the lock box and obtain the key to the property. The property can then be accessed using the key to the property. After accessing the property, the key is returned to the lock box to be available for the next user.
In the following description and Figures, embodiments of door entry device 11 are illustrated as interacting with a dead bolt. However, as will be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art, door entry device 11 could also be a door knob or other door entry device that utilizes a key.
As illustrated by
Specifically, lock ring 33 includes a portion 41 and a portion 42. The two portions of lock ring 33 allow for lock ring 33 to be placed between door 10 and outside deadbolt part 31 without completely removing deadbolt part 31 from door 10. A locking mechanism 43 with a groove 44 is used to lock door entry device 11 to lock ring 33 so that door entry device 11 is secured in place over deadbolt part 31.
When clutch motor 57 is active, the clutch within key holder 52 is engaged so that knob 13 turns key holder 52. When clutch motor 57 is not active, the clutch within key holder 52 is disengaged so that knob 13 spins freely in the counter clockwise direction without turning key holder 52.
For example, it is possible to remove door entry device 11 from covering outside dead bolt portion 31 by entering into keyboard 12 first the currently active security code and then the code for release door entry device 11. For example, when the code to release door entry device 11 is entered a small bolt motor within door entry device 11 removes the spring loaded bolt from slot 44 allowing counter-clockwise rotation of door entry device 11 into a release position. For example, the small bolt motor is an Amico DC 4.5V 0.75 A Pull Type Open Frame 4 mm 29Gf Solenoid Electromagnet, or other suitable device that can act as a small bolt motor.
Alternatively, a user can loosen screws 22 behind inside dead bolt part 21 located on an inside of door 10 (shown in
In order to accommodate deadbolts or other door locking devices of different heights, key holder 52 can be adjusted. For example, when the deadbolt has a shallow height or is flush to door 10, key holder 52 is in a fully closed position so that slot 59 is located in a position to receive key 32 when door entry device 11 is locked in place over outside dead bolt portion 31. In this case, for example, a telescoping portion 72, a telescoping portion 73, a telescoping portion 74 and a telescoping portion 75 are in a closed position, as shown in
For example, when the deadbolt or other door locking device has a large height, key holder 52 is in a fully open position so that slot 59 is located in a position to receive key 32 when door entry device 11 is locked in place over outside dead bolt portion 31. In this case, for example, telescoping portion 72, telescoping portion 73, telescoping portion 74 and telescoping portion 75 are in a fully open position, as shown in
For example, when the deadbolt or other door locking device has a medium height, key holder 52 is in a partially open position so that slot 59 is located in a position to receive key 32 when door entry device 11 is locked in place over outside dead bolt portion 31. In this case, for example, telescoping portion 72 and telescoping portion 73 are in an open position while telescoping portion 74 and telescoping portion 75 are in a closed position, as shown in
Once door entry device 11 is locked in place, a user desiring to enter a property can do so by entering a currently active security code on keyboard 12. For example, an appropriate security code may be 4 to 8 digits or some other number of digits or other selections on keyboard 12. Once the currently active security code is entered, clutch motor 57 is activated. As a result, the clutch within key holder 52 is engaged so that knob 13 turns key holder 52. The user can then turn key holder 52 in a counter clockwise direction, thereby also turning key 32 in the key hole within outside deadbolt part 31. This unlocks door 10 allowing the user to enter the property.
A short while after being activated, clutch motor 57 is deactivated so that the clutch within key holder 52 is disengaged so that knob 13 spins freely in the counterclockwise direction without turning key holder 52. In one embodiment, when the clutch within key holder 52 is disengaged, knob 13 also spins freely in the clockwise direction without turning key holder 52 so that it is necessary to re-enter the currently active security code on keyboard 12 in order to use key 32 to lock door 10 from the outside. In another embodiment, when the clutch within key holder 52 is disengaged, knob 13 turning in the clockwise direction turns key holder 52 enough so that it is possible to use key 32 to lock door 10 from the outside without re-entering the currently active security code on keyboard 12.
In one embodiment, the currently active security code for door entry device 11 changes periodically. For example, the currently active security code can be changed once a day. Alternatively, the frequency of change can be selected as appropriate to particular circumstances. For example, the currently active security code can change more frequency, for example, once per hour or even more often, when only a short amount of access for each user is desirable. This may be convenient, for example, for a property manager allowing a prospective renter a brief access to inspect a potential rental. Alternatively, the currently active security code can change less frequency, for example once per week when a vacation rental is rented to a user for a week, in order for a renter to need know only one single security code to enter a rental property for the entire term of the rental.
A pattern by which a currently active security code is selected may be pseudo random, for example, selected by a hashing algorithm or some other algorithm or stored data. For example, door entry device 11 is synchronized with a server so that an internal clock within door entry device 11 is synchronized with time kept by the server and wherein the hashing algorithm, other algorithm or stored data is synchronized and initialized to be used both by door entry device and the server. In this way, the server can always correctly predict the currently active security code for door entry device 11 without the need of any wireless or wired connection between door entry device 11 and the server. A user, if granted permission, can access the currently active security code for door entry device 11 from the server. Then, all a user needs to unlock and access a property is the currently active security code obtained from the server.
For example, within keypad 12 resides a processor such as an Atmega328P available from Atmel Corporation. The processor is able to receive and recognize the currently active security code. In addition, once the currently active security code has been recognized, other instructions may be given to the processor through keypad 12. The instructions can be, for example, a command to reset a security code generating algorithm, a command specifying a frequency with which the security code is changed, a command making a particular security code permanent, a command revoking a previous command to make the particular security code permanent, a command to remove the spring loaded bolt from slot 44 allowing counter-clockwise rotation of door entry device 11 into a release position, or some other command.
The foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplary methods and embodiments. As will be understood by those familiar with the art, the disclosed subject matter may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or characteristics thereof. Accordingly, the present disclosure is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention, which will be set forth in claims.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61789117 | Mar 2013 | US |
