Card reader for security system

• US 4,816,658 A
• Filed: 04/03/1987
• Issued: 03/28/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Casi-Rusco Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Casi-Rusco Incorporated
• Inventors: Kalustian, Sarkis V., Khandwala, Bhupendra J., Young, Jorge A.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAFTON, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US07/036,150
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 235/382, 235/380
• US Class Current: 235/382
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/14 with apparatus adapted for use with individual cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/23 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration

Abstract

There is disclosed herein an improved card reader for a security system utilizing a central controller and a plurality of card readers for controlling traffic through critical doors in a facility. During normal operation, the card readers read card data and send it to the central controller. The central controller makes the decision whether to grant or deny access based upon a comparison of the card data and data kept in memory regarding persons who are authorized access to certain areas. The central controller then sends a "Go" or "No Go" message, i.e., whether or not to grant access, to the reader after the access decision is made. The improved reader includes means for storing the authorized identification code data for persons who will be allowed access during times when communications between the card reader and the central controller are not working. There is also disclosed means for temporarily storing transaction information for transactions made during periods when communications with the controller are lost. During such degraded mode operation, i.e., when communications with the central controller are not working, access is granted to cardholders with the proper system code if their I.D. code data on their cards matches an I.D. code record in a table stored by the central controller in a degraded mode buffer in the reader. The I.D. codes and times of the transactions during degraded mode are, whether "Go" or "No Go", stored in a degraded mode transaction buffer in the reader. When communications are restored, the transactions saved in the transaction buffer are sent to the controller.

Claims

1. A security system for controlling access to an area comprising:

a card reader for reading data stored substantially permanently on cards and for comparing said data to authorization data stored in said reader and for granting access to said area if the card data matches selected authorization data;

a central controller for storing authorization data defining who is authorized access to said area during degraded mode conditions comprising times when communication between said card reader and said central controller is not possible and for communicating said authorization data to said card reader during times when communication with said card reader is possible;

means electrically connected to said card reader for storing card data which does not match said authorization data, along with information indicating that said card data did not match said authorization data, during degraded mode conditions; and

means electrically connected to the card reader for communicating said stored card data and information to the central controller during times when communication between the card reader and the central controller is possible.

2. A security system as defined in claim 1 further comprising;

means in said reader for communicating, during times when communication with said central controller exists, data read from said card to said central controller;

means in said central controller for evaluating said data read from said card to determine whether access should be granted; and

means in said central controller for sending a message to said card reader instruction said card reader whether or not to grant access.

3. A security system as defined in claim 1 or 2 including a plurality of card readers and wherein said central controller includes:

first means for storing data regarding which of said readers is authorized to grant access during times when communication with said card reader is lost;

second means for storing authorization data comprising I.D. data identifying which persons are to be authorized access by each card reader; and

third means for receiving requests from any of said readers for downloading of authorization data and for determining if said requesting reader is authorized to grant access during degraded mode conditions by consulting said first means and for consulting said second means to find the I.D. data for all persons to be authorized access through the requesting reader during degraded mode conditions and for sending said authorization data to said requesting reader for storage.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said reader includes means for requesting downloading of authorization data from said central controller after initial power up of the reader.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said card reader reads a card storing system code data and I.D. data.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein the authorization data comprises system code data and I.D. data, and wherein said card reader includes means for granting or denying access based on either the system code card data alone or upon both the system code and the I.D. data on said card.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein the I.D. data in a given card identifies a person authorized to use said given card, and wherein the means for storing said card data comprises means for storing the I.D. data for all persons granted access during degraded mode conditions for later communication to said central controller.

8. An apparats as defined in claim 7 further comprising means for storing the time that each person was granted access.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein the means for storing said card data comprises means for storing records comprising the I.D. data for each person that was either granted or denied access during degraded mode operation for later transmission to said central controller when communications are restored.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said records include the time of the transaction and wherein the stored information indicating whether the card data matched the authorization data comprises information in said records reflecting either a "Go" transaction where access was granted or a "No Go" transaction where access was denied.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said card reader includes a keyboard and includes means for granting or denying access board on the system code and the I.D. data on the card and on a password entered by the card holder on said keyboard.

12. A security system comprising:

a central controller;

a plurality of card reader means coupled to said central controller for reading data stored substantially permanently on magnetic card and transmitting said data to said central controller when communication with said central controller is possible and for comparing the card data to authorization data stored in said card reader means in order to make a local decision whether to grant access during times when communication with said central controller is not possible, said authorization data comprising identification data stored in each said reader which identifies those persons authorized access to controlled areas through the associated reader during times when communication with said central controller is not possible;

storage means in each of said card reader means for storing data read from a card which does not match the authorization data and information indicating access was not granted and time of day access was not granted based on said data read from said card during times when communication between said central controller and said card reader means is not possible;

means in said card reader means for communicating said stored data and information to said central controller during times when communication between said card reader and said central controller is possible;

means in said central controller for receiving card data transmitted from said plurality of card reader means when communication with said card reader means is possible and for deciding whether to grant access based upon said card data and for transmitting a message to the card reader means that sent the card data, causing said card reader means either to grant or deny access; and

means in said central controller for determining when a particular card reader means is requesting a download of authorization data and for determining whether the requesting card reader means is authorized to grant access during times when communication between the card reader means and the central controller is not possible and for finding the authorization data for each person authorized to have access through said requesting card reader means during said times when said communication is not possible and for sending said authorization data to said card reader means for storage when said communication is possible.

18. A security as defined in claim 12, wherein the storage means further comprises means for storing the time of day corresponding to each transaction in which access was denied.

13. A method of operating a security system which includes a card reader and a central controller capable of communicating with the card reader to control access comprising the steps of:

reading a card to derive from said card data stored substantially permanently on said card;

sensing whether communication between said central controller and said card reader is possible;

sending said card data to said central controller if communication with said central controller is possible;

determining in said central controller if access is to be granted;

sending a message from said central controller to said reader indicating whether access is to be granted or denied;

granting or denying access to the area controlled by said card reader based upon said message from said central controller;

comparing said card data to data stored in said card reader during times when communication with said central controller is not possible;

granting or denying access based upon said comparison;

storing card data which does not match said data stored in said reader, and information indicating that access was not granted based upon said card data which does not match, in said card reader during times when communication with said central controller is not possible; and

sending the stored card data and information to the central controller during times when communication between the card reader and the central controller is possible.

19. A method of operating a security system as defined in claim 13, further comprising the step of storing, along with said data from the card, the corresponding time at which access was denied in response to the comparison of said data.

14. A method of operating a security system which includes a central controller and a card reader, the method comprising the steps of:

loading in a buffer within the card reader, identification data designating persons authorized access during times when communication between the card reader and the central controller is not possible;

sensing when communication between the card reader and the central controller is not possible;

reading card data from a card, said card data comprising system code data and identification code data stored substantially permanently on said card;

comparing said system code data to a first set of data stored in said card reader;

comparing said identification code data to a second set of data stored in said card reader;

storing the identification code data as a record in a buffer in the card reader when said identification code data does not match data in said first set of data or when said system code data does not match data in said second set of data;

marking the record as a "No Go" transaction; and

sending the stored identification code data to the central controller during times when communication between the card reader and the central controller is possible.

15. A method of operating a security system as defined in claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

sensing when said card reader needs to be loaded with identification data designating persons authorized access during degraded mode times when communication between the card reader and the central controller is not possible;

determining whether said card reader is authorized to grant access during degraded mode times;

locating the identification data for all persons to whom access may be granted by the requesting card reader during degrade mode times; and

transmitting said identification data to said requesting card reader for storage and use by said card reader in granting and denying access during times when communication with said central controller is not possible.

20. A method of operating a security system as defined in claim 14, further comprising the step of loading said identification code data from the central controller to the card reader during times when communication between the card reader and the central controller is possible.

16. A method of operating a security system having a plurality of card readers and a central controller comprising the steps of:

storing in said central controller identification data designating persons authorized access to areas controlled by each card reader;

transmitting the identification data stored in the central controller and associated with a particular card reader to that card reader during times when communication with said card reader is possible;

comparing, in a card reader and independent of said central controller, data read from a card to data stored in said card reader during times when communication between said card reader and said central controller are not possible, to determine whether said card reader should grant access to the card holder;

storing data read from said card which does not match data stored in said card reader and information indicating that access was not granted based upon said data which does not match data stored in the card reader, in said card reader during times when communication between the card reader and the central controller is not possible; and

sending the stored data read from the card and the information indicating access was not granted to the central controller during times when communication between the card reader and the central controller is possible.

17. A method of operating a security system as defined in claim 16, further comprising the step of storing, along with said data from the card, the corresponding time at which access was denied in response to the comparison of said data.

21. A card reader for use in a security system having a central controller which communicates with said card reader, said card reader comprising:

mean so for storing authorization information identifying persons to whom access may be granted by the card reader;

means for reading data stored permanently on a card;

means, which are independent of the central controller, for comparing data from the card with the authorization information and for selectively granting access to a controlled location based on said comparison of card data and authorization information;

means for receiving signals from the central controller;

means electrically coupled to said receiving means for sensing when communication with the central controller is not possible;

means responsive to said sensing means for storing, during periods when communication between the card reader and the central controller is not possible, card data which does not match authorization data, along with associated information indicating that access was denied in response to the comparison of said card data with the authorization information; and

means electrically connected to the storing means for sending the stored card data and associated information to the central controller during times when communication between the card reader and the central controller is possible.

22. A card reader as defined in claim 21, wherein the means for storing said card data and said associated access information comprises means for storing with said card data and access information, the time of day at which access was denied as a result of the comparison of the corresponding card data and access information.

23. A method of operating a security system which controls access to a location and which includes a local card reader and a central controller which communicate to limit access based on card data, comprising:

storing authorization information at said local card reader, said authorization information identifying persons to whom access may be granted by the card reader;

reading data stored permanently on a card;

comparing, independently from the central controller, data from the card with the authorization information;

selectively granting access to a controlled location based on said comparison of card data and authorization information;

sensing at said local card reader for inability to communicate with said central controller;

storing at said card reader during periods when communication between the card reader and the central controller is not possible card data which does not match authorization data, along with associated information indicating that access was denied in response to the comparison of said card data with said authorization information; and

sending the stored card data and associated information to the central controller during times when communication between the card reader and the central controller is possible.

24. A method of operating a security system as defined in claim 23, further comprising the step of storing with said card data and access information, the time of day at which access was denied as a result of the comparison of the corresponding card data and access information.

25. A method of operating a security system as defined in claim 23, further comprising the step of transmitting the stored card data and access information to the central controller when communication between the card reader and the central controller is possible.