Patent Publication Number: US-2009231091-A1

Title: Wall-mounted access/security control panel

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention pertains to access/security control systems. It has application in the protection of buildings, homes, properties and people. 
     Access control typically refers to electromechanical security products/systems that monitor and control access in and out of buildings or other properties. Often, an access control system utilizes third party software to communicate with electronic panels that authorize a door to open, lock, be held, or any other combination of events through the use of electronic control hardware that is physically attached to the door. 
     The panels (referenced above) that are utilized for this process are typically connected to a computer server that controls access to each door by authorizing individuals with proper credentials to enter the space. 
     Literally, there are hundreds of companies that manufacture access control software and each of them manufactures their own access control panel that is intended to be mounted. These manufacturer&#39;s also sell separately the circuit boards that are in a typical panel/enclosure as a “board only” component (i.e. sold without the wall mounted panel). 
     A typical security integrator buys “board only” components and mounts them in enclosures (e.g., provided by the components manufacturer) for mounting. This often takes many hours and after mounting it takes many more hours in the field to make all of the connections. 
     An object of the invention is to provide improved access control panels and methods. 
     A further object is to provide such panels and methods as speed and lower the cost of installation and/or maintenance. 
     A yet still further object is to provide such panels and methods as can be used with control boards from multiple manufacturers. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
     The foregoing objects are among those attained by the invention which provides, in some aspects, apparatus for access (or security) control comprising a wall-mounted access control panel that includes one or more access control boards, each of which provides at least an interface for monitoring and/or controlling access to one or more building entry points or zones via associated sensors and/or intrusion prevention devices, collectively, “security devices.” The access control panel includes at least one connector disposed internal to the panel that provides communications coupling between at least one of the control boards and the aforementioned security devices (e.g., detectors, electrified locks, etc.). That connector permits such coupling without requiring that a field technician, or other person installing the panel at a site, pass and/or connect wires directly to the control boards from the security devices in order to establish that communications coupling. 
     Further aspects of the invention provide such an access control panel in which multiple such connectors are provided, e.g., on a printed circuit board that comprises or is integral to, an interior portion of the enclosure. In such aspects, each connector can permit coupling as described above, between the control boards and the respective security devices. 
     Still further aspects of the invention provide such an access control panel as supports control boards comprising multiple different “platforms,” i.e., of different third-party (or other) manufacturers. In these aspects, the access control panel comprises a backplane on which the control boards are mounted (or otherwise disposed) and that comprise one or more arrangements of apertures, mounting pins, and the like supporting such mounting (or disposal). The access control panel further comprises power and electrical interfaces that support both the control boards and the security devices. 
     Further related aspects of the invention provide such an access control panel that includes a wiring harness that carries communications signals from the one or more connectors to the control boards. 
     Still further aspects provide methods for assembly, installation and use of access control panels as described above. 
     These and other aspects of the invention are evident in the drawings and text that follows. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT 
         FIG. 1  depicts a wall-mounted access control panel according to one practice of the invention; and 
         FIG. 2  depicts an interior portion of the enclosure of  FIG. 1 , including a circuit board having multiple connectors. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT 
       FIG. 1  depicts a wall-mounted access control panel  10  according to one practice of the invention. The panel  10  includes an enclosure  12  having a front panel  14 , as shown. The enclosure  12  provides a rigid framework onto which mechanical, electromechanical, integrated circuit and other components (collectively, “components”) of the panel  10  are mounted and a housing structure that protects those components from dust, moisture, tampering, and so forth. In the illustrated embodiment, enclosure  12  comprises a metal wall-mount chassis with a hinged front panel  14  allowing access to the internal components of the access control panel  10 . Illustrated enclosure  12  is composed of metal, though, in other embodiments it may be plastic, ceramic, composite, or otherwise. 
     Front panel  14  can include a display (not shown) that displays the status of access control panel  10 . This can be a conventional LCD display, LED display or other display of the type known in the art. Moreover, the display can be provided within the interior of the enclosure  12  (necessitating that a technician or other person open the panel  14  in order to read the display) or elsewhere thereon. 
     Enclosure  12  can additionally include air flow apertures (not shown) that ensure a stable operating temperature within the enclosure. These may be provided on front panel  14  or elsewhere. Moreover, one or more fans (not shown) could, for example, circulate air through such openings, thereby cooling the components inside enclosure  12 . 
     Enclosure  12  includes further components conventional to wall-mount panels, e.g., a power switch, a circuit breaker, a LAN (local area network) port, and so forth, all configured and operated in the conventional manner known in the art. One or more of these may be disposed on front panel  14 , though, preferably, they are disposed elsewhere on or in the enclosure. Such a power switch (not shown), for example, allows a user to control electrical power to the panel  10  and may be, for example, a conventional toggle switch or otherwise. That switch may be operated manually, electronically, remotely, or otherwise. In the illustrated embodiment, the panel  10  is hardwired to a power source, although in other embodiments it may be powered otherwise. A circuit breaker (not shown), by way of further example, protects the components mounted inside (or outside) enclosure  12  from damage caused by overload or short circuit. It may comprise a conventional circuit breaker of the type conventionally used in the art. Some embodiments may obviate the need for such a circuit breaker  38 , e.g., by building such functionality into individual components. A LAN port (not shown) serves as an interface between the access control panel  10  and an IP network (not shown), e.g., a switched IEEE 802.3 Ethernet network, or otherwise, via which panel  10  may be monitored or controlled and/or to which one or more sensors, intrusion prevention devices and other apparatus (collectively, “security devices”) monitored/controlled by the panel  10  may be coupled. By way of non-limiting example, such security devices can include door status contacts, motion detectors, glass break detectors, etc., and actuators, e.g., lights, alarms, locks, etc., although more complicated devices can be served as well. 
       FIG. 1  further depicts the internals of the wall-mounted access control panel  10 . The panel  10  has components mounted on a base of enclosure  12 , as shown. The illustrated components include access control boards  40 , power supply  42 , power distribution board  44 , and an array of connectors  32 , configured as shown. The access control boards  40  provide an interface for monitoring and/or controlling access to one or more building entry points or zones via associated security devices. 
     In the illustrated embodiment there are two access control boards  40  disposed within enclosure  12 , each of the type conventionally used in the art of access control. Other embodiments may include a greater or lesser number of such boards  40 , and/or combine the functionality of the control boards  40  with others of the illustrated components. 
     The illustrated power supply  42  and power distribution board  44 , together, supply and control power to the control boards  40  and security devices in the conventional manner known in the art. The power distribution board  44  is implemented in printed circuit boards, though other form factors can be used. Moreover, although power supply  42  and power distribution board  44  are shown separately, in some embodiments, their functionality may be combined and/or distributed among other components of the access control panel  10 . 
     Illustrated connectors  32  provide communications coupling, e.g., electrical connectivity, between the control boards  40  (e.g., via circuit board  50  and wiring harness  110  discussed below, or otherwise) and the aforementioned security devices (e.g., detectors, electrified locks, etc.). Additionally, the connectors  32  provide communications coupling between the control boards  40  and any expansions boxes that may be coupled thereto. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, each connector  32  has multiple conductors and screws, fast-locks, or other fastening devices that facilitate securing corresponding leads from cabling that lead to those security devices—and, thereby, establishing electrical connectivity to the control boards (again, e.g., via the circuit board  50  and wiring harness, or otherwise). To this end, connectors  32  can be selected or configured for securing leads to conventional analog or digital security devices. An advantage of utilization of connectors  32  is that the field technician, or other person installing the panel  10  at a site, can simply attach leads (e.g., cabling  100 , discussed below in reference to  FIG. 2 ) from the security devices to the connectors (rather than directly to the control boards themselves) in order to establish coupling between the control boards  40  and those security devices. This can, among other things, reduce obstruction within the panel  10 , and facilitate maintenance of the panel. 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , the illustrated enclosure  12  further includes a backplane  70  that provides for electrical grounding and physical mounting of access control boards  40 . In the illustrated embodiment, it includes mount points (e.g., screw holes, mount pins, etc.) for access control boards of multiple different manufacturers, though, other embodiments may support a limited variety of such boards. Illustrated backplane  70  comprises stamped metal piecework, though, in other embodiments it comprise printed circuit boards or other fabrications. 
       FIG. 2  depicts, among other things, cabling  100  and a wiring harness  110  for use in the security panel  10 . The illustrated cabling  100  provides communications coupling between the connectors  32  and the security devices. In the illustrated embodiment, the cabling comprises wires or leads of the type conventionally known in the art, albeit as adapted in accord with the teachings hereof. Although in the illustrated embodiment the cabling  100  enters enclosure  12  through a top portion  120  thereof, as shown, in other embodiments it may enter through one or more apertures disposed elsewhere, through a back panel of enclosure  12 , etc.). 
     The illustrated wiring harness  110  provides electrical coupling and/or communications coupling between each of the connectors  32  and their respective control boards  40 . In the illustrated embodiment, the harness  110  comprises an arrangement of one or more bundled wires fabricated in the conventional manner known in the art as adapted in accord with the teachings hereof. Though a wire bundle is used in the illustrated embodiment, other embodiments may use flexible circuit boards and so forth. 
     Described above are devices and methods meeting the aforementioned objects, among others. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiments discussed and shown herein are merely examples of the invention and that other embodiments fall within the scope thereof.