Entry and exit control apparatus and entry and exit control method

• US 8,193,904 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2009
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Kawakita, Hijiri
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): GIRMA, FEKADESELASS
• Application Number:
  US12/588,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20100045424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/5.2
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/04 Access control involving a hierarchy in access rights
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration

Abstract

When a user enters or leaves an area to which a security level is assigned, it is determined whether the user is allowed to enter or leave the area by performing authentication. When the user moves between areas to which different security levels are preliminarily assigned, appropriate authentication is performed on the user depending on the difference between the security levels of the areas.

Claims

1. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium having stored therein an entry and exit control program for determining, when a single user enters or leaves an area to which a security level is assigned, whether the user is allowed to enter or leave the area by performing authentication, the entry and exit control program causing a computer to execute a process comprising:

first performing, when the user associated with a security level moves from a first to which a first security level is assigned to a second area to which a second security level is assigned, an advanced authentication of identification information of the user, the second security level being higher than the first security level;

changing, when the user is present in the second area and the second security level is higher than the security level of the user, a security level of the second area to the security level of the user; and

second performing including performing the advanced authentication when the user moves from the second area to an area to which a security level higher than the changed security level of the second area is assigned, and performing a simplified authentication when the user moves from the second area to an area to which a security level identical to or lower than the changed security level of the second area is assigned.

2. The computer-readable non-transitory storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the advanced authentication includes a plurality of types of authentication of the identification information of the user.

3. The computer-readable non-transitory storage medium according to claim 2, wherein the simplified authentication includes one of the plurality of types of the authentication.

4. The computer-readable non-transitory storage medium according to claim 1, the process further comprising changing the changed security level of the second area to the second security level when the user leaves the second area.

5. The computer-readable non-transitory storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the second performing includes performing the advanced authentication when the user moves from the second area to an area to which a security level identical to the changed security level of the second area is assigned and a predetermined time has elapsed after the user left the area.

6. An entry and exit control method for determining, when a single user enters or leaves an area to which a security level is assigned, whether the user is allowed to enter or leave the area by performing authentication, the method comprising:

first performing, when the user associated with a security level moves from a first area to which a first security level is assigned to a second area to which a second security level is assigned, an advanced authentication of identification information of the user, the second security level being higher than the first security level;

changing, when the user is present in the second area and the second security level is higher than the security level of the user, a security level of the second area to the security level of the user; and

second performing including performing the advanced authentication when the user moves from the second area to an area to which a security level higher than the changed security level of the second area is assigned, and performing a simplified authentication when the user moves from the second area to an area to which a security level identical to or lower than the changed security level of the second area is assigned.

7. The entry and exit control method according to claim 6, wherein the advanced authentication includes a plurality of types of authentication of the identification information of the user.

8. The entry and exit control method according to claim 7, wherein the simplified authentication includes one of the plurality of types of the authentication.

9. The entry and exit control method according to claim 6, the process further comprising changing the changed security level of the second area to the second security level when the user leaves the second area.

10. The entry and exit control method according to claim 6, wherein the second performing includes performing the advanced authentication when the user moves from the second area to an area to which a security level identical to the changed security level of the second area is assigned and a predetermined time has elapsed after the user left the area.

11. An entry and exit control apparatus for determining, when a single user enters or leaves an area to which a security level is assigned, whether the user is allowed to enter or leave the area by performing authentication, the apparatus comprising:

an authentication unit that performs, when the user associated with a security level moves from a first area to which a first security level is assigned to a second area to which a second security level is assigned, an advanced authentication of identification information of the user, the second security level being higher than the first security level; and

a security level changing unit that changes, when the user is present in the second area and the second security level is higher than the security level of the user, a security level of the second area to the security level of the user, wherein

the authentication unit further performs the advanced authentication when the user moves from the second area to an area to which a security level higher than the changed security level of the second area is assigned, or further performs a simplified authentication when the user moves from the second area to an area to which a security level identical to or lower than the changed security level of the second area is assigned.