Access control system with temporary IP connection

Abstract

Methods and systems for temporarily enabling Internet Protocol (IP) connections for an access control system are provided. The methods and systems perform operations including receiving, by a server, a request to update configuration of an access control reader; transmitting, by the server to the access control reader over a wired link, a first instruction to temporarily switch from communicating with the server using a first communication mode to an IP communication mode; sending, from the server to the access control reader, IP packets comprising configuration information to update the configuration of the access control reader; and after the configuration of the access control reader has been updated, transmitting, by the server to the access control reader, a second instruction to switch from communicating using the IP communication mode back to communicating using the first communication mode.

Description

ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM WITH TEMPORARY IP CONNECTIONBACKGROUND

[0001] Access control readers are widely used in various settings to control access to restricted areas. These readers are typically connected to a server that manages access control policies and configurations. In order to update the configuration of an access control reader, the server needs to communicate with the reader and send the updated configuration information. Conventionally, this communication is done using a wired link and a specific communication protocol that is supported by the reader.SUMMARY

[0002] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method including: receiving, by a server, a request to update configuration of an access control reader; transmitting, by the server to the access control reader over a wired link, a first instruction to temporarily switch from communicating with the server using a first communication mode to an Internet Protocol (IP) communication mode; sending, from the server to the access control reader, IP packets including configuration information (which can also or alternatively include firmware updates and / or configuration updates) to update the configuration of the access control reader; and after the configuration of the access control reader has been updated, transmitting, by the server to the access control reader, a second instruction to switch from communicating using the IP communication mode back to communicating using the first communication mode.

[0003] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the first communication mode includes an Open Supervised Device Protocol (OSDP) communication mode.

[0004] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the access control reader communicates with the server using the first communication mode via a wired link, and wherein the access control reader communicates with the server using the IP communication mode via the wired link of the first communication mode.

[0005] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the access control reader communicates with the server using the first communication mode via a first physical connection, and wherein the access control reader communicates with the server using the IP communication mode via a second connection that is different from the first physical connection.

[0006] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the second connection includes a wireless connection, further including: causing the access control reader to activate a WiFi device to establish an IP connection with the server.

[0007] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the IP packets are sent from the server to the access control reader over a private IP connection.

[0008] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, further including: establishing a secure IP connection between the server and the access control reader in response to transmitting the first instruction to the access control reader.

[0009] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the access control reader is configured to send access control information to the server using the first communication mode and is configured to receive updated configuration information (e.g., firmware updates and / or configuration updates) from the server using the IP communication mode.

[0010] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein a data rate associated with the IP communication mode is greater than a data rate associated with the first communication mode.

[0011] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, further including: causing the access control reader to activate a local physical (PHY) controller in response to receiving the first instruction.

[0012] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, further including: causing the access control reader to deactivate the local PHY controller in response to receiving the second instruction.

[0013] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, further including: receiving, by the server from the access control reader, a message indicating that the access control reader has completed switching to the IP communication mode.

[0014] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the message indicating that the access control reader has completed switching to the IP communication mode is received using the first communication mode.

[0015] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the message indicating that the access control reader has completed switching to the IP communication mode is received using the IP communication mode.

[0016] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the first instruction is sent from the server to the access control reader via an input / output (I / O) module coupled to the server.

[0017] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the I / O module is coupled to a plurality of access control readers, the plurality of access control readers including the access control reader.

[0018] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the request to update configuration of the access control reader includes a time, date, or period of time during which to allow the access control reader to operate using the IP communication mode. The time, date, or period of time is transmitted to the access control reader and causes the access control reader to automatically stop operating in the IP communication mode when a current time fails to match the time, date, or period of time received from the server.

[0019] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system including: one or more processors coupled to a memory including non- transitory computer instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including: receiving, by a server, a request to update configuration of an access control reader; transmitting, by the server to the access control readerover a wired link, a first instruction to temporarily switch from communicating with the server using a first communication mode to an IP communication mode; sending, from the server to the access control reader, IP packets including configuration information to update the configuration and / or firmware of the access control reader; and after the configuration of the access control reader has been updated, transmitting, by the server to the access control reader, a second instruction to switch from communicating using the IP communication mode back to communicating using the first communication mode.

[0020] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the first communication mode includes an OSDP communication mode.

[0021] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the access control reader communicates with the server using the first communication mode via a wired link, and wherein the access control reader communicates with the server using the IP communication mode via the wired link of the first communication mode.

[0022] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a non- transitory computer readable medium including non-transitory computer- readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to perform operations including: receiving, by a server, a request to update configuration of an access control reader; transmitting, by the server to the access control reader over a wired link, a first instruction to temporarily switch from communicating with the server using a first communication mode to an IP communication mode; sending, from the server to the access control reader, IP packets including configuration information to update the configuration of the access control reader; and after the configuration of the access control reader has been updated, transmitting, by the server to the access control reader, a second instruction to switch from communicating using the IP communication mode back to communicating using the first communication mode.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] FIG. l is a block diagram of an example access control system, according to some examples.

[0024] FIG. 2 illustrates an example access control device with multiple communication modes, according to some examples.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating example operations of the access control system, according to some examples.

[0026] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example software architecture, which may be used in conjunction with various hardware architectures herein described.

[0027] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating components of a machine, according to some examples.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Example methods and systems for updating an access control system (e.g., physical or logical access control system) over IP are described. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the examples. It will be evident, however, to one of ordinary skill in the art that examples of the disclosure may be practiced without these specific details.

[0029] In typical access control systems, a centralized controller communicates via a physical wired connection with one or more access control readers. The access control readers can send access control information to the centralized controller over an OSDP communication protocol. The centralized controller can verify and authenticate access to a secure resource by processing the access control information received from the access control readers. The centralized controller can then send a command to the access control readers indicating whether to grant access to the secure resource over the OSDP communication protocol.

[0030] In some cases, there arise needs to update parameters, configuration information, and firmware of the access control readers, such as to improvevarious operations or to enable new functionality. To update the parameters, configuration information, or firmware (also collectively referred to herein simply as “configuration information”) of the access control readers in a secure manner, the updates are sent to the access control readers from the centralized controller over the physical wired connection according to the OSDP communication protocol. However, because the OSDP communication protocol is designed to efficiently communicate access control information, the OSDP communication protocol is limited in bandwidth and data rate. As such, the transmission of updates to the access control readers using the OSDP protocol takes a great deal of time and consumes a great deal of resources. The access control readers are usually offline during the time it takes to update the access control readers over the OSDP protocol, which limits and restricts their overall use and functionality. Accordingly, while such systems generally work well, they introduce various latencies in operating the devices and can be frustrating to users.

[0031] The disclosed examples provide an intelligent solution, which can operate the access control system in an IP communication mode temporarily to quickly, securely, and efficiently provide updates to configuration information of access control readers. In addition, because the access control readers are only operated in the IP communication mode and communicate with the centralized controller for a user specified period of time (e.g., a user specified date, time, and / or duration), the risk of security breach is controlled and reduced. In this way, the access control readers can be updated quickly and efficiently, which improves the overall functioning of the system.

[0032] Specifically, the disclosed examples receive, by a server (e.g., a centralized controller), a request to update configuration of an access control reader. The server transmits to the access control reader, over a wired link, a first instruction to temporarily switch from communicating with the server using a first communication mode to an IP communication mode. The server sends, to the access control reader, IP packets that include configuration information to update the configuration of the access control reader. Afterthe configuration of the access control reader has been updated, the server transmits, to the access control reader, a second instruction to switch from communicating using the IP communication mode back to communicating using the first communication mode.

[0033] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example system 100, according to various examples. The system 100 can be an access control system that includes a client device 120, one or more access control devices 110 that control access to a protected asset or secure resource, such as through a lockable door, and a server / controller 140 that are communicatively coupled over a network 130 (e.g., LAN, WAN such as the Internet, WiFi, BLE, ultra-wideband (UWB) communication protocol, telephony network, or other wired or wireless communication protocols).

[0034] The client device 120 and the access control devices 110 can be communicatively coupled via electronic messages (e.g., packets exchanged over the Internet, BLE, UWB, WiFi Direct, NFC, or any other protocol). While FIG. 1 illustrates a single access control device 110 and a single client device 120, it is understood that a plurality of access control devices 110 and a plurality of client devices 120 can be included in the system 100 in other examples. As used herein, the term “client device” may refer to any machine that interfaces to a communications network (such as network 130) to exchange credentials with an access control device 110, the server / controller 140, another client device 120, or any other component to obtain access to the asset or resource protected by the access control device 110. In some examples, the client device can additionally or alternatively communicate directly with, e.g., an access control device or another client device.

[0035] In some cases, some or all of the components and functionality of the server / controller 140 can be included in the client device 120. A client device 120 may be, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, desktop computer, laptop, portable digital assistant (PDA), smart phone, a wearable device (e.g., a smart watch), tablet, ultrabook, netbook, laptop, multi-processorsystem, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, or any other communication device that a user may use to access a network.

[0036] The access control device 110 can include an access reader device (also referred to as an access control reader) connected to a secure / protected resource (e.g., a door locking mechanism or backend server) that controls the secure / protected resource (e.g., door locking mechanism). The resource associated with the access control device 110 can include a door lock, an ignition system for a vehicle, or any other device that grants or denies access to a physical component or that can be operated to grant or deny access to the physical component. For example, in the case of a door lock, the access control device 110 can deny access, in which case the door lock remains locked and the door cannot be opened; or can grant access, in which case the door lock becomes unlocked to allow the door to be opened. As another example, in the case of an ignition system, the access control device 110 can deny access, in which case the vehicle ignition system remains disabled and the vehicle cannot be started; or can grant access, in which case the vehicle ignition becomes enabled to allow the vehicle to be started.

[0037] Physical access control covers a range of systems and methods to govern access, for example by people, to secure areas or secure assets. Physical access control includes identification of authorized users or devices (e.g., vehicles, drones, etc.) and actuation of a gate, door, or other facility used to secure an area or actuation of a control mechanism, e.g., a physical or electronic / software control mechanism, permitting access to a secure asset. The access control device 110 forms part of a physical access control system (PACS), which can include a reader (e.g., an online or offline reader) that may hold authorization data (also referred to access control information) and can be capable of determining whether credentials (e.g., from credential or key devices such as radio frequency identification (RFID) chips in cards, fobs, or personal electronic devices such as mobile phones) are authorized for an actuator or control mechanism (e.g., door lock, door opener, software control mechanism, turning off an alarm, etc.), or a PACS can include a host server to which readers and actuators are connected (e.g., via a controller) ina centrally managed configuration. In centrally managed configurations, readers can obtain credentials from credential or key devices and pass those credentials to the PACS host server or headend system. The readers can send the credentials over a wired or wireless link using the OSDP communication protocol / mode. The host server then determines whether the credentials authorize access to the secure area or secure asset and commands the actuator or other control mechanism accordingly by sending an allow / deny message back to the reader again over the wired or wireless link using the OSDP communication protocol / mode. While examples in physical access control are used herein, the disclosure applies equally to logical access control system (LACS) use cases (e.g., logical access to personal electronic devices, rider identification in transport services, access and asset control in unmanned stores, etc.).

[0038] In general, the access control device 110 can include one or more of a memory, a processor, one or more antennas, a communication module, a network interface device, a user interface, and a power source or supply. The memory of the access control device 110 can be used in connection with the execution of application programming or instructions by the processor of the access control device 110, and for the temporary or long-term storage of program instructions or instruction sets and / or credential or authorization data, such as credential data, credential authorization data, or access control data or instructions. For example, the memory can contain executable instructions that are used by the processor to run other components of access control device 110 and / or to make access determinations based on credential or authorization data. The memory of the access control device 110 can comprise a computer readable medium that can be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, or transport data, program code, or instructions for use by or in connection with access control device 110. The computer readable medium can be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device. More specific examples of suitable computer readable medium include, but are not limited to, an electrical connection having one or more wires or a tangible storage medium such as a portable computerdiskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), Dynamic RAM (DRAM), any solid-state storage device in general, a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), or other optical or magnetic storage device. Computer-readable media includes, but is not to be confused with, computer-readable storage medium, which is intended to cover all physical, non-transitory, or similar examples of computer-readable media.

[0039] The processor of the access control device 110 can correspond to one or more computer processing devices or resources. For instance, the processor can be provided as silicon, as a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), any other type of Integrated Circuit (IC) chip, a collection of IC chips, or the like. As a more specific example, the processor can be provided as a microprocessor, Central Processing Unit (CPU), or plurality of microprocessors or CPUs that are configured to execute instructions sets stored in an internal memory and / or memory of the access control device 110.

[0040] The antenna of the access control device 110 can correspond to one or multiple antennas and can be configured to provide for wireless communications between access control device 110 and a credential or key device (e.g., client device 120). The antenna can be arranged to operate using one or more wireless communication protocols and operating frequencies including, but not limited to, the IEEE 802.15.1, Bluetooth, BLE, NFC, ZigBee, Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wi-Fi, RF, UWB, and the like. By way of example, the antenna(s) can be RF antenna(s), and as such, may transmit / receive RF signals through free-space to be received / transferred by a credential or key device having an RF transceiver.

[0041] A communication module of the access control device 110 can be configured to communicate according to any suitable communications protocol with one or more different systems or devices either remote or local to access control device 110, such as one or more client devices 120 and / orserver / controller 140. In some cases, the communication module of the access control device 110 is configured to operate according to the IP communication mode when the access control device 110 is receiving updates to configuration information from the controller 140. After the access control device 110 is updated, the communication module of the access control device 110 automatically switches back to communication according to a slower communication mode, such as the OSDP communication protocol / mode. In some cases, the communication module uses a same wired or wireless link between the access control device 110 and the controller 140 for all the communication modes. In some cases, the communication module uses one wired or wireless link between the access control device 110 and the controller 140 to communicate access control information and uses a different wired or wireless link to communicate or receive configuration information updates from the controller 140 over the IP communication mode.

[0042] The network interface device of the access control device 110 includes hardware to facilitate communications with other devices, such as a one or more client devices 120 and / or server / controller 140 (e.g., a PACS server), over a communication network, such as network 130, utilizing any one of a number of transfer protocols (e.g., frame relay, IP, transmission control protocol (TCP), user datagram protocol (UDP), hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), etc.). Example communication networks can include a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a packet data network (e.g., the Internet), mobile telephone networks (e.g., cellular networks), Plain Old Telephone (POTS) networks, wireless data networks (e.g., IEEE 802.11 family of standards known as Wi-Fi, IEEE 802.16 family of standards known as WiMax), IEEE 802.15.4 family of standards, and peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, among others. In some examples, network interface device can include an Ethernet port or other physical jack, a Wi-Fi card, a Network Interface Card (NIC), a cellular interface (e.g., antenna, filters, and associated circuitry), or the like. In some examples, network interface device can include a plurality of antennas to wirelessly communicate using at least one of single-input multiple-output (SIMO),multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), or multiple-input single-output (MISO) techniques. In some cases, a portion of the hardware used to communicate with the network 130 via the IP communication mode can be disabled by default. That portion of hardware can be enabled for a user specified period of time to allow the access control device 110 to be updated via the IP communication mode. In this way, rather than sending updates to the access control device 110 using the OSDP protocol, which has a relatively low data rate, the updates can be sent to the access control device 110 over the IP communication mode, which has a substantially higher data rate. Once those updates are completed, the access control device 110 is returned to operating using the slower OSDP communication mode.

[0043] A user interface of the access control device 110 can include one or more input devices and / or display devices. Examples of suitable user input devices that can be included in the user interface include, without limitation, one or more buttons, a keyboard, a mouse, a touch-sensitive surface, a stylus, a camera, a microphone, etc. Examples of suitable user output devices that can be included in the user interface include, without limitation, one or more LEDs, an LCD panel, a display screen, a touchscreen, one or more lights, a speaker, and so forth. It should be appreciated that the user interface can also include a combined user input and user output device, such as a touch-sensitive display or the like.

[0044] The network 130 may include, or operate in conjunction with, an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a virtual private network (VPN), a LAN, a wireless network, a wireless LAN (WLAN), a WAN, a wireless WAN (WWAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), BLE, UWB, the Internet, a portion of the Internet, a portion of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a POTS network, a cellular telephone network, a wireless network, a Wi-Fi® network, another type of network, or a combination of two or more such networks. For example, a network or a portion of a network may include a wireless or cellular network and the coupling may be a CDMA connection, a GSM connection, or other type of cellular or wireless coupling. In this example, the coupling may implementany of a variety of types of data transfer technology, such as Single Carrier Radio Transmission Technology (IxRTT), Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO) technology, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) technology, Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) technology, third Generation Partnership Project (3 GPP) including 3G, fourth generation wireless (4G) networks, fifth generation wireless (5G) networks, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard, others defined by various standard setting organizations, other short range or long range protocols, or other data transfer technology.

[0045] In an example, as the client device 120 approaches the access control device 110 (e.g., comes within range of a BLE communication protocol), the client device 120 transmits credentials of the client device 120 over the network 130. In some cases, the credentials can be selected from a plurality of credentials based on a current geographical location of the client device 120. For example, multiple credentials each associated with a different geographical location can be stored on the client device 120. When the client device 120 comes within a certain distance of a geographical location associated with one of the credentials (e.g., within 10 meters), the client device 120 retrieves the associated credentials from local memory.

[0046] In one example, the client device 120 provides the credentials directly to the access control device 110. In such cases, the access control device 110 communicates the credentials with the server / controller 140. The server / controller 140 in FIG. 1 includes an authorization system 142 and a configuration update system 144. The server / controller 140 can further include elements described with respect to FIGS. 4 and 5, such as a processor and memory, having instructions stored thereon, that when executed by the processor, causes the processor to control the functions of the server / controller 140.

[0047] The server / controller 140 searches a list of credentials stored in the authorization system 142 to determine whether the received credentialsmatch credentials from the list of authorized credentials for accessing a secure asset or resource (e.g., door or secure area) protected by the access control device 110. In response to determining that the received credentials are authorized to access the access control device 110, the server / controller 140 instructs the access control device 110 to perform an operation granting access for the client device 120 (e.g., instructing the access control device 110 to unlock a lock of a door). In another example, the client device 120 provides the credentials to the server / controller 140. The server / controller 140 searches a list of credentials stored in the authorization system 142 to determine whether the received credentials match credentials from the list of authorized credentials for accessing a secure asset or resource (e.g., door or secure area) protected by the access control device 110. In response to determining that the received credentials are authorized to access the access control device 110, the server / controller 140 instructs the access control device 110 (associated with the received credentials and within a geographical distance of the client device 120) to perform an operation granting access to the client device 120 (e.g., instructing the access control device 110 to unlock a lock of a door).

[0048] In some examples, the configuration update system 144 receives a request to update one or more access control devices 110. The request can identify the access control device 110 by ID number or some other unique identifier. Based on the ID number or unique identifier of the access control device 110, the configuration update system 144 can initiate an update to configuration parameters of the access control device 110. In some cases, the request can identify a specific collection of a plurality of access control devices 110 that need to be updated. The configuration update system 144 can then initiate updates to the configuration parameters of each of the plurality of access control devices 110 in the collection.

[0049] In some examples, the controller 140 is coupled to an I / O module 146 or multiple I / O modules. Each I / O module 146 is coupled to a collection of access control devices 110. The controller 140 can send the instructions to cause the access control device 110 to switch operating modes via the I / Omodule 146. For example, the controller 140 can send an instruction to switch operating modes for one or more access control devices 110. The instruction is sent to a particular I / O module 146. The I / O module 146 then forwards that instruction to the one or more access control devices 110 that are coupled to the I / O module 146. Similarly, any message or information received from the one or more access control devices 110 by the I / O module 146 can be forwarded back to the controller 140 for processing.

[0050] The request can indicate a time, date, and / or period of time during which the update to the access control device 110 can be performed. In such cases, the configuration update system 144 can wait until the current time matches the time, date, and / or period of time indicated in the request before initiating the update process. At that time, the configuration update system 144 can send a first instruction to the access control device 110 (or to multiple access control devices 110 indicated in the request). The first instruction can command the access control device 110 to switch from communicating using a first communication mode (e.g., OSDP mode) to using an IP communication mode.

[0051] The access control device 110 can receive the first instruction and can activate one or more IP communication devices (e.g., a PHY controller or WiFi device) to enable communication with the controller 140 via the IP communication mode / protocol. The access control device 110 can perform various IP handshaking operations with the controller 140 to establish a private or public IP connection with the controller 140 via the network 130. Once the access control device 110 has completed switching over to the IP communication mode, the access control device 110 sends a message to the configuration update system 144 (e.g., a PACS server) indicating that the access control device 110 is operating in the IP communication mode and is ready to receive the updated configuration information. In some examples, the message is sent from the access control device 110 to the controller 140 using the prior OSDP mode. In some examples, the message is sent from the access control device 110 to the controller 140 using the IP communication mode.

[0052] In response to receiving the message from the access control device 110 indicting that the access control device 110 is operating in the IP communication mode, the configuration update system 144 retrieves configuration information from storage. The configuration update system 144 generates an IP packet that includes the configuration information. The configuration update system 144 sends the IP packet with the configuration information to the access control device 110 over the IP communication mode. In some cases, the IP packet is sent over the same physical link used by the access control device 110 to send access control information according to the OSDP communication mode. In some cases, the IP packet is sent over an entirely separate physical link than that used by the access control device 110 to send access control information according to the OSDP communication mode.

[0053] The access control device 110 receives the IP packet including the configuration information. In response, the access control device 110 modifies or updates local configuration information using the configuration information that includes the updated configuration information. After completing the updating of the configuration information, the access control device 110 informs the configuration update system 144 that the update has been completed. The access control device 110 also, in response to completing the updating of the configuration information (or in response to receiving all of the data associated with the configuration information from the controller 140) automatically switches back from operating using the IP communication mode to operating and communicating with the controller 140 using the OSDP communication mode or other mode used to exchange access control information. For example, the configuration update system 144 can send a second instruction to the access control device 110 indicating that the updated confirmation information has been completely sent and instructing the access control device 110 to switch back to using the OSDP communication mode. In response to receiving the second instruction, the access control device 110 automatically switches back to operating in the OSDP communication mode from operating in the IP communication mode.

[0054] In some examples, the access control device 110 can receive a message or instruction from a user that specifies when the access control device 110 is allowed to operate in the IP communication mode and / or for how long the access control device 110 is allowed to operate in the IP communication mode. The access control device 110 can receive, from the configuration update system 144, a message indicating that updated configuration information is available. The access control device 110 can access local configuration information to determine when the access control device 110 is allowed to operate in the IP communication mode. In response to determining that a current time matches the time specified in the local configuration information for when the access control device 110 is allowed to operate in the IP communication mode, the access control device 110 can send a message to the configuration update system 144 indicating that the access control device 110 is ready to operate in the IP communication mode to receive the update.

[0055] In response to receiving the message from the access control device 110, the configuration update system 144 can send the first instruction to the access control device 110 to cause the access control device 110 to operate using the IP communication mode. The access control device 110 can then switch to operating in the IP communication mode and can then receive the updated configuration information from the configuration update system 144 over the IP communication mode.

[0056] FIG. 2 illustrates an example access control device 110, according to some examples. The access control device 110 (e.g., a PACS control device) can include an OSDP communication protocol 210, an IP communication protocol 220, configuration information 230, and / or an IP communication device 240. The access control device 110 can be configured to operate by default using the OSDP communication protocol 210. The access control device 110 can send access control information to the controller 140 using the OSDP communication protocol 210.

[0057] The access control device 110 can receive an instruction from the controller 140 indicating that an update to configuration information isavailable, such as via the OSDP communication protocol 210. The access control device 110, in response to receiving the instruction, can activate the IP communication device 240 to allow the access control device 110 to operate using the IP communication protocol 220. The IP communication device 240 can include a PHY controller, WiFi device, LAN device, or any other physical hardware that can be used to generate IP packets and process IP packets for transmission over an IP communication link. The access control device 110 can send a message to the controller 140 using the IP communication protocol 220 and / or over the OSDP communication protocol 210 indicating that the access control device 110 is ready to receive the update. In response, the controller 140 can send the updated configuration information in an IP packet to the IP communication device 240. The IP communication device 240 processes the IP packet and retrieves the updated configuration information from the IP packet. The access control device 110 can then modify the locally stored configuration information 230 based on the updated configuration information. The access control device 110 can then inform the controller 140 that the update is completed. The access control device 110 can then automatically switch back to operating using the OSDP communication protocol 210 or can switch back in response to receiving an instruction from the controller 140. In such cases, the IP communication device 240 can be deactivated or turned OFF, such as to save power / energy.

[0058] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating example process or method 300 of the access control system 100, according to some examples. The process 300 may be embodied in computer-readable instructions for execution by one or more processors such that the operations of the process or method 300 may be performed in part or in whole by the functional components of the system 100; accordingly, the process or method 300 is described below by way of example with reference thereto. However, in other examples, at least some of the operations of the process or method 300 may be deployed on various other hardware configurations. Some or all of the operations of process or method 300 can be in parallel, out of order, or entirely omitted.

[0059] At operation 301, the server / controller 140 (e.g., a PACS server) receives a request to update configuration of an access control reader, as discussed above.

[0060] At operation 302, the server / controller 140 transmits, to the access control reader over a wired link, a first instruction to temporarily switch from communicating with the server using a first communication mode to an IP communication mode, as discussed above.

[0061] At operation 303, the server / controller 140 sends, to the access control reader, IP packets comprising configuration information to update the configuration of the access control reader, as discussed above.

[0062] At operation 304, the server / controller 140, after the configuration of the access control reader has been updated, transmits, to the access control reader, a second instruction to switch from communicating using the IP communication mode back to communicating using the first communication mode, as discussed above.

[0063] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example software architecture 406, which may be used in conjunction with various hardware architectures herein described. FIG. 4 is a non-limiting example of a software architecture and it will be appreciated that many other architectures may be implemented to facilitate the functionality described herein. The software architecture 406 may execute on hardware such as machine 500 of FIG. 5 that includes, among other things, processors 504, memory 514, and I / O components 518. A representative hardware layer 452 is illustrated and can represent, for example, the machine 500 of FIG. 5. The representative hardware layer 452 includes a processing unit 454 having associated executable instructions 404. Executable instructions 404 represent the executable instructions of the software architecture 406, including implementation of the methods, components, and so forth described herein. The hardware layer 452 also includes memory and / or storage devices memory / storage 456, which also have executable instructions 404. The hardware layer 452 may also comprise other hardware 458. The softwarearchitecture 406 may be deployed in any one or more of the components shown in FIG. 1.

[0064] In the example architecture of FIG. 4, the software architecture 406 may be conceptualized as a stack of layers where each layer provides particular functionality. For example, the software architecture 406 may include layers such as an operating system 402, libraries 420, frameworks / middleware 418, applications 416, and a presentation layer 414. Operationally, the applications 416 and / or other components within the layers may invoke API calls 408 through the software stack and receive messages 412 in response to the API calls 408. The layers illustrated are representative in nature and not all software architectures have all layers. For example, some mobile or special purpose operating systems may not provide a frameworks / middleware 418, while others may provide such a layer. Other software architectures may include additional or different layers.

[0065] The operating system 402 may manage hardware resources and provide common services. The operating system 402 may include, for example, a kernel 422, services 424, and drivers 426. The kernel 422 may act as an abstraction layer between the hardware and the other software layers. For example, the kernel 422 may be responsible for memory management, processor management (e.g., scheduling), component management, networking, security settings, and so on. The services 424 may provide other common services for the other software layers. The drivers 426 are responsible for controlling or interfacing with the underlying hardware. For instance, the drivers 426 include display drivers, camera drivers, BLE drivers, UWB drivers, Bluetooth® drivers, flash memory drivers, serial communication drivers (e.g., Universal Serial Bus (USB) drivers), Wi-Fi® drivers, audio drivers, power management drivers, and so forth depending on the hardware configuration.

[0066] The libraries 420 provide a common infrastructure that is used by the applications 416 and / or other components and / or layers. The libraries 420 provide functionality that allows other software components to perform tasks in an easier fashion than to interface directly with the underlyingoperating system 402 functionality (e.g., kernel 422, services 424 and / or drivers 426). The libraries 420 may include system libraries 444 (e.g., C standard library) that may provide functions such as memory allocation functions, string manipulation functions, mathematical functions, and the like. In addition, the libraries 420 may include API libraries 446 such as media libraries (e.g., libraries to support presentation and manipulation of various media format such as MPREG4, H.264, MP3, AAC, AMR, JPG, PNG), graphics libraries (e.g., an OpenGL framework that may be used to render two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) in a graphic content on a display), database libraries (e.g., SQLite that may provide various relational database functions), web libraries (e.g., WebKit that may provide web browsing functionality), and the like. The libraries 420 may also include a wide variety of other libraries 448 to provide many other APIs to the applications 416 and other software components / devices.

[0067] The frameworks / middl eware 418 (also sometimes referred to as middleware) provide a higher-level common infrastructure that may be used by the applications 416 and / or other software components / devices. For example, the frameworks / middl eware 418 may provide various graphic user interface functions, high-level resource management, high-level location services, and so forth. The frameworks / middl eware 418 may provide a broad spectrum of other APIs that may be utilized by the applications 416 and / or other software components / devices, some of which may be specific to a particular operating system 402 or platform.

[0068] The applications 416 include built-in applications 438 and / or third- party applications 440. Examples of representative built-in applications 438 may include, but are not limited to, a contacts application, a browser application, a book reader application, a location application, a media application, a messaging application, and / or a game application. Third-party applications 440 may include an application developed using the ANDROID™ or IOS™ software development kit (SDK) by an entity other than the vendor of the particular platform, and may be mobile software running on a mobile operating system such as IOS™, ANDROID™,WINDOWS® Phone, or other mobile operating systems. The third-party applications 440 may invoke the API calls 408 provided by the mobile operating system (such as operating system 402) to facilitate functionality described herein.

[0069] The applications 416 may use built-in operating system functions (e.g., kernel 422, services 424, and / or drivers 426), libraries 420, and frameworks / middleware 418 to create UIs to interact with users of the system. Alternatively, or additionally, in some systems, interactions with a user may occur through a presentation layer, such as presentation layer 414. In these systems, the application / component "logic" can be separated from the aspects of the application / component that interact with a user.

[0070] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating components of a machine 500, according to some examples, able to read instructions from a machine- readable medium (e.g., a machine-readable storage medium) and perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein. Specifically, FIG. 5 shows a diagrammatic representation of the machine 500 in the example form of a computer system, within which instructions 510 (e.g., software, a program, an application, an applet, an app, or other executable code) for causing the machine 500 to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein may be executed.

[0071] As such, the instructions 510 may be used to implement devices or components described herein. The instructions 510 transform the general, non-programmed machine 500 into a particular machine 500, such as the client device 120, access control device 110, or server / controller 140, programmed to carry out the described and illustrated functions in the manner described. In alternative examples, the machine 500 operates as a standalone device or may be coupled (e.g., networked) to other machines. In a networked deployment, the machine 500 may operate in the capacity of a server machine or a client machine in a server-client network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The machine 500 may comprise, but not be limited to, a server computer, a client computer, a personal computer (PC), a tablet computer, a laptopcomputer, a netbook, a set-top box (STB), a personal digital assistant (PDA), an entertainment media system, a cellular telephone, a smart phone, a mobile device, a wearable device (e.g., a smart watch), a smart home device (e.g., a smart appliance), other smart devices, a web appliance, a network router, a network switch, a network bridge, or any machine capable of executing the instructions 510, sequentially or otherwise, that specify actions to be taken by machine 500. Further, while only a single machine 500 is illustrated, the term "machine" shall also be taken to include a collection of machines that individually or jointly execute the instructions 510 to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein.

[0072] The machine 500 may include processors 504, memory / storage 506, and I / O components 518, which may be configured to communicate with each other such as via a bus 502. In an example, the processors 504 (e.g., a CPU, a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) processor, a complex instruction set computing (CISC) processor, a graphics processing unit (GPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), an ASIC, a radio-frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), another processor, or any suitable combination thereof) may include, for example, a processor 508 and a processor 512 that may execute the instructions 510. The term “processor” is intended to include multi-core processors 504 that may comprise two or more independent processors (sometimes referred to as “cores”) that may execute instructions contemporaneously. Although FIG. 5 shows multiple processors 504, the machine 500 may include a single processor with a single core, a single processor with multiple cores (e.g., a multi-core processor), multiple processors with a single core, multiple processors with multiple cores, or any combination thereof.

[0073] The memory / storage 506 may include a memory 514, such as a main memory, or other memory storage, database 510, and a storage unit 516, both accessible to the processors 504 such as via the bus 502. The storage unit 516 and memory 514 store the instructions 510 embodying any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein. The instructions 510 may also reside, completely or partially, within the memory514, within the storage unit 516, within at least one of the processors 504 (e.g., within the processor’s cache memory), or any suitable combination thereof, during execution thereof by the machine 500. Accordingly, the memory 514, the storage unit 516, and the memory of processors 504 are examples of machine-readable media.

[0074] The I / O components 518 may include a wide variety of components to receive input, provide output, produce output, transmit information, exchange information, capture measurements, and so on. The specific I / O components 518 that are included in a particular machine 500 will depend on the type of machine. For example, portable machines such as mobile phones will likely include a touch input device or other such input mechanisms, while a headless server machine will likely not include such a touch input device. It will be appreciated that the I / O components 518 may include many other components that are not shown in FIG. 5. The I / O components 518 are grouped according to functionality merely for simplifying the following discussion and the grouping is in no way limiting. In various examples, the I / O components 518 may include output components 526 and input components 528. The output components 526 may include visual components (e.g., a display such as a plasma display panel (PDP), a LED display, a LCD, a projector, or a cathode ray tube (CRT)), acoustic components (e.g., speakers), haptic components (e.g., a vibratory motor, resistance mechanisms), other signal generators, and so forth. The input components 528 may include alphanumeric input components (e.g., a keyboard, a touch screen configured to receive alphanumeric input, a photo- optical keyboard, or other alphanumeric input components), point-based input components (e.g., a mouse, a touchpad, a trackball, a joystick, a motion sensor, or other pointing instrument), tactile input components (e.g., a physical button, a touch screen that provides location and / or force of touches or touch gestures, or other tactile input components), audio input components (e.g., a microphone), and the like.

[0075] In further examples, the I / O components 518 may include biometric components 539, motion components 534, environmental components 536,or position components 538 among a wide array of other components. For example, the biometric components 539 may include components to detect expressions (e.g., hand expressions, facial expressions, vocal expressions, body gestures, or eye tracking), measure biosignals (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, perspiration, or brain waves), identify a person (e.g., voice identification, retinal identification, facial identification, fingerprint identification, or electroencephalogram based identification), and the like. The motion components 534 may include acceleration sensor components (e.g., accelerometer), gravitation sensor components, rotation sensor components (e.g., gyroscope), and so forth. The environmental components 536 may include, for example, illumination sensor components (e.g., photometer), temperature sensor components (e.g., one or more thermometer that detect ambient temperature), humidity sensor components, pressure sensor components (e.g., barometer), acoustic sensor components (e.g., one or more microphones that detect background noise), proximity sensor components (e.g., infrared sensors that detect nearby objects), gas sensors (e.g., gas detection sensors to detection concentrations of hazardous gases for safety or to measure pollutants in the atmosphere), or other components that may provide indications, measurements, or signals corresponding to a surrounding physical environment. The position components 538 may include location sensor components (e.g., a GPS receiver component), altitude sensor components (e.g., altimeters or barometers that detect air pressure from which altitude may be derived), orientation sensor components (e.g., magnetometers), and the like.

[0076] Communication may be implemented using a wide variety of technologies. The I / O components 518 may include communication components 540 operable to couple the machine 500 to a network 537 or devices 529 via coupling 524 and coupling 522, respectively. For example, the communication components 540 may include a network interface component or other suitable device to interface with the network 537. In further examples, communication components 540 may include wired communication components, wireless communication components, cellular communication components, NFC components, Bluetooth® components(e.g., Bluetooth® Low Energy), Wi-Fi® components, and other communication components to provide communication via other modalities. The devices 529 may be another machine or any of a wide variety of peripheral devices (e.g., a peripheral device coupled via a USB).

[0077] Moreover, the communication components 540 may detect identifiers or include components operable to detect identifiers. For example, the communication components 540 may include RFID tag reader components, NFC smart tag detection components, optical reader components (e.g., an optical sensor to detect one-dimensional bar codes such as Universal Product Code (UPC) bar code, multi-dimensional bar codes such as Quick Response (QR) code, Aztec code, Data Matrix, Dataglyph, MaxiCode, PDF417, Ultra Code, UCC RSS-2D bar code, and other optical codes), or acoustic detection components (e.g., microphones to identify tagged audio signals). In addition, a variety of information may be derived via the communication components 540, such as location via Internet Protocol (IP) geo-location, location via Wi-Fi® signal triangulation, location via detecting a NFC beacon signal that may indicate a particular location, and so forth.Glossary:

[0078] "CARRIER SIGNAL" in this context refers to any intangible medium that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying transitory or non- transitory instructions for execution by the machine, and includes digital or analog communications signals or other intangible medium to facilitate communication of such instructions. Instructions may be transmitted or received over the network using a transitory or non-transitory transmission medium via a network interface device and using any one of a number of well-known transfer protocols.

[0079] "CLIENT DEVICE" in this context refers to any machine that interfaces to a communications network to obtain resources from one or more server systems or other client devices or that communicates directly with such other devices or server systems. A client device may be, but is notlimited to, a mobile phone, desktop computer, laptop, PDA, smart phone, tablet, ultrabook, netbook, laptop, multi-processor system, microprocessorbased or programmable consumer electronics, game console, STB, or any other communication device that a user may use to access a network.

[0080] "COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK" in this context refers to one or more portions of a network that may be an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a VPN, a LAN, a BLE network, a UWB network, a WLAN, a WAN, a WWAN, a MAN, the Internet, a portion of the Inernet, a portion of the PSTN, a POTS network, a cellular telephone network, a wireless network, a Wi-Fi® network, another type of network, or a combination of two or more such networks. For example, a network or a portion of a network may include a wireless or cellular network and the coupling may be a CDMA connection, a GSM connection, or other type of cellular or wireless coupling. In this example, the coupling may implement any of a variety of types of data transfer technology, such as IxRTT, EVDO technology, GPRS technology, EDGE technology, 3GPP including 3G, 4G networks, UMTS, HSPA, WiMAX, LTE standard, others defined by various standard setting organizations, other long range protocols, or other data transfer technology.

[0081] "MACHINE-READABLE MEDIUM" in this context refers to a component, device, or other tangible media able to store instructions and data temporarily or permanently and may include, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, buffer memory, flash memory, optical media, magnetic media, cache memory, other types of storage (e.g., Erasable Programmable Read- Only Memory (EEPROM)) and / or any suitable combination thereof. The term "machine-readable medium" should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, or associated caches and servers) able to store instructions. The term "machine- readable medium" shall also be taken to include any medium, or combination of multiple media, that is capable of storing instructions (e.g., code) for execution by a machine, such that the instructions, when executed by one or more processors of the machine, cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies described herein. Accordingly, a "machine-readable medium" refers to a single storage apparatus or device, as well as "cloud-based" storage systems or storage networks that include multiple storage apparatus or devices. The term "machine-readable medium" excludes signals per se.

[0082] " COMPONENT" in this context refers to a device, physical entity, or logic having boundaries defined by function or subroutine calls, branch points, APIs, or other technologies that provide for the partitioning or modularization of particular processing or control functions. Components may be combined via their interfaces with other components to carry out a machine process. A component may be a packaged functional hardware unit designed for use with other components and a part of a program that usually performs a particular function of related functions. Components may constitute either software components (e.g., code embodied on a machine- readable medium) or hardware components. A "hardware component" is a tangible unit capable of performing certain operations and may be configured or arranged in a certain physical manner. In various examples, one or more computer systems (e.g., a standalone computer system, a client computer system, or a server computer system) or one or more hardware components of a computer system (e.g., a processor or a group of processors) may be configured by software (e.g., an application or application portion) as a hardware component that operates to perform certain operations as described herein.

[0083] A hardware component may also be implemented mechanically, electronically, or any suitable combination thereof. For example, a hardware component may include dedicated circuitry or logic that is permanently configured to perform certain operations. A hardware component may be a special-purpose processor, such as a FPGA or an ASIC. A hardware component may also include programmable logic or circuitry that is temporarily configured by software to perform certain operations. For example, a hardware component may include software executed by a general-purpose processor or other programmable processor. Once configured by such software, hardware components become specificmachines (or specific components of a machine) uniquely tailored to perform the configured functions and are no longer general-purpose processors. It will be appreciated that the decision to implement a hardware component mechanically, in dedicated and permanently configured circuitry, or in temporarily configured circuitry (e.g., configured by software) may be driven by cost and time considerations. Accordingly, the phrase "hardware component"(or "hardware-implemented component") should be understood to encompass a tangible entity, be that an entity that is physically constructed, permanently configured (e.g., hardwired), or temporarily configured (e.g., programmed) to operate in a certain manner or to perform certain operations described herein. Considering examples in which hardware components are temporarily configured (e.g., programmed), each of the hardware components need not be configured or instantiated at any one instance in time. For example, where a hardware component comprises a general-purpose processor configured by software to become a specialpurpose processor, the general-purpose processor may be configured as respectively different special-purpose processors (e.g., comprising different hardware components) at different times. Software accordingly configures a particular processor or processors, for example, to constitute a particular hardware component at one instance of time and to constitute a different hardware component at a different instance of time.

[0084] Hardware components can provide information to, and receive information from, other hardware components. Accordingly, the described hardware components may be regarded as being communicatively coupled. Where multiple hardware components exist contemporaneously, communications may be achieved through signal transmission (e.g., over appropriate circuits and buses) between or among two or more of the hardware components. In examples in which multiple hardware components are configured or instantiated at different times, communications between such hardware components may be achieved, for example, through the storage and retrieval of information in memory structures to which the multiple hardware components have access. For example, one hardware component may perform an operation and store the output of that operationin a memory device to which it is communicatively coupled. A further hardware component may then, at a later time, access the memory device to retrieve and process the stored output.

[0085] Hardware components may also initiate communications with input or output devices and can operate on a resource (e.g., a collection of information). The various operations of example methods described herein may be performed, at least partially, by one or more processors that are temporarily configured (e.g., by software) or permanently configured to perform the relevant operations. Whether temporarily or permanently configured, such processors may constitute processor-implemented components that operate to perform one or more operations or functions described herein. As used herein, "processor-implemented component" refers to a hardware component implemented using one or more processors. Similarly, the methods described herein may be at least partially processor- implemented, with a particular processor or processors being an example of hardware. For example, at least some of the operations of a method may be performed by one or more processors or processor-implemented components. Moreover, the one or more processors may also operate to support performance of the relevant operations in a "cloud computing" environment or as a "software as a service" (SaaS). For example, at least some of the operations may be performed by a group of computers (as examples of machines including processors), with these operations being accessible via a network (e.g., the Internet) and via one or more appropriate interfaces (e.g., an API). The performance of certain of the operations may be distributed among the processors, not only residing within a single machine, but deployed across a number of machines. In some examples, the processors or processor-implemented components may be located in a single geographic location (e.g., within a home environment, an office environment, or a server farm). In other examples, the processors or processor-implemented components may be distributed across a number of geographic locations.

[0086] " PROCESSOR" in this context refers to any circuit or virtual circuit (a physical circuit emulated by logic executing on an actual processor) that manipulates data values according to control signals (e.g., "commands," "op codes," "machine code," etc.) and which produces corresponding output signals that are applied to operate a machine. A processor may, for example, be a CPU, a RISC processor, a CISC processor, a GPU, a DSP, an ASIC, a RFIC, or any combination thereof. A processor may further be a multi-core processor having two or more independent processors (sometimes referred to as "cores") that may execute instructions contemporaneously.

[0087] Changes and modifications may be made to the disclosed examples without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. These and other changes or modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure, as expressed in the following claims.

[0088] The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in a single example for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed examples require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter may lie in less than all features of a single disclosed example. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate example.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method comprising: receiving, by a server, a request to update configuration of an access control reader; transmitting, by the server to the access control reader over a wired link, a first instruction to temporarily switch from communicating with the server using a first communication mode to an Internet Protocol (IP) communication mode; sending, from the server to the access control reader, IP packets comprising configuration information to update the configuration of the access control reader; and after the configuration of the access control reader has been updated, transmitting, by the server to the access control reader, a second instruction to switch from communicating using the IP communication mode back to communicating using the first communication mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication mode comprises an Open Supervised Device Protocol (OSDP) communication mode.

3. The method of any one of claims 1-2, wherein the access control reader communicates with the server using the first communication mode via a wired link; and wherein the access control reader communicates with the server using the IP communication mode via the wired link of the first communication mode.

4. The method of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the access control reader communicates with the server using the first communication mode via a first physical connection; and wherein the access control reader communicates with the server using the IP communication mode via a second connection that is different from the first physical connection.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second connection comprises a wireless connection, further comprising: causing the access control reader to activate a WiFi device to establish an IP connection with the server.

6. The method of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the IP packets are sent from the server to the access control reader over a private IP connection.

7. The method of any one of claims 1-6, further comprising: establishing a secure IP connection between the server and the access control reader in response to transmitting the first instruction to the access control reader.

8. The method of any one of claims 1-7, wherein the access control reader is configured to send access control information to the server using the first communication mode and is configured to receive updated configuration information from the server using the IP communication mode.

9. The method of any one of claims 1-8, wherein a data rate associated with the IP communication mode is greater than a data rate associated with the first communication mode.

10. The method of any one of claims 1-9, further comprising: causing the access control reader to activate a local physical (PHY) controller in response to receiving the first instruction.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: causing the access control reader to deactivate the local PHY controller in response to receiving the second instruction.

12. The method of any one of claims 1-11, further comprising:receiving, by the server from the access control reader, a message indicating that the access control reader has completed switching to the IP communication mode.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the message is received using the first communication mode.

14. The method of any one of claims 12-13, wherein the message is received using the IP communication mode.

15. The method of any one of claims 1-14, wherein the first instruction is sent from the server to the access control reader via an input / output (I / O) module coupled to the server.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the I / O module is coupled to a plurality of access control readers, the plurality of access control readers including the access control reader.

17. The method of any one of claims 1-16, wherein the request to update configuration of the access control reader includes at least one of a time, date, or period of time during which to allow the access control reader to operate using the IP communication mode.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one of the time, date, or period of time is transmitted to the access control reader and causes the access control reader to automatically stop operating in the IP communication mode when a current time fails to match the at least one of the time, date, or period of time received from the server.

19. A system comprising: one or more processors coupled to a memory comprising non-transitory computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:receiving, by a server, a request to update configuration of an access control reader; transmitting, by the server to the access control reader over a wired link, a first instruction to temporarily switch from communicating with the server using a first communication mode to an Internet Protocol (IP) communication mode; sending, from the server to the access control reader, IP packets comprising configuration information to update the configuration of the access control reader; and after the configuration of the access control reader has been updated, transmitting, by the server to the access control reader, a second instruction to switch from communicating using the IP communication mode back to communicating using the first communication mode.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising non-transitory computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: receiving, by a server, a request to update configuration of an access control reader; transmitting, by the server to the access control reader over a wired link, a first instruction to temporarily switch from communicating with the server using a first communication mode to an Internet Protocol (IP) communication mode; sending, from the server to the access control reader, IP packets comprising configuration information to update the configuration of the access control reader; and after the configuration of the access control reader has been updated, transmitting, by the server to the access control reader, a second instruction to switch from communicating using the IP communication mode back to communicating using the first communication mode.

21. A computer readable medium carrying computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to carry out the method of any one of claims 1 to 18.

22. A system comprising: one or more processors; and a computer readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the method of any one of claims 1 to 18.

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