System and method for dynamic association of security levels and enforcement of physical security procedures

• US 7,969,302 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2008
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Srinivasa, Srinath Malur, Venkatesh, Vinay, Viswanathan, Venkatesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood; Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US12/135,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20090303040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 340/571, 340/5.2, 340/5.21, 340/546, 340/545, 340/547, 340/568.1, 3405721-5729, 340/540, 340/541, 340/3.1, 340/3.6, 340/3.9, 340/573.1, 340/5.8
• US Class Current: 340/541
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/248 EAS system combined with another detection technology, e.g. dual EAS and video or other presence detection system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 31/00 Predictive alarm systems characterised by extrapolation or other computation using updated historic data

Abstract

A method and system for dynamic association of security levels and enforcement of security procedures. A secure object can be tracked across a building or complex, and security levels may be dynamically updated to reflect the new security requirement. In response to the security level adjustment, security measures and protocols may be implemented dynamically. The system comprises a sensitivity index assigned to each of a plurality of secure objects, a scanner for detecting the sensitivity index, and a logic unit in communication with the scanner for determining a security level for the secure area based on the sensitivity indices of the plurality of secure objects within the secure area. The method comprises detecting a plurality of secure objects within a secure area, each secure object having a sensitivity index, and determining a security level for the secure area based on the sensitivity indices of the plurality of secure objects within the secure area.

Claims

1. A system for dynamically providing security measures for a secure area, the system comprising:

a sensitivity index assigned to each of a plurality of secure objects within the secure area;

a scanner within the secure area for detecting the sensitivity index of each of the plurality of secure objects within the secure area;

a first logic unit in communication with the scanner for determining a security level for the secure area, said security level being a function of the sensitivity indices of the plurality of secure objects within the secure area; and

at least one security monitor monitoring the secure area, wherein, based on the security level for the secure area, the at least one security monitor alters at least one of surveillance parameters of the secure area or access parameters to the secure area.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an indicator coupled to each of the plurality of secure objects, said indicator being scannable by the scanner and being associated with the sensitivity index for said each of the plurality of secure objects.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the indicator further comprises the sensitivity index of a secure object.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a first database coupled to the first logic unit, the database containing a record for each of the plurality of secure objects, the record further including the sensitivity index for each secure object.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the indicator comprises a unique ID for the secure object;

and wherein the first logic unit receives the unique ID from the scanner and retrieves the record corresponding to the secure object to determine the sensitivity index of the secure object.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the scanner is a radiofrequency, optical, or magnetic scanner.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the indicator is an RFID tag, barcode, or magnetic strip.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of security parameters stored on a second database, wherein each security parameter corresponds to a security level of the secure area.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a second logic unit coupled to the second database, wherein the second logic unit activates a security parameter corresponding to the security level of the secure area, both second logic unit and second database being coupled to the first logic unit.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the second logic unit is a part of a central monitoring station.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of security parameters further comprises any combination of the following parameters:

access, surveillance, and system resources.

12. A method for dynamically providing security measures for a secure area, the method comprising:

detecting a plurality of secure objects within the secure area, each secure object having a sensitivity index;

determining a security level for the secure area, said security level being a function of the sensitivity indices of the plurality of secure objects within the secure area; and

altering at least one of surveillance parameters of the secure area or access parameters to the secure area based on the security level of the secure area.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

retrieving the sensitivity index of each of the plurality of secure objects from an indicator coupled to each secure object, said indicator being scannable by the scanner and being associated with the sensitivity index for said each secure object.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

retrieving the sensitivity index of a secure object directly from the indicator.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

scanning the indicator coupled to a secure object; and

referring to a first database coupled to the first logic unit to retrieve a record for the secure object, the record further including the sensitivity index for the secure object.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the scanner is a radiofrequency, optical, or magnetic scanner, and wherein the indicator is respectively a RFID tag, barcode, or magnetic strip.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

communicating the security level for the secure area to a second logic unit; and

activating a plurality of security parameters for the secure area corresponding to the security level for the secure area.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

referring to a second database containing records for each secure area, the records comprising security parameters corresponding to each security level for said each security area.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the security parameters further comprise any combination of the following parameters:

access, surveillance, and system resources.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the security level for the secure area is updated in real time.