DEFINING A BOUNDARY FOR WIRELESS NETWORK USING PHYSICAL ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEMS

• US 20090168695A1
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Johar, Manoj, Viswanathan, Venkatesh
• Granted Patent: US 8,620,269 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/086 using security domains

Abstract

A system and method for defining a boundary within a wireless coverage area using a physical access control system (PACS) and limiting access to the wireless network to devices located within the boundary area is provided. The system includes a PACS for controlling access to a secured area defined by the boundary to authorized personnel and a wireless network generating system for generating a wireless network. Access to the wireless network is limited to devices associated with an authorized personnel when the authorized personnel is determined to be within the secured area and denied to devices associated to personnel determined to be outside the secured area.

Claims

1. A system for defining a boundary for a wireless network, said system comprising:

a wireless network access device for creating a wireless network having a coverage area of arbitrary size;

at least one access control for associating one or more devices capable of connecting to said wireless network with an owner;

a physical access control unit for determining whether said owner associated with said one or more devices is within a secured area disposed within said coverage area; and

a network controller for only allowing access to said wireless network to one or more devices associated with said owner when said owner is located within said secured area.

2. The system as in claim 1, wherein said network controller utilizes a MAC address of said one or more devices to associate said one or more devices with said owner.

3. The system as in claim 1, wherein said physical access control unit further comprises at least one user identification reading device.

4. The system as in claim 3, wherein said at least one user identification reading device is selected from a group consisting of:

RFID reader, keycard reader, fingerprint scanner, and retinal scanner.

5. A method for defining a boundary for a wireless network, said method comprising:

generating a wireless network having a coverage area in which wireless devices can receive a wireless signal;

reading identification prior to allowing personnel entry or egress from a secured area disposed within said coverage area;

updating a list of personnel to reflect current personnel located within said secured area;

receiving a network connection request from a device connectable to said wireless network;

identifying an owner associated with said device;

comparing said owner against said list of personnel to determine whether said owner is located within said secured area;

allowing said network connection request only to said device associated with said owner when said owner is located within said secured area; and

denying said network connection request to unassociated devices.

6. The method as in claim 5, wherein said reading is performed by at least one user identification reading device.

7. The method as in claim 6, wherein said at least one user identification reading device is selected from a group consisting of:

RFID reader, keycard reader, fingerprint scanner, and retinal scanner.

8. The method as in claim 5, wherein said association between said owner and said device is based on a MAC address of said device.

9. The method as in claim 5, further comprising the step of notifying when said owner exits said secured area.

10. The method as in claim 5, further comprising the step of disconnecting said device from said wireless network when said owner exits said secured area.