Locking and unlocking control system and locking and unlocking control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11443573-B2
Application number	US-202017025747-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2020
Priority date	Dec 8, 2017
Publication date	Sep 13, 2022
Grant date	Sep 13, 2022

Abstract

A locking and unlocking control system includes: a first information acquisition part configured to acquire presence information as to whether a parcel associated with a first user is present in a predetermined region defined in a vehicle or a facility, the predetermined region having a door configured to be locked and unlocked through a locking and unlocking process performed by a locking and unlocking control device; and a locking and unlocking control part configured to execute a predetermined process so as not to permit unlocking of the door by a second user when the locking and unlocking control part determines based on the presence information that the parcel is present in the predetermined region and when the door is locked.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A locking and unlocking control system, comprising: processing circuitry configured to:
not permit unlocking of a door of a predetermined region that is locked, which is defined in a vehicle or a facility, by a second user different from a first user when a parcel is determined to be present in the predetermined region at a timing earlier than a scheduled access time when access by the second user to the predetermined region is scheduled, the parcel being associated with the first user and the second user is not a recipient of the parcel.

2. The locking and unlocking control system according to claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to control, by issuing authentication information for causing the vehicle or the facility to execute the locking and unlocking process, to a user terminal of each of users at least including the second user, access of the users including at least the second user to the predetermined region.

3. The locking and unlocking control system according to claim 2 , wherein when the processing circuitry receives a permission request signal requesting permission to lock and unlock the door from the user terminal of the second user, the processing circuitry is configured to execute a process of not performing issuance of the authentication information for the second user when an access prohibition condition is satisfied.

4. The locking and unlocking control system according to claim 2 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to execute a process of invalidating the authentication information for the second user already issued to the user terminal of the second user.

5. The locking and unlocking control system according to claim 2 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
acquire information on an access permission condition for permitting access to the predetermined region by the second user when the parcel is present in the predetermined region;
permit the second user to unlock the door when the parcel satisfies the access permission condition, even when an access prohibition condition is satisfied; and
not permit the second user to unlock the door when the parcel does not satisfy the access permission condition, when the access prohibition condition is satisfied.

6. The locking and unlocking control system according to claim 5 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to acquire the access permission condition set by the first user.

7. The locking and unlocking control system according to claim 2 , wherein:
the vehicle or the facility includes an alternative region independent from the predetermined region, the alternative region having a second door controlled to be locked and unlocked via the user terminal of the second user so as to allow the second user to access the alternative region; and
when an access prohibition condition is satisfied, the processing circuitry is configured to permit unlocking of the second door by the second user by issuing alternative region authentication information for allowing the second user to unlock the second door.

8. The locking and unlocking control system according to claim 7 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to issue the alternative region authentication information after not permitting the second user to unlock the predetermined region.

9. The locking and unlocking control system according to claim 2 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to notify the second user that the unlocking of the door of the predetermined region is not permitted.

10. The locking and unlocking control system according to claim 2 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
acquire information on a collection time at which the parcel arranged in the predetermined region is to be collected by the first user, and
adjust, based on the collection time, an issuance frequency of the authentication information for users other than the first user, including the second user, for allowing the users other than the first user to access the predetermined region.

11. A locking and unlocking control method, comprising:
not permitting unlocking of a door of a predetermined region that is locked, which is defined in a vehicle or a facility, by a second user different from a first user when a parcel is determined to be present in the predetermined region at a timing earlier than a scheduled access time when access by the second user to the predetermined region is scheduled, the parcel being associated with the first user and the second user is not a recipient of the parcel.

12. The locking and unlocking control method according to claim 11 , wherein access to the predetermined region by users including at least the second user is controlled by issuing, to a user terminal of each of the users including at least the second user, predetermined authentication information for allowing the vehicle or the facility to execute the locking and unlocking process.

13. The locking and unlocking control method according to claim 12 , further comprising:
receiving a permission request signal requesting permission to lock and unlock the door from the user terminal of the second user; and
not issuing authentication information for the second user, when it is determined that the parcel is present in the predetermined region and the door is locked.

14. The locking and unlocking control method according to claim 12 , further comprising:
invalidating the authentication information for the second user already issued to the user terminal of the second user.

15. The locking unlocking control method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
when an access prohibition condition is satisfied, permitting unlocking of a second door by the second user by issuing alternative region authentication information for allowing the second user to unlock the second door,
wherein the vehicle or the facility includes an alternative region independent from the predetermined region, the alternative region having the second door controlled to be locked and unlocked via a user terminal of the second user so as to allow the second user to access the alternative region.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions causing a processor to execute a control process for locking and unlocking, comprising:
not permitting unlocking of a door of a predetermined region that is locked, which is defined in a vehicle or a facility, by a second user different from a first user when a parcel is determined to be present in the predetermined region at a timing earlier than a scheduled access time when access by the second user to the predetermined region is scheduled, the parcel being associated with the first user and the second user is not a recipient of the parcel.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16 , wherein access to the predetermined region by users including at least the second user is controlled by issuing, to a user terminal of each of the users including at least the second user, predetermined authentication information for allowing the vehicle or the facility to execute the locking and unlocking process.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 17 , further comprising:
receiving a permission request signal requesting permission to lock and unlock the door from the user terminal of the second user; and
not issuing authentication information for the second user, when it is determined that the parcel is present in the predetermined region and the door is locked.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tsujimura Hiroko
• Kanaoka Kei
• Maeda Shun
• Murozaki Yoshihiro
• Kaneichi Daiki
• Jinnai Kuniaki

Classifications

• G07F17/13

  the containers being a postal pick-up locker · CPC title

• A47G29/141

  comprising electronically controlled locking means · CPC title

• G06Q10/083

  Shipping · CPC title

• G07C9/00309 Primary

  operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks · CPC title

• E05B77/00 Primary

  Vehicle locks characterised by special functions or purposes (locks specially adapted for bicycles E05B71/00; locking arrangements for non-fixed vehicle roofs B60J7/185) · CPC title