ACCESS CONTROL IN LOCATION TRACKING SYSTEM

• US 20120154115A1
• Filed: 12/19/2011
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 9Solutions Oy
• Original Assignee: 9Solutions Oy
• Inventors: HERRALA, Sami
• Granted Patent: US 9,430,888 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.64
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00333 and the lock having more than one limited data transmission ranges
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00373 whereby the wake-up circuit is situated in the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0038 whereby the wake-up circuit is situated in the keyless data carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/64 using a proximity sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00658 operated by passive electrical keys
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for controlling access in a location tracking system. In response to detection of the presence of a mobile tag of the location tracking system in an area comprising at least one access-control apparatus, a location tracking apparatus of the location tracking system activates the access control apparatus to initiate establishment of a communication connection with the mobile tag so as to negotiate about access rights of the mobile tag.

Claims

1. A method for controlling access in a location tracking system, the method comprising:

tracking, by a location tracking apparatus, location of at least one mobile tag in a coverage area of the location tracking system;

detecting presence of the mobile tag in a determined area comprising at least one access-controlled entity, wherein each access-controlled entity is associated with an access control apparatus; and

in response to the detection of the mobile tag in the determined area, activating the access control apparatus to initiate establishment of a wireless communication connection with the mobile tag so as to negotiate about access to the access-controlled entity, wherein the activation is carried out by transmitting an activation signal from the location tracking apparatus to the access control apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deactivating a transmitter of the access control apparatus when no mobile tag is detected in the determined area; and

in response to the detection of the mobile tag in the determined area, activating the transmitter of the access control apparatus to transmit a connection establishment signal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the detection of the mobile tag in the determined area, activating the mobile tag to initiate establishment of a wireless communication connection with at least one access control apparatus comprised in the determined area, wherein the activation of the mobile tag is carried out by transmitting an activation signal from the location tracking apparatus to the access control apparatus.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the location tracking system comprises a plurality of wireless transceivers operating as location tracking nodes and being disposed to form the coverage area of the location tracking system, wherein the wireless transceivers form a wireless communication network connecting the location tracking apparatus to the mobile tag, and wherein the at least one of the activation signals is transmitted through the wireless communication network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the access control apparatus to establish the communication connection with the mobile tag by using a first transmission power;

carrying out a verification procedure comprising communication with the mobile tag by using a second transmission power lower than the first transmission power, thus enabling verification whether or not the mobile tag is in close proximity of the access control apparatus; and

granting access to the mobile tag, if the tag is allowed to access the access-controlled entity and if the verification procedure results in successful communication between the access control apparatus and the mobile tag.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the communication connection between the access control apparatus and the mobile tag is maintained or put on hold between the establishment of the communication connection and the verification procedure.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

detecting, by a proximity sensor provided in the access control apparatus, a close proximity of the mobile tag with respect to the access control apparatus; and

triggering the verification procedure by the detection of the close proximity of the mobile tag.

8. A location tracking system comprising a location tracking apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including program instructions, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the location tracking apparatus to;

track location of at least one mobile tag in a coverage area of the location tracking system and to detect presence of the mobile tag in a determined area comprising at least one access-controlled entity, wherein each access-controlled entity is associated with an access control apparatus; and

activate, in response to the detection of the mobile tag in the determined area, the access control apparatus to initiate establishment of a wireless communication connection with the mobile tag so as to negotiate about access to the access-controlled entity, wherein the activation is carried out by causing transmission an activation signal from the location tracking apparatus to the access control apparatus.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising the access control apparatus comprising:

a transceiver;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including program instructions, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the access control apparatus to;

communicate with the mobile tag and the location tracking apparatus, to deactivate a transmitter of the transceiver when no mobile tag is detected in the determined area and, in response to the detection of the mobile tag in the determined area, to activate the transmitter to transmit a connection establishment signal.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising the mobile tag comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including program instructions, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the mobile tag to, in response to the detection of the mobile tag in the determined area, the mobile tag is configured to initiate establishment of a wireless communication connection with at least one access control apparatus comprised in the determined area,

wherein the location tracking apparatus is further configured to activate the mobile tag by causing transmission of another activation signal from the location tracking apparatus to the access control apparatus.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the location tracking system further comprises a plurality of wireless transceivers operating as location tracking nodes and being disposed to form the coverage area of the location tracking system, wherein the wireless transceivers form a wireless communication network connecting the location tracking apparatus to the mobile tag, and wherein the at least one of the activation signals is transmitted through the wireless communication network.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising the access control apparatus comprising:

a transceiver;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including program instructions, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the access control apparatus to;

cause the transceiver to use a first transmission power when establishing the communication connection with the mobile tag by;

carry out a verification procedure comprising communication with the mobile tag by causing the transceiver to use a second transmission power lower than the first transmission power, thus enabling verification whether or not the mobile tag is in close proximity of the access control apparatus; and

grant access to the mobile tag, if the mobile tag is allowed to access the access-controlled entity and if the verification procedure results in successful communication between the access control apparatus and the mobile tag.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the access control apparatus to maintain or put on hold the communication connection with the mobile tag between the establishment of the communication connection and the verification procedure.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the access control apparatus comprises a proximity sensor configured to detect close presence of mobile tags through magnetic or electromagnetic interaction, and wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the access control apparatus to trigger the verification procedure by the detection of the close proximity of the mobile tag by the proximity sensor.

15. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory distribution medium readable by a computer and comprising program instructions which, when loaded into an apparatus, execute a computer process comprising:

tracking location of at least one mobile tag in a coverage area of a location tracking system;

detecting presence of the mobile tag in a determined area comprising at least one access-controlled entity, wherein each access-controlled entity is associated with an access control apparatus; and

in response to the detection of the mobile tag in the determined area, activating the access control apparatus to initiate establishment of a wireless communication connection with the mobile tag so as to negotiate about access to the access-controlled entity, wherein the activation is carried out by causing transmission of an activation signal to the access control apparatus.