Patent Application
20160321846
The present disclosure relates to security access systems, and in an embodiment, but not by way of limitation, a security access system that uses a body area network.
A body area network (BAN), also referred to as a wireless body area network (WBAN) or a body sensor network (BSN), is a wireless network of computing devices that are associated with a particular human body or a particular person. BAN devices may be embedded inside the body, may be implants, may be surface-mounted on the body in a fixed position (i.e., wearable technology), or may be accompanied devices that humans can carry in different positions, in clothes pockets, by hand, or in various bags (e.g., something akin to a mobile phone or other personal communication device). While there is a trend towards the miniaturization of devices, in particular networks consisting of several miniaturized body sensor units (BSUs) together with a single body central unit (BCU), larger-sized smart devices (e.g., tablets and pads) and other accompanied devices can play an important role in terms of acting as a data hub, data gateway, and/or providing a user interface to view and manage BAN applications.
WBAN technology uses wireless personal area network (WPAN) technologies to implement communications on, near, and/or around the human body. The term BAN has come to refer to systems where communication is entirely within, on, and/or in the immediate proximity of a human body. A WBAN system can use WPAN wireless technologies as gateways to reach longer ranges. Through gateway devices, it is possible to connect the wearable devices on the human body to the Internet, so that persons such as medical professionals can access patient data online using the Internet independent of the patient location.
In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments which may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural, electrical, and optical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following description of example embodiments is, therefore, not to be taken in a limited sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.
The rapid growth in physiological sensors, low-power integrated circuits, and wireless communication has enabled a new generation of wireless sensor networks, now used for purposes such as monitoring traffic, crops, infrastructure, and health. The body area network field is an interdisciplinary area that particularly allows inexpensive and continuous health monitoring with real-time updates of medical records through the Internet or other data communications network. A number of intelligent physiological sensors can be embedded in a living body or integrated into a wearable wireless body area network, which can be used for computer-assisted rehabilitation or early detection of medical conditions. This area relies on the feasibility of implanting very small biosensors inside a living body that are comfortable and that don't impair normal activities. The implanted sensors in the body will collect various physiological changes in order to monitor a being's or patient's health status irrespective of the patient's physical location. The information can be transmitted wirelessly to an external processing unit, which can instantly transmit all information in real time to doctors throughout the world. If an emergency is detected, the physicians can immediately inform the patient through the computer system by sending appropriate messages or alarms. While the level of information provided and energy resources capable of powering the sensors are currently limited because the technology is still in its primitive stage, it is being widely researched and once adopted, is expected to be a breakthrough in healthcare, leading to concepts like telemedicine.
Initial applications of BANs are primarily in the healthcare domain, especially for continuous monitoring and logging vital parameters of patients suffering from chronic diseases such as diabetes, asthma, and heart disease. A BAN that is instantiated on a patient can alert medical care professionals, even before the patient experiences a medical condition such as a heart attack, by measuring changes in the patient's vital signs. Similarly, a BAN on a diabetic patient could auto-inject insulin through a pump as soon as the patient's insulin level declines.
A typical BAN or BSN includes vital sign monitoring sensors, a processor, motion detectors (e.g., accelerometers) to help identify the location and position of the monitored individual, and some form of communication to transmit vital sign and motion readings to medical practitioners or care givers. Physiological sensors, such as electrocardiographs (ECG) and saturation of peripheral oxygen (SpO2) sensors, have been developed. Other sensors, such as a blood pressure sensor, an electroencephalograph (EEG) sensor, and a personal digital assistant (PDA) for BSN interface are also potentially applicable.
The present disclosure relates to the use of a BAN in a security access system.
The body area network includes a processor 161, and one or more sensors. The sensors can include sensors related to DNA/protein analysis 162, blood glucose levels 163, body positioning analysis 164, vision analysis 165 (including pupil and other eye analyses), EEG sensors 166, hearing analysis 168, ECG sensors 169, blood pressure sensors 169A, toxin sensors 169B, implants 169C, and a means for fingerprint analysis and identification 169D (e.g., storing fingerprint data in a BAN database and using the fingerprint data from the BAN database to identify the person at an access point).
Referring to
The operation 220 of the point of entry of the access structure is further detailed as follows. At 221, the reader 147 transmits a signal to the processor and/or transceiver 161 of the BAN. The reader 147, which is installed in the vicinity of the point of entry, and which has a reliable source of power, can transmit messages to determine if a BAN has entered the vicinity. A BAN that has entered the vicinity of the point of entry receives the signal from the reader 147, and at 222, the BAN transmits identification data that identifies the person associated with the BAN. At 223, the reader receives the transmitted identification data from the BAN, and transmits the identification data associated with the person to the access control management server 110 and/or the digital video management server 120. At 224, the access control management server 110 authenticates the person via the identification data, and at 225, the reader 147 receives a response back from the access management server 110 (and/or the digital video management server 120). At 226, the controller 145 operates the door 130 as a function of the response from the access control management server 110, and/or operates the video sensor 148 as a function of the response from the digital video management server 120.
It should be understood that there exist implementations of other variations and modifications of the invention and its various aspects, as may be readily apparent, for example, to those of ordinary skill in the art, and that the invention is not limited by specific embodiments described herein. Features and embodiments described above may be combined with each other in different combinations. It is therefore contemplated to cover any and all modifications, variations, combinations or equivalents that fall within the scope of the present invention.
The Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. ยง1.72(b) and will allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
In the foregoing description of the embodiments, various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting that the claimed embodiments have more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Description of the Embodiments, with each claim standing on its own as a separate example embodiment.
