Patent ID: 8351350

Claim:
A method for configuring access control devices via a central server that maintains configuration data, a first plurality of connected access control devices, and a second plurality of disconnected access control devices, wherein the disconnected access control devices are access control devices with no connection to the central server, the method comprising configuring a given one of the first plurality of connected access control devices to perform the following steps: (a) receiving, whilst in a first mode of operation wherein the given one of the connected access control devices is configured to perform an access control functionality, data indicative of an instruction to adopt a second mode of operation; (b) being responsive to the data received at (a) for adopting the second mode of operation; (c) receiving data indicative of a user selection of a specified one of the disconnected access control devices, selected from a set of disconnected access control devices in respect of which the central server maintains configuration data; (d) obtaining, from the central server, first data indicative of one or more aspects of configuration data for the specified disconnected access control device and, on the basis of that first data, defining second data indicative of the one or more aspects of configuration data for the specified disconnected access control device; and (e) writing to one or more carrier substrates collectively the second data indicative of the one or more aspects of configuration data for the specified disconnected access control device, wherein the specified disconnected access control device is configured for reading the one or more carrier substrates and selectively applying the one or more aspects of configuration data.