An electronically alterable data card, identification card, and card decoder and encoder circuitry utilizing keyboard data input, data scrambling circuitry and data comparison on circuitry for validation and access purposes.
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12. An electronic identification system comprising:
a data-bearing card; means for receiving said card; sensing means responsive to the data on said card to establish a first digital count; keyboard means for accepting a manually entered preset code; scramble board means connected with said keyboard means and adapted to provide a second digital count corresponding to a re-encoding of said preset code; means for comparing said second digital count with said first digital count; and means operable by said comparing means when coincidence exists between said first and second digital counts to release said card from said receiving means.
3. An electronic identification system comprising:
a data-bearing card; means for receiving said card; sensing means responsive to the data on said card to establish a first digital count; keyboard means for accepting a manually entered preset code; scramble board means connected with said keyboard means to provide a second digital count corresponding to a re-encoding of said preset code; means for comparing said second digital count from said scramble board means with said first digital count from said sensing means; and means operable by said comparing means when said second digital count and said first digital count do not coincide, to cause a power circuit closure.
7. An electronic identification system comprising:
a data-bearing card; means for receiving said card; sensing means responsive to the data on said card to provide a first digital count; keyboard means for receiving a manually entered preset code; scrambler means connected with said keyboard means and adapted to provide a second digital count corresponding to a re-encoding of said preset code; means for comparing said second digital count from said scrambler means with said first digital count received in said sensing means; and power circuit means responsive to said comparing means when said first and second digital counts do not coincide, to cause a power circuit closure.
1. An electronic identification system employing a data bearing identification card comprising:
means for receiving said card; means for sensing the data on said card; keyboard means for accepting a manually entered identification code; data scrambling means connected to said sensing means for modifying the data sensed from said card in order to affect coincidence between said sensed data and said identification code; means for comparing said manually entered identification code with the modified data sensed from said card; and means operable by said comparing means when said modified data coincides with said identification code to cause said receiving means to release said received card.
13. A plant security system for selectively controlling a barrier in a passageway in response to a code entered into a manual keyboard and a code automatically sensed from an identification card comprising, barrier means controlling the open and closed condition of said passageway, actuator means for operating said barrier means, means for receiving said card, means for sensing the code from said card, scrambling means for modifying the data sensed from said card in order to effect coincidence between said sensed data and the code entered into said keyboard, comparing means for comparing data from said keyboard with the modified data from said scrambled means, and means operable by said comparing means to energize said actuator means and control said barrier to maintain said passage in an open condition.
23. An electronic identification system for controlling the admittance of entrants through a passageway comprising, barrier means for controlling the open and closed condition of said passageway, means for selectively controlling said barrier means to permit an entrant to proceed through said passageway, and controlling means comprising means for receiving an encoded identification card carried by said entrant, keyboard means operable by said entrant to place a code in said controlling means, and comparing means for reading the information encoded in said card and comparing same with the code placed in said controlling means from said keyboard means, said controlling means being responsive to said comparing means to open said barrier means to permit said entrant to proceed through said passageway when the information encoded in said card is identical to the information placed in said keyboard means.
27. An electronic identification system for controlling the admittance of entrants through a passageway comprising, barrier means for controlling the open and closed condition of said passageway, means for selectively controlling said barrier means to permit an entrant to proceed through said passageway, said controlling means comprising means for receiving an identification card, carried by said entrant, having at least two distinctly different sets of data encoded thereon, keyboard means operable by said entrant to place a code in said controlling means, and comparing means for reading said sets of encoded data and comparing same with the code placed in said controlling means from said keyboard means, said controlling means being responsive to said comparing means to open said barrier means to permit said entrant to proceed through said passageway when said sets of encoded data coincide with the information in said controlling means.
19. An electronic identification system for controlling the admittance of entrants through a passageway comprising, barrier means for controlling the open and closed condition of said passageway, means for selectively controlling said barrier means to permit an entrant to proceed through said passageway, said controlling means comprising means for receiving an encoded identification card carried by said entrant, keyboard means operable by said entrant to place a code in said controlling means, said card having thereon two distinct groups of encoded information, and comparing means for simultaneously reading both groups of information from said card and comparing same with the code placed in said controlling means from said keyboard means, said controlling means being responsive to said comprising means to open said barrier means to permit said entrant to proceed through said passageway when at least one group of information on said card compares with the information in said controlling means.
2. A system as defined in
means for changing said data on said card after said comparing means has detected coincidence between said data and said identification code, and prior to release of said received card.
4. An electronic identification system as defined in
means responsive to said comparing means for selectively changing said data on said card when said first digital count coincides with said second digital count.
5. An electronic identification system as defined in
an alarm connected to said power circuit closure means, and responsive thereto to signal a lack of coincidence between said first digital count and said second digital count.
6. An electronic identification system as defined in
a code scrambler connected between said sensing means and said comparing means and responsive to said keyboard means for re-encoding the data sensed from said card prior to its transmission to said comparing means, in accordance with said preset code.
8. An electronic identification system as defined in
means for selectively changing the data on said card if said comparing means detects coincidence between said first and second digital counts.
9. An electronic identification system as defined in
an alarm connected to said power circuit means and responsive to the power circuit closure thereof to signal a lack of coincidence between said first and second digital counts.
10. An electronic identification system as defined in
an electromechanical barrier connected to said power circuit means and operable in response to said power circuit closure.
11. An electronic identification system as defined in
second scrambler means connected between said keyboard means and said selective changing means for re-encoding said preset code in accordance with the changes made in said data by said selective changing means.
14. A plant security system as defined in
15. A plant security system as defined in
16. A plant security system as defined in
17. A plant security system as defined in
18. A plant security system as defined in
20. An electronic identification system as defined in
21. In a system as defined in
22. In a system as defined in
24. An electronic identification system as defined in
25. In a system as defined in
26. In a system as defined in
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This invention relates to an electronic system for the identification of personnel and for the control of their entry to and exit from security areas.
Methods used heretofore for controlling personnel traffic into and from secure areas has generally involved the use of specially trained guards who identify an employee by his photograph contained on a pass which he carries. This method is known to have severe limitations from the standpoint of security and is also quite expensive since it requires a large guard force. The shortcomings of this system have resulted in the development of certain automatic or semi-automatic systems in which special keys, or cards, or the like, are issued to authorized individuals which cards may be sensed by an electrical device which controls an electric lock and will permit access to the secure area. Although this is considered to be an improvement over the first-mentioned method, it also suffers certain shortcomings and is not altogether fool-proof.
By the apparatus of the present invention the shortcomings of the prior art are substantially overcome. The medium of identification in the present invention is an identification card which can be coded and is processed to provide a protected magnetic storage surface capable of carrying codes which can be easily written, erased, and changed by the apparatus included in the invention. During entry and exit of the security area, an individual enters a memorized code into a keyboard by pressing several buttons thereon and thereafter inserts his identification card into a transport mechanism which carries said card through a magnetic reading path. The code entered into the apparatus is compared with codes on the card. The apparatus is also capable of reading additional codes which determines the area of higher security within the basic area to which admission is authorized for a specific card holder. If an appropriate code on the card is correct, and there is a proper correspondence to the buttons depressed, the individual is free to walk through a control channel. If the code is not correct, a barrier is automatically closed in front of the individual and an alarm is sounded to summon a guard. The code on the card can automatically be changed during entry or exit without the knowledge of the individual seeking access to the secure area. The system provides for several thousand different card codes.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a pass identification system which is reliable, flexible, and which eliminates human errors inherent in the guard identification card method used heretofore.
Another object of the invention is to provide an electronic security system for controlling the traffic of individuals through a secure area.
Another object of the invention is to provide an electronic identification system employing an identification card, the code carried therein being changeable at any time without the knowledge of the individual carrying the card.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved identification card and automatic apparatus responsive thereto for controlling an electrically operated barrier mechanism.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an electronic data processing system responsive to individual identification cards and memorized keyboard data for controlling traffic through a plurality of selectively classified security zones.
These and other objects of the invention will be more readily understood in connection with the following specification and drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the external structure of the apparatus including the barrier and card receiving mechanisms.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of a multiple installation of the apparatus of the invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an identification card in accordance with the invention and has shown in graphic form, the coded information stored therein.
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the elements comprising the card of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a card-carrying container suitable for holding the card of FIG. 3.
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the card of FIG. 3 illustrating, in graphic form, details of the recorded data thereon.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating the basic elements comprising the system and their functional interrelationship.
FIG. 8 is a comprehensive diagram of the apparatus, illustrating details not shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic representation of the scramble-plug apparatus employed in the apparatus.
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the logical selection performed by the keyboard apparatus of the invention.
FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating the magnetic reading and writing functions of the apparatus.
FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of the keyboard and matrix apparatus.
FIG. 13 illustrates the functioning of an alternate embodiment of the system wherein the memorized code, unique to each entrant, entered into the keyboard 4 is supplied directly to comparator 103 via line 153 for comparison with sets of coded information magnetically written on the card. The card read head 106 is connected to comparator 103 through data scrambling means 152. Scrambling means 152 may, for example, resemble the scramble-plug apparatus for FIG. 9 only connected in reverse (that is, circuit 101 would connect to read head 106, and terminals 100a would connect to comparator 103). Comparator 103 determines whether the proper correspondence exists between the entry in keyboard 4 and at least one set of "unscrambled" coded information obtained by means of the card read head 106 via scrambling means 152. Comparator 103 responds to the keyboard entry and the unscrambled card entry in the same manner as to the analogous inputs described previously in connection with FIG. 7.
As briefly mentioned heretofore, the system may be adapted to provide access to a plurality of security areas, each of which may be confined within a larger surrounding security area.
The card may provide for entrance into up to ten inner security areas. The "inner area" codes are magnetically written on the identification card along the ten tracks located either side of the central axis between the "period" codes. The operation for admittance is the same as for the main or peripheral entrance with the additional requirement that the inner area code on the card must correspond to the area code assigned to the passageway through which the person must pass to enter the inner area. The inner area codes are not changed, but once assigned, remain on the card until the individual is reassigned to a different inner area or is no longer authorized to be admitted to the area. Tracks 4 through 8 and 10 through 14, thus may be assigned to the inner secure area coding.
The apparatus for controlling entrance to an inner secure area is substantially the same as that used for the main or peripheral entrance. That is, it must read and compare the period codes, but in addition, must read one of the ten inner tracks. A read head is adapted to read an inner secure track designated for each specific area. For example, if a pulse is located on track 4, the read head for area 4 is positioned to read track 4. Admittance can only be obtained by means of a card having a magnetic pulse recorded on track 4.
It should be understood that a single given card may have inner security area pulse conditions recorded on more than one of the inner security tracks thus permitting the individual, to whom the card is assigned, to gain admittance to a number of inner secure areas. Thus, an individual cleared to enter all ten inner secure areas would be assigned a card having magnetic pulses on all ten "inner area" tracks.
As stated previously, in each instance in which either of the two codes (past or present) on the identification card is correct, the present period code may be rewritten on the card as one step of the admittance procedure. When desired, the security officer may arbitrarily change the present period code. The operation of the system, as shown in FIG. 11, in response to a change of the present period code, initiated by the security officer, is as follows: (1) assume that the individual's keyboard code number is A83, and the present period code is recorded on tracks 41, 42, and 43 on the left side of the card; (2) the past period code is recorded on tracks 55, 56, and 57 on the right side of the card; (3) the scrambler board 86 for the present period code decimal counters will relate A83 on the keyboard to 271 in decade unit 71; (4) the scrambler board 84 for the past period code decimal counters will relate A83 on the keyboard 58 to 531 in decade unit 69; (5) the card is to be re-encoded to result in the present code becoming the past period code and a new code to replace the former past period code when the entrant exits from the passageway.
With reference to FIG. 11, the following actions will ensue: (1) the entrant enters the passageway and depresses A83 on the keyboard 58 and inserts the identification card in the receiving opening; (2) both periods codes are read by means of decode heads 80 and 81, the card approved and the present period code (i.e. 271) is rewritten on the card, and the entrant is permitted egress from the passageway; (3) prior to the departure of any entrants from within the security area, the security officer changes the scrambler board 85 for the re-encoding decade unit 71 and places the re-encode switch S3 in the right side position corresponding to the past period code's location on the card which is to be changed to the new present period code. The new present period code may be 975, for example. Number A83 on the keyboard will now appear in the re-encoding decade unit 70 as number 975; (4) subsequently, when an entrant desires to leave the security area, the codes written on his identification card will be as in the initial instance (viz. 531 and 271); (5) the card is read by both left and right read head (80 and 81). The left and right codes are read and approved since the scrambler boards (84 and 86) associated with the left and right decade units 71 and 69 are unchanged. As the card passes under erase head 77, the right side is erased; (6) the card passes under coding head 79 and the new period code 975 is written in the erased area; (7) after all individuals within the security area have exited through the security system passageway, the security officer removes scrambler board 84 for the right decade unit 69 and inserts a board which is identical to scrambler board 85 used for the re-encoding. The decade unit 70 and decade unit 69 now bear the same relationship to the keyboard 58. The left decade unit 71 bears the same relationship to the keyboard as it did prior to the re-encoding and now becomes the past period code. Each time an individual passes through the gate, the present period code is written onto the card provided that one of the codes on his card is either a valid past or present period code.
It should be noted that before a new code is written on a card, or before the present period code is erased and rewritten, the original code must be read and approved. If the code on the card is not approved, the output of the erase and coding heads will be automatically turned off and the card will be ejected with the invalid code remaining therein.
The graphic representation of the encoded data in FIG. 6 is to be considered as an analogous representation of the magnetically recorded pulses rather than a literal representation thereof. That is, each pulse comprises a region of different magnetic flux as compared with surrounding areas. Non-return-to-zero (NRZ) recording may be employed, a technique well known to those skilled in the art.
Apparatus for writing the inner area codes on the identification card is not specifically set forth since this may be accomplished by any one of a number of techniques well known to those skilled in the art.
To accommodate admittance of authorized visitors, a group of keyboard combinations may be reserved for visitors.
An authorized visitor is initially cleared through a central security office where he is assigned a three-number keyboard code and is issued an identification card. The identification card is encoded with an appropriate period code in effect at the time of issue; a record of this card issuance would be kept in the central security office files.
It will be understood that various ommissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the system illustrated and its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and intended scope of the invention; for example, directional traffic lights (semaphore, or the like) may be installed at either end of each passageway to prevent interference caused by two entrants attempting to enter the passageway simultaneously, from opposite directions. When the passageway is clear, lights in either direction will show green. If the channel is entered from one side, the traffic light on the other side will turn red while the one on the entered side will remain green. This will establish a priority for heavy traffic in one direction. A time delay may be incorporated to restore the light at either end to a green condition after a period of 5 seconds, if no one enters from the priority side.
As can be seen, the invention permits one guard to serve a number of entrance gates. This is made possible since the duty of card inspection is removed from a guard who can then remain in a central location until notified by operation of alarms connected with the inspection apparatus that an unauthorized individual is attempting to enter the security area, or an error has been made in the operation of the system.
It will be recognized that by electrical communication with the apparatus of the invention, either directly or remotely, a signal may be selectively introduced into the system which will reject a particular card and thus prevent entry of a particular individual into the security area. This action may sound the alarm thus permitting the guard to direct the individual to a desired location for an interview, or otherwise detain him for other reasons.
The number that is assigned to each entrant is confidential and is known only to the card user and the security officer of the area.
If a number is not properly keyed and if, by reason of predetermined settings within the apparatus, the card is rejected, the card may be held locked in the card slot until released by an attendant or guard who will be summoned by the alarm actuated by the apparatus.
Since period code and inner area code assignments may be automatically changed whenever desired, old cards may be updated for use with new assignments, thus increasing the security afforded by this invention considerably.
The characteristic of the apparatus which generates various electrical signals permits an accurate tally of the number of persons entering and/or leaving a specified area. This may be accomplished by electrical connection of an electromechanical counter to the control apparatus. Furthermore, if desired, traffic from a secure area may be subtracted from traffic into the same area thus providing a running indication of the total number of individuals within the secure area at any given time. The adaption of other ancillary apparatus to the disclosed system will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Also, it should be understood that the identification card need not be limited to magnetic recording but may employ ferroelectric recording or other semipermanent recording techniques which will permit re-recording thereon. Furthermore, combinations of recording techniques may be employed in which certain of the codes on the card may be permanently made (i.e. inner area codes) whereas others may be capable of being changed as desired.
While there have been shown and described the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to specific embodiments, it will be understood that various modifications in the form and details of the apparatus illustrated, and in its operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention; therefore, it is intended that the invention be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.
Enikeieff, Oleg C., West, William H., Dye, Dean C.
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| Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
| Dec 16 1974 | Omron Tateisi Electronics Co. | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / |
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