System and methods for accelerated recognition and processing of personal privilege operative for controlling large closed group environments

• US 8,056,802 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2005
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fortress GB Limited
• Original Assignee: Fortress GB Limited
• Inventors: Rosenthal, James Philip, Hadad, Mordechay, Vago, Gabriel, Gressel, Carmi David, Granot, Ran
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARSHALL, CHRISTLE I
• Application Number:
  US11/662,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20080191009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,399 Days
• Field of Search: 235/382, 235/382.5, 235/375, 235/377, 235/380, 235/93
• US Class Current: 235/382
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/352 Contactless payments by cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/02 related to amusement parks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/22 in combination with an identity check of the pass holder
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0813 Specific details related to card security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/108 when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

Methods (3500-3695) and apparatus (10, 20) for controlling physical (30, 40) and virtual (12) access for accelerated recognition and processing of privileges, benefits, value transfers, crowd control, community membership and status, in particular for institutions, arenas and other large venues.

Claims

1. An off-line/on-line security system for an enclosed area housing a mass attended event, the system comprising:

a plurality of gate controllers;

a central controller for securely providing said gate controllers with status lists enabling said gate controllers to provide accelerated off-line monitored entrance of attendees into the enclosed area including recognizing valid attendee tokens by consulting only the status lists and without consultation via a network with a remote server, wherein said central controller stores a numerical value associated with at least one of the attendee tokens, the numerical value including at least one bit signifying that a token-holder corresponding to said at least one attendee token is an expected attendee; and

an on-line statistics provider operative to utilize said numerical value and to provide the central controller with on-line crowd statistics including data indicating a number of attendees which have passed each gate controller, thereby to assure safe punctual inauguration of the mass attended event;

wherein said gate controllers check if an attendee is on an expected list indicating attendees expected to participate at said mass attended event.

2. A system according to claim 1 and also comprising tokens, held by persons attending the event and each comprising a token ID, wherein each said gate controller comprises a token reader operative to read the token IDs.

3. A system according to claim 2 wherein at least one token bears a time-stamp comprising a provably-authentic digital declaration of the instant that the token holder negotiated his attendance to the mass-attended event.

4. A system according to claim 2 wherein at least one status list comprises an attribute of whether a token holder is “

expected”

or “

not or no longer expected”

to attend the mass-attended event.

5. A system according to claim 4 and wherein said central controller comprises a buy-back functionality in which an “

expected”

token holder in the status list reverts to being “

not or no longer expected”

.

6. A system according to claim 2 wherein each said gate controller also comprises:

an operator-issued authenticator communicative with said token reader, said authenticator operative to output an authorization, said authenticator comprising;

(i) apparatus operative to establish authenticity of the token ID; and

(ii) a list file of acceptable token ID'"'"'s, said list file having a cut-off time and comprising a stored version of said status lists; and

a passage controller operative to allow the person holding the token access to a predetermined area of the enclosed area upon receipt of said authorization, wherein said authenticator outputs said authorization upon detecting entitlement of the token ID in said list of acceptable token ID'"'"'s.

7. A system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said gate controllers comprises a cryptographically operated reader of an attendee'"'"'s status.

8. A system according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of gate controllers normally function off-line and are operative to revert to on-line mode, vis a vis said central controller, in some instances.

9. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a steward PDA including a module to read tokens borne by attendees, operative to download at least one list from said central controller and accordingly, and to assist an attendee to find his seating arrangement.

10. A system according to claim 1 wherein said central controller is in intermittent on-line communication with the plurality of gate controllers via a network.

11. A system according to claim 10 and wherein, when the network is operative, the central controller is operative to assemble estimations of percentages of attendees who are already seated.

12. A system according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of gate controllers are disposed at entrance points to an enclosed area selected from the group consisting of:

a stadium, an arena, a theater, an amphitheater, a performance hall, a transportation terminal, a financial institution, a service, a clinic, a country club, a night club, a private club, a station, a port, a convention center, a forum, a government installation, a payment scheme, a betting installation, a secured computation complex, a sports facility, a recreational complex, an educational institution, a membership club, a theme park, a hotel, a medical center, a medical installation, a residential complex, a parking facility, a casino, a workplace, a military installation, and a transporter.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of gate controllers has a changeable mode selected from the group consisting of:

off-line and on-line;

wherein said at least one gate controller is further operative to provide access control functions in said off-line mode; and

wherein said at least one gate controller is further operative to download and upload data in said on-line mode.

14. A system according to claim 1 wherein said token comprises at least a portion of a smart card embedded in plastic.

15. A system according to claim 1 wherein said token comprises at least a portion of a smart card embedded in paper.

16. A system according to claim 1 wherein each token has a unique token ID.

17. A system according to claim 1 wherein the numerical value also includes at least one bit signifying whether the token has or has not already been used at a particular event.

18. A system according to claim 17 wherein said at least one bit signifying that a token-holder corresponding to said at least one attendee token is an expected attendee coincides with said at least one bit signifying whether the token has or has not already been used at a particular event because when a token-holder enters the enclosed area, a bit which indicated that a token-holder was an expected attendee at an event is complemented to indicate that currently, the token-holder is no longer considered an expected attendee at the event.

19. A system according to claim 1 wherein activity status lists in which each token is represented by a byte describing expectation of participation of a token-holder in said event, are pre-downloaded into gate controllers.

20. A system according to claim 19 wherein, several hours prior to opening gates to allow spectators'"'"' entrance to the enclosed area, said lists are prepared and downloaded into said gate controllers.

21. A system according to claim 1 wherein the gate controllers provide said central controller with timely statistics of flow of attendees and wherein subsequent to an attendee'"'"'s entry into the enclosed area, entrance statistics are updated for subsequent transmittal.

22. A system according to claim 1 wherein the gate controllers provide notification of irregular events to said central controller.

23. A system according to claim 1 wherein entry is denied to a token-holder if an entry point is not compliant with a seating arrangement allotted to the token holder.

24. A system according to claim 1 wherein entry is denied to a token-holder if the token-holder failed to activate a turnstile in an allotted time interval.

25. A system according to claim 1 wherein the gate controller complements a bit in the “

expected list”

when a token-holder enters the event.

26. A system according to claim 1 wherein the gate controller is operative, for a short time interval, to energize an unlocking device operative to allow a single authorized user to pass a turnstile.

27. An off-line/on-line method for controlling access to an enclosed area housing a mass attended event, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of gate controllers;

centrally and securely providing said gate controllers with status lists enabling said gate controllers to provide accelerated off-line monitored entrance of attendees into the enclosed area including recognizing valid attendee tokens by consulting only the status lists and without consultation via a network with a remote server, including storing a numerical value associated with at least one of the attendee tokens, the numerical value including at least one bit signifying that the token-holder corresponding to said at least one attendee token is an expected attendee; and

utilizing said numerical value and providing on-line crowd statistics including data indicating a number of attendees which have passed each gate controller, thereby to assure safe punctual inauguration of the mass attended event;

wherein said gate controllers check if an attendee is on an expected list indicating attendees expected to participate at said mass attended event.

28. A method according to claim 27 wherein a central server loads gate controllers with the status lists for offline operation.

29. A method according to claim 28 wherein said gate controllers provide crowd statistics to the central server.

30. A method according to claim 27 wherein said method includes a decision step determining whether at least one individual token detected by one of said gate controllers has been used at said mass attended event and also includes, if said individual token has been used, denying entry to at least one holder of at least one such token and, if said token has not been used, changing a token event status associated with said individual token to “

used” and

allowing entry of a holder of said individual token.

31. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for controlling access to an enclosed area housing a mass attended event, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of gate controllers;

centrally and securely providing said gate controllers with status lists enabling said gate controllers to provide accelerated off-line monitored entrance of attendees into the enclosed area including recognizing valid attendee tokens by consulting only the status lists and without consultation via a network with a remote server, including storing a numerical value associated with at least one of the attendee tokens, the numerical value including at least one bit signifying that a token-holder corresponding to said at least one attendee token is an expected attendee; and

utilizing said numerical value and providing on-line crowd statistics including data indicating a number of attendees which have passed each gate controller to assure safe punctual inauguration of the mass attended event;

wherein said gate controllers check is an attendee is on an expected list indicating attendees expected to participate at said mass attended event.

32. An off-line/on-line method for controlling access to an enclosed area housing a mass attended event, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of gate controllers operative to check if an attendee is on a pre-downloaded expected list indicating attendees expected to participate at said mass attended event; and

recording that at least one attendee'"'"'s privilege of access to said event has been bought back hence rescinded, by complementing a bit corresponding to the attendee in the “

expected list”

, before a cut-off-time.

33. A method according to claim 32 wherein entry is denied to an attendee who is not on the “

expected list”

.

34. An off-line/on-line security system for an enclosed area housing a mass attended event, the system comprising:

a plurality of gate controllers;

a central controller for securely providing said gate controllers with status lists enabling said gate controllers to provide accelerated off-line monitored entrance of attendees into the enclosed area including recognizing valid attendee tokens by consulting only the status lists and without consultation via a network with a remote server;

wherein said central controller stores a numerical value associated with at least one of the attendee tokens, the numerical value including at least one bit signifying that a token-holder corresponding to said at least one attendee token is an expected attendee; and

an on-line statistics provider operative to utilize said numerical value and to provide the central controller with on-line crowd statistics including data indicating a number of attendees which have passed each gate controller, thereby to assure safe punctual inauguration of the mass attended event,

wherein activity status lists in which each token is represented by a byte describing expectation of participation of a token holder in said event, are pre-downloaded into the gate controllers.

35. A system according to claim 34 and also comprising tokens, held by persons attending the event and each comprising a token ID, wherein each said gate controller comprises a token reader operative to read the token IDs.

36. A system according to claim 35 wherein at least one token bears a time-stamp comprising a provably-authentic digital declaration of the instant that the token holder negotiated his attendance to the mass-attended event.

37. A system according to claim 35 wherein at least one status list comprises an attribute of whether a token holder is “

expected”

or “

not or no longer expected”

to attend the mass-attended event.

38. A system according to claim 35 wherein said central controller comprises a buy-back functionality in which an “

expected”

token holder in the status list reverts to being “

not or no longer expected”

.

39. A system according to claim 35 wherein each said gate controller also comprises:

an operator-issued authenticator communicative with said token reader, said authenticator operative to output an authorization, said authenticator comprising;

(i) apparatus operative to establish authenticity of the token ID; and

(ii) a list file of acceptable token IDs, said list file having a cut-off time and comprising a stored version of said status lists; and

a passage controller operative to allow the person holding the token access to a predetermined area of the enclosed area upon receipt of said authorization, wherein said authenticator outputs said authorization upon detecting entitlement of the token ID in said list of acceptable token IDs.

40. A system according to claim 34 wherein at least one of said gate controllers comprises a cryptographically operated reader of an attendee'"'"'s status.

41. A system according to claim 34 wherein said plurality of gate controllers normally function off-line and are operative to revert to on-line mode, vis a vis said central controller, in some instances.

42. A system according to claim 34, further comprising a steward PDA including a module to read tokens borne by attendees, operative to download at least one list from said central controller and accordingly, and to assist an attendee to find his seating arrangement.

43. A system according to claim 34 wherein said central controller is in intermittent on-line communication with the plurality of gate controllers via a network.

44. A system according to claim 43 and wherein, when the network is operative, the central controller is operative to assemble estimations of percentages of attendees who are already seated.

45. A system according to claim 34 wherein said plurality of gate controllers are disposed at entrance points to an enclosed area selected from the group consisting of:

a stadium, an arena, a theater, an amphitheater, a performance hall, a transportation terminal, a financial institution, a service, a clinic, a country club, a night club, a private club, a station, a port, a convention center, a forum, a government installation, a payment scheme, a betting installation, a secured computation complex, a sports facility, a recreational complex, an educational institution, a membership club, a theme park, a hotel, a medical center, a medical installation, a residential complex, a parking facility, a casino, a workplace, a military installation, and a transporter.

46. A system according to claim 34, wherein at least one of said plurality of gate controllers has a changeable mode selected from the group consisting of:

off-line and on-line;

wherein said at least one gate controller is further operative to provide access control functions in said off-line mode; and

wherein said at least one gate controller is further operative to download and upload data in said on-line mode.

47. A system according to claim 34 wherein said token comprises at least a portion of a smart card embedded in plastic.

48. A system according to claim 34 wherein said token comprises at least a portion of a smart card embedded in paper.

49. A system according to claim 34 wherein said gate controller checks if attendee is on an expected list indicating attendees expected to participate at said mass attended event.

50. A system according to claim 34 wherein each token has a unique token ID.

51. A system according to claim 34 wherein the numerical value also includes at least one bit signifying whether the token has or has not already been used at a particular event.

52. A system according to claim 51 wherein said at least one bit signifying that a token-holder corresponding to said at least one attendee token is an expected attendee coincides with said at least one bit signifying whether the token has or has not already been used at a particular event because when a token-holder enters the enclosed area, a bit which indicated that a token-holder was an expected attendee at an event is complemented to indicate that currently, the token-holder is no longer considered an expected attendee at the event.

53. A system according to claim 34 wherein, several hours prior to opening gates to allow spectators'"'"' entrance to the enclosed area, said lists are prepared and downloaded into said gate controllers.

54. A system according to claim 34 wherein the gate controllers provide said central controller with timely statistics of flow of attendees and wherein subsequent to an attendee'"'"'s entry into the enclosed area, entrance statistics are updated for subsequent transmittal.

55. A system according to claim 34 wherein the gate controllers provide notification of irregular events to said central controller.

56. A system according to claim 34 wherein entry is denied to a token holder if the entry point is not compliant with a seating arrangement allotted to the token holder.

57. A system according to claim 34 wherein entry is denied to a token holder if the token holder failed to activate a turnstile in an allotted time interval.

58. A system according to claim 34 wherein the gate controller is operative, for a short time interval, to energize an unlocking device operative to allow a single authorized user to pass a turnstile.

59. An off-line/on-line method for controlling access to an enclosed area housing a mass attended event, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of gate controllers;

centrally and securely providing said gate controllers with status lists enabling said gate controllers to provide accelerated off-line monitored entrance of attendees into the enclosed area including recognizing valid attendee tokens by consulting only the status lists and without consultation via a network with a remote server;

including storing a numerical value associated with at least one of the attendee tokens, the numerical value including at least one bit signifying that a token-holder corresponding to said at least one attendee token is an expected attendee; and

utilizing said numerical value and providing on-line crowd statistics including data indicating a number of attendees which have passed each gate controller, thereby to assure safe punctual inauguration of the mass attended event,

wherein activity status lists in which each token is represented by a byte describing expectation of participation of a token holder in said event, are pre-downloaded into gate controllers.

60. A method according to claim 59 wherein a central server loads gate controllers with status lists for offline operation.

61. A method according to claim 60 wherein said gate controllers provide crowd statistics to said central server.

62. A method according to claim 59 wherein said method includes a decision step determining whether at least one individual token detected by one of said gate controllers has been used at said mass attended event and also includes, if said individual token has been used, denying entry to at least one holder of at least one such token and, if said token has not been used, changing a token event status associated with said individual token to “

used” and

allowing entry of a holder of said individual token.

63. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for controlling access to an enclosed area housing a mass attended event, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of gate controllers;

centrally and securely providing said gate controllers with status lists enabling said gate controllers to provide accelerated off-line monitored entrance of attendees into the enclosed area including recognizing valid attendee tokens by consulting only the status lists and without consultation via a network with a remote server;

including storing a numerical value associated with at least one of the attendee tokens, the numerical value including at least one bit signifying that a token-holder corresponding to said at least one attendee token is an expected attendee; and

utilizing said numerical value and providing on-line crowd statistics including data indicating a number of attendees which have passed each gate controller to assure safe punctual inauguration of the mass attended event,

wherein activity status lists in which each token is represented by a byte describing expectation of participation of a token holder in said event, are pre-down loaded into gate controllers.

64. An off-line/on-line security system for an enclosed area housing a mass attended event, the system comprising:

a plurality of gate controllers;

a central controller for securely providing said gate controllers with status lists enabling said gate controllers to provide accelerated off-line monitored entrance of attendees into the enclosed area including recognizing valid attendee tokens by consulting only the status lists and without consultation via a network with a remote server;

wherein said central controller stores a numerical value associated with at least one of the attendee tokens, the numerical value including at least one bit signifying that a token-holder corresponding to said at least one attendee token is an expected attendee; and

an on-line statistics provider operative to utilize said numerical value and to provide the central controller with on-line crowd statistics including data indicating a number of attendees which have passed each gate controller, thereby to assure safe punctual inauguration of the mass attended event,

wherein entry is denied to a token holder if the token holder failed to activate a turnstile in an allotted time interval.

65. A system according to claim 64 and also comprising tokens, held by persons attending the event and each comprising a token ID, wherein each said gate controller comprises a token reader operative to read the token IDs.

66. A system according to claim 65 wherein at least one token bears a time-stamp comprising a provably-authentic digital declaration of the instant that the token holder negotiated his attendance to the mass-attended event.

67. A system according to claim 65 wherein at least one status list comprises an attribute of whether a token holder is “

expected”

or “

not or no longer expected”

to attend the mass-attended event.

68. A system according to claim 67 and wherein said central controller comprises a buy-back functionality in which an “

expected”

token holder in the status list reverts to being “

not or no longer expected”

.

69. A system according to claim 65 wherein each said gate controller also comprises:

an operator-issued authenticator communicative with said token reader, said authenticator operative to output an authorization, said authenticator comprising;

(i) apparatus operative to establish authenticity of the token ID; and

(ii) a list file of acceptable token IDs, said list file having a cut-off time and comprising a stored version of said status lists; and

a passage controller operative to allow the person holding the token access to a predetermined area of the enclosed area upon receipt of said authorization, wherein said authenticator outputs said authorization upon detecting entitlement of the token ID in said list of acceptable token IDs.

70. A system according to claim 64 wherein at least one of said gate controllers comprises a cryptographically operated reader of an attendee'"'"'s status.

71. A system according to claim 64 wherein said plurality of gate controllers normally function off-line and are operative to revert to on-line mode, vis a vis said central controller, in some instances.

72. A system according to claim 64, further comprising a steward PDA including a module to read tokens borne by attendees, operative to download at least one list from said central controller and accordingly, and to assist an attendee to find his seating arrangement.

73. A system according to claim 64 wherein said central controller is in intermittent on-line communication with the plurality of gate controllers via a network.

74. A system according to claim 73 and wherein, when the network is operative, the central controller is operative to assemble estimations of percentages of attendees who are already seated.

75. A system according to claim 64 wherein said plurality of gate controllers are disposed at entrance points to an enclosed area selected from the group consisting of:

a stadium, an arena, a theater, an amphitheater, a performance hall, a transportation terminal, a financial institution, a service, a clinic, a country club, a night club, a private club, a station, a port, a convention center, a forum, a government installation, a payment scheme, a betting installation, a secured computation complex, a sports facility, a recreational complex, an educational institution, a membership club, a theme park, a hotel, a medical center, a medical installation, a residential complex, a parking facility, a casino, a workplace, a military installation, and a transporter.

76. A system according to claim 64, wherein at least one of said plurality of gate controllers has a changeable mode selected from the group consisting of:

off-line and on-line;

wherein said at least one gate controller is further operative to provide access control functions in said off-line mode; and

wherein said at least one gate controller is further operative to download and upload data in said on-line mode.

77. A system according to claim 64 wherein said token comprises at least a portion of a smart card embedded in plastic.

78. A system according to claim 64 wherein said token comprises at least a portion of a smart card embedded in paper.

79. A system according to claim 64 wherein said gate controller checks if attendee is on an expected list indicating attendees expected to participate at said mass attended event.

80. A system according to claim 64 wherein each token has a unique token ID.

81. A system according to claim 64 wherein the numerical value also includes at least one bit signifying whether the token has or has not already been used at a particular event.

82. A system according to claim 81 wherein said at least one bit signifying that a token-holder corresponding to said at least one attendee token is an expected attendee coincides with said at least one bit signifying whether the token has or has not already been used at a particular event because when a token-holder enters the enclosed area, a bit which indicated that a token-holder was an expected attendee at an event is complemented to indicate that currently, the token-holder is no longer considered an expected attendee at the event.

83. A system according to claim 64 wherein, several hours prior to opening gates to allow spectators'"'"' entrance to the enclosed area, said lists are prepared and downloaded into said gate controllers.

84. A system according to claim 64 wherein the gate controllers provide said central controller with timely statistics of flow of attendees and wherein subsequent to an attendee'"'"'s entry into the enclosed area, entrance statistics are updated for subsequent transmittal.

85. A system according to claim 64 wherein the gate controllers provide notification of irregular events to said central controller.

86. A system according to claim 64 wherein entry is denied to a token holder if the entry point is not compliant with a seating arrangement allotted to the token holder.

87. A system according to claim 64 wherein the gate controller is operative, for a short time interval, to energize an unlocking device operative to allow a single authorized user to pass a turnstile.

88. An off-line/on-line method for controlling access to an enclosed area housing a mass attended event, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of gate controllers;

centrally and securely providing said gate controllers with status lists enabling said gate controllers to provide accelerated off-line monitored entrance of attendees into the enclosed area including recognizing valid attendee tokens by consulting only the status lists and without consultation via a network with a remote server;

including storing a numerical value associated with at least one of the attendee tokens, the numerical value including at least one bit signifying that a token-holder corresponding to said at least one attendee token is an expected attendee; and

utilizing said numerical value and providing on-line crowd statistics including data indicating a number of attendees which have passed each gate controller, thereby to assure safe punctual inauguration of the mass attended event,

wherein entry is denied to a token holder if the token holder failed to activate a turnstile in an allotted time interval.

89. A method according to claim 88 wherein a central server loads gate controllers with status lists for offline operation.

90. A method according to claim 89 wherein said gate controllers provide crowd statistics to said central server.

91. A method according to claim 88 wherein said method includes a decision step determining whether at least one individual token detected by one of said gate controllers has been used at said mass attended event and also includes, if said individual token has been used, denying entry to at least one holder of at least one such token and, if said token has not been used, changing a token event status associated with said individual token to “

used” and

allowing entry of a holder of said individual token.

92. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for controlling access to an enclosed area housing a mass attended event, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of gate controllers;

centrally and securely providing said gate controllers with status lists enabling said gate controllers to provide accelerated off-line monitored entrance of attendees into the enclosed area including recognizing valid attendee tokens by consulting only the status lists and without consultation via a network with a remote server;

including storing a numerical value associated with at least one of the attendee tokens, the numerical value including at least one bit signifying that a token-holder corresponding to said at least one attendee token is an expected attendee; and

utilizing said numerical value and providing on-line crowd statistics including data indicating a number of attendees which have passed each gate controller to assure safe punctual inauguration of the mass attended event,

wherein entry is denied to a token holder if the token holder failed to activate a turnstile in an allotted time interval.

93. An off-line/on-line security system for an enclosed area housing a mass attended event, the system comprising:

a plurality of gate controllers;

a central controller for securely providing said gate controllers with status lists enabling said gate controllers to provide accelerated off-line monitored entrance of attendees into the enclosed area including recognizing valid attendee tokens by consulting only the status lists and without consultation via a network with a remote server;

wherein said central controller stores a numerical value associated with at least one of the attendee tokens, the numerical value including at least one bit signifying that a token-holder corresponding to said at least one attendee token is an expected attendee; and

an on-line statistics provider operative to utilize said numerical value and to provide the central controller with on-line crowd statistics including data indicating a number of attendees which have passed each gate controller, thereby to assure safe punctual inauguration of the mass attended event,

wherein the numerical value also includes at least one bit signifying whether the token has or has not already been used at a particular event,

and wherein said at least one bit signifying that a token-holder corresponding to said at least one attendee token is an expected attendee coincides with said at least one bit signifying whether the token has or has not already been used at a particular event because when a token-holder enters the enclosed area, a bit which indicated that a token-holder was an expected attendee at an event is complemented to indicate that currently, the token-holder is no longer considered an expected attendee at the event.

94. A system according to claim 93 and also comprising tokens, held by persons attending the event and each comprising a token ID, wherein each said gate controller comprises a token reader operative to read the token IDs.

95. A system according to claim 94 wherein at least one token bears a time-stamp comprising a provably-authentic digital declaration of the instant that the token holder negotiated his attendance to the mass-attended event.

96. A system according to claim 94 wherein at least one status list comprises an attribute of whether a token holder is “

expected”

or “

not or no longer expected”

to attend the mass-attended event.

97. A system according to claim 96 and wherein said central controller comprises a buy-back functionality in which an “

expected”

token holder in the status list reverts to being “

not or no longer expected.”

98. A system according to claim 94 wherein each said gate controller also comprises:

an operator-issued authenticator communicative with said token reader, said authenticator operative to output an authorization, said authenticator comprising;

(i) apparatus operative to establish authenticity of the token ID; and

(ii) a list file of acceptable token IDs, said list file having a cut-off time and comprising a stored version of said status lists; and

a passage controller operative to allow the person holding the token access to a predetermined area of the enclosed area upon receipt of said authorization, wherein said authenticator outputs said authorization upon detecting entitlement of the token ID in said list of acceptable token IDs.

99. A system according to claim 93 wherein at least one of said gate controllers comprises a cryptographically operated reader of an attendee'"'"'s status.

100. A system according to claim 93 wherein said plurality of gate controllers normally function off-line and are operative to revert to on-line mode, vis a vis said central controller, in some instances.

101. A system according to claim 93, further comprising a steward PDA including a module to read tokens borne by attendees, operative to download at least one list from said central controller and accordingly, and to assist an attendee to find his seating arrangement.

102. A system according to claim 93 wherein said central controller is in intermittent on-line communication with the plurality of gate controllers via a network.

103. A system according to claim 102 and wherein, when the network is operative, the central controller is operative to assemble estimations of percentages of attendees who are already seated.

104. A system according to claim 93 wherein said plurality of gate controllers are disposed at entrance points to an enclosed area selected from the group consisting of:

a stadium, an arena, a theater, an amphitheater, a performance hall, a transportation terminal, a financial institution, a service, a clinic, a country club, a night club, a private club, a station, a port, a convention center, a forum, a government installation, a payment scheme, a betting installation, a secured computation complex, a sports facility, a recreational complex, an educational institution, a membership club, a theme park, a hotel, a medical center, a medical installation, a residential complex, a parking facility, a casino, a workplace, a military installation, and a transporter.

105. A system according to claim 93, wherein at least one of said plurality of gate controllers has a changeable mode selected from the group consisting of:

off-line and on-line;

wherein said at least one gate controller is further operative to provide access control functions in said off-line mode; and

wherein said at least one gate controller is further operative to download and upload data in said on-line mode.

106. A system according to claim 93 wherein said token comprises at least a portion of a smart card embedded in plastic.

107. A system according to claim 93 wherein said token comprises at least a portion of a smart card embedded in paper.

108. A system according to claim 93 wherein said gate controller checks if attendee is on an expected list indicating attendees expected to participate at said mass attended event.

109. A system according to claim 93 wherein each token has a unique token ID.

110. A system according to claim 109 wherein, several hours prior to opening gates to allow spectators'"'"' entrance to the enclosed area, said lists are prepared and downloaded into said gate controllers.

111. A system according to claim 93 wherein the gate controllers provide said central controller with timely statistics of flow of attendees and wherein subsequent to an attendee'"'"'s entry into the enclosed area, entrance statistics are updated for subsequent transmittal.

112. A system according to claim 93 wherein the gate controllers provide notification of irregular events to said central controller.

113. A system according to claim 93 wherein entry is denied to a token holder if the entry point is not compliant with a seating arrangement allotted to the token holder.

114. A system according to claim 93 wherein the gate controller is operative, for a short time interval, to energize an unlocking device operative to allow a single authorized user to pass a turnstile.

115. An off-line/on-line method for controlling access to an enclosed area housing a mass attended event, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of gate controllers;

centrally and securely providing said gate controllers with status lists enabling said gate controllers to provide accelerated off-line monitored entrance of attendees into the enclosed area including recognizing valid attendee tokens by consulting only the status lists and without consultation via a network with a remote server;

including storing a numerical value associated with at least one of the attendee tokens, the numerical value including at least one bit signifying that a token-holder corresponding to said at least one attendee token is an expected attendee; and

utilizing said numerical value and providing on-line crowd statistics including data indicating a number of attendees which have passed each gate controller, thereby to assure safe punctual inauguration of the mass attended event,

wherein the numerical value also includes at least one bit signifying whether the token has or has not already been used at a particular event,

and wherein said at least one bit signifying that a token-holder corresponding to said at least one attendee token is an expected attendee coincides with said at least one bit signifying whether the token has or has not already been used at a particular event because when a token-holder enters the enclosed area, a bit which indicated that a token-holder was an expected attendee at an event is complemented to indicate that currently, the token-holder is no longer considered an expected attendee at the event.

116. A method according to claim 115 wherein a central server loads gate controllers with status lists for offline operation.

117. A method according to claim 116 wherein said gate controllers provide crowd statistics to said central server.

118. A method according to claim 115 wherein said method includes a decision step determining whether at least one individual token detected by one of said gate controllers has been used at said mass attended event and also includes, if said individual token has been used, denying entry to at least one holder of at least one such token and, if said token has not been used, changing a token event status associated with said individual token to “

used” and

allowing entry of a holder of said individual token.

119. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for controlling access to an enclosed area housing a mass attended event, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of gate controllers;

centrally and securely providing said gate controllers with status lists enabling said gate controllers to provide accelerated off-line monitored entrance of attendees into the enclosed area including recognizing valid attendee tokens by consulting only the status lists and without consultation via a network with a remote server;

including storing a numerical value associated with at least one of the attendee tokens, the numerical value including at least one bit signifying that a token-holder corresponding to said at least one attendee token is an expected attendee; and

utilizing said numerical value and providing on-line crowd statistics including data indicating a number of attendees which have passed each gate controller to assure safe punctual inauguration of the mass attended event,

wherein the numerical value also includes at least one bit signifying whether the token has or has not already been used at a particular event,

and wherein said at least one bit signifying that a token-holder corresponding to said at least one attendee token is an expected attendee coincides with said at least one bit signifying whether the token has or has not already been used at a particular event because when a token-holder enters the enclosed area, a bit which indicated that a token-holder was an expected attendee at an event is complemented to indicate that currently, the token-holder is no longer considered an expected attendee at the event.