Access control system having a programmable automatic notification feature

• US 20030081746A1
• Filed: 10/29/2001
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc. (The Chamberlain Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc. (The Chamberlain Group LLC)
• Inventors: Dow, Wayne B., Ahlstrom, John F.
• Granted Patent: US 6,748,061 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/102.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/025 Door telephones adapted for television H04N7/186
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

An access control system such as a telephone entry system (TES) capable of seamlessly transmitting facsimile log reports to remote locations for storage. Alarms are selected such that upon an occurrence of an alarm, the access control system will send a fax to the selected phone number with information about the alarm situation and, for example, all the transaction information within the memory. Alarm situations can include, for example, a number of transactions, a specific person accessed, or code being used, a specific time of day, a specific time since the last alarm situation, a door staying open, and/or a door being forced open. Log information may be sent to an office located in a building that is remote from the access control system. This information may be sent in a standard format to any location around the world.

Claims

1. An access control system automatically sending system information to a remote maintenance location, said access control system comprising:

a main control unit telephonically in communication with entities within a building, said main control unit and being mountable at an entrance to said building;

a fax modem controlled by said main control unit;

at least one code entry unit receiving access codes, each said code entry unit providing received said access codes to said main control unit; and

at least one controlled door, access through each said controlled door being provided by said main control unit in response to a correct access code entered at one said code entry unit, said main control unit logging system activity;

whereby said main control unit selectively faxes system log reports over said fax modem to a remotely located fax machine.

2. An access control system automatically sending system information to a remote maintenance location as in claim 1, wherein one of said at least one code entry units is a keypad located on said main control unit.

3. An access control system automatically sending system information to a remote maintenance location as in claim 2 wherein said at least one controlled door is two or more controlled doors, said main control unit controlling and logging access through said controlled doors at entrances to said building, at least one of said entrances including a remote said code entry unit.

4. An access control system automatically sending system information to a remote maintenance location as in claim 3 wherein said remote code entry unit is a keypad, said main entry unit logging keypad entries.

5. An access control system automatically sending system information to a remote maintenance location as in claim 3 wherein said remote code entry unit is a card reader, said main control unit logging card reader entries.

6. An access control unit automatically sending system information to a remote maintenance location as in claim 3 further comprising a peripheral control unit in communication with said main control unit, said peripheral control unit controlling at least one remotely controlled door at an entrance remotely located from said main control unit, said main control unit logging peripheral control unit activity.

7. An access control unit automatically sending system information to a remote maintenance location as in claim 6 further comprising a remote said code entry unit at said remotely controlled door, said remote code entry unit communicating with said main control unit through said peripheral unit.

8. An access control system automatically sending system information to a remote maintenance location as in claim 7 wherein said remote code entry unit is located external to said building, entry requests being placed by entering an access code at said remote code entry unit.

9. An access control unit automatically sending system information to a remote maintenance location as in claim 8 wherein said remote code entry unit is a card reader.

10. An access control system automatically sending system information to a remote maintenance location as in claim 8 wherein said remote code entry unit is a keypad.

11. An access control unit automatically sending system information to a remote maintenance location as in claim 8 further comprising a second remote code entry unit located internal to said building, access code entries to said second remote code entry unit requesting exit from said building, said main control unit authenticating access codes, said peripheral unit opening said remote controlled door responsive to authenticated access codes being entered in either said remote code entry unit, each entry and exit at said remote controlled door being logged.

12. An access control system automatically sending system information to a remote maintenance location as in claim 2 further comprising a monitor connected to said main control unit, said main control unit displaying system information on said monitor.

13. An access control unit automatically sending system information to a remote maintenance location as in claim 2 further comprising a closed circuit TV camera, said closed circuit TV camera being remotely controlled by said access control system, each activation of said closed circuit TV being logged.

14. An access control system automatically sending system information to a remote maintenance location as in claim 2 wherein said main control further comprises a display, said display selectively displaying a menu of available options, selection of selected ones of said options being logged.

15. An access control system automatically sending system information to a remote maintenance location as in claim 14, the main control unit further comprising:

a microphone receiving a voice communications from persons requesting building access; and

a speaker providing audio responses to said persons requesting building access.

16. An access control system automatically sending system information to a remote maintenance location as in claim 14, the main control unit further comprising:

a memory module;

an electronics assembly adapted to receive said memory module, said memory module being pluggable into said electronics assembly, said display being attached to said electronics assembly; and

an alphanumeric keypad, said access control system being programmed directly from said alphanumeric keypad, access control codes being programmed into said main control unit using said alphanumeric keypad, program entries being selectively communicated, seamlessly, to said general purpose computer.

17. An access control system automatically sending system information to a remote maintenance location as in claim 16 wherein said electronics assembly unit comprises:

a control subsystem controlling connected peripheral units and controlled doors, receiving and authenticating access codes and monitoring unauthorized accesses and logging said system activity; and

a communication subsystem passing voice communications telephonically between said entities within said building and individuals seeking building access, said communication subsystem including said fax modem and sending and receiving faxes by said fax modem.

18. An access control system automatically sending system information to a remote maintenance location as in claim 17 wherein said control subsystem comprises:

a microcontroller controlling building access, communicating access authorization changes to the general purpose computer and changing access code data in response to communications from said general purpose computer;

memory storing current access codes, system related program code, data and system logs;

a handheld interface and real time clock communicating with said general purpose computer; and

said memory module, program initialization data and operating codes contained in said memory module.

19. An access control system automatically sending system information to a remote maintenance location as in claim 18 wherein said memory includes Flash EPROM and dynamic random access memory.

20. An access control system automatically sending system information to a remote maintenance location as in claim 17 wherein said communication subsystem comprises:

a digital signal processor, said digital signal processor being programmable as a fax modem, said fax modem comprising said digital signal processor;

memory storing code for said digital signal processor; and

a communications interface providing a voice interface with said microphone and audio interface with said speaker at said main control unit and providing a telephonic interface to a connected telephone system responsive to said digital signal processor.

21. An access control system automatically sending system information to a remote maintenance location as in claim 20 wherein a selected condition in said control subsystem causes said communication subsystem to fax a report to a remote location.

22. An access control system automatically sending system information to a remote maintenance location, said access control system comprising:

a main control unit telephonically in communication with entities within a building, said main control unit being mountable at an entrance to said building;

a fax modem controlled by said main control unit;

at least one code entry unit receiving access codes, each said code entry unit providing received said access codes to said main control unit;

at least one building function being provided by said main control unit in response to a correct access code entered at one said code entry unit, said main control unit logging system activity into a log report; and

said main control unit comprises apparatus for selectively faxing log reports over said fax modem to a remotely located fax machine.

23. An access control system automatically sending system information regarding a building to a remote maintenance location, said access control system comprising:

a main control unit telephonically in communication with entities within a building, said main control unit being mountable at an entrance to said building;

a fax modem controlled by said main control unit;

apparatus for collecting status information regarding the building connected to said main control unit for logging system activity into a status log report; and

whereby said main control unit selectively faxes status log reports over said fax modem to a remotely located fax machine.