Access control system, access control method and devices suitable therefor

• US 20030151493A1
• Filed: 01/23/2003
• Published: 08/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zeit AG (Base-Net Informatik AG)
• Original Assignee: Swisscom AG (Government of Switzerland)
• Inventors: Straumann, Hugo, Baessler, Felix
• Granted Patent: US 7,196,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.25
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00865 remotely by wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/08 With time considerations, e.g. temporary activation, valid time window or time limitations
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00857 where the code of the data carrier can be programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/21 having a variable access code
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration

Abstract

An access control system comprises a plurality of access control devices in each of which is stored an access code. Specific access codes and access rights for a plurality of access control devices are transmitted from an access control central unit over a mobile radio network to the mobile communication terminal of a user. Transmitted to the mobile communication terminal by an access control device to be passed is an access control device identification. In the mobile communication terminal, on the basis of the received identification, the access code and the access rights for the access control device to be passed are determined, and are transmitted to the access control device. The access control device clears the user for access if the received access rights suffice and the received access code agrees with the stored access code.

Claims

1. An access control system comprising a plurality of access control devices and at least one mobile communication terminal, an access code, assigned to the respective access control device being stored in each case in the access control devices, the access control devices each comprising an identification module for transmission of an access control device identification, stored in the access control device, to the mobile communication terminal, the mobile communication terminal comprising an access authorization module, in which are stored access control device identifications and access codes for a plurality of the access control devices, the access code for a respective access control device being stored in each case assigned to the access control device identification for this respective access control device, and the mobile communication terminal and the access control devices comprising communication means for exchange of data between the mobile communication terminal and one of the access control devices, wherein

access rights data, in each case assigned to an access control device identification, are stored in the access authorization module, which access rights data define access rights of the user of the mobile communication terminal for the access control device determined through the respective access control device identification,

the mobile communication terminal comprises means of transmitting to an access control device to be passed the access rights data, which are stored, assigned to the access control device identification, in the mobile communication terminal, which identification has been received from the access control device to be passed, and

the access control devices each comprise an access control module for checking access rights data received from the mobile communication terminal.

2. The access control system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile communication terminal comprises a request module for preparing a request record to be transmitted to an access control device to be passed, which request record comprises a digital certificate and the access rights data defining the access rights of the user for the access control device to be passed, the digital certificate being generated by the request module based on the access code assigned to the access control device to be passed.

3. The access control system according to claim 2, wherein the access control module is set up to generate a second digital certificate from the access rights data and the access code contained in the received request record which access code is stored in the access control device to be passed, to compare the second digital certificate with the digital certificate contained in the received request record, and, with agreement of the digital certificates and with sufficient access rights, to clear access.

4. The access control system according to claim 1, wherein the access control devices each comprise a time determination module for determining current time indications, and they each comprise an access control module for comparison of the determined current time indications with access rights data on authorized access times which have been received from the mobile communication terminal.

5. The access control system according to claim 1, wherein it comprises an access control central unit for transmission over a mobile radio network to the mobile communication terminal of access control device identifications and access codes and access rights data, assigned in each case to these access control device identifications, the access rights data defining the access rights of the user of the mobile communication terminal for an access control device, and wherein the access authorization module is designed such that it stores the received access control device identifications, access codes and access rights data correspondingly assigned to one another.

6. An access control method in which an access code is assigned to an access control device and is stored in the access control device, in which an access code is stored in a mobile communication terminal, in which an access control device identification, stored in the access control device, is transmitted from the access control device to the mobile communication terminal, in which the access code for the access control device is determined in the mobile communication terminal in that the access code is determined which is stored, assigned to the received access control device identification, in the mobile communication terminal, wherein the method comprises the steps of

transmitting access rights data, from the mobile communication terminal to the access control device, which data are stored, assigned to the received access control device identification, in the mobile communication terminal, and which define the access rights of the user for the access control device, and

checking the received access rights data in the access control device.

7. The access control method according to claim 6, wherein a digital certificate is generated in the mobile communication terminal based on the determined access code, and wherein the generated digital certificate is transmitted to the access control device from the mobile communication terminal together with the access rights data which are stored, assigned to the received access control device identification, in the mobile communication terminal.

8. The access control method according to claim 7, wherein a second digital certificate is generated in the access control device from the received access rights data and the access code stored in the access control device, the second digital certificate is compared with the received digital certificate, and with agreement of the digital certificates and sufficient access rights access is cleared.

9. The access control method according to claim 6, wherein current time indications are determined in the access control device and the determined current time indications are compared with the access rights data on authorized access times which are received from the mobile communication terminal.

10. The access control method according to claim 6, wherein transmitted over a mobile radio network to the mobile communication terminal are access control device identifications and access codes and access rights data, assigned in each case to these access control device identifications, the access rights data defining the access rights of the user of the mobile communication terminal for an access control device, and wherein the received access control device identifications, access codes and access rights data are stored in the mobile communication terminal correspondingly assigned to one another.

11. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium with computer program code means, contained therein, for control of a processor of a mobile communication terminal, which medium comprises communication means for exchange of data with an access control device in such a way that an access control device identification, which is transmitted from an access control device to be passed, is received and accepted in the mobile communication terminal, and that an access code for the access control device to be passed is determined in the mobile communication terminal in that the access code is determined which is stored, assigned to the received access control device identification, in the mobile communication terminal, wherein

the computer program product contains further computer program means to control the processor of the mobile communication terminal in such a way that access rights data, which are stored, assigned to the received access control device identification, in the mobile terminal and which define the access rights of the user of the mobile communication terminal for the access control device to be passed are transmitted from the mobile communication terminal to the access control device to be passed.

12. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein it comprises further computer program code means which control the processor of the mobile communication terminal in such a way that a digital certificate is generated in the mobile communication terminal based on the determined access code and the generated digital certificate is transmitted from the mobile terminal to the access control device to be passed, together with the access rights data which are stored, assigned to the received access control device identification, in the mobile terminal.

13. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein it comprises further computer program code means which control the processor of the mobile communication terminal in such a way that access control device identifications and access codes and access rights data, assigned to these access control device identifications, the access rights data defining the access rights of the user of the mobile communication terminal for the access control device are received in the mobile communication terminal from an access control central unit and are stored in the mobile communication terminal correspondingly assigned to one another.

14. An access control device in which an access code is stored, which comprises communication means for exchange of data with a mobile communication terminal, and which comprises an identification module for transmitting an access control device identification, stored in the access control device, to the mobile communication terminal, wherein

the access control device comprises means of receiving access rights data from the mobile communication terminal, which access rights data define access rights of the user of the mobile communication terminal for the access control device, and

the access control device comprises an access control module for checking the received access rights data.

15. The access control device according to claim 14, wherein the access control module is set up to generate a digital certificate from the access rights data, which have been received from the mobile communication terminal, and from the access code, which is stored in the access control device, to compare the generated digital certificate with a digital certificate which has been received from the mobile communication terminal, and, with agreement of the digital certificates and with sufficient access rights, to clear access.

16. The access control device according to claim 14, wherein it comprises a time determination module for determining the current time indications, and wherein the access control module is set up to compare the determined current time indications with access rights data on authorized access times which have been received from the mobile communication terminal.