Integrated access control system and a method of controlling the same

• US 8,045,960 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Orakkan, Binu
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu; Jinsong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shen; Qun
• Application Number:
  US11/755,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20080298297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• Field of Search: 455/440, 455/432, 455/411, 455/421, 455/456.6, 455/432.3, 370/316, 340/5.8
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18593 Arrangements for preventing unauthorised access or for providing user protection arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234

Abstract

An access control system including a base station located near a stationary target site used to control access to the stationary target site and satellite access station coupled to the exterior of a satellite target site used to control access to the satellite target site. The base station includes an identification device, storage device, a control unit, a user interface and a transceiver. A master database containing a list of access information for all of the satellite access stations is stored in the storage device. Each satellite access station includes a second identification device, a second storage device, a control unit and a second transponder. A satellite database contains a list of access information for the satellite target site. Information contained in the master database for a particular satellite access station is provided to the particular satellite access station and stored in the satellite database.

Claims

1. An access control system comprising:

at least one mobile satellite target site defined in part by a motor vehicle with an externally mounted satellite access station for controlling human access to said satellite target site, said satellite access station includes an first identification device, a first storage device and a first transceiver, said first storage device includes a satellite site database containing a list of access information for said satellite target site, and

a stationary base station said base station includes an identification device, storage device and a transceiver, said storage device includes a master database containing a list of access information for each of said at least one satellite access stations, wherein each of the at least one mobile satellite target sites detects when it is within radio range of the base station whereby information contained in said master database for each particular satellite access station including at least identifiers of a plurality of persons authorized to access the particular satellite station is provided to said particular satellite access station and the identifiers of the plurality of persons are stored in said satellite site database whereby the identifiers are independently used by the particular satellite station to restrict access to persons authorized to access the particular satellite station both when the satellite station is within radio range of the base station and also when the satellite station is beyond radio range of the base station wherein the at least one mobile satellite station periodically detects that it is within radio range of the stationary base station based upon a reception of a position signal from the stationary base station and enters a connected state the at least one mobile satellite station then sends an acknowledgement signal and updates to the stationary base station to be stored in memory of the stationary base station and upon detecting that the at least one mobile satellite station is out of range of the stationary base station based upon not receiving the position signal from the stationary base station in a predetermined period of time, the at least one mobile satellite station enters a disconnected state where the at least one mobile satellite station operates to restrict access to a target area independently of the stationary base station.

2. The access control system of claim 1, wherein said information is provided to the particular satellite access station when said particular satellite access station is in close proximity to said base station, said base station transmits said information to said particular satellite access station.

3. The access control system of claim 1, further comprising an access card, wherein said base station provides information related to each particular satellite access station to said access card, as an intermediary, and when said access card is provided to said particular satellite access station, said information is detected by said particular satellite access station and selectively stored in said satellite site database.

4. The access control system of claim 1, wherein said satellite access station is identified by a unique identification code.

5. The access control system of claim 2, wherein said base station periodically broadcasts a location beacon used by said satellite access station to determine a relative location of said base station and said satellite access station.

6. The access control system of claim 2, wherein prior to transmission of said information to said particular satellite access station, said base station identifies said satellite access station by said unique identification code to authenticate said particular satellite access station.

7. The access control system of claim 1, wherein said base station further comprises a user interface for entering access information for all satellite access stations.

8. A method of configuring a mobile satellite access device defined in part by a motor vehicle to control access to a satellite site comprising the steps of:

broadcasting periodically a position beacon of a base station;

the mobile satellite access device of the motor vehicle detecting that it is within radio range of the base station;

transmitting a signal from the mobile satellite access device to the base station when said satellite access device receives said position beacon;

authorizing said satellite access device to enter a connected state with the base station using a unique identification code;

transmitting to said satellite access device updated access information for said satellite site including identifiers of a plurality of persons authorized to enter the motor vehicle, said transmission is based upon said authorizing;

updating a database at the satellite access device with said information; and

the satellite access device of the motor vehicle periodically detects that it is within radio range of the base station based upon a reception of a position signal from the base station and enters a connected state the at least one mobile satellite station then sends an acknowledgement signal and updates to the base station to be stored in memory of the base station and upon detecting that the satellite access device of the motor vehicle is out of range of the base station based upon not receiving the position signal from the base station in a predetermined period of time, the satellite access device of the motor vehicle enters a disconnected state where the satellite access device of the motor vehicle operates to restrict access to a target area independently of the base station.

9. The method of configuring a satellite access device according to claim 8, further comprising the step of:

maintaining a connection status database for the satellite access device indicating a connection status for said satellite access device.

10. The method of configuring a satellite access device according to claim 8, wherein said updated access information is encrypted.