Digital unlocking of secure containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10097353-B1
Application number	US-201514862149-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 22, 2015
Priority date	Sep 22, 2015
Publication date	Oct 9, 2018
Grant date	Oct 9, 2018

Abstract

A user device outputs an unlock code or sends a signal that automatically unlocks a locked container housing a deliverable product when the user device authenticates the container, thereby indicating that the container has been delivered to an intended recipient. The device is associated with a user profile and stores a private key that is inaccessible except by the device. When a product order becomes associated with the user profile, a public key that pairs with the private key is encoded on a storage medium of the container. When the container is brought into proximity with the device, if the device determines that the public key encoded on the storage medium corresponds to the private key stored on the device, the device displays or audibly outputs an unlock code or sends a wireless signal that automatically unlocks the container. The container can also include sensors for detecting theft or tampering.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
sending, by a user device, a private key stored on the user device to a back-end server;
receiving, by the user device from the back-end server, a first public key, wherein the first public key is based at least in part on the private key;
determining an expected value using the private key and the first public key;
detecting, at the user device, data indicating that a container is within proximity of the user device, wherein the container includes a mechanical lock;
sending, by the user device, a radio frequency identification (RFID) signal using an RFID reader of the user device;
receiving, at the user device, an RFID response signal from an RFID circuit affixed to the container, the RFID response signal containing encrypted data that includes data that is based at least in part on an indication of the user device having been detected;
decrypting, at the user device, the encrypted data to obtain a second public key;
generating a hash value by executing a cryptographic hash function on at least the private key and the second public key;
determining the second public key is paired with the private key based at least in part on the hash value matching the expected value;
sending, based at least in part on the determining the second public key is paired with the private key, an unlock signal to the container to cause the mechanical lock to be deactivated; and
receiving, at the user device, an unlock verification signal indicating that the mechanical lock has been deactivated.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising establishing, by the user device, a WiFi Direct connection with the container using WiFi authentication credentials stored on the RFID circuit.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending, by the user device, a notification to the back-end server indicating that the mechanical lock was deactivated; and
receiving, at the user device, an email indicating that the container has been unlocked.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a first timestamp associated with receipt of data indicating that the container is in proximity of the user device;
determining that the first timestamp is within a predetermined period of time of a second timestamp associated with an order for a product that is in the container; and
determining that the container is eligible to be unlocked.

5. A method, comprising:
determining, at a user device, that a container is within proximity of the user device;
determining, based at least in part on information received at the user device, that the container includes a mechanical locking mechanism that has been activated;
sending a signal to the container;
receiving a response from the container, wherein the response comprises a public key and an indication of the user device having been detected;
determining a private key stored on the user device;
generating a hash value by executing a cryptographic hash function on at least the private key and the public key;
determining the hash value matches an expected value, wherein the expected value is based at least in part on a second public key received from a source different than the container;
determining that the public key is paired with the private key based at least in part on the hash value matching the expected value;
outputting, based at least in part on the determining that the public key is paired with the private key, first data configured to deactivate the mechanical locking mechanism; and
receiving, at the user device, second data indicating that the mechanical locking mechanism has been deactivated.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein outputting data configured to deactivate the mechanical locking mechanism comprises at least one of:
displaying an unlock code on a display of the user device; or
outputting audio data indicative of the unlock code, wherein the unlock code is configured to cause the mechanical locking mechanism to deactivate.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising sending an indication that the mechanical locking mechanism has been deactivated.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first data includes inaudible audio data.

9. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining a first timestamp associated with receipt of user input indicating that the container has been placed in proximity of the user device;
determining that the first timestamp is within a predetermined period of time of a second timestamp associated with an order for a product that is in the container; and
determining that the container is eligible to be unlocked.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein receiving the response from the container comprises:
receiving, at the user device, a signal, the signal containing encrypted data; and
decrypting, at the user device, the encrypted data to obtain the public key.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein decrypting the encrypted data further comprises decrypting the encrypted data to obtain an identifier, the method further comprising determining that the identifier matches a device identifier associated with the user device.

12. The method of claim 5 , further comprising determining the public key based at least in part on a machine-readable optical label of the container.

13. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
receiving data indicative of an identity of a user of the user device;
determining a user profile associated with the data indicative of the identity of the user; and
determining that the public key is associated with the user profile.

14. The method of claim 5 , wherein receiving the second public key includes receiving the second public key from a server.

15. A securable container, comprising:
a mechanical locking mechanism;
a storage medium storing a private key;
at least one memory storing computer-executable instructions; and
at least one processor operatively coupled to the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:
receive, based on the container being within a proximity of a user device, a signal from the user device that includes a public key;
execute a cryptographic hash function on the public key and the private key to obtain a hash value;
determine that the public key is paired with the private key based on the hash value matching an expected value;
generate, based at least in part on the determination that the public key is paired with the private key, first data;
deactivate the mechanical locking mechanism using the first data; and
send an indication to the user device that the mechanical locking mechanism has been deactivated.

16. The securable container of claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:
send an indication to a server that the mechanical locking mechanism has been deactivated.

17. The securable container of claim 15 , further comprising an RFID triggered circuit comprising the storage medium.

18. The securable container of claim 15 , further comprising:
at least one sensor;
wherein the least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:
determine sensor data captured at the at least one sensor;
determine that the sensor data exceeds a threshold value;
generate an alert message indicating potential tampering of the container; and
send the alert message.

19. The securable container of claim 18 , wherein the at l

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Carlson Ty Loren

Classifications

• G07C9/0069

  actuated in a predetermined sequence · CPC title

• G08B13/06

  by tampering with fastening · CPC title

• H04L67/306

  User profiles · CPC title

• H04W4/021

  Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences · CPC title

• H04L9/30

  Public key, i.e. encryption algorithm being computationally infeasible to invert or user's encryption keys not requiring secrecy · CPC title