Smart Home Short-Term Rental System Access Code Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Short-term rental hosts face challenges in safely and efficiently sharing smart home device capabilities with guests due to varying device brands and ecosystems, leading to time-consuming configurations, security risks, and inconsistent user experiences across different accommodations.
Innovation Solution
A smart home short-term rental system that includes cloud services and an optional smart hub to manage guest permissions, automatically provision time-bound access codes, and transmit user preferences to smart devices, ensuring secure and consistent device usage across accommodations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If hosts manually configure smart home devices for each guest, then device access can be provided, but configuration time increases and security risks arise
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-configures device access permissions and profiles before guest arrival. Hosts set up device profiles and permission templates in advance, which are then automatically assigned to guests based on their reservation, eliminating manual configuration during check-in.
Solution Approach 2:
Guests automatically receive device access credentials and permissions through the platform without host intervention. The system self-provisions access codes, profiles, and device permissions based on pre-configured templates and guest reservations, reducing both host and guest time investment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If hosts share smart home device credentials with guests, then device functionality is accessible, but security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements granular, device-specific permission controls where different guests receive different levels of access to different devices. Each device profile contains specific permission settings that are locally tailored to the guest's needs, allowing full functionality where required while maintaining security boundaries.
Solution Approach 2:
Device permissions and access credentials are dynamically assigned and revoked based on reservation status. Access is automatically granted at check-in and revoked at check-out, with the ability to modify permissions during the stay. This dynamic approach maintains security while providing necessary adaptability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple smart home ecosystems are supported, then compatibility across devices improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The platform acts as an intermediary layer between guests and multiple smart home ecosystems. Rather than requiring direct integration with each ecosystem, the system provides a unified interface that translates guest requests into ecosystem-specific commands, supporting Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and other platforms without increasing apparent complexity for users.
4Ease of operation
If manual device configuration is performed for each guest, then customized access is possible, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses universal permission templates that can be applied across multiple devices and guests. Hosts create standardized profiles that define typical access patterns, which can be automatically assigned to any guest. This allows customized access control through template selection rather than individual device configuration, dramatically improving check-in productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided to generate an access code specific to a user of an online marketplace to use to enter a first accommodation during a first reservation time frame and a second accommodation during a second reservation time frame and to send the access code specific to the user to a computing device at the first accommodation and a computing device at the second accommodation to use to enter the first accommodation during the first reservation time period and the second accommodation during the second reservation time period. The access code is automatically removed from the computing device at the first accommodation and the computing device at the second accommodation at the end of the first reservation time period and at the end of the second reservation time period, respectively.