Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-02
2001-05-15
Black, Thomas (Department: 2171)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000, C713S152000, C713S152000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06233588
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system (and method) for providing security access control to areas in one or more buildings, and particularly to a system for providing security access control and management of badges (access enabling devices or codes, called badges herein, which are assigned to personnel) over multiple geographic regions. This invention is especially suitable for providing a master database which maintains a repository for the information used by each region for security access control and badge management, while allowing each region to operate independently of the master database in accordance with a regional database. The system may be applied for security access control for a company, university, or any other institution or entity having areas where access control is needed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional access control systems provide security to areas of a building by utilizing readers associated with locking mechanisms to doors which control entry to such areas. Persons, such as employees, are provided with security badges having data accessible by the reader. Access decisions are made in accordance with security information stored at a central database in response to badge data read from the readers with or without a keypad entered pin number, or access decisions may be made by other databases associated with the readers. Examples of prior access control systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,839,640, and 4,218,690.
Many companies today have sites in different geographic regions, such as cities, states, or countries. To provide access control in each of the regions, early access control systems had a master computer system with a single central database containing all security information for the system, and each region used that central database in making access control decisions. Each of the regions was thus dependent on the central database, and if communication between the master computer system and a region was ever lost, access control in the region was severely degraded. More recently, each of the regions has their own system for security access control to areas of buildings at sites within that region, which may also provide managing of badges worn by personnel in the region. However, badges used in one region are often useless in other regions, since it is unlikely that badges have been associated with the security access systems of other regions. This is especially a problem for employees who work in more than one region, or travel to sites in other regions. Often such employees must be issued multiple badges in which each badge provides access to areas within a particular region. Thus, it would be desirable to provide access control system which enables a single badge to be used in multiple regions. However, as each region needs the capability to administer security access and badging for its own region, it is further desirable to provide such an access control system which allows each region to operate independently. Such independent operation is typically facilitated by each region utilizing its own database to maintain information used by the security access system of the region.
Further, information needed for managing badges in one region is unavailable to any other region. This may lead to security problems when changes in information made at one region affect access decisions to the areas which the personnel may enter or exit from. Thus, for example, if an employee is terminated in one region, the employee may be able to use one or more of his or her badges to access areas within other regions in which access had been established.
In addition, by using separate regional security access control systems, there is no readily available means for the headquarters (or main corporate office) of a company to monitor the operation of each region. Thus, the headquarters of a company typically cannot determine the status of security at any particular region or site. Furthermore, it is difficult for the headquarters to monitor the information being used to manage the badges of personnel in different regions, and to establish uniform procedures for generating badges in different regions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved access control system which has a single master database for storing information used by multiple regions to provide security access control and management of badges in the region, while allowing each region to operate independent of the master database in accordance with a regional database.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved access control system which allows changes made at each region in information for managing badges to be distributed to a master database and to each other region.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved access control system having multiple regions in which each region has a regional database having information which is maintained identical to a master database.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved access control system having multiple regions in which badges can be used in more than one region.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an improved access control system which has one or more portable badging systems.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved access control system having multiple regions in which each region has a regional database and when a change in information occurs in the regional database affecting access control decisions in the region, security information reflecting this change is automatically distributed to access control equipment in the region.
Briefly described, the system embodying the present invention includes multiple regions, in which each region comprises one or more sites having areas to which access is controlled, multiple regional databases, where each regional database is associated with one of the regions, and a master database for storing system information, cardholder information for the system, and access control information for each region. A master computer system is coupled to the master database, while a regional computer system, capable of data communication with the master computer system via a network, is each coupled to each regional database. The master computer system downloads the system information and cardholder information from the master database to each regional database, and each regional computer system uploads (or replicates) to the master database access control information from their respective regional database to provide the stored access control information at the master database for that region. The access control information for each region stored at its regional database is thus initially identical to the access control information for the region stored at the master database. Similarly, the cardholder information stored for each region at its regional database is initially identical to the cardholder information at the master database.
Each region operates independent of the master database in accordance with their respective regional database, and can change the cardholder information or access control information stored in their respective regional database. More specifically, each region manages badges worn by personnel to access areas in accordance with the cardholder information stored at the regional database of the region, and administers access control of the region in accordance with the access control information stored at the regional database of the region. The system information cannot be changed by a region at a regional database, since it represents information for maintaining uniformity in the operation of each region, while enabling each region to operate independently of the master database in changing cardholder or access control information stored at its regional database.
Periodically, the regional computer system of each region connects to the master computer syste
Marchoili John
Neilsen John
Prokupets Rudy
Regelski Michael
Rozwod Robert
Black Thomas
Coby Frantz
Lenel Systems International, Inc.
Lukacher Kenneth J.
LandOfFree
System for security access control in multiple regions does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with System for security access control in multiple regions, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and System for security access control in multiple regions will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2493137