Method and system for providing cross-platform remote control and monitoring of facility access controller

• US 6,374,296 B1
• Filed: 11/25/1998
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ADC Technologies International Pte Limited (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: ADC Technologies International Pte Limited (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Sing, Seng Chong, Lim, Hoon Chiat, Sim, Yong Huat, Lim, Kian Giap
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Jungwon
• Application Number:
  US09/199,429
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/229, 709/220, 709/200, 709/218, 709/203, 709/222, 709/225, 710/11, 707/203, 713/324
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2151 Time stamp
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/23 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• 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

Abstract

A method and system for providing cross-platform remote control and monitoring of a facility electronic access controller includes a CPU, a non-volatile memory, at least one of a network port and a cross-platform port, and an input/output interface. The system includes an input access control device operatively linked to the interface. The input access control device generates identification data of a user. The system also has an output access control device operatively linked to the interface. The system also includes a cross-platform network and a remote computer operatively linked to the facility access controller by the cross-platform network, whereby the cross-platform network enables remote operation of the facility electronic access controller irrespective of compatibility between an operating system of the remote computer and the operating system of said facility access controller.

Claims

1. A system for providing cross-platform remote control and monitoring of a plurality of facility electronic access controllers, the system comprising:

at least one facility electronic access controller of said plurality of the facility electronic access controllers being linked to an internet client-server system, said at least one facility electronic access controller including;

a CPU;

a non-volatile memory for storing an operating system and an application code for said facility electronic access controller;

at least one of a network port and a cross-platform port for supporting a transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) and hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP);

an input/output interface;

an input access control device operatively linked to said input/output interface, the input access control device generating identification data of a user;

a comparator for comparing identification data stored in said facility electronic access controller with the identification data of the user;

an output access control device operatively linked to said input/output interface, said output access control device actuatable to allow access to a facility area if the identification data stored in said facility electronic access controller matches the identification data of the user;

a cross-platform network including an internet client-server system or local area network (LAN), wherein the cross-platform network is operatively linked to said facility electronic access controller via said at least one network port or cross-platform port; and

a remote computer operatively linked to said facility electronic access controller by said cross-platform network, whereby said cross-platform network enables remote operation of said facility electronic access controller irrespective of compatibility between an operating system of said remote computer and the operating system of said facility electronic access controller;

wherein said CPU sends identification data, time data and location data to said remote computer via the cross-platform network; and

wherein the system allows a single change or multiple changes in at least one of the identification data, time data, location data and operating parameters to be implemented into the operating system of said remote computer and the operating system of said facility electronic access controller linked to the internet client-server system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said CPU generates page data of information available on the internet client-server system identified by a uniform resource locator.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said CPU formats at least one of said identification data, time data, and location data into an electronic mail message using simple mail transfer protocol.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said CPU runs a first operating system software and said remote computer runs a second operating system software, said first operating system software is different than said second operating system software.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said CPU runs a controller operating system software, said controller operating system software includes an access control system program module, a TCP/IP program module and an internet server program module.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said CPU runs a controller operating system software, said controller operating system software includes an access controller system program module, a TCP/IP program module, and a mail client program module.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said input access control device includes at least one of a card key reader, a biometrics reader, and a keypad device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said input access control device includes a sensor.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said output access control device includes at least one of an audio output device, a visual output device, and an actuator of a lock.

10. A method for providing cross-platform remote control and monitoring of at least one facility electronic access control of a plurality of facility electronic access controllers linked to an internet client-server system, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring an input access control device with the at least one facility electronic access controller;

receiving first identification data with the facility electronic access controller from the input access control device;

comparing second identification data stored in the facility electronic access controller with said first identification data;

activating an output access control device of the facility electronic access controller if said first identification data matches said second identification data;

generating at least one of time data and location data with the facility electronic access controller in response to said first identification data;

transferring said first identification data, at least one of said time data and said location data with the facility electronic access controller over cross-platform network to a remote computer;

changing at least one of said identification data, said time data, said location data and operating parameters of the facility electronic access controller with the remote computer; and

implementing changes in real time with respect to facility access data or control data for the remote computer and the at least one facility electronic access controller which may or may not have similar operating systems.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of storing said first identification data and at least one of said time data and said location data in a non-volatile memory of the facility electronic access controller.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

accessing at least one of said first identification data, said second identification data, said time data, and said location data from the facility electronic access controller with the remote computer operatively linked to the controller via a cross-platform network.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

displaying at least one of graphical data and text data corresponding to at least one of said first identification data, said second identification data, said time data, said location data, and operating parameters of the facility electronic access controller on a video device of the remote computer operatively linked to the controller via a cross-platform network.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

formatting at least one of said first identification data, said second identification data, said time data, and said location data into an electronic mail message using simple mail transfer protocol.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

generating a page of information available on the internet client-server system identified by a uniform resource locator.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

operating the facility electronic access controller with a first operating system; and

operating the remote computer with a second operating system, said second operating system being different than said first operating system.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of receiving said first identification data further includes the step of reading a card key which is placed adjacent to a reader.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of activating the output access control device includes the step of activating an actuator of a lock, and unlocking said lock to permit entry into a restricted area.