METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DYNAMICALLY ASSIGNING ACCESS RIGHTS

• US 20120169457A1
• Filed: 12/31/2010
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric Buildings LLC (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Electric Buildings AB (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Williamson, Jon L.
• Application Number:
  US12/982,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20120169457A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.2
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration

Abstract

The system and method take changes in a person'"'"'s or groups'"'"' status and by following a series of steps (rules) ensures that the person or groups are given proper access to a secure location. The system has at least one access control device for controlling the flow of persons in a physical setting to at least one secure area. An access control database of the system contains information regarding criteria for allowing access to the at least one secure area. A control system receives information from the at least one access control device and compares it to the access control database to determine if access is to be granted. A rules unit gathers information from various sources and updates the access control database.

Claims

1. A security system for allowing access to secure areas, the system comprising:

at least one access control device for controlling the flow of persons in a physical setting to at least one secure area;

an access control database containing information regarding criteria for allowing access to the at least one secure area;

a control system for receiving information from the at least one access control device and comparing the information to the access control database to determine if access is to be granted; and

a rules unit for gathering information from various sources and updating the access control database.

2. A security system of claim 1 wherein the rules unit includes:

a mechanism for gathering information from other databases;

a mechanism for updating a database related to personnel; and

a mechanism for updating the access control database.

3. A security system of claim 1 wherein the rules unit has a personnel database and an organizational database for use in determining the settings in the access control database.

4. A security system of claim 1 wherein the periodicity of the rules unit gathering information and updating the access control database can be varied.

5. A method of dynamically updating access rights comprising:

providing an access control database containing information regarding criteria for allowing access through an at least one access control device to at least one secure area;

gathering information related to personnel from at least one source;

updating a personnel access database related to personnel based on the gathered information; and

updating the access control database by running information from the personnel access database through a rules engine that contains criteria for at least one access control device.

6. A method of dynamically updating access rights of claim 5 wherein the rules engine uses both the personnel access database and an organizational database in determining the criteria for the at least one access control device.

7. A method of dynamically updating access rights of claim 5 wherein the sources are a plurality of databases.

8. A method of dynamically updating access rights of claim 7 wherein the plurality of record databases are selected from the group of training, project, and human resources.