Patent Publication Number: US-2015083804-A1

Title: System and method for a secure access card

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     None. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Disclosure 
     The present invention relates to systems and methods for secure access cards. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In today&#39;s world, identification badges and access badges are used in a multitude of various settings and environments to confirm the identity of individuals and allow access to secured areas. Government offices, hospitals and corporate facilities are just a few of the many settings in which identification badges and access badges are typically used. In addition, combination identification and access badges are often used both to confirm the identity of individuals and to allow access to secured areas within a facility. 
     However, the security of facilities can be compromised when unauthorized individuals utilize identification and access badges to gain access to the facilities or to impersonate authorized individuals. For example, if an unauthorized individual obtains the typical combination identification and access badge, even if the badge is deactivated, the unauthorized individual can still use the external appearance of the badge as an identification card to gain access to secured areas and to impersonate an authorized individual. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that a secure access card that reduces the ability of unauthorized individuals to gain access to facilities or to impersonate authorized individuals is desired. 
     SUMMARY 
     A secure access card according to one example embodiment includes an exterior surface and a communication portion connected to the exterior surface. The exterior surface has an individual identification portion and a first color. When the communication portion receives a signal indicating that the secure access card is deactivated, the exterior surface has a second color. 
     A secure access card according to another example embodiment includes an exterior surface and a communication portion connected to the exterior surface. The exterior surface has an individual identification portion. When the communication portion receives a signal indicating that the secure access card is deactivated, the exterior surface displays an image. 
     A secure access card system according to one example embodiment includes a secure access card and a transmitter device. The secure access card has an exterior surface and a communication portion connected to the exterior surface, and the exterior surface has an individual identification portion. The transmitter device is able to communicate with the communication portion of the secure access card. When the communication portion of the secure access card receives a signal indicating that the secure access card is deactivated, the exterior surface displays an image. 
     A secure access card system according to another example embodiment includes a secure access card and a transmitter device. The secure access card has an exterior surface and a communication portion connected to the exterior surface, and the exterior surface has an individual identification portion and a first color. The transmitter device is able to communicate with the communication portion of the secure access card. When the communication portion of the secure access card receives a signal indicating that the secure access card is deactivated, the exterior surface has a second color. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of the various embodiments, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a secure access card system according to multiple embodiments and alternatives; 
         FIG. 2  is a front cross sectional view of the secure access card illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a front elevation view of a secure access card according to multiple embodiments and alternatives. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following description and drawings illustrate embodiments sufficiently to enable those skilled in the art to practice the present invention. It is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. For example, other embodiments may incorporate structural, chronological, electrical, process and other changes. Examples merely typify possible variations. Individual components and functions are optional unless explicitly required, and the sequence of operations may vary. Portions and features of some embodiments may be included in or substituted for those of others. The scope of the application encompasses the appended claims and all available equivalents. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limited sense and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims. 
     Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless limited otherwise, the terms “connected,” “coupled,” and “mounted,” and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect connections, couplings and mountings. In addition, the terms “connected” and “coupled” and variations thereof are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings. 
     Turning now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , an example embodiment of a secure access card system  100  is illustrated. The secure access card system  100  includes a secure access card  101  and a transmitter device  150 . The secure access card  101  has an exterior surface  110  with an individual identification portion  120 . In addition, the secure access card  101  also has a communication portion  140  connected to the exterior surface  110 . 
     The exterior surface  110  of the secure access card  101  may extend over any of the surfaces or edges of the secure access card  101 , such as a front surface of the secure access card  101 , a rear surface of the secure access card  101 , a side surface of the secure access card  101 , a side edge of the secure access card  101 , front and rear surfaces of the secure access card  101  or any combination thereof, for example. In multiple embodiments, the exterior surface  110  is manufactured from a material that can change color. In some embodiments, the exterior surface  110  is manufactured from a material that can change color when stimulated by heat at a predetermined temperature. In certain embodiments, the exterior surface  110  of the secure access card  101  is manufactured from a polymer, such as a thermoplastic or duroplastic, for example. 
     The individual identification portion  120  of the exterior surface  110  may include a variety of information about an individual. In some embodiments, for example, the identification portion  120  may include an individual&#39;s name, physical description, photograph, position, department or access level. In addition, in multiple embodiments of the secure access card  101 , the exterior surface  110  has a first color  130 . The first color  130  of the exterior surface  110  may be any color. In some embodiments, for example, the first color  130  may be white, yellow, red, orange, green, blue, purple, brown or black. 
     The communication portion  140  of the secure access card  101  may include any mechanism that can communicate with the transmitter device  150 , such as a smart card, microchip, barcode or magnetic stripe, for example. The transmitter device  150  may include any mechanism that can communicate with the communication portion  140 , such as a proximity card reader, smart card reader, bar code reader or magnetic card reader, for example. Communication between the communication portion  140  and the transmitter device  150  may be established via a wired or wireless connection as is known in the art. The transmitter device  150  may include a single transmitter unit or multiple transmitter units in communication with each other. Each transmitter unit may include one or more processors that include, or are communicatively coupled to, memory having computer executable storage instructions. The processor(s) may execute the computer executable storage instructions, causing the transmitter unit(s) to perform their function. 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , in some embodiments of the secure access card  101 , the communication portion  140  is connected to wires  210 . In certain embodiments, wires  210  conduct heat, which may radiate to the exterior surface  110 . 
     Returning to  FIG. 1 , in multiple embodiments, the secure access card system  100  may be used to confirm the identity of an individual and to allow access to secured areas within a facility. In some embodiments, the identification portion  120  confirms the identity of an individual. In certain embodiments, for example, a photograph of the individual may confirm the individual&#39;s identity. In some embodiments, the communication portion  140  communicates with the transmitter device  150  to allow access to secured areas within a facility. The facility may be any facility with secured areas, such as a hospital, government office or corporate building, for example. In certain embodiments, the communication portion  140  may communicate with the transmitter device  150  to unlock doors to allow access to the secured areas. The secured areas may include storage cabinets with controlled substances, areas with proprietary business information or technology, control rooms or confidential research areas, for example. 
     In multiple embodiments, the secure access card system  100  sends a signal  160  indicating that the secure access card  101  is deactivated. In some embodiments, the secure access card system  100  may send the signal  160  from the transmitter device  150  to the communication portion  140  that the secure access card  101  is deactivated. In some embodiments, the secure access card system  100  may send the signal  160  when the secure access card  101  has been lost or stolen or when access privileges of an owner of the secure access card  101  have been revoked. In certain embodiments, for example, the access privileges of the card owner may be revoked if the card owner&#39;s position or employment at a facility secured by the secure access card system  100  has been terminated. 
     Turning to  FIG. 3 , in multiple embodiments, the exterior surface  110  changes from the first color  130  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) to a second color  330  when the communication portion  140  receives the signal  160  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) indicating that the secure access card  101  is deactivated. The second color  330  may be any color. In some embodiments, for example, the second color  330  may be white, yellow, red, orange, green, blue, purple, brown or black. The changed exterior surface  110  with the second color  330  may obscure the visibility of the identification portion  120  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) and prevent an unauthorized individual from using the secure access card  101  to gain access to a secure facility or from impersonating an authorized individual. 
     In certain embodiments, the exterior surface  110  has the second color  330  when stimulated by heat at a predetermined temperature. In some embodiments, the communication portion  140  heats to the predetermined temperature when the communication portion  140  receives the signal  160  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) indicating that the secure access card  101  is deactivated. In such embodiments, the heat from the communication portion  140  may change the exterior surface  110  from the first color  130  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) to the second color  330 . In certain embodiments, the wires  210  (shown in  FIG. 2 ) conduct the heat, which radiates to the exterior surface  110 . In such embodiments, the radiated heat may change the exterior surface  110  from the first color  130  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) to the second color  330 . 
     In multiple embodiments, the exterior surface  110  displays an image  340  when the communication portion  140  receives the signal  160  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) indicating that the secure access card  101  is deactivated. In some embodiments, for example, the image is the word “VOID”. The changed exterior surface  110  with the image  340  may obscure the visibility of the identification portion  120  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) and prevent an unauthorized individual from using the secure access card  101  to gain access to a secure facility or from impersonating an authorized individual. 
     In certain embodiments, the exterior surface  110  displays the image  340  when stimulated by heat at a predetermined temperature. In some embodiments, the communication portion  140  heats to the predetermined temperature when the communication portion  140  receives the signal  160  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) indicating that the secure access card  101  is deactivated. In such embodiments, the heat from the communication portion  140  may change the exterior surface  110  to display the image  340 . In certain embodiments, the wires  210  (shown in  FIG. 2 ) conduct the heat, which radiates to the exterior surface  110 . In such embodiments, the radiated heat may change the exterior surface  110  to display the image  340 . 
     It will be appreciated that the secure access card system  100  reduces the ability of unauthorized individuals to gain access to facilities or to impersonate authorized individuals. Thus, the secure access card system  100  increases and improves security in facilities. Further, the secure access card system  100  provides such benefits in an efficient and cost-effective manner. 
     The foregoing description of several embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the application to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is understood that the invention may be practiced in ways other than as specifically set forth herein without departing from the scope of the invention. It is intended that the scope of the application be defined by the claims appended hereto.