Access control system
First Claim
1. An access control system for monitoring human ingress and egress, comprising:
- input means for creating a unique identifier for a person, comprising;
a digital imaging unit, said digital imaging unit comprising;
at least one camera, said camera operable to record a digital image of a pre-issued identification document for the person in a first plane of focus and a digital image of a person; and
a housing, said housing including a transparent planar surface for receiving said identification document to be recorded; and
means for inputting alphanumeric identification data associated with the person, wherein the combination of the digital image of the person, digital image of the identification document and alphanumeric identification data form the unique identifier;
a database;
processing means coupled to said input means, said processing means including timekeeping means operable to record chronological parameters;
said processing means operable to perform the steps of storing said unique identifier as a computer-readable file in said database, recording the arrival date and time of a person;
creating a tracking record associated with said unique identifier wherein said tracking record includes said chronological parameters;
electronic display means coupled to said processing means operable to display said unique identifier;
printing means; and
an access pass on portable media, the access pass comprising at least a portion of the unique identifier wherein the access pass includes a viewable image of the person and alphanumeric identification data for the person.
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Abstract
An access control system for monitoring human ingress and egress comprises an input means for creating a unique identifier for to be stored in a database. The unique identifier includes a digital image of the person, a digital image of the unique identifier, and alphanumeric identification data. A processing means coupled to said input means is operable to perform the steps of storing the unique identifier as a computer-readable file in the database, recording the arrival date and time of a person; creating a tracking record associated with the unique identifier. The unique identifier can be displayed on a monitor coupled to the processing means. A printer coupled to the processing means generates an access pass on portable media which includes a viewable image of the person and the identification document, and alphanumeric identification data for the person. The access pass can also include machine readable media which comprises a coded representation of the unique identifier. The system of the invention can include a sensing mechanism operable to interpret the machine-readable media. Access permission designators can be associated with the unique identifier in the database to approve or deny access, or to grant selective access.
139 Citations
52 Claims
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1. An access control system for monitoring human ingress and egress, comprising:
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input means for creating a unique identifier for a person, comprising;
a digital imaging unit, said digital imaging unit comprising;
at least one camera, said camera operable to record a digital image of a pre-issued identification document for the person in a first plane of focus and a digital image of a person; and
a housing, said housing including a transparent planar surface for receiving said identification document to be recorded; and
means for inputting alphanumeric identification data associated with the person, wherein the combination of the digital image of the person, digital image of the identification document and alphanumeric identification data form the unique identifier;
a database;
processing means coupled to said input means, said processing means including timekeeping means operable to record chronological parameters;
said processing means operable to perform the steps of storing said unique identifier as a computer-readable file in said database, recording the arrival date and time of a person;
creating a tracking record associated with said unique identifier wherein said tracking record includes said chronological parameters;
electronic display means coupled to said processing means operable to display said unique identifier;
printing means; and
an access pass on portable media, the access pass comprising at least a portion of the unique identifier wherein the access pass includes a viewable image of the person and alphanumeric identification data for the person. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 44)
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38. A computer-implemented method for monitoring human ingress and egress, comprising the steps of:
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creating a unique identifier for a person seeking to enter a facility, the unique identifier comprising a digital image of the person, a digital image of an identification document of the person, and alphanumeric identification data for the person;
providing an autofocus camera, the autofocus camera operable to record a digital image of a person and in a first plane of focus and a digital image of an identification document for the person in a second plane of focus, the autofocus camera including a planar surface for receiving the identification document to be recorded wherein the planar surface is coincident with the second plane of focus; and
recording the arrival time of the person;
specifying the internal destination of the person within the facility;
obtaining authorization from the internal destination for entry of the person;
creating a tracking record comprising the unique identifier in association with the arrival time and internal destination;
providing a database to store the unique identifier and the tracking record;
providing a printing means; and
providing an access pass on portable media, the access pass comprising at least a portion of the unique identifier, arrival time, and internal destination in human-readable format and machine-readable media comprising a coded representation of said unique identifier. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
querying the database to retrieve said unique identifier; recording the exit time of a person, and saving the exit time in the tracking record.
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40. The method of claim 38, further comprising the step of providing a keyboard to input alphanumeric identification data.
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41. The method of claim 38, further comprising the step of providing a touchscreen to input alphanumeric identification data.
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42. The method of claim 38, further comprising the step of providing a magnetic strip reader to input alphanumeric identification data.
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43. The method of claim 38, further comprising the step of:
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providing a list of predetermined internal destinations; and
selecting a predetermined internal destination.
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45. The method of claim 38, wherein said alphanumeric identification data comprises the company represented by of the person.
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46. The method of claim 38, wherein said identification document is a drivers license.
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47. The method of claim 38, wherein said identification document is a business card.
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48. The method of claim 38, wherein said identification document is a passport.
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49. The method of claim 38, wherein said machine-readable media is a bar code.
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50. The method of claim 39 wherein the sensing mechanism is an omnidirectional bar-code reader.
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51. The method of claim 38, wherein the machine-readable media is a magnetic strip.
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52. The method of claim 46, wherein said sensing mechanism is a magnetic strip reader.
Specification