Intermediary Device for Hotel Virtual Key Provisioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing access control systems for hotels struggle to integrate virtual key provisioning without modifying the Property Management System (PMS) or encoder software, limiting the ability to deliver card data to guest phones seamlessly.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that intercept PMS requests to encoders to retrieve virtual card data, send it to a credential service, and provision mobile phones with virtual keys, maintaining system transparency and compatibility with existing infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the PMS connects directly to encoders to request physical guest room cards, then the existing system architecture is maintained, but the ability to provision virtual keys to mobile phones is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary device that sits between the PMS and the encoder. This device intercepts PMS requests, determines whether virtual cards are needed, and if so, sends requests to encoder 0 to retrieve virtual card data. It then forwards this data to a credential service for mobile phone provisioning, while maintaining the appearance of direct PMS-encoder communication for physical cards.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the card provisioning process into distinct paths: physical card requests are handled through the traditional PMS-encoder connection, while virtual card requests are intercepted and routed through the intermediary device to encoder 0 and then to the credential service. This segmentation allows both physical and mobile access methods to coexist without interfering with each other.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a separate method for indicating access rights is used (mobile device vs physical key card), then mobile access is enabled, but the lock cannot determine sequencing of access rights
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the intermediary device universal by handling both physical and virtual card provisioning through a single interception point. It examines PMS requests and routes them appropriately - physical cards through the original encoder path and virtual cards through the encoder 0 to credential service path. This ensures unified audit trails while maintaining both access methods.
3Adaptability or versatility
If full integration with the hotel system PMS is implemented, then virtual key provisioning is achieved, but the PMS software must be updated
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediary device acts as a transparent mediator that does not require PMS software updates. It intercepts requests at the network level, examines them to determine if virtual cards are needed, and handles the additional communication with encoder 0 and the credential service independently, leaving the existing PMS software unchanged.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service virtual key provisioning where the intermediary device automatically determines when virtual cards are needed by examining PMS requests, retrieves the necessary data from encoder 0, and provisions it to the credential service without requiring manual intervention or system updates.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a new type of encoder is used, then virtual key provisioning is enabled, but existing encoder investments are not preserved
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediary device performs preliminary actions by intercepting PMS requests before they reach the encoder. When a virtual card is needed, it proactively retrieves the card data from encoder 0 and forwards it to the credential service, preventing the need to modify or replace the existing encoder while still enabling virtual key functionality.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system including a device operable to intercept a PMS request from the PMS to the encoder to obtain card data from the encoder, then send the card data to a credential service to provision a mobile phone with a virtual key. A method of provisioning credentials for a mobile device, the method including generating a request from a Property Management Systems (PMS); sending the request to an encoder through a device; determining if the request is for a virtual card at the device; and using an encoder 0 feature to check-in a guest from the encoder in response to a request for a virtual card.