The described embodiments relate generally to wireless communication, including methods and apparatus to support scheduled access control for an electronic lock. An initiating central wireless device can obtain an ephemeral identity resolving key (IRK) to use in resolving an ephemeral resolvable private address (RPA) of a peripheral wireless device. The initiating central wireless device can subsequently connect securely to the peripheral wireless device in order to unlock an electronic lock controlled by the peripheral wireless device to gain access, e.g., to an accessible location, during a scheduled time period.
Recent technological advances have integrated various wireless radio access technologies (RATs) into single, multi-functional wireless devices. Specialized single-function wireless devices are being replaced and/or supplemented by multi-functional wireless devices that can communicate using the various RATs. In addition, wireless communication capabilities are being integrated into a broad range of systems, including those that use traditional mechanical functions, such as access entry control for an accessible location or a vehicle. A user can pair a central wireless device, e.g., a smartphone, with a peripheral wireless device, e.g., an electronic lock, in order to control functions of the electronic lock, such as unlocking to grant access to a location and locking to restrict access to the location. The paired, central wireless device and electronic lock can allow for automatic unlocking and/or locking based on proximity of the paired, central wireless device to the electronic lock. Third-party services, such as delivery, cleaning, maintenance, or care-giving services, can be unable to access a location without knowledge of a secret key to resolve a private address of the electronic lock, where the private address changes over time to provide privacy protection.
The described embodiments relate generally to wireless communication, including methods and apparatus to support scheduled access control for an electronic lock. An initiating central wireless device can obtain an ephemeral identity resolving key (IRK) to use in resolving an ephemeral resolvable private address (RPA) of a peripheral wireless device, the ephemeral RPA being based on the ephemeral IRK. The initiating central wireless device can subsequently connect securely to the peripheral wireless device in order to unlock an electronic lock controlled by the peripheral wireless device to gain access, e.g., to an accessible location, during a scheduled time period. In the description, the electronic lock can be any form of lock or access control (including electric, electronic, electro-mechanical, software-controlled, alarmed, etc.) imposed to limit or otherwise restrict/control access to a resource, e.g., to a location, area, device, goods, etc.
Methods, devices, and apparatus to schedule access control for an access control mechanism, e.g., an electronic lock, embedded in a peripheral wireless device to allow a central wireless device to be granted access controlled by the peripheral wireless device are described herein. The access control mechanism can be installed in an access entry port, e.g., a door, of an accessible location, e.g., a room, a home, a garage, a storage locker, or the like. A user, during and/or after installation of the access control mechanism, can pair a user's central wireless device with the peripheral wireless device, e.g., based on a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) pairing process, to allow for engaging the access control mechanism (e.g., locking the lock) and disengaging the access control mechanism (e.g., unlocking the lock). The BLE pairing process can include establishment of a static shared secret key, e.g., an identity resolving key (IRK) and an exchange of authentication keys between the central wireless device and the peripheral wireless device to allow for proximity-based automatic control of the access control mechanism. Separate from the static IRK, the peripheral wireless device obtains an ephemeral IRK that can be used during a designated scheduled time period by one or more designated third parties. The ephemeral IRK can be generated by the peripheral wireless device or provided to the peripheral wireless device by and external entity. The ephemeral IRK can be provided to a central wireless device to be used by a service representative of a scheduled service that seeks to obtain access, e.g., to an accessible location, during the scheduled time period. The ephemeral IRK can be valid during the scheduled time period and may be invalid before and/or after the scheduled time period. The peripheral wireless device broadcasts an advertising packet that includes an ephemeral resolvable private address (RPA) that is based on the ephemeral IRK during the scheduled time period. The service representative's central wireless device can resolve the ephemeral RPA based on knowledge of the ephemeral IRK. The service representative's central wireless device can subsequently establish a secure BLE connection with the peripheral wireless device. In some embodiments, the central wireless device and the peripheral wireless device can perform a secure ranging setup to allow for secure proximity detection between the service representative's central wireless device and the peripheral wireless device. The peripheral wireless device can grant access, e.g., by disengaging the access control mechanism of the access entry port, in response to a request from the service representative's central wireless device after successful establishment of a secure BLE connection and/or based on a determination of proximity of the service representative's central wireless device to the peripheral wireless device after establishing the secure BLE connection. In some embodiments, the ephemeral IRK and associated ephemeral RPA are valid only for a limited time period, e.g., during the scheduled time period but not before or after the scheduled time period. In some embodiments, the ephemeral IRK and associated ephemeral RPA are valid only for a limited number of secure BLE connections established during the scheduled time period. In some embodiments, the ephemeral IRK and associated ephemeral RPA are valid only for a limited number of access control mechanism disengagements during the scheduled time period. In some embodiments, the peripheral wireless device generates the ephemeral IRK and provides the ephemeral IRK securely to the service representative's central wireless device, e.g., via a secure Internet Protocol (IP) connection to a network-based server associated with the service representative's central wireless device. In some embodiments, the network-based server associated with the service representative's central wireless device generates the ephemeral IRK and provides the ephemeral IRK to the service representative's central wireless device and to the peripheral wireless device. In some embodiments, an ephemeral IRK is provided to multiple central wireless devices used by different service representatives, e.g., that are associated with a common service for which access is sought during the scheduled time period or that are associated with distinct services each of which seeks access during the scheduled time period (or during non-overlapping or partially overlapping scheduled time periods). In some embodiments, distinct ephemeral IRKs are provided to different central wireless devices used by the same or by distinct services, and the peripheral wireless device broadcasts distinct advertising packets that include ephemeral RPAs based on respective ephemeral IRKs during respective scheduled time periods associated with each of the distinct ephemeral IRKs.
Other aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the described embodiments.
This Summary is provided merely for purposes of summarizing some example embodiments so as to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the subject matter described herein. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the above-described features are merely examples and should not be construed to narrow the scope of the subject matter described herein in any way. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter described herein will become apparent from the following Detailed Description, Figures, and Claims.
The disclosure will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements.
Representative applications of methods and apparatus according to the present application are described in this section. These examples are being provided solely to add context and aid in the understanding of the described embodiments. It will thus be apparent to one skilled in the art that the described embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps have not been described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the described embodiments. Other applications are possible, such that the following examples should not be taken as limiting.
In the following detailed description, references are made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the description and in which are shown, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in accordance with the described embodiments. Although these embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable one skilled in the art to practice the described embodiments, it is understood that these examples are not limiting; such that other embodiments may be used, and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the described embodiments.
The described embodiments relate generally to wireless communication, including methods and apparatus to support scheduled access control for an access entry mechanism, e.g., an electronic lock. An initiating central wireless device can obtain an ephemeral identity resolving key (IRK) to use in resolving an ephemeral resolvable private address (RPA) of a peripheral wireless device. The initiating central wireless device can subsequently connect securely to the peripheral wireless device in order to unlock an electronic lock controlled by the peripheral wireless device to gain access, e.g., to an accessible location, during a scheduled time period.
Methods, devices, and apparatus to schedule access control for an access control mechanism, e.g., an electronic lock, embedded in a peripheral wireless device to allow a central wireless device to be granted access controlled by the peripheral wireless device are described herein. The access control mechanism can be installed in an access entry port, e.g., a door, of the accessible location, e.g., a room, a home, a garage, a storage locker, or the like. A user, during and/or after installation of the access control mechanism that includes the peripheral wireless device embedded therein, can pair a user's central wireless device with the peripheral wireless device, e.g., based on a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) pairing process. After completion of the BLE pairing process, the user's central wireless device can be allowed to engage the access control mechanism (e.g., by locking the lock) and to disengage the access control mechanism (e.g., by unlocking the lock). The BLE pairing process can include establishment of a static secret key, e.g., an identity resolving key (IRK), shared between the user's central wireless device and the peripheral wireless device of the access control mechanism. The BLE pairing process can further include an exchange of authentication keys between the user's central wireless device and the peripheral wireless device to allow for proximity-based automatic control (e.g., locking and unlocking) of the access control mechanism.
The user can also seek to share access managed by the access control mechanism of the peripheral wireless device with one or more third parties, e.g., with a service representative of a scheduled service that seeks access during a scheduled time period. The user will not share the static IRK with the scheduled service in order to maintain control of access based on the static IRK. Instead, the user obtains and makes use of an ephemeral (temporary) IRK to be used by one or more third parties designated by the user during the scheduled time period. The peripheral wireless device obtains the ephemeral IRK that can be used during a designated scheduled time period by generating the ephemeral IRK or receiving the ephemeral IRK from another device via a secure communication channel. The ephemeral IRK can be provided to a central wireless device of a service representative for a scheduled service that seeks to obtain access, e.g., to an accessible location, during the scheduled time period. In some embodiments, the peripheral wireless device generates the ephemeral IRK and provides the ephemeral IRK securely to the service representative's central wireless device, e.g., via a secure Internet Protocol (IP) connection to a network-based server associated with the service representative's central wireless device. In some embodiments, the network-based server associated with the service representative's central wireless device generates the ephemeral IRK and provides the ephemeral IRK to the service representative's central wireless device and to the peripheral wireless device. In some embodiments, a third device, e.g., the user's central wireless device, generates the ephemeral IRK and provides the ephemeral IRK to the service representative's central wireless device and to the peripheral wireless device. The ephemeral IRK can be generated and/or provided in advance of the scheduled time period and/or during the scheduled time period in various embodiments. The scheduled time period may be adjusted in some embodiments. The ephemeral IRK can be valid during the scheduled time period.
The peripheral wireless device can broadcast one or more advertising packets that include an ephemeral resolvable private address (RPA) that is based on the ephemeral IRK during the scheduled time period. The peripheral wireless device can also broadcast one or more advertising packets that include a separate RPA based on the static IRK during the scheduled time period. The service representative's central wireless device cannot resolve the separate RPA based on the static IRK, as the representative's central wireless device lacks knowledge of the static IRK. The service representative's central wireless device can resolve the ephemeral RPA based on knowledge of the ephemeral IRK. The service representative's central wireless device can subsequently establish a secure BLE connection with the peripheral wireless device based on resolution of the ephemeral RPA. In some embodiments, the central wireless device and the peripheral wireless device can perform a secure ranging setup to allow for secure proximity detection between the service representative's central wireless device and the peripheral wireless device. The peripheral wireless device can grant access, e.g., by disengaging the access control mechanism of the access entry port, in response to a request from the service representative's central wireless device after successful establishment of a secure BLE connection and/or based on a determination of proximity of the service representative's central wireless device to the peripheral wireless device after the establishing the secure BLE connection.
In some embodiments, the ephemeral IRK and associated ephemeral RPA are valid only for a limited time period, e.g., during the scheduled time period but not before or after the scheduled time period. In some embodiments, the ephemeral IRK and associated ephemeral RPA are valid only for a limited number of secure BLE connections during the scheduled time period. In some embodiments, the ephemeral IRK and associated ephemeral RPA are valid only for a limited number of access control mechanism disengagements during the scheduled time period. In some embodiments, the ephemeral IRK becomes invalid the peripheral wireless device grants access. In some embodiments, before and/or during the scheduled time period, the service representative's central wireless device obtains an updated ephemeral IRK and replaces the ephemeral key with the updated ephemeral IRK before resolving the ephemeral RPA broadcast by the peripheral wireless device.
In some embodiments, an ephemeral IRK is provided to multiple central wireless devices, which can be used by different service representatives that can be associated with a common service for which access is sought during the scheduled time period, or which can be associated with distinct services each of which seeks access during one or more scheduled time periods. In some embodiments, the same ephemeral IRK is provided to multiple central wireless devices used by different service representatives during different scheduled time periods, which can be non-overlapping or overlapping in time. During respective scheduled time periods, the peripheral wireless device broadcasts ephemeral RPAs based on the ephemeral IRKs associated with their respective scheduled time periods. The peripheral wireless device can broadcast advertising packets that cycle through multiple ephemeral RPAs associated with multiple ephemeral IRKs to allow a service representative's central wireless device to receive an advertising packet that includes an ephemeral RPA associated with the ephemeral IRK that was previously provided to the service representative's central wireless device. In some embodiments, distinct ephemeral IRKs are provided to different central wireless devices used by the same service or used by distinct services, and the peripheral wireless device broadcasts advertising packets that include ephemeral RPAs based on the ephemeral IRKs during respective scheduled time periods associated with each of the distinct ephemeral IRKs. In some embodiments, each of the distinct ephemeral IRKs are valid for the same scheduled time period, while in other embodiments, each of the distinct ephemeral IRKs are valid for different, possibly overlapping, scheduled time periods. In some embodiments, use of the same ephemeral IRK or of distinct ephemeral IRKs can depend on the services that are scheduled to obtain access. In some embodiments, use of the same ephemeral IRK or of distinct ephemeral IRKs depends on a battery level of the access control mechanism. In some embodiments, the peripheral wireless device broadcasts fewer distinct ephemeral RPAs based on distinct ephemeral IRKs (including possibly a single ephemeral RPA based on a single ephemeral IRK) for lower battery levels (e.g., below a predetermined power threshold level) during one or more scheduled time periods. For example, the peripheral wireless device can provide a single ephemeral IRK to one or more services when the battery level of the peripheral wireless device is below the predetermined power threshold level and broadcast advertising packets that include a single ephemeral RPA based on the single ephemeral IRK during scheduled timed periods for each of the one or more services. This scenario allows for fewer distinct advertising packets to be broadcast during the scheduled time period, which can conserve battery power of the peripheral wireless device. In some embodiments, the peripheral wireless device is configured to allow for broadcasting a greater number of distinct ephemeral RPAs based on distinct ephemeral IRKs for higher battery levels (e.g., above a predetermined power threshold level) during one or more scheduled time periods. This scenario allows for greater privacy and security as each service is associated with a distinct, limited-use ephemeral IRK during the scheduled time period.
These and other embodiments are discussed below with reference to
The wireless device 102 can include a combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware to provide communication using a wireless personal area network (WPAN) 104, which can provide power efficient connections while operating over a limited distance. WPAN 104 connections can typically provide for connecting the wireless device 102 to peripheral and associated wireless devices, such as headsets, earpieces, supplemental display devices, and supplemental input/output devices, for example. A representative WPAN 104 can operate in accordance with a communication protocol specified by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) standards organization, for example Bluetooth® Classic and/or Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and/or by Apple Inc. such as an Apple Wireless Direct Link (AWDL).
The wireless device 102 can also include a combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware to provide communication using a WLAN 106 that can provide a higher data rate and a greater operating range than a WPAN 104. The wireless device 102 can include separate and/or shared hardware, software, and/or firmware elements for the WPAN 104 and the WLAN 106. Both the WPAN 104 and WLAN 106 can operate as “local” wireless networks. A representative WLAN 106 can operate in accordance with a communication protocol specified by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) standards organization, such as the IEEE 802.11 family of wireless standards, which in some versions can also be referred to as Wi-Fi®.
The wireless device 102 can also include additional hardware, software, and/or firmware to provide a wireless wide area network (WWAN) 108 capability, such as to interconnect with one or more cellular wireless networks. The wireless device 102 can provide a multitude of services using one or more connections through its wireless networking capabilities.
For a different central wireless device 102 that is not owned by the user associated with the peripheral wireless device 202, e.g., a service representative's central wireless device 102 for a scheduled service, the user can refrain from sharing the static IRK to maintain secrecy of the static IRK. Instead, as discussed further herein, the peripheral wireless device 202 can share an ephemeral (temporary) IRK with the service representative's central wireless device 102 via a secure out-of-band communication, i.e., via a different communication than via the WPAN 104. For example, the peripheral wireless device 202 can provide the ephemeral IRK via a secure Internet Protocol (IP) communication (not shown) to a backend server 208 associated with the scheduled service. The service representative's central wireless device 102 can obtain the shared ephemeral IRK from the backend server 208, e.g., via a WWAN 108, via a WLAN 106, or via another secure communication link (not shown).
During the scheduled time period, at 508, the peripheral wireless device 202 can broadcast a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) advertisement (advertising packet) that includes a resolvable private address (RPA) of the peripheral wireless device 202 based on a static IRK maintained by an owner of the peripheral wireless device 202. At 510, the service representative's central wireless device 502 can be unable to resolve the RPA based on the owner's static IRK, as the service representative's central wireless device 502 has no knowledge of the owner's static IRK. This contrasts with the process illustrated in
The process illustrated in
In some embodiments, the ephemeral IRK is provided to multiple different service representatives' central wireless devices used by different services for which the owner of the accessible location 206 seeks to grant access, e.g., to each of the different services, where each has a separate scheduled sharing time period that can be distinct, identical, or overlapping in time. In some embodiments, distinct ephemeral IRKs are provided to different services for granting access. In some embodiments, the peripheral wireless device 202 broadcasts different BLE advertisement messages that use different ephemeral IRKs to grant access to distinct service representatives' central wireless devices 502, which can occur during a common or overlapping schedule time period or during distinct scheduled time periods. In some embodiments, the peripheral wireless device 202 can use a common ephemeral IRK for distinct services based on a configuration or preference to conserve battery power level of the peripheral wireless device 202, e.g., when the peripheral wireless device 202 is operating below a predetermined threshold battery power level. Broadcasting fewer advertising packets that use different RPAs based on different IRKs (static and ephemeral) can conserve battery power for the peripheral wireless device 202. In some embodiments, the peripheral wireless device 202 can allow for use of distinct ephemeral IRKs for distinct services based on a battery power level of the peripheral wireless device 202, e.g., when the peripheral wireless device 202 is operating above a predetermined threshold battery power level. Broadcasting a greater number of advertising packets that use different RPAs based on different IRKs (static and ephemeral) can require more power for the peripheral wireless device 202 but can also increase security and privacy, as each service can be provided a distinct, identifiable, limited-use ephemeral IRK.
In some embodiments, the peripheral wireless device 202 restricts BLE connection establishment and/or access grants for a particular ephemeral IRK to a predetermined number of uses, e.g., one-time use only during the scheduled time period. In some embodiments, the peripheral wireless device 202 allows for multiple, distinct BLE connection establishments and/or access grants based on a particular ephemeral IRK during the scheduled sharing time period, e.g., to allow the service representative's central wireless device 502 to obtain access more than once during the scheduled sharing time period. In some embodiments, the ephemeral IRK is provided to the service representative's central wireless device during the scheduled time period rather than in advance of the scheduled time period. In some embodiments, the peripheral wireless device 202 updates the ephemeral IRK, e.g., by providing an updated ephemeral IRK to the service representative's central wireless device 502 before and/or during the scheduled time period, in which case the previously provided ephemeral IRK will not be used after the updated ephemeral IRK is sent. In some embodiments, the peripheral wireless device 202 provides the ephemeral IRK to the backend server 208 in advance of the scheduled sharing time period, but the backend server 208 only provides the ephemeral IRK to the service representative's central wireless device 502 during the scheduled time period.
In some embodiments, the ephemeral IRK is valid during the scheduled time period. In some embodiments, the ephemeral IRK is valid for a predetermined number of access control grants during the scheduled time period. In some embodiments, the predetermined number of access control grants permitted during the scheduled time period is one. In some embodiments, the ephemeral IRK becomes invalid after the peripheral wireless device grants access based on the ephemeral IRK. In some embodiments: i) the peripheral wireless device includes an electronic lock; ii) the access control mechanism is associated with the electronic lock; and iii) granting access includes configuring the electronic lock in an unlocked state. In some embodiments, the central wireless device 102 obtains the ephemeral IRK before the scheduled time period. In some embodiments, the central wireless device 102 obtains the ephemeral IRK during the scheduled time period. In some embodiments, the ephemeral IRK is generated by the peripheral wireless device 202 and is provided to the central wireless device 102 via an out-of-band communication. In some embodiments, the out-of-band communication includes a secure Internet Protocol (IP) connection to a network-based server associated with a scheduled service. In some embodiments, the ephemeral IRK is generated by a network-based server, e.g., backend server 208, associated with a scheduled service, and the network based server provides the ephemeral IRK to both the central wireless device 102 and the peripheral wireless device 202 via separate, secure out-of-band communications. In some embodiments, the ephemeral IRK is generated by an intermediate device 532 associated with the peripheral wireless device 202, and the intermediate device 532 provides the ephemeral IRK to both the central wireless device 102 and the peripheral wireless device 202 via separate, secure out-of-band communications. In some embodiments, the method further includes the central wireless device 102 receiving before the scheduled time period an updated ephemeral IRK and replacing the ephemeral IRK with the updated ephemeral IRK prior to resolving the ephemeral RPA.
In some embodiments, a method performed by a peripheral wireless device 202 for scheduled access controlled via an access control mechanism associated with the peripheral wireless device 202 includes: i) generating an ephemeral identity resolving key (IRK); ii) generating an ephemeral resolvable private address (RPA) based on the ephemeral IRK; iii) transmitting, during a predetermined time period, a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) advertising packet, where the BLE advertising packet includes the ephemeral RPA; and iv) in response to detecting successful resolution of the ephemeral RPA by a requesting wireless device 102: establishing a secure connection with the requesting wireless device 102, and granting access responsive to receipt of an access request from the requesting wireless device 102 during the predetermined time period.
In some embodiments, the ephemeral IRK is valid during the predetermined time period. In some embodiments, the ephemeral IRK is valid for a predetermined number of access control grants during the predetermined time period. In some embodiments, the ephemeral IRK becomes invalid after the peripheral wireless device 202 grants access based on the ephemeral IRK. In some embodiments, the peripheral wireless device 202 provides the ephemeral IRK to the requesting wireless device 102 via an out-of-band communication. In some embodiments, the out-of-band communication includes a secure Internet Protocol (IP) connection to a network-based server associated with a scheduled service.
In some embodiments, a wireless device 102 includes processing circuitry including one or more processors and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device 102 to perform actions that include: i) obtaining, from an entity other than the wireless device 102, an ephemeral identity resolving key (IRK); ii) receiving, during a scheduled time period from a second wireless device 202 that includes an access control mechanism, a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) advertising packet, where the BLE advertising packet includes an ephemeral resolvable private address (RPA); iii) resolving the ephemeral RPA based at least on the ephemeral IRK; iv) establishing a secure connection with the second wireless device 202 using the ephemeral RPA; and v) transmitting, during the scheduled time period, an access request to the second wireless device 202 requesting the access control mechanism to grant access, e.g., to an accessible location 206. In some embodiments, access is granted based on proximity of the wireless device 102 to the second wireless device 202 after successful secure BLE connection establishment and secure ranging.
The computing device 700 also includes a storage device 740, which can comprise a single disk or a plurality of disks (e.g., hard drives), and includes a storage management module that manages one or more partitions within the storage device 740. In some embodiments, storage device 740 can include flash memory, semiconductor (solid state) memory or the like. The computing device 700 can also include a Random Access Memory (RAM) 720 and a Read-Only Memory (ROM) 722. The ROM 722 can store programs, utilities or processes to be executed in a non-volatile manner. The RAM 720 can provide volatile data storage, and stores instructions related to the operation of the computing device 700. The computing device 700 can further include a secure element (SE) 750, which can represent secure storage for cellular wireless access control clients, such as subscriber identity module (SIM) or electronic SIM, for use by the wireless device 102 to establish a WWAN 108 connection.
In accordance with various embodiments described herein, the terms “wireless communication device,” “wireless device,” “mobile device,” “mobile station,” and “user equipment” (UE) may be used interchangeably herein to describe one or more common consumer electronic devices that may be capable of performing procedures associated with various embodiments of the disclosure. In accordance with various implementations, any one of these consumer electronic devices may relate to: a cellular phone or a smart phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a personal computer, a netbook computer, a media player device, an electronic book device, a MiFi® device, a wearable computing device, as well as any other type of electronic computing device having wireless communication capability that can include communication via one or more wireless communication protocols such as used for communication on: a wireless wide area network (WWAN), a wireless metro area network (WMAN) a wireless local area network (WLAN), a wireless personal area network (WPAN), a near field communication (NFC), a cellular wireless network, a fourth generation (4G) Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE Advanced (LTE-A), and/or fifth generation (5G) or other present or future next generation (NG) developed advanced cellular wireless networks.
The wireless communication device, in some embodiments, can also operate as part of a wireless communication system, which can include a set of client devices, which can also be referred to as stations, client wireless devices, or client wireless communication devices, interconnected to an access point (AP), e.g., as part of a WLAN, and/or to each other, e.g., as part of a WPAN and/or an “ad hoc” wireless network. In some embodiments, the client device can be any wireless communication device that is capable of communicating via a WLAN technology, e.g., in accordance with a wireless local area network communication protocol. In some embodiments, the WLAN technology can include a Wi-Fi (or more generically a WLAN) wireless communication subsystem or radio, the Wi-Fi radio can implement an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 technology, such as one or more of: IEEE 802.11a; IEEE 802.11b; IEEE 802.11g; IEEE 802.11-2007; IEEE 802.11n; IEEE 802.11-2012; IEEE 802.11ac; or other present or future developed IEEE 802.11 technologies.
Additionally, it should be understood that the wireless devices described herein may be configured as multi-mode wireless communication devices that are also capable of communicating via different third generation (3G) and/or second generation (2G) RATs. In these scenarios, a multi-mode wireless device can be configured to prefer attachment to LTE networks offering faster data rate throughput, as compared to other 3G legacy networks offering lower data rate throughputs. For instance, in some implementations, a multi-mode wireless device may be configured to fall back to a 3G legacy network, e.g., an Evolved High Speed Packet Access (HSPA+) network or a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) 2000 Evolution-Data Only (EV-DO) network, when LTE and LTE-A networks are otherwise unavailable.
It is well understood that the use of personally identifiable information should follow privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining the privacy of users. In particular, personally identifiable information data should be managed and handled so as to minimize risks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of authorized use should be clearly indicated to users.
The various aspects, embodiments, implementations or features of the described embodiments can be used separately or in any combination. Various aspects of the described embodiments can be implemented by software, hardware or a combination of hardware and software. The described embodiments can also be embodied as computer readable code on a computer readable medium. The computer readable medium is any data storage device that can store data which can thereafter be read by a computer system. Examples of the computer readable medium include read-only memory, random-access memory, CD-ROMs, HDDs, DVDs, magnetic tape, and optical data storage devices. The computer readable medium can also be distributed over network-coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion.
The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the specific details are not required in order to practice the described embodiments. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the described embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings.
The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/660,629, filed Apr. 25, 2022, entitled “SCHEDULED ACCESS CONTROL FOR AN ELECTRONIC LOCK,” which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/180,593, entitled “SCHEDULED ACCESS CONTROL FOR AN ELECTRONIC LOCK,” filed Apr. 27, 2021, the contents of all of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety for all purposes.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
63180593 | Apr 2021 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 17660629 | Apr 2022 | US |
Child | 18672422 | US |