Door access control via a mobile device

A method of using a mobile device carried by a user to control access for the user to a secure area of a facility, the method comprising:

• the mobile device of the user downloading access rights of the user from a remote access control system;
• the mobile device of the user determining whether to grant or deny the user passage through an access point to the secure area based at least in part on the downloaded access rights of the user;
• when the mobile device determines to grant the user passage through the access point, the mobile device transmitting an unlock control signal to the access point to unlock the access point and allow passage of the user to the secure area;
• and
• when the mobile device determines to deny the user passage through the access point, the mobile device not transmitting the unlock control signal to unlock the access point, thereby denying passage of the user to the secure area.

A system for controlling access to a secure area of a facility, the system comprising:

• an access control system for storing access rights assigned to each of a plurality of users for accessing the secure area of the facility;
• a mobile device carried by a first user of the plurality of users, the mobile device configured to:
• wirelessly download access rights of the first user from the access control system and store the downloaded access rights in a memory of the mobile device;
• determine whether to grant or deny access of the first user to the secure area based at least in part on the downloaded access rights of the first user;
• when the mobile device determines to grant the first user access to the secure area, transmit a control signal to unlock an access control device associated with the secure area, thereby allowing passage of the first user to the secure area;
• and
• when the mobile device determines to deny the first user access to the secure area, not transmitting the control signal to unlock the access control device associated with the secure area, thereby denying passage of the first user to the secure area.