Configuring readers using a bluetooth mesh

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for configuring and / or updating an access control system. The methods and systems establish a communication session between a first reader upgrade device and a first access control reader and receive, by the first reader upgrade device, one or more configuration files. The methods and systems send at least a portion of the one or more configuration files to the first access control reader via the communication session to configure the first access control reader and send, from the first reader upgrade device to a user device, a status update associated with configuration of the first access control reader.

Description

CONFIGURING READERS USING A BLUETOOTH MESHPRIORITY APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority to Indian Provisional Patent Application Serial Number 202411058717, filed on August 2, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.BACKGROUND

[0002] 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 securely communicate with such readers, user devices employ various encryption protocols and exchange credentials. These readers typically need to be configured and / or updated from time to time.SUMMARY

[0003] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method including: establishing a communication session between a first reader upgrade device and a first access control reader; receiving, by the first reader upgrade device, one or more configuration files; sending at least a portion of the one or more configuration files to the first access control reader via the communication session to configure the first access control reader; and sending, from the first reader upgrade device to a user device, a status update associated with configuration of the first access control reader.

[0004] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the user device is external to the first reader upgrade device.

[0005] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the first reader upgrade device communicates with the user device via the Internet.

[0006] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the first reader upgrade device receives the one or more configuration files from a remote server over the Internet.

[0007] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, further including: establishing an additional communication session between the first reader upgrade device and a master update device.

[0008] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the first reader upgrade device receives the one or more configuration files from the master update device.

[0009] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, further including: sending the status update from the first reader upgrade device to the master update device; and enabling the user device to receive the status update from the master update device to determine a status of configuring the first access control reader.

[0010] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, further including: providing the one or more configuration files from the user device to the master update device; and transmitting the one or more configuration files from the master update device to the first reader upgrade device in response to receiving the one or more configuration files from the user device.

[0011] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the one or more configuration files are provided from the user device to the master update device via the Internet, and wherein the one or one or more configuration files are transmitted from the master update device to the first reader upgrade device via a Bluetooth connection.

[0012] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the master update device communicates with multiple access control readers including the first access control reader, wherein each of the multiple access control readers receives one or more configuration files from a respective reader upgrade device.

[0013] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, further including: establishing an additional communication session between a second reader upgrade device and a second access control reader of the multiple access control readers; receiving, by the second reader upgrade device, a set of configuration files from the master update device or from the first reader upgrade device via BLE; and sending at least a portion of the set of configuration files to the second access control reader via the additional communication session to configure the second access control reader.

[0014] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the first access control reader includes a physical access control system (PACS) reader.

[0015] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the first access control reader includes a logical access control system (LACS) reader.

[0016] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the communication session includes a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication session.

[0017] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the one or more configuration files include one or more firmware updates.

[0018] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, further including: determining, by the first upgrade device, that the first access control reader has completed being configured based on the at least the portion of the one or more configuration files; and in response to determining that the first access control reader has completed being configured, establishing an additional communication session between the first reader upgrade device and a second access control reader.

[0019] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, further including: sending at least another portion of the one or more configuration files to the second access control reader via the additional communication session to configure the second access control reader.

[0020] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the first access control reader and the second access control reader are both within a Bluetooth communication range of the first upgrade device, and wherein the first access control reader and the second access control reader are beyond the Bluetooth communication range of the user device.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. l is a block diagram of an example access control system, according to some examples.

[0022] FIGS. 2 A and 2B illustrates an example diagram of an access control reader update system, according to some examples.

[0023] FIG. 3 illustrates an example diagram of another access control reader update system, according to some examples.

[0024] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating example operations of the access control system, according to some examples.

[0025] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example software architecture, which may be used in conjunction with various hardware architectures herein described.

[0026] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating components of a machine, according to some examples.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Example methods and systems for updating access control readers 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.

[0028] Updating the firmware of access control readers is an important task to ensure the security and functionality of these devices. However, this process can be highly timeconsuming and resource-intensive, particularly when managed through a reader manager application on a user device like a smartphone. Technicians usually individually connect their user devices to each reader using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) or Near Field Communication (NFC) to perform the updates. This method, while effective for individual updates, becomes inefficient when dealing with multiple readers across a facility. The process typically involves having a technician physically move from one reader to another, manually connecting to each device and performing the update. This not only consumes significant time but also increases labor costs as the process can span several hours or even days, depending on the number of readers and their physical spread across the location. Additionally, the reliance on a mobile application for these updates can lead to further inefficiencies. Mobile devices may have limitations in battery life, processing power, and network connectivity, which can slow down the update process or interrupt it, requiring restarts and additional time.

[0029] Typical systems provide other tools that allow for multiple readers to be configured and updated via a laptop connection, which can streamline this update process. These tools often enable batch processing of firmware updates, allowing multiple devices to be updated simultaneously. Even when employing tools that enable simultaneous updates of multiple access control readers via a laptop connection, the process can still be resource-intensive. While batch processing is more efficient than updating devices one by one, it still requires the technician to be on standby throughout the update process. The technician must wait for each device to successfully download and install the firmware, which can be time-consuming, especially if the updates arelarge or the network connection is slow. This waiting period results in unproductive downtime for the technician, who may need to ensure that each update is completed successfully and troubleshoot any issues that arise during the process.

[0030] Additionally, simultaneous updates, while reducing the time spent walking from reader to reader, can still strain network resources. If many devices are being updated at once, it can lead to bandwidth congestion, potentially slowing down the network for other critical operations within the facility. There is also the risk of update failures due to network issues, which may require reattempts, further increasing the time and resources spent. Moreover, the process still relies on the physical presence of the technician to initiate the updates and handle any immediate technical problems. In addition, even though an operator can have a laptop or any other device doing batch upgrade of the access control readers in parallel or one after the another, the number of devices the laptop can update may be limited to its Bluetooth range, which is approximately, 5-10 meters in conventional settings. That means that only access control readers within a certain radius of less than 10 meters can be upgraded by the laptop.

[0031] The present disclosure provides a system to address these issues. Specifically, the disclosed examples provide an intelligent solution, which can deploy one or more reader upgrade devices at a facility to handle configuration of respective access control readers. These upgrade devices can communicate remotely with a user device (e.g., of a technician) to provide a status of updating the access control readers. This allows the technician to be at a remote location, which can save time and resources. Also, having a dedicated device to manage the update process reduces the inefficiencies and waste of resources of conventional approaches.

[0032] Specifically, the disclosed examples can establish a communication session between a first reader upgrade device and a first access control reader and receive, by the first reader upgrade device, one or more configuration files. The disclosed examples can send at least a portion of the one or more configuration files to the first access control reader via the communication session to configure the first access control reader and send, from the first reader upgrade device to a user device, a status update associated with configuration of the first access control reader.

[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 (e.g., a user device associated with a technician, such as a smartphone or electroniccard containing one or more credentials and / or configuration files (e.g., firmware update files)), one or more access control devices 110 that control access to a protected asset, such as through a lockable door, or to a secure resource, such as an electronic file, 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, Near-Field Communication (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, such as those shown in connection with FIGS. 2 and 3. For example, the system 100 can include a plurality of access control devices 110 all within a close proximity to each other, such as within the same room or within 10 or 20 meters of each other.

[0035] As used herein, the term “client device” or “user device” may refer to any machine that interfaces to a communications network (such as network 130) to exchange credentials and / or configuration files or portions thereof 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 120 can additionally or alternatively communicate directly with an access control device or another client device 120. The client device 120 can include or store one or more credentials or configuration files which can be provided to the access control device 110 for obtaining access to a protected physical or logical asset or resource and / or modifying a configuration or firmware of the access control device 110.

[0036] In some cases, some or all of the components and functionality of the server / controller 140 can be included in the client device 120 and / or the access control device 110. A client device 120 (or user device) 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-processor system, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, physical card, or any other communication device that a user may use to access a network.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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 may form 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) in a centrally managed configuration.

[0039] In centrally managed configurations, readers can obtain credentials from credential or key devices (e.g., from one or more client devices 120) and pass those credentials to the PACS host server or headend system. The readers can send the credentials over a wired or wireless link. The host server then determines whether the credentials authorize access to the secure area or secure asset (or resource) and commands the actuator or other control mechanism accordingly by sending anallow / deny message back to the reader again over the wired or wireless link. While examples in physical access control are used herein, the disclosure applies similarly to logical access control system (LACS) use cases (e.g., logical access to personal electronic devices, logical access to personal online or electronic accounts or documents, etc.).

[0040] In general, the access control device 110 can include one or more of a memory, a processor, one or more antennas, a communication component, a network interface device, a user interface, a display, 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 storing a firmware (or configuration files) for 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.

[0041] The memory of the access control device 110 can include a transitory or non- transitory computer-readable medium. 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 computer diskette, 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.

[0042] 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 IntegratedCircuit (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.

[0043] 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 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 configuration file device (e.g., an upgrade device (also referred to as update device) and / or master upgrade / update device). 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.

[0044] A communication module or communication component 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, upgrade device(s), master upgrade device(s), and / or server / controller 140 (e.g., the access control reader update system 142). In some cases, the communication module / component of the access control device 110 is configured to perform the disclosed authentication protocol securely. The access control reader update system 142 can implement the functionalities discussed in connection with access control reader update system 200 and / or access control reader update system 300, discussed below.

[0045] In some cases, the communication module / component uses a same wired or wireless link between the access control device 110 and the server / 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 server / controller 140 to communicate access control information and uses a different wired or wireless link tocommunicate or receive configuration information updates from the server / controller 140 over the IP communication mode.

[0046] 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 WiFi, 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, the 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, the network interface device can include a plurality of antennas to wirelessly communicate using at least one of singleinput multiple-output (SIMO), multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), or multiple-input single-output (MISO) techniques.

[0047] 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 or keypad, 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.

[0048] 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 telephonenetwork, 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 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.

[0049] FIG. 2A illustrates an example diagram of an access control reader update system 200, according to some examples. Specifically, the access control reader update system 200 can include multiple access control readers (e.g., access control device 110) including a first access control reader 210 and a second access control reader 212. The multiple access control readers can be at a same facility or within a threshold proximity of each other. The first access control reader 210 can be outside or beyond a BLE communication range of the second access control reader 212. In order to efficiently update configuration information or firmware files stored by the multiple access control readers, the access control reader update system 200 can employ one or more upgrade devices, such as a first upgrade device 230 and a second upgrade device 232.

[0050] The first upgrade device 230 can be physically placed within a BLE or short- range communication range 220 of the first access control reader 210. The second upgrade device 232 can be physically placed within a BLE or short-range communication range 222 of the second access control reader 212. The second upgrade device 232 can be outside of the communication range of the master update device 250 but within a communication range (e.g., BLE range) of the first upgrade device 230. The second upgrade device 232 can communicate with the master update device 250 via the first upgrade device 230 over the BLE mesh network, such as the configuration shown in diagram 201 of FIG. 2B. This allows access control readers that are beyondcommunication range of the first upgrade device 230 and the master update device 250 to be upgraded using other upgrade devices that are only within the communication range of the first upgrade device 230 but not within the communication range of the master update device 250.

[0051] The advantage of having BLE mesh network, such as that shown in diagram 201, is that the upgrade devices can be moved around in the customer premises so as to cover maximum number of access control devices without worrying about the connection with master update device. Upgrade devices, since they are on the mesh network, can easily connect to the adjacent node (another upgrade device) in the mesh network when it is moved from one place to another. This can happen seamlessly without intervention of the technician.

[0052] Each upgrade device can include some or all of the functionality of the client device 120 and can be a separate or external component or device relative to the client device 120. For example, the first upgrade device 230 can store a first set of configuration files associated with updating or upgrading a first collection of access control readers, such as the first access control reader 210. The second upgrade device 232 can store a second set of configuration files associated with updating or upgrading a second collection of access control readers, such as the second access control reader 212. In some cases, the first and second sets of configuration files can be the same. In some cases, the first and second sets of configuration files can be different.

[0053] The first upgrade device 230 can be placed within a short or long-range communication range of a master update device 250. For example, the first upgrade device 230 can communicate with the master update device 250 over a first communication path 252, such as a BLE communication path. The second upgrade device 232 can communicate with the master update device 250 over a second communication path, such as another BLE communication path. In some cases, the first upgrade device 230 and the second upgrade device 232 communicate with the master update device 250 over the Internet using a different type of communication protocol than that used to communicate configuration files to the access control readers. In some cases, the second upgrade device 232 is beyond a BLE communication range of the master update device 250 but is within the BLE communication range of the first upgrade device 230. In such cases, the second upgrade device 232 can communicate withthe master update device 250 via the first upgrade device 230 since first upgrade device 230 is within the communication range of the master update device 250.

[0054] There is no requirement or need for the master update device 250 to be in the communication range with rest of the upgrade devices but only within the communication range of the first upgrade device 230. The rest of the upgrade devices can be connected to each other over a self-organizing mesh network and master update devices can just be a node in that mesh network.

[0055] The master update device 250 can receive one or more configuration files from a remote server or remote source 260. In some cases, the master update device 250 can receive the one or more configuration files from a user device 270 (e.g., the client device 120) over a communication path 272 (e.g., short or long-range communication path which can include the Internet). The master update device 250 can send the one or more configuration files to the first upgrade device 230 and / or the second upgrade device 232. In response to the first upgrade device 230 and the second upgrade device 232 receiving the configuration files, the first upgrade device 230 and the second upgrade device 232 can establish a secure communication session with the first access control reader 210 and the second access control reader 212 respectively.

[0056] The first upgrade device 230 can transmit at least a portion of the configuration files, received from the master update device 250, over the BLE or short-range communication range 220 or path to the first access control reader 210. The first upgrade device 230 can periodically poll or query the first access control reader 210 for a status relating to updating or modifying the configuration of firmware of the first access control reader 210. In response to determining that the first access control reader 210 has completed being updated using the configuration file provided by the first upgrade device 230, the first upgrade device 230 can transmit a notification or message to the master update device 250 and / or the user device 270. The notification can identify the first access control reader 210 that has completed being updated / upgraded, such as using a unique identifier or serial number of the first access control reader 210. The first upgrade device 230 can determine whether additional access control devices 110 are within the BLE or short-range communication range 220 of the first upgrade device 230. In response to identifying an additional access control device 110 within the BLE or short-range communication range 220 of the first upgrade device 230, the first upgrade device 230 can establish a secure communication session with the additional accesscontrol device 110 and begin sending at least a portion of the configuration files to the additional access control device 110.

[0057] The client device 120 can instruct the master update device to first do a general query of all the access control readers in the premises. As all access control readers can be constantly broadcasting BLE advertisement packets over the air, the reader upgrade devices with in their BLE range can capture and read those advertisement packets. These advertisement packets can contain information regarding the access control device (Bluetooth address, device variant, etc.) which can be then relayed back to the master update device via the BLE mesh network. Additionally, the update device may test the connectivity and performance of the mesh network by gathering acknowledgment notifications from connected devices. The master update device can relay this information to a remote user device or a remote server using any wired or wireless internet connection. This can help the technician to understand specific details about the access control readers in the premises such as the total number, reader version number, reader variant, reader firmware version number, reader capabilities etc. This information can be used by the technician to design an upgrade campaign tailor made for that specific customer premises.

[0058] While the first upgrade device 230 is updating the first access control reader 210, the second upgrade device 232 can transmit at least a portion of the configuration files, received from the master update device 250, over the BLE or short-range communication range 222 or path to the second access control reader 212. The second upgrade device 232 can periodically poll or query the second access control reader 212 for status relating to updating or modifying the configuration of firmware of the second access control reader 212. In response to determining that the second access control reader 212 has completed being updated using the configuration file provided by the second upgrade device 232, the second upgrade device 232 can transmit a notification or message to the master update device 250 and / or the user device 270. The notification can identify the second access control reader 212 that has completed being updated / upgraded, such as using a unique identifier or serial number of the second access control reader 212. The second upgrade device 232 can determine whether additional access control devices 110 are within the BLE or short-range communication range 222 of the second upgrade device 232. In response to identifying an additional access control device 110 within the BLE or short-range communication range 222 of thesecond upgrade device 232, the second upgrade device 232 can establish a secure communication session with the additional access control device 110 and begin sending at least a portion of the configuration files to the additional access control device 110.

[0059] In some cases, the master update device may compile information from the plurality of reader upgrade devices and other devices connected to the BLE mesh network. This compiled information may be compared against a predetermined listing of known devices on the BLE mesh network, e.g. based on prior installations of reader and access control equipment for the facility, to identify any discrepancies (e.g. new or missing nodes) or issues with connectivity or performance. This compiled information may also be further relayed to a remote user device or remote server for display or processing in a similar manner.

[0060] In some cases, when an upgrade device receives notification that a particular connected device has completed the upgrade, the notification is relayed to the master update device and the queried list of connected devices on the BLE mesh network is updated to reflect completion. Additionally, upgrade devices may provide interim status updates based on polling responses from the particular connected device during the upgrade process. The compiled information of the status of connected devices may be optionally displayed in a list or graphical format, e.g. device listings with progress bars and / or overlaid on top of a facilities floor plan illustration.

[0061] FIG. 3 illustrates an example diagram of another access control reader update system 300, according to some examples. The access control reader update system 300 can include a first upgrade device 330 and a second upgrade device 332. The first upgrade device 330 and the second upgrade device 332 can be the same or different from the first upgrade device 230 and the second upgrade device 232 of FIG. 2A. In the access control reader update system 300, the master update device 250 can be omitted, and the remote source 260 serves instead to provide the equivalent functionality. In the access control reader update system 300, the user device 270 can communicate over the Internet directly with the first upgrade device 330 and the second upgrade device 332. In such cases, the user device 270 can transmit a configuration file(s) received from the remote source 260 over the Internet or other long-range communication protocol 310 to the first upgrade device 330 and over the Internet or other long-range communication protocol 312 to the second upgrade device 332.

[0062] The first upgrade device 330 and the second upgrade device 332 can each communicate over the Internet 350 to the remote source 260. For example, the first upgrade device 330 and the second upgrade device 332 can communicate notifications or status information relating to upgrading the first access control reader 210 and the second access control reader 212 respectively. The remote source 260 can then communicate with the user device 270 over the Internet to provide the notifications or status information relating to upgrading the first access control reader 210 and the second access control reader 212. In this way, a technician associated with the user device 270 can remotely monitor and manage configuration updates to the first access control reader 210 and the second access control reader 212 without having to be physically present and within the BLE or short-range communication range 220 of the first access control reader 210 and the BLE or short-range communication range 222 of the second access control reader 212. As described above, information regarding the mesh network and status of upgrades may be compiled by the remote server in place of the master update device, for similar processing and display purposes to the user.

[0063] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example process or method 400 of the access control system 100, according to some examples. The process or method 400 may be embodied in computer-readable instructions for execution by one or more processors such that the operations of the process or method 400 may be performed in part or in whole by the functional components of the system 100; accordingly, the process or method 400 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 400 may be deployed on various other hardware configurations. Some or all of the operations of process or method 400 can be in parallel, out of order, or entirely omitted.

[0064] At operation 401, the upgrade device (e.g., a first upgrade device 230) establishes a communication session with a first access control reader 210, as discussed above.

[0065] At operation 402, the first reader upgrade device receives one or more configuration files, as discussed above.

[0066] At operation 403, the upgrade device sends at least a portion of the one or more configuration files to the first access control reader via the communication session to configure the first access control reader, as discussed above.

[0067] At operation 404, the upgrade device sends to the client device 120 a status update associated with configuration of the first access control reader, as discussed above.

[0068] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example software architecture 506, which may be used in conjunction with various hardware architectures herein described. FIG. 5 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 506 may execute on hardware such as machine 600 of FIG. 6 that includes, among other things, processors 604, memory 614, and I / O components 618. A representative hardware layer 552 is illustrated and can represent, for example, the machine 600 of FIG. 6. The representative hardware layer 552 includes a processing unit 554 having associated executable instructions 504. Executable instructions 504 represent the executable instructions of the software architecture 506, including implementation of the methods, components, and so forth described herein. The hardware layer 552 also includes memory and / or storage devices memory / storage 556, which also have executable instructions 504. The hardware layer 552 may also comprise other hardware 558. The software architecture 506 may be deployed in any one or more of the components shown in FIGS. 1-3.

[0069] In the example architecture of FIG. 5, the software architecture 506 may be conceptualized as a stack of layers where each layer provides particular functionality. For example, the software architecture 506 may include layers such as an operating system 502, libraries 520, frameworks / middl eware 518, applications 516, and a presentation layer 514. Operationally, the applications 516 and / or other components within the layers may invoke API calls 508 through the software stack and receive messages 512 in response to the API calls 508. 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 / middl eware 518, while others may provide such a layer. Other software architectures may include additional or different layers.

[0070] The operating system 502 may manage hardware resources and provide common services. The operating system 502 may include, for example, a kernel 522, services 524, and drivers 526. The kernel 522 may act as an abstraction layer between the hardware and the other software layers. For example, the kernel 522 may be responsible formemory management, processor management (e.g., scheduling), component management, networking, security settings, and so on. The services 524 may provide other common services for the other software layers. The drivers 526 are responsible for controlling or interfacing with the underlying hardware. For instance, the drivers 526 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.

[0071] The libraries 520 provide a common infrastructure that is used by the applications 516 and / or other components and / or layers. The libraries 520 provide functionality that allows other software components to perform tasks in an easier fashion than to interface directly with the underlying operating system 502 functionality (e.g., kernel 522, services 524 and / or drivers 526). The libraries 520 may include system libraries 544 (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 520 may include API libraries 546 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 520 may also include a wide variety of other libraries 548 to provide many other APIs to the applications 516 and other software components / devices.

[0072] The frameworks / middl eware 518 (also sometimes referred to as middleware) provide a higher-level common infrastructure that may be used by the applications 516 and / or other software components / devices. For example, the frameworks / middleware 518 may provide various graphic user interface functions, high-level resource management, high-level location services, and so forth. The frameworks / middleware 518 may provide a broad spectrum of other APIs that may be utilized by the applications 516 and / or other software components / devices, some of which may be specific to a particular operating system 502 or platform.

[0073] The applications 516 include built-in applications 538 and / or third-party applications 540. Examples of representative built-in applications 538 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 540 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 540 may invoke the API calls 508 provided by the mobile operating system (such as operating system 502) to facilitate functionality described herein.

[0074] The applications 516 may use built-in operating system functions (e.g., kernel 522, services 524, and / or drivers 526), libraries 520, and frameworks / middl eware 518 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 514. In these systems, the application / component "logic" can be separated from the aspects of the application / component that interact with a user.

[0075] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating components of a machine 600, 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. 6 shows a diagrammatic representation of the machine 600 in the example form of a computer system, within which the instructions 610 (e.g., software, a program, an application, an applet, an app, or other executable code) for causing the machine 600 to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein may be executed.

[0076] As such, the instructions 610 may be used to implement devices or components described herein. The instructions 610 transform the general, non-programmed machine 600 into a particular machine 600, 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 600 operates as a standalone device or may be coupled (e.g., networked) to other machines. In a networked deployment, the machine 600 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 apeer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The machine 600 may comprise, but not be limited to, a server computer, a client computer, a personal computer (PC), a tablet computer, a laptop computer, 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 610, sequentially or otherwise, that specify actions to be taken by machine 600. Further, while only a single machine 600 is illustrated, the term "machine" shall also be taken to include a collection of machines that individually or jointly execute the instructions 610 to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein.

[0077] The machine 600 may include processors 604, memory / storage 606, and I / O components 618, which may be configured to communicate with each other such as via a bus 602. In an example, the processors 604 (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 radiofrequency integrated circuit (RFIC), another processor, or any suitable combination thereof) may include, for example, a processor 608 and a processor 612 that may execute the instructions 610. The term “processor” is intended to include multi-core processors 604 that may comprise two or more independent processors (sometimes referred to as “cores”) that may execute instructions 610 contemporaneously. Although FIG. 6 shows multiple processors 604, the machine 600 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.

[0078] The memory / storage 606 may include a memory 614, such as a main memory, or other memory storage, database, and a storage unit 616, both accessible to the processors 604 such as via the bus 602. The storage unit 616 and memory 614 store the instructions 610 embodying any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein. The instructions 610 may also reside, completely or partially, within the memory 614, within the storage unit 616, within at least one of the processors 604 (e.g., within the processor’s cache memory), or any suitable combination thereof, during executionthereof by the machine 600. Accordingly, the memory 614, the storage unit 616, and the memory of processors 604 are examples of machine-readable media.

[0079] The I / O components 618 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 618 that are included in a particular machine 600 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 618 may include many other components that are not shown in FIG. 6. The I / O components 618 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 618 may include output components 626 and input components 628. The output components 626 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 628 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.

[0080] In further examples, the I / O components 618 may include biometric components 639, motion components 634, environmental components 636, or position components638 among a wide array of other components. For example, the biometric components639 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 634 may include acceleration sensor components (e.g., accelerometer),gravitation sensor components, rotation sensor components (e.g., gyroscope), and so forth. The environmental components 636 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 638 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.

[0081] Communication may be implemented using a wide variety of technologies. The I / O components 618 may include communication components 640 operable to couple the machine 600 to a network 637 or devices 629 via coupling 624 and coupling 622, respectively. For example, the communication components 640 may include a network interface component or other suitable device to interface with the network 637. In further examples, communication components 640 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 629 may be another machine or any of a wide variety of peripheral devices (e.g., a peripheral device coupled via a USB).

[0082] Moreover, the communication components 640 may detect identifiers or include components operable to detect identifiers. For example, the communication components 640 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 640, such as location viaInternet 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.EXAMPLES

[0083] Example 1. A method comprising: establishing a communication session between a first reader upgrade device and a first access control reader; receiving, by the first reader upgrade device, one or more configuration files; sending at least a portion of the one or more configuration files to the first access control reader via the communication session to configure the first access control reader; and sending, from the first reader upgrade device to a user device, a status update associated with configuration of the first access control reader.

[0084] Example 2. The method of Example 1, wherein the user device is external to the first reader upgrade device.

[0085] Example 3. The method of any one of Examples 1-2, wherein the first reader upgrade device communicates with the user device via the Internet.

[0086] Example 4. The method of any one of Examples 1-3, wherein the first reader upgrade device receives the one or more configuration files from a remote server over the Internet.

[0087] Example 5. The method of any one of Examples 1-4, further comprising: establishing an additional communication session between the first reader upgrade device and a master update device.

[0088] Example 6. The method of Example 5, wherein the first reader upgrade device receives the one or more configuration files from the master update device.

[0089] Example 7. The method of any one of Examples 5-6, further comprising: sending the status update from the first reader upgrade device to the master update device; and enabling the user device to receive the status update from the master update device to determine a status of configuring the first access control reader.

[0090] Example 8. The method Example 7, further comprising: providing the one or more configuration files from the user device to the master update device; and transmitting the one or more configuration files from the master update device to the first reader upgrade device in response to receiving the one or more configuration files from the user device.

[0091] Example 9. The method of Example 8, wherein the one or more configuration files are provided from the user device to the master update device via the Internet, and wherein the one or one or more configuration files are transmitted from the master update device to the first reader upgrade device via a Bluetooth connection.

[0092] Example 10. The method of any one of Examples 5-9, wherein the master update device communicates with multiple access control readers comprising the first access control reader, wherein each of the multiple access control readers receives one or more configuration files from a respective reader upgrade device.

[0093] Example 11. The method of Example 10, further comprising: establishing an additional communication session between a second reader upgrade device and a second access control reader of the multiple access control readers; receiving, by the second reader upgrade device via the first reader upgrade device, a set of configuration files; and sending at least a portion of the set of configuration files to the second access control reader via the additional communication session to configure the second access control reader.

[0094] Example 12. The method of any one of Examples 1-11, wherein the first access control reader comprises a physical access control system (PACS) reader.

[0095] Example 13. The method of any one of Examples 1-12, wherein the first access control reader comprises a logical access control system (LACS) reader.

[0096] Example 14. The method of any one of Examples 1-13, wherein the communication session comprises a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication session.

[0097] Example 15. The method of any one of Examples 1-14, wherein the one or more configuration files comprise one or more firmware updates.

[0098] Example 16. The method of any one of Examples 1-15, further comprising: determining, by the first reader upgrade device, that the first access control reader has completed being configured based on the at least the portion of the one or more configuration files; and in response to determining that the first access control reader has completed being configured, establishing an additional communication session between the first reader upgrade device and a second access control reader.

[0099] Example 17. The method of Example 16, further comprising: sending at least another portion of the one or more configuration files to the second access control reader via the additional communication session to configure the second access control reader.

[0100] Example 18. The method of Example 17, wherein the first access control reader and the second access control reader are both within a Bluetooth communication range of the first upgrade device, and wherein the first access control reader and the second access control reader are beyond the Bluetooth communication range of the user device.

[0101] Example 19. A system comprising: one or more processors coupled to a memory comprising non-transitory computer instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: establishing a communication session between a first reader upgrade device and a first access control reader; receiving, by the first reader upgrade device, one or more configuration files; sending at least a portion of the one or more configuration files to the first access control reader via the communication session to configure the first access control reader; and sending, from the first reader upgrade device to a user device, a status update associated with configuration of the first access control reader.

[0102] Example 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: establishing a communication session between a first reader upgrade device and a first access control reader; receiving, by the first reader upgrade device, one or more configuration files; sending at least a portion of the one or more configuration files to the first access control reader via the communication session to configure the first access control reader; and sending, from the first reader upgrade device to a user device, a status update associated with configuration of the first access control reader.Glossary:

[0103] " 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 not limited to, a mobile phone, desktop computer, laptop, PDA, smart phone, tablet, ultrabook, netbook, laptop, multi-processor system,microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, game console, STB, or any other communication device that a user may use to access a network.

[0104] "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 Internet, 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, 3 GPP 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.

[0105] "MACHINE -RE AD ABLE 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.

[0106] " COMPONENT" in this context refers to a device, physical entity, or logic having boundaries defined by function or subroutine calls, branch points, APIs, or othertechnologies 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.

[0107] 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 specific machines (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 componentcomprises 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.

[0108] 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 operation in 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.

[0109] 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.

[0110] " 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 multicore processor having two or more independent processors (sometimes referred to as "cores") that may execute instructions contemporaneously.

[0111] 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.

[0112] 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: establishing a communication session between a first reader upgrade device and a first access control reader; receiving, by the first reader upgrade device, one or more configuration files; sending at least a portion of the one or more configuration files to the first access control reader via the communication session to configure the first access control reader; and sending, from the first reader upgrade device to a user device, a status update associated with configuration of the first access control reader.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user device is external to the first reader upgrade device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first reader upgrade device communicates with the user device via the Internet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first reader upgrade device receives the one or more configuration files from a remote server over the Internet.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: establishing an additional communication session between the first reader upgrade device and a master update device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first reader upgrade device receives the one or more configuration files from the master update device.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising: sending the status update from the first reader upgrade device to the master update device; and enabling the user device to receive the status update from the master update device to determine a status of configuring the first access control reader.

8. The method claim 7, further comprising:providing the one or more configuration files from the user device to the master update device; and transmitting the one or more configuration files from the master update device to the first reader upgrade device in response to receiving the one or more configuration files from the user device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more configuration files are provided from the user device to the master update device via the Internet, and wherein the one or one or more configuration files are transmitted from the master update device to the first reader upgrade device via a Bluetooth connection.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the master update device communicates with multiple access control readers comprising the first access control reader, wherein each of the multiple access control readers receives one or more configuration files from a respective reader upgrade device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: establishing an additional communication session between a second reader upgrade device and a second access control reader of the multiple access control readers; receiving, by the second reader upgrade device via the first reader upgrade device, a set of configuration files; and sending at least a portion of the set of configuration files to the second access control reader via the additional communication session to configure the second access control reader.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first access control reader comprises a physical access control system (PACS) reader.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first access control reader comprises a logical access control system (LACS) reader.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication session comprises a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication session.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more configuration files comprise one or more firmware updates.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, by the first reader upgrade device, that the first access control reader has completed being configured based on the at least the portion of the one or more configuration files; and in response to determining that the first access control reader has completed being configured, establishing an additional communication session between the first reader upgrade device and a second access control reader.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: sending at least another portion of the one or more configuration files to the second access control reader via the additional communication session to configure the second access control reader.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first access control reader and the second access control reader are both within a Bluetooth communication range of the first upgrade device, and wherein the first access control reader and the second access control reader are beyond the Bluetooth communication range of the user device.

19. A system comprising: one or more processors coupled to a memory comprising non-transitory computer instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: establishing a communication session between a first reader upgrade device and a first access control reader; receiving, by the first reader upgrade device, one or more configuration files; sending at least a portion of the one or more configuration files to the first access control reader via the communication session to configure the first access control reader; and sending, from the first reader upgrade device to a user device, a status update associated with configuration of the first access control reader.

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: establishing a communication session between a first reader upgrade device and a first access control reader; receiving, by the first reader upgrade device, one or more configuration files; sending at least a portion of the one or more configuration files to the first access control reader via the communication session to configure the first access control reader; and sending, from the first reader upgrade device to a user device, a status update associated with configuration of the first access control reader.

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