Secondary Short-Range Wireless Assist for Wireless-Based Access Control

• US 20150084736A1
• Filed: 09/20/2013
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Horton, Mike
• Granted Patent: US 9,948,359 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.7
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00388 code verification carried out according to the challenge/response method
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Concepts and technologies disclosed herein are directed to secondary short-range wireless assist for wireless-based access control. According to one aspect, a method can include receiving, at an access control system, a first identifier via a near-field communications (“NFC”) reader associated with an entryway to an area. The NFC reader can receive the first identifier from an NFC component of a mobile device. The method can include receiving, at the access control system, a second identifier via a wireless transceiver associated with the area. The wireless transceiver associated with the area can receive the second identifier from a wireless communication component of the mobile device after the mobile device has entered the area through the entryway. The method can also include determining, by the access control system, that the first identifier and the second identifier constitute an authentication pair that identifies the mobile device as being authenticated to access the area.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at an access control system comprising a processor, a first identifier via a near field communication reader associated with an entryway to an area, wherein the near field communication reader receives the first identifier from a near field communication component of a mobile device;

receiving, at the access control system, a second identifier via a wireless transceiver associated with the area, wherein the wireless transceiver associated with the area receives the second identifier from a wireless communication component of the mobile device after the mobile device has entered the area through the entryway; and

determining, by the access control system, that the first identifier and the second identifier constitute an authentication pair, the authentication pair identifying the mobile device as being authenticated to access the area.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the access control system, a third identifier via the wireless transceiver associated with the area, wherein the wireless transceiver associated with the area receives the third identifier from a further wireless communication component of a further mobile device; and

determining, by the access control system, that a fourth identifier was not received via the near field communication reader.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the fourth identifier and the third identifier constitute a second authentication pair, and the second authentication pair identifies the further mobile device as being authenticated to access the area.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the mobile device is associated with a user;

the further mobile device is associated with a further user; and

the further user is attempting to access the area by tailgating the user through the entryway to the area.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising storing a flag in association with the further mobile device and the further user in a user database.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the further user is reprimanded as a result of the flag.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

generating a wireless component activation signal; and

causing the wireless component activation signal to be sent to the mobile device to cause the mobile device to activate the wireless communication component.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein generating the wireless component activation signal comprises generating the wireless component activation signal in response to detecting that the mobile device has traversed a geo-fence border.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein generating the wireless component activation signal comprises generating the wireless component activation signal in response to receiving the first identifier via the near field communication reader.

10. An access control system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising

receiving a first identifier via a near field communication reader associated with an entryway to an area, wherein the near field communication reader receives the first identifier from a near field communication component of a mobile device,

receiving a second identifier via a wireless transceiver associated with the area, wherein the wireless transceiver associated with the area receives the second identifier from a wireless communication component of the mobile device after the mobile device has entered the area through the entryway, and

determining that the first identifier and the second identifier constitute an authentication pair, the authentication pair identifying the mobile device as being authenticated to access the area.

11. The access control system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a third identifier via the wireless transceiver associated with the area, wherein the wireless transceiver associated with the area receives the third identifier from a further wireless communication component of a further mobile device; and

determining that a fourth identifier was not received via the near field communication reader.

12. The access control system of claim 11, wherein the fourth identifier and the third identifier constitute a second authentication pair, and the second authentication pair identifies the further mobile device as being authenticated to access the area.

13. The access control system of claim 12, wherein:

the mobile device is associated with a user;

the further mobile device is associated with a further user; and

the further user is attempting to access the area by tailgating the user through the entryway to the area.

15. The access control system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

generating a wireless component activation signal, wherein generating the wireless component activation signal comprises one of

generating the wireless component activation signal in response to detecting that the mobile device has traversed a geo-fence border, or

generating the wireless component activation signal in response to receiving the first identifier via the near field communication reader; and

causing the wireless component activation signal to be sent to the mobile device to cause the mobile device to activate the wireless communication component.

16. The access control system of claim 11, wherein the mobile device is associated with a user, and wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving information associated with a presence of a further user within the area;

determining, based upon the information associated with the presence of the further user within the area, that a third identifier associated with the further user was not received at either the near field communication reader or the wireless transceiver associated with the area; and

in response to determining that the third identifier associated with the further user was not received at either the near field communication reader or the wireless transceiver associated with the area, flagging the further user for reprimand.

14. The access control system of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise storing a flag in association with the further mobile device and the further user in a user database.

17. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first identifier via a near field communication reader associated with an entryway to an area, wherein the near field communication reader receives the first identifier from a near field communication component of a mobile device;

receiving a second identifier via a wireless transceiver associated with the area, wherein the wireless transceiver associated with the area receives the second identifier from a wireless communication component of the mobile device after the mobile device has entered the area through the entryway; and

determining that the first identifier and the second identifier constitute an authentication pair, the authentication pair identifying the mobile device as being authenticated to access the area.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a third identifier via the wireless transceiver associated with the area, wherein the wireless transceiver associated with the area receives the third identifier from a further wireless communication component of a further mobile device; and

determining that a fourth identifier was not received via the near field communication reader, wherein the fourth identifier and the third identifier constitute a second authentication pair, and the second authentication pair identifies the further mobile device as being authenticated to access the area.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein:

the mobile device is associated with a user;

the further mobile device is associated with a further user; and

the further user is attempting to access the area by tailgating the user through the entryway to the area.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise storing a flag in association with the further mobile device and the further user in a user database;

and wherein the further user is reprimanded as a result of the flag.