System and methods for access control

1 . A system for monitoring access to a plurality of secure locations having adjacent doors, said system comprising:

a plurality of door sensors, wherein each of said plurality of door sensors is associated with two of said plurality of secure locations, and wherein each of said plurality of secure locations is associated with at least two of said plurality of door sensors; and

a processor in communication with said plurality of door sensors, wherein said processor is configured to generate an unusual-pattern event when at least one unusual-pattern condition exists, wherein said unusual-pattern conditions include:

a first door sensor and a second door sensor are open and are not associated with a common secure location; or

only a single door sensor of said plurality of door sensors is open.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of door sensors is a contact sensor comprising a first component and a second component, wherein the first component and the second component of each sensor are affixed to different secure locations.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein each first component is a transmitter component that has a first reed switch and each second component is a magnetic component, wherein the transmitter component of at least one of said plurality of contact sensors includes a second reed switch, and wherein said processor is further configured to generate a tampering event when one of said second reed switches detects a magnetic field.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said processor is further configured to generate a location-opened event identifying one of said secure locations when at least one location-opened condition is satisfied, wherein said location-opened condition includes:

each of said at least two door sensors associated with one of said secure locations is simultaneously open.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a gate controls access to a secure room containing at least two of said plurality of secure locations, the system further comprising:

at least one sensor located in said secure room and configured to detect the presence of a person in said secure room; and

a user input device disposed outside of said secure room and proximate to said gate,

wherein said processor is in communication with said at least one sensor and said user input device and is further configured to unlock said gate when a plurality of access conditions are satisfied, wherein said access conditions include:

collecting via said user input device a credential that matches a reference credential in a user database; and

determining said secure room is unoccupied based on at least a predetermined period of no presence detected by said at least one sensor.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein said plurality of access conditions further include determining that each of said plurality of door sensors is closed.

7 . A system for monitoring access to a plurality of secure locations having adjacent doors, said system comprising:

a plurality of door sensors, wherein each of said plurality of door sensor is associated with two of said plurality of secure locations, and wherein each of said plurality of secure locations is associated with at least two of said plurality of door sensors; and

a processor in communication with said plurality of door sensors, wherein said processor is configured to generate a location-opened event identifying one of said secure locations when at least one location-opened condition is satisfied, wherein said location-opened condition includes:

each of said at least two door sensors associated with one of said secure locations is simultaneously open.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein each of said plurality of door sensors is a contact sensor comprising a first component and a second component, wherein the first component and the second component of each sensor are affixed to different secure locations.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein each first component is a transmitter component that has a first reed switch and each second component is a magnetic component, wherein the transmitter component of at least one of said plurality of contact sensors includes a second reed switch, and wherein said processor is further configured to generate a tampering event when one of said second reed switches detects a magnetic field.

10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein a gate controls access to a secure room containing at least two of said plurality of secure locations, the system further comprising:

at least one sensor located in said secure room and configured to detect the presence of a person in said secure room; and

a user input device disposed outside of said secure room and proximate to said gate,

wherein said processor is in communication with said at least one sensor and said user input device and is further configured to unlock said gate when a plurality of access conditions are satisfied, wherein said access conditions include:

collecting via said user input device a credential that matches a reference credential in a user database; and

determining said secure room is unoccupied based on at least a predetermined period of no presence detected by said at least one sensor.

11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein said processor is configured to generate an unusual-pattern event when at least one unusual-pattern condition exists, wherein said unusual-pattern conditions include:

a first door sensor and a second door sensor are open and are not associated with a common secure location; or

only a single door sensor of said plurality of door sensors is open.

12 . A system for monitoring access to a secure room containing a plurality of secure locations and controlling access to a gate restricting access to said secure room, said system comprising:

at least one sensor located in said secure room and configured to detect the presence of a person in said secure room;

a user input device disposed outside of said secure room and proximate to said gate; and

a processor in communication with said at least one sensor and said user input device, wherein said processor is configured to ∞ unlock said gate when a plurality of access conditions are satisfied, wherein said access conditions include:

collecting via said user input device a credential that matches a reference credential in a user database; and

determining said secure room is unoccupied based on at least a predetermined period of no presence detected by said at least one sensor.

13 . The system of claim 12 further comprising:

a plurality of contact sensors, wherein each said sensor is associated with one of said plurality of secure locations and the contact sensor is open when the associated secure location is open,

wherein said processor is further configured to generate a location-accessed event identifying one of said plurality of secure locations when at least one location-access condition occurs, wherein said location-access condition includes the associated contact sensor is open.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein said access conditions include:

determining that each of said plurality of contact sensors is closed.

15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein each of said plurality of contact sensors comprises a transmitter component that has a first reed switch and a magnetic component, wherein the transmitter component of at least one of said plurality of contact sensors includes a second reed switch, and wherein said processor is further configured to generate a tampering event when one of said second reed switches detects a magnetic field.

16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein said plurality of secure locations have adjacent doors, wherein each of said plurality of contact sensors is associated with two of said plurality of secure locations, and wherein each of said plurality of secure locations is associated with at least two of said plurality of contact sensors, wherein said location-access condition includes that the at least two of said plurality of contact sensors associated with one of said plurality of secure locations are open.

17 . The system of claim 13 , wherein said processor is further configured to generate an unusual-pattern event when at least one unusual-pattern condition exists, wherein said unusual-pattern conditions include:

a first and second of said plurality of contact sensors are open and are not associated with a common secure location; or

only a single contact sensor of said plurality of contact sensors is open.

18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein said access conditions further include determining that the matched reference credential is associated with an active lease in said user database for at least one of said plurality of secure locations.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein said access conditions further include determining said active lease does not require multiple users to access said leased secure location.