Method and system for controlling access in an environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10453280-B2
Application number	US-201815868287-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2018
Priority date	Sep 7, 2015
Publication date	Oct 22, 2019
Grant date	Oct 22, 2019

Abstract

A method for controlling access in an environment, including the use of an access control system to lock/unlock access devices in the environment, which control system is configured to communicate via a short range communication system with at least one first mobile phone of a first user wanting to get access to at least one access-restricted area of said environment, and which control system is configured to communicate with a second communication device of a second user located in said environment and holding access rights to said area. After the first user enters the environment, the control system initiates the first mobile phone via the short range communication system to send an access request to the second communication device, which access request includes a unique ID of the first mobile phone. The control system is initiated via the second communication device to grant access rights to the holder of the first mobile phone by the second communication device forwarding access data to the control system comprising the unique ID of the first mobile phone and/or by the second communication device sending unlock data directly to the first mobile phone via a public communication network, which enables the first mobile phone to unlock at least those access devices which are located on a route between the location of the first mobile phone and the location of the second communication device. The unlocking is based on a short range communication of the first mobile phone with short range communication devices located in the vicinity of the access devices.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for controlling access in an environment, the method comprising:
providing an access control system, the access control system locking and unlocking access devices in the environment;
when a first user enters the environment, the access control system automatically communicating, via a short range communication system of the access control system, with a first mobile phone of the first user wanting to get access to at least one access-restricted area of said environment,
wherein the automatic communicating includes causing the first mobile phone to launch an application, the application sending an access request to a second communication device of a second user, the second communication device initiating the access control system to grant access rights to the at least one access-restricted area to the first mobile phone in response to the access request, wherein the access request includes a unique ID of the first mobile phone,
wherein the initiating the access control system includes forwarding access data to the access control system comprising the unique ID of the first mobile phone; and
automatically unlocking, via the first mobile phone, only those access devices located on a route between a location of the first mobile phone and the at least one access-restricted area, which unlocking is based on a short range communication of the first mobile phone with short range communication devices, each short range communication device being located adjacent to a respective one of the access devices,
wherein the automatically unlocking includes separately unlocking each access device only via short range communication between the first mobile terminal and a short range communication device of the respective access device, and
wherein the access devices include at least one of a gate, a sliding door, a turning door, an escalator and an elevator group.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the access request further comprises location ID data including the location of the first mobile phone.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the launch of the application necessitates the input of an access code by the first user.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the access data comprises location data of the first mobile phone in the environment.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the access request comprises time data and the unlocking of the access control system by the access data is valid only for a certain time period.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the access request comprises the phone number of the first mobile phone as the unique ID.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the access control system upon granting access rights initiates a guide system which initiates the first mobile phone to indicate optical and/or acoustic guide information for the first user.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first mobile phone upon receiving access rights launches a guide system to issue optical and/or acoustic guide information for the first user.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the access control system upon granting access rights to the first mobile phone transmits the unique ID into an entrance allowance list, handled by the access control system.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the access request is sent via an SMS or a corresponding electronic message.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein access request comprises control parameters of a passenger transport device located between the location of the first mobile phone and the location of the second communication device.

12. An access control system of an environment configured to lock and unlock access devices in the environment, the access control system including a short range communication system configured to communicate with at least one first mobile phone held by a first user wanting to get access to at least one access-restricted area of said environment,
wherein the access control system is configured to:
when the first user enters the environment, automatically communicate, via the short range communication system, with the first mobile phone to cause the first mobile phone to launch an application, the application sending an access request to a second communication device of a second user holding access rights to the at least one access-restricted area of said environment, wherein the second communication device is configured to forward access data to the access control system to initiate the access control system to grant access rights to the at least one access-restricted area to the first mobile phone in response to the access request, the access data comprising a unique ID of the first mobile phone, and
automatically unlock, via the first mobile phone, only those access devices which are located on a route between a location of the first mobile phone and the at least one access-restricted area, wherein the unlocking is based on a short range communication of the first mobile phone with short range communication devices, each short range communication device being located adjacent to a respect one of the access devices,
wherein the automatically unlocking includes separately unlocking each access device only via short range communication between the first mobile terminal and a short range communication device of the respective access device, and
wherein the access devices include at least one of a gate, a sliding door, a turning door, an escalator and an elevator group.

13. The access control system according to claim 12 , wherein the access devices comprise an escalator and elevator systems and/or vehicles.

14. The access control system according to claim 13 , wherein the access control system is linked or integrated with an escalator/elevator control system.

15. The access control system according to claim 12 , wherein the access data comprises destination calls of the elevator system comprising a departure and a destination floor.

16. The access control system according to claim 12 , wherein the second communication device is a second mobile phone.

Assignees

• Kone Corp

Inventors

• Kontturi Risto

Classifications

• G07C9/28 Primary

  the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence · CPC title

• G07C2009/00769

  with data transmission performed by wireless means · CPC title

• H04L63/0853

  using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234) · CPC title

• H04W4/33

  for indoor environments, e.g. buildings · CPC title

• G07C2209/08

  With time considerations, e.g. temporary activation, valid time window or time limitations · CPC title