Access control system having tenant codes that may be selectively displayed

• US 20030081747A1
• 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: Stone, Harvey, Ahlstrom, John F.
• Granted Patent: US 6,728,351 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

Abstract

The present invention is an access control system such as a telephone entry system (TES) wherein tenant codes are selectively displayed and therefore, tenant codes that are not selected for display are not listed in a system tenant code directory. Tenants may control who knows that they live in the building and, therefore, control who can get in touch with them. Thus, tenants may avoid having their name displayed on the Access Control System. Tenants still may have a unique number in the index without having their name displayed, keeping their name unlisted.

Claims

1. An access control system selectively providing access to a building, 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 display on said main control unit displaying contact codes for selected ones of a plurality of building tenants;

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 building tenants may select whether a corresponding contact code is displayable on said display, visitors to said building viewing a list of displayable contact codes, remaining ones of said contact codes being unviewable on said display.

2. An access control system 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 as in claim 8 wherein said remote code entry unit is a card reader.

10. An access control system as in claim 8 wherein said remote code entry unit is a keypad.

11. An access control unit 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 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 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 as in claim 2 wherein said display further selectively displays a menu of available options, selection of selected ones of said options being logged.

15. An access control system 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 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 as in claim 16 wherein said electronics assembly unit comprises:

a control subsystem controlling connected peripheral units and controlled doors, display of tenant codes, contacting a corresponding tenant in response to an entered contact code, receiving and authenticating access codes, 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 with a said fax modem.

18. An access control system 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 contact and 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 as in claim 18 wherein said memory includes Flash EPROM and dynamic random access memory.

20. An access control system as in claim 17 wherein said communication subsystem comprises:

a digital signal processor, said digital signal processor being capable of functioning as a fax modem;

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 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 selectively providing access to a building, 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 display on said main control unit displaying contact codes for selected ones of a plurality of building tenants; and

said main control comprises a controller responsive to building tenant interaction for inhibiting the display of contact codes of selected building tenants.