Systems and methods for implementing network connectivity awareness, monitoring and notification in distributed access control

• US 9,367,974 B1
• Filed: 04/07/2014
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Ryan, Tim, Hawver, Kyle, Harper, Tyler
• Primary Examiner(s): Nwugo, Ojiako
• Application Number:
  US14/247,198
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/00 Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00; network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00; security arrangements for protecting computers or computer systems against unauthorised activity G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

A system and method are provided for monitoring and aggregating performance of a plurality of independently-controlled access points and connections to a plurality of independently-owned access databases for confirming access to one or more of an access-controlled space, one or more access-controlled pieces of equipment and/or one or more access-controlled devices. A scheme is provided by which disconnections between a central coordination facility, and one or more of the remote databases may be isolated. The central coordination facility is provided a capacity to identify an outage in its communication to a particular database and (1) to determine a cause for the outage through coordination with the entity overseeing the database, (2) to evaluate any need for technical interaction of the central coordination facility, and/or (3) to initiate a notification protocol for end-users attempting to gain/grant access to a particular space, piece of equipment or device.

Claims

1. A system for implementing access control, comprising:

a first communicating device that communicates with a plurality of access control checkpoint components;

a second communicating device that communicates with a plurality of access control databases;

an access resolution device that

receives an individual access request from one of the plurality of access control checkpoint components via the first communicating device, the individual access request including identifying information for the individual, and identifying information for the one of the plurality of access control databases containing the information for the individual access verification,

queries the one of the plurality of databases containing the information for the individual access verification according to the identifying information in the individual access request via the second communicating device,

forwards access verification information for the individual received in response to the query to the one of the plurality of access control checkpoint components via the first communicating device, and

forwards an access denial for the individual to the one of the plurality of access control checkpoint components via the first communicating device based on a failure to receive access verification information for the individual in response to the query; and

a connection assessment device that

determines that the failure to receive access verification information for a plurality of individuals in response to a plurality of queries to one of the plurality of access control databases is based on an interruption in communication between the access resolution device and the one of the plurality of access control databases via the second communicating device, and

alerts a user to the interruption in communication.

2. The system of claim 1, the connection assessment device assessing that a number of access denials exceeds a pre-determined number to determine that the failure to receive access verification information for the plurality of individuals in response to the plurality of queries to one of the plurality of access control databases is based on the interruption in communication between the access resolution device and the one of the plurality of access control databases via the second communicating device.

3. The system of claim 1, each of the plurality of access control checkpoint components being used by individuals to gain access to at least one of an access-controlled space, an access-controlled piece of equipment and an access-controlled device.

4. The system of claim 1, each of the plurality of access control databases being separately controlled by a respective individual entity and containing information maintained by the respective individual entity for individual access verification.

5. The system of claim 4, each of the plurality of access control databases being an employee database of a company as the respective individual entity.

6. The system of claim 5, at least some of the plurality of access control checkpoint components being communication devices at separate airline employee security checkpoints in an airport, the company being an airline employing individuals gaining access to secure areas in the airport via the separate airline employee security checkpoints.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third communication device that is a different communication device from the second communicating device for contacting the respective individual entity controlling the one of the plurality of access control databases with which communication is interrupted.

8. The system of claim 1, the connection assessment device alerting an individual or another user using at least one of the plurality of access control checkpoint components as to the communication interruption with the one of the plurality of access to databases.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a remedial actions device that initiates one or more remedial actions when the connection assessment device determines that the communication interruption with the one of the plurality of access control databases occurred.

10. The system of claim 9, the remedial actions including at least one of alerting a system technical personnel to an occurrence of the communication interruption and executing automated routine to restore the interrupted communications.

11. A method for implementing access control, comprising:

receiving, with a processor, access authorization requests from a plurality of access control checkpoint components, each access authorization request identifying an individual requesting access and identifying information for the one of the plurality of access control databases containing the information for the individual access verification;

forwarding, with the processor, queries to the identified ones of the plurality of access control databases containing the information for the individuals access verification;

forwarding, with the processor, access verification information for the individuals received in response to the queries to the plurality of access control checkpoint components from which the access authorization requests are received;

forwarding, with the processor, access denials for the individuals in response to the queries to the plurality of access control checkpoint components from which the access authorization requests are received on failures to receive access verification information for the individuals in response to the queries;

determining, with the processor, that the failures to receive access verification information for a plurality of individuals in response to a plurality of queries to one of the plurality of access control databases are based on an interruption in communication with the one of the plurality of access control databases; and

directing, with the processor, alerts to users regarding the interruption in communication.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising assessing that a number of access denials exceeds a pre-determined number to determine that the failure to receive access verification information for the plurality of individuals in response to the plurality of queries to one of the plurality of access control databases is based on the interruption in communication with the one of the plurality of access control databases.

13. The method of claim 11, each of the plurality of access control checkpoint components being used by individuals to gain access to at least one of an access-controlled space, an access-controlled piece of equipment and an access-controlled device.

14. The method of claim 11, each of the plurality of access control databases being separately controlled by a respective individual entity and containing information maintained by the respective individual entity for individual access verification.

15. The method of claim 14, each of the plurality of access control databases being an employee database of a company as the respective individual entity.

16. The method of claim 15, at least some of the plurality of access control checkpoint components being communication devices at separate airline employee security checkpoints in an airport, the company being an airline employing individuals gaining access to secure areas in the airport via the separate airline employee security checkpoints.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising contacting, with the processor, the respective individual entity controlling the one of the plurality of access control databases with which communication is interrupted to determine at least one of a cause for the interrupted communication and actions to restore the interrupted communication.

18. The method of claim 11, the alerting the user comprising alerting an individual or another user using at least one of the plurality of access control checkpoint components as to the communication interruption with the one of the plurality of access to databases.

19. The system of claim 11, further comprising initiating, with the processor, one or more remedial actions when it is determined that the communication interruption with the one of the plurality of access control databases occurred, the one or more remedial actions including at least one of alerting system technical personnel to an occurrence of the communication interruption and executing an automated routine to restore the interrupted communications.

20. A non-transitory data storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to execute the steps of a method for implementing access control, the method comprising:

receiving access authorization requests from a plurality of access control checkpoint components, each access authorization request identifying an individual requesting access and identifying information for the one of the plurality of access control databases containing the information for the individual access verification;

forwarding queries to the identified ones of the plurality of access control databases containing the information for the individuals access verification;

forwarding access verification information for the individuals received in response to the queries to the plurality of access control checkpoint components from which the access authorization requests are received;

forwarding access denials for the individuals in response to the queries to the plurality of access control checkpoint components from which the access authorization requests are received on failures to receive access verification information for the individuals in response to the queries;

determining that the failures to receive access verification information for a plurality of individuals in response to a plurality of queries to one of the plurality of access control databases are based on an interruption in communication with the one of the plurality of access control databases; and

directing alerts to users regarding the interruption in communication.