초록 ▼

There is disclosed herein an improved card reader for a security system utilizing a central controller and a plurality of card readers for controlling traffic through critical doors in a facility. During normal operation, the card readers read card data and send it to the central controller. The cen

There is disclosed herein an improved card reader for a security system utilizing a central controller and a plurality of card readers for controlling traffic through critical doors in a facility. During normal operation, the card readers read card data and send it to the central controller. The central controller makes the decision whether to grant or deny access based upon a comparison of the card data and data kept in memory regarding persons who are authorized access to certain areas. The central controller then sends a “Go”or “No Go”message, i.e., whether or not to grant access, to the reader after the access decision is made. The improved reader includes means for storing the authorized identification code data for persons who will be allowed access during times when communications between the card reader and the central controller are not working. There is also disclosed means for temporarily storing transaction information for transactions made during periods when communications with the controller are lost. During such degraded mode operation, i.e., when communications with the central controller are not working, access is granted to cardholders with the proper system code if their I.D. code data on their cards matches an I.D. code record in a table stored by the central controller in a degraded mode buffer in the reader. The I.D. codes and times of the transactions during degraded mode are, whether “Go”or “No Go”, stored in a degraded mode transaction buffer in the reader. When communications are restored, the transactions saved in the transaction buffer are sent to the controller.

대표청구항 ▼

A security system for controlling access to an area comprising: a card reader for reading data stored substantially permanently on cards and for comparing said data to authorization data stored in said reader and for granting access to said area if the card data matches selected authorization data;

A security system for controlling access to an area comprising: a card reader for reading data stored substantially permanently on cards and for comparing said data to authorization data stored in said reader and for granting access to said area if the card data matches selected authorization data; a central controller for storing authorization data defining who is authorized access to said area during degraded mode conditions comprising times when communication between said card reader and said central controller is not possible and for communicating said authorization data to said card reader during times when communication with said card reader is possible; means electrically connected to said card reader for storing card data which does not match said authorization data, along with information indicating that said card data did not match said authorization data, during degraded mode conditions; and means electrically connected to the card reader for communicating said stored card data and information to the central controller during times when communication between the card reader and the central controller is possible.