EP4217978A1

EP4217978A1 - Access system with an electronical lock

Info

Publication number: EP4217978A1
Application number: EP21794466.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Søren CHRISTENSEN; Lars Struwe CHRISTENSEN; Karl Hansen
Original assignee: Urban Development Technologies Aps
Current assignee: Urban Development Technologies Aps
Priority date: 2020-09-28
Filing date: 2021-09-28
Publication date: 2023-08-02
Also published as: WO2022063380A1

Abstract

An access system (100) with an electronically unlockable door or gate and a method of granting access thereto using such access system. The access system (100) with a door or gate having an electronic lock (110) being responsive to switch between a locked and an unlocked state based on a signal, the access system further comprising: a connection panel (140) with encoded instructions being electronically readable in a non-touch manner, the connection panel thereby providing for an electronic visitor device (50) different from the connection panel (140) that reads the connection panel (140) a prompt to transmit a request signal through a private/public network, a processor (131) adapted to receive said request signal through a first channel (101) from said visitor device (50), a resident database (180) storing a resident profile (181) having a predetermined association to one or more resident devices (60) different from the electronic tag (140) and the visitor device (50), where in response to receiving a request signal through the first channel (101), the processor is programmed to: receive sensor data from said visitor device (50) through said first channel (101) to identify a visitor, and based on data in the request signal, select the resident profile (181) and transmit a call signal to one or more of the residents devices (60) through a different, second channel (102) through a private/public network, and transmit said sensor data through the second channel (102) to one or more of the residents devices (60), receive, from one or more of the residents devices (60) over the second channel (102), a verification signal, prompting the processor to transmit an operate signal through a third channel (103) being different from the first (101) and second channels (102), to said electronic lock to change its state among at least locked and unlocked.

Description

ACCESS SYSTEM WITH AN ELECTRONICAL LOCK

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

An access system with an electronically unlockable door or gate and a method of granting access thereto using such access system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Dwelling locks and keys are an ancient technology that has principally seen little improvement until the advent of digital technologies. Today, electronically controllable door locks are used to allow visitors access through front doors of apartment buildings by use of a buzzer panel on the street next to the front door to call the resident, and a phone with a button that opens the front door in each apartment I dwelling which the resident presses - in principle when the visitor is verified by the resident.

This solution presents many disadvantages. For one, each door still needs its own key, and residents end up with a plurality of keys, losing of which is very expensive.

Receiving deliveries in the middle of the day is very difficult and often for practicality they are left on the doorsteps or returned to a service point for retrieval because delivery operator cannot access dwellings. Even getting into apartment buildings can often involve buzzing all apartments and hoping someone opens the front door. There is a trade-off between the practicality of receiving packages conveniently, and security of preventing unwanted visitors. Many residents are buzzer-fatigued and will risk opening for an intruder in the apartment building to avoid the continued noise of the buzzer, and because authenticating the visitor though the buzzer system is practically impossible.

Some of the issues have been attempted to be solved by providing RFID-tags, HID- tags and other electronic key-like devices as keys and having an appertaining reader on the doors. However, installing these requires a power line to the reader which must sit on the outside to read the tag. The security of such a solution may be lower since the electronics to unlock the door sits at least partially on the outside.

Therefore, there is a need for an improved access system. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an aspect of the invention, there is provided an access system with a door or gate having an electronic lock being responsive to switch between a locked and an unlocked state based on a signal, the access system further comprising: a connection panel with encoded instructions being electronically readable in a nontouch manner, the connection panel thereby providing for an electronic visitor device different from the connection panel that reads the connection panel a prompt to transmit a request signal through a private/public network, a processor adapted to receive said request signal through a first channel from said visitor device, a resident database storing a resident profile having a predetermined association to one or more resident devices different from the electronic tag and the visitor device, where in response to receiving a request signal through the first channel, the processor is programmed to: receive sensor data from said visitor device through said first channel to identify a visitor, and based on data in the request signal, select the resident profile and transmit a call signal to one or more of the residents devices through a different, second channel through a private/public network, and transmit said sensor data through the second channel to one or more of the residents devices, receive, from one or more of the residents devices over the second channel, a verification signal, prompting the processor to transmit an operate signal through a third channel being different from the first and second channels, to said electronic lock to change its state among at least locked and unlocked.

The invention may be viewed as an loT (Internet of Things) soft- and hardware platform with a range of innovative use cases, among these a novel way of thinking access control, e.g. door phones and gate openers. The platform has a wide potential and targets a range of related applications such as metering, security, monitoring, remote access control etc.

As an example, access control and other control systems will benefit significantly from the invention’s ’’zero touch trigger” design paradigm. Hygiene (corona virus being one example), privacy/security (no traces left), convenience (hands free to do other tasks), maintenance (“zero touch” communications panels are significantly cheaper to manufacture and install than powered panels and especially much less expensive than panels with displays) to name a few. The solution according to the invention is targeted at providing such an end-to-end “zero touch” solution where the only device a user needs to physically touch is their own personal computing device (such as smartphones, smartwatches or similar), all resulting actions (opening doors, reading a meter, identification etc.) are implemented without a need for physical contact.

Furthermore, the inventive solution enables ‘cross domain administration’ across administrative boundaries supporting users’ access to resources in many domains such as different residential and/or commercial or office buildings, hotels, garages etc. Hence, one user can easily be given access to many access system installations without jeopardizing security (i.e. authentication and authorization).

The term resident as used herein means the user of the access system who has been authenticated into the system. Hence, the resident can be e.g. a person, a company, an organization, URL's or call centers. The resident typically is the owner or tenant at the specific location of the door or gate being controlled by the access system.

Resident devices and visitor devices can be any type of electronic devices that can facilitate communication over a public and/or private network(s) and transmit or receive sensor, lock and other data. Smartphones and smartwatches are the most obvious candidate type of device, although tablets, laptops, workstations and other types of devices may be used as well.

When the visitor device reads the connection panel, it is essentially provided with an address link that it is prompted to go to through an internet browser, or a dedicated app installed on the smart-phone/watch. The address could be on the servers where the computing device is placed, and each connection panel identifies itself through the request signal. This is easily done by appending an identifier where the landing page is unique for each connection panel. In the specification, request, request signal and uplink are all used to describe the discussed request signal.

A resident can also use the system and/or method as described to access their own residence(s). It is easy to envision that using the connection panels of the invention, a resident will simply place their devices such as smartphones next to the connection panels and the request signal will be sent to the computing device and then be returned to the same device. Although no separate visitor device is present in such a case, the invention still facilitates the use case, and as such increase convenience for residents.

All the communication to and from the processor is cloud coupled. The processor is a server and there is no direct communication between the visitor device and the door lock.

Due to the centralized nature of the access system of the present invention, access to any connected door or gate can be granted based on any combination of time, location and date to any visitor. For instance, calendar entries can be pre-planned with access to visitors at specific dates and time, or one-time or repeated time-based accesses.

In an aspect of the invention, there is provided an access system with a door or gate having an electronic lock being responsive to switch between a locked and an unlocked state based on a signal, the access system further comprising: a connection panel with encoded instructions being electronically readable in a nontouch manner, the connection panel thereby providing for an electronic visitor device different from the connection panel that reads the connection panel a prompt to transmit a request signal through a private/public network, a processor adapted to receive said request signal through a first channel from said visitor device, a resident database storing a resident profile having a predetermined association to one or more resident devices different from the electronic tag and the visitor device, where in response to receiving a request signal through the first channel, the processor is programmed to: receive sensor data from said visitor device through said first channel to identify a visitor, and based on data in the request signal, select the resident profile and transmit a call signal to one or more of the residents devices through a different, second channel through a private/public network, and transmit said sensor data through the second channel to one or more of the residents devices, receive, from one or more of the residents devices over the second channel, a verification signal, prompting the processor to transmit an operate signal through a third channel being different from the first and second channels, to said electronic lock to change its state among at least locked and locked.

In an embodiment the access system comprises a plurality of doors and gates each having an electronic lock. In an embodiment the visitor is a pre-registered authenticated visitor or an unknown visitor.

In an embodiment the visitor is a physical person, a robot or a drone.

In an embodiment, the visitor device and the resident device may be the same device. In another embodiment no panel is needed, and the resident communicates via the computing device with whatever local locking means or similar there might be present.

In the context of this invention the term “panel” is meant a physical object, preferably of a flat shape. It can have the general shape of a credit/debit card or be as small as a penny or as large as desired. The panel may be installed for each electronically unlockable door or gate.

One of the advantages of the invention is how inexpensive these panels may be. An acrylic sheet, a cardboard sheet or, a sticker, is enough to provide the embedded instructions being electronically readable.

By embedded instructions that is electronically readable is meant that the panel has both a readable medium, such as an NFC/RFID antenna, and a local storage means having the instructions stored I encoded, such as on an NFC/RFID chip, or some kind of machine readable symbol or figure, e.g. QR code, barcode or similar.

By channel is meant a channel for electronic communication. When two devices interact, they establish a channel to communicate to each other.

By identifying the visitor using the sensor data (such as video, audio etc.) the resident is allowed to use their senses to identify and thus sensorially verify that the visitor is indeed a desired visitor.

In a preferred embodiment, the visitor and/or the resident is a natural person.

The specification describes electronically unlockable doors, and uses different terms to describe these, such as electronically lockable doors, electronically unlockable door locks and electronically lockable door locks. All of these terms describe the same parts. Where a door is electronically unlockable this means that an electrical signal can be sent to the door to unlock it, which is conventionally implemented through an electronic lock.

In the context of this invention, it is to be understood that the terms “door or gate” covers other types of entry/exit points also, such as ports, sliding ports, rolling ports, entries, openings, hatches, and access points, that a person would want to be able to open.

When a private/public network is mentioned, the skilled person understands this to entail networks like the internet and telecom networks. It is not customary for access systems to route through the internet or telecom networks.

In an embodiment, public network comprises at least the internet.

In an embodiment, public network comprises at least a telecom network.

In an embodiment, the resident device is part of the access system.

The connection panel may use any uplink technologies. RFID-tags, NFC-chips/tags, QR-codes and Bluetooth are examples of useful technologies. An important distinction in the invention is that the connection panel is the tag to be read and not the reader. This is opposite what is conventionally used with RFID-chip doors, and the rest of the system and/or method then becomes markedly different as well.

In an embodiment, the connection panel has NFC-chip and/or QR-code and/or a phone number to call. Thereby the connection panel is very versatile and may facilitate different types of access for conceptually all visitors.

In an embodiment the access system of the present invention comprises multiple connection panels.

In an embodiment the connection panel is non-powered. In another embodiment the connection panel is inductively powered (Energy harvesting). In another embodiment the connection panel is self-powered (battery and/or solar power). In another embodiment the connection panel is battery powered.

In an embodiment, the connection panel is self-powered through the reading process or non-powered. RFID-tags and NFC-tags/chips are inductively powered by the reading process while QR-codes and similar are non-powered. In an embodiment, the connection panel is placed within 10 meters of the relevant door, preferred within 5 meters and more preferred within 1 meter.

In an embodiment, the system further comprises an embedded device having a remote communications unit for receiving the operate signal from the processor and a microprocessor that selects an electronically lockable door based on the operate signal from among one and preferably at least two electronically lockable doors, and transmits a control signal to the selected door lock.

Thereby differentiated control and further embedded devices can be integrated into the access system in an effective manner while keeping costs low and installation easy.

In an embodiment, the sensor data is live sensor data, preferably at least a microphone/audio feed. In an embodiment the sensor data comprises a camera feed/video signal.

Thereby the inspection element has a high quality and inspection is eased for the resident. In an embodiment the devices exchange microphone and/or camera feed data, so that the visitor also hears/sees the resident.

In an embodiment, the system further comprises one of:

- a visitor sensor located in the behind and in the vicinity of said door, where the networked access system is set up to turn on the visitor sensor when the door is unlocked using the system, and

- an environmental sensor located behind said door set up to continually monitor at least one environmental parameter and where the networked system is set up to unlock the door and/or produce an alert to the resident device when the sensor readings pass a certain threshold.

Thereby extra safety features are achieved that may identify suspicious behavior or open doors in case of an emergency. Environmental sensors can be of types sensing smoke, fire, flood, earthquake, or other types of disaster related sensor data. In an embodiment, interrogation of the connection panel is self-powered by either the electronic reading or by the connection being non-powered.

Thereby the panel is incredibly inexpensive and durable.

In an embodiment, the processor is programmed to receive a termination signal from the resident device, preferably as well as the verification signal, where a termination signal ends the connection without granting access through the door.

Thereby it is assured that access is not granted automatically but needs resident approval, in contrast to other types of access systems.

In an embodiment, if a visitor device transmits an authorisation token through the first channel as well as the request signal, the processer is programmed to assess whether the resident profile has been pre-associated with the authorization token and where if the resident profile is pre-associated with the authorization token, an access rule scheme is used that transmits an operate signal through the third channel.

Thereby third parties can gain special access, such as package delivery companies. These may have special pre-authorized tokens that allow them to bypass the human verification part of the system. In an embodiment, the authorization token is combined with another requirement such as a timeslot so that it does not grant access at all times, but for example only in working hours.

In an embodiment, reading the connection panel transmits a plurality of residents to the visitor device, and where selecting one of the residents transmits the request signal.

Thereby the visitor is presented with a digital buzzer panel. By digitizing the buzzer panel, it can be instantly and freely updated when residents move in and out. The connection panel thus obviates the traditional buzzer panel.

In an embodiment, the computing device has a plurality of administrator interfaces, where a first administrator interface allows administrating access privileges and resident devices for a resident profile for a given number of doors, and another administrator interface provides creating and deleting resident profiles from the resident database, as well as provide and revoke access privileges for specific electronically unlockable doors to resident profiles for plurality of doors that is not the full list of doors connected to the networked access system.

Thereby access control to the systems are given in hierarchical fashion. Residents are the first type of administrators where a family parent may provide authorized devices for the rest of the family through such administrator interface, while building administrators may have additional access to more doors and residents, but still not to buildings and dwellings that they do not oversee. A third type that is not these types is the developer who could have total access.

In an embodiment the access system (100) has all the electronics of the system installed out of harms way from visitors and bystanders, i.e. behind locked and secured area.

In another embodiment the access system (100) has the connection panel (140) as the only system component exposed outside of the protected area, e.g. a QR code or the like.

Hence, the access system is therefore far less prone to electronics hacking and magnetics hacking unlike the majority of alternative solutions available.

In an aspect the invention relates to a method comprising:

- a visitor approaching an electronically unlockable door being responsive to switch between an open and a closed state based on an electronic signal,

- the visitor providing a visitor device into close proximity to a connection panel with encoded instructions being electronically readable in a non-touch manner, the connection panel prompting the electronic visitor device different from the connection panel to transmit a request signal through a public/private network,

- receiving, by a processor said request signal through a first channel from said visitor device,

- the visitor device, on prompting, transmitting sensor data through said first channel to said processor to uniquely identify the visitor, - based on connection panel identifying data in the request signal, select a resident profile in a resident database a having a predetermined association to a resident device different from the electronic tag and the visitor device,

- transmit a call signal to the resident device through a different, second channel through a public network, and transmit said sensor data through the second channel to one or more of the resident devices,

- one or more of the resident devices transmitting over the second channel a verification signal indicative of a verified visitor, and

- the processor transmitting an operate signal through a third channel being different from the first and second channels, to said electronically unlockable door to change its state among at least locked and unlocked.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following, example embodiments are described according to the invention, where

Fig. 1 conceptually illustrates an access system of an embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 2 shows the network connections of an access system of an embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 3 is a diagram of the computing device according to an embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 4 is a diagram of the embedded device according to the invention, and

Fig. 5 illustrates an access system according to an embodiment of the invention used for multi-dwelling access control.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following the invention is described in detail through embodiments hereof that should not be thought of as limiting to the scope of the invention.

Fig. 1 conceptually illustrates an access system 100 of an embodiment of the invention. The access system 100 comprises an electronically lockable door 110 connected to an embedded device 120, a computing device 130 and a connection panel 140. It is common for residents to need to grant third party access to their houses, garages or other spaces. When a visitor approaches a dwelling 1 having an access system 100 of the invention, he is presented with a connection panel 140.

The connection panel 140 can conveniently inform the visitor that he may interact with it, such as by iconography. An interactive QR-code, or an NFC readable device may be used to make it clear to the visitor that it can help facilitate granting access. The connection panel 140 also has actual connection means such as a QR-code, an NFC-chip or it may use other means like Bluetooth beacon. It is preferred that the connection panel 140 provides multiple such connection uplinks to allow a wider visitor pool to use the connection panel 140. In a preferable embodiment, the connection panel is powerless, interrogation-powered, battery powered, or mains powered.

In any case, the visitor then uses a visitor device 50 to receive uplink instructions from the connection panel 140. By interacting with the connection panel such as interrogating it or reading a QR-code or similar thereon, the visitor device is provided with a public/private network address to access.

This prompts the visitor device 50 to make a connection request to the computing device 130 through a first channel 101 . The visitor device 50 is prompted for sensor data, such as microphone and/or a live camera feed produced by the visitor device 50 front camera 51.

The request further informs the computing device 130 which dwelling 1 and/or lockable door 110 the visitor interacts with. This allows the computing device 130 to provide a connection to one or more of the resident device(s) 60. The resident device(s) 60 thus receives a notification I call signal through a second channel 102. Computing device 130 might be implemented as a network of computing devices, or a virtual computing instance.

The call signal comprises the sensor data, which the resident device(s) 60 then presents to the resident(s) as an inspection element 63. Depending on what the inspection element 63 shows to the resident(s), the resident(s) can then send an access signal or a termination signal to the computing device 130 by selecting corresponding access button 61 or termination button 62. If the resident presses the termination button 62, the resident device 60 transmits a termination signal to terminate the connection I session and nothing more happens relating to the lockable door 110.

If one of the residents presses the access button 61 on their specific device, the resident device 60 transmits an operate signal to the computing device 130. The computing device 130 then transmits an operate signal to the embedded device 120 through a third channel 103. The embedded device 120 receives and deciphers the signal, and transmits a signal to unlock the lockable door 110.

The electronically lockable door can have other electronic access systems, and the system of the invention can conceptually be retrofitted onto any electronically controlled doors or other access granting objects.

There are a multitude of benefits derived from the system. For example, the connection panel is non-touch, which improves durability and sanitation, especially beneficial where different visitors would otherwise interact with pushbuttons or electronic panels. This helps prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Furthermore, the connection panel can be inexpensive due to the low cost of uplink technologies such as QR-codes, NFC-chips, RFID-tags or Bluetooth beacons and so on.

The resident(s) can receive the request signal anywhere e.g. at home or at work, and can thus grant access to package delivery from their location, or grant access to a guest without walking to a door and pressing a buzzer, e.g. elder care or physically challenged residents.

Even further, an uplink I request may present a visitor with a list of residents to choose from before the request signal is transmitted, which obviates traditional resident plaques I panels. These are traditionally a hassle to maintain, and it is common to see beautifully carved brushed brass panels with stickers on top when new residents move in. Further such panels might display different information depending on time of day, day of the week etc, and may further enhance certain entries (e.g. business entries) during at certain times.

Using an access system of the invention, the connection panel can be designed into any form that the resident wishes, and because it holds no transitory information, it does not become obsolete over time. Maintaining accurate information over time does then not come at the cost of designing new panels. Instead, a digital list of current residents is simply updated. Therefore, the aesthetics of fagades is also improved over time and/or cost of maintain the access system is reduced.

The cost of maintaining the access system is further reduced because there are no physical keys to lose. The residents can also open the doors for themselves, and as such do not need physical keys or separate electronic RFID-based keys.

Retrofitting the access system 100 to an existing electronically controlled door requires installing the embedded device 120 somewhere behind the door, such as in a basement, powering the embedded device 120 and connecting it electrically to the already installed door systems. A single embedded device can be used with a plurality of doors as well.

Fig. 2 shows the network architecture of an access system of an embodiment of the invention. One installation of the system is shown with solid lines, while other implementations are shown with dashed lines and numbers followed by an ‘n’ such as connection panel 140 and connection panel 140n.

A plurality of unique connection panels 140 are installed in various locations, each preferably in close proximity to an electronically lockable door 110 to which the connection panel 140 is associated at installation.

Each connection panel has one or more uplink means in the form of a QR-code, an NFC-chip, an RFID-tag, a Bluetooth beacon or similar non-touch means. In any regard, any uplink means, when interrogated by an electronic visitor device, provides an uplink. The uplink comprises a connection request to the computing device as well as a unique identifier that identifies the connection panel and thus the associated door(s) as well.

The access system further comprises a plurality of resident profiles each with one or more resident devices 60 registered. A resident profile corresponds to a household, and a household may have a plurality of resident devices 60 associated. When a visitor makes a connection request, one or more of all the resident devices 60 are selected. Selected resident devices 60 receive the connection request. This allows visitors to be granted access even as long as just one of the residents respond on one of their registered devices.

Administration interfaces 150 allow modifying the relationships between devices and electronically unlockable doors. Preferably, there is provided a resident profile administration interface 151. The resident profile administration interface is controlled by a resident, and such a resident then associates and disassociates devices with the access privileges of the specific residence. This includes giving access to users living in or associated with the residence and selecting, if applicable, which access schemes and third-party certificates are used and when. For residences that are rented and where several residences share common facilities, a facility administrator further preferable has a facility administration interface 152. This is useful in hotels, student residences, apartment buildings, and other situations like this. The facility administration interface allows creation of resident profiles as well as associating them with specific panel identifiers.

A plurality of embedded devices 120 are installed at various locations. Conveniently, an embedded device per building can be used. In apartment buildings, a single embedded device 120 can be used and signal wires or wireless solutions can be routed to the relevant doors.

Although the architecture is shown with networked components 110, 120, 140, 150 overlaid, the access system 100 shown effectively facilitates individualised access to a plurality of residents with each their own dwellings. A principally unlimited number of electronically unlockable doors 110n can be connected to their specific relevant resident and visitor devices though the access system 100 as shown with connection panels 140n, embedded devices 120n, resident devices 60n and administrator interfaces 150n.

Fig. 3 is a diagram of the computing device 130 according to an embodiment of the invention. The computing device 130 has a processor 131 which performs the calculations needed for the system and method of the invention and one or more remote connections elements 132.

The computing device has a secure database 180 with data relating to the access system 100. The database has data securely stored relating to resident profiles 181 , linked devices 182 and at least one panel identifier 185. The linked devices 182 are resident devices connected to a resident profile.

The resident profiles 181 are each associated with linked devices 182 and preferably further visitor logs 183, access schemes 184 and/or third-party certificates 186.

The profiles and logs are locally cached/stored in the secure database, but their master storage is in the database(s) associated with the cloud computing element e.g. 130 in Fig. 2.

On receiving a connection request through the first channel 101 , the processor 131 is programmed to identify a unique panel identifier 185 as part of the request. This unique panel identifier 185 maps the connection request to one or more resident profile(s) 181 . The resident profiles 181 is then used to identify one or more relevant linked devices 182 to be contacted, and the processor 131 then transmits a call signal through the second channel 102 to one or more resident devices. Said signal can either be directly transmitted to the client devices, but is typically transmitted through a sequence of systems and services in an indirect manner. Either way is for the purposes of this disclosure considered a transmission.

The database 180 also has instructions for the computing device 130 as to how to facilitate the access session between the visitor device and resident device. This is stored as an access scheme 184, and may be adapted per resident profile 181 . For example, the session may involve video and audio as inspection element. Where there is an internet data limit, other session schemes may be used, such as taking an image or only using audio, or using an image with audio.

In an embodiment, the computing device also generates visitor logs 183 associated with a lockable door, resident profile and/or access session. When sensor data is received through the first channel, some of the sensor data is then stored for later inspection. This can take the shape of a timestamp and an image for later reference. A visitor log may be useful to find out who visited prior to things going missing or to find a shortlist of suspects in other situations, which may be useful especially in apartment buildings. The computing device 130 may use various image processing algorithms to find the most useful image from a video feed. Such data manipulation will be known to the skilled person. The computing device 130 may delegate the actual processing to a cloud element, in principle similar to 130 in Fig. 2.

In an embodiment, the access system also comprises access rules as part of an access scheme 184. Thereby, if certain conditions are met, the system performs as hitherto described. If other conditions are met, such as the time of day being between 8:00 and 16:00, the connection request is automatically accepted by the computing device 130. Thereby it is not necessary to call a resident device for every visitor. The computing device 130 may delegate the actual decision to a cloud element, in principle similar to 130 in Fig. 2.

In an embodiment, the database comprises third party certificates 186. Certain third parties may gain authorised access across a range of electronically lockable doors through the access system 100. These certified third parties have third party certificates stored in the computing device 130. When a certificate 186 is transmitted along the first channel 101 along with the request signal, access can be granted if the resident profile is pre-associated with the third-party certificate 186. This preassociation is effectively a pre-accepted access. The third-party certificates 186 may have different access schemes 184. For example, while they may be granted resident-free access, they may need to provide sensor data for a visitor log 183, provide credentials be use of a special code-bearing application on their visitor device. Alternatively, the certification of the third party can be granted by providing a code along with the request signal instead of / in addition to connecting through to a resident device. For example, shipping companies may have access through certain doors which may significantly speed up their delivery and thus performance, something that is notoriously important in that business.

Firefighters and paramedics may also be granted third party certificates 186. For example, either between an emergency call and arrival, or as a certificate that is ‘always active’ for some I all doors. Additionally, instead of having certain unlimited access privileges, these third-party certificates 186 can be dependent on timeslots, proximity to a certificate component of a firefighter truck or ambulance.

Caretakers of the elderly can likewise be granted such third-party certificate 186, such that a team of caretakers can provide care without the handover of physical keys. The computing device 130 may delegate the storage of certificates and associated decision to a cloud element, in principle similar to 130 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a diagram of the embedded device 120 according to the invention. The embedded device 120 is adapted to receive an operate signal from the computing device (not shown) over the third channel first part 103A, and transmit, among others, an electrical operate signal to an electrically controlled door lock nearby the embedded device through a third channel second part 103B. The embedded device can conveniently be placed in a basement, a server room, a utility room, or in another tamper-free zone. It can be hidden away from plain sight as well in this way. It can of course also be located nearby a door, which may be useful for single-door implementations.

The embedded device 120 has one or more remote communication units 121 for receiving operate signals from the computing device (not shown), a microprocessor 122 instructed to receive and generate signals, and one or more local action interfaces 123 connected to an electrically unlockable door (not shown).

The remote communications unit 121 is preferably a cable-interfacing unit for use stability, and can be any convenient interfacing means. For example, the remote communications unit 121 can be a networking card/interface with an ethernet port for receiving an ethernet cable, assuming that the associated door is also connected to the ethernet. Similarly, more complicated network connections shall be considered similarly to a wired connection, as shall wireless connections. The embedded device 120 has a microprocessor 122 instructed to receive signals from the remote communications units 121 and produce actions on the local communication interfaces, such as an electrical operate signal.

Depending on the implementation, the microprocessor 122 may perform other functions as well. A typical task performed by the microprocessor 122 for a given operate signal is to parse data in the operate signal received from the computing device to identify which specific door to unlock, which corresponds for the embedded device to specific local action interfaces 123.

In an embodiment, the microprocessor 122 also verifies that the incoming operate signal is authenticated with a signature from a trusted resident profile / authority by checking against a stored list of signatures. This prevents malicious third parties from gaining access to a residence through intercepting signals in the first or second channels.

The local action interfaces 123 connects to a number of control wires 124 that connects to controllable devices such as electronically unlockable doors (not shown). For example, a number of control wires 124 connects from the local action interface to a corresponding number of electronically unlockable doors. Thereby the microcontroller parses a received operate signal, identifies a relevant door to operate and transmits a device appropriate signal through a pre-specified terminal to a control wire connected to the intended door.

In an embodiment, the embedded device further has one or more local communication units 124 for connecting to other embedded devices or loT devices. This connection can be wireless or wired. For example, these connectable devices may be digital thermostats, lights, etc. By providing a connection between the embedded device and local embedded devices or loT devices, home automation may be connected to access control in a mesh networked manner. This is especially useful where the resident is not at home when a visitor arrives. Many automated homes are very difficult for strangers to operate and are essentially dependent on the most tech-savvy resident to be properly maintained.

By connecting the home automation with the control system of the invention, such tech savvy resident can prepare the home for a visitor by turning on the lights or turning up a thermostat.

Fig. 5 illustrates a variety of implementations of the access system according to an embodiment of the invention used for multi-dwelling access control.

Three apartment buildings 2, 3, 4 are placed side-by-side. A gated backyard is shared by the buildings (not shown).

A first apartment building 2 has a visitor sensor 251 that is connected to the embedded device 220 behind the front door 210A and oriented towards the front door 210A. When the front door 210A is unlocked by the access system, the embedded device also activates the visitor sensor 251 to produce an image or preferably video of the front door 210A. This sensor data is stored for later use, such as by transmitting it to the computing device to be stored in the visitor log for the specific front door 210A, or to a cloud storage facility. Preferably the log is also associated with relevant resident profile. Additionally, one or more motion sensing devices may be used to trigger a similar action to an unlock and thereby provide images of people leaving the building. This allows identifying all visitors to a building even when visitors manage to enter without using video as inspection element. This may reduce cost of insurance policies.

The first apartment building also has another sensor with another purpose. A room sensor 252 is mounted in the entry hall that monitors environmental data such as smoke or temperature. The room sensor 252 feeds continual data to the embedded device to assess the sensor data passing a certain threshold, such as in the case of a fire. In such a case, the residents can be alerted on their resident devices. Furthermore, the front door 210A as well as apartment doors can be unlocked. For a system with both an environmental sensor 252 and a visitor sensor 251 , the system may even review visitor log files to assess and predict who are at the premises to help facilitate evacuation procedures.

A second apartment building 3 has a plurality of electronically unlockable doors 310, 310A, all connected to a single embedded device 320. The embedded device 320 provides electronic control of five individual lockable doors, four of which are dwelling doors 310 and a fifth of which is a front door 310A shared by the apartments. A resident profile of a resident of one of the four apartments will provide access to the front door and the apartment door as well. This is achieved using a single, integrated access system, to which a visitor will only need to gain access once, or at least where a visitor is already ‘onboarded’ when they gain access through the front door.

The second apartment building 3 has a conventional buzzer panel 31 located next to the front door 310A. This buzzer panel 31 can be used to call to each apartment, as well as offices and apartments in the gated backyard. The buzzer panel is connected to each apartment and office by a signal wire, or a battery receiver.

For such distant apartments and/or offices, buzzer panels 31 are often nonfunctional or confusing to visitors. Location on a buzzer panel usually indicates location in an apartment building, but may not for more complicated backyards I apartment buildings, and so visitors often get lost in the gated backyard.

The second apartment building also has a connection panel 340 retrofitted. This system allows visitors to connect to the residents without the use of a wire from the door to the apartment or office. Further, an access system according to the invention allows easy retrofitting I integration by not requiring a wire from a door / buzzer panel to each apartment and office. The call receiver, i.e., the resident device, is not connected by cable.

In general, a more usage-stable, cheaper and user-friendly access control is achieved with the system of the invention which is especially useful where combined distance between an electrically unlockable door and the apartments and offices is great or difficult to lay cable on, such as cobblestone.

Furthermore, by providing a video feed and an audio connection, the visitor can be confidently guided to an office or apartment in the gated backyard.

Access can be granted across dwellings and doors as needed. If front doors 210A, 310A, 410 all lead to the gated backyard, residents of each apartment building 2, 3, 4 can be allowed access through each front door 210A, 310A, 410. This is especially useful for apartment buildings where multiple users need differentiated but overlapping access.

Another important benefit of the invention is that the connection between resident devices and electronic door lock is separated and a networked interface is inserted in the channel, which allows several benefits. The networked solution allows fluid access privilege management across systems and security features that is hitherto unseen in such access systems. The access management benefits will be elaborated on in the following.

Typical access management of neighbouring apartment buildings with a shared gated backyard is as follows. Each apartment has a system key for the front door 210A, 310A, 410A as well as a unique key for their own apartment door 310. Access to the gated backyard is then achieved through each apartment building. However, it is not convenient to only be able to access the backyard through a single doorway. Instead, a third key is conventionally needed that grants access to the backyard specifically. Even with a third key, it is not always possible to use all ground level doors.

The problems with this system are plentiful.

Firstly, if a resident loses a keyset, all locks that can be opened with the keys needs to be replaced, and new keys made for residents. This includes locks of the apartment door 310 of the residents, the locks for relevant front doors 310A of the apartment building 3, and the locks for the backyard doors I gates (not shown) as well as keys for all residents of all the apartment buildings. Especially locks and keys for systems of locks are very expensive to replace.

Another issue with physical key access is that over time it is common for a resident to lose their keys and replenish them by copying existing keys, as well to grant further access to kids or friends, renters AirBnB etc, keys that are copied from copies, which gain progressively more errors compared to the original key, and will be worse and worse at opening doors.

Thirdly, keys are easy to lose, and wear on resident pants and bags, and takes time to order when searching for the correct key to use.

Even RFID-tag based keys have most of these issues. An RFID-based solution further has the disadvantage of placing the reader on the door or next to the door which is an expensive option and requires a power wire to be drawn to the reader as well as the signal wire that connects the RFID-reader to the door lock.

With an access system according to the invention, it is easy to provide all relevant access privileges to resident devices. Such access privileges can span several ground level doors. Furthermore, access can be revoked if a user loses their residence device. Even if they do, however, someone with ill intent have no indication that the resident device works as a key, and they will additionally need to gain access past security measures integrated into the device (e.g. fingerprint readers) to gain access to the doors - something that is often extremely difficult.

Claims

1 . An access system (100) with a door or gate having an electronic lock (110) being responsive to switch between a locked and an unlocked state based on a signal, the access system further comprising:

- a connection panel (140) with encoded instructions being electronically readable in a non-touch manner, the connection panel thereby providing for an electronic visitor device (50) different from the connection panel (140) that reads the connection panel (140) a prompt to transmit a request signal through a private/public network,

- a processor (131 ) adapted to receive said request signal through a first channel (101 ) from said visitor device (50),

- a resident database (180) storing a resident profile (181 ) having a predetermined association to one or more resident devices (60) different from the electronic tag (140) and the visitor device (50), where

- in response to receiving a request signal through the first channel (101 ), the processor is programmed to:

- receive sensor data from said visitor device (50) through said first channel (101 ) to identify a visitor, and

- based on data in the request signal, select the resident profile (181 ) and transmit a call signal to one or more of the residents devices (60) through a different, second channel (102) through a private/public network, and transmit said sensor data through the second channel (102) to one or more of the residents devices (60),

- receive, from one or more of the residents devices (60) over the second channel (102), a verification signal, prompting the processor to transmit an operate signal through a third channel (103) being different from the first (101 ) and second channels (102), to said electronic lock to change its state among at least locked and unlocked.

2. An access system (100) according to claim 1 , further comprising an embedded device (120) having one or more remote communications units (121 ) for receiving an operate signal from the processor and a microprocessor (122) that selects one or more electronically lockable doors based on an operate signal from among one and preferably at least two electronically lockable doors, and transmits a control signal to the selected door lock.

3. An access system (100) according to any of claims 1 -2, wherein the sensor data is live sensor data, preferably at least the microphone feed and the front camera (51 ) feed.

4. An access system (100) according to any of claims 1 -3, further comprising one of:

- a network of visitor sensors located behind and in the vicinity of said door, where the access system is set up to turn on the visitor sensors when the lock of the door changes state using the system, and

- a network of environmental sensors located behind said door set up to continually monitor at least one environmental parameter and where the system is set up to change the state of the door’s lock and/or produce an alert to the resident device when the sensors readings pass a certain threshold.

5. An access system (100) according to any of claims 1 -4, wherein the visitor is a pre-registered authenticated visitor or an unknown visitor.

6. An access system (100) according to any of claims 1 -5, wherein the visitor is a physical person, a robot or a drone.

7. An access system (100) according to any of claims 1 -6, wherein interrogation of the connection panel is self-powered by either the electronic reading or by the connection panel being non-powered.

8. An access system (100) according to any of claims 1 -7, wherein the processor is programmed to receive a termination signal from a resident device as well as the verification signal, where a termination signal ends the connection without altering the state of the associated lock, thereby not granting access through the door.

9. An access system (100) according to any of claims 1 -8, wherein if a visitor device transmits an authorization token through the first channel as well as the request signal, the processer is programmed to assess whether the resident profile has been pre-associated with the authorization token and if the resident profile is preassociated with the authorization token, an access rule scheme is used that transmits an operate signal through the third channel.

10. An access system (100) according to any of claims 1 -9, wherein reading the connection panel (140) transmits a plurality of residents to the visitor device (50), and where selecting one of the residents transmits the request signal.

11 . An access system (100) according to any of claims 1 -10 wherein the computing device has a plurality of administrator interfaces, where a first administrator interface allows administrating access privileges and resident devices for a resident profile for a given number of doors, and another administrator interface provides creating and deleting resident profiles from the resident database (180), as well as provide and revoke access privileges for specific electronically unlockable doors to resident profiles for plurality of doors that is not the full list of doors connected to the networked access system.

12. An access system (100) according to any of claims 1 -11 , wherein the resident profile (181 ) is selected from the group consisting of persons, companies, URL's, and call centers.

13. An access system (100) according to any of claims 1 -12, wherein all the electronics of the system is installed out of harms way from visitors and bystanders, i.e. behind locked and secured area.

14. An access system (100) according to any of claims 1 -13, wherein the only system component exposed outside of the protected area is the connection panel (140), e.g. a QR code or the like.

15. A method comprising:

- a visitor approaching an electronically unlockable door (110) being responsive to switch between an open and a closed state based on an electronic signal,

- the visitor providing a visitor device (50) into close proximity to a connection panel (140) with encoded instructions being electronically readable in a nontouch manner, the connection panel (140) prompting the electronic visitor device (50) different from the connection panel (140) to transmit a request signal through a private/public network,

- receiving, by a processor (131 ) said request signal through a first channel

(101 ) from said visitor device (50),

- the visitor device (50), on prompting, transmitting sensor data through said first channel (101 ) to said processor (131 ) to uniquely identify the visitor,

- based on connection panel (140) identifying data in the request signal, select a resident profile (181 ) in a resident database (180) a having a predetermined association to one or more resident devices (60) different from the electronic tag (140) and the visitor device (10),

- transmit a call signal to one or more of the resident devices (60) through a different, second channel (102) through a private/public network, and transmit said sensor data through the second channel (102) to one or more of the resident devices (60),

- one or more of the resident devices (60) transmitting over the second channel

(102) a verification signal indicative of a verified visitor, and

- the processor (131 ) transmitting a operate signal through a third channel (103) being different from the first (101 ) and second channels (102), to said electronically unlockable door (110) to change its state among at least locked and unlocked.