EP0970443B1 - Key cabinet for equipping an access control system, and method and system for controlling access using this key cabinet - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a key cabinet (AC1) for equipping an access control system (1) comprising a plurality of devices for reading data associated with personal identification means (EI), means for managing access control including in particular decision making means for controlling access and means for preserving a trace of events which have occurred on this system, said cabinet (AC1) comprising means adapted (Ci, j) for receiving a set of keys (CL) and means (TL) for controlling access to these receiver means. Said cabinet (AC1) is connected to an access control system (1) by being inserted between a reading device and its controller. It further comprises means (CE1) for generating a virtual badge corresponding to any status change, said virtual badge being then transferred to the decision making means (SD). The invention is particularly applicable for equipping existing access control systems with a key cabinet.

Description

The present invention relates to a key cabinet for equip an access control system. She aims also a method and an access control system using this key cabinet.

In current access control systems, the management of access keys used by people empowered increasingly tends to include the control of access to one or more key cabinets. In effect, associated with a main access control by badge, a key cabinet is a useful addition to manage additional doors not managed by readers of badge. We already know, especially by the documents FR2721734 and FR2717932, installations for the selective distribution and for controlled recovery objects, especially keys.

Document US 5,038,023 discloses a system of storage and control of keys provided with barcode, in a controlled access drawer.

Document EP 0 097 538 discloses a system of management of a key panel, comprising means for memorize and successively read combinations and means of detecting the presence or absence of keys on the panel.

These installations make it possible to control and distribute keys that are kept locked on a distribution board and are only released after validation and authentication of a request for distribution. The key cabinets thus managed can be connected to a computer system and be associated with access and intrusion controls.

But when it comes to supplementing systems of existing access control, including security systems large size, it turns out to be difficult in practice to homogenize the data linked to movement monitoring of keys within a key cabinet with the flow of access control data generated and processed within a pre-existing access control system. The cabinet key is often seen as a peripheral specific and the data associated with it are also subject to specific treatment. This induces additional costs in terms of installation and writing specific interface software.

The object of the invention is to remedy these disadvantages by offering a key cabinet to equip an access control system comprising a plurality of reader devices for reading related information to means of personal identification, means controllers connected to each of these reader devices and to access control management means comprising in particular decision-making means for ordering access and means to keep track of events on this system, this cabinet comprising means adapted to receive a set of keys and means to detect any change of state keys contained in said cabinet.

According to the invention, this cabinet is arranged for be inserted between a reader device and the access control via the control means associated with this reader device and it further comprises means to generate a virtual badge corresponding to everything change of state, this virtual badge then being transferred to decision-making means.

Thus, a key cabinet according to the invention can be installed within an access control system existing by a simple insertion operation between a badge reader and controller. In addition, changes of state of the keys contained in this cabinet, by being made equivalent to virtual badges, go can be stored, archived and treated in the same way than any other event occurring on the access control. It is therefore no longer necessary to plan delicate adaptations of hardware and software when you want to install a key cabinet at within an access control system.

The access control means include preferably a personal means reader device of identification constituting a real badge and the cabinet to keys according to the invention further comprises means for transfer this real badge to decision-making means at within the access control system.

In a practical embodiment of the invention, the key receiving means include contacts to keys and state change detection means include means for examining the state of said key contacts. These key contacts are preferably arranged in a matrix form.

In a first embodiment of a cabinet with keys according to the invention further comprising a door with controlled opening, the means for controlling the opening of this door are located outside of said wardrobe.

In a second embodiment, means to control the opening of the cabinet door are directly integrated into it.

• des moyens d'identification personnelle détenus par un ensemble de personnes,
• une pluralité de dispositifs pour lire des informations transmises par les moyens d'identification,
• des moyens décisionnaires pour commander ou non un accès à une personne en réponse à une requête d'accès,
• des moyens pour conserver une trace de tout événement survenu sur ce système, et
• des moyens centraux pour gérer les contrôles et de demande d'accès.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is proposed a system for controlling access to sites or equipment, comprising:

• means of personal identification held by a group of people,
• a plurality of devices for reading information transmitted by the identification means,
• decision-making means for controlling or not controlling access to a person in response to an access request,
• means to keep track of any event occurring on this system, and
• central means to manage controls and access requests.

This access control system is characterized in that that it further comprises at least one key cabinet according to the invention, this key cabinet being connected to the insertion access control system between a identification means reading device personal and controller means associated with this reading device. It also includes means to sort among all the events whose trace is kept those concerning the associated reading device to the key cabinet.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, it is proposed an access control method implemented in the system according to the invention, comprising a test of personal identification detected to control access to the keys contained in the cabinet keys according to the invention, characterized in that it comprises furthermore a scan of key contacts, a generation a virtual badge number corresponding to a change status of a key, and a transfer of this virtual badge to decision-making means.

If means of identification are detected personal, the method according to the invention comprises in in addition to a transfer of a real badge associated with these means personal identification towards means makers.

In addition, a control system operator can easily sort among all events occurring on the system and kept at the level means of managing access control, events associated with virtual badges issued from a cabinet keys according to the invention.

• la figure 1 est un schéma synoptique d'un premier mode de réalisation d'une armoire à clés selon l'invention ;
• la figure 1A illustre schématiquement l'insertion d'une armoire à clés selon l'invention entre une tête de lecture et une carte contrôleur reliée à un système de contrôle d'accès;
• la figure 2 est un schéma synoptique d'un second mode de réalisation d'une armoire à clés selon l'invention;
• la figure 3 est un organigramme illustrant les étapes essentielles du fonctionnement du premier mode de réalisation d'une armoire à clés selon l'invention ;
• la figure 4 est un organigramme illustrant les étapes essentielles du fonctionnement du second mode de réalisation d'une armoire à clés selon l'invention.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the description below. In the appended drawings given by way of nonlimiting examples:

• Figure 1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of a key cabinet according to the invention;
• FIG. 1A schematically illustrates the insertion of a key cabinet according to the invention between a read head and a controller card connected to an access control system;
• Figure 2 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of a key cabinet according to the invention;
• Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the essential steps in the operation of the first embodiment of a key cabinet according to the invention;
• Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating the essential steps in the operation of the second embodiment of a key cabinet according to the invention.

We will now describe examples of implementation a key cabinet according to the invention, with reference to aforementioned figures.

In a first embodiment illustrated in figure 1, an access control system 1 according to the invention includes AC1 key cabinet, equipment ED decision maker in communication with a SP configuration, and a set of badges or equipment EI identification allowing access to the key cabinet AC1. This contains an MC matrix device comprising a set of key contacts Ci, j designed to receive a set of CL keys, a device CE1 electronics designed to manage a TL badge reader or more generally a means of detection or decoding, to analyze the status of key contacts using a SC scanning circuit, and to communicate with ED decision-making equipment.

More generally, as illustrated in FIG. 1A, a AC key cabinet according to the invention can be inserted between a TL reader device and a controller CE electronics associated with this reader device and connected to an SD decision-making system.

ED decision-making equipment receives from the CL key cabinet for signals from a CL keyboard, a tamper contact signal CS, a control signal CP door (rebate contact, latch bottom), and in return delivers an opening command signal of CO door, BZ buzzer signal, control signals VO indicators, AF display control signals. he also receives a signal from a push button BP and generates an SA alarm signal.

In a second embodiment illustrated in figure 2 in which the elements common to FIG. 1 have common references, the access control system 2 according to the invention comprises an AC2 key cabinet comprising an electronic device CE2 ensuring, in addition to key management and TL badge reader, supply of door opening control signals CO, BZ buzzer, VO indicator control, control AF display, control alarms SA, and receives input signals from keyboard CL, contact sabotage CS and CP door contact and push button BP. The CE2 electronic device is in communication with an SD decision-making system.

We will now describe the operation of the AC1 key cabinet with reference to the organization chart of the Figure 3 and the block diagram of Figure 1. After a key cabinet equipment initialization phase, a reading test of a real badge by the TL reader is made. If an actual badge is actually read, that badge is transferred by the electronic management device CE1 to decision-making equipment which, after processing this badge, emits a CO command signal to open the AC1 key cabinet door.

Permanent scanning of key contacts Ci, j is produced by the electronic management device CE1 until a change of state is noted on a or more of the key contacts Ci, j. If that is the case, CE1 electronic management equipment generates a number of virtual badge corresponding to the action detected on a key, memorizes only the state of the key processed, then transfer this virtual badge to the decision-making equipment ED.

In the second embodiment of a system of access control according to the invention, the operation of which is illustrated in figure 4, after transfer of a real badge or virtual to the SD decision-making system, a test acceptance of this badge is made. If this badge is accepted, a request to activate an automation linked to an agreement (indicator, command) is issued. In the case on the contrary, a request to activate an automation linked to a rejection (indicator, buzzer) is issued. It should be noted that the process implemented in this embodiment includes also input-output management.

Because the system according to the invention generates virtual badges each time a state changes from a key to within the key cabinet, it becomes very easy to perform follow-up on events and manage key movements within existing access control systems since it is enough to select the reader of the cabinet to keys to get the entire chronology of actions performed on the key cabinet. We thus obtain the list continuously updating key movements and corresponding borrowers. It is also possible to define selective access rights and detect any unauthorized taking of keys. We can also foresee that the key cabinet according to the invention is provided with key locking devices for control their removal.

A key cabinet according to the invention can thus manage a large fleet of keys and provides time stamp of all movements (taking and delivery of keys) by identifying the borrower. In practice, a key cabinet according to the invention is powered by the mains and has a backup battery. She can for example be connected to the system management center access control by an RS485 type link, or in the case of remote systems, via a modem by a link telecommunications, including the telephone network switched.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples which have just been described and numerous arrangements can be brought to these examples without departing from the framework of the invention. Thus, the number of keys checked at within a key cabinet according to the invention can be any. The output and input devices of electronic management devices and equipment may be different from those who have just been described. In addition, we can plan that a key cabinet according to the invention can be provided locks for keys contained in the wardrobe.

Claims (13)

1. Key cabinet (AC1, AC2) for equipping an access control system (1, 2) comprising a plurality of devices for reading data associated with personal identification means (EI), controller means connected to each of said reader devices and to access control management means in particular comprising decision making means for controlling accesses and means for retaining a trace of the events occurring in this system, this cabinet (AC1, AC2) comprising means (Ci,j) adapted to receive a set of keys (CL) and means (SC, CE1, CE2) for detecting any change in state of the keys contained in said cabinet (AC1, AC2), characterized in that this cabinet (AC1, AC2) is arranged to be inserted between a reader device and said access control system (1, 2) via the controller means associated with said reader and in that it furthermore comprises means (CE1, CE2) for generating a virtual badge number corresponding to any change of state, this virtual badge then being transferred to decision making means (ED, SD).
2. Key cabinet (AC1, AC2, according to Claim 1, characterized in that its access control means comprise a device (TL) for reading personal identification means (EI) constituting a real badge and in that it furthermore comprises means for transferring this real badge to decision making means (ED, SD) within the access control system (1, 2).
3. Key cabinet (AC1, AC2) according to Claim 2, characterized in that the key receiving means comprise key contacts (Ci,j) and in that the change of state detection means comprise means (SC) for examining the state of said key contacts (Ci,j).
4. Key cabinet (AC1, AC2) according to Claims 3,
   characterized in that the key contacts (Ci,j) are arranged in a matrix pattern.
5. Key cabinet (AC1, AC2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it furthermore comprises means (CE1, CE2) for storing the state of each key related to a change of state.
6. Key cabinet (AC1) according to any one of the preceding claims, furthermore comprising a door with controlled opening, characterized in that the means (ED) of controlling the opening of this door are located outside of said cabinet (AC1).
7. Key cabinet according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, furthermore comprising a door with controlled opening, characterized in that it furthermore comprises means (CE2) of controlling the opening of this door.
8. System (1, 2) for the control of access to sites or equipments, comprising:

   personal identification means (EI) held by a number of persons,

   a plurality of devices for reading information transmitted by the personal identification means,

   decision making means (ED, SD) for commanding or not commanding access for a person in response to an access request,

   means for retaining a trace of any event occurring in this system, and

   central means for managing the controls and of access request

   characterized in that it furthermore comprises at least one key cabinet (AC1, AC2) according to any one of the preceding claims, said key cabinet (AC1, AC2) being connected to the access control system (1, 2) by insertion between a personal identification means reader device and the controller means that are associated with said reader device.
9. System (1, 2) according to Claim 8, characterized in that it furthermore comprises means for sorting, from among all of the events whose traces are retained, those events relating to the reader device associated with the key cabinet.
10. Access control method used in the system according to one of Claims 8 or 9, comprising a test for the detection of personal identification means carried out in order to control access to the keys contained in the key cabinet according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it furthermore comprises an examination of key contacts, a generation of a virtual badge number corresponding to a change in state of a key, and a transfer of this virtual badge to the decision making means.
11. Method according to Claim 10, characterized in that it furthermore comprises a step of acceptance of the transferred virtual badge by the decision making means.
12. Method according to one of Claims 10 or 11, characterized in that it furthermore comprises, in the case of detection of personal identification means, a transfer of a real badge associated with these personal identification means to the decision making means.
13. Method according to Claim 12, characterized in that it furthermore comprises a sort, from among all the events that have occurred in the system and that are retained in the access control management means, of events associated with the virtual badges issued from a key cabinet according to any one of Claims 1 to 7.

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