Access Control System

• US 20150310682A1
• Filed: 04/26/2014
• Published: 10/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Arora, Aditya, Barge, Timothy, Adams, Trinh, Johnson, Tim, Antley, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 9,870,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

An access control system provides authentication and notification. A visitor to a facility, for example, authenticates to the access control system. Once an identity of the visitor is confirmed, the access control system sends a notification to a host, such as an employee. The notification informs the host of the arrival of the visitor.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

authenticating an identity of a user to an access control system;

receiving, by the access control system, a contact request requesting contact with a name of a host;

querying a database for the name of the host, the database storing associations between different names and different contact addresses;

retrieving, by the access control system, a contact address associated with the name of the host; and

initiating, by the access control system, a notification to the contact address, the notification informing the host that the user requests the contact.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving a base station address identifying a base station dedicated to text messages initiated by the access control system.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

generating a text message as the notification;

assuming the host is geographically local;

bypassing a home location register and routing the text message to the base station address for wireless transmission from the base station.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an acknowledgment to the text message.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating a call to the contact address.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating the host to the access control system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising biometrically authenticating the user to the access control system.

8. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that when executed cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

authenticating an identity of a user to an access control system;

receiving a contact request at the access control system, the contact request entered by the user and requesting contact with a name of a host;

querying a database for the name of the host, the database storing associations between different names and different contact addresses;

retrieving a contact address associated with the name of the host; and

initiating a notification from the access control system to the contact address, the notification informing the host that the user requests the contact.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise retrieving a base station address identifying a base station dedicated to text messages initiated by the access control system.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

generating a text message as the notification;

assuming the host is geographically local;

bypassing a home location register and routing the text message to the base station address for wireless transmission from the base station.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise receiving an acknowledgment to the text message.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise initiating a call to the contact address.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise authenticating the host to the access control system.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise biometrically authenticating the user to the access control system.

15. A memory storing instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

authenticating an identity of a user to an access control system;

receiving a contact request at the access control system, the contact request entered by the user and requesting contact with a name of a host;

querying a database for the name of the host, the database storing associations between different names and different contact addresses;

retrieving a contact address associated with the name of the host; and

initiating a notification from the access control system to the contact address, the notification informing the host that the user requests the contact.

16. The memory of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise retrieving a base station address identifying a base station dedicated to text messages initiated by the access control system.

17. The memory of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

generating a text message as the notification;

assuming the host is geographically local;

bypassing a home location register and routing the text message to the base station address for wireless transmission from the base station.

18. The memory of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise receiving an acknowledgment to the text message.

19. The memory of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise initiating a call to the contact address.

20. The memory of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise authenticating the host to the access control system.