ACCESS CONTROL IN A SECURED FACILITY

• US 20110119734A1
• Filed: 06/26/2010
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crawford C.S. Lee
• Original Assignee: Crawford C.S. Lee
• Inventors: CRAWFORD, C.S. LEE
• Granted Patent: US 8,590,013 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24167 Encryption, password, user access privileges
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 9/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/22 in combination with an identity check of the pass holder
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system processes access decisions for individuals where the system includes a portable handheld housing for the processor, display, internal memory, and card reader of the system. The system further includes software comprising: code for downloading, in a first mode of operation through the wireless communication circuitry, to the internal memory, access rights information from a distribution server, the access rights information, for multiple users, independently originating and being cryptographically authenticated from multiple sources, the access rights information revocation data that is specific to respective identified individual users; code for reading and processing identity information and access rights information from a portable memory card via the reader in a second mode of operation, the identify information comprising first and last name information pertaining to a specific user and employer organization information of the specific user, the code for reading and processing cryptographically authenticating information.

Claims

1. A system for processing access decisions for individuals, the system comprising:

a processor for controlling the system according to executable instructions;

a display;

internal memory for storing data and executable instructions;

a reader for reading a portable memory card;

wireless communication circuitry for conducting wireless communication through a public wireless connection;

a portable handheld housing for the processor, display, internal memory, and reader;

the internal memory storing software comprising;

code for downloading, in a first mode of operation through the wireless communication circuitry, to the internal memory, access rights information from a distribution server, the access rights information, for multiple users, independently originating and being cryptographically authenticated from multiple sources, the access rights information revocation data that is specific to respective identified individual users;

code for reading and processing identity information and access rights information from a portable memory card via the reader in a second mode of operation, the identify information comprising first and last name information pertaining to a specific user and employer organization information of the specific user, the code for reading and processing cryptographically authenticating the first and last name information and the employer information;

code for comparing information from the portable card pertaining to the specific user against previously downloaded access rights information in the internal memory for revocation data;

code for completing an access decision in the second mode of operation;

code for displaying a result of the access decision on the display in the second mode of operation; and

wherein the code for reading and processing, code for comparing, code for completing, and code for displaying are operable in the second mode of operation to function without requiring network connectivity.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the software further comprises:

code for storing data of prior accesses by other users on the portable card that includes the information identifying the specific user.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

code for storing revocation data pertaining to the specific user on the portable card that includes the information identifying the specific user.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

code for retrieving a plurality of network locations from internal memory for downloading by the code for downloading; and

code for automatically updating the plurality of network locations by communication with one or more management servers.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the code for completing comprises code for processing access information from the portable card pertaining to the specific user in text format.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the first and last name information pertaining to the specific user on the portable card is stored in a cryptographically protected format.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the first and last name information pertaining to the specific user on the portable card is cryptographically protected format separately from other access information pertaining to the specific user.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the code for completing verifies whether the specific user has specific access rights pertaining a specific facility or location.