"Urban Intel, a major player in the tech industry, has recently filed for a patent -US20230260348A1- that could revolutionize the way we unlock our rooms. With their invention, inconveniences such as fumbling with physical keys could soon be a thing of the past.
In an increasingly digital world, Urban Intel's solution stands out with its innovative design. This 'magic key' as they've coined it, is essentially a piece of software that interacts with your mobile device. Think about those times you've used your phone or tablet to unlock your car; only this time, it’s your room that you’re unlocking.
Moving past the premise, Urban Intel tackles a significant challenge that many of us face - the necessity of a stable internet connection. In an ideal world, we'd always have a fast and reliable internet connection, but that's not always the case. For example, if you're in a remote cabin in the woods or deep down in a parking garage, the internet might as well be a luxury. Moreover, in case of reservation cancellations, the revoked keys might still seem valid if they are not updated due to no internet, which may potentially grant unauthorized access.
Addressing these issues, Urban Intel's patent presents a system where you can reserve your hotel room or rented property over a webpage, which subsequently transfers a 'token' (think of it as a digital certificate) to your mobile device. What’s even more genius is that this token doesn’t need internet to function. Instead, it uses local data and close range wireless communication - such as Bluetooth - to communicate with the digital lock. This means, even if your room is in the middle of nowhere, simply possessing the digital token can open the doors to your comfort space.
Another significant positive about Urban Intel's invention is that it's very versatile. Whether you're in a hotel or using rental service platforms like Airbnb or VRBO.com, this technology could be easily adapted. In environments with little to no Internet, instead of depending on a constant network communication, just opt for close range communication such as Bluetooth. This is also preferable for properties that do not have any web-enabled utilities.
Urban Intel's patent images illustrate this brilliantly. Take the flow diagrams (FIG. 1, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 5) for example, they show how the charge and reservation flow from a web-enabled or non web-enabled service, as well as how the hotel locks function in response to these. The block diagrams (FIG. 6, FIG. 7) show the mechanics behind the charger and smartphone application that would be interacting with this digital token.
Given these impressive features, it's quite exciting to imagine how the 'Urban Intel Digital Room Key' would look, or rather, work. However, it’s crucial to remember that patents are aspirations of innovation rather than guarantees of products reaching the market. Nevertheless, ideas like this one certainly show us the capabilities of our tech-filled future."