Patent ID: 7669054

Claim:
An apparatus for extending the functionality of a legacy security system that controls access to at least one portal, wherein: said legacy security system comprises a plurality of legacy tokens, a legacy token reader and a legacy control panel, each legacy token carries a legacy-system access key, said legacy token reader and said legacy control panel are communicatively coupled together over first and second data channels, said legacy token reader has first and second data channel outputs for connecting to said first and second data channels, said legacy control panel has first and second data channel inputs for connecting to said first and second data channels, and said legacy control panel is programmed to grant access to the portal in response to reading a serial data stream that carries an authorized legacy-system access key, said apparatus comprising: a secondary token reader operable to communicate with secondary tokens containing secondary-system access keys; a secondary control panel in communication with said secondary token reader, said secondary control panel having a legacy-reader interface, a legacy-controller interface, a memory, and a rights-management interface wherein the legacy-reader interface is adapted for electrical connection to the first and second data channel outputs of the legacy token reader to enable communication with said legacy token reader, the legacy-controller interface is adapted for electrical connection to the first and second data channel inputs of the legacy control panel to enable communication with said legacy control panel, the memory is adapted to store an access rights list of secondary-system access keys associated with access rights to the portal, the rights-management interface is adapted to accept programming input to update and manage said access rights list, and the secondary control panel has an operational mode adapted to (a) transmit a memorized authorized legacy-system access key in response to an evaluation, using said access rights list, that a secondary-system access key received from a secondary token is associated with rights to access the portal, and (b) transmit any legacy-system access keys received from a legacy token to the legacy control panel without evaluation against said access rights list.