Electronic card access system, and access card

Abstract

An electronic card access system, for example, for managing access control of a venue or facility, and an access card for use with the card access system.

Claims

1. A card access system for managing access control of a property, the system comprising: a preprinted access card, comprising: an electronic component having a unique identifier (UID); printed indicia on one or both sides of the card; a variable machine readable indicia containing the UID; and a signature zone; and a validation device, comprising: an access card reader configured to read the electronic component UID and the machine readable indicia UID at various controlled access points throughout the property, the card reader comprising an electronic component UID reader configured to read the electronic component UID and a machine readable indicia reader configured to read the machine readable indicia UID; a comparator configured for comparing the electronic component UID to the machine readable indicia UID; and a communication device configured to communicate the UID, along with a user identity and access rights to a database, wherein access is determined by interpreting the database for each UID.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic component is an RFID tag.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein in addition to the UID and user identity, a user validation is also captured and transmitted to the database.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the user validation is a user's signature applied to the card.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic component is an electronic chip.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the machine readable indicia UID is a card identification number.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the printed indicia is repeating indicia.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least some features of the access card are printed at a purchase/issue location.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least some features of the access card are printed at an access terminal.

10. A card system for managing access control, the system comprising: a preprinted card, comprising: an electronic component having a unique identifier (UID); a printed repeating indicia on one or both sides of the card; a variable machine readable indicia containing the UID; a signature zone; a validation device, comprising: a transporter configured for moving the card; an electronic UID reader configured to read the electronic UID; an indicia capturing device configured to capture an image of the machine readable indicia and transmitting the image to an external vision processor along with the electronic UID; an external reader configured for reading the machine readable indicia; a comparator configured for comparing the UID from the electronic component with the machine readable indicia UID; a communication device configured for communicating results of comparison of the UIDs to a point of issuance; a reader configured for reading the UID and/or the machine readable indicia UID at various controlled access points throughout the property; and a database in electronic communication with the reader, wherein access is determined by the interpreting the database for each UID.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the electronic component is an RFID tag.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein in addition to the UID and user identity, a user validation is also captured and transmitted to the database.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein the user validation is a user's signature applied to the card.

14. A card access system for managing access control of a property, the system comprising: an access card, comprising: an electronic component comprising a unique identifier (UID); a variable machine readable indicia containing the UID; and a signature zone; and a validation device, comprising: an access card reader configured to read the electronic component UID and the machine readable indicia UID at various controlled access points throughout the property, the card reader comprising an electronic component UID reader configured to read the electronic component UID and a machine readable indicia reader configured to read the machine readable indicia UID; a comparator configured for comparing the electronic component UID to the machine readable indicia UID; and a communication device configured to communicate the UID, along with a user identity and access rights to a database, wherein access is determined by interpreting the database for each UID.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the machine readable indicia UID is a card identification number.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the access card reader comprises a printer for printing on the access card.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the card identification number is printed on the access card by the printer of the access card reader.

18. The system according to claim 14, wherein the access card reader comprises a printer for printing on the access card.

19. The system according to claim 14, wherein at least some features of the access card are printed at a purchase/issue location.

20. The system according to claim 14, wherein at least some features of the access card are printed at an access terminal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a card access system according to the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a front view of an access card according to the present invention having a number of security features.

(3) FIG. 3 is a rear view of the access card shown in FIG. 2, also having a number of security features.

(4) FIG. 4 is a front view of another access card according to the present invention.

(5) FIG. 5 is a top view of the access card shown in FIG. 4.

(6) FIG. 6 is a rear view of the access card shown in FIG. 4.

(7) FIG. 7 is an end view of the access card shown in FIG. 4.

(8) FIG. 8 is a top view of the access card shown in FIG. 4 revealing the RFID inlay located inside card.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) A card access system 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The card access system 10 can be installed at a venue 12, for example, such as a building, facility, site, park, amusement park, or theme park.

(10) The card access system 10 can be configured to control access to the venue 12 through gates and/or doors. For example, the card access system comprises an entrance gate 14 having multiple terminals 16 can be installed to provide controlled access to the venue 12.

(11) The terminals 16 each comprise a card reader 18 having a card slot 18a. The card reader is integrated into the turnstile 20 having movable access control gate 22. The card reader 18 can have read/write devices and an optionally a printer (e.g. thermal printer) for printing on the access cards 110 and 210 (FIGS. 3-8).

(12) The card access system 10 further comprises an access control center 24 and a database 26. The database 26 can be integrated into the access control center 24 or located at one or more remote locations. The access control center 24 can be located on the premises of the venue 12, and/or located at one or more remote locations.

(13) The terminals 16 can be connected to the access control center 24 via a cable 28, and/or or can be configured to communicate with the access control center 24 wirelessly (e.g. via a Local Area Network (LAN), cellular transmission, satellite link, Internet link, microwave transmission, or other suitable wireless communication system or network).

(14) The access control center can comprise one or more servers configured to receive information from the terminals 16, and communicate and control the terminals to control access through each terminal 16 into the entrance gate 14 of the venue 12.

ACCESS CARD

(15) The card access system 10 further comprises a user being issued an access card 110, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. For example, the access card 110 is issued upon the user making payment for admission to the venue 12 at the location of the venue 12, or at one or more remote locations.

(16) The access card 110 is provided with multiple security features to verify the payment and identity of the user to control the user's access to the venue 12. For example, on the front side of the access card 110 (FIG. 2) there exist the following features:

(17) 1) an electronic chip 102 configured for containing information and/or providing electronic communication, security, and controlled access using the access card 110;

(18) 2) a picture 104 (e.g. black and white or colored picture) of the face of the user;

(19) 3) a two-dimensional or matrix barcode 106 containing information and electronically readable by a bar code scanner;

(20) 4) a zone or box or strip 108 containing a card identification number;

(21) 5) a zone or box or strip 110 of repeating numbers/letters;

(22) 6) a zone or box or strip 112 indicating the date or dates of admission to the venue 12;

(23) On the rear side of the access card 110 (FIG. 3) there exist the following features:

(24) 7) a zone or box or strip 120 for receiving the signature of the user;

(25) 8) a magnetic strip 122 containing information and electronically readable by a magnetic strip reader; and

(26) 9) a hologram 124 to indicate the access card 110 is authentic.

(27) The access card 110 can also be provided with a Radio Frequency I.D. (RFID) tag or insert located on a surface or inside the access card 110 (e.g. located between layers of the access card 110 having two or more plys or layers).

(28) The picture 104, barcode 106, card I.D. 108, repeating information 110, and date information 112 can be printed on the access card 110. Some of these features can be pre-printed, printed at a purchase/issuance booth, and/or printed at a terminal 16, and can be both general and/or specific to the user (e.g. user's identification).

(29) Another embodiment of the access card 210 is shown in FIGS. 4-8. The access card 210 is provided with multiple security features to verify the payment and identity of the user to control the user's access to the venue 12. For example, on the front side of the access card 210 (FIG. 4) there exist the following features:

(30) 1) a logo 224;

(31) On the rear side of the access card 210 (FIG. 6) there exist the following features:

(32) 2) barcode 206;

(33) 3) repeated text 210;

(34) 4) signature space 220;

(35) 5) magnetic stripe 222; and

(36) On the inside of the access card 210 (FIG. 8) is the following feature:

(37) 6) RFID inlay 228.