# US 2017/0061410 A1 · Methods and systems for access control to secure facilities

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- Number: US 2017/0061410 A1
- Document ID: US20170061410A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/248,486
- Filed: 2016-08-26
- Published: 2017-03-02
- Earliest claimed: 2015-08-28
- Assignees: Transparent Wireless Systems, LLC
- Applicants: Transparent Wireless Systems, LLC
- Inventors: Santanu DUTTA; Partha CHAKRAVARTTI
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170061410A1

## CPC

- G06Q 20/145: {Payments according to the detected use or quantity}
- G06Q 50/40: Business processes related to the transportation industry (shipping G06Q10/083)
- G07C 9/00309: {operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks}
- H04L 63/0861: {using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231)}
- H04W 4/025: {using location based information parameters}
- H04W 12/06: Authentication
- H04W 12/08: Access security
- G07C 2209/63: Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
- H04W 12/63: Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
- H04W 12/71: Hardware identity
- H04W 12/72: Subscriber identity
- H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

A method for controlling access to a facility including: sending a first signal from a handset to a plurality of beacon modules using a low energy wireless technology, the signal comprising an identification of the handset or a user; determining received signal strength indication from each of the plurality of beacon modules and determining a time averaged received signal strength indication from each of the plurality of beacon modules. The method also includes determining the location of the handset based on the pattern of the received time-averaged signal strength indications from the plurality of beacon modules, sending a second signal from the beacon modules to an authentication server, the second signal comprising (i) the identification of the handset or a user and (ii) the time-averages received signal strength indication or individual received signal strength indication from each of the plurality of beacon modules and determining at the authentication server the nearest user or handset to an access controlled gate of the facility if a signal from more than one handset is received. The method also includes determining if the handset or user is authorized to enter the facility and opening a gate to allow access to the facility if the handset or user is authorized.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for controlling entrance or egress access to a facility having an access controlled gate controlled by a server, the method comprising:
sending a first signal from a handset to a plurality of beacon modules using a low energy wireless technology, the signal comprising an identification of the handset or a user;
determining received signal strength indication values from each of the plurality of beacon modules;
determining a time averaged received signal strength indication from the plurality of beacon modules;
determining the location of the handset based on the average received signal strength indication;
sending a second signal from the beacon modules to the server, the second signal comprising (i) the identification of the handset or a user and (ii) the time averaged received signal strength indication values or non-time-averaged received signal strength indication values from the plurality of beacon modules;
determining at the server the nearest user or handset to an entrance or an egress gate of the facility if a signal from more than one handset is received;
determining, based on authenticating the handset or user, if the handset or user is authorized to enter the facility; and
opening a gate to allow access to the facility if the handset or user is authorized.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the facility is a parking garage.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein first signal further comprises a password.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein all communications with the handset comprises exclusively short range wireless technologies with no use of long range wireless technologies.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the short range technologies comprise Wi-Fi.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of radio receivers surround a location where the user is expected to be positioned.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the location where the user is positioned within 0-5 feet a gate.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the user is positioned within 1-3 feet a gate.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a location of the handset or user is determined relative to other handsets or users, and a determination is made that the user who is allowed access to the facility is the one that is most likely to be in an expected location.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the expected location is within 0-5 feet of an access gate.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the expected location is within 1-3 feet of an access gate.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprises strong authentication of the user.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the process of strong authentication comprises using a biometric signature comprising voice, fingerprint or a combination thereof.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, where strong authentication comprises public key infrastructure.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein strong authentication comprises symmetric encryption.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the method of controlling access is used for both entrance and egress of the garage.

### Claim 17

A system for controlling access to a facility comprising:
a plurality of beacon modules using a low energy wireless technology; and
a server performing handset or user authentication,
wherein the plurality of beacon modules are configured to receive an identification of the a handset or user and to determine the location of the handset based on received signal strength indications.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the location of the handset is determined from an average of the received signal strength indication from the plurality of beacon modules.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of beacon modules are configured to surround the handset.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the facility is a parking garage.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the system is configured to use strong authentication.

### Claim 22 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the strong authentication comprises public key infrastructure.

### Claim 23 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein strong authentication comprises symmetric encryption.

### Claim 24 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the system is configured to determine the location of the handset within 0-5 of a gate.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The system of claim 24, wherein the system is configured to determine the location of the handset within 1-3 of a gate.

### Claim 26 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, further comprising a biometric sensor.