System and method for electronic access control in mesh networked sites
A mesh networked site process management system and method that provides for enforcement of a predefined access methodology by utilizing mesh networking through all possible touchpoints within a site perimeter and compound. Certain embodiments of the present disclosure comprise various computerized components communicably connected via a highly secured mesh network, in which only approved devices are able to participate on a machine-to-machine basis. The network may allow each device to coordinate its activity state with all other devices in the network. If a user desires to interact with one or more devices in the network, then the user must follow agreed upon process steps in order to do so. The user interacts with each network authorized device via a separate communication outside of the highly secured mesh network in order to transfer data to and from each network authorized device for the purposes of electronic access control.
1 . An electronic access control method, comprising:
establishing, with a mobile electronic device, a data transfer interface between the mobile electronic device and a perimeter access point device,
wherein the perimeter access point device comprises a node in a mesh network,
wherein the mesh network comprises a plurality of electronic access control devices configured to electronically secure one or more access points for a location;
receiving, with the perimeter access point device, an access credential communicated from the mobile electronic device via the data transfer interface;
processing, with at least one processor communicably engaged with the perimeter access point device, the access credential to authorize access to the perimeter access point device;
processing, with the at least one processor, the access credential to authorize access to a specific electronic access control device in the plurality of electronic access control devices and restrict access to non-authorized electronic access control devices in the plurality of electronic access control devices;
configuring, with the at least one processor, one or more assigned task for the specific electronic access control device in the plurality of electronic access control devices,
wherein the one or more assigned task comprises a check-out workflow for the perimeter access point device and the specific electronic access control device;
after a user has accessed the specific electronic access control device for an authorized purpose, providing, by the perimeter access point device, the check-out workflow to the user via the mobile electronic device;
receiving, at the perimeter access point device, an acceptance of the one or more assigned task from the specific electronic access control device;
updating, with at least one server communicably engaged with the perimeter access point device, one or more alarm system parameters in response to configuring the one or more assigned task,
wherein updating the one or more alarm system parameters comprises suppressing an alarm for the perimeter access point device and the specific electronic access control device and arming an alarm for the non-authorized electronic access control devices in the plurality of electronic access control devices;
receiving, with the perimeter access point device, one or more user-generated inputs from the user via the mobile electronic device according to the check-out workflow;
determining, with the at least one processor, a lock state for the perimeter access point device and the specific electronic access control device according to the check-out workflow,
wherein determining the lock state comprises verifying a task completion status at the specific electronic access control device,
wherein the task completion status comprises a confirmation communicated from the specific electronic access control device that the specific electronic access control device has been returned to a locked state;
enabling, with the at least one processor, a lock state update at the perimeter access point device upon successful verification of the task completion status; and
restoring, with the at least one server, the alarm for the perimeter access point device and the specific electronic access control device in response to determining the lock state for the perimeter access point device and the specific electronic access control device according to the check-out workflow,
wherein restoring comprises configuring the plurality of electronic access control devices in the mesh network to a previous or default operational state.
2 . The electronic access control method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring, with at least one sensor or camera communicably engaged with the at least one server in the mesh network, a plurality of access event data for the specific electronic access control device in the plurality of electronic access control devices, wherein the plurality of access event data is stored at the at least one server.
3 . The electronic access control method of claim 2 wherein monitoring the plurality of access event data further comprises verifying an event completion by correlating stored access event data with real-time sensor or camera data captured concurrently with the one or more user-generated inputs.
4 . The electronic access control method of claim 1 further comprising establishing, with the mobile electronic device, a second data transfer interface between the mobile electronic device and the specific electronic access control device.
5 . The electronic access control method of claim 4 wherein the specific electronic access control device is configured to grant access to a user of the mobile electronic device in response to establishing the second data transfer interface.
6 . The electronic access control method of claim 5 further comprising receiving, with the at least one server, at least one input indicative of completion of the one or more assigned task from one or both of the specific electronic access control device and the perimeter access point device.
7 . The electronic access control method of claim 6 further comprising configuring, with the at least one server, the plurality of electronic access control devices in the mesh network to a first state in response to receiving the at least one input indicative of completion of the one or more assigned task from one or both of the specific electronic access control device and the perimeter access point device.
8 . The electronic access control method of claim 1 wherein the check-out workflow comprises receiving at least one real-time user-generated confirmation input, indicative of a physical action completed by the user, from the mobile electronic device prior to determining the lock state for the perimeter access point device and the specific electronic access control device.
9 . The electronic access control method of claim 1 wherein suppressing the alarm occurs only upon initiation and assignment of the check-out workflow, and restoring the alarm occurs automatically upon workflow completion confirmation specifically received from the mobile electronic device.
10 . The electronic access control method of claim 1 , further comprising cross-validating the received access credential between at least two electronic access control devices in the mesh network prior to authorizing access.
11 . An electronic access control system, comprising:
a mobile electronic device associated with a user of the electronic access control system;
a server communicably engaged with the mobile electronic device to communicate one or more electronic access credentials to the mobile electronic device; and
a plurality of electronic access control devices operably installed at a secured location comprising at least one perimeter access point, wherein the plurality of electronic access control devices is communicably engaged with the server in a mesh network configuration,
wherein at least one electronic access control device in the plurality of electronic access control devices comprises a perimeter access point device for the secured location,
wherein the mobile electronic device is configured to provide an electronic access credential to the perimeter access point device,
wherein the perimeter access point device is configured to process the electronic access credential to grant or deny access to a perimeter access point for the secured location,
wherein the perimeter access point device is configured to process the electronic access credential to authorize access to a specific electronic access control device in the plurality of electronic access control devices and restrict access to non-authorized electronic access control devices in the plurality of electronic access control devices,
wherein the perimeter access point device is configured to assign one or more task for the specific electronic access control device in the plurality of electronic access control devices,
wherein the one or more task comprises a check-out workflow for the perimeter access point device and the specific electronic access control device,
wherein, after the user has accessed the specific electronic access control device for an authorized purpose, the perimeter access point device is configured to provide the check-out workflow to the user via the mobile electronic device,
wherein the server is configured to update one or more alarm system parameters in response to the one or more task,
wherein updating the one or more alarm system parameters comprises suppressing an alarm for the perimeter access point device and the specific electronic access control device and arming an alarm for the non-authorized electronic access control devices in the plurality of electronic access control devices,
wherein the perimeter access point device is configured to receive one or more user-generated inputs from the mobile electronic device according to the check-out workflow,
wherein the server is configured to determine a lock state for the perimeter access point device and the specific electronic access control device according to the check-out workflow,
wherein determining the lock state comprises verifying a task completion status at the specific electronic access control device,
wherein the task completion status comprises a confirmation communicated from the specific electronic access control device that the specific electronic access control device has been returned to a locked state,
wherein the server is further configured to enable a lock state update at the perimeter access point device upon successful verification of the task completion status,
wherein the server is configured to restore the alarm for the perimeter access point device and the specific electronic access control device in response to determining the lock state for the perimeter access point device and the specific electronic access control device according to the check-out workflow, and
wherein restoring comprises configuring the plurality of electronic access control devices in the mesh network configuration to a previous or default operational state.
12 . The electronic access control system of claim 11 further comprising at least one motion sensor or camera installed in the secured location, wherein the at least one motion sensor or the camera are communicably engaged with the server.
13 . The electronic access control system of claim 12 wherein the server is configured to store data received from the at least one motion sensor or the camera in response to the user of the electronic access control system accessing the at least one perimeter access point.
14 . The electronic access control system of claim 11 wherein the mobile electronic device is configured to communicate the electronic access credential to the specific electronic access control device.
15 . The electronic access control system of claim 14 wherein the specific electronic access control device is configured to grant access to the user in response to receiving the electronic access credential from the mobile electronic device.
16 . The electronic access control system of claim 15 wherein the specific electronic access control device is configured to communicate one or more activity data inputs to one or both of the server and the perimeter access point device.
17 . The electronic access control system of claim 16 wherein the one or more activity data inputs comprise a confirmation that the specific electronic access control device has been returned to a locked state.
18 . The electronic access control system of claim 17 wherein the server is configured to restore the plurality of electronic access control devices to a prior state in response to processing the confirmation that the specific electronic access control device has been returned to the locked state.
19 . The electronic access control system of claim 11 wherein the server is configured to assign the at least one electronic access control device in the plurality of electronic access control devices as the perimeter access point device for the secured location.
20 . The electronic access control system of claim 19 wherein the server is configured to assign one or more alternative perimeter access point devices in the plurality of electronic access control devices for the secured location.