Dual level human identification and location system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9384608-B2
Application number	US-201514956902-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2015
Priority date	Dec 3, 2014
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling access to a Restricted Area (“RA”). The methods involve: determining whether a person desires to enter RA; checking whether the person is authorized to enter RA using a first unique identifier associated with a wearable access sensor being worn thereby; causing the person's Portable Communication Device (“PCD”) to transmit a second unique identifier and location information useful in determining the PCD's location within a surrounding environment, when a determination is made that the person is authorized to enter RA; using the second unique identifier and location information to confirm that the person is currently located at an access point of RA; and causing actuation of a mechanical actuator to enable the person's entrance into RA when it is determined that the person desires to enter RA, the person is authorized to enter RA, and the person is currently located at the access point of RA.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for controlling access to a restricted area, comprising:
determining, by an electronic circuit, whether a person desires to enter the restricted area based on
(1) a directionality of a Wearable Access Sensor (“WAS”) being worn by a person, and
(2) a direction and speed of the person's motion;

checking whether the person is authorized to enter the restricted area using a first unique identifier associated with the WAS;
causing the person's Portable Communication Device (“PCD”) to transmit a second unique identifier and location information useful in determining the PCD's location within a surrounding environment, when a determination is made that the person is authorized to enter the restricted area;
using the second unique identifier and location information to confirm that the person is currently located at an access point of the restricted area; and
causing actuation of a mechanical actuator to enable the person's entrance into the restricted area when it is determined that the person desires to enter the restricted area, the person is authorized to enter the restricted area, and the person is currently located at the access point of the restricted area.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a determination as to whether or not the person desires to enter the restricted area is made based on Received Signal Strength Indicator (“RSSI”) measurement data specifying a power present in a signal received from a Wearable Access Sensor (“WAS”) worn by the person.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the location information is obtained by the PCD using a Received Signal Strength Indicator (“RSSI”) based technique.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the PCD is within a certain radius from the access point of the restricted area.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the mechanical actuator is caused to actuate when it is determined that the PCD is within a certain radius from the access point of the restricted area.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising logging information indicating that the person entered the restriction area at a particular time, subsequent to causing actuation of the mechanical actuator.

7. A method for controlling access to a restricted area, comprising:
determining, by an electronic circuit, whether a person desires to enter the restricted area;
checking whether the person is authorized to enter the restricted area using a first unique identifier associated with a Wearable Access Sensor (“WAS”) being worn by the person;
causing the person's Portable Communication Device (“PCD”) to transmit a second unique identifier and location information useful in determining the PCD's location within a surrounding environment, when a determination is made that the person is authorized to enter the restricted area;
using the second unique identifier and location information to confirm that the person is currently located at an access point of the restricted area; and
causing actuation of a mechanical actuator to enable the person's entrance into the restricted area when it is determined that the person desires to enter the restricted area, the person is authorized to enter the restricted area, and the person is currently located at the access point of the restricted area;
wherein a determination as to whether or not the person desires to enter the restricted area is made based on rate of change data specifying a rate of change of a charging voltage of an energy storage device used in an electromagnetic field energy harvesting circuit disposed within the WAS.

8. A method for controlling access to a restricted area, comprising:
determining, by an electronic circuit, whether a person desires to enter the restricted area;
checking whether the person is authorized to enter the restricted area using a first unique identifier associated with a Wearable Access Sensor (“WAS”) being worn by the person;
causing the person's Portable Communication Device (“PCD”) to transmit a second unique identifier and location information useful in determining the PCD's location within a surrounding environment, when a determination is made that the person is authorized to enter the restricted area;
using the second unique identifier and location information to confirm that the person is currently located at an access point of the restricted area; and
causing actuation of a mechanical actuator to enable the person's entrance into the restricted area when it is determined that the person desires to enter the restricted area, the person is authorized to enter the restricted area, and the person is currently located at the access point of the restricted area;
wherein the location information is obtained by the PCD using a Received Signal Strength Indicator (“RSSI”) based technique; and
wherein the RSSI based technique comprises:
performing operations by the PCD to survey an available networks' Media Access Control (“MAC”) addresses within range thereof; and
collecting RSSI levels for signals received from devices associated with the available networks' MAC addresses.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the RSSI levels and known locations of the devices associated with the available networks' MAC addresses are used to confirm that the person is currently located at an access point of the restricted area.

10. A method for controlling access to a restricted area, comprising:
determining, by an electronic circuit, whether a person desires to enter the restricted area;
checking whether the person is authorized to enter the restricted area using a first unique identifier associated with a Wearable Access Sensor (“WAS”) being worn by the person;
causing the person's Portable Communication Device (“PCD”) to transmit a second unique identifier and location information useful in determining the PCD's location within a surrounding environment, when a determination is made that the person is authorized to enter the restricted area;
using the second unique identifier and location information to confirm that the person is currently located at an access point of the restricted area;
causing actuation of a mechanical actuator to enable the person's entrance into the restricted area when it is determined that the person desires to enter the restricted area, the person is authorized to enter the restricted area, and the person is currently located at the access point of the restricted area; and
collecting energy by an energy harvesting circuit of the WAS from an electromagnetic field emitted from access control equipment disposed at an access point to one or more restricted areas.

11. A system, comprising:
a Wearable Access Sensor (“WAS”) being worn by the person;
a Portable Communication Device (“PCD”) in the person's possession;
at least one electronic circuit in communication with at least one of the WAS and the PCD, where the electronic circuit is configured to:
determine whether the person desires to enter the restricted area based on
(1) a directionality of a Wearable Access Sensor (“WAS”) being worn by a person, and
(2) a direction and speed of the person's motion;

check whether the person is authorized to enter the restricted area using a first unique identifier associated with the WAS being worn by the person;
cause the PCD to transmit a second unique identifier and location information useful in determining the PCD's location within a surrounding environment, when a determination is made that the person is authorized to enter the restricted area;
use the second unique identifier and location information to confirm that the person is currently located at an access point of the res

Assignees

• Strulovitch Tsahi Z
• Copeland Richard L
• Sequeira Melwyn F
• Tyco Fire & Security Gmbh

Inventors

• Strulovitch Tsahi Z
• Copeland Richard L
• Sequeira Melwyn F

Classifications

• G07C9/00309 Primary

  operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks · CPC title

• G07C9/28 Primary

  the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence · CPC title

• G07C9/22

  in combination with an identity check of the pass holder · CPC title

• G07C2209/14

  With a sequence of inputs of different identification information · CPC title

• G07C2009/00769

  with data transmission performed by wireless means · CPC title