Geographical space e.g. parking area, access control system, has proximity detector controlling transceiver to trigger transmission of identification or authentication data towards control unit when terminal is inside geographical perimeter

The present invention relates to an access control system and method, a portable terminal and an interfacing unit for this system.

Known access control systems include:

- a portable terminal by a user equipped with a controllable transmitter capable of transmitting identification and / or authentication data of the user, and an access center capable of authorizing or prohibiting the opening of a barrier protecting access to a geographic space as a function of the identification and / or authentication data transmitted by the sender.

In known systems, the portable terminal is, for example, a box equipped with buttons. To trigger the sending of identification and / or authentication data, the user must press one of these buttons when he is near the barrier. This is tedious for the user.

The invention aims to remedy this drawback by proposing an access control system as described above in which the user does not have to manually trigger the transmission of identification and / or authentication data.

The subject of the invention is therefore an access control system in which the portable terminal comprises a proximity detector capable of controlling the transmitter to automatically trigger the transmission of identification and / or authentication data as soon as the terminal portable is located within a predefined geographic perimeter around the barrier.

In the above system, thanks to the proximity detector, the transmission of identification and / or authentication data to the access center is triggered automatically without manual intervention by the user.

Embodiments of this system may include one or more of the following features;

a speed sensor capable of measuring the speed of movement of the portable terminal, and the system is capable of preventing access to the geographical space if the measured speed is greater than a predetermined speed threshold;

a sensor of the geographical position of the portable terminal, and a memory containing the definition of the geographical perimeter, and the proximity detector comprises a module for comparing the geographical position measured by the sensor with the definition of the geographical perimeter contained in the memory for detecting the presence of the portable terminal within the geographic perimeter;

- a GPS localization module (Global Positioning System) forming both the speed sensor and the position sensor;

a radio terminal capable of emitting signals defining a coverage zone within which the signals can be perceived by a wireless receiver and outside which the signals can no longer be perceived by the receiver, this zone of coverage corresponding to a predefined geographical perimeter, the terminal includes a wireless receiver, and the proximity detector is able to control the transmitter to automatically trigger the transmission of identification and / or authentication data as soon as the

<td>receiver</td><td colspan="3">wireless perceives</td><td>signals emitted;</td><td></td>

<td> -</td><td>the</td><td>central</td><td>access</td><td>is connected to this</td><td>thick headed</td>

<td>radio and</td><td>the</td><td>terminal</td><td colspan="2">laptop has a card</td><td>network</td>

<td>forming</td><td>the</td><td colspan="2">receiver without</td><td>wire and transmitter</td><td>for</td>

<td colspan="2">pass on</td><td>the</td><td>data</td><td>identification</td><td>and or</td>

authentication at the access center via the radio terminal;

- the portable terminal is a mobile telephone capable of automatically calling the access center in response to the detection by the proximity detector of the presence of this portable terminal within the predefined geographical perimeter, each call containing an identifier of the 'calling in signals for establishing a telephone link, the system comprises a unit for interfacing the control panel with a telephone network, this interface unit being able to extract the identifier of the caller without picking up, and the central unit is able to authorize or prohibit access to the geographical space only as a function of the extracted caller identifier;

- a removable unit for interfacing the access center with a wireless information transmission network to receive identification and / or authentication data via this wireless network, and mechanical connectors coupling / uncoupling of the interface unit with the access control unit;

the interface unit comprises a memory containing several communication protocols, each protocol being associated with an identifier of a reference of the access unit with which it is to be used, and a selection module in this memory of the communication according to the reference of the access center to which this interface unit is connected.

These embodiments of the access control system also have the following advantages:

the use of a speed sensor makes it possible to avoid untimely triggering of the transmission of identification and / or authentication data, in particular when the user passes within the geographical perimeter on board a motor vehicle;

the use of a GPS module makes it possible to obtain both the data on the geographical position of the portable terminal as well as its speed of movement;

the use of a wireless receiver simplifies the access control system since it is no longer necessary to have recourse to a geographical position sensor and to a memory containing the definition of the geographical perimeter;

- the use of a network card reduces the manufacturing costs of the system since this network card is used both to detect the presence of the portable terminal within the geographical perimeter and to transmit the identification data and / or authentication;

- the use of a caller ID in the signals for establishing a telephone link as an identifier for the access control function reduces the operating costs of the system;

- the use of a removable interface unit makes it possible to add to the existing access centers an interface with a wireless information transmission network;

the possibility of selecting the appropriate communication protocol to be used by the interface unit simplifies the installation of this access control system.

This system therefore allows in particular:

- avoid sending remote controls by post, oral transmission of access codes on a code keypad, quickly referencing a person using their mobile phone as a "remote control",

- introduce this function on vehicles equipped with GSM + GPS in order to trigger the opening of the building on their arrival.

The subject of the invention is also a portable terminal, an interface unit and an access control method adapted to be implemented in the above access control system.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the drawings in which:

- Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of the architecture of an access control system;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an access control method implemented in the system of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of the architecture of another embodiment of an access control system; and

- Figure 4 is a flowchart; of an access control method implemented in the system of FIG.

3.

FIG. 1 represents a system 2 for controlling access to a geographic space 3. The geographic space 3 is, for example, a car park or a building.

The system 2 comprises for this purpose one or more fixed installations for controlling access to the geographical space and several portable terminals. To simplify FIG. 1, only a fixed installation 4 and only a portable terminal 6 have been shown.

The installation 4 comprises an access center 10 associated with an access rule base 12 contained in a memory 14. The base 12 contains, for example, the identifiers of the users authorized to access the geographical space 3. Here , these identifiers can be for example the mobile telephone numbers of these users.

The control unit 10 is able to control a controllable actuator 16. For example, the actuator 16 opens a door or a barrier 20 when access to the geographical space 3 is authorized or, on the contrary, locks this door or this barrier 20. when access to the geographic space is refused.

The installation 4 also comprises a removable unit 22 for interfacing the central 10 with a public network 23 of long distance mobile telephony (GSM (Global System for Mobile communication), TETRA (Trans European Trunked Radio)). To this end, the unit 22 comprises a GSM transmitter / receiver 24 associated with an antenna 26 to connect the unit 22 to the network 24.

The unit 22 also comprises a mechanical connector 30 for coupling / uncoupling of the unit 22 and of the central unit 10. This connector 30 integral with the unit 22 is intended to be connected by means of a wire link 32. to a corresponding mechanical connector 34 secured to the unit 10.

The unit 22 contains a controllable module 36 for selecting a communication protocol to be used to communicate with the central unit 10 via the link 32. This module 36 is associated with a database 38 containing a set of several. communication protocols that can be used by unit 22. This base 38 is stored in a memory 40 connected to unit 22. The base 38 contains for each communication protocol an identifier of the access center reference using this protocol. The module 36 and the base 38 therefore make it possible to associate the unit 22 with different types or references of access control panels.

Unit 2 is adapted to be connected to a programming terminal 46. For this, unit 22 comprises a coupling / key connector 48 from unit 22 to terminal 46 via a wired link 50 The terminal 46 also includes a connector 52 to be connected to the link 50.

The terminal 46 comprises a programming module 54 capable of generating on a screen 56 a graphical interface making it possible to control the module 36 via the link 50.

Terminal 46 is, for example, a laptop computer.

The portable terminal 6 is equipped with a GSM transmitter / receiver 60 capable of transmitting, via the network 24, identification data to the central 10. Here, by way of example, this terminal 6 is a mobile telephone of which only the elements necessary for understanding the invention have been shown.

The transmitter / receiver 60 is associated with an antenna 62 to establish a wireless communication link 64 with the central 10.

The terminal 6 comprises a memory 66 containing at least one identifier of the caller such as the telephone number of the terminal or another identifier recognized by the Network used 6. This memory 66 is, for example, a SIM card (Security Identity Module).

The terminal 6 also has a computer 70 capable of executing the access control method of FIG. 2. For this purpose, the computer 70 is associated with a proximity detector 72. The detector 72 is able to control the transmitter / receiver 60 to automatically trigger the transmission of the caller ID contained in the memory 66 to the central 10 as soon as the terminal 6 enters within a geographical perimeter 76. predefined around the control unit 10. This perimeter 76 is shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1. Typically, this perimeter 76 defines a circular or ellipse-shaped surface, the greatest length of which is between 1 and 100 meters, and preferably between 10 and 100 meters.

The detector 72 is connected to a memory 78 containing a database 80 in which is defined all of the geographical perimeters surrounding the fixed installations of the system 2. Each definition of a geographical perimeter is associated with the number of the control unit. corresponding access. In particular, this base 80 contains the definition of the perimeter 76 associated with the telephone number of the central 10.

The detector 72 comprises a module 32 for comparing a geographic position measured for the terminal 6 at each definition of a perimeter contained in the base 80.

Terminal 6 is equipped with a sensor 84 of the geographical position of terminal 6 associated with detector 72 as well as a sensor 86 of the speed of movement of terminal 6.

Here, to simplify the manufacture of the terminal 6, the sensors 84 and 86 are produced using a GPS (Global Positioning System) location module 88 capable of delivering both information concerning the geographical position of the terminal 6 and its speed of movement.

The operation of the system 2 will now be described with reference to the method of FIG. 2 in the particular case of the terminal 6 and of the central 10.

During the installation of the system 2, the unit 22 is coupled, during a step 100, to the central unit 10 via the link 32 thanks to the connectors 30 and 34.

Once the unit 22 is connected, it is configured, during a step 102, using the programming terminal 46.

During this step 102, the terminal 46 is coupled to the unit 22 via the link 50 thanks to the connectors 48, 52. Then, the module 54, in response to the instructions of an installer, controls the module 36 to select, during an operation 104, in the base 38 the communication protocol corresponding to the reference of the central unit 10.

Once unit 10 has been configured, the programming terminal is disconnected from unit 22.

During the operation of the system 2, the sensor 84 measures, during a step 110, the geographic position of the terminal 6 and the module 82 compares, during a step 112, the geographic position measured with the geographic perimeters defined in the base 80 .

determines that the terminal 6 is located perimeter 76, then it notes, during a step 114, the current speed measured by the sensor 86.

Then, the recorded speed is compared by the computer 70, during a step 116, with a predetermined speed threshold. If the speed is less than this predetermined speed threshold, then the detector 72 commands, during a step 118, the transmitter / receiver 60 so that the latter automatically dials, during a step 119, the number of telephone associated with perimeter 76 in base 80.

During the establishment of the link 64, the identifier of the caller is transmitted to the unit 22 signals for establishing a link during a step 120. These establishment signals allow in particular the display of the calling telephone number even before the called party answers,

If the module 82 inside the in telephone, ίο that is to say before the telephone connection is completely established.

When the unit 22 receives a call, it extracts, during a step 122, the identifier of the caller without picking up, that is to say without taking the line. Therefore, the call is not billed. Then, the unit 22 transmits, during a step 124, the caller identifier extracted to the central 10 via the link 32 and using the protocol selected, during the operation 104.

The central 10 authorizes or, on the contrary, prohibits, during a step 126, access to the geographical space 3 as a function of the base 12 of rules and of the caller identifier transmitted during step 124 .

If the control unit 10 authorizes access, it controls, during a step 128, the actuator 16 which opens the barrier 20.

Otherwise, the control unit 10 prohibits access to the geographical space, for example, by keeping the barrier 20 closed, during a step 130.

In the event that, in step 112, it is determined that terminal 6 is not within perimeter 76 or, that in step 116, terminal 6 is moving at a speed greater than predetermined threshold, then the method returns to step 110.

Likewise, at the end of step 128 or 130, the method returns to step 110.

Thus, if the user of the terminal 6 enters the perimeter 76 at low speed, the terminal 6 automatically transmits the identification data to the central 10 without the user having to intervene.

In addition, the automatic transmission of identification data is only authorized if the terminal 6 is moving at low speed in the perimeter 76, this avoids triggering accidental openings of the barrier 20 while the terminal 6 is only passing through. quickly in perimeter 76 without intending to open barrier 20.

Many other embodiments of the system 2 are possible, for example, FIG. 3 shows an access control system 140 in which no position sensor or memory containing the definition of the geographical perimeters is used. In FIG. 3, the elements already described with reference to FIG. 1 bear the same references. As in FIG. 1, only a fixed access control installation 142 and a portable terminal 144 have been shown.

Installation 142 differs from installation 4 in that the transmitter / receiver 24 of unit 22 is replaced by a radio terminal 146 capable of creating a local coverage area 148 such as, for example, a WiFi terminal. . This terminal 146 has a limited power, so that the radio signals transmitted are no longer perceptible beyond the zone 148. Here, this zone 148 defines and merges with a geographical perimeter.

The installation 142 also differs from the installation 4 in that the memory 14 comprises a base 149 of rules for determining whether access to the geographical area must be prohibited or authorized according to an identifier. In this base 149, the identifier is a MAC (Medium Access Control) address.

The portable terminal 144 is, for example, a mobile telephone or a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) terminal.

To be able to communicate with the unit 22, the terminal 144 comprises a network card 150 associated with an antenna 152. This network card 150 includes a radio receiver 154 as well as a radio transmitter 156. The card 150 also contains an identifier of this card. known as the MAC (Medium Access Control) address.

To authenticate the user of the terminal 144, the latter is equipped with a biometric sensor 160 capable of detecting a biological characteristic of the user such as, for example, his fingerprints. This sensor 160 is associated with software 162 for recognizing the biological characteristics measured by the sensor 160. The software 162 is connected to a memory 164 containing the prerecorded biological characteristics of the persons authorized to use the terminal 144.

The terminal 144 also has a proximity detector 170 capable of controlling the network card to automatically trigger the transmission of authentication data to the central 10 when the terminal 144 enters the interior of the zone 148. More precisely, the detector 170 automatically triggers this transmission if the receiver 154 perceives the radio signals emitted by terminal 146.

As for terminal 6, terminal 144 comprises a computer 172 capable of executing the access control method of FIG. 4 and a sensor 174 of the speed of terminal 144.

The operation of the system 140 will now be described with reference to the method of FIG. 4 in the particular case where the terminal 144 penetrates inside the zone 148.

The steps of the method of FIG. 4 which are identical to those of the method of FIG. 2 bear the same references.

When installing system 140, the installer proceeds to steps 100 and 102.

During operation, the user starts by turning on his terminal 144 and then identifies and authenticates himself, during a step 206. To authenticate himself, the user places his finger on the biometric sensor 160, during a operation 208, then the software 162 compares, during an operation 210, the biological characteristics measured by the sensor 160 with those pre-recorded in the memory 164. If these biological characteristics match then the user is correctly authenticated and the process continues. Otherwise, the method returns to operation 202.

As long as terminal 144 has not re-entered the coverage area 148, the signals transmitted by terminal 146 are too weak to be perceived by receiver 154. Therefore, detector 170 does not initiate transmission. authentication data.

When the terminal 144 enters the interior of the zone 148, the receiver 154 perceives the signals transmitted by the terminal 146 and automatically proceeds to a step 212 of transmitting a connection request sent to the terminal.

146.

This connection request includes in particular the MAC address of the network card 150.

When receiving this connection request, the unit 22 checks, during a step 214, that the MAC address received belongs to a list of authorized MAC addresses. If so, the connection of the terminal 144 to the unit 22 is authorized and established, during a step 216. If the connection of the terminal 144 is authorized, the unit 22 transmits the MAC address of the terminal to the central unit. 10, during step 216.

Otherwise, the establishment of the connection between the terminal 144 and the unit 22 is inhibited and no MAC address is transmitted to the central 10, during a step 218.

If the connection between the terminal 144 and the unit 22 has been authorized, the sensor 174 measures the current speed of the terminal 144, during a step 220 and this measured speed is compared, during a step 222, to a threshold predetermined speed. If the measured speed is less than the predetermined speed threshold, then the detector 170 controls, during a step 224, the transmitter 156 to automatically trigger the transmission to the unit 22 of the authentication data.

In response, during a step 226, the authentication data, that is to say here the biological characteristics measured by the sensor 160, during the operation 208, are transmitted to the central 10, by the intermediary from transmitter 156 to unit 22.

Then, the system 140 proceeds to steps 122 to 130. However, during these steps 122 to 130, the control unit 10 uses in addition to the identification data (here the MAC address), the authentication data transmitted during the step 226 to authorize or on the contrary prohibit 1'access.

If the speed of the measured terminal is greater than the predetermined speed threshold or at the end of steps 128 or 130, the method returns to step 212.

In the system 140, the detector 170 detects the presence of the terminal 144 inside the zone 148 when the connection between this terminal 144 and the terminal 146 has been established. In addition, here, the detector 170 only controls the triggering of the transmission of the authentication data. Indeed, the identification data have already been transmitted during the establishment of the connection between the terminal 144 and the terminal 146.

Many other embodiments of system 2 and system 140 are possible. For example, the terminal 6 is equipped, as a variant, with a biometric sensor like the terminal 144 so as to also transmit authentication data to the central 10. Conversely, the biometric sensor 160, the recognition software 162 and the pre-recorded biological characteristics can be deleted from terminal 144 in a simplified variation. These modifications require an adaptation of base 12 or 149.

In the event that the terminal 6 also transmits authentication data, it is necessary to establish a connection between this terminal 6 and the unit 22 so that the terminal 22 must take the line in response to the call from the terminal. 6, which implies that these calls are billed by the network operator 23.

The terminals 6 and 144 have been described in the particular case where they both include a speed sensor to inhibit unwanted openings of the barrier 20. However, as a variant, this speed sensor is omitted and the methods of FIGS. 2 and 4 are adapted accordingly.

It is also possible to incorporate a speed sensor in the fixed installation rather than in the portable terminal.

Finally, the access center is described here in the particular case where it is located within the predefined geographical perimeter. As a variant, only the barrier is inside the predefined perimeter and the access center is outside this perimeter.

The term barrier is defined here as any removable obstacle used to protect access to a geographic space. For example, the barrier 20 can be replaced, as a variant, by a door or a removable terminal or by a gate.