Method and system for controlling access to an enclosed area
First Claim
1. A method for controlling access to an enclosed area, the method comprising:
- receiving a card identification signal including a card identifier (ID) in an access card controller through an access card reader associated with an entrance to the enclosed area, at least one of the access card controller or access card reader being powered via a Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) interface;
determining an operational mode of the access card controller, the operational modes including a standalone mode and a network mode;
authenticating the card ID by transmitting the card ID to an access control server when the access card controller is determined to be operating in the network mode;
authenticating the card ID against entries of one or more internal tables stored in the access card controller when the access card controller is determined to be operating in the standalone mode;
sending a signal to unlock a door at the entrance to the enclosed area associated with the access card reader when the card ID has been successfully authenticated;
wherein the access card controller serves, from the access card controller, configuration data that can be displayed by a web browser external to the access card controller.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for controlling access to an enclosed area is described. One illustrative embodiment is an access card reader and controller that is powered via a Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) interface. The access card reader and controller may include a plurality of operating modes, including a network mode in which the access card reader and controller relies on an external access control server to authenticate received card identifiers and a standalone mode in which the access card reader and controller authenticates card identifiers independently of the access control server based on information stored locally in the access card reader and controller. In this illustrative embodiment, the access card reader and controller may also include a local tamper detector configured to detect when the access card reader and controller is being tampered with.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for controlling access to an enclosed area, the method comprising:
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receiving a card identification signal including a card identifier (ID) in an access card controller through an access card reader associated with an entrance to the enclosed area, at least one of the access card controller or access card reader being powered via a Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) interface; determining an operational mode of the access card controller, the operational modes including a standalone mode and a network mode; authenticating the card ID by transmitting the card ID to an access control server when the access card controller is determined to be operating in the network mode; authenticating the card ID against entries of one or more internal tables stored in the access card controller when the access card controller is determined to be operating in the standalone mode; sending a signal to unlock a door at the entrance to the enclosed area associated with the access card reader when the card ID has been successfully authenticated; wherein the access card controller serves, from the access card controller, configuration data that can be displayed by a web browser external to the access card controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An access control system for controlling access to an enclosed area, the access control system comprising:
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a radio-frequency communication module configured to receive a card identification signal including a card identifier (ID); a mode module configured to determine an operational mode of the access control system, the operational modes including a standalone mode and a network mode; a communication module configured to authenticate the card ID by transmitting the card ID to an access control server when the access control system is determined to be operating in the network mode; a local authentication module configured to authenticate the card ID against entries of one or more internal tables stored in the access control system when the access control system is determined to be operating in the standalone mode; and a local input/output module configured to send a signal to unlock a door at an entrance to the enclosed area when the card ID has been successfully authenticated; wherein at least a portion of the access control system is powered via a Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) interface of the communication module, and wherein the communication module includes an interface to serve configuration data that can be displayed by a web browser external to the access control system. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for controlling access to one or more enclosed areas, the system comprising:
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at least one access card controller powered via a Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) interface, each access card controller-being capable of controlling access through an entrance to an enclosed area, and an access control server in communication with the at least one access card controller, the access control server being capable of controlling the operation of the at least one access card controller; wherein, in a network mode of operation, the access control server is configured to perform authentication of a card identifier (ID) received from the at least one access card controller and to signal the at least one access card controller to unlock a door at the entrance to the enclosed area when the access control server has successfully authenticated the received card ID; wherein, in a standalone mode of operation, the at least one access card controller is configured to perform local authentication of a received card ID independently of the access control server and to unlock a door at the entrance to the enclosed area when the at least one access card controller has successfully authenticated the received card ID; wherein each access card controller is configured to serve from the access card controller configuration data that can be displayed by a web browser external to the access card controller. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for controlling access to an enclosed area, the method comprising:
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receiving a card identification signal including a card identifier (ID) in an access card reader and controller associated with an entrance to the enclosed area, the access card reader and controller being powered via a Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) interface; determining an operational mode of the access card reader and-controller, the operational modes including a standalone mode and a network mode; authenticating the card ID by transmitting the card ID to an access control server when the access card reader and-controller is determined to be operating in the network mode; authenticating the card ID against entries of one or more internal tables stored in the access card reader and controller when the access card reader and controller is determined to be operating in the standalone mode; sending a signal to unlock a door at the entrance to the enclosed area associated with the access card reader and controller when the card ID has been successfully authenticated; wherein the access card reader and controller serves, from the access card reader and controller, configuration data that can be displayed by a web browser external to the access card controller.
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22. A system for controlling access to one or more enclosed areas, the system comprising:
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at least one access card reader and-controller powered via a Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) interface, each access card reader and controller being capable of controlling access through an entrance to an enclosed area; and an access control server in communication with the at least one access card reader and controller, the access control server being capable of controlling the operation of the at least one access card reader and controller; wherein, in a network mode of operation, the access control server is configured to perform authentication of a card identifier (ID) received from the at least one access card reader and-controller and to signal the at least one access card reader and-controller to unlock a door at the entrance to the enclosed area when the access control server has successfully authenticated the received card ID; wherein, in a standalone mode of operation, the at least one access card reader and controller is configured to perform local authentication of a received card ID independently of the access control server and to unlock a door at the entrance to the enclosed area when the at least one access card reader and controller has successfully authenticated the received card ID; wherein each access card reader and controller is configured to serve from the access card reader and controller configuration data that can be displayed by a web browser external to the access card reader and controller. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An access control system including an access card reader and controller for controlling access to an enclosed area, the access control system comprising:
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a radio-frequency communication module configured to receive a card identification signal including a card identifier (ID); a mode module configured to determine an operational mode of the access control system, the operational modes including a standalone mode and a network mode; a communication module configured to authenticate the card ID by transmitting the card ID to an access control server when the access control system is determined to be operating in the network mode; a local authentication module configured to authenticate the card ID against entries of one or more internal tables stored in the access control system when the access control system is determined to be operating in the standalone mode; and a local input/output module configured to send a signal to unlock a door at an entrance to the enclosed area when the card ID has been successfully authenticated; wherein at least a portion of the access control system is powered via a Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) interface of the communication module, and wherein the communication module includes an interface to serve configuration data that can be displayed by a web browser external to the access control system. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification