System for security access control in multiple regions

• US 6,233,588 B1
• Filed: 12/02/1998
• Issued: 05/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Americas Corporation, Inc. (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lenel Systems International Incorporated (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Zientara, David, Marchoili, John, Rozwod, Robert, Neilsen, John, Regelski, Michael, Prokupets, Rudy
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US09/203,455
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 707/200, 707/203, 713/200, 713/201
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A system for controlling access in multiple regions is provided in which each region comprises one or more sites having building areas to which access is controlled. The system includes multiple regional databases, where each regional database is associated with one of the regions, and a master database storing system information, cardholder information and access control information. A master computer system is coupled to the master database, and a regional computer system, capable of data communication to the master computer system, is coupled to each of the regional databases. Initially, the master computer system downloads the system information and cardholder information from the master database to each of the regional databases, and each regional computer system uploads the access control information from its regional database to the master database to provide the stored access control information for the region at the master database. Each region operates independently of the master database, and can change (add, modify, or delete) access control information and cardholder information stored in its regional database. The regional computer system of each region periodically uploads to the master database any changes in the access control information of the regional database, and any changes in the cardholder information of the regional database. The master computer system periodically downloads from the master database to each regional database any changes in cardholder information made by other regions. Thus, the system, cardholder, and access control information stored in the master database is maintained identical to the corresponding information at each of the regional databases, and cardholder information changes made at each region are distributed to other regions through the master database.

Claims

1. A system for controlling access in a plurality of regions in which each region comprises one or more sites having areas to which access is controlled, said system comprising:

a master database for storing system information, cardholder information for the system, and access control information for each of said regions;

a plurality of regional databases in which each of said regional databases is associated with one of said regions;

means for downloading said system information and cardholder information from said master database to each of said regional databases; and

means for uploading to said master database access control information from each of said regional databases to provide said stored access control information at said master database, wherein each of the regions operates independently of the master database in accordance with their respective regional database.

2. The system according to claim 1 further comprising:

means for uploading periodically from each of said regional databases to said master database any additions, modifications, or deletions in said access control information of said regional database to enable the access control information stored at said master database to be identical to the access control information stored at said regional database.

3. The system according to claim 1 further comprising:

means for uploading periodically from each of said regional databases to said master database any additions, modifications, or deletions in said cardholder information of said regional database to enable the cardholder information stored at said master database to be identical to the cardholder information stored at said regional database.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein said uploading means further comprises a regional cardholder transaction table in each of said regional databases for recording any additions, modifications, or deletions in said cardholder information of the regional database to define how cardholder information from the regional database is to be uploaded to said master database.

5. The system according to claim 1 further comprising:

means for downloading from said master database to each of said regional databases cardholder information in accordance with any additions, modifications, or deletions in said cardholder information uploaded to said master database from other regional databases.

6. The system according to claim 5 wherein said downloading means further comprises a master cardholder transaction table in the master database for recording any additions, modifications, or deletions in said cardholder information made to the master database to define how cardholder information from the master database is to be downloaded to each of the regional databases.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein said cardholder information and access control information each utilize unique identifiers to different parts of said cardholder information and access control information, respectively.

8. The system according to claim 5 further comprising means for automatically distributing security information in each region responsive to said downloaded cardholder information to means in the region for controlling access to the areas in the region.

9. The system according to claim 7 wherein said system information downloaded comprises ranges of unused identifiers allocated to each of said regional databases for enabling each said region to generate additional cardholder information and access control information in said regional database.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein each of said regions manages badges worn by personnel to access areas in accordance with said cardholder information stored at the regional database of the region.

11. The system according to claim 9 wherein each of said regions administers access control of the region in accordance with said access control information stored at the regional database of the region.

12. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a network capable of providing connection for transfer of data between said master database and each of the regional databases.

13. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a master computer system coupled to said master database, and a regional computer system coupled to each of said regional databases which is capable of established data communication to said master computer system, wherein said master computer system and the regional computer system coupled to each of said regional databases enables said downloading means and uploading mean.

14. The system according to claim 13 wherein said master computer system represents a master computer server, and said regional computer system coupled to each of said regional databases represents a regional computer server.

15. The system according to claim 1 wherein for each of said regions said access control information for the region represents information for controlling access control equipment within the region.

16. The system according to claim 1 further comprising:

at least one database of a portable badging system; and

said downloading means further comprising means for downloading said system information and cardholder information of said master database to said database of the portable badging system.

17. The system according to claim 16 wherein said portable badging system further comprises means for uploading periodically from the database of the portable badging system to said master database any additions, modifications, or deletions in said cardholder information of the database of the portable badging system to enable the cardholder information stored at said master database to be identical to the cardholder information stored at the database of the portable badging system.

18. The system according to claim 16 further comprising means for downloading from said master database to the database of the portable badging system cardholder information in accordance with any additions, modifications, or deletions in said cardholder information uploaded to said master database from other regional databases and any other ones of said portable badging system.

19. An access control system comprising:

a plurality of regions in which each region comprises one or more sites having areas to which access is controlled;

a master database for storing system information, cardholder information for the system, and access control information for each of said regions;

a plurality of regional databases in which each of said regional databases is associated with one of said regions;

a master computer system coupled to said master database;

a plurality of regional computer systems each coupled to a different one of said regional databases and capable of communicating with said master computer system in which said master computer system downloads said system information and cardholder information from said master database to each of said regional databases, and each of said regional computer systems provides for uploading to said master database access control information from each of said regional databases to provide said stored access control information at said master database.

20. A system for providing security access control in a plurality of regions in which each region comprises one or more sites having areas to which access is controlled, said system comprising:

a plurality of regional databases in which each of said regional databases is associated with one of said regions and stores information used by the region for security access control in the region and for managing badges worn by personnel to access areas; and

a master database having information which is initially identical to said information stored in each of said regional databases, wherein each region operates independently of the master database in accordance with the information of their respective regional database.

21. The system according to claim 20 where in said information stored in each of said regional databases and said m aster database further comprises system information for maintaining uniformity in each of said regional databases while enabling each region to operates independently of the master database.

22. The system according to claim 20 further comprising:

means for maintaining said information stored in said master database identical to said information stored in each of said regional databases.

23. The system according to claim 22 wherein said maintaining means further comprises means for communicating data said master database and each of said regional databases.

24. The system according to claim 22 wherein said maintaining means further comprising:

means for downloading at least a part of the information from said master database to each of said regional databases; and

means for uploading at least a part of the information from each of said regional databases to said master database.

25. The system according to claim 22 wherein said maintaining means further comprises means for periodically uploading to said master database from each of said regional databases changes in the part of said information stored at the regional database for security access control.

26. The system according to claim 22 wherein said maintaining means further comprises means for periodically uploading to said master database from each of said regional databases changes in the part of said information stored at the regional database for managing badges.

27. The system according to claim 22 wherein said information stored in each of said regional databases further comprises system information for maintaining uniformity in each of said regional databases while enabling each region to operates independently of the master database, and said maintaining means further comprises means for periodically downloading to each of said regional databases from said master database changes in the part of said information stored at the master database representing system information.

28. The system according to claim 23 further comprising a master computer system coupled to said master database, and a regional computer system coupled to each of said regional databases, in which said maintaining means is enabled through said communicating means by said master computer system and the regional computer system coupled to each of said regional databases.

29. The system according to claim 23 wherein said communicating means represents a communication network.

30. The system according to claim 20 further comprising means for distributing from one of said regional databases to other of said regional databases through said master database changes in the information stored at said one of regional databases for managing badges.

31. The system according to claim 20 further comprising a master computer system coupled to said master database, and a regional computer system coupled to each of said regional databases.

32. The system according to claim 31 further comprising one or more master computer workstations for enabling users to interface to said master database through said master computer system.

33. The system according to claim 32 further comprising for each region one or more regional computer workstations for enabling users to interface to the regional database of the region through the regional computer system associated with said regional database.

34. The system according to claim 33 wherein at least one of said regional computer workstations for at least one of said regions can interface with the regional database of one or more other of said regions.

35. The system according to claim 33 wherein at least one of said regional computer workstations for at least one of said regions can interface to said master database through said master computer system.

36. The system according to claim 33 wherein at least one of said regional computer workstations for at least one of said regions can interface with the regional database of multiple ones of said regions simultaneously.

37. The system according to claim 20 wherein one of said regions represents a portable badging system having a database representing the regional database of one of said regions which does not stores information for security access control.

38. The system according to claim 20 further comprising:

one or more subregional databases in which each of said subregional databases is associated with a subregion within one of said regions and stores information used by the subregion for security access control in the subregion and for managing badges worn by personnel to access areas;

means for maintaining the information stored in said master database identical to said information stored in each of said regional databases; and

means for maintaining the information stored in the regional database of the region having subregional databases identical to the information stored in each of the subregional databases.

39. The system according to claim 20 wherein said information represents first information for access control and second information for managing badges, and at least one of said regional databases is segmented into a plurality of segments each storing different parts of said first information for the region associated with the regional database.

40. The system according to claim 20 wherein at least one of said regional databases represent serves as another one of said master database to other databases in the region associated with said one of said regional databases.

41. The system according to claim 20 further comprising a network capable of providing connection for transfer of data between said master database and each of the regional databases.

42. A method for providing security access control in a plurality of regions in which each region comprises one or more sites having areas to which access is controlled, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of regional databases in which each of said regional databases is associated with one of said regions and stores information used by the region for security access control in the region and for managing badges worn by personnel to access areas; and

providing a master database having information which is initially identical to said information stored in each of said regional databases, wherein each region operates independently of the master database in accordance with the information of their respective regional database.

43. The method according to claim 42 wherein said information stored in each of said regional databases and said master database further comprises system information for maintaining uniformity in each of said regional databases while enabling each region to operates independently of the master database.

44. The method according to claim 42 further comprising the step of maintaining said information stored in said master database identical to said information stored in each of said regional database.

45. The method according to claim 44 wherein said maintaining step further comprises the step of communicating data between said master database and each of said regional databases.

46. The method according to claim 44 wherein said maintaining step further comprises the steps of:

downloading at least a part of the information from said master database to each of said regional databases;

uploading at least a part of the information from each of said regional databases to said master database;

periodically replicating to said master database from each of said regional databases changes in the part of said information stored at the regional database for security access control; and

periodically uploading to said master database from each of said regional databases changes in the part of said information stored at the regional database for managing badges.

47. The method according to claim 44 further comprising the step of distributing from each of said regional databases to other of said regional databases through said master database changes in the information stored at said one of regional databases for managing badges.

48. The method according to claim 42 wherein one of said regions represents a portable badging system having a database representing the regional database of one of said regions which does not stores information used for security access control.

49. The method according to claim 42 wherein said information represents first information for access control and second information for managing badges, and said method further comprises the step of segmenting at least one of said regional databases into a plurality of segments each storing different parts of said first information for the region associated with the regional database.

50. The method according to claim 42 wherein at least one of said regional databases represent serves as another one of said master database to other databases in the region associated with said one of said regional databases.

51. A system for managing badges worn by personnel for security access control in a plurality of regions in which each region comprises one or more sites having areas to which access is controlled, said system comprising:

a plurality of regional databases in which each of said regional databases is associated with one of said regions and stores information used by the region for managing badges worn by personnel to access areas of any of the regions;

a master database having information which is initially identical to said information stored in each of said regional databases; and

means for uploading from each of said regional databases to said master database any additions, modifications, or deletions in said information of said regional database.

52. The system according to claim 51 further comprising:

means for downloading from said master database to each of said regional databases information in accordance with any additions, modifications, or deletions in said information uploaded to said master database from other regional databases.

53. A system for providing security access control in a plurality of regions in which each region comprises one or more sites having areas to which access is controlled, said system comprising:

a plurality of regional databases in which each of said regional databases is associated with one of said regions and stores information used by the region for security access control in the region;

a master database which stores information initially identical to said information stored in each of said regional databases; and

means for uploading to said master database information from each of said regional databases to provide said stored information at said master database.

54. The system according to claim 53 further comprising:

means for uploading from each of said regional databases to said master database any additions, modifications, or deletions in said information of said regional database to assure that the information stored at said master database is identical to the access control information stored at said regional database.

55. A system for controlling access in a plurality of regions in which each region comprises one or more sites having areas to which access is controlled and readers associated with said areas for obtaining access requests to said areas, said system comprising:

a master database for storing at least cardholder information for the system;

a plurality of regional databases in which each of said regional databases is associated with one of said regions for storing at least cardholder information for the system, and access control information for the region;

means for uploading from each of said regional databases to said master database any changes in said cardholder information of said regional database to enable the cardholder information stored at said master database to be identical to the cardholder information stored at said regional database;

means for downloading from said master database to each of said regional databases cardholder information in accordance with any changes in said cardholder information uploaded to said master database from other regional databases; and

a plurality of controllers in each of said regions for controlling access to said areas responsive to access requests from at least one reader associated with each of said controllers; and

means connected to said controllers in each of said regions which automatically transmits from said regional database of the region to one or more of said controllers of the region security information to be used by the controllers for controlling access when the downloaded cardholder information affects access to areas of the region.