Access Control

• US 20100127821A1
• Filed: 11/25/2009
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Ltd (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Ltd (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Poyner, Julian, Jones, Derek W., Day, Anthony C., Sawyer, Derek
• Granted Patent: US 8,508,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.200
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method and apparatus for controlling access to a restricted area containing machinery. The method comprises receiving from a communications device a location identifier associated with said restricted area and a further identifier, verifying said location identifier and said further identifier, and controlling access to said restricted area based upon said verifying. Controlling access to said restricted area comprises providing a control signal to a controller associated with said restricted area. The controller is arranged to control said machinery in response to said control signal.

Claims

1. A method of controlling access to a restricted area containing machinery comprising the steps of:

receiving from a communications device a location identifier associated with said restricted area and a further identifier;

verifying said location identifier and said further identifier; and

controlling access to said restricted area based upon said verifying;

wherein controlling access to said restricted area comprises providing a control signal to a controller associated with said restricted area, said controller being arranged to control said machinery in response to said control signal.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said controller is arranged to control said machinery in response to said control signal to stop operation of said machinery, or cause operation of said machinery only in a safe mode.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein access to said restricted area is provided through an access point, and said controller opens said access point if said machinery is in a predetermined state.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said receiving and said verifying are carried out at a server.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein said server is associated with a plurality of controllers, each controller being associated with a respective restricted area.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein said location identifier and said further identifier are received over a wireless communications link.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said wireless communications link is provided by a mobile telephone network and said communications device is a mobile telephone.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein said further identifier is one of an identifier associated with said communications device and an identifier associated with an operator.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing to said communications device at least one request;

receiving from said communications device, in response to said at least one request, at least one response;

verifying said at least one response;

wherein said controlling access to said restricted area is further based upon said verifying of the at least one response.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein said at least one request requests one of an identification code and information relating to protective equipment.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to cause normal operation of said machinery, said request comprising a location identifier and a second further identifier;

determining whether said second further identifier and said location identifier satisfy a predetermined criterion;

allowing normal operation of said machinery based upon said determining.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said predetermined criterion comprises a match between said second further identifier and said further identifier.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

reading a location identifier from an electronic identification device using a communications device;

transmitting said read location identifier and a further identifier from said communications device to a server, wherein said server is configured to receive and to verify said location identifier and said further identifier and to control access to said restricted area based upon said verifying.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein said communications device is a mobile telephone.

15. The method according to claim 13 wherein said further identifier is an identifier associated with said communications device

16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

receiving at least one request at said communications device from said server;

receiving user input at said communications device indicating at least one response to said at least one request;

transmitting said at least one response to said server.

17. A system for controlling access to a restricted area comprising:

a memory storing processor readable instructions; and

a processor arranged to read and execute instructions stored in said memory;

wherein said processor executes said readable instructions to receive from a communications device a location identifier associated with said restricted area and a further identifier;

verify said location identifier and said further identifier; and

control access to said restricted area based upon said verifying, wherein controlling access to said restricted area comprises providing a control signal to a controller associated with said restricted area, said controller being arranged to control said machinery in response to said control signal

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the processor is associated with one of the controller and a server independent of the controller.

19. A system for controlling access to a restricted area comprising:

means for receiving from a communications device a location identifier associated with said restricted area and a further identifier;

means for verifying said location identifier and said further identifier; and

means for controlling access to said restricted area based upon said verifying.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising:

means for reading the location identifier from an electronic identification device with the communications device; and

a server receiving said location identifier and said further identifier from the communications device, wherein said server is arranged to verify said location identifier and said further identifier and control access to said restricted area based upon said verifying.