US-12626552-B2 - System and method for remotely operating a switch

US12626552B2US 12626552 B2US12626552 B2US 12626552B2US-12626552-B2

Abstract

Methods and systems for operating a switching device are described herein. A switching control component on a server may receive a URL request that includes a unique ID from an NFC token proximate to the switching device. The switching control component determines if the URL request includes valid login data, and when valid login data is detected for a user with permission to access the door associated with the NFC token, a message to the switching device with instructions to open the door may be transmitted. When the URL request includes valid login data for a user without permission to unlock the door, a selectable list of users who have previously granted the user access to the door may be transmitted. Finally, when the URL request does not include valid login data, a URL may be sent providing a tap-to-unlock application download message and at least one alternative access option.

Inventors

Howard Lederer
Ephraim Lindquist

Assignees

NIMBIO LABS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20250113

Claims (20)

1 . A method for operation of a switching device, the method comprising: receiving, via a communications link with a mobile communications device, by a switching control component on a server, a uniform resource locator (URL) request that includes a unique identifier (ID) from a near field communication (NFC) token, the NFC token being located proximate to the switching device, the URL request including a URL received from the NFC token that includes the unique ID, a read number, and an authentication token; determining if the URL request is valid by confirming that the read number and the authentication token included within the URL request are associated with the NFC token; and when the URL request is valid, determining, by the switching control component, if the URL request includes valid login data associated with a user, the switching control component: automatically responding to the URL request by transmitting a message, via a different communications link to the switching device, that includes instructions to open a door controlled by the switching device when both the URL request includes valid login data and the user is associated with an account that has permission to unlock the door by the switching control component; and automatically responding to the URL request, via the communications link, with a URL providing both at least one of a tap-to-unlock application download message and at least one alternative access option when the URL request does not include valid login data associated with the user.
2 . The method of claim 1 , the determining if the URL request is valid comprising comparing the read number to previously received read numbers to confirm that the read number of the URL request is a greater value than any previously-received read number.
3 . The method of claim 2 , where the read number and the authentication token form a unique pair associated with the NFC token, the read number being incremented with each use of the NFC token.
4 . The method of claim 1 , the at least one alternative access option being selected from a list comprising: presenting the user with a directory of tenants in the building that includes the door, and allowing a doorbell action to any tenant on the directory; presenting the user with the directory of tenants and allow the user to initiate a voice or video call to any tenant in the directory; or presenting a static message with contact information for a contact user for the building.
5 . The method of claim 1 , the user interface further including at least one alternative access option.
6 . The method of claim 1 , the URL request being a URL automatically generated by the tap-to-unlock application in response to scanning the NFC token that includes the unique ID, a read number, and an authentication token, the read number and the authentication token being generated by the tap-to-unlock application being in communication with the NFC token.
7 . The method of claim 1 , the door being associated with a plurality of NFC tokens, each of the plurality of NFC tokens being assigned to a different type of user.
8 . A system for controlling a switch, the system comprising: a mobile communications device; a network-enabled switching device for controlling the switch; and a server containing instructions which when executed cause the server to: receive, via a communications link with the mobile communications device, by a switching control component on the server, a uniform resource locator (URL) request that includes a unique ID from a near field communication (NFC) token, the NFC token being located proximate to the switching device, the URL request including a URL received from the NFC token that includes the unique ID, a read number, and an authentication token; and determine if the URL request is valid by confirming that the read number and the authentication token included within the URL request are associated with the NFC token; and when the URL request is valid, determine, by the switching control component, if the URL request includes valid login data associated with a user, the switching control component: automatically responding to the URL request with a message, via a different communications link to the switching device, that includes instructions to open a door controlled by the switching device when both the URL request includes valid login data and the user is associated with an account that has permission to unlock the door by the switching control component; automatically responding to the URL request, via the communications link, with a URL providing both at least one of a tap-to-unlock application download message and at least one alternative access option when the URL request does not include valid login data associated with the user.
9 . The system of claim 8 , the determining if the URL request is valid comprising comparing the read number to previously received read numbers to confirm that the read number of the URL request is a greater value than any previously-received read number.
10 . The system of claim 9 , where the read number and the authentication token form a unique pair associated with the NFC token, the read number being incremented with each use of the NFC token.
11 . The system of claim 8 , the at least one alternative access option being selected from a list comprising: presenting the user with a directory of tenants in the building that includes the door, and allowing a doorbell action to any tenant on the directory; presenting the user with the directory of tenants and allow the user to initiate a voice or video call to any tenant in the directory; or presenting a static message with contact information for a contact user for the building.
12 . The system of claim 8 , the user interface further including at least one alternative access option.
13 . The system of claim 8 , the URL request being a URL automatically generated by the tap-to-unlock application in response to scanning the NFC token that includes the unique ID, a read number, and an authentication token, the read number and the authentication token being generated by the tap-to-unlock application being in communication with the NFC token.
14 . The system of claim 8 , the door being associated with a plurality of NFC tokens, each of the plurality of NFC tokens being assigned to a different type of user.
15 . A method for operation of a switching device, the method comprising: receiving, via a communications link with one of a partner mobile communications device or a partner server, by a switching control component on a server, a uniform resource locator (URL) request that includes a unique ID from a near field communication (NFC) token, the NFC token being located proximate to the switching device; and determining, by the switching control component, if the URL request includes valid delivery service data associated with a partner service, the switching control component: automatically responding to the URL request by transmitting a message, via a different communications link to the switching device, that includes instructions to open a door controlled by the switching device when both the URL request includes valid delivery service data and the user is associated with an account that has permission to unlock the door by the switching control component; and automatically responding to the URL request by transmitting a message, via the communications link and a tap-to-unlock application running on the mobile communications device, with a user interface that includes a message explaining that the URL request is denied when both the URL request includes valid delivery service data and the user is not associated with an account that has permission to unlock the door by the switching control component.
16 . The method of claim 15 , the door being associated with a plurality of NFC tokens, each of the plurality of NFC tokens being assigned to a different type of user, the NFC token being assigned to delivery service users being different from an NFC token of the plurality assigned to individual users.
17 . The method of claim 15 , the URL request being a URL received from the NFC token in response to scanning the NFC token that includes the unique ID, a read number, and an authentication token.
18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising determining if the URL request is valid by comparing the read number to previously received read numbers to confirm that the read number of the URL request is a greater value than any previously-received read number.
19 . The method of claim 18 , where the read number and the authentication token form a unique pair associated with the NFC token, the read number being incremented with each use of the NFC token.
20 . A method for operation of a switching device, the method comprising: receiving, via a communications link with a mobile communications device, by a switching control component on a server, a uniform resource locator (URL) request that includes a unique ID from a near field communication (NFC) token, the NFC token being located proximate to the switching device, the URL request including a URL received from the NFC token that includes the unique ID, a read number, and an authentication token; determining if the URL request is valid by confirming that the read number and the authentication token included within the URL request are associated with the NFC token; and when the URL request is valid, determining, by the switching control component, if the URL request includes valid login data associated with a user, the switching control component: automatically responding to the URL request by a message, via the communications link and a tap-to-unlock application running on the mobile communications device, with a user interface providing a selectable list of users who have previously granted the user access to the door controlled by the switching device when both the URL request includes valid login data and the user is not associated with an account that has permission to unlock the door by the switching control component, where the switching control component causes a selected user on the list of users to be contacted via the tap-to-unlock application in response to being selected on the user interface; and automatically responding to the URL request, via the communications link, with a URL providing both at least one of a tap-to-unlock application download message and at least one alternative access option when the URL request does not include valid login data associated with the user.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/620,592, filed Jan. 12, 2024, which is incorporated herein in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The claimed subject matter relates to the field of network communications, and more particularly to systems and methods that enable the remote operation of a switch. BACKGROUND Access control systems may use tokens (RFID, HID, NFC, etc) that are given to users in order to access doors and gates. Each user may have a unique token with which access can be granted or withdrawn using a centralized system (normally onsite). In most cases tokens cannot be used on two different systems. For example, if a user's apartment building and office building both have token-based systems, the user would have two different tokens. SUMMARY Embodiments according to the present disclosure provide a solution to operating a switching device using a tap-to-unlock application. A switching control component on a server may receive, via a communications link with a mobile communications device, a uniform resource locator (URL) request that includes a unique ID from a near field communication (NFC) token, the NFC token being located proximate to the switching device. The switching control component determines if the URL request includes valid login data associated with a user and may take one of a plurality of actions in response to the determination. When both the URL request includes valid login data and the user is associated with an account that has permission to unlock the door by the switching control component, the switching control component may automatically respond to the URL request with a message, via a different communications link to the switching device, that includes instructions to open a door controlled by the switching device. When both the URL request includes valid login data and the user is not associated with an account that has permission to unlock the door by the switching control component, the control component may automatically respond to the URL request by transmitting a message, via the communications link and a tap-to-unlock application running on the mobile communications device, with a user interface providing a selectable list of users who have previously granted the user access to the door controlled by the switching device. The switching control component may cause a selected user on the list of users to be contacted via the tap-to-unlock application in response to being selected on the user interface, using a voice call or a video call, for example. Finally, when the URL request does not include valid login data associated with the user, the switching control component may automatically respond to the URL request, via the communications link, with a URL providing both at least one of a tap-to-unlock application download message and at least one alternative access option. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 shows a simplified block diagram of an embodiment of a distributed computer system supporting a tap-to-unlock transmitter device for access points; FIG. 2 shows a diagram of an example of a computing device from a system for a tap-to-unlock transmitter device for access points; FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a system utilizing a tap-to-unlock transmitter device for access points; FIG. 4. shows a simplified block diagram of an embodiment of a system utilizing a tap-to-unlock transmitter device for access points; FIG. 5 is a flow chart of an embodiment of a tap-to-unlock method 500 for operation of an access point; and FIG. 6 is a flow chart of an embodiment of a tap-to-unlock method 600 for operation of an access point. DETAILED DESCRIPTION In an embodiment, the problems associated with existing systems are addressed and alleviated using a code, such as a near-field communication (NFC) token, placed near a door or gate that is to be controlled. Some embodiments may optionally employ past or future technology that a smart phone may read, including RFID and HID. For convenience, in this description, all such devices will be referred to as NFC tokens. Generally, as used in this description, an “NFC token” may be understood as a device (electronic (NFC, RFID, HID)) that may be used to gain access to an electronically restricted resource. The NFC token may be used to control a switch, e.g., a lock (electric strike, maglock, cloud controlled deadbolt, etc.) associated with the gate or door. This creates a tap-to-unlock relationship between the NFC token and the access point the associated user has permission to interact with and open. FIG. 1 shows a simplified block diagram of an embodiment of a distributed computer system 100 for supporting a tap-to-unlock transmitter device for access points. Computer network 100 includes a number of client systems 113, 116, and 119, and a server system 122 coupled to a communication network 124 via a plurality of communication links 128. Com