Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
Docket No. 1950.0135
UNIVERSAL SMART INTERFACE FOR ELECTRONIC LOCKS
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.
62/962,365, filed
on January 17, 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Conventional locking devices, such as a deadbolt lock, must be manually
controlled.
Often, users replace these locking devices with more modern electronic
devices. However, to
enable "smart functionality" on these electronic devices, a given manufacturer
must entirely
design these systems, including circuit boards, firmware, communications
interfaces, and the
like. Furthermore, in settings where multiple different types of electronic
locking devices are
implemented, these devices must be replaced with similar types of electronic
locking devices.
Stated differently, one type of electronic locking device cannot replace all
different types of
electronic locking devices in these settings without significant modification
to, or replacement
of, the door and frame.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0003] In one aspect, a smart module configured to control electronic locking
devices,
includes a plurality of wireless interfaces, where each of the plurality of
wireless interfaces are
configured to operate in accordance with at least one of a plurality of
wireless protocols. The
smart module also includes a communications interface that includes a
plurality of pins to
couple to switches, motors, and/or power sources of an electronically
controlled locking device.
The smart module also includes a touch display. The smart module also includes
processing
circuitry coupled with the plurality of wireless interfaces, the touch
display, and the
communications interface. The smart module also includes a memory coupled with
the plurality
of wireless interfaces, the processing circuity, the communications interface,
and the touch
display, the memory includes instructions, that when executed by the
processing circuitry,
cause the processing circuitry to receive, via the touch display or one of the
plurality of
wireless interfaces, a request to cause an action on the electronic locking
device, and transmit a
command to the electronic locking device via the communications interface to
cause the action
on the electronic locking device.
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Docket No. 1950.0135
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act, the
most significant
digit or digits in a reference number refer to the figure number in which that
element is first
introduced.
[0005] FIG. lA illustrates an aspect of the subject matter in accordance with
one embodiment.
[0006] FIG. 1B illustrates an aspect of the subject matter in accordance with
one embodiment.
[0007] FIG. 1C illustrates an aspect of the subject matter in accordance with
one embodiment.
[0008] FIG. 1D illustrates an aspect of the subject matter in accordance with
one embodiment.
[0009] FIG. 2 illustrates an aspect of the subject matter in accordance with
one embodiment.
[0010] FIG. 3 illustrates an aspect of the subject matter in accordance with
one embodiment.
[0011] FIG. 4 illustrates a routine 400 in accordance with one embodiment.
[0012] FIG. 5 illustrates a routine 500 in accordance with one embodiment.
[0013] FIG. 6 illustrates a routine 600 in accordance with one embodiment.
[0014] FIG. 7 illustrates a routine 700 in accordance with one embodiment.
[0015] FIG. 8 illustrates a computer architecture 800 in accordance with one
embodiment.
[0016] FIG. 9 illustrates a communications architecture 900 in accordance with
one
embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] Embodiments disclosed herein provide for a smart module that controls
electronic
locking devices of any type. In some embodiments, the smart module is a self-
contained, plug
and play electronics module with a user interface to enable a user experience
for third-party
locking integrations or other electronic access devices (e.g., card readers,
electrical panels,
switches). The smart module can interface with a third-party locking mechanism
and can
provide "smart lock" or "access control" features described throughout the
present disclosure.
In this way, a third-party lock manufacturer can provide smart lock features
without having to
design a separate electronics module with a user interface, unlocking and
credentialing support,
applications (e.g., smartphone application, etc.), enterprise device
management, backend
services, etc.
[0018] The disclosed smart module can drive a motor or disengage a magnetic
lock to unlock
via a pin code entry and/or via a computing device, and/or via a near-field
communication
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Docket No. 1950.0135
(NFC) credential. For example, the smart module may control the electronic
locking device
based on commands received via mobile application utilizing on-device wireless
communication, an NFC card, and/or a pin code provided via a mobile
application, SMS
message, or other means of electronic delivery. In some embodiments, the smart
module can
enable an Internet triggered IP-unlock. While the smart module is designed to
function as a
stand-alone device without the need for external microcontrollers or other
active electronics, in
some embodiments, the smart module can also have the ability to communicate
with partner
electronics through configurable inputs/outputs and/or a communication bus.
[0019] The smart module can include a capacitive touch lens with NFC proximity
sensing
capabilities, H-Bridge motor control, a capacitive touchpad, a Bluetooth Low
Energy radio,
secure authentication, an light emitting diode (LED) display, digital inputs
(that can sense
microswitches signaling door open/close state, manual operation, bolt
position, etc.), and power
conversion circuitry. The smart module may be fully sealed, waterproof,
scratch proof, and
tamper resistant.
[0020] Reference is now made to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals
are used to
refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes
of explanation,
numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough
understanding thereof.
However, the novel embodiments can be practiced without these specific
details. In other
instances, well known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form
in order to
facilitate a description thereof. The intention is to cover all modifications,
equivalents, and
alternatives consistent with the claimed subject matter.
[0021] In the Figures and the accompanying description, the designations "a"
and "b" and "c"
(and similar designators) are intended to be variables representing any
positive integer. Thus,
for example, if an implementation sets a value for a= 5, then a complete set
of components 122
illustrated as components 122-1 through 122-a may include components 122-1,
122-2, 122-3,
122-4, and 122-5. The embodiments are not limited in this context.
[0022] Figure lA illustrates an example smart module 102 (also referred to as
a "smart lens"),
according to one embodiment. It should be noted that the particular
coloring/shading/design of
the smart module 102 in Figure lA is for illustration purposes only, as the
smart module 102
may have any coloring/shading/design, such as that of the smart module 102
depicted in Figure
1B. The smart module 102 may generally be waterproof and corrosion proof,
e.g., IP65 (or
greater) compliant. The smart module 102 may further have protection against
ultraviolet light,
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Docket No. 1950.0135
be resistant to saltwater, and be scratch resistant. Advantageously, the smart
module 102 is
tamper resistant, and may meet relevant standards, e.g., UL, ANSI/BHMA, FCC,
etc.
[0023] As shown, the smart module 102 includes a touch display 104, also
referred to as a
touch-sensitive display. The touch display 104 is generally configured to
provide a touch-
sensitive user interface that may include a plurality of user interface
elements 106a-n (where n
is any positive integer greater than 1), such as the interface element 106a
and interface element
106b. The interface element 106a is configured to "enter" input, e.g., submit
a PIN code or
other input, such as a command to be implemented on an electronic locking
device. The
interface element 106b corresponds to one of a plurality of digits displayed
on the touch
display 104. More generally, the interface elements 106a-n may include the
digits 0-9, a back
(or delete) interface element (e.g., to delete previous input), and the enter
interface element
(e.g., to enter and/or submit input and/or commands). In some embodiments, the
user may use
the interface elements 106a-n to enter a personal identification number (PIN),
such as 7-digit
pin code (e.g., 1234567). The PIN may be for a registered user, e.g., a
homeowner/tenant. In
some embodiments, the PIN may be a guest PIN created for service
professionals, delivery
services, etc. The smart module 102 may generally compare an inputted PIN to
an access
control list stored on the device, and if the comparison results in a match of
one or more entries
on the access control list, the smart module 102, may be unlocked and the code
used referenced
for metadata related to the event for logging purposes (e.g., traceability for
that code). Once
unlocked, the user may use the touch display 104 to input a variety of
different commands,
such as to lock an electronic locking device (not pictured), unlock the
electronic locking
device, etc. The electronic locking device may be any type of electronic
locking device, such as
a deadbolt lock, mortise lock, thumb turn lock, electromagnetic locking
device, and the like.
[0024] The touch display 104 also includes a plurality of status indicators
108, which may
illuminate to reflect that the smart module 102 is performing some operation,
such as receiving
input, processing input, transmitting commands to an electronic locking device
coupled to the
smart module 102, updating firmware of the smart module 102, etc. The status
indicators 108
can be used in combination with the interface elements 106 to distinguish
between a PIN code
unlock and an NFC unlock to give a context-specific UI. For example, one or
more status
indicators 108 may illuminate according to a first predetermined pattern for a
successful PIN
code unlock, while one or more status indicators 108 may illuminate according
to a second
predetermined for an unsuccessful PIN code unlock, and so forth. As another
example all of the
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status indicators of 106, 108, or some combination may play an animation to
signal specific
actions the smart module 102 is performing.
[0025] As shown in Figure 1B, the smart module 102 may communicate with a
mobile device
116. The mobile device 116 is representative of any type of mobile computing
device, such as a
smartphone, tablet computer, smart watch, wearable device, laptop, and the
like. Generally,
when a mobile device 116 comes within a predefined range of the smart module
102, the
mobile device 116 may wirelessly transmit an access credential to the smart
module 102. The
wireless transmission may be in accordance with a plurality of wireless
protocols, such as a
near-field communication (NFC) protocol, 802.11 protocol, Bluetooth protocol,
Bluetooth low
energy (BLE) protocol, radio frequency identification (RFID), and the like.
Generally, the
mobile device 116 may store an access credential, e.g., as a file, and
transmit the access
credential to the smart module 102. In some embodiments, the smart module 102
may process
the access credential to unlock the touch display 104 and generally allow the
smart module 102
to receive commands or other input. In some embodiments, the smart module 102
may leverage
capacitive proximity sensing to unlock via a smartcard or a keycard. In some
embodiments, the
proximity sensing may include detecting a person within a predefined distance
of the smart
module 102. In other embodiments, the proximity sensing includes NFC-based
proximity
sensing, e.g., detecting a Bluetooth and/or NFC-enabled device within a
predefined distance of
the smart module 102.
[0026] When the smart module 102 is dormant, or otherwise not receiving user
input, the
touch display 104 and associated LEDs may be turned off (or otherwise dimmed)
to conserve
energy, as depicted in Figure 1C. However, when touched, the smart module 102
may light up.
Similarly, the smart module 102 may light up when sensing a BLE device, an NFC
device, a
smart card, etc. in a context specific way (e.g. the interface elements 106
may flash in a
predetermined pattern if the credential presented is not valid).
[0027] Figure 1D is a rear-view of the smart module 102. As shown in Figure
1D, the smart
module 102 further includes one or more mounting elements 110 and a connector
112. The
mounts 110 may be any suitable element to secure the smart module 102 to an
electronic
locking device, such as the electronic locking device 120. The connector 112
(also referred to
as a communications interface) may include a plurality of pins for
communicating with an
electronic locking device 120. The connector 112 may be IP65 compliant, e.g.,
water resistant
and/or corrosion resistant. The plurality of pins of the connector 112 may be
configured based
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Docket No. 1950.0135
on a type of the electronic locking device 120 to which the smart module 102
is connected. The
electronic locking device 120 may be any type of locking device which has been
adapted with
electronic mechanisms for control. Examples of such locking devices include,
but are not
limited to, deadbolt locks, mortise locks, electromagnetic locking devices,
and the like.
Additional examples of such locking devices include electrified locking
devices, which are
permanently powered, and the power is the method of control (e.g., powering
the electrified
lock to lock the device, or removing power to unlock the device). Therefore,
the use of an
electronic locking device as a reference example should not be considered
limiting of the
disclosure, as the disclosure is equally applicable to electrified locking
devices.
[0028] The smart module 102 may be connected to the electronic locking device
120 via a
cable 114, which includes a connector 118a, and a connector 118b. Generally,
one end of the
cable 114 may be connected to the connector 112 of the smart module 102 via
one of the
connectors 118a-b, and the other end of the cable 114 may be connected to the
electronic
locking device 120 via the other one of the connectors 118a-b. In some
embodiments, two or
more cables 114 may be used to couple the smart module 102 and the electronic
locking device
120. In some embodiments, one cable 114 with multiple separate junctions and
terminations
may be used to couple the smart module 102 and the electronic locking device
120. For
example, one cable 114 can be provided for front connection, and another cable
114 for rear
connection. In some embodiments, the one or more cables 114 can include at
least one ground,
power, communication, switching output, and/or input connections, such as
pinouts. The
connector 112 can be made to be weather sealed and pluggable, so that a wide
variety of cable
terminations can be supported with one module design.
[0029] Generally, when an operation is performed on the smart module 102
and/or an
electronic locking device 120 via the smart module 102, one or more records
may be stored in
an access log in the memory 236. The access logs are stored in the memory 236
of the smart
module 102 and can be transferred to devices such as the mobile device 116 via
BLE. The
records may include a timestamp, operation type, requesting entity, and the
like. The access
logs may or may not be packaged with device debugging data monitoring system
health (e.g.,
motor current required). Records of access time and user can be surfaced in an
app on the
mobile device 116 depending on the user's permission levels. Generally, users
can see their
logs and guest logs on their device 116. Property managers can see logs of all
users on common
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area devices, etc. In some embodiments, the mobile device 116 may transmit the
logs to a
cloud-based server for storage.
[0030] Figure 2 illustrates a more detailed view of the smart module 102,
according to various
embodiments. As shown, the smart module 102 includes the touch display 104,
the connector
112, a printed circuit board (PCB) 202, a capacitive touch component 204, an
NFC coil 206, a
Qi wireless charging coil 208, a PCB 210, a battery monitor 212, a power
conversion module
214, a motor controller 216, a capacitive touch controller 218, a BLE antenna
220, a processor
222, an NFC component 224, a Qi charger 226, a temperature sensor 228, an LEDs
230, a
cryptographic module 232, one or more light pipes 234, and a memory 236. The
components of
the smart module 102 may generally include sealed and covered electronics for
tamper-
proofing and waterproofing.
[0031] The capacitive touch component 204 may enable touch input to be
received via the
touch display 104. In one embodiment, the capacitive touch component 204 may
be affixed to
the rear of the touch display 104 to enable touch input to be received via the
touch display 104.
The NFC coil 206 is an NFC transceiver configured to communicate with other
NFC-enabled
devices, such as the mobile device 116. In some embodiments, the NFC coil 206
and the Qi
coil 208 are integrated into a single coil. The Qi coil 208 is a transceiver
configured to receive
wireless power and/or transmit wireless power. For example, a Qi charger
(e.g., a component of
the mobile device 116) may provide power to the smart module 102 via the Qi
coil 208, e.g.,
when one or more batteries (not pictured) of the smart module 102 do not have
sufficient
power. In another embodiment, the Qi coil 208 is the primary and sole source
of power for the
smart module 102. Conversely, the smart module 102 may provide power to a
mobile device
116 to provide the power required to transmit a credential from the mobile
device 116 to the
smart module 102, e.g., when the mobile device 116 does not have sufficient
power. Although
Qi is used as a reference example of one or more wireless charging components,
the smart
module 102 may include any type of inductive charging components for wireless
power
transfer.
[0032] The battery monitor 212 is generally configured to monitor the charge
level of one or
more batteries that may power the smart module 102. Doing so may allow the
charge level to
be transmitted to the mobile device 116 such that a user can monitor the
battery level.
Similarly, the smart module 102 may generate and transmit a notification to
the mobile device
116 when the battery monitor 212 determines that the battery level is below a
predetermined
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threshold. In some embodiments, the smart module 102 may shut down or
otherwise enter a
lower-power state when the battery level is below the threshold. However, in
some
embodiments, the smart module 102 may be powered by a wired power source. In
such
embodiments, the batteries may be omitted and/or included as backup power in
case the wired
power source is unavailable.
[0033] The power conversion module 214 is generally configured to convert
power provided
to the smart module 102. For example, the power conversion module 214 may
convert from a
range of battery or DC voltages to power used by the smart module 102. The
motor controller
216 is generally configured to drive a motor that can lock or unlock an
electronic locking
device 120 coupled to the smart module 102. Similarly, the motor controller
216 generally
enables the locking and/or unlocking of the electronic locking device 120
coupled to the smart
module 102. Doing so may transform the electronic locking device 120 into a
"smart" locking
device. In one embodiment, the motor is a component of the smart module 102.
In other
embodiments, the motor is a component of the electronic locking device 120.
[0034] The capacitive touch controller 218 is generally configured to process
touch input
received via the capacitive touch component 204. The BLE antenna 220 is a
Bluetooth low
energy (BLE) transceiver to communicate with other Bluetooth low energy (BLE)
devices, such
as the mobile device 116. In some embodiments, a radio frequency (RF) front
end can be
implemented in the smart module 102 to extend the power of the BLE antenna
220. In some
embodiments, the BLE antenna 220 operates in peripheral mode, and has the
ability to connect
to multiple devices for connections to a Wi-Fi bridge or other compatible
device, such as a
plurality of mobile devices 116. The BLE antenna 220 may advertise at variable
(e.g., 100ms,
400ms, etc.) intervals with a 30ft range. The advertising frequency ensures a
fast time to unlock
or lock the electronic locking device 120. By connecting to a Wi-Fi bridge
and/or a mobile
device 116, the smart module 102 may be controlled remotely, e.g., via the
Internet or a cloud
service. For example, using an application on the mobile device 116, an
authenticated user may
transmit a remote command to the smart module 102 via the Internet. The smart
module 102
may then cause the remote command to be performed by the electronic locking
device 120. In
some embodiments, client-side SSL termination for Wi-Fi and/or Ethernet
integration in the
smart module 102 is provided. In some embodiments, a full set of application
programming
interfaces (APIs) for communication can be exposed by the smart module 102 for
Wi-Fi,
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Ethernet, or other IP protocol supported integrations. A full API can also be
provided for
cloud-based communication (e.g., for unlocking, credentialing).
[0035] The processor 222 is a processor circuit and may be any type of
processor circuit,
FPGA, ASIC, or the like. The processor 222 may have a fully secure boot
mechanism with a
root of trust to ensure the smart module 102 boots securely. After being
reset, the firmware can
only boot when verified as trusted, e.g., based on hash validation of the
firmware. A bootloader
of the smart module 102 may be stored in an immutable flash memory, which may
be included
in the memory 236. To enhance security, the smart module 102 may not provide
Joint Test
Action Group(JTAG) access, e.g., disable JTAG reads, JTAG writes, and/or JTAG
fuse. The
memory 236 is any type of storage medium or device, and is representative of
one or more
memory storage devices. The NFC component 224 is generally configured to
process data to be
transmitted and/or received via the NFC coil 206. As stated, the Qi charger
226 may provide
power to the smart module 102, where the power may be wirelessly received via
the Qi coil
208. Similarly, the Qi charger 226 and/or Qi coil 208 may transmit (or
provide) power to other
devices, such as a mobile device 116.
[0036] The temperature sensor 228 may generally monitor a temperature of the
smart module
102. If the temperature is outside a range of acceptable temperature values
(e.g., -35 degrees
Celsius to 70 degrees Celsius), the smart module 102 may be put to sleep, shut
down, or
otherwise modified to bring the temperature within the acceptable range of
temperatures, or
modify the behavior of the smart module 102 to accommodate environmental
impacts to
performance. The LEDs 230 are representative of any number and type of light
emitting diodes.
Generally, the LEDs 230 are configured to illuminate the touch display 104 and
display
information to the user.
[0037] The cryptographic module 232 may be a secure processing and storage
element that
stores and processes encryption keys, access credentials, and/or other
sensitive data. For
example, the processor 222 may receive an access credential from the mobile
device 116 via
Bluetooth and/or NFC. The processor 222 may then provide the access credential
to the
cryptographic module 232, which may process (e.g., attempt to decrypt) the
access credential
and return a result (e.g., a decryption result, successful decryption,
unsuccessful decryption,
successful authentication, and/or unsuccessful authentication). In one
example, the
cryptographic module 232 may decrypt the access credential and compare the
decrypted access
credential to one or more valid access credentials stored in the cryptographic
module 232. In
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other embodiments, the access credential is unencrypted, and the cryptographic
module 232
may compare the access credential to one or more access credentials in an
access control list
securely stored in the cryptographic module 232. In other embodiments, the
comparison is
performed by the processor 222, e.g., subsequent to decryption by the
cryptographic module
232. The cryptographic module 232 may generally include hardware acceleration
for a
processor portion of the cryptographic module 232 (e.g., a cryptographic
processor and/or
accelerator). Similarly, the cryptographic module 232 may perform encryption
and/or
decryption operations using the encryption keys of the smart module 102. In
some
embodiments, the smart module 102 is uniquely identifiable by the encryption
keys stored in
the cryptographic module 232. In other embodiments, the smart module 102 is
uniquely
identifiable based on a unique identifier (e.g., a serial number) assigned to
the smart module
102 and stored in the memory 236. The keys stored by the cryptographic module
232 may
further include other types of keys, such as tokens, alphanumeric strings,
etc.
[0038] In some embodiments, the smart module 102 may leverage cloud-based
credential
validation. For example, if a user enters a PIN code via the touch display
104, the smart module
102 may transmit the entered PIN code to a cloud server that performs the
comparison of the
PIN code to one or more stored PINs for the smart module 102 in cloud-based
storage. If the
comparison results in a match, the cloud server may transmit an indication of
validation of the
PIN to the smart module 102. In some embodiments, the cloud server may further
transmit a
command to the smart module 102 (e.g., an unlock command, lock command, etc.)
to be
implemented on the electronic locking device 120 by the smart module 102 based
on the
validation of the PIN. Otherwise, the cloud server may transmit an indication
of failed
validation of the PIN to the smart module 102. Similarly, the cloud server may
include the
cryptographic module 232 and/or the functionality of the cryptographic module
232 described
herein. For example, the cloud server may attempt to decrypt encrypted access
credentials
received from the smart module 102 and return a result to the smart module 102
(e.g.,
successful decryption, unsuccessful decryption, successful authentication,
and/or unsuccessful
authentication). In such embodiments, the cloud server may include the
encryption keys for
each smart module 102 to perform the cryptographic operations. If the
decryption is successful,
the cloud server may further transmit a command to the smart module 102 (e.g.,
an unlock
command, lock command, etc.) to be implemented on the electronic locking
device 120 based
on the successful decryption. In some embodiments, a mobile device 116, base
station, or other
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device with an Internet connection may facilitate communication between the
smart module
102 and the cloud server.
[0039] In some embodiments, the firmware may provide different access
permissions, or
privileges, based on the requesting device and/or user account. For example, a
key associated
with a manufacturer of the smart module 102 may have full access privileges to
all components
and/or data of the smart module 102. Similarly, a key associated with a
purchaser of the smart
module 102 may have a more limited set of privileges relative to the
manufacturer privileges.
Further still, a key assigned to a 3rd party user, such as a maintenance
person, may have a more
limited set of privileges relative to the purchaser and/or the manufacturer.
[0040] The one or more light pipes 234 provide a channel from the LEDs 230 to
the touch
display 104. In some embodiments, the touch display 104 and/or the PCB 202 may
be a
predefined distance from the PCBs 210. Doing so may act as a light guide,
e.g., via the light
pipes 234, and also acts as a spacer between the PCB 202 and PCB 210.
Advantageously, the
spacing also allows the PCB 202 to be mounted to the touch display 104.
[0041] In some embodiments, full integration with mobile applications
executing on mobile
devices 116 for end users, building managers, and backend software with
subscription service
is provided via the smart module 102. In some embodiments, the smart module
102 does not
need to be connected to the Internet to allow unlocking. For example, the
smart module 102 can
connect to a user's mobile device 116 via Bluetooth and use an Internet
connection of the
mobile device 116 (e.g., cellular and/or Wi-Fi) to authenticate an unlock
attempt or update its
access credentials. In some embodiments, the configurable parameters of the
firmware can be
adjusted in an app executing on the mobile device 116 (e.g. turning a buzzer
feature on or off
can be done in factory firmware, selected in the application on the mobile
device 116, or both).
[0042] In some embodiments, certain parameters of the smart module 102 are not
configurable, such as reset behavior, jamming behavior, etc. Similarly, other
parameters of the
smart module 102 may be configurable, e.g., via a mobile device 116
application, the touch
display 104, etc. Doing so isolates mechanism-specific code paths, reduces
complexity in
validation stages, and provides the ability to deliver a single firmware for
the smart module 102
that supports a wide range of electronic locking devices 120.
[0043] In some embodiments, the smart module 102 can be configured for a third-
party
applications. A step by step guide for factory configuration of the smart
module 102 for the
specific application can be provided to third parties to configure the smart
module 102 with a
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particular electronic locking device 120. This can include any settings to
program the smart
module 102 to operate as needed for a third-party application, including
enabling or disabling
interfaces, motor settings, setting the mode and polarity for sensors and
switches, and power
configurations.
[0044] Figure 3 is a schematic 300 illustrating an example configuration of a
plurality of pins
302a-302b, of the connector 112, according to one embodiment. Although 14 pins
302a-302b
are depicted, the connector 112 may include any number of pins in other
embodiments.
Generally, a firmware of the smart module 102 may be stored in the memory 236.
The
firmware of the smart module 102 may support a plurality of different pin
configurations based
on a type of the electronic locking device 120 to which the smart module 102
is connected. For
example, the schematic 300 depicts one example configuration that is based on
an example
electronic locking device 120. Generally, the configuration of the plurality
of pins 302a-302b is
dependent on corresponding pins of the electronic locking device 120.
Therefore, the firmware
of the smart module 102 may map, or assign, each pin 302a-302b based on the
pins of the
electronic locking device 120. As such, the pins 302a-302b may be mapped in a
different
configuration for a different electronic locking device 120. Advantageously,
the firmware of
the smart module 102 allows the smart module 102 to control any type of
electronic locking
device 120 based on the configuration of the plurality of pins of the
connector 112. The smart
module 102 may therefore be "plug-and-play" in that minimal configuration is
needed to use
the smart module 102 to control different electronic locking devices 120.
[0045] For example, as shown, pin 302a corresponds to a first motor pin for
controlling a
motor of the electronic locking device 120, while pin 302b corresponds to a
fifth input pin.
Although five example input pins are depicted, any number of pins may be
allocated to
receiving input from the electronic locking device 120. The inputs may be
driven high to power
an external sensor of the electronic locking device 120. Generally, the input
pins may include
pins for sensing a position (or state) of a deadbolt (or other locking
mechanism) of the
electronic locking device 120, thumb turn movement of the electronic locking
device 120, key
turn of the electronic locking device 120, a door position switch, and the
like. The pins 302a-
302b may further include pins for data communication, debugging, communication
busses,
power management, and the like.
[0046] In one example, the five input pins may include one input pin driven
high to power a
magnetic sensor of the electronic locking device 120, one input pin configured
to sense a
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magnet of the electronic locking device 120, one input pin configured to sense
a key turn of the
electronic locking device 120, and two pins configured to receive input from
two
microswitches that sense the position of a deadbolt of the electronic locking
device 120. Other
possible input pin configurations include an exterior thumb turn lock state,
interior thumb turn
lock state, interior thumb turn unlock command, manual key operation, door
position switch,
engaging security and/or tamper modes, request to exit, interior thumb turn
partially locked
state, exterior thumb turn unlock command, exterior thumb turn partially
locked state, interior
lever actuation, exterior lever actuation, enable/disable privacy mode,
enable/disable passage
mode, a wake command for a smart module 102 that is in a sleep state, a motor
locked state,
and a motor partially locked state. Collectively, the input pins 302 may
receive input from the
electronic locking device 120, which may reflect whether an operation was
performed
successfully and/or unsuccessfully. For example, a deadbolt sensor may return
a response
indicating whether the deadbolt is locked or unlocked. Doing so may allow the
smart module
102 to determine whether a command was successfully implemented by the
electronic locking
device 120.
[0047] Exemplary logic for implementing the above-described embodiments is
next described
in connection with FIGs. 4-7. The exemplary logic may be implemented in
hardware, software,
or a combination of hardware and software (e.g., being implemented at least
partially in
hardware).
[0048] FIG. 4 is a flowchart depicting exemplary logic routine 400 performed
by a system or
system components, such as one or more smart modules 102, as described above.
The logic 400
may be embodied as digital logic, which may be implemented at least partially
in hardware,
embodying instructions for a processor circuit to perform the steps described
below. Although
FIG. 4 depicts a particular arrangement of elements in a particular order, it
is understood that
the configuration depicted in FIG. 4 is but one example. In other embodiments,
more elements
may be provided and/or some elements may be omitted, some elements may be
performed in
parallel, and/or elements may be performed in a different order.
[0049] In block 402, routine 400 receives, by a processor 222 of a smart
module 102 via a
touch display 104 of the smart module 102, an access credential. The access
credential may
comprise a PIN code, such as a series of digits. In block 404, routine 400
validates, by the
smart module 102, the access credential received at block 402. For example,
the processor 222
may provide the received input to the cryptographic module 232, which may
compare the input
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Docket No. 1950.0135
to one or more stored access credentials (e.g., a plurality of stored PIN
numbers in an access
control list). If the comparison results in a match, the access credential is
validated. Otherwise,
the access credential is not validated, and the smart module 102 does may
signal that the
credential is not valid. In some embodiments, the smart module 102 determines
a further
response based on the determination that the credential is not valid. For
example, if the number
of received invalid and/or incorrect credentials exceeds a threshold number,
the smart module
102 may enter a rate limiting mode or denial of service mode, e.g., where
further input cannot
be provided for a predetermined period of time. In block 406, routine 400
receives, via the
touch display 104 of the smart module 102e, a request to cause an action on an
electronic
locking device 120 controlled by the smart module. For example, the action may
specify to
unlock the electronic locking device 120. In block 408, routine 400
determines, by the
processor 222 based on the validation of the access credential, a first pin of
a plurality of pins
of a connector 112 of the smart module 102 corresponding to the action.
Continuing with the
previous example, the smart module 102 may determine which of the pins 302a-b
of the
connector 112 correspond to a pin for transmitting the unlock command. In
block 410, routine
400 transmits, by the processor, the command via the first pin of the
communications interface
to cause the action on the electronic locking device 120 (e.g. power the motor
drive circuit to
operate the motor for a preconfigured amount of time at a preconfigured
voltage and duty
cycle). Doing so may cause the electronic locking device 120 to perform the
unlock
operation. In response, the status indicators 108 of the smart module 102 may
illuminate to
reflect the performance of the requested operation.
[0050] FIG. 5 is a flowchart depicting exemplary logic routine 500 performed
by a system or
system components, such as one or more smart modules 102 and one or more
mobile devices
116, as described above. The logic 500 may be embodied as digital logic, which
may be
implemented at least partially in hardware, embodying instructions for a
processor circuit to
perform the steps described below. Although FIG. 5 depicts a particular
arrangement of
elements in a particular order, it is understood that the configuration
depicted in FIG. 5 is but
one example. In other embodiments, more elements may be provided and/or some
elements
may be omitted, some elements may be performed in parallel, and/or elements
may be
performed in a different order.
[0051] In block 502, routine 500 receives, by a processor 222 of a smart
module 102 from a
mobile device 116, an access credential. For example, the mobile device 116
may transmit the
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Docket No. 1950.0135
access credential via NFC, Bluetooth, etc. In block 504, routine 500
validates, by the processor
222 of the smart module 102, the access credential received at block 502. For
example, the
processor 222 may provide the access credential to the cryptographic module
232, which may
compare the access credential to one or more stored access credentials (e.g.,
a plurality of
stored access credentials). If the comparison results in a match, the access
credential is
validated. Otherwise, the access credential is not validated, and the smart
module 102 does not
wake or otherwise process subsequent commands. In block 506, routine 500
receives, via the
mobile device 116, a request to cause an action on an electronic locking
device 120 controlled
by the smart module 102. An application executing on the mobile device 116 may
generate
and/or transmit the command to the smart module 102. The application may be
associated with
a manufacturer of the smart module 102. For example, the action may specify to
lock the
electronic locking device 120 In block 508, routine 500 determines, by the
processor based on
the validation of the access credential, a first pin of a plurality of pins of
the connector 112 of
the smart module 102 corresponding to the action. Continuing with the previous
example, the
smart module 102 may determine which of the pins 302a-b of the connector 112
correspond to
a pin for transmitting the lock command. In block 510, routine 500 transmits,
by the processor
222, the command via the first pin of the connector 112 to cause the action on
the electronic
locking device 120. Doing so may cause the electronic locking device 120 to
perform the lock
operation. In response, the status indicators 108 of the smart module 102 may
illuminate to
reflect the performance of the requested operation. At block 512, the
processor 222 may
transmit, to the mobile device 116, a confirmation result indicating the
requested operation has
been performed. Doing so may cause the mobile device 116 to output a
notification reflecting
that the requested operation has been performed.
[0052] FIG. 6 is a flowchart depicting exemplary logic routine 600 performed
by a system or
system components, such as one or more smart modules 102 and one or more
mobile devices
116, as described above. The logic 600 may be embodied as digital logic, which
may be
implemented at least partially in hardware, embodying instructions for a
processor circuit to
perform the steps described below. Although FIG. 6 depicts a particular
arrangement of
elements in a particular order, it is understood that the configuration
depicted in FIG. 6 is but
one example. In other embodiments, more elements may be provided and/or some
elements
may be omitted, some elements may be performed in parallel, and/or elements
may be
performed in a different order.
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-05-17
Docket No. 1950.0135
[0053] In block 602, routine 600 receives, by a processor 222 of a smart
module 102 from an
application executing on mobile device 116, an access credential. For example,
the application
executing on the mobile device 116 may transmit the access credential via NFC,
Bluetooth,
etc. In block 604, routine 600 validates, by the smart module 102, the
received access
credential. For example, the processor 222 may provide the access credential
to the
cryptographic module 232, which may compare the access credential to one or
more stored
access credentials (e.g., a plurality of stored access credentials). If the
comparison results in a
match, the access credential is validated. Otherwise, the access credential is
not validated, and
the smart module 102 does not take any further action and may modify future
behavior based
on a history, e.g., in an access log of the smart module 102. For example, if
the access log
indicates a number of invalid access credentials (including the access
credential received at
block 602) received within a predetermined period of time exceeds a threshold
number of
invalid access credentials, the smart module 102 may "lock" itself from
processing subsequent
input for a predetermined period of time, e.g., by entering rate limiting mode
and/or denial of
service mode.
[0054] In block 606, routine 600 receives, via the mobile device, a request to
modify a
parameter value of the smart module 102. For example, the request may specify
to disable
remote (or cloud-based) commands, or configure the lock to remain unlocked for
a specified
period of time (a.k.a. passage mode). As another example, the request may
specify to modify a
duration of time the status indicators 108 are illuminated after performance
of an operation
(e.g., from 2 seconds to 5 seconds). In block 608, routine 600 updates, by the
processor 222
based on the validation of the access credential, the parameter of the smart
module 102 based
on a value specified in the request (e.g., change the duration of time the
status indicators 108
are illuminated from 2 to 5 seconds). At block 612, the processor 222 may
transmit, to the
mobile device 116, a confirmation result indicating the requested operation
has been
performed. Doing so may cause the mobile device 116 to output a notification
reflecting that
the requested parameter value has been updated.
[0055] FIG. 7 is a flowchart depicting exemplary logic routine 700 performed
by a system or
system components, such as one or more smart modules 102 and one or more
mobile devices
116, as described above. The logic 700 may be embodied as digital logic, which
may be
implemented at least partially in hardware, embodying instructions for a
processor circuit to
perform the steps described below. Although FIG. 7 depicts a particular
arrangement of
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Docket No. 1950.0135
elements in a particular order, it is understood that the configuration
depicted in FIG. 7 is but
one example. In other embodiments, more elements may be provided and/or some
elements
may be omitted, some elements may be performed in parallel, and/or elements
may be
performed in a different order.
[0056] In block 702, routine 700 receives, by a processor 222 of a smart
module 102 from an
application executing on a mobile device 116, an access credential. For
example, the
application executing on the mobile device 116 may transmit the access
credential via NFC,
Bluetooth, etc. In block 704,the routine 700 validates, by the processor 222
of the smart module
102, the access credential. For example, if the access credential is
encrypted, the processor 222
may provide the access credential to the cryptographic module 232, which may
attempt to
decrypt the access credential. If the decryption is successful, the
cryptographic module 232
may validate the access credential. If the decryption is not successful, the
cryptographic
module 232 may invalidate the access credential. In some embodiments, the
cryptographic
module 232 and/or the processor 222 may compare the decrypted access
credential to one or
more stored access credentials (e.g., a plurality of stored access
credentials). If the comparison
results in a match, the access credential is validated. Otherwise, the access
credential is not
validated, and the smart module 102 does not wake or otherwise process
subsequent
commands. In block 706, the routine 700 receives, via the mobile device 116, a
data package
for a firmware update. In block 708, the processor 222 updates the firmware of
the smart
module 102 based on the validation of the access credential. In block 710, the
processor 222
may transmit, to the mobile device 116, a confirmation indicating the firmware
of the smart
module 102 has been updated.
[0057] FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of an exemplary computer architecture
800 suitable
for implementing various embodiments as previously described. In one
embodiment, the
computer architecture 800 may include or be implemented as part of the smart
module 102.
[0058] As used in this application, the terms "system" and "component" are
intended to refer
to a computer-related entity, either hardware, a combination of hardware and
software,
software, or software in execution, examples of which are provided by the
exemplary
computing computer architecture 800. For example, a component can be, but is
not limited to
being, a process running on a processor, a processor, a hard disk drive,
multiple storage drives
(of optical and/or magnetic storage medium), an object, an executable, a
thread of execution, a
program, and/or a computer. By way of illustration, both an application
running on a server and
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Date Recue/Date Received 2021-05-17
Docket No. 1950.0135
the server can be a component. One or more components can reside within a
process and/or
thread of execution, and a component can be localized on one computer and/or
distributed
between two or more computers. Further, components may be communicatively
coupled to
each other by various types of communications media to coordinate operations.
The
coordination may involve the uni-directional or bi-directional exchange of
information. For
instance, the components may communicate information in the form of signals
communicated
over the communications media. The information can be implemented as signals
allocated to
various signal lines. In such allocations, each message is a signal. Further
embodiments,
however, may alternatively employ data messages. Such data messages may be
sent across
various connections. Exemplary connections include parallel interfaces, serial
interfaces, and
bus interfaces. One example bus interface is an R5232 bus that can be routed
from the smart
module 102 to the electronic locking device 120 for extended I/O, state
communication,
sensing, etc.
[0059] The computing architecture 800 includes various common computing
elements, such
as one or more processors, multi-core processors, co-processors, memory units,
chipsets,
controllers, peripherals, interfaces, oscillators, timing devices, video
cards, audio cards,
multimedia input/output (I/O) components, power supplies, and so forth. The
embodiments,
however, are not limited to implementation by the computing architecture 800.
[0060] As shown in FIG. 8, the computing architecture 800 includes a processor
812, a system
memory 804 and a system bus 806. The processor 812 can be any of various
commercially
available processors.
[0061] The system bus 806 provides an interface for system components
including, but not
limited to, the system memory 804 to the processor 812. The system bus 806 can
be any of
several types of bus structure that may further interconnect to a memory bus
(with or without a
memory controller), a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety
of commercially
available bus architectures. Interface adapters may connect to the system bus
808 via slot
architecture. Example slot architectures may include without limitation
Accelerated Graphics
Port (AGP), Card Bus, (Extended) Industry Standard Architecture ((E)ISA),
Micro Channel
Architecture (MCA), NuBus, Peripheral Component Interconnect (Extended)
(PCI(X)), PCI
Express, Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA), and
the like.
[0062] The computing architecture 800 may include or implement various
articles of
manufacture. An article of manufacture may include a computer-readable storage
medium to
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Date Recue/Date Received 2021-05-17
Docket No. 1950.0135
store logic. Examples of a computer-readable storage medium may include any
tangible media
capable of storing electronic data, including volatile memory or non-volatile
memory,
removable or non-removable memory, erasable or non-erasable memory, writeable
or re-
writeable memory, and so forth. Examples of logic may include executable
computer program
instructions implemented using any suitable type of code, such as source code,
compiled code,
interpreted code, executable code, static code, dynamic code, object-oriented
code, visual code,
and the like. Embodiments may also be at least partly implemented as
instructions contained in
or on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, which may be read and
executed by one or
more processors to enable performance of the operations described herein.
[0063] The system memory 804 may include various types of computer-readable
storage
media in the form of one or more higher speed memory units, such as read-only
memory
(ROM), random-access memory (RAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), Double-Data-Rate DRAM
(DDRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), static RAM (SRAM), programmable ROM
(PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable
ROM
(EEPROM), flash memory, polymer memory such as ferroelectric polymer memory,
ovonic
memory, phase change or ferroelectric memory, silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-
silicon (SONOS)
memory, magnetic or optical cards, an array of devices such as Redundant Array
of
Independent Disks (RAID) drives, solid state memory devices (e.g., USB memory,
solid state
drives (SSD) and any other type of storage media suitable for storing
information. In the
illustrated embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the system memory 804 can include non-
volatile 808
and/or volatile 810. A basic input/output system (BIOS) can be stored in the
non-volatile 808.
[0064] The computer 802 may include various types of computer-readable storage
media in
the form of one or more lower speed memory units, including an internal (or
external) hard disk
drive 830, a magnetic disk drive 816 to read from or write to a removable
magnetic disk 820,
and an optical disk drive 828 to read from or write to a removable optical
disk 832 (e.g., a CD-
ROM or DVD). The hard disk drive 830, magnetic disk drive 816 and optical disk
drive 828
can be connected to system bus 806 the by an HDD interface 814, and FDD
interface 818 and
an optical disk drive interface 834, respectively. The HDD interface 814 for
external drive
implementations can include at least one or both of Universal Serial Bus (USB)
and IEEE 1394
interface technologies.
[0065] The drives and associated computer-readable media provide volatile
and/or nonvolatile
storage of data, data structures, computer-executable instructions, and so
forth. For example, a
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Docket No. 1950.0135
number of program modules can be stored in the drives and non-volatile 808,
and volatile 810,
including an operating system 822, one or more applications 842, other program
modules 824,
and program data 826. In one embodiment, the one or more applications 842,
other program
modules 824, and program data 826 can include, for example, the various
applications and/or
components of the smart module 102.
[0066] A user can enter commands and information into the computer 802 through
one or
more wire/wireless input devices, for example, a keyboard 850 and a pointing
device, such as a
mouse 852. Other input devices may include microphones, infra-red (IR) remote
controls,
radio-frequency (RF) remote controls, game pads, stylus pens, card readers,
dongles, finger
print readers, gloves, graphics tablets, joysticks, keyboards, retina readers,
touch screens (e.g.,
capacitive, resistive, etc.), trackballs, track pads, sensors, styluses, and
the like. These and
other input devices are often connected to the processor 812 through an input
device interface
836 that is coupled to the system bus 806 but can be connected by other
interfaces such as a
parallel port, IEEE 1394 serial port, a game port, a USB port, an IR
interface, and so forth.
[0067] A monitor 844 or other type of display device is also connected to the
system bus 806
via an interface, such as a video adapter 846. The monitor 844 may be internal
or external to
the computer 802. In addition to the monitor 844, a computer typically
includes other
peripheral output devices, such as speakers, printers, and so forth.
[0068] The computer 802 may operate in a networked environment using logical
connections
via wire and/or wireless communications to one or more remote computers, such
as a remote
computer(s) 848. The remote computer(s) 848 can be a workstation, a server
computer, a
router, a personal computer, portable computer, microprocessor-based
entertainment appliance,
a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all
the elements
described relative to the computer 802, although, for purposes of brevity,
only a memory and/or
storage device 858 is illustrated. The logical connections depicted include
wire/wireless
connectivity to a local area network 856 and/or larger networks, for example,
a wide area
network 854. Such LAN and WAN networking environments are commonplace in
offices and
companies, and facilitate enterprise-wide computer networks, such as
intranets, all of which
may connect to a global communications network, for example, the Internet.
[0069] When used in a local area network 856 networking environment, the
computer 802 is
connected to the local area network 856 through a wire and/or wireless
communication network
interface or network adapter 838. The network adapter 838 can facilitate wire
and/or wireless
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-05-17
Docket No. 1950.0135
communications to the local area network 856, which may also include a
wireless access point
disposed thereon for communicating with the wireless functionality of the
network adapter 838.
[0070] When used in a wide area network 854 networking environment, the
computer 802 can
include a modem 840, or is connected to a communications server on the wide
area network
854 or has other means for establishing communications over the wide area
network 854, such
as by way of the Internet. The modem 840, which can be internal or external
and a wire and/or
wireless device, connects to the system bus 806 via the input device interface
836. In a
networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the computer 802,
or portions
thereof, can be stored in the remote memory and/or storage device 858. It will
be appreciated
that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of
establishing a
communications link between the computers can be used.
[0071] The computer 802is operable to communicate with wire and wireless
devices or
entities using the IEEE 802 family of standards, such as wireless devices
operatively disposed
in wireless communication (e.g., IEEE 802.11 over-the-air modulation
techniques). This
includes at least Wi-Fi (or Wireless Fidelity), WiMax, and BluetoothTM
wireless technologies,
among others. Thus, the communication can be a predefined structure as with a
conventional
network or simply an ad hoc communication between at least two devices. Wi-Fi
networks use
radio technologies called IEEE 802.118 (a, b, g, n, etc.) to provide secure,
reliable, fast
wireless connectivity. A Wi-Fi network can be used to connect computers to
each other, to the
Internet, and to wire networks (which use IEEE 802.3-related media and
functions).
[0072] The various elements of the devices as previously described with
reference to FIGS.
1A-7 may include various hardware elements, software elements, or a
combination of both.
Examples of hardware elements may include devices, logic devices, components,
processors,
microprocessors, circuits, processors, circuit elements (e.g., transistors,
resistors, capacitors,
inductors, and so forth), integrated circuits, application specific integrated
circuits (ASIC),
programmable logic devices (PLD), digital signal processors (DSP), field
programmable gate
array (FPGA), memory units, logic gates, registers, semiconductor device,
chips, microchips,
chip sets, and so forth. Examples of software elements may include software
components,
programs, applications, computer programs, application programs, system
programs, software
development programs, machine programs, operating system software, middleware,
firmware,
software modules, routines, subroutines, functions, methods, procedures,
software interfaces,
application program interfaces (API), instruction sets, computing code,
computer code, code
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Date Recue/Date Received 2021-05-17
Docket No. 1950.0135
segments, computer code segments, words, values, symbols, or any combination
thereof.
However, determining whether an embodiment is implemented using hardware
elements and/or
software elements may vary in accordance with any number of factors, such as
desired
computational rate, power levels, heat tolerances, processing cycle budget,
input data rates,
output data rates, memory resources, data bus speeds and other design or
performance
constraints, as desired for a given implementation.
[0073] FIG. 9 is a block diagram depicting an exemplary communications
architecture 900
suitable for implementing various embodiments as previously described. The
communications
architecture 900inc1udes various common communications elements, such as a
transmitter,
receiver, transceiver, radio, network interface, baseband processor, antenna,
amplifiers, filters,
power supplies, and so forth. The embodiments, however, are not limited to
implementation by
the communications architecture 900, which may be consistent with computer
architecture 800.
[0074] As shown in FIG. 9, the communications architecture 900 includes one or
more
client(s) 902 and server(s) 904. The client(s) 902 and the server(s) 904 are
operatively
connected to one or more respective client data store 906 and server data
store 908 that can be
employed to store information local to the respective client(s) 902 and
server(s) 904, such as
cookies and/or associated contextual information.
[0075] The client(s) 902 and the server(s) 904 may communicate information
between each
other using a communication framework 910. The communication framework 910 may
implement any well-known communications techniques and protocols. The
communication
framework 910 may be implemented as a packet-switched network (e.g., public
networks such
as the Internet, private networks such as an enterprise intranet, and so
forth), a circuit-switched
network (e.g., the public switched telephone network), or a combination of a
packet-switched
network and a circuit-switched network (with suitable gateways and
translators).
[0076] The communication framework 910 may implement various network
interfaces
arranged to accept, communicate, and connect to a communications network. A
network
interface may be regarded as a specialized form of an input/output (I/O)
interface. Network
interfaces may employ connection protocols including without limitation direct
connect,
Ethernet (e.g., thick, thin, twisted pair 10/100/1000 Base T, and the like),
token ring, wireless
network interfaces, cellular network interfaces, IEEE 802.11a-x network
interfaces, IEEE
802.16 network interfaces, IEEE 802.20 network interfaces, and the like.
Further, multiple
network interfaces may be used to engage with various communications network
types. For
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Date Recue/Date Received 2021-05-17
Docket No. 1950.0135
example, multiple network interfaces may be employed to allow for the
communication over
broadcast, multicast, and unicast networks. Should processing requirements
dictate a greater
amount speed and capacity, distributed network controller architectures may
similarly be
employed to pool, load balance, and otherwise increase the communicative
bandwidth required
by client(s) 902 and the server(s) 904. A communications network may be any
one and the
combination of wired and/or wireless networks including without limitation a
direct
interconnection, a secured custom connection, a private network (e.g., an
enterprise intranet), a
public network (e.g., the Internet), a Personal Area Network (PAN), a Local
Area Network
(LAN), a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), an Operating Missions as Nodes on
the Internet
(OMNI), a Wide Area Network (WAN), a wireless network, a cellular network, and
other
communications networks.
[0077] The components and features of the devices described above may be
implemented
using any combination of discrete circuitry, application specific integrated
circuits (ASICs),
logic gates and/or single chip architectures. Further, the features of the
devices may be
implemented using microcontrollers, programmable logic arrays and/or
microprocessors or any
combination of the foregoing where suitably appropriate. It is noted that
hardware, firmware
and/or software elements may be collectively or individually referred to
herein as "logic" or
"circuit."
[0078] Some embodiments may be described using the expression "one embodiment"
or "an
embodiment" along with their derivatives. These terms mean that a particular
feature, structure,
or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in
at least one
embodiment. The appearances of the phrase "in one embodiment" in various
places in the
specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
Moreover, unless
otherwise noted the features described above are recognized to be usable
together in any
combination. Thus, any features discussed separately may be employed in
combination with
each other unless it is noted that the features are incompatible with each
other.
[0079] With general reference to notations and nomenclature used herein, the
detailed
descriptions herein may be presented in terms of program procedures executed
on a computer
or network of computers. These procedural descriptions and representations are
used by those
skilled in the art to most effectively convey the substance of their work to
others skilled in the
art.
23
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-05-17
Docket No. 1950.0135
[0080] A procedure is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-consistent
sequence of
operations leading to a desired result. These operations are those requiring
physical
manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these
quantities take the
form of electrical, magnetic or optical signals capable of being stored,
transferred, combined,
compared, and otherwise manipulated. It proves convenient at times,
principally for reasons of
common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols,
characters, terms,
numbers, or the like. It should be noted, however, that all of these and
similar terms are to be
associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient
labels applied to
those quantities.
[0081] Further, the manipulations performed are often referred to in terms,
such as adding or
comparing, which are commonly associated with mental operations performed by a
human
operator. No such capability of a human operator is necessary, or desirable in
most cases, in
any of the operations described herein, which form part of one or more
exemplary
embodiments. Rather, the operations are machine operations. Useful machines
for performing
operations of various embodiments include general purpose digital computers or
similar
devices.
[0082] Some embodiments may be described using the expression "coupled" and
"connected"
along with their derivatives. These terms are not necessarily intended as
synonyms for each
other. For example, some embodiments may be described using the terms
"connected" and/or
"coupled" to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or
electrical contact with
each other. The term "coupled," however, may also mean that two or more
elements are not in
direct contact with each other, but yet still co-operate or interact with each
other.
[0083] Various embodiments also relate to apparatus or systems for performing
these
operations. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required
purpose or it may
comprise a general-purpose computer as selectively activated or reconfigured
by a computer
program stored in the computer. The procedures presented herein are not
inherently related to a
particular computer or other apparatus. Various general-purpose machines may
be used with
programs written in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove
convenient to
construct more specialized apparatus to perform the required method steps. The
required
structure for a variety of these machines will appear from the description
given.
[0084] It is emphasized that the Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to
allow a reader to
quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with
the understanding
24
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-05-17
Docket No. 1950.0135
that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the
claims. In addition, in
the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are
grouped together in
a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This
method of disclosure
is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed
embodiments require more
features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following
claims reflect,
inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed
embodiment. Thus,
the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description,
with each claim
standing on its own as a separate embodiment. In the appended claims, the
terms "including"
and "in which" are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective
terms "comprising"
and "wherein," respectively. Moreover, the terms "first," "second," "third,"
and so forth, are
used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements
on their objects.
[0085] What has been described above includes examples of the disclosed
architecture. It is,
of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of
components and/or
methodologies, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many
further
combinations and permutations are possible. Accordingly, the novel
architecture is intended to
embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within
the spirit and scope of
the appended claims.
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-05-17
