System and method for secure package delivery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10964138-B2
Application number	US-202016734452-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2020
Priority date	Jan 7, 2019
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

A system is provided for allowing temporary access to a desired area. The temporary access may be for the purposes of making a delivery. The system comprises a trainable transceiver configured to transmit an activation signal to a remote device; a mobile communications device in selective communication with the trainable transceiver; and an accessory selectively securable to mobile communications device and capable of transmitting information to trainable transceiver.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for allowing access to a desired area where access to the desired area is through a remotely-controllable moveable access barrier, the system comprising:
a remote device that allows access into the desired area in response to an activation signal uniquely associated with the remote device;
a remote server configured to store characteristics of the activation signal;
a trainable transceiver comprising:
a local memory;
an interface through which communication with the remote server is provided;
a controller in communication with the local memory and the interface, the controller configured to receive the activation signal from the remote server through the interface and to store the activation signal in the local memory; and
a transceiver configured to transmit the activation signal to the remote device where the transmitted activation signal includes signal characteristics stored in the local memory;

wherein the remote device is a garage door opener, the moveable access barrier is a garage door capable of being opened and closed by the garage door opener, and the remote device is configured to open and close the garage door; and
wherein the garage door opener may be configured to allow access through the garage door by opening the garage door in response to receiving an activation signal having characteristics uniquely associated with the garage door opener.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the activation signal is not received until the trainable transceiver is within a first predetermined distance from the desired area.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to erase the activation signal from the local memory when the trainable transceiver is more than a second predetermined distance from the desired area.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to erase the activation signal from the local memory at a predetermined time after initially transmitting the activation signal to the remote device.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the activation signal characteristics are not received from the remote server until a beginning of an estimated delivery time window.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to erase the activation signal from the local memory at an end of the estimated delivery time window.

7. A system for allowing temporary access to a desired area, where access to the desired area is through a remotely-controllable moveable access barrier, the system comprising:
a remote device that allows access through the moveable access barrier in response to an activation signal having characteristics uniquely associated with the remote device;
a control device located in proximity to the desired area for transferring the activation signal to the remote device to allow access through the moveable access barrier in response to the receipt of an activation signal, the activation signal having an identification code uniquely associated with a particular delivery;
a remote server configured to store the identification code;
a trainable transceiver comprising:
a local memory;
an interface through which communication with the remote server is provided;
a controller in communication with the local memory and the interface, the controller configured to receive the identification code from the remote server through the interface and to store the identification code in the local memory; and
a trainable transceiver configured to transmit the activation signal to the remote device where the transmitted activation signal includes the identification code stored in the local memory;

wherein the remote device is a garage door opener and the moveable access barrier is a garage door that is opened and closed by the garage door opener; and
wherein the garage door opener is configured to allow access through the garage door by opening the garage door in response to an activation signal having characteristics uniquely associated with the garage door opener.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the identification code is received only after the trainable transceiver is within a first predetermined distance from the desired area.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to erase the identification code from the local memory when the trainable transceiver is more than a second predetermined distance from the desired area.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to erase the identification code from the local memory at a predetermined time after initially transmitting the activation signal to the control device.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the control device includes a camera capable of capturing images.

12. A system for allowing temporary access to a desired area, where access to the desired area is through a remotely-controllable moveable access barrier, the system comprising:
a remote device that allows access through the moveable access barrier in response to an activation signal having characteristics uniquely associated with the remote device;
a control device located in proximity to the desired area for transmitting the activation signal to the remote device to allows access through the moveable access barrier in response to entry by a user of a passcode; and
a remote server configured to store the passcode;
wherein the control device is in communication with the remote server so as to temporarily download the passcode and store the passcode in a local memory;
wherein the remote device is a garage door opener and the moveable access barrier is a garage door that is opened and closed by the garage door opener; and
wherein the garage door opener is configured to allow access through the garage door by opening the garage door in response to an activation signal having characteristics uniquely associated with the garage door opener.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the passcode is downloaded and stored in the local memory during an estimated delivery time window.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the passcode is associated with a particular delivery to be made to the desired area.

Assignees

• Gentex Corp

Inventors

• Geerlings Steven L
• Klaver Thomas D
• Wright Thomas S
• Witkowski Todd R
• Chiodo Matthew W

Classifications

• E05Y2400/8505

  User authentication, e.g. biometric · CPC title

• E05Y2400/8515

  Smart phones; Tablets · CPC title

• E05Y2400/818

  Visual · CPC title

• E05Y2400/80

  User interfaces · CPC title

• G06Q10/0832

  Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods · CPC title