PERSONNEL ACCESS SYSTEM WITH VERIFICATION FEATURES UTILIZING NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION (NFC) AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20120220216A1
• Filed: 02/24/2011
• Published: 08/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited, Canada Ontario
• Inventors: Zubiri, Alberto Daniel, Buczek, Tomasz, Carbonell Duque, Santiago
• Granted Patent: US 8,929,861 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A personnel access system may include a mobile device(s) comprising a first near field communication (NFC) device, a wireless device, and a first controller configured to generate an access request. An access control device may be associated with a personnel access position and include a second NFC device configured to receive the access request, and a second controller configured to generate a verification request for the mobile device(s) based upon the received access request. A verification device may be configured to receive the verification request from the access control device, and send a verification message to the mobile device(s). The first controller may be configured to receive the verification message via the wireless device, and generate verification data based thereon. The second controller may be configured to selectively grant personnel access based upon the verification data.

Claims

1. A personnel access system comprising:

at least one mobile wireless communications device comprising

a first near field communication (NFC) device,

a wireless device, and

a first controller coupled with said first NFC device and said wireless device, the first controller being configured to generate an access request;

an access control device associated with a personnel access position, the access control device comprising a second NFC device configured to receive the access request from said first NFC device based upon proximity therewith, and

a second controller coupled with said second NFC device, the second controller being configured to generate a verification request for the at least one mobile wireless communications device based upon the received access request; and

a verification device configured to receive the verification request from said access control device and, based thereon, send a verification message to said at least one mobile wireless communications device;

said first controller being further configured to receive the verification message via said wireless device and, based thereon, generate verification data;

said second controller being further configured to selectively grant personnel access based upon the verification data.

2. The personnel access system of claim 1 wherein said at least one mobile wireless communications device has a unique identification (UID) associated therewith;

and wherein said verification device is configured to send the verification message to said at least one mobile wireless communications device based upon the UID.

3. The personnel access system of claim 1 wherein said first controller is further configured to send the verification data to said access control device via said first NFC device.

4. The personnel access system of claim 1 wherein the verification message comprises at least one of an electronic mail (email) message, a peer-to-peer message, or a short message service (SMS) message.

5. The personnel access system of claim 1 wherein said at least one mobile wireless communications device further comprises an input device coupled to said first controller;

and wherein said first controller is further configured to generate the verification data based upon said input device.

6. The personnel access system of claim 5 wherein said first controller is further configured to receive a password via the input device and send the verification data to said access control device based upon the password.

7. The personnel access system of claim 5 wherein said input device comprises at least one of a keypad, a biometric sensor or an optical sensor.

8. The personnel access system of claim 1 wherein said wireless device comprises a cellular receiver.

9. The personnel access system of claim 1 wherein said second controller is configured to send the verification request to said verification device via a wide area network.

10. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a near field communication (NFC) device,

a wireless device, and

a controller coupled with said first NFC device and said wireless device, the controller being configured to

generate and communicate an access request to an access control device associated with a personnel access position via said NFC device,

receive a verification message from a verification device via said wireless device, and

generate verification data based upon the received verification message for causing the access control device to selectively grant personnel access.

11. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 10 wherein said controller is further configured to send the verification data to the access control device via said NFC device.

12. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 10 further comprising an input device coupled to said controller;

and wherein said controller is further configured to generate the verification data based upon said input device.

13. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 12 wherein said controller is further configured to receive a password via the input device and send the verification data to the access control device based upon the password.

14. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 12 wherein said input device comprises at least one of a keypad, a biometric sensor, or an optical sensor.

15. An access control device associated with a personnel access position, the access control device comprising:

a near field communication (NFC) device configured to communicate with at least one mobile wireless communications device based upon proximity therewith to receive an access request; and

a controller coupled with said second NFC device, the controller being configured to

generate a verification request for the at least one mobile wireless communications device based upon the received access request,

send the verification request to a verification device, the verification device being configured to send a verification message to the at least one mobile wireless communications device based upon the verification request, and

selectively grant personnel access based upon verification data generated by the at least one mobile wireless communications device based upon the verification message.

16. The access control device of claim 15 wherein said controller is further configured to receive the verification data from the at least one mobile wireless communications device via said NFC device.

17. The access control device of claim 15 wherein said controller is configured to send the verification request to the verification server via a wide area network.

18. A personnel access method comprising:

generating an access request with at least one mobile wireless communications device;

sending the access request from the at least one mobile wireless communications device to an access control device via near field communication (NFC) based upon proximity therewith;

sending a verification request for the at least one mobile wireless communications device from the access control device to a verification device based upon the received access request;

sending a verification message from the verification device to the at least one mobile wireless communications device based upon the verification request;

generating verification data at the at least one mobile wireless communications device based upon the verification message; and

selectively granting personnel access with the access control device based upon the verification data.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the at least one mobile wireless communications device has a unique identification (UID) associated therewith;

and wherein sending the verification message comprises sending the verification message to the at least one mobile wireless communications device based upon the UID.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising sending the verification data from the at least one mobile wireless communications device to the access control device via NFC.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the verification message comprises at least one of an electronic mail (email) message, a peer-to-peer message, or a short message service (SMS) message.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the at least one mobile wireless communications device further comprises an input device coupled with the first controller;

and further comprising generating the verification data based upon the input device.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one mobile wireless communications device further comprises an input device, the method further comprising receiving a password via the input device and sending the verification data to the access control device based upon the password.

24. The method of claim 18 wherein sending the verification request comprises sending the verification request from the access control device to the verification device via a wide area network.

25. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a mobile wireless communications device comprising a near field communication (NFC) device and a wireless device to perform steps comprising:

generating and communicating an access request to an access control device associated with a personnel access position via the NFC device, the access control device being configured to generate a verification request for the at least one mobile wireless communications device based upon the access request and communicate the verification request to a verification device;

receiving a verification message from the verification device via the wireless device, the verification message being generated based upon the verification request; and

generating verification data based upon the received verification message for causing the access control device to selectively grant personnel access.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 further having computer-executable instructions for causing the mobile wireless communications device to perform a step of sending the verification data to the access control device via the NFC device.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the mobile wireless communications device further comprises an input device;

and further having computer-executable instructions for causing the mobile wireless communications device to perform a step of generating the verification data based upon the input device.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the input device comprises at least one of a keypad, a biometric sensor, or an optical sensor.