Patent ID: 8341695

Claim:
A device for use in an access control system, said device comprising: an access controller that determines access privileges to a physical area; an Ethernet switching unit for directing network communications between multiple network devices; at least two Ethernet connectors, a first Ethernet connector that connects at least one access control unit to said device, and a second Ethernet connector that connects at least one non-access control related network unit to said device; and an access control message interpreter that reads router headers of messages received by way of said Ethernet connectors, that determines if said messages are from said at least one access control unit or if said messages are from said at least one non-access control related network unit, that transfers said messages to a destination unit without reading message content when said messages are from said at least one non-access control related network unit, and that extracts message content not in said router headers of said messages and provides said message content to said access controller for access privilege determination when said messages are from said at least one access control unit.