DESC:Field of the Invention
[0001] The present disclosure relates to controlling access to operation of electrical appliances.

Background
[0002] Spaces or environments generally include a plurality of electrical appliances therein. For instance, consider an environment, such as a household comprising electrical appliance like a TV, an AC, a washing machine, a fridge, a microwave, a music system, and the like. As is known, the environment may be accessed by a plurality of individuals on a day to day basis. For instance, the household may be accessed by residents of the house, maids, guests, delivery persons, and the like.
[0003] In certain scenarios, it is desirable that access to the operation of the electrical appliances be restricted. For instance, from productivity point of view, it is desirable that a house maid may not have access to entertainment providing appliances, such as TVs or music systems. From point of view of safety, it may be desirable that children may not have access to appliances, such as washing machines, and the like. Current mechanisms of controlling access to electrical appliances typically include use of access codes and biometric-based access techniques. However, such techniques and mechanisms are cumbersome and costly to implement or may not be implementable with ease in all the electrical appliances.
[0004] Therefore, there is a need for solution to address at least one of the aforementioned deficiencies.

Summary
[0005] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts, in a simplified format, that are further described in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is neither intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the invention and nor is it intended for determining the scope of the invention.
[0006] In an embodiment, a system for controlling access to operation of electrical appliances is disclosed. The system comprises a smart lock and key arrangement configured to perform authentication of an individual seeking access to the environment, and transmit a control message to a gateway, in response to successful authentication of the individual. The system further comprises at least one electrical appliance and at least one electrical adapter to control supply of electric power to the at least one electrical appliance. The system further comprises a gateway configured to receive the control message from the smart lock and key arrangement and implement an access control permission corresponding to the individual, in response to receiving the control message from the smart lock and key arrangement. Herein, the access control permission defines the individual’s accessibility to operate the at least one electrical appliance
[0007] To further clarify the advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which is illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings
[0008] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:
[0009] Fig. 1 illustrates a system for controlling access to operation of electrical appliances present within an environment, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and
[0010] Fig. 2(a) illustrates a schematic block diagram of a smart lock and key arrangement, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0011] Fig. 2(b) illustrates a schematic block diagram of a gateway, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0012] Fig. 2(c) illustrates a schematic block diagram of a electrical adapter, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and
[0013] Fig. 2(d) illustrates a schematic block diagram of an environment depicting interactions amongst the smart lock and key arrangement, the gateway, and the electrical adapter, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure
[0014] Further, skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the drawings are illustrated for simplicity and may not have been necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the flow charts illustrate the method in terms of the most prominent steps involved to help to improve understanding of aspects of the present invention. Furthermore, in terms of the construction of the device, one or more components of the device may have been represented in the drawings by conventional symbols, and the drawings may show only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the drawings with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having benefit of the description herein.

Detailed Description of Figures
[0015] For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skilled in the art to which this invention belongs. The system, methods, and examples provided herein are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.
[0016] The term “some” as used herein is defined as “none, or one, or more than one, or all.” Accordingly, the terms “none,” “one,” “more than one,” “more than one, but not all” or “all” would all fall under the definition of “some.” The term “some embodiments” may refer to no embodiments or to one embodiment or to several embodiments or to all embodiments. Accordingly, the term “some embodiments” is defined as meaning “no embodiment, or one embodiment, or more than one embodiment, or all embodiments.”
[0017] The terminology and structure employed herein is for describing, teaching and illuminating some embodiments and their specific features and elements and does not limit, restrict or reduce the spirit and scope of the claims or their equivalents.
[0018] More specifically, any terms used herein such as but not limited to “includes,” “comprises,” “has,” “consists,” and grammatical variants thereof do NOT specify an exact limitation or restriction and certainly do NOT exclude the possible addition of one or more features or elements, unless otherwise stated, and furthermore must NOT be taken to exclude the possible removal of one or more of the listed features and elements, unless otherwise stated with the limiting language “MUST comprise” or “NEEDS TO include.”
[0019] Whether or not a certain feature or element was limited to being used only once, either way, it may still be referred to as “one or more features” or “one or more elements” or “at least one feature” or “at least one element.” Furthermore, the use of the terms “one or more” or “at least one” feature or element do NOT preclude there being none of that feature or element, unless otherwise specified by limiting language such as “there NEEDS to be one or more . . . ” or “one or more element is REQUIRED.”
[0020] Unless otherwise defined, all terms, and especially any technical and/or scientific terms, used herein may be taken to have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skills in the art.
[0021] Reference is made herein to some “embodiments.” It should be understood that an embodiment is an example of a possible implementation of any features and/or elements presented in the attached claims. Some embodiments have been described for the purpose of illuminating one or more of the potential ways in which the specific features and/or elements of the attached claims fulfil the requirements of uniqueness, utility and non-obviousness.
[0022] Use of the phrases and/or terms such as but not limited to “a first embodiment,” “a further embodiment,” “an alternate embodiment,” “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “multiple embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “other embodiments,” “further embodiment”, “furthermore embodiment”, “additional embodiment” or variants thereof do NOT necessarily refer to the same embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, one or more particular features and/or elements described in connection with one or more embodiments may be found in one embodiment, or may be found in more than one embodiment, or may be found in all embodiments, or may be found in no embodiments. Although one or more features and/or elements may be described herein in the context of only a single embodiment, or alternatively in the context of more than one embodiment, or further alternatively in the context of all embodiments, the features and/or elements may instead be provided separately or in any appropriate combination or not at all. Conversely, any features and/or elements described in the context of separate embodiments may alternatively be realized as existing together in the context of a single embodiment.
[0023] Any particular and all details set forth herein are used in the context of some embodiments and therefore should NOT be necessarily taken as limiting factors to the attached claims. The attached claims and their legal equivalents can be realized in the context of embodiments other than the ones used as illustrative examples in the description below.
[0024] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0025] Fig. 1 illustrates a system 100 for controlling access to operation of electrical appliances present within an environment, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In an example embodiment, the system 100 comprises a smart lock and key arrangement 102, at least one electrical appliance 104, at least one electrical adapter 106, and a gateway 108.
[0026] According to aspects of the present disclosure as described herein, access to operation of the at least one electrical appliance 104 may be controlled. In a non-limiting manner, controlling of the access to the operation of the at least one electrical appliance 104 may be understood as permitting switching ON of the at least one electrical appliance 104. In an example, the controlling of the access to the operation of the at least one electrical appliance may be based on the individual gaining access to the environment. As an example, an individual who is a house owner may be provided with complete access to operation of all the electrical appliances, such as 104-1 and 104-2. On the other hand, an individual who is a house help may be provided restricted access or no access to the operation of the electrical appliances 104. For instance, the house help may not be provided access to an electrical appliance 104-1, such as a television.
[0027] In an example embodiment, the smart lock and key arrangement 102 may be implemented, for example, at a door, to control access of the individual to the environment. In said example embodiment, the smart lock and key arrangement may include a smart key unit (not shown in the figure) and a smart lock apparatus (not shown in the figure). The smart key unit comprises a key and an identity storage element. Examples of the identity storage element may include, but are not limited to, a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) chip and a QR code. Furthermore, other electromagnetic based and/or optical based identification mechanism may be implemented according to the aspects of the present subject matter. Accordingly, the identity storage element may be selected based on the electromagnetic and/or electromagnetic mechanism implemented. The identity storage element, in an example, may include a unique Identity (ID) associated with an individual using which the individual may be authenticated. For instance, when seeking access to the environment, the individual may be authenticated based on corresponding unique ID.
[0028] Continuing with the above embodiment, the smart lock apparatus may be configured to authenticate the individual based on the unique ID. To that end, in an example, the smart lock apparatus may include an identity reader. Examples of the identity reader may include, but are not limited to, an RFID reader and a QR scanner. As mentioned above, other electromagnetic based and/or optical based identification mechanism may be implemented according to the aspects of the present subject matter. Accordingly, the identity reader may be selected based on the electromagnetic and/or electromagnetic mechanism implemented.
[0029] Examples of the at least one electrical appliance 104 may include, but are not limited to, a Television (TV), a fridge, a microwave, a music system, a printer, a fax machine, an Air Conditioner, and an air purifier. Examples of the electrical adapter 106 may include a single phase electrical adapter or a multiphase electrical adapter.
[0030] In an example embodiment, the gateway 108 may include a database comprising a mapping between a plurality of individuals and a plurality of corresponding one or more access control permissions. The access control permission corresponding to an individual defines the individual’s accessibility to operation of the at least one electrical appliance 104. An example database including the aforementioned mapping is provided below.
Control permissions for User A in Database
Appliance Control Permission
Television Set Allowed
Microwave Allowed
Music System Not allowed
Washing Machine Not Allowed

[0031] In an example, the gateway 108 is to implement an access control permission corresponding to the individual.
[0032] In operation, an individual 110 seeking access to the environment may attempt to unlock the smart lock and key arrangement 102, for example, using a smart key unit. The smart key unit, as mentioned above, may comprise a unique ID associated with the individual based on which the smart lock apparatus authenticates the individual. To that end, the smart lock apparatus may ascertain whether the unique ID as received from the smart key unit matches the unique IDs stored in an internal database of the smart lock apparatus. In a case where the received unique ID matches with one of the stored unique IDs, the individual 110 is successfully authenticated by the smart lock apparatus. In an example where the individual 110 is successfully authenticated, the smart lock apparatus transmits a control message comprising the unique ID of the individual to the gateway 108.
[0033] In an example embodiment, on receiving the control message, the gateway 108 may be configured to obtain the one or more access control permissions corresponding to the individual 110 from the database maintained at the gateway 108. Based on the access control permissions, the gateway 108 may be configured to compose and transmit a control message to the at least one electrical adapter 106 coupled to the at least one electrical appliance 104. The control message, in an example, may include instructions to switch ON/OFF a relay of the at least one electrical adapter 106. For instance, in a case where the individual 110 is authorized to access the electrical appliance 104-1, the gateway 108 may transmit a control message comprising instructions to switch ON the relay of the electrical adapter 106-1. On the other hand, in a case where the individual 110 is not authorized to access the electrical appliance 104-2, the gateway 108 may transmit a control message comprising instructions to switch OFF the relay of the electrical adapter 106-2. Thus, instructions specific to the defined permissions for a given electrical appliance 104 may be used for composing the control message and once composed, the gateway 108 may transmit the control message to the electrical appliance 104.
[0034] In an example, the at least one electrical adapter 106 may be configured to receive the control message from the gateway 108. Accordingly, the at least one electrical adapter 106 may be configured to control the supply of the electric power to the at least one electrical appliance 104 based on the received control message. In a case where the control message comprises instructions to switch ON the relay, the at least one electrical adapter 106 may switch on the relay to provide supply of electric power to the at least one electrical appliance 104. Furthermore, in a case where the control message comprises instructions to switch OFF the relay, the at least one electrical adapter 106 may be configured to switch OFF the relay to cut-out the supply of electric power to the at least one electrical appliance 104.
[0035] Thus, in the above manner, control of access to operation of the electrical appliances may be achieved as per the aspects of the present disclosure.
[0036] Fig. 2(a) illustrates a schematic block diagram of the smart lock and key arrangement 102, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 2(b) illustrates a schematic block diagram of the gateway 108, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 2(c) illustrates a schematic block diagram of the electrical adapter 106, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 2(d) illustrates a schematic block diagram of an environment depicting interactions amongst the smart lock and key arrangement 102, the gateway 108, and the electrical adapter 106, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0037] Referring to Figs. 2(a)-(d), as shown, the smart lock and key arrangement 102 may include a smart key unit 200 and a smart lock apparatus 202. The smart key unit 200 may include a key 204 and an identity storage element 206. The identity storage element 206 in an example, stores a unique ID associated with an individual. In an example, when the individual attempts to access an environment secured by the smart lock and key arrangement 102, the individual may be authenticated based on the associated unique ID.
[0038] The smart lock apparatus 202, in an example, includes a controller 208-1, a wireless communication unit 210-1, and an identity reader 212. The identity reader 212, in an example, may be configured to obtain the unique ID from the identity storage element 206. Furthermore, the controller 208-1, in an example, may be configured to authenticate the individual based on the unique ID. In a case where the individual is successfully authenticated, the controller 208-1 may be configured to generate a control message comprising the unique ID. Said control message is transmitted to the gateway 108 by the wireless communication unit 210-1.
[0039] In an example, the gateway 108 comprises a controller 208-2, a wireless communication unit 210-2, and a database 212. The database 212, in an example, comprises a plurality of unique IDs associated with a plurality of individuals, and corresponding one or more access control permissions. In an example, the wireless communication unit 210-2 may receive the control message from the smart lock apparatus 202. Subsequently, the controller 208-2 may be configured to obtain the access control permission(s) corresponding to the unique ID from the database 214.
[0040] Based on the access control permissions, the controller 208-2 may generate one or more control messages. Each of the control messages may include instructions to either switch ON or switch OFF a relay 216 of the electrical adapter 106, wherein said instruction is based on the access control permission.
[0041] For instance, if it is determined that the individual is permitted to operate the electrical appliance 104-1, the control message for corresponding electrical adapter 106-1 may include instructions to switch ON the relay 216, and vice-versa. The control message is subsequently transmitted to the electrical adapter 106 by the wireless communication unit 210-2.
[0042] In an example, a wireless communication unit 210-3 of the electrical adapter 106 may receive the control message. Based on the instructions provided in the control message, the controller 208-3 may be configured to toggle the relay 216 to either a switch ON state or a switch OFF state. Accordingly, the electrical power may or may not be supplied to the electrical appliance 104 for operation thereof.
[0043] In an example, the smart lock apparatus 202, the gateway 108, and the at least one electrical adapter 106 are wirelessly connected with each other.
[0044] In an example, the controller(s) 208 included in the In an example, the smart lock apparatus 202, the gateway 108, and the at least one electrical adapter 106, may be a single processing unit or a number of units, all of which could include multiple computing units. Furthermore, the controller(s) 208 may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, state machines, logic circuitries, and/or any devices that manipulate signals based on operational instructions. Among other capabilities, the controller(s) 208 is configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions and data stored in a corresponding memory of the smart lock apparatus 202, the gateway 108, and the at least one electrical adapter 106.
[0045] Furthermore, in an example embodiment, each of the smart lock apparatus 202, the gateway 108, and the at least one electrical adapter 106 may include an internal storage that may include data. The data serves, amongst other things, as a repository for storing data processed, received, and generated by one or more of the respective controller(s) 208. For instance, the data of the smart lock apparatus 202 may include the data of unique IDs which are authorized to access the environment. Furthermore, the data of the gateway 108 may include the database that includes the mapping between the unique IDs and the corresponding one or more permissions of the individuals.
[0046] In an example, the wireless communication unit 210 may include one or more hardware units that support wired and/or wireless communication between one or more of the In an example, the smart lock apparatus 202, the gateway 108, and the at least one electrical adapter 106.
[0047] Thus, as may be gathered from above, aspects of the present disclosure provide for controlling access to operation of electrical appliances within environments. Accordingly, it is advantageous in scenarios where a plurality of individuals has access to an environment and where it is desired that certain individual may not operate certain electrical appliances. For instance, in a house hold, it may be desirable to not provide a maid with access to operation of TVs, ACs, music systems, and the like.
[0048] While specific language has been used to describe the present subject matter, any limitations arising on account thereto, are not intended. As would be apparent to a person in the art, various working modifications may be made to the method in order to implement the inventive concept as taught herein. The drawings and the foregoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment
,CLAIMS:1. A system for controlling access to operation of electrical appliances present within an environment, the system comprising:
a smart lock and key arrangement (102) configured to:
perform authentication of an individual seeking access to the environment; and
transmit a control message to a gateway, in response to successful authentication of the individual;
at least one electrical appliance (104);
at least one electrical adapter (106) to control supply of electric power to the at least one electrical appliance (104); and
a gateway (108) communicatively coupled to the smart lock and key arrangement (102) and the at least one electrical adapter (106), wherein the gateway (108) is configured to:
receive the control message from the smart lock and key arrangement (102); and
implement an access control permission corresponding to the individual, in response to receiving the control message from the smart lock and key arrangement (102),
wherein the access control permission defines the individual’s accessibility to operate the at least one electrical appliance (104).

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the smart lock and key arrangement (102) further comprises:
a smart key unit (200), wherein the smart key unit (200) comprises a key and an identity storage element, wherein the identity storage element comprises a unique identity (ID) associated with the individual; and
a smart lock apparatus (202) comprising:
an identity reader (212), wherein the identity reader (212) is configured to obtain the unique ID from the smart key unit (200); and
a controller coupled to the identity reader (212), wherein the controller is configured to perform the authentication of the user based on the unique ID and an internal database of the smart lock and key arrangement (102), wherein the internal database comprises a plurality of unique IDs corresponding to a plurality of authorized individuals.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the smart lock apparatus (202) further comprises a wireless communication unit, wherein the wireless communication unit is configured to transmit the control message to the gateway (108) when the individual is successfully authenticated, wherein the control message comprises the unique ID of the individual.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gateway (108) comprises a database comprising a mapping between a plurality of individuals and a plurality of one corresponding one or more access control permissions.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the gateway (108) comprises:
a controller configured to:
obtain the unique ID from the control message; and
obtain one or more access control permissions corresponding to the unique ID from the database;
a wireless communication unit configured to transmit at least one further control message to the at least one electrical adapter (106) based on the one or more access control permissions, wherein the at least one further control message comprises instructions to control the supply of electric power to the at least one electrical appliance (104).

6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the controller of the gateway (108) is further configured to compose the at least one further control message based on the one or more access control permissions corresponding to the unique ID.

7. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the at least one electrical adapter (106) comprises a wireless communication unit, wherein the wireless communication unit is configured to receive the at least one further control message from the gateway (108).

8. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one electrical adapter (106) comprises:
a relay to control the supply of electrical power to the at least one electrical appliance (104); and
a controller to toggle the relay between the switch ON and switch OFF state based on the at least one further control message.