The present invention relates to a security control system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wireless security control system that grants or denies access to a user seeking access through a door.
In the access control and security industries, there are two types of access control systems: on-line systems and standalone systems. On-line systems perform access grant and deny functions and history recording and provide continuous monitoring of a secured door or portal with nearly instantaneous updating of user access privileges. Standalone systems perform many of the basic functions of on-line systems (access grant & deny, history recording, etc.) but generally do not provide continuous monitoring or instantaneous updating of user access privileges.
On-line systems cost three to four times more than standalone systems mainly because hard-wired connections are required to connect readers, sensors, and locking devices at the door to either a “panel” or central computer. The use of wires allows for continuous monitoring and instantaneous updating of user data, but at an inflated cost. Standalone systems maintain a cost advantage by being battery-powered and avoiding the use of wires. The main disadvantage of traditional Standalone systems is that if the user data needs to be updated, an individual must walk to and physically connect to the Standalone systems. Once connected, new user data can be downloaded into the system via a laptop, palmtop, or custom programming device.
Through the use of wireless radio frequency (“RF”) technology, the present standalone security systems can perform user data updates and some monitoring on an as required basis. For RF wireless technology to be effectively implemented on standalone systems, battery power must be conserved. In preferred embodiments, the standalone system should maintain an appealing physical appearance. For example, any antennas should be hidden or unobtrusive.
A remote access control system includes a remote wireless communicator to receive wireless information from a central access control system. It also includes a remote access controller electrically coupled to the remote wireless communicator. The remote access controller would receive information from the remote wireless communicator and uses the information to control locking and unlocking of the door. The remote wireless communicator includes an antenna. A receiver housing is providing having an inner portion mounted to the inside of the door and an outer portion mounted outside of the door. The antenna is mounted to the outer portion of the housing and the remote wireless communicator and remote access controller are mounted to the inner portion of the housing. The remote wireless communicator also transmits wireless information to the central access control system and a switch is provided for selectively choosing between the receiving and transmitting the wireless information. A local communication port is coupled to the remote access controller to provide wired communication from a portable device. The remote wireless communicator communicates via RF information and preferably spread-spectrum RF.
The remote access control system also includes a reader to read user data when presented to the reader. The remote access controller determines whether the data is valid to control the locking and unlocking of the door. A battery is coupled to the reader, the remote access controller and the remote wireless communicator. The remote access communicator selectively connects the battery to the remote wireless communicator to conserve energy. The reader is mounted to the outer portion of the housing. The user data is provided on a token control card presented to the reader.
The central access security system includes the remote access system and a central access control system. The central access control system has a central access controller and a central wireless communicator. The central wireless communicator communicates with the remote wireless communicator. The central access controller is coupled to the central access communicator by a bus. The bus may be a wired network using network protocol, fiber optics, or a wireless bus. The system may include a plurality of central wireless communicators coupled to the bus and the central access controller. Each central wireless communicator may communicate wirelessly with one or more remote wireless communicators.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
A wireless security control system 10 is shown in
The wireless security control system 10 of the present invention includes a central access control system 20 and a plurality of remote access control systems 22 located remotely from central access control system 20. The central access control system 20 uses wireless communication technology to communicate with each remote access control system 22. The central access control system 20 can therefore be used to program each remote access control system 22 so that certain users are granted access through certain doors 14 and other users 12 are granted access through other doors 14. The central access control system 20 can also receive information from each remote access control system 22 so that user access information such as the time and date that a particular user 12 was granted access through door 14 can be tracked and monitored.
Each remote access control system or electronic lockset 22 is mounted to a respective door 14 to control whether the particular user 12 is granted or denied access through the particular door 14, as shown in
As shown illustratively in
As shown in
Each remote access control system 22 is configured to communicate wirelessly and bidirectionally with one of the central wireless communicators 32 of central access control system 20, as shown in
Remote access controller 62 is configured to communicate bidirectionally with remote wireless communicator 60, as shown in
As shown in
As mentioned above, information can be communicated wirelessly from central access control system 20 to remote access control system 22 to allow central access control system 20 to program remote access control system 22. Basically, this involves central access controller 30 sending information to remote access controller 62 via central and remote wireless communicators 32, 60. This type of wireless communication allows the remote access control system 22 to be programmed by the central access control system 20 so that remote access controller 62 locks and unlocks door 14 only for approved users 12 having approved tokens 13 as directed by central access controller 30.
Information can also be communicated wirelessly from remote access controller 62 to central access control system 20. This involves a signal being sent from remote access controller 62 to central access controller 30 via remote and central wireless communicators 60, 32. This type of wireless communication allows user access information to be monitored and tracked by passing information received by remote access controller 62 from token reader 64 to central access controller 30.
A preferred embodiment of the wireless security control system 10 is shown in
Outer and inner plates 73, 74 are each formed to include an aperture or hole 75, 76, respectively, to accommodate lock mechanism 15, as shown in
As shown in
Inner plate 74 is also formed to include an opening 78 designed to allow access to various portions of remote access control system 22 during assembly or removal of remote access control system 22 to or from door 14, respectively. A cover (or cap) 77 is configured to cover opening 78 formed in inner plate 74 once remote access control system 22 is mounted to door 14.
As shown in
Transmit/receive circuit 70 is used to communicate (e.g., transmit and receive) information between remote access controller 62 and central wireless communicator 32 through antenna 71, as shown in
Transmitter 80, receiver 82, and antenna 71 can be any variety of devices that cooperate to transmit and receive wireless information. For example, transmitter 80 and receiver 82 could use infrared, ultrasonic, magnetic, or radio frequency (RF). Preferably, as shown in
There are many types of RF technology that could be used to configure transmitter 80 and receiver 82 for wireless communication. For example, the following types of RF technology could be used: frequency modulation (FM), amplitude modulation (AM), amplitude shift keying (ASK), frequency shift keying (FSK), phased shift keying (PSK), single band transmission, dual band transmission, and spread spectrum transmission. Spread spectrum technology is resistant to interference, jamming, and multi-path fading. In the preferred embodiment, the 902-928 MHZ frequency range was selected because it is within the FCC spectrum. Spread spectrum technology makes communication between central wireless communicator 32 and remote wireless communicator 60 more reliable than the other RF transmission technologies mentioned above. In preferred embodiments, the present invention uses spread spectrum technology that is commercially available from Intellon Corp., located in Ocala, Fla. Familiar uses of spread spectrum technology include pagers, cordless telephones, and cellular telephones.
Battery 66 is mounted to inner plate 74, as shown in
Remote access control system 22 is configured to conserve energy drawn from battery 66. This is done by checking for user updates periodically (once a day, once an hour, etc.) and reporting only high priority events to central access control system 20 on a real-time basis. This contrasts with continuously polling remote access control system 22 and communicating to central access control system 20 every time a decision is to be made.
The security control system 10 of the present invention allows for distributed decision making by having a single central access control system 20 and a plurality of remote access control systems 22. Distributed decision making is possible because each remote access control system 22 decides independently whether a particular user 12 or token 13 is granted or denied access through the door 14 to which remote access control system 22 is coupled. The remote access control system 22 does not need authorization from central access control system 20 before making a decision. Therefore, the distributed decision making capability increases the speed of the decision making process because the remote access control system 22 makes the grant or deny decision locally, at the door 14, without having to communicate with central access control system 20.
The distributed decision making capability of security control system 10 also allows for better degrade mode performance. In other words, the distributed decision making capability prevents a failure of a single component from shutting down the entire security control system 10. For example, by having several remote access control systems 22 that make decisions independently from central access control system 20, the failure of a single component within a single remote access control system 22 or within the central access control system 20 is less likely to shut down the entire security control system 10 than if all the decision making were done by a central access control system.
The distributed decision making capability also minimizes power consumption of battery 66 in a wireless system since the remote access control system or lockset 22 does not have to power up the remote wireless communicator 60 every time a token 13 is presented to remote access control system 22. As mentioned above, remote wireless communicator 60 is powered up by remote access controller 62 only when wireless communication is desired and remains powered down during the normal access grant or deny decision making process. This contrasts with a centralized decision making system where wireless communication would be needed each time a token is presented to a remote lockset which would naturally reduce the life of the battery.
As shown in
Remote access control system 22 may also include a user history module 98, as shown in
In operation, user 12 presents user information on a token 13 to token reader 64. Presentation of token 13 to reader 64 is sensed by token reader 64 and activates or “wakes-up” remote access controller 62. An illustrative device for sensing a token reader with a wake-up circuit is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/243,772 entitled “Proximity Card Detection System,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Token 13 is read by token reader 64 and user data (retrieved from the token) is sent to remote access controller 62. Remote access controller 62 evaluates the user data and performs an access grant or deny decision. If an access grant decision is made, remote access controller 62 applies an unlocking signal to lock mechanism 15 and allows user 12 to gain access through door 14. After a predetermined period of time, a locking signal is applied to lock mechanism 15 to re-lock door 14. If an access deny decision is made, no action is taken on lock mechanism 15. The results of the transaction are stored in user history 98 contained in remote access controller 62.
On a predetermined time period (minute, hour, day, week), remote access controller 62 is activated by a real-time clock. Activation of remote access controller 62 for this particular reason initiates a data transfer via RF from remote access control system 22 to central access control system 20. Remote access control system 22 inquires for any updates to the user database and transfers any transaction history events requested by central access control system 20.
In the case of user updates, remote access control system 22 switches into the RF receive mode and processes data received from central access control system 20. This data is transferred into the user memory 98 of remote access control system 22 and stored. If central access control system 20 requested history transaction information, remote access control system 22 recalls information from the history or user memory 98 and transmits the data via RF to central access control system 20.
When data transmission from remote access control system 22 to central access control system 20 is desired, data from remote access controller 62 is processed and modulated using spread spectrum techniques and communicated through antenna 71. This data is received by central wireless communicator 32 and demodulated back into a digital data stream. This data stream is passed along to central access controller 30 and processed. Information is passed along via a series of commands and protocols similar to those used by LAN networks, as described above.
Conversely, when central access controller 30 wishes to communicate with remote access controller 62, a data stream is transmitted from central access controller 30 to central wireless communicator 32. The data is modulated using spread spectrum techniques and communicated through central wireless communicator 32. This data is received by remote wireless communicator 60 and demodulated back into a digital data stream. This data stream is passed along to remote access controller 62 and processed.
By combining RF wireless technology with a battery powered access control system, the elimination of wires in standard access control products is eliminated or greatly reduced. Additionally, because remote access controller 62 contains intelligence, remote access controller 62 can make all access control decisions at the door. This intelligence eliminates the need to transmit and/or receive data via RF for each event that occurs at the door. This feature greatly reduces the amount of power draw required by a battery powered device.
Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as described and defined in the following claims.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/523,670, filed Mar. 10, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,720,861 which claims the benefit of Provisional Application Serial No. 60/124,324, filed Mar. 12, 1999, which applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
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Child | 10803434 | US |