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    • 专利摘要:
    This invention discloses a scanning device for access control via one or more connected locks. The device has a housing with an upper side, a lower side and two essentially parallel, opposite side walls that define an internal part. The housing further comprises a hole in at least one of the sides, so that the scanning part of a scanning unit placed in the housing can protrude from the hole in a tilted position. Furthermore, the device has a scanning unit that is mounted in the housing. The scan unit consists of a basic scan interface plate connected to the scan unit. The scan interface plate is connected to a connector plate, which in turn is connected to at least one of several printed circuit boards with a specific functionality, each of which performs one of the functions of the scanning device.
    公开号:BE1025840B1
    申请号:E2017/5839
    申请日:2017-11-16
    公开日:2019-08-29
    发明作者:Stefaan Joos
    申请人:QuiAccess comm.v；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    Modular scanning device for access control
    TECHNICAL
    This disclosure generally relates to a scanning device and more particularly to a modular scanning device intended for use in access control.
    BACKGROUND
    Nowadays, many companies and organizations receive visitors for various reasons, for example workers, suppliers, partners, customers, members, colleagues, employees, students, etc. Small and large organizations in all sectors need a means to access these visitors to monitor their buildings and grounds.
    Traditional access control systems often work with keys, identification badges, paper printed passwords, personal identification numbers and the like. Such elements are easy to copy. In some systems, visitors simply have to register their own data to gain access and note the time when they will leave. With these systems, at least one staff member must supervise access to the buildings and grounds. Electronic authentication, on the other hand, is based on one or more unique, unchanging codes on smartphones or cards that do not cause these problems. Electronic authentication therefore offers more security and is also more practical and user-friendly.
    Bar code scanners are known to be useful in access control. Such scanners can be mounted on a wall or used as a handheld device. In the case of hand scanners, a specific employee must be responsible for access control. This process takes more time, so that people generally prefer wall scanners.
    Nevertheless, there are also certain disadvantages associated with wall scanners. For example, the angle at which the scanners are placed must be reset each time, depending on the user. That is a cumbersome task.
    Furthermore, these scanning devices are usually connected to a local computer or a processing device. It is therefore often large, heavy and extensive installations for autonomous access management that are difficult and expensive to relocate.
    Wall scanners with an internal processor have recently entered the market. These are easy to mount on a wall and can easily be connected to the locks and the like for which access control is required. However, the present inventors have noted that such improvised wall scanners have certain disadvantages. For example: when a scanner is defective, not working properly or needs to be replaced for another reason, it is relatively difficult and time-consuming. Either the entire unit must be replaced or the entire unit and all parts must be dismantled. Also, in some cases, it is necessary to change the mode of the device's communication interface, for example, to make the device a wired instead of a wireless communication unit or vice versa.
    In addition to the structure of the device, there have recently been problems with the functionality of the device. For example: in the initial design a scanning device with limited functionality based on a single printed circuit board (PCB) was acceptable, but in the next versions of the product more functionality might be expected, which requires complex printed circuit boards. In addition, a printed circuit board can offer more than enough space for a first product, while design restrictions may apply to the later products and smaller PCBs are required (in addition to more functionality). Sometimes the PCB also has to be changed to change the application of the device, for example to turn an autonomous unit into a non-autonomous unit and vice versa. In such situations, the PCB must be modified to support the new application. It can therefore be useful to find a way to make such a change possible within a certain room.
    There is therefore a need for a wall-mounted scanning device that is easy to operate and compact, and whose printed circuit boards are easy to replace, upgrade or modify as necessary.
    RESUME
    One aspect of this disclosure concerns a scanning device for access control via one or more connected locks. The device has a housing with an upper side, a lower side and two essentially parallel, opposite side walls that define an internal part. The housing further comprises a hole in at least one of the sides, so that the scanning part of a scanning unit placed in the housing can protrude from the hole in a tilted position. In this way the device can scan a more or less horizontal plane at an angle between 1 ° and 89 ° (preferably between 5 ° and 45 °). Furthermore, the device has a scanning unit that is mounted in the housing. The scan unit comprises a basic scan interface card connected to the scan unit through an interface connector. The basic interface is further connected to a connector plate with an electrical interface card to power the scanning device. The connector plate is further connected to at least one of several printed circuit boards with specific functionality, each of which performs one function of the scanning device. The housing in which the scan unit is mounted can be mounted on a wall or other support surface using a mounting unit.
    The support surface is preferably an electronic 'gag box' and the assembly assembly is a snap lock intended to lock the scanning device in the electronic box.
    The support surface can also be a wall and the assembly assembly a screw mechanism with which the scanning device can be mounted on the wall.
    Generally, the connector plate includes a plurality of electronic connectors of a first type for connecting one or more of the various printed circuit boards with specific functionality.
    Each of the different printed circuit boards with a specific functionality is provided with electronic connectors of a second type for connection to the connector plate, so that the connectors of the first type and the connectors of the second type make the printed circuit boards with a specific functionality firm and operational. attach to the connector plate.
    The electronic connector of the first type can be a male pin header.
    The electronic connector of the second type can be a female pin header.
    Among the various printed circuit boards there may also be an intelligence plate, so that the scanning device can operate autonomously.
    Typically, the intelligence plates include programmable logic to decode scanned input from the scanning unit and thus determine whether the user from whom the scanned input is received may be allowed access through one or more connected slots.
    The various printed circuit boards furthermore comprise a power supply plate for supplying power to the device and / or other components with a specific functionality.
    The power plate may include a relay to unlock the locks.
    Furthermore, there may be one or more communication plates among the various printed circuit boards to communicate with the locks whose access is to be controlled.
    The communication plates can be selected from one or more of the following options, among others: RS232, RS485, WIEGAND, RS422, I2C, ABA TK2, ISO2, WIRELESS IEEE 802.15.4 (6LOWPAN, ZIGBEE, Z-WAVE), BLUETOOTH , GPRS, WIMAX, WIFI.
    Furthermore, the communication plate can connect the device to an access control system to which the device provides input and which controls access based on the connected locks.
    Typically, the scanning unit is a barcode scanner with an activation mechanism based on a motion sensor.
    Another aspect of the present disclosure of the invention relates to a method for access control based on one or more locks, using a modular scanning device. The method involves scanning an input, such as a user's barcode, using a scanning unit. The method then processes the scanned input to verify whether the user is allowed access via the connected locks.
    Typically, processing involves the decoding of the scanned bar code.
    The processing is preferably performed by an intelligence plate in the scanning device.
    The processing can also be performed by a system that manages the remote access and is connected to the device.
    The device generally communicates with the access control system via one or more communication plates, which can be selected among others from the following options: RS232, RS485, WIEGAND, RS422, I2C, ABA TK2, ISO2, WIRELESS IEEE 802.15.4 (6LOWPAN, ZIGBEE, Z-WAVE), BLUETOOTH, GPRS, WIMAX, WIFI.
    In the accompanying drawings and the description below, more details are provided about one or more implementations. Other aspects, features and advantages of the subject discussed herein will be apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims.
    BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
    FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a scanning device according to a concrete embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a scanning device according to another concrete embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 3 is a plan drawing of a housing according to a concrete embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing of the scan assembly according to a concrete embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing of the top of a scan interface plate according to another concrete embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 6a is a schematic drawing of the top of a connector plate according to another concrete embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 6b is a schematic drawing of the top of a connector plate according to another concrete embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 7a is a schematic drawing of an intelligence plate according to another concrete embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 7b is a schematic drawing of a communication plate according to another concrete embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 7c is a schematic drawing of a communication plate according to another concrete embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the components of printed circuit boards with specific functionality, according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 9 is a flow chart of the steps to provide access through one or more locks using the modular scanning device, according to a concrete embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 10 is a flow chart of the steps to provide access through one or more locks using the modular scanning device, according to another specific embodiment of the present disclosure.
    DETAILED DESCRIPTION
    As required, a schematic embodiment of the present application is explained here by way of example. However, it goes without saying that the illustrated embodiment is only an example of the present disclosure, which can be implemented in various and / or alternative forms. The specific structural and functional details explained here should not be interpreted strictly, but merely as a basis for the conclusions and as a representative basis for instructing an expert on the various uses of the present disclosure in just about any suitable detailed structure. .
    The aspects, advantages, and / or other features of the exemplary embodiment of the disclosure will be apparent from the following detailed description, which illustrates some of the possible embodiments of the invention. For the sake of clarity, specific terminology is used in the description of the exemplary embodiments. However, it is not intended to limit the execution to this specific terminology. It goes without saying that each specific component includes all technical equivalents that work in a similar way to achieve a similar purpose.
    Exemplary embodiments can be adapted for a wide variety of purposes and should not be limited to the specific purposes described herein by way of example. Experts may adjust the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, depending, for example, on the intended use of the modified embodiment. The associated examples and limitations listed below are illustrative and not intended exclusively. When experts read the following specifications and study the accompanying images, they will gain insight into other limitations of the technique.
    The present application illustrates a scanning device that scans a user's input and thus verifies whether the user is allowed access through one or more locks. The device is equipped with a modular printed circuit board structure that can easily be changed by adding or removing one or more printed circuit boards with specific functionality, as required for the desired operation. In a concrete embodiment of the present invention, the device can be used as an autonomous unit. In another concrete embodiment of this invention, the device can complement existing access control systems by passing the scanned input (e.g., a bar code) to the access system, which then performs the appropriate action, such as automatically unlocking and / or opening a door. It goes without saying that this invention must be limited to applications for access control systems, unless stated otherwise. As any person skilled in the art will appreciate, variants of the invention can be applied to other operations such as points of sale, vending machines, security systems, tracing systems and the like. It is also obvious that embodiments of the present invention can be applied in combination with various other security features and / or systems for various possible applications. In this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "it" also refer to plural references, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The term "an opening" refers, for example, to a single opening or a combination of openings; "an electronic connector" means one or more electronic connectors of the same nature, or a combination of different types of electronic connectors.
    In the description of AFB below. 1-2, the elements corresponding to the schematic system have the same number, unless stated otherwise. In a first embodiment, shown in AFB. 1, the present disclosure describes a scanning device 10 that is used to control and manage an access through one or more connected locks 30. The device is provided with a housing 20 in which a scanning unit 12 is located. The scan unit 12 comprises a scan unit 21 and a scan interface plate 22, which is connected to the scan unit 21. The scan interface plate 22 is operationally connected to a connector plate 23. The connector plate 23 is connected to one or more printed circuit boards with specific functionality 24. Each printed circuit board 24 is connected to a predetermined function. Possible printed circuit boards with a specific functionality 24 are an intelligence plate and / or other suitable printed circuit boards, such as a power supply plate, a memory plate, a processor plate, etc., depending on what is required to process the scanned input from the scanning unit 21, so that the device can autonomously to work. One or more communication plates can also be located under the printed circuit boards with a specific functionality 24, so that the scanning device 10 can communicate with one or more slots.
    In a variant of the first embodiment, shown in AFB. 2, the device is operationally connected to a centralized remote access control system 50 via one or more printed circuit boards with specific functionality 24, such as a communication plate. In such an embodiment, usually no intelligence plate is needed, since the scanned input is processed by the access control system. In such embodiments, device 10 scans an input to scanning unit 21 and then passes that input to the access control system 50, which controls the locks to be managed.
    FIG. 1 and 2 show the schematic arrangement of the basic components of the device of the present disclosure. To build commercially functional units, it is possible to include secondary components in the system, such as electronic connectors, sockets, cables, capacitors, solder, support structures and other functional components, as is known by experts in the field of printed circuit boards and access control systems. Such commercial units are included in this invention, provided that the structural components and arrangements explained herein are present.
    In FIG. 3 and 4, a modular scanning device is shown according to a concrete embodiment of the present disclosure. The modular scanning device is generally designated by the number 100. The scanning device 100 has a housing 200 that contains a scanning unit 120. The scanning unit 120 comprises a scanning unit 210 connected to a scanning interface plate 220. The housing 200 has an upper side 201, a lower side 202, a front wall 203, a rear wall 204 and a set of more or less parallel opposing side walls 205 and 206, that define an internal part 207. Furthermore, the housing 200 has a hole 208 which leaves access to the internal part 207. The housing 200 is intended to contain the scanning unit 120 such that a scanning portion 212 of the scanning unit 210 protrudes from the hole 208 in a tilted position so that a more or less horizontal plane can be easily scanned at an angle of 1 ° to 89 ° (preferably between 5 ° and 45 °). In this way, the scanning unit 210 can easily scan a smartphone or chip card with bar code when the user prefers it.
    Those skilled in the art will find that the housing 200 can have many different shapes, dimensions, and configurations without departing from the present invention. This means that the housing 200 must be large enough to accommodate the various PCBs in the scan assembly 120, together with their mounted electronic components.
    The housing 200 is preferably made with a 3D printing process in a thermally conductive material such as thermoplastic material, resin, metal or the like. The housing 200 can also be manufactured with a different production process in accordance with the state of the art. In certain embodiments, typically in cases where device 100 is used outdoors and exposed to extreme weather conditions, the housing 200 can be made to be weather and vandal-proof, so that the scanning device 100 has a longer life.
    The housing 200 is provided with a mechanism [not shown] for mounting the scanning unit 210 in a tilted position. This mechanism is preferably a container that is integrally printed in resin during the 3D printing process of the housing 200. In such embodiments, the resin container is generally heat conductive so that the heat is dispersed and no moisture remains in the scanning unit 210. The shape of the resin holder can be designed such that the scanning unit 210 is mounted in a tilted position at the desired angle.
    In other embodiments, another suitable mechanism may be used as a holder, such as various locking mechanisms, support structures, enclosing mechanisms, etc., in accordance with the prior art. In certain embodiments, the housing 200 may also be provided with one or more heat-dissipating elements, such as heat-conducting valves and / or heat-dissipating elements that thermally communicate with one or more parts of the housing 200. Thus, temperature fluctuations remain at the surface. of the housing 200 is limited. Any other heat dissipation mechanism can also be built into the housing 200.
    Furthermore, the housing 200 has a mounting assembly 250 for mounting the housing 200 on the desired surface, such as a wall, a door, or the like. The mounting assembly 250 may include any suitable mounting mechanism in accordance with the prior art.
    In certain embodiments, the housing 200 may be intended to be built into an electronic box such that the front wall of the housing connects sufficiently flush with the surface around the electronic box. In such embodiments, the mounting assembly 250 can be a snap mechanism with which it is possible to attach the housing 200 in modular electronic boxes. Any other mounting mechanism that can properly secure the housing 200 in an electronic box can also be used. In such embodiments, the housing 200 does not have a back wall 204 in some cases.
    In certain embodiments, the walls 200, 202, 203, 204, 205, and 206 of the housing 200 may have a number of additional small openings to provide access to important components or to allow cables, communication lines, power cords, and the like to pass through .
    The scanning unit 210 is preferably a scanner that can read and scan bar codes. A barcode is a graphical representation of information that can be read by machines. Originally a barcode was a series of parallel stripes and spaces with different widths (linear barcode or 1D barcode). Today, more and more alternatives to the linear bar code are being used, such as matrix codes (eg 2D bar codes, QR codes, Aztec codes, data matrix) and optical character recognition (Optical Character Recognition or OCR). As technology evolves, those alternatives become more and more popular. In this text, the terms barcode and code symbol must be interpreted in the broadest sense, so that they can refer to both linear barcodes and matrix codes and OCR labels. The scanning unit 210 is usually an optical scanner for scanning bar codes. The scanner can be a laser scanner, for example a solid state laser or a semiconductor laser such as a diode laser. The scanner can also be a CCD scanner.
    The scanning unit 210 is preferably a conventional 2D scanner that can recognize symbols with data identifying features, such as BR code, QR code or the like. The scanning unit 210 can support all common 1D codes, as well as PDF417, QR code (QR1, QR2, Micro QR), data matrix and GSI-DataBarTM (RSS) (RSS-Limited, RSS-14, RSS-14 Stacked and RSS- Expand). The scanning unit 210 may also have other functions such as a beep signal or LEDs to indicate the execution of a scanning operation. Furthermore, the scanning unit 210 may have a direction indicator that is projected onto a code symbol (e.g., bar code, linear bar code, matrix code, letter sequences, number sequences). The scanning unit 210 is intended to read bar codes on a bar code carrier [not shown] that the user carries. Possible bar code carriers are documents, such as a boarding pass or an electronic device with a display that can display the bar code, such as a mobile telephone or a portable computer or terminal, for example a personal digital assistant or enterprise digital assistant. The bar code carrier can also be another type of portable object that can display bar codes, such as chip cards or the like. The scanning unit 210 may therefore be able to read bar codes on just about any medium, i.e. on paper, plastic cards, mobile phones and LCD displays.
    In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the scanning unit 210 is preferably a light and compact unit that occupies as little space as possible for the intended applications and / or facilities with limited space, such as an electrical box or the like.
    The scanning unit 210 can work with a trigger device that can be activated automatically and / or manually. In manual mode, the trigger device may be a button or switch on the frame of the scanning unit 210.
    In such an embodiment, when the manually operated trigger device is depressed or activated, it in turn activates a scan operation of the scanning unit 210, scanning an object in the scan field.
    The automatic mode can work with one or more sensors in the scanning unit 210 which, when they detect a specific event, operate the scanning unit 210. In such an embodiment, the scanning unit 210 is equipped with a motion sensor. The motion sensor can consist of any instrument or combination of instruments or sensors that can detect movement, light and / or proximity. The motion sensor may, for example, consist of a sonic or optical range finder, such as an infrared sensor (IR) that provides analog or digital sensor output, such as the IR range finder with analog output GP2Y0A60SZ or the IR LED range finder with digital output GP2Y0D413K0F, both from the Japanese company Sharp Corporation, based in Osaka. In certain embodiments, the motion sensor may use distance measurement, incidence of light and / or motion detection to detect the presence of a user and / or barcode carrier in the vicinity of the scanning device 100. When presence is detected, the scanning unit 210 may be triggered and / or activated.
    In certain embodiments, the scanning unit 210 may have one or more additional sensors, for example a range finder and / or another proximity sensor that is similar to the motion sensor or any other sensor or combination of sensors that detect the presence of a user.
    As can be seen in Fig. 4 and as previously mentioned, the housing 200 also contains the scanning assembly 120. The scanning assembly 120 comprises a scanning interface plate 220, as can be seen in Fig. 5. The scanning interface plate 220 is a hardware plate, such as a PCB, on which various components, such as integrated circuits (ICs), capacitors, inductors, computing-based instruments and switches, can be connected to each other in one or more circuits. The scan interface plate is further provided with at least one interface connector, which is arranged, for example, as illustrated in Fig. 3, a first interface connector 221 and a second interface connector 222. In certain embodiments, the first interface connector 221 and the second interface connector 222 may be of the female circuit board connector type . In an embodiment of the present invention, the first interface connector 221 connects the scan interface plate 220 to the scanning unit 210. The second interface connector 222 can connect the scan interface plate 220 to a connector plate 230 on a bottom side thereof, as shown in Fig. 6a. The underside 231 of the connector plate 230 has a third interface connector 232, preferably of the male circuit board connector type, which can be connected to the second interface connector 222 of the scan interface plate 120. The connector plate 230 shown in Figs. 6a and 6b comprises various electronic connectors 2301 of the first type mounted on an upper side 233 thereof. The top 233 of the connector plate 230 may also contain various components, such as integrated circuits (ICs), capacitors, inductors, computing-based instruments and switches, which may be coupled together in one or more circuits.
    The connector plate 230 is intended to be connected to various printed circuit boards with a specific functionality 240 via electronic connectors of the second type 2302 mounted on the underside of each of the printed circuit boards with a specific functionality 240. In an embodiment of this invention the electronic connectors of the first type 2301 can be different male pin headers and the electronic connectors of the second type 2302 female pin headers in which the male pin headers can be securely secured. In another embodiment of this invention with intelligence plate, as shown in Fig. 7a, the electronic connectors of the first type 2301 can be female pin headers and the electronic connectors of the second type 2302 can be male pin headers. The use of male pin headers and the matching female pin headers as electronic connectors can help to standardize the connection between the printed circuit boards, so that a wrong connection is excluded. The use of pin headers also reduces production time because the pins do not have to be inserted into the printed circuit boards one by one, which is very time-consuming. However, in accordance with the prior art, other suitable and matched connectors may be used in other embodiments of this invention to connect the connector plate 230 to the plates with specific functionality 240.
    All printed circuit boards with a specific functionality 240 have electronic connectors of the first type 2301 on the top and electronic connectors of the second type 2302 on the bottom. In such an arrangement, it is possible to stack printed circuit boards with specific functionality 240 one above the other via electronic connectors of the first and the second type 2301 and 2302 which work together and complement each other. Both the electronic connectors of the first type 2301 and those of the second type 2302 can also be openings for electronic connectors, into which one or more pin headers fit, so that one end of the pin header in the opening for electronic connectors of the first type 2301 and the other end of the pin header into the opening for electronic connectors of the second type 2302. In the same way, a stack of printed circuit boards with a specific functionality 240 can be formed on the connector plate 230.
    Each printed circuit board with specific functionality 240 contains various components, such as integrated circuits (ICs), capacitors, inductors, computing-based instruments and switches that can be coupled together in one or more circuits, and is connected to a particular function. Such a modular, multi-layer stack offers the possibility of combining different, separate functional parts, and this in the form of printed circuit boards with each a specific functionality or assorted stacks of printed circuit boards with different functions.
    The connector plate 230 may further be connected to a power supply plate 301, as shown in Fig. 4. The power supply plate is a hardware plate with one or more power sources, such as a 12 V battery, an electrical plug or other suitable power sources that the scanning unit 210 can supply power. The power supply plate 301 can also supply power to any plate with a specific functionality 240 that requires power or batteries to operate. The connection between the power plate 301 and the connector plate 230 can be compared with the connection between the connector plate 230 and the plates with a specific functionality 240. In other words, the power plate 301 in a concrete embodiment preferably has different female pin headers on the underside which can be connected to the male pin headers at the top 232 of the connector plate 230. In one embodiment, the power supply plate 301 can also supply power to the locks to lock / unlock them. In such embodiments, the power supply plate 301 may have one or more relay switches 3011 to turn one or more locks on and off. In such embodiments, the power supply plate 301 can supply power to the relay switches 3011, which in turn are operatively connected to one or more locks.
    In an embodiment of this invention, preferably in an embodiment in which an autonomous application of the scanning device 100 is desired, there is an intelligence plate 302 below the printed circuit boards with a specific functionality 240, as shown in Fig. 7a. The intelligence plate 302 can be a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a programmable logic device (PLD or FPGA) or another chip whose operating system is built into the hardware it contains. The intelligence plate 302 is preferably a programmable chip in which an initial decoding algorithm is programmed on the basis of a code generation program in accordance with the prior art. In practice, the intelligence plate 302 receives from the scanning unit 210 a scanned input, such as a bar code. The scanned input is then processed by the programmable logic encoded within the intelligence plate 302. The intelligence plate 302 may further comprise one or more supporting elements, such as a microcontroller or a non-volatile external memory (EEPROM or otherwise) for the implementation of the basic functionalities. The supporting elements can also be present in the device in the form of plates with a specific functionality that are stacked on the connector plate 230. In such embodiments, the intelligence plate 302 communicates with the printed circuit boards with a supporting functionality to process and / or decode the scanned input (e.g., a bar code). Further, in certain embodiments, the connector plate 230 may contain additional circuit boards with a specific functionality 240, such as a memory and a spare controller.
    Possible programmable logic devices (PLD) are for example: computer programmable logic device (CPLD), field-programmable gate array (FPGA), programmable logic array (PAL), generic array logic (GAL), static random access memory (SRAM) ), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) and an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM).
    Programmable logic devices are connected to each other via data and control buses, such as a PLD bus, for example a high-speed bus. PLDs usually have their own unique device identification (UDI), programmed into it by the manufacturer. Once a UDI is written in a PLD at the end of the PLD production process, the UDI cannot be rewritten. That is why the UDI is the unique identification of a specific PLD. In one embodiment, the programmable logic is an FPGA, for example from the Virtex family, available from Xilinx, Inc. or 2100 Logic Drive, San Jose, Calif. 95124.
    In embodiments in which the intelligence plate is used to provide autonomous functionality to the device, a plate with real-time clock 303 may be provided to provide a real-time clock on which the PLD operates. In one embodiment, the real-time clock can be used to, among other things, time the PLD, together with supporting elements and / or one or more input devices and / or output devices.
    In one embodiment, the real-time clock may be configured to provide one or more real-time and / or timestamp data to the PLD. Such a real-time clock may be desirable in cases where the authorization also depends on clock-based parameters, such as time, date or the like.
    Among the various printed circuit boards with specific functionality 240 there are furthermore one or more communication boards 303, as shown in Fig. 7b, to enable communication within the device 100 and / or with one or more locks and / or with external systems, such as a centralized remote access control system 250. In a concrete embodiment of this invention, the communication plate 303 may be an RS232 communication printed circuit board, with an RS232 communication interface. In another embodiment of the present invention, the communication plate 303 may be an RS485 communication plate, with a communication interface of the RS485 type. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the communication plate 303 may be selected from, inter alia, one or more communication functionalities that support an interface of the type RS422, Wiegand, I2C, ΑΒΑ TK2, ISO2, wireless IEEE 802.15.4 (6Lowpan, ZigBee, Z -WAVE), Bluetooth, GPRS, WIMAX, WIFI or the like. In practice, a Wiegand communication interface is usually used to scan the input from the
    scan unit. Wired communication interfaces such as RS232, RS485 and RS422 make communication with the external systems and / or the locks possible via a cable connection. Wireless communication interfaces such as Bluetooth, IEEE 802.15.4 and GPRS enable communication with external systems and / or locks without any cable connection. In embodiments in which the communication interface requires wireless internet access, the device 100 may include one or more printed circuit boards with specific functionality 240, such as an antenna, a SIM card, a Bluetooth wireless transmitter / receiver, or the like, which in turn allows internet connection to make. For example: in a specific embodiment, a SIM card slot enables connection to a mobile network such as 2G / 3G or the like in a situation where no internet connection is available. The communication interfaces provided by the communication plate 303 can connect the device 100 to one or more slots and / or the remote access control system, using one or more built-in software interfaces.
    In certain embodiments, the connector plate 230 may include various other types of plates with a specific functionality 240 for the purpose of implementing the access control process based on the scanning device 100.
    Possible plates with a specific functionality 240 include: radio plates, video plates, humidity sensor plates, temperature sensor plates, general purpose processor plates, specific purpose processor plates, input / output plates (IO plates), sensor / actuator plates, radio plates with global system for mobile communication (GSM), alarm sensor plates, or a combination of these plates. Each plate with its own function can also have input and / or output interfaces, communication media, etc., to communicate with the device. Such structural components already exist in the art and can be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
    FIG. 9, which refers to Figs. 1 to 8, is a flowchart illustrating an access control management method 900 using the modular scanning device 100. The method starts with step 902 and continues with step 904, where the scanning unit 210 scans an input, preferably a bar code on a user's bar code carrier. Typically, the scanning unit 210 is activated when the motion sensor in the scanning unit 210 detects the proximity of a user. The method then proceeds to step 906, where the scanning unit 210 passes the scanned input to the scan unit 120, where it is received by the intelligence plate 302. The intelligence plate 302 processes the scanned barcode and usually also decodes it to verify whether the user has access may get. Authorization is usually given in advance by an administrator, with the following steps: (i) When a user gains access, an authorization code is created for a particular PLD that is in the intelligence plate 302 of the device 100. Such an authorization code is generated with code generation software in accordance with the prior art. Typically, such a code is generated on a unique device identification (UDI) for the intended PLD, the UDI being intended to identify the PLD. (ii) The authorization code is then coded on the basis of an appropriate coding standard in accordance with the state of the art. In one embodiment, the device preferably uses the AES 128 encryption standard, the authorization code being encrypted with a secret key so that the user cannot decrypt the information therein. (iii) The coded code is then printed / transferred onto an appropriate bar code carrier and provided to the user for access.
    The method goes back to step 906, where the scanned bar code is received by the intelligence plate 302. The PLD on the intelligence plate 302 then decodes the bar code and verifies whether the UDI part of the authorization code matches the UDI that is on the PLD being read. In certain versions you can
    the PLD is processed in combination with user data, the times at which the user may access etc. In those cases, the PLD verifies when the user tries to gain access not only the authorization code, but also the data, to check whether access is allowed during a certain period of time. If the authorization is positive, the method proceeds to the step where the device sends a command based on one or more communication interfaces in the device, to one or more locks, to perform the desired action. In certain embodiments, after a positive verification, for example, the method proceeds to step 908, in which the device 100 sends a signal from the power supply plate 301 to the relay switch 3011, which in turn unlocks one or more connected locks and thus grants the user access.
    However, if the authorization verification is negative, the method proceeds to step 910, where the error can be reported with an alarm.
    FIG. 10, which refers to FIGS. 1 to 8, is a flow chart illustrating a method of access control management using the modular scanning device 100 in an embodiment in which the device supplements the central remote access control system. The method starts at step 1002 and proceeds to step 1004, which is the same as step 904 of method 900. In step 1006, the scanning device 100 passes the scanned input, for example a barcode, to the scan unit 120, which in turn transmits scanned input to the central remote access control system 250 based on the desired communication interface in the device. At step 1008, the remote access control system processes and / or decodes the scanned barcode. It verifies whether the user may gain access and then proceeds to step 1010, in which one or more actions are performed, as determined by the operating guidelines of the access control system.
    The device 100 described in this disclosure can thus be used for access control via one or more connected locks. The device 100 is a modular structure, to which functionalities can be added or removed by adding and / or removing specific plates with a specific functionality 240, depending on the desired functionalities.
    INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
    The present disclosure relates to a scanning device 100 that can scan access data, such as a bar code, QR code or the like, on a user's mobile phone and / or chip card and / or document. The device in question can therefore be used for access control, as an autonomous unit or in combination with a central remote access control system. The scanning device 100 comprises various communication media that enable communication with locks and / or a central access control system. In certain embodiments, communication may be established, for example, via wired media, such as an RS232 or RS485 interface. The scanning device 100 of this invention is a modular unit in which one or more functionalities can be removed, updated and / or added by simply adding or removing the corresponding functionality plates to the stack of plates with specific functionality.
    In a commercial embodiment, the device 100 of the present disclosure preferably consists of an autonomous access control device in a practical, small housing. In such an embodiment, the device is provided with a modular housing in which a scanning unit is located. The scan unit has a scan unit activated by a motion sensor connected to a scan interface plate, in which a scan portion of the scan unit protrudes from the housing in a tilted position, so that a more or less horizontal plane can be easily scanned at an angle of 1 ° to 89 ° (preferably between 5 ° and 45 °). In this way, the scanning unit can easily scan a smartphone, chip card or other suitable bar code carrier with a bar code when the user prefers it.
    The scan interface plate is connected to a connector plate. The connector plate is in turn connected to a circuit board with a specific functionality, namely an intelligence plate. The intelligence plate is a programmable logic device (PLD or FPGA) with a predetermined UDI, and an operating system built into it, along with supporting elements such as memories, processors or the like. Furthermore, the programmable chip includes an advanced encryption standard, namely AES 128 and / or AES 256, which is built into it for encrypting all authorization codes that are generated to provide access to the slots managed by the scanning device. The code is preferably generated by code generation software based on the UDI or PLD. However, any known technique can be used to generate the authorization code. The connector plate is further connected to a power supply plate for supplying power to the scanning unit. The power plate also has a relay switch to switch one or more connected locks on or off. Furthermore, the scan unit also comprises at least one communication plate that is connected to the connector plate, with a communication interface that enables communication with the connected locks. The communication plate can be connected separately to the connector plate or in combination with other communication plates, to be selected from among others RS232, RS242, Bluetooth and / or WIMAX. In such a commercial embodiment, all known functional, structural components must be provided without departing from the scope of the invention. In practice, the scanner is activated when the user approaches the scanning unit and the bar code provided by the user is scanned. The scan unit passes the scanned barcode to the scan unit, where the intelligence plate decodes it according to the selected AES standard (AES 128 / AES 256). When the decoded authorization code is successfully verified, the power plate supplies power to the relay switch, which in turn sends a command to the locks to be opened via one or more communication interfaces of the communication plate.
    In such a commercial embodiment, a compact housing can be used which is easy to assemble at any desired location, such as letterboxes, private buses and / or walls at the entrance of houses and / or commercial buildings. Such a casing also enables highly secure access control thanks to the use of advanced encryption standards for the encryption / decryption of the authorization code, thus preventing fraud and / or unwanted access within the installations. The scanning device 100 can be used to manage and control visitor access to homes, hospitals, stores, institutions and the like. Furthermore, the scanning device 100 can be used for other purposes, such as verifying whether visitors and / or objects entering a particular location comply with the rules imposed by an administrator and / or management for legitimate presence at the location. When the scanning device 100 is equipped with a real-time clock functionality, it can also be used for, for example, tracking systems and / or time clocks in different organizations.
    Although this invention has been described in the context of access control, it can also be easily adapted for other applications, for example for tracing objects, such as foodstuffs in the production and trade chain, packages in courier systems, medicines in a medical institution, articles in inventory management for just-in-time production and pre-cleared items to customs.
    In Figs. 9 and 10, methods are illustrated for a preferred embodiment of the claimed subject. Although the simplicity method is depicted and described as a series of actions, it is obvious that the claimed subject is not limited to the order of the actions, since certain actions can take place in a different order than the one shown and described here, and / or simultaneously with other actions.
    Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a method can also be represented as a series of interconnected states or events, such as in a state diagram. In particular, it is possible that not all actions depicted are required to implement a method in accordance with the claimed subject. Furthermore, the methods explained below and elsewhere in this specification can be stored on a fabric to facilitate transportation and to transfer such methods to computers. The term "manufacture" refers here to a computer program that is accessible via a device, carrier or medium that is readable by a computer.
    As those skilled in the art will appreciate without difficulty, this invention can easily be produced in other specific forms without departing from the essential features. The illustrated embodiments are, therefore, to be regarded as merely illustrative and not restrictive, since the scope of the invention is apparent from the claims rather than from the foregoing description, and any changes that are intended to fit into it. Many variations, modifications, additions and improvements are possible. More generally, the embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure are described in the context of preferred embodiments. The functionalities can be isolated or combined in different ways in procedures, in different versions of the disclosure, or can be described with different terminology. These and other variations, modifications, additions and improvements may fall within the scope of the disclosure as defined in the appended claims.
    Reference Figures 10 = Scanning Device 12 = Scanning Unit 20 = Housing 21 = Scanning Unit 22 = Scan Interface Plate 23 = Connector Plate 24 = Circuit Boards with Specific Functionality 30 = Locks 40 = User 50 = Centralized Remote Access Control System 240 = Circuit Boards with Specific Functionality 301 = Power Plate 302 = Intelligence plate 303 = Communication plates 902 = Start 904 = Received scanned input 906 = Processing scanned input 908 = Providing access to the slots 910 = Alarm notification with negative authorization 912 = End 1002 = Start 1004 = Received scanned input 1006 = Forward to access control system 1008 = Processing scanned input 1010 = Granting access if authorized 1012 = End
    权利要求:
    Claims (15)
    [1]
    Conclusions I claim / We claim:
    A modular access control scanning device comprising: a housing with a top, a bottom, a front wall, a rear wall, and a set of more or less parallel opposing side walls defining an internal part, wherein at least one of the a hole is provided on the walls that provides access to the internal part. a scan unit placed in the housing and comprising: a basic scan interface plate; a scanning unit connected to the scan interface plate and having a scanning portion protruding from the hole; a connector plate connected to the scan interface plate and provided with various electronic connectors of a first type; a power plate connected to the connector plate to power the scanning device. various removable printed circuit boards with specific functionality, at least one of which is connected to the connector plate to one or more electronic connectors of the first type via one or more electronic connectors of the second type. a mechanism for mounting the scan unit in the housing so that the scan unit is in a tilted position and can scan a more or less horizontal plane at an angle between 1 ° and 89 ° (preferably between 5 ° and 45 °). a mechanism for mounting the housing on a surface, wherein the scanning device is operatively connected to one or more locks; the scanning device scans the input of a user and, if appropriate, opens the locks to allow the user access.
    [2]
    The device of claim 1, wherein the scanned input may include a 2D bar code, QR code, matrix code or linear bar code.
    [3]
    The device of claim 1, wherein the various printed circuit boards with specific functionality are stacked on top of each other, so that they are all operationally connected to the connector plate.
    [4]
    The device of claim 1, wherein among the various printed circuit boards with a specific functionality there is an intelligence plate connected to the connector plate.
    [5]
    The device of claim 4, wherein the intelligence plate includes one or more programmable logic elements intended to process scanned input from the scanning unit.
    [6]
    The device of claim 5, wherein the scanned input is decoded during processing.
    [7]
    The device of claim 5, wherein the intelligence plate is electrically connected to one or more of the other circuit boards with a specific functionality, to support an implementation based on the programmable logic.
    [8]
    The device of claim 1, wherein the electronic connectors of the first type can be complementarily connected to the electrical connectors of the second type.
    [9]
    The device of claim 1, wherein the electronic connectors are of the first type of male pin headers and the electrical connectors of the second type of female pin headers.
    [10]
    The device of claim 1, wherein among the various printed circuit boards with a specific functionality there is a board with a SIM card slot that is connected to the connector board.
    [11]
    The device of claim 1, wherein a real-time clock is connected between the various printed circuit boards with a specific functionality and is connected to the connector plate.
    [12]
    The device of claim 1, wherein there is a communication plate between the various printed circuit boards with a specific functionality for connecting the scanning device to one or more slots.
    [13]
    The device of claim 12, wherein the scanning device is connected to one or more slots via a remote access control system.
    [14]
    The device of claim 12, wherein the communication plate can be selected from one or more of the following options, among others: RS232, RS485, RS422, Wiegand, I2C, ΑΒΑ TK2, ISO2, wireless IEEE 802.15.4 (6Lowpan, ZigBee, Z-WAVE), Bluetooth, GPRS, WIMAX, WIFI.
    [15]
    The device of claim 1, wherein the power plate has a relay switch to turn one or more connected locks on and off.
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    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    EP3300034A1|2018-03-28|
    EP3300034B1|2022-01-05|
    BE1025840A1|2019-07-23|
    引用文献:
    公开号 | 申请日 | 公开日 | 申请人 | 专利标题
    US5478998A|1993-05-10|1995-12-26|Symbol Technologies, Inc.|Tilting wall-mounted optical scanner|
    US20030034394A1|1999-10-04|2003-02-20|Hand Held Products, Inc.|Optical reader comprising finely adjustable lens assembly|
    法律状态:
    2019-10-14| FG| Patent granted|Effective date: 20190829 |
    优先权:
    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
    EP16199139.3|2016-11-16|
    EP16199139.3A|EP3300034B1|2016-11-16|2016-11-16|Modular scanning apparatus for acces management|
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