Access Control Device Locator

Abstract

A method for locating at least one access control device within an access control system is provided. The method includes: transmitting a signal including at least one access control device instruction to at least one of a first access control device and a second access control device via a wired connection between a controller and the at least one access control device; and performing at least one response (e.g., emitting a sound and / or light) by at least one of the first access control device and the second access control device. In some examples, the signal may be sent from the controller (e.g., initiated by software installed on the controller) or from a handheld device (e.g., plugged into the wired connection). By performing this response, a user is able to more easily locate at least one of the first access control device and the second access control device.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 62 / 956,453, filed on January 2, 2020, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety. Background Art

[0003] Access control devices are used to regulate both entry into and movement within a controlled space. Access control systems incorporate multiple access control devices. To control each access control device, the access control system uses a controller.

[0004] Many businesses use access control systems to protect and secure their premises. In any given commercial building, there may be hundreds of access control devices and many controllers. Each controller has a maximum number of access control devices that the controller can support. These access control systems are installed by skilled electronic security access control technicians to meet the needs of the businesses that occupy the building. In order to maintain or modify the access control system, the technician needs to be able to identify and locate the access control device within the controlled space. This can become cumbersome if the technician performing the maintenance or modification is not the technician who installed the system, or if the installation is not well documented. Currently, technicians locate access control devices by walking around the building with a card, physically tracing a wire, or using a remote communication tone generator, but this can be a very time-consuming process.

[0005] Therefore, there remains a need for a method of reducing the amount of time spent locating an access control device within an access control system. Summary of the invention

[0006] According to one embodiment, a method for locating at least one access control device is provided, the method comprising: transmitting a signal including at least one access control device instruction to at least one of a first access control device and a second access control device via a wired connection, the wired connection being between a controller and the at least one access control device; and performing at least one response by at least one of the first access control device and the second access control device, the response comprising at least one of: emitting a sound and emitting a light.

[0007] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the response enables a user to locate at least one of the first access control device and the second access control device within a controlled space.

[0008] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the first access control device is an access control reader or a door controller.

[0009] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the second access control device is an access control reader or a door controller.

[0010] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the signal is transmitted from the controller via the wired connection.

[0011] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the controller receives instructions from an access control software application to transmit the signal.

[0012] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the access control software application is accessible via a cloud-based platform.

[0013] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the access control software application is accessible via a local computer system.

[0014] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the signal is transmitted from a handheld device via the wired connection, the handheld device being configured to patch into the wired connection.

[0015] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the light comprises at least one of: blinking and color.

[0016] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the sound comprises at least one of: a buzz and a beep.

[0017] According to an additional or alternative embodiment, the signal is transmitted to only one of the first access control device or the second access control device.

[0018] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the responding is performed by only one of the first access control device or the second access control device.

[0019] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an access control system is provided. The access control system includes: a first access control device configured to receive a signal including at least one access control device instruction through a first wired connection; a second access control device configured to receive a signal including at least one access control device instruction through a second wired connection; and a controller that communicates with the first access control device through the first wired connection and communicates with the second access control device through the second wired connection, wherein the at least one access control device instruction causes at least one of the first access control device and the second access control device to perform a response, the response including at least one of the following: emitting a sound and emitting a light.

[0020] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the response enables a user to locate at least one of the first access control device and the second access control device within a controlled space.

[0021] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the controller is configured to transmit the signal to at least one of the first access control device and the second access control device.

[0022] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the controller receives instructions from an access control software application to transmit the signal.

[0023] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the access control software application is accessible via a cloud-based platform.

[0024] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the access control software application is accessible via a local computer system.

[0025] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the access control system further comprises a handheld device capable of accessing at least one of the first wired connection and the second wired connection, the handheld device being configured to transmit the signal to at least one of the first access control device and the second access control device.

[0026] According to an additional or alternative embodiment, the signal is transmitted to only one of the first access control device or the second access control device.

[0027] According to additional or alternative embodiments, only one of the first access control device or the second access control device performs the responding.

[0028] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the light comprises at least one of: a flicker and a color.

[0029] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the sound comprises at least one of: a hum and a buzz.

[0030] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the first access control device is an access control reader or a door controller.

[0031] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the second access control device is an access control reader or a door controller. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] The present subject matter, which is regarded as the present disclosure, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The following description of the drawings should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the drawings, like elements are similarly numbered:

[0033] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an access control system according to one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of an access control system installed in a controlled space according to one aspect of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] Access control devices can include anything from door controllers to access control readers. Each access control device processes access requests from requesting devices (e.g., access cards and / or phones). To connect each access control device to an access control system, each access control device can be connected to a controller. The controller makes authorization decisions for a given access point (e.g., a door or elevator) based on the credentials presented by the requesting device.

[0036] These access control devices and controllers are located throughout the controlled space. For example, each door within a controlled space (e.g., a commercial building) may have its own access control device. Depending on the particular controller, the controller may have the ability to connect to more than one access control device. A controller may be located several feet (e.g., up to 4000 feet) away from the access control device to which it is connected. As such, locating an access control device connected to a particular controller within a controlled space may be very time consuming for a technician. In order to facilitate locating access control devices, a method for locating at least one access control device and an access control system that enables locating an access control device within a controlled space are provided.

[0037] Referring now to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 , a perspective view of an access control system 100 is shown, which incorporates: a first access control device 110 configured to receive a signal including at least one access control device instruction via a first wired connection 111; a second access control device 120 configured to receive a signal including at least one access control device instruction via a second wired connection 121; and a controller 130 in wired communication with the first access control device 110 via the first wired connection 111 and in wired communication with the second access control device 120 via the second wired connection 121. In some examples, the signal (including at least one access control device instruction) is a specific voltage sent via at least one of the first wired connection 111 and the second wired connection 121.

[0038] At least one access control device instruction causes at least one of the first access control device 110 and the second access control device to execute a response 112, 122. The response 112, 122 includes at least one of emitting a sound and emitting a light. In some instances, different voltages trigger different responses 112, 122 (e.g., different colors of light, flashing at different frequencies, humming at different frequencies, and / or beeping at different frequencies). The response 112, 122 executed by the particular access control device 110, 120 enables the user 200 to locate the particular access control device 110 within the controlled space 300. Figure 2 A schematic illustration of an access control system 100 installed within a controlled space 300 is shown in FIG.

[0039] In some examples, the controller 130 is configured to transmit signals to the access control devices 110, 120. When transmitting a signal from the controller 130 to the first access control device 110, the controller 130 transmits the signal through the first wired connection 111. When transmitting a signal from the controller 130 to the second access control device 120, the controller 130 transmits the signal through the second wired connection 121. The first wired connection 111 connecting the first access control device 110 and the controller 130 may be pre-existing wiring installed with the access control system 100. The second wired connection 121 connecting the second access control device 120 and the controller 130 may be pre-existing wiring installed with the access control system 100.

[0040] In order for the controller 130 to send a signal to either the first access control device 110 via the first wired connection 111 and / or to the second access control device 120 via the second wired connection 121, instructions may be sent from the access control software application 140 to the controller 130. In some instances, the access control software application 140 may be accessible via a cloud-based platform 141. In some instances, the access control software application 140 may be accessible via a local computer system 142.

[0041] In some examples, a handheld device 150 is provided to transmit a signal to at least one of the first access control device 110 and / or the second access control device 120. In some examples, the handheld device 150 can be connected to at least one of the first wired connection 111 and the second wired connection 121 to transmit the signal. When transmitting a signal from the handheld device 150 to the first access control device 110, the handheld device 150 transmits the signal through the first wired connection 111. When transmitting a signal from the handheld device 150 to the second access control device 120, the handheld device 150 transmits the signal through the second wired connection 121. The handheld device 150 can be any device with a terminal block that can be connected to existing wires.

[0042] In order to cause only one of either the first access control device 110 or the second access control device 120 to perform the response 112, 122, in some instances, a signal is transmitted to only one of the first access control device 110 or the second access control device 120. Regardless of which device (either the first access control device 110 or the second access control device 120), the device receiving the signal is the device that performs the response 112, 122. In some instances, the signal is transmitted to only one of the first access control device 110 or the second access control device 120 to help a technician distinguish between existing wiring (e.g., to enable a technician to determine which access control device 110, 120 is connected to which wiring 111, 121).

[0043] In order to enable the user 200 (who may or may not be a technician) to locate at least one of the first access control device 110 and the second access control device 120 within the controlled space 300, in some instances, the responses 112, 122 include at least one of emitting a sound and emitting a light. In some instances, the light includes at least one of flashing and a color. In some instances, the sound includes at least one of a buzzing and a beeping. In some instances, the responses 112, 122 may include a combination of responses (e.g., both emitting a light and emitting a sound).

[0044] like Figure 2 As shown in , a controlled space 300 may include multiple access control devices 110, 120. Each access control device 110, 120 is connected to a controller 130 via a wired connection 111, 121, respectively. Depending on the distance between a particular controller 130 and the access control device 110, 120 connected to the controller, it may be difficult for a user 200 to determine where the access control device 110, 120 is within a given controlled space 300.

[0045] The method provided herein enables a user 200 to more easily locate at least one access control device 110, 120 in a controlled space 300. The method facilitates location by directing at least one access control device 110, 120 to issue a response 112, 122. The method includes transmitting a signal including at least one access control device instruction to at least one of a first access control device 110 and a second access control device 120 via a wired connection 111, 121 between a controller 130 and at least one access control device 110, 120. The method also includes executing at least one response 112, 122 by at least one of the first access control device 110 and the second access control device 120. The response 112, 122 includes at least one of emitting a sound and emitting a light. The signal may be transmitted from either the controller 130 or a handheld device configured to be connected to the wired connection 111, 121. Regardless of how the signal is transmitted, the responses 112 , 122 executed by the respective access control devices 110 , 120 enable the user 200 to more easily locate the access control device executing the response 112 , 122 .

[0046] Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or multiple embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for its elements without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from its basic scope. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this disclosure, but that the present disclosure will include all embodiments that fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a user to locate one of at least two access control devices within a controlled space, the method comprising: transmitting a signal including an access control device instruction to one of a first access control device and a second access control device via a wired connection between a controller and the one of the first access control device and the second access control device, wherein the signal is transmitted from a handheld device capable of accessing the wired connection; and The one of the first access control device and the second access control device performs a response to indicate its location, wherein the response includes at least one of: emitting a sound and emitting a light.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The light includes at least one of: flicker and color.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein: At least one of the first access control device and the second access control device is an access control reader or a door controller.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The sound includes at least one of: a buzz and a beep.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The controller receives instructions from an access control software application to transmit the signal.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein: The access control software application is accessible via at least one of a local computer system and a cloud-based platform.

7. An access control system for enabling a user to locate one of at least two access control devices within a controlled space, the system comprising: a first access control device; a second access control device; a controller in wired communication with the first access control device via a first wired connection and in wired communication with the second access control device via a second wired connection; as well as a handheld device capable of being accessed into one of the first wired connection and the second wired connection, the handheld device being configured to transmit a signal including an access control device instruction to one of the first access control device and the second access control device using one of the first wired connection and the second wired connection, The access control device instruction causes one of the first access control device and the second access control device to execute a response to indicate its location, and the response includes at least one of: emitting a sound and emitting a light.

8. The access control system according to claim 7, wherein: The controller receives instructions from an access control software application to transmit the signal.

9. The access control system according to claim 8, wherein: The access control software application is accessible via at least one of a local computer system and a cloud-based platform.

10. The access control system according to claim 7, wherein: The light includes at least one of: flicker and color.

11. The access control system according to claim 7, wherein: The sound includes at least one of: a buzz and a beep.

12. The access control system according to claim 7, wherein: At least one of the first access control device and the second access control device is an access control reader or a door controller.

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