Pairable secure-access facilities

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9892582-B2
Application number	US-201715595668-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2017
Priority date	Dec 1, 2014
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for providing access to secure-access facilities based on pairing of the secure-access facilities with a user device such as a wearable device. A pairable secure-access facility may be a public storage facility or device such as a locker that includes communications circuitry for pairing with the user device. Once paired with the user device, the locker may operate a locking mechanism to lock the locker when the user device is away from the locker and to unlock the locker when the user device is in the vicinity of the locker. The locker may include a beacon for detecting and pairing with the user devices. Pairing the user device and the locker may include entering a locker identifier into the user device to ensure that the intended user device is paired with the intended locker.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for automatically submitting payment for use of a secure-access facility, comprising:
receiving, over a communication channel, a pairing signal that pairs an electronic device to the secure-access facility when the electronic device is within a predetermined distance of the secure-access facility;
receiving, over the communication channel, an identifier associated with the secure-access facility;
receiving, over the communication channel, a cost for using the secure-access facility, wherein the cost is associated with the identifier; and
automatically submitting a payment for the cost of using the secure-access facility.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending, over the communication channel, a signal to lock the secure-access facility when the electronic device is within the predetermined distance of the secure-access facility.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending, over the communication channel, a signal to unlock the secure-access facility when the electronic device is within the predetermined distance of the secure-access facility.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically submitting the payment for the cost of using the secure-access facility comprises automatically submitting payment information to a payment service provider.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing information about the secure-access facility on the electronic device.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising deleting information about the secure-access facility when a time frame associated with the cost has expired.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pairing signal includes an electronic signal transmitted to the secure-access facility over the skin of an individual that is in contact with the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying pairing information on a display of the electronic device.

9. A system, comprising:
at least one processor, and
a memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, performs a method, comprising:
transmitting, over a communication network, a pairing signal to an electronic device that pairs the electronic device to a secure-access facility;
transmitting, over the communication network, information about the secure-access facility, the information including at least one of an identifier associated with the secure-access facility and a cost associated with the secure-access facility;
receiving, over the communication channel, confirmation of use of the identified secure-access facility; and
automatically requesting payment information from a payment service identified by electronic device.

10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising instructions for receiving payment information from the payment service.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising instructions for providing notification of the payment to the electronic device.

12. The system of claim 10 , further comprising instructions for causing the secure-access facility to lock when the electronic device has moved outside of a predetermined distance from the secure-access facility.

13. The system of claim 10 , further comprising instructions for causing the secure-access facility to unlock when the electronic device has moved within a predetermined distance from the secure-access facility.

14. The system of claim 10 , further comprising instructions for transmitting the pairing information to the electronic device for display on a user interface of the electronic device.

15. A system, comprising:
at least one processor, and
a memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, performs a method, comprising:
receiving, over a communication channel, a pairing signal that pairs an electronic device to the secure-access facility when the electronic device is within a predetermined distance of the secure-access facility;
receiving, over the communication channel, an identifier associated with the secure-access facility;

receiving, over the communication channel, a cost for using the secure-access facility; and
automatically submitting a payment for the cost of using the secure-access facility.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the cost is associated with a time period for renting the secure-access facility.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the cost is associated with the identifier.

18. The system of claim 15 , further comprising instructions for sending, over the communication channel, a signal to lock the secure-access facility when the electronic device is within the predetermined distance of the secure-access facility.

19. The system of claim 15 , further comprising instructions for sending, over the communication channel, a signal to unlock the secure-access facility when the electronic device is within the predetermined distance of the secure-access facility.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein automatically submitting the payment for the cost of using the secure-access facility comprises automatically submitting payment information to a payment service provider.

Assignees

• Ebay Inc

Inventors

• Otoole Christopher Diebold
• Luk Bryant Genepang
• He Robert
• Bates Richard Chapman
• Brenner Jennifer T
• Tang Yu

Classifications

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• G07C9/00309 Primary

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

• G07C9/00658

  operated by passive electrical keys · CPC title

• G07C2009/00198

  the keyless data carrier having more than one limited data transmission ranges · CPC title

• G07C9/00912

  for safes, strong-rooms, vaults or the like · CPC title