System and method for providing secure access

Abstract

A security system is disclosed, comprising: a first entrance including a secure entry entrance; a first sensor including a security sensor, the first sensor being engagable to gain entry through the first entrance; a controller operatively connected to the first entrance and the first sensor, the controller being configured to: make a first determination that the first sensor senses that a first security entry credential is being presented, and thereafter: make a second determination to monitor for compliance with a protocol, the protocol identifying a sequence and timing scheme for presenting additional security entry credentials; make a further determination including one of: a determination to grant entry if the presentation of the additional security entry credential complies with the protocol; and a determination to deny entry if the presentation of the additional security entry credential fails to comply with the protocol.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to access control, and more particularly to systems and methods for providing secure access control based on electronically sensed time-related activity. Background Art

[0002] Doors controlled by access control systems can be opened by presenting a credential such as a badge, QR (Quick Response) code, mobile device, etc. If the credential is misplaced, an unauthorized person can gain access and open the protected door. Known security solutions may use a combination of readers, PINs (Personal Identification Numbers), and cards in parallel or alternating order to increase security. Summary of the invention

[0003] A security system is disclosed, comprising: a first portal including a secure entry gateway; a first sensor including a security sensor, the first sensor being engageable to gain entry through the first portal; a controller operatively connected to the first portal and the first sensor, the controller being configured to: render a first determination that the first sensor senses that a first security entry credential is being presented, and thereafter: render a second determination to monitor for compliance with a protocol, the protocol identifying a sequence and timing scheme for presenting additional security entry credentials; render a further determination including one of: a determination to grant access if the presentation of the additional security entry credential complies with the protocol; and a determination to deny access if the presentation of the additional security entry credential fails to comply with the protocol.

[0004] Additionally or alternatively, in addition to one or more of the features disclosed above, the controller determines compliance with the protocol upon sensing a plurality of credentials presented in a predetermined order within a predetermined minimum time period.

[0005] In addition to or as an alternative to the features disclosed above, the controller determines compliance with the protocol upon sensing multiple types of credentials presented in a predetermined order within a predetermined maximum time period, wherein a first presentation of one of the multiple types of credentials is uninterrupted and a second presentation of another of the multiple types of credentials is bifurcated by the first presentation.

[0006] Additionally or alternatively to one or more of the features disclosed above, the controller determines compliance with the protocol upon sensing a path of travel along a predetermined pathway.

[0007] Additionally or alternatively to one or more of the features disclosed above, the controller determines compliance with the protocol upon sensing that a plurality of controllable features are controlled in a predetermined sequence.

[0008] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features disclosed above, the plurality of controllable features is a respective plurality of door actuators configured to engage a respective plurality of doors.

[0009] Additionally or alternatively to one or more of the features disclosed above, the first access is a door, and the system operatively controls the first access to open the door.

[0010] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features disclosed above, the first sensor senses a manual credential and / or a biometric credential.

[0011] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features disclosed above, the manual credential is a security card and / or the biometric credential includes one or more of a voice, a fingerprint, and a retinal pattern.

[0012] Additionally or alternatively to one or more of the features disclosed above, the controller communicates with the sensor via a wireless network. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not limitation, in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements, and in which:

[0014] Figure 1 illustrates components of a security system according to a disclosed embodiment;

[0015] Figure 2 illustrates an algorithm executed by a security system according to a disclosed embodiment;

[0016] Figure 3 illustrates execution of a secure entry protocol according to a disclosed embodiment;

[0017] Figure 4 illustrates another execution of a secure entry protocol according to the disclosed embodiments;

[0018] Figure 5 illustrates another execution of a secure entry protocol according to a disclosed embodiment; and

[0019] Figure 6 Another execution of a secure entry protocol according to the disclosed embodiments is illustrated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Go to Figure 1, a security system 200 is disclosed. The security system 200 includes a first entrance 210. The first entrance 210 is a secure entry entrance, such as an entryway door, a lock box, etc. A first sensor 220 may be included. The first sensor 220 may be an engageable security sensor by a person 230 seeking entry through the first entrance 210. The first sensor 220 may be a card scanner, etc. A controller 240 may be provided for operatively controlling features of the system 200. The controller 240 may be operatively connected to the first entrance 210 and the first sensor 220. In the event that unauthorized entry is being sought, the system 200, by means of the controller 240, may be configured to activate a visual and / or audible alarm electronic device 250 locally and with a remote security hub 270 via a network 260.

[0021] Go to Figure 2 , the controller may be configured to perform a first step S100 of implementing security monitoring. Step S100 may include step S110: making a first determination that a first sensor senses that a first security access credential is being presented. Thereafter, the system 200 may perform step S120: making a second determination that monitors whether a first protocol for a presentation sequence and timing scheme for additional credentials is being followed. The term "protocol" as used herein refers to a set of rules that govern the exchange or transmission of data between devices and subsequent responses of the devices (such as whether to grant access, as disclosed below).

[0022] After the monitoring step S120, a decision is made at step S130 to determine whether the first protocol is followed. The controller may perform step S140: making a third determination to grant access if the first protocol is followed. Otherwise, the system 200 may make a fourth determination S150 to deny access. In addition to denying access, the system 200 may also make a fifth determination S160 to activate an alarm (e.g., to notify a security monitoring station). At the end of the process starting at step S100, the system 200 ends the process at step S170.

[0023] according to Figure 3In the embodiment illustrated in , the multiple credentials can be multiple security cards (generally referred to as 250) presented by a corresponding multiple individuals (generally referred to as 260). For example, three cards 250a, 250b, and 250c are presented by three individuals 260a, 260b, 260c. In one embodiment, the protocol can provide for timed pauses between sequential credential presentations. For example, the system 200 can monitor to determine whether there is a first pause (T1), for example, 15-20 seconds, after the presentation of the first card 250a, followed by the presentation of the second card 250b. Then, the system 200 can monitor to determine whether there is a second pause (T2), for example, 15-20 seconds (or another pause duration depending on the protocol) after the presentation of the second card 250b, followed by the presentation of the third card 250c. In addition, the total time for presenting the cards 250 should be less than the time (T3). Mathematically, the time for presenting the second card after presenting the first card is (T>T1), the time for presenting the third card after presenting the second card is (T>T2), and the time for presenting all cards from the beginning is (T <T3)。

[0024] If the specified sequence of cards 250 is provided with a specified pause period in the specified time sequence, then the system 200 will grant access. Otherwise, the system 200 may not grant access and, as indicated, may provide an alarm. The protocol applied here may, for example, be applied in correctional facilities to improve security access and control. Even if one or more of the cards 250 are stolen, it is unlikely that all cards 250 will be stolen and the perpetrator will know the protocol for presentation sequence and timing.

[0025] according to Figure 4 , the plurality of credentials provided to the sensor 220 may be a first plurality of security cards (generally referred to as 300) presented by a corresponding first plurality of persons (generally referred to as 310). Additionally, a second plurality of security cards (generally referred to as 320) are presented by a corresponding second plurality of persons (generally referred to as 330). More specifically, the first plurality of cards 300 may include two cards 300a and 300b, and the first plurality of persons 310 may include two persons 310a and 310b. The second plurality of cards 320 may include three cards 320a, 320b, and 320c, and the second plurality of persons 330 may include three persons 330a, 330b, and 330c.

[0026] The first plurality of security cards 300 may have a different classification from the security cards 320 of the second type. For example, the first plurality of persons 310 may be escorts, while the persons 330 of the second type may be enforcers. In one embodiment, the protocol applied by the system 200 may provide a maximum timing amount (T4) between the presentations of the cards 300a of the first type, which may be thirty seconds. Mathematically, the total time for the escorts 310 to present the security cards 300 should be (T < T4). The protocol may provide the presentations of the cards 320 of the second type in any order, as long as, for example, all of the cards 320 of the second type are provided between the presentations of the cards 300 of the first type. These protocols may provide the assurance that an appropriate number of identified escorts 310 accompany the enforcers 330.

[0027] According to Figure 5 the embodiment illustrated in, in one embodiment, the protocol may include sensing a plurality of controllable features with a surveillance camera 350. The protocol may require controlling the features and / or a scenario including timed pauses in a predetermined order and within a predetermined time period. The plurality of controllable features may be a corresponding plurality of door actuators, which are generally referred to as 360 and are configured to engage corresponding plurality of doors (generally referred to as 370). The protocol may require a person 380 attempting to enter the first door 370a to first engage the second door 370b and the third door 370c in a specific sequence and within a specific time (T5), and the specific time (T5) may include a predetermined pause (T6). Mathematically, the time for opening the doors 370b and 370c to gain access to the first door 370a may be (T6 > T < T5). For example, in a vault having a locked safe and various other door controllers, the system may monitor to determine whether the various other door controllers are actuated in a specified order before allowing access to the contents of the safe.

[0028] In one embodiment, the first entry is a door, and the system operatively controls the first entry to open the door. Alternatively, as indicated, the door may lead to a protected room such as a vault, and / or to a lockbox within the vault. In one embodiment, the first sensor senses a manual credential and / or a biometric credential. The manual credential may be a security card as indicated above, and the biometric credential may include one or more of voice, fingerprint, and retinal pattern.

[0029] The above embodiments disclose a door authorization protocol that may require defining a chain of credentials that need to be presented on a sensor / reader and a time-frame tolerance between presenting such credentials. The sequence and time-frame tolerance identified by the protocol may become part of the credentials. The door authorization protocol disclosed above is not intended to be limiting. Activities may be scheduled in serial, parallel, or hybrid form, but still use one sensor or multiple sensors, which may be predetermined. With the above disclosure, security may be increased, scaling up or down for the order of operations may be flexible, and its implementation, operation, and updating may be inexpensive.

[0030] Various uses of the disclosed embodiments may include, for example, providing access control decisions based on a sequence of interactions and / or events with an access control system as identified above. For increased efficiency, the access control protocol may be associated with a time frame between sequenced steps, and the access control protocol may utilize one or more types of access and intrusion detection devices. The sequence and time frame for sensing the presentation of credentials may violate the protocol, and then the access control system may audibly sound an alarm or deny entry. In one embodiment, the sequence may be intentionally interrupted by an employee to audibly sound an alarm in an emergency.

[0031] Go to Figure 6 In one embodiment, in a laboratory or military area, the system 200 may confirm the identity of a person 400 by following expected movement along an expected path, generally referred to as 410, as monitored by a security camera 350. The person 400 may present a security card 420 and enter a personal identification number (PIN) into the sensor 220 at the first door 430. The camera 350 may sense the face of the person 400. The person 400 may then walk along the predetermined path 410a to an interior door 440 and again present the card 420 to the additional card sensor 450. The system may then open the interior door 440. At this point, the person 400 may be allowed to proceed to a different door associated with his security card 420. An automatic motion sensor, such as a video sensor 350, that travels along the path taken by the person 400 is within the scope of the disclosed embodiments.

[0032] Stay Figure 6 In another embodiment, a person 400, who may be an employee, may wait a predetermined time, such as 30 seconds, after approaching sensor 220 (or 450) before being able to present biometric "data" to sensor 220 (or 450) at door 430 (or door 440). Depending on the biometric presented, the protocol executed by the system may provide different allowed paths 410 for different people, which may change depending on the time of day, and may restrict access to subsets of paths 410.

[0033] The protocols used to track the movement of people in order to grant entry or trigger alarms within buildings can also be applied outdoors. As in buildings, walking paths in open spaces can be pre-selected in certain locations based on security requirements. As in indoor environments, security cameras (e.g. Figure 6 350 in ) can follow a person at different locations for a predetermined duration. Still further, a camera can follow a person at different locations for a predetermined duration. If the timing along the path of travel is violated, a security alarm can be sounded. This can help track patients in a hospital.

[0034] In another embodiment, a silent alarm may be activated in a bank when expected employee behavior is compared to current "abnormal" behavior. This may be implemented in places where an employee may not be able to directly notify security personnel of an ongoing attack. If an employee is required to activate a silent alarm, then taking a predetermined step in an inopportune manner (too fast or too slow) may trigger the alarm. For example, the opening and closing of a door or cash box may be required to follow a schedule similar to that described above. Figure 5 Additionally or alternatively, walking along a path of travel may require compliance with the protocols described above. Figure 6 Deliberate violation of the protocol may result in the deliberate triggering of an alarm to notify, for example, law enforcement agencies.

[0035] The disclosed embodiments identify processes that can be implemented using a processor and one or more controllers and circuits of a device (such as a processor) for practicing those processes. The embodiments can also take the form of a computer program code that contains instructions embodied in a tangible medium (such as a network cloud storage device, an SD card, a flash drive, a floppy disk, a CD ROM, a hard drive, or any other computer-readable storage medium), wherein when the computer program code is loaded into a computer and executed by the computer, the computer becomes a device for practicing the embodiments. The embodiments can also take the form of a computer program code, whether stored in a storage medium, loaded into a computer and / or executed by a computer, or transmitted through some transmission medium (such as by wires or cables, by optical fibers, or via electromagnetic radiation), wherein when the computer program code is loaded into a computer and executed by a computer, the computer becomes a device for practicing the embodiments. When implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer program code segments configure the microprocessor to create specific logic circuits.

[0036] The term "approximately" is intended to include degrees of error associated with manufacturing tolerances of the equipment and / or measurement of the particular quantity that was available at the time the application was filed.

[0037] The terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are also intended to include the plural forms. It will be further understood that the terms "comprise" and / or "comprising" when used in this specification specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0038] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various example embodiments are shown and described herein, each having certain features in a particular embodiment, but the present disclosure is not limited thereby. On the contrary, the present disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of changes, alterations, substitutions, combinations, sub-combinations, or equivalent arrangements not previously described but commensurate with the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, although various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the present disclosure may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not to be construed as limited by the foregoing description, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A security system comprising: Includes a secure entry point for first entry; a first sensor including a security sensor, the first sensor being engageable to gain access through the first entrance; a controller operatively connected to the first inlet and the first sensor, the controller being configured to: making a first determination that the first sensor senses that a first security access credential is being presented, and thereafter: making a second determination of monitoring compliance with a protocol identifying a sequence and timing scheme for presenting additional security entry credentials; A further determination is made including one of the following: a determination that access is granted if said presentation of an additional security access credential complies with said protocol; as well as a determination to deny access if said presentation of an additional security access credential fails to comply with said protocol, in: the controller determines compliance with the protocol upon sensing presentation of multiple types of credentials in a predetermined order within a predetermined maximum time period, wherein a first presentation of one of the multiple types of credentials is uninterrupted and a second presentation of another of the multiple types of credentials is forked by the first presentation, in: The plurality of types of credentials include a first plurality of security cards and a second plurality of security cards; The first presentation of one of the plurality of types of credentials includes presenting the second plurality of security cards in any order; and the second presentation includes presenting the first plurality of security cards.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein: The controller determines compliance with the protocol upon sensing a plurality of credentials presented in a predetermined order within a predetermined minimum time period.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein: The controller determines compliance with the protocol upon sensing a path of travel along a predetermined pathway.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein: The controller determines compliance with the protocol upon sensing that a plurality of controllable features are controlled in a predetermined sequence.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of controllable features are a corresponding plurality of door actuators configured to engage a corresponding plurality of doors.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first access is a door, and the system operatively controls the first access to open the door.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor senses a manual credential and / or a biometric credential.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the manual credential is a security card and / or the biometric credential comprises one or more of a voice, a fingerprint, and a retinal pattern.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller communicates with the sensor via a wireless network.

10. A method for implementing a security protocol by a controller of a security system at a security entry point of the security system, the method comprising: making a first determination that a first sensor operatively positioned at the secure access entrance senses that a first security access credential is being presented at the secure access entrance, and thereafter: making a second determination of monitoring compliance with a protocol identifying a sequence and timing scheme for presenting additional security entry credentials; A further determination is made including one of the following: a determination that access is granted if said presentation of an additional security access credential complies with said protocol; as well as a determination to deny access if said presentation of an additional security access credential fails to comply with said protocol, in: the controller determining compliance with the protocol upon sensing a plurality of types of credentials presented in a predetermined order within a predetermined maximum time period, wherein a first presentation of one of the plurality of types of credentials is uninterrupted and a second presentation of another of the plurality of types of credentials is forked by the first presentation; in: The plurality of types of credentials include a first plurality of security cards and a second plurality of security cards; The first presentation of one of the plurality of types of credentials includes presenting the second plurality of security cards in any order; and the second presentation includes presenting the first plurality of security cards.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The controller determines compliance with the protocol upon sensing a plurality of credentials presented in a predetermined order within a predetermined minimum time period.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The controller determines compliance with the protocol upon sensing a path of travel along a predetermined pathway.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein: The controller determines compliance with the protocol upon sensing that a plurality of controllable features are controlled in a predetermined sequence.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of controllable features are a corresponding plurality of door actuators configured to engage a corresponding plurality of doors.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the secure access portal is a door, and the system operatively controls the secure access portal to open the door.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the first sensor senses a manual credential and / or a biometric credential.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the manual credential is a security card and / or the biometric credential comprises one or more of a voice, a fingerprint, and a retinal pattern.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the controller communicates with the sensor via a wireless network.

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