GB2207537A - Electronic access systems - Google Patents

Abstract

Guard patrol clocks with individual coded identities are used to gain access to buildings or parts of buildings via electronic intelligent keypoints 20 which record the identity of each clock inserted and which allow access only to authorised clocks, in which the identity of each accessed keypoint is stored within the guard clock regardless of whether the guard clock identity is acceptable or not at the particular keypoint. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO ELECTRONIC ACCESS SYSTEMS The present invention relates to electronic access systems and more particularly to systems which will allow a prospective operator access to a room or piece of equipment with a means of remotely logging the time of that access or rejected access attempt.

A first known electronic access control system comprises a card, normally of plastics material which is insertable into a detector system and, if correctly identified will energise a locking system to allow access to a building or room or to the use of a piece of equipment.

A second known electronic access control system comprises a hand held transmitter which when pointed towards a detector energises the door mechanism to open a door.

A disadvantage with both of the above systems is that they do not record any abortive attempts to open a door, indicating the presence of an intruder and they do not record when a door has been correctly opened.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic access system which allows only selected access to a room or building etc and which records the time of such access or attempted access.

Additionally it is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic access system which is readily alterable to change the allowed access. It is a further alternative object to allow access during specified periods.

The present invention provides an electronic access system for release of a lock mechanism including an active keypoint the keypoint including means for storing the identity of at least one electronic guard patrol clock, keypoint means asspciated with each lock mechanism for release of the lock mechanism. on application of an acceptable electronic guide patrol clock into the keypoint and in which the identity of each accessed keypoint is stored within the guard clock on application of the guard clock to the keypoint regardless of whether the guard clock identity is acceptable to the electronic access system for that particular lock mechanism.

In a preferred embodiment the present invention allows an electronic clock, which has a prestored access code, to be presented to an interface, which has the same physical outward appearance as a keypoint, by a patrolling operative (guard). This interface checks that the prestored access code is allowable and opens the door latch along with storing in the operative's clock a code number indicating successful door access, (the clock then adds the date and time, as part of it's normal procedure, to the code number for later retrieval). If the prestored access code is invalid, the code number inserted into the clock will be different, and thereby the operative's supervisors will be able to tell by reference to the clock's output whether or not the door was opened to that operative.This prevents management staff from having to recover data from the device itself, being an important feature of the present invention.

Therefore all entry attempts are recorded whether successful or not and this therefore provides an indication if unauthorised entry is being attempted.

The electronic access system also preferably stores the identity of any clock inserted into its keypoint for subsequent read out to check on all unauthorised entry attempts.

Preferably the time and date of each access or attempted access is stored.

The electronic access control system also preferably includes means for storing acceptable access periods associated with one or more guard clocks. Thus outside such periods, although each attempted entry will be recorded the lock mechanism will not be operated and access will be denied.

The electronic access control system may also include means for storing free entry periods allowing, on operation of an appropriate push button or similar device, free access without any guard clock being required.

Thus for example during normal working hours free access may be obtainable to a normally used section of a building.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows in partial crosssectional plan view a suitable electronic guard patrol clock for the electronic access system of the present invention; Figure 2 shows the clock of Figure 1 in crosssection on line A-A; and Figure 3 shows an electronic access control system for co-operation with the clock of Figures 1 and 2.

With reference now to Figures. 1, 2 and 3 the portable electronic clock comprises a box 10 containing battery powered electronic circuitry the clock having externally accessible contacts 12 to 22. The normal operation of the clock is. to visit keypoints. as described in our co-pending published Patent Application No.

2,156,128. As each keypoint is visited the number (and hence location) of each keypoint is recorded in the clock and the time and date of the visit is recorded. The clock can as described in the above mentioned published Patent Application be "plugged" into a computer which can read out from the memory in the clock the records of visits made over a defined period.

With reference to Figure 3 a keypoint 20 is shown which, if correctly accessed operates a lock 30.

The keypoint 20 is connected electronically to the electronic access control system 40 comprising an extension board 42 a control board 44 and an accept lamp 46 and a reject lamp 48.

Power for the control board 44 and extension board 42 are provided by any suitable supply as indicated by unit 50.

The extension board is provided with a suitable socket connection to enable a portable computer 60 to be connected via a suitable interface 70 for alteration of information contained in the control board 44.

The control board 44 generally comprises a microprocessor with both RAM and ROM memory to enable an acceptable clock key number or numbers to be stored and access times (RAM) and the necessary operating instructions in ROM.

The extension board 42 is preferable to provide the necessary output voltage to operate the lamps. 46, 48 and lock operating mechanism 30. If large quantities. are contemplated then the two boards could be combined.

The keypoint 20 and indicator lamps 46, 48 may be built into a single wall mounted unit which is mounted adjacent to a door, the opening of the door being controlled by lock 30. The system 40 may be mounted on the other side of the door so as not to be accessible and therefore not able to be tampered with. Thus the person wishing to gain entry will be presented with a wall mounted unit with an entry socket for a guard patrol clock 10 and indicator lamps. 46, 48.

If the person carries a guard patrol clock then this may be inserted into keypoint 20 and the clocks access code number (KIN) of the clock (which is carried as a byte in the clocks memory or in a separate memory for this purpose) will be transmitted to the control board 44. If acceptable the lamp 46 will be lit and on operation of a push button 80 the lock 30 will be operated to allow access and the time of access and identity of the keypoint will be recorded in the clock 10. Also if required the identity of the clock may be recorded in the RAM memory of control board 44 together with the time and date of entry or attempted entry which time and date is obtainable from the real time clock within the clock.

If the clocks KIN is not acceptable then the lamp 48 will be lit and lock 30 will not operate. However the identity of the keypoint will still be stored in the clock 10 and also preferably an indication of barred entry. The KIN number of the clock 10 will preferably also be stored in the RAM of board 44.

Thus the system monitors not only access but also refused entry through a door or to a safe or filing cabinet etc with a standard patrol clock and monitors the time of each attempt.

During certain hours free access through a particular door may be acceptable and these time periods may be stored in the RAM of board 44. During these periods the light 46 may be permanently lit and button 80 may be pressed to release lock 30 on operation without any requirement to use the wall mounted keypoint 20. At the end of the time period lamp 46 will be extinguished indicating that a key is required.

Since each guard clock carries its own KIN, then only certain acceptable guard clocks may be used to operate the lock 30. For security however an acceptable KIN number which is never used on a guard clock - for example number 255 (11111111 in binary logic) may be also accepted in all access systems. Thus if a failure occurs a master guard clock obtainable only from the manufacturer (and not supplied to the security firm or personnel) may be used to gain emergency access.

Once access is gained the manufacturer of the system can change the acceptable KIN'S in RAM of board 44 by connecting the portable host computer 60 via suitable interface 70. The access system can also be checked in case it has an inherent failure.

In case of total failure the lock 30 is normally operable by a master security key which again may be available only by recourse to the lock manufacturer.

Thus the system allows free access during for example normal working hours and can allow one or more security guards with acceptable clocks to gain access whilst denying access to other guards or to unauthorised personnel.

The system once it has sensed a clock 10 being inserted into a keypoint 20 frontage, activates the control board 44. This wakes up the main circuit and the external power control line is brought to +5v. This then is sensed by the extension board 42, which in turn allows the inserting clock 10 to be woken. (This routine prevents the control board 44 missing the clock's output).

On receipt of a selected character e.g. 63 the control board 44 returns 0 (the computer access code) so sending the clock 10 off to the computer handling section of it's firmware. After further handshaking has been completed the control board 44 sends "k" and awaits arrival of the present Key Code (KC). After reading the KC the device shuts down the clock silently and then reawakes the clock so as to act, for all intents and purposes, as a keypoint proper with an "Accept Keypoint Identification Number (KIN) (if the KC was acceptable) or a "Reject" KIN if not. If the KC was one that was acceptable then the door latch release solenoid 30 will be operated along with a green "Accept" light 46, otherwise only a red "Reject" light 48 will be illuminated.

If the computer 60 is connected to the system 40 via the interface 70 then on activation by the host computer, this would wake up the control board 44 by two signals (one to wake the board up and one to tell it that a computer was connected).

Having woken the control board up in this manner, the host computer 60 would receive "*" character to ensure the computer knows it's not talking to a clock.

The functions that are resettable include: 1. RAM Key Code (KC).

2. MB Real Time Clock (RTC).

3. Lock Release time (LRT).

4. Reject Light illuminate time (RLT).

5. "Unlimited opening hours" setting (UOH).

6. Testing of Lock Release and Reject Light.

7. "Accept" and "Reject" Keypoints Identification Numbers (KIN).

In the firmware would be buried an emergency KC, accessable only from a Britonics supplied clock, because the KC would contain one or more elements that are outside the range usually enterable from keyboards.

The Real Time Clock (RTC) could be used in conjunction with the button 80 to allow unlimited access between set hours, and this "free access" time even further limited to certain days. The red "reject" light 48 would not operate in this circumstance to prevent spurious operation to gain illumination of the light, although the green "accept" light would operate in the normal manner.

To do this, the control boards RAM would have to hold a "Day Buffer" generated by one means or another, which would be checked against a day counter derived from the current date in the RTC each time the button is pressed.

Claims (7)

1. An electronic access system for release of. a. lock mechanism, including an active keypoint the keypoint including means for storing the identity of at least one electronic guard patrol clock, keypoint means associated with each lock mechanism for release of the lock mechanism on application of an acceptable guard patrol clock into the keypoint and in which the identity of each accessed keypoint is stored within the guard clock on application of the guard clock to the keypoint regardless of whether the guard clock identity is acceptable to the electronic access system for that particular lock mechanism.

2. An electronic access system including an electronic clock, which has a prestored access code, an interface, which has the same physical outward appearance as a keypoint, to which the electronic-clock is presented by a patrolling operative, in which interface checks that the prestored access code is allowable and opens a door latch and stores in the operative's clock a code number indicating successful door access, the clock then adding the date and time to the code number for later retrieval and in which if the prestored access code is invalid, the code number inserted into the clock will be different, and thereby (the operative's supervisors will be able to tell) by reference to the clock's output it will be determinable whether or not the door was opened to that operative the clock thereby storing all entry attempts whether successful or not to provide an indication if unauthorised entry has been attempted.

3. An electronic access system as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the electronic access system also stores the identity of any clock inserted into each keypoint for subsequent read out to check on all unauthorised entry attempts.

4. An electronic access system as claimed in Claim 3 in which the time and date of each access r attempted access is stored.

5. An electronic access system as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4 in which the electronic access control system also includes means for storing acceptable access periods associated with one or more guard clocks such that outside such periods, although each attempted entry will be recorded the lock mechanism will not be operated and access will be denied.

6. An electronic access system as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5 in which the electronic access control system also includes means for storing free entry periods allowing, on operation of an appropriate push button or similar device, free access without any guard clock being required.

7. An electronic access system substantially as described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.