Interactive key control system and method of managing access to secured locations
First Claim
1. An apparatus configured to manage a security system associated with places physically protected by corresponding locks and physical keys used by key users to gain physical entry to the places via the locks, the apparatus configured to access at least one searchable database that stores information on a plurality of places, a plurality of physical keys, and a plurality of key users, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one processor; and
program code configured to be executed by the at least one processor to provide access to the at least one searchable database by a plurality of database users by;
interacting with database users using an Internet-accessible web site;
authenticating each database user attempting to connect to the at least one searchable database over the Internet through the web site by receiving a password from such database user and comparing the received password to a stored password associated with such database user;
after authenticating a first database user among the plurality of database users, interactively communicating a plurality of screens to the first database user over the Internet, wherein each of the plurality of screens includes at least one hotlink configured to initiate a security management operation responsive to input directed thereto by the first database user, including communicating screens with hotlinks associated with security management operations for which the first database user is authorized such that the screens communicated to the first database user do not include any hotlinks associated with security management operations for which the first database user is not authorized; and
in response to input from the first database user and directed to a selected hotlink on one of the plurality of screens, performing a first security management operation associated with the selected hotlink, wherein performing the first security management operation includes searching the at least one searchable database and generating a custom search result screen for display to the first database user, the custom search result screen including information retrieved from the at least one searchable database and at least one hotlink to configured to perform a second security management operation that is related to the first security management operation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A security system associated with places physically protected by corresponding security mechanisms used to gain physical entry to the places by security mechanism users is managed using a searchable database that stores information on a plurality of places, a plurality of security mechanisms, and a plurality of security mechanism users. Program code provides access to the searchable database and interacts with database users using an Internet-accessible web site. The program code further authenticates each database user attempting to connect to the searchable database, and after authentication, interactively communicates a plurality of screens to database users, where each screen includes only hotlinks associated with security management operations for which those database users are authorized such that the screens do not include any hotlinks associated with security management operations for which the database users are not authorized.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. An apparatus configured to manage a security system associated with places physically protected by corresponding locks and physical keys used by key users to gain physical entry to the places via the locks, the apparatus configured to access at least one searchable database that stores information on a plurality of places, a plurality of physical keys, and a plurality of key users, the apparatus comprising:
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at least one processor; and program code configured to be executed by the at least one processor to provide access to the at least one searchable database by a plurality of database users by; interacting with database users using an Internet-accessible web site; authenticating each database user attempting to connect to the at least one searchable database over the Internet through the web site by receiving a password from such database user and comparing the received password to a stored password associated with such database user; after authenticating a first database user among the plurality of database users, interactively communicating a plurality of screens to the first database user over the Internet, wherein each of the plurality of screens includes at least one hotlink configured to initiate a security management operation responsive to input directed thereto by the first database user, including communicating screens with hotlinks associated with security management operations for which the first database user is authorized such that the screens communicated to the first database user do not include any hotlinks associated with security management operations for which the first database user is not authorized; and in response to input from the first database user and directed to a selected hotlink on one of the plurality of screens, performing a first security management operation associated with the selected hotlink, wherein performing the first security management operation includes searching the at least one searchable database and generating a custom search result screen for display to the first database user, the custom search result screen including information retrieved from the at least one searchable database and at least one hotlink to configured to perform a second security management operation that is related to the first security management operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An apparatus configured to manage a security system associated with places physically protected by corresponding security mechanisms used to gain physical entry to the places by security mechanism users, the apparatus configured to access at least one searchable database that stores information on a plurality of places, a plurality of security mechanisms, and a plurality of security mechanism users, the apparatus comprising:
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at least one processor; and program code configured to be executed by the at least one processor to provide access to the at least one searchable database by a plurality of database users by; interacting with database users using an Internet-accessible web site; authenticating each database user attempting to connect to the at least one searchable database over the Internet through the web site by receiving a password from such database user and comparing the received password to a stored password associated with such database user; after authenticating a first database user among the plurality of database users, interactively communicating a plurality of screens to the first database user over the Internet, wherein each of the plurality of screens includes at least one hotlink configured to initiate a security management operation responsive to input directed thereto by the first database user, including communicating screens with hotlinks associated with security management operations for which the first database user is authorized such that the screens communicated to the first database user do not include any hotlinks associated with security management operations for which the first database user is not authorized; and in response to input from the first database user and directed to a selected hotlink on one of the plurality of screens, performing the security management operation associated with the selected hotlink, wherein performing the security management operation includes updating the at least one searchable database to associate a security mechanism from among the plurality of security mechanisms with at least one of a place among the plurality of places and a security mechanism user among the plurality of security mechanism users. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An apparatus configured to manage a security system associated with places physically protected by corresponding security mechanisms used to gain physical entry to the places by security mechanism users, the apparatus configured to access at least one searchable database that stores information on a plurality of places, a plurality of security mechanisms, and a plurality of security mechanism users, the at least one searchable database storing an association between a first place, a first security mechanism and a first security mechanism user to indicate that the first security mechanism is in the possession of the first security mechanism user and is used to access the first place, the apparatus comprising:
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at least one processor; and program code configured to be executed by the at least one processor to provide access to the at least one searchable database by a plurality of database users by; interacting with database users using an Internet-accessible web site; authenticating each database user attempting to connect to the at least one searchable database over the Internet through the web site by receiving a password from such database user and comparing the received password to a stored password associated with such database user; after authenticating a first database user among the plurality of database users, interactively communicating a plurality of screens to the first database user over the Internet, wherein each of the plurality of screens includes at least one hotlink configured to initiate a security management operation responsive to input directed thereto by the first database user, including communicating screens with hotlinks associated with security management operations for which the first database user is authorized such that the screens communicated to the first database user do not include any hotlinks associated with security management operations for which the first database user is not authorized; in response to input from the first database user and directed to a selected hotlink on one of the plurality of screens, and based upon an authorization for the first database user, generating a screen that displays information from the at least one searchable database that is associated with the first security mechanism, and that allows the first database user to access information associated with the first place in association with displaying the information associated with the first security mechanism, and prohibits the first database user from accessing information associated with the first security mechanism user; and in response to input from a second database user among the plurality of database users and after authenticating the second database user, and based upon an authorization for the second database user, generating a screen that displays information associated with the first security mechanism, and that allows the second database user to access information associated with the first security mechanism user in association with displaying the information associated with the first security mechanism, and prohibits the second Database User from accessing information associated with the first place.
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20. A non-transitory computer readable medium, the non-transitory computer readable medium including program code stored thereon and configured to be executed by at least one processor to manage a security system associated with places physically protected by corresponding security mechanisms used to gain physical entry to the places by security mechanism users, the program code apparatus configured to access at least one searchable database that stores information on a plurality of places, a plurality of security mechanisms, and a plurality of security mechanism users, the program code further configured to provide access to the at least one searchable database by a plurality of database users by:
- interacting with database users using an Internet-accessible web site;
authenticating each database user attempting to connect to the at least one searchable database over the Internet through the web site by receiving a password from such database user and comparing the received password to a stored password associated with such database user;
after authenticating a first database user among the plurality of database users, interactively communicating a plurality of screens to the first database user over the Internet, wherein each of the plurality of screens includes at least one hotlink configured to initiate a security management operation responsive to input directed thereto by the first database user, including communicating screens with hotlinks associated with security management operations for which the first database user is authorized such that the screens communicated to the first database user do not include any hotlinks associated with security management operations for which the first database user is not authorized; and
in response to input from the first database user and directed to a selected hotlink on one of the plurality of screens, performing the security management operation associated with the selected hotlink, wherein performing the security management operation includes updating the at least one searchable database to associate a security mechanism from among the plurality of security mechanisms with at least one of a place among the plurality of places and a security mechanism user among the plurality of security mechanism users.
- interacting with database users using an Internet-accessible web site;
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21. A method of managing a plurality of database users in a security system associated with places physically protected by corresponding security mechanisms used to gain physical entry to the places by security mechanism users, the method comprising:
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accessing at least one searchable database that stores information on a plurality of places, a plurality of security mechanisms, and a plurality of security mechanism users; responding to requests from the plurality of database users over the Internet through an Internet-accessible web site; authenticating each database user attempting to connect to the at least one searchable database over the Internet through the web site by receiving a password from such database user and comparing the received password to a stored password associated with such database user; after authenticating a first database user among the plurality of database users, interactively communicating a plurality of screens to the first database user over the Internet, wherein each of the plurality of screens includes at least one hotlink configured to initiate a security management operation responsive to input directed thereto by the first database user, including communicating screens with hotlinks associated with security management operations for which the first database user is authorized such that the screens communicated to the first database user do not include any hotlinks associated with security management operations for which the first database user is not authorized; and in response to input from the first database user and directed to a selected hotlink on one of the plurality of screens, performing the security management operation associated with the selected hotlink, wherein performing the security management operation includes updating the at least one searchable database to associate a security mechanism from among the plurality of security mechanisms with at least one of a place among the plurality of places and a security mechanism user among the plurality of security mechanism users. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification