Systems and methods for controlling access to physical space

1. A smart access control reader for an access control system, the smart access control reader comprising:

an interface configured to receive one or more first credentials;

a processor configured to:

determine whether the one or more first credentials are authorized; and

transmit a second credential to an access control panel of the access control system when the one or more first credentials are authorized, in response to a request by a first user to access an area monitored by the access control system; and

a storage module configured to store the second credential.

2. The smart access control reader of claim 1 , wherein the one or more first credentials are received using at least one of a magnetic stripe reader system, a proximity reader system, an radio-frequency identification (RFID) system, an access code system, and a biometric verification system.

3. The smart access control reader of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the one or more first credentials are authorized by:

comparing the one or more first credentials against a list of authorized credentials stored in a database; and

validating the one or more first credentials based on the comparison.

4. The smart access control reader of claim 3 , wherein the database is stored in a memory of the smart access control reader.

5. The smart access control reader of claim 3 , wherein the database is coupled to the smart access control reader.

6. The smart access control reader of claim 1 , wherein the smart access control reader further comprises at least one of a camera, a touchpad, a light-emitting diode (LED) indicator, an imaging sensor, an audio sensor, a wireless controller, a touch controller, a display controller, a network controller, an external interface bus configured to connect to an external authentication device, a second interface configured to communicate with a user device to regulate access based on a payment, and a power management integrated circuit (PMIC), wherein the PMIC performs power management for one or more components of the smart access control reader.

7. The smart access control reader of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect a tampering event associated with the smart access control reader; and

generate an alert.

8. The smart access control reader of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to protect data stored in the smart access control reader by at least one of deleting and encrypting the data, in response to the detecting of the tampering event.

9. The smart access control reader of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to capture at least one of an image, a video recording, and an audio recording, in response to the detecting of the tampering event.

10. The smart access control reader of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to translate the first credential before transmitting the second credential to the access control panel of the access control system.

11. The smart access control reader of claim 1 , wherein the second credential is stored in the storage module during a setup procedure.

12. The smart access control reader of claim 1 , wherein the first credential is a user credential and the second credential is an access control panel credential.

13. The smart access control reader of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the identity of a user associated with the first credential based on the first credential.

14. The smart access control reader of claim 1 , wherein the smart access control reader further comprises an interface configured to receive an updated first credential from a user device.

15. The smart access control reader of claim 1 , wherein the storage module is further configured to store a list of authorized credentials, and wherein the determining whether the one or more first credentials are authorized comprises comparing the first credential to credentials in the list of authorized credentials.

16. A method for controlling access to a physical space comprising:

receiving, by an interface of a smart access control reader, one or more first credentials;

determining, via the smart access control reader, whether the one or more first credentials are authorized; and

transmitting, via the smart access control reader, a second credential stored in a storage module of the smart access control reader to an access control panel of the access control system when the one or more first credentials are authorized, in response to a request by a first user to access an area monitored by the access control system.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising determining, by the smart access control reader, whether the one or more first credentials are authorized by:

comparing the one or more first credentials against a list of authorized credentials stored in a database; and

validating the one or more first credentials based on the comparison.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

detecting a tampering event associated with the smart access control reader; and

generating an alert in response to the detecting the tampering event.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising capturing, with the smart access control reader, at least one of an image, a video recording, and an audio recording, in response to the detecting of the tampering event.

20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising storing a list of authorized credentials, and wherein the determining whether the one or more first credentials are authorized comprises comparing the first credential to credentials in the list of authorized credentials.

21. A method for providing access to an area monitored by an access control system comprising:

replacing a first access control reader connected to the access control system with a smart access control reader, wherein the first access control reader is configured to provide access to the area based on a plurality of first credentials associated with the first access control reader;

providing, by the smart access control reader, to at least one first user access to the area based on at least one credential of the plurality of first credentials in response to a request by the at least one first user to access the area;

receiving from a server, by the smart access control reader, a second credential; and

providing, by the smart access control reader, to a second user access to the area based on the received second credential in response to a request by the second user to access the area.

22. A smart access control system for an access point comprising:

a wireless interface of a smart control reader at the access point configured to receive at least one first credential from a user mobile device;

a remote database configured to store a plurality of credentials associated with a pre-existing access control reader previously located at the access point and a plurality of credentials associated with the smart access control reader; and

a processor of the smart control reader configured to receive the at least one first credential from the wireless interface and provide a user of the user mobile device with access to the access point based on the plurality of credentials associated with the pre- existing access control reader previously located at the access point and the plurality of credentials associated with the smart access control reader.

23. A smart access control reader for an access point, the smart access control reader comprising:

a wireless interface configured to receive one or more first credentials from a user mobile device; and

a processor operatively connected to the wireless interface, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive, from the wireless interface, the one or more credentials from the user mobile device,

receive information from a remote database, and

determine whether the one or more first credentials is authorized, and

provide the user with access to the access point based on the one or more credentials from the user.