Fully networked system utilised in Police custody suite.

Fospat Access undertakes project for the National Probation Service

Northenden Golf Club has installed Fospat Access Solutions fully networked access control system.

The Rosehill School, Nottingham, implements access control in and around its site

Herefordshire Lifestyles introduces access control together with a two way intercom

The Criterion Theatre, London, introduces access control

Further Staffordshire Schools introduce access control.

Charnwood Borough Council introduces access control at the Ark Business Centre

Barton School improves security.

Emmanuel Christian Care Home introduces contactless access sytem

Summary of the Contactless Access Control System

The access control system is an electronic system which utilises remote keys (the tags), to release door locks. The tag, which is carried or worn by a user, is presented in the vicinity of a reader located adjacent to a door and communicates with that reader utilising encoded radio waves. This eliminates the need for any contact. Once a tag is recognised by the reader, a signal is transmitted to release an electro magnet on the door lock. The period of time for which the signal is sent can be varied from 0.1 of a second to 120 seconds.

Each tag has a unique number stored on an electronic chip encased in plastic. There is no power source (battery) within the tag.

The reader is basically an antenna which is hard wired to a control unit

The reader on the door is powered, via the control unit, from the mains supply. It emits radio waves via its antenna.

The tag also has an antenna which receives the radio waves from the reader. When the tag is within approximately 50mm (2”) of the transmitter, the power contained within the transmitted radio waves is sufficient to induce a small current in the chip contained in the tag. This current powers and operates the chip which is ”programmed” to modify the received signal and send the modified encoded radio waves back to the control unit.

The control unit receives the signal from the reader, it contains a digital decoder, memory and an IC (integrated circuit). The IC controls the operation and ”decides” what to do with any information that the reader sends to it.

The radio waves are modified in such a way that, the unique identification number carried within the chip is carried by the radio waves to the reader, in the same manner as a radio signal is sent out by transmitter and changed to music/talk as heard by a listener to a radio.

The returned radio waves are received by the antenna in the reader. Via a decoder the unique identification number is extracted from the signal that the tag sent.

The IC within the control unit receives the number from the decoder and is designed to compare it against stored tag numbers that the administrator has already loaded to the unit. If the number received has been stored in the unit, the IC is programmed to send an electrical signal to unlock the lock. The duration of this signal is programmed by the administrator.

The signal sent by the control unit operates an electro magnet which releases a physical stop on a door lock allowing it to be opened by the tag owner.