Methods and systems for providing enhanced security over, while also facilitating access through, secured points of entry

Systems and methods provide the verification of a registered user with authorized access through a point of entry in coordination with registered user profile information obtained from a remote server after preliminary identification of the registered user based on an identification number obtained wirelessly from an RFID tag carried by the registered user when the user is located near a point of entry. Registered user profile information including at least one of a photograph, biometric template, and a user name can be obtained by a computer at a point of entry from a remote server after preliminary identification of the user based on an identification number wirelessly provided to a RFID reader from a RFID carried by a registered user when the user is located near a point of entry such as, for example, a sports venue, border crossing or access point to a secured facility.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is generally related to security and to systems and methods providing access to secured points of entry such as buildings, international ports of entry, and entertainment venues. More particularly, the present invention is related to RFID enhanced point of entry security and access control.

BACKGROUND

Security over points of entry such as sports venues, public and private facilities, and international ports of entry has rapidly become an important national security priority in recent years. With the proliferation of computers, computer networks, and other electronic devices and networks into all aspects of business and daily life, the concern over secure access and verification has grown tremendously. The ability to secure points of entry is particularly important for commerce, government, and entertainment endeavors that often attract large numbers of people to a single location. The ability to protect private data and assure validity of verification data is also of great concern.

A problem that is inevitably encountered after providing high levels of security over points of entry is with the developing backup of people wanting to pass through the points of entry where security is increased. For example, large sports venues are challenged with making sure that people entering a venue are authorized (ticketed) to gain access to the venue, but with increasing concern over threats to large congregations of people in public venues, venue operators are also having to be concerned that venue attendees are not bringing weapons, explosives, or harmful chemical/biological agents into the venue. Currently, general observation or searches are conducted of venue attendees and then attendees must also present a ticket or season pass to gain entry into a sports venue. Thousands of people are typically passing through gates as the points of entry into a sports venue. Any additional security measures than what is already being provided would likely only further slow down the process of providing venue attendees with access to the venue.

Many people also pass through points of entry on a regular basis. Such is the case at the international border crossing between El Paso, Tex. and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico where tens of thousands of people cross daily from home to work and back between these two large cities of neighboring countries. At sports venues, season pass holders, and venue employees gain regular access to sports venues. Secure facilities, such as government buildings and manufacturing plants, have several employees accessing a facility on a regular basis. In all three scenarios, it is difficult for point of entry personnel to recognize hundreds or thousands of people that are authorized to pass through a point of entry and manage its security.

The present inventors believe that Radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology can be used to improve point of entry security and passage control. RFID is the use of an object (typically referred to as an RFID tag) applied to or incorporated into a product, animal, or person for the purpose of identification and tracking using radio waves. Some tags can be read from several meters away and beyond the line of sight of the reader; others are designed to read at very close proximity to a RFID tag. Radio-frequency identification involves RFID interrogators (also known as readers or detectors) and tags (also known as labels). Most RFID tags contain at least two parts. One is an integrated circuit for storing and processing information, modulating and demodulating a radio-frequency signal, and other specialized functions. The second is an antenna for receiving and transmitting the signal. There are generally three types of RFID tags: active RFID tags, which contain a battery and can transmit signals autonomously; passive RFID tags, which have no battery and require an external source to provoke signal transmission; and battery assisted passive (BAP) RFID tags, which require an external source to wake up, but have significant higher forward link capability providing greater range. RFID tags are currently printable. New RFID tags with circuitry deposited by simple printing technologies can make it cost effective to tag low-value products on retail shelves for information or purchasing purposes. It is believed that mobile phones with built-in RFID scanners can let consumers access information about tagged products or even pay for them without waiting in line. RFID tags can also be read at varying distances, depending on the tag and the reader. For example, passive Ultra-HighFID tags can be read at a distance of several meters, depending on the reader. There is also wide use of RFID tags in medical applications. RFID tags embedded under human skin to carry access information, medical records, and other data have been proposed in recent years.

What are needed are systems and methods that can provide enhanced security over points of entry while also facilitating access through points of entry by regular authorized users. Based on the foregoing need, those skilled in the art can appreciate that despite the advances in security over facilities, ports of entry, and entertainment venues, most methods and systems of providing point of entry security and facilitating access therefore are still plagued with various human, physical, and electronic drawbacks. The present inventors believe that the RFID-based systems and methods and systems disclosed herein overcome many drawbacks known in the art.

SUMMARY

In accordance with features of the present invention, a system and method can be provided for the verification of a registered user with authorized access through a point of entry in coordination with registered user profile information obtained from a remote server after preliminary identification of the registered user based on an identification number obtained wirelessly by an RFID reader from an RFID tag carried by the registered user when the user is located near a point of entry.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention, a system for verifying the identity of a user at a point of entry can include a preliminary identification RFID reader located near a point of entry for scanning a preliminary identification zone near the point of entry for RFID signals including identification numbers associated with registered users having access through the point of entry.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention, a system for verifying the identity of a user at a point of entry can include verification RFID reader located at the point of entry for scanning a passage zone at the point of entry for identification numbers associated with registered users having access through the point of entry.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention, a system for verifying the identity of a user at a point of entry can include a computer and video monitor located at the point of entry and including data network access to a remote server to obtain user profiles associated with identification numbers detected by the preliminary identification RFID and the verification RFID.

In accordance with yet another feature of the present invention, a system for verifying the identity of a user at a point of entry can further include a remote server that stores a user profile, wherein the identification information provided by the electronic device is utilized to obtain the user profile from the remote server via the data network, the user profile including user identification information such as a photograph and user name.

In accordance with methods of implementing features of the present invention, a system for verifying the identity of a user at a point of entry can include security personnel using the computer at the point of entry utilizing user profile information obtained from the server to at least one of a photograph displayed on said video monitor with the user's appearance, a biometric sample provided by user to the biometric template, and credentials carried by the user to the user name and granting the user access through the point of entry, if the at least one of the user's appearance, biometric sample, and credentials match at least one of the photograph, user name, and a biometric attribute stored in the biometric template displayed or provided by the system.

The RFID tag can be associated with at least one of a ticket and a portable electronic device. A portable electronic device can be used to boost an RFID tag signal for receipt by an RFID reader and/or communicate with an electronic system associated with a point of entry via, for example, a Bluetooth communications link, 802.11 (Wi-Fi) link, or a cellular communications link.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present inventors have already proposed systems and methods for securing points of entry utilizing RFID tags, wireless communications systems, remote server and database access, and biometric readers located at points of entry. The present invention claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/756,855, entitled “Point of entry authorization utilizing RFID enabled profile and biometric data,” which have been incorporated by reference herein for its teaching and which also enjoys a priority date Jan. 10, 2001 for the foregoing systems and methods.

The improvement that the present inventors will describe herein includes the use of RFID readers operable in two distinct zones around a point of entry. The two zones are preliminary identification zones and verification zones, and provide a two-step process of reading RFID tags for security/access purposes. Preliminary identification zones utilize RFID tag readers to wirelessly obtain an identification number from an RFID tag carried by/on a user and that can be used to obtain profile information associated with the user from a remote database. Ideally, preliminary identification zone RFID readers can read RFID tags at distances greater than ten feet; however, preliminary identification zone RFID readers should not be limited to a particular distance because applications are foreseeable where a close proximity RFID reader are better suited for use in light of the present disclosure. Verification zones utilize RFID tag readers that are collocated with a physical point of entry and designed to detect the presence of a user in close proximity to the physical point of entry, e.g., up to about ten feet, so that profile information can be retrieved for comparison by point of entry personnel (e.g., security guards or gate personnel) with the user or credentials carried by the user.

FIG. 1illustrates a system diagram of components for an electronic system associated with RFID tag readers120,220located in preliminary identification zones100and verification zones200and managed by a computer having network access50to a database230containing registered user profiles that can be used to verify users. The system includes at least one preliminary identification RFID reader120scanning a preliminary identification zone100near a point of entry for RFID signals from RFID tags10carried by registered users and that include identification numbers associated with registered users having access to/through the point of entry240in pursuit of a desired activity300. Identification numbers are also associated with user profiles stored in a remote server210that are accessible by the system through the network50by a computer110located at the point of entry. A video monitor250can also be located at the point of entry. The computer accesses the remote server210to obtain user profiles associated with identification numbers detected by the preliminary identification RFID reader120of a user in the preliminary identification zone100and also by the verification RFID reader220when a registered user is in a verification zone200. When a registered user is in the verification zone200, the user's RFID tag10is detected by the verification RFID reader220and user profile information, which has already been retrieved from the remote server210, is accessed, displayed, and/or presented by the system and security personnel at the point of entry can now utilize user profile information obtained from the server210to verify that the user is authorized to access/pass through the point of entry240and to the desired activity300. Security personnel verify the user by comparing at least one of said photograph displayed on said video monitor250with the user's appearance, comparing a biometric sample provided by user at a biometric reader260to biometrics stored in a biometric template provided with the user's profile information, and/or comparing credentials carried by the user to a user name displayed on the video monitor250. Once user identity and authorization is validated, security personnel can grant the user access through the point of entry240. Access is granted to/through the point of entry240only if at least one of the user's appearance, biometric sample, and credentials (e.g., identification card) match at least one of the displayed photograph, displayed user name, and biometrics provided in the biometric template associated with the identification number retrieved from the RFID tag to obtain profile information from the server210. This RFID-based system, therefore, provides enhanced security while also expediting user verification and passage through points of entry, which is a great advantage over prior systems.

FIG. 2illustrates a system diagram for implementation of an electronic RFID-based security system around a desired activity300(e.g., entertainment venue) for verifying registered users authorized for passage through points of entry240using RFID readers120,220associated with the points of entry240at preliminary identification zones100and verification zones200, in accordance with features of the invention. Assuming, for example, that the desired activity is a sports stadium, the preliminary identification zone100can be the area typically surrounding entry gates into the sports venue. Several RFID readers would be deployed around the preliminary identification zone100. Familiar preliminary identification zone areas are the sidewalk areas outdoors and surrounding the sports venue between the sports venue and parking areas of public streets. The identification zone200for a sports venue in this example would be the area immediately before a gate where an entry ticket is typically taken by gate personnel. Ideally, the identification zone would be about no more than a 10 foot radius from the entry point/gate so that verification RFID readers are not over tasked with retrieving multiple profiles and displaying multiple pictures on a video display. Only one RFID tag reader can be used with each point of entry, as compared to the multiple RFID tag readers that may be needed to cover the preliminary identification zone.

FIG. 3illustrates a system diagram for implementation of an RFID-based electronic verification and security system near a desired activity (e.g., port of entry, entertainment venue). As previously described, RFID readers120,220associated with the points of entry240in preliminary identification zones100and verification zones200for verifying are used to detect and verify registered users authorized for passage through points of entry, in accordance with features of the invention. A large group of people170are shown standing within or moving about a preliminary identification zone100while a preliminary RFID reader120scans the area for RFID tags carrying identification numbers that can be used to retrieve profiles from a remote database. As people1,2enter the verification zone near a point of entry240, a verification zone RFID reader220reads RFID tags carried by the people1,2to obtain identification numbers needed to present profile information already retrieved from a remote server because of the preliminary identification zone RFID reader120operation. The people's1,2photographs can be displayed on the display screen250so that gate personnel270can compare the photographs to the people. If the photographs match, the people can pass through the point of entry240. If the gate personnel cannot establish a match between displayed photographs and the people that present themselves to the point of entry, then the gate personnel can request that the people1,2provide a biometric sample to a biometric reader260located at the point of entry240. A biometric sample can also be obtained where photographs are not available for the people1,2. The display can ideally be large enough to display photographs and/or names for several people that may be located within the read radius of the verification zone RFID reader at one time. The reader inFIG. 3shows room for six photographs, although it should be known that more photographs can be provided depending on photograph size and screen size.

FIG. 4illustrates a high-level flow chart of steps for verifying a registered user in association with a RFID tag reading system, in accordance with features of the present invention. Referring to block410, an electronic system is provided at a point of entry. The electronic system includes a computer, a video monitor, a preliminary identification RFID detector, verification RFID detector, and access to a data network. Once the system is provided, it is put into use. As shown in block420, the system is used to detect registered user presence within a preliminary identification zone located near a point of entry by the wireless receipt of an identification number obtained by the preliminary identification RFID reader from an RFID carried by the user in the preliminary identification zone. As shown in block430, the identification number is provided from a computer over said data network to a remote server to access a user profile including at least one of a photograph and a user name associated with said user from a registered user database accessible by said remote server, said server utilizing the identification number to obtain said user profile from said registered user database. As shown in block440, at least one of a photograph and user name is provided from said remote server to said computer. As shown in block450, user presence is detected within a verification zone located at the point of entry by wireless receipt of the identification number by the preliminary identification RFID detector from the RFID carried by the user. Then as shown in block460, at least one of the photograph and the user name is displayed on the video monitor to personnel at the point of entry where the personnel compare at least one of the photograph displayed on the video monitor with physical appearance of the user and the user name to credentials carried by the user and grant the user access through the point of entry if the at least one of the user appearance and the credentials match at least one of the photograph and the user name displayed on the video monitor.

FIG. 5illustrates a high-level flow chart of steps for verifying a registered user with authorized access through a point of entry using a RFID-based system, in accordance with features of the present invention. Referring to block510, a security system is provided including preliminary identification RFID detectors in a preliminary identification zone around a point of entry, at least one verification RFID detector in a verification zone at the point of entry, a video monitor, and a computer at the point of entry, a server with access to a database of profiles for registered users authorized to pass through the point of entry, the profiles including at least one of registered user identification information, a photograph, and biometric templates of the registered users, and data network access at the point of entry to support communication between the computer, the preliminary identification RFID detectors, verification RFID detector, and the server. Referring to block520, An RFID signal is detected with at least one preliminary identification RFID detector from a registered user approaching a point of entry within the preliminary identification zone and an identification number is obtained from the RFID tag carried by the registered user to transmit the RFID identification number to the server. As shown in block530, it is determined if the RFID identification number is associated with a registered user profile stored in the database and the registered user profile is retrieved if found. As shown in block540, the registered user profile associated with the RFID identification number and the registered user is provided to the computer. As shown in block550, the RFID including the identification number is detected with at least one verification RFID detector located within a verification zone at the point of entry when the registered user is in the verification zone. Then as shown in block560, the registered user profile associated with the identification number obtained from the RFID carried by the registered user is retrieved, registered user profile information including at least one of a registered user photograph and registered user name is displayed on the video monitor, and the registered user is allowed to pass through the point of entry if at least one of the photograph, biometric, and name retrieved by the computer matches at least one of credentials carried by the registered user, a registered user biometric obtained at the point of entry, and physical appearance of the registered user.