System and method for remotely assigning and revoking access credentials using a near field communication equipped mobile phone

Abstract

The present invention is generally directed toward a mobile device that can be used in a secure access system. More specifically, the mobile device can have credential data loaded thereon remotely updated, enabled, disabled, revoked, or otherwise altered with a message sent from, for example, a control panel and/or controller in the system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 determining an interval between credential updates for an access control system;   upon expiration of the interval, generating new credential information; and   sending the new credential information to a mobile device within the access control system such that failure of the mobile device to receive the new credential information will result in the mobile device losing its ability to at least one of: (i) mutually authenticate with a reader in the access control system and (ii) make an access control decision for itself within the access control system.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising,
 sending at least some of the new credential information to a reader within the access control system.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the reader receives the new credential information via a wireless communications network. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the wireless communications network comprises a GSM network, Bluetooth, and ZigBee. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the new credential information comprises at least one of a key and an identifier of readers in the access control system that the mobile device is allowed to access. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the credential information has a time to live. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interval is specific to a particular user in the access control system. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interval is specific to an entire facility. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interval corresponds to a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interval corresponds to an event-based interval. 
     
     
         11 . An access control system, comprising:
 a controller configured to determine an interval between credential updates for the access control system and upon expiration of the interval, generate new credential information for distribution to one or more mobile devices enrolled in the access control system such that failure of the one or more mobile devices to receive the new credential information will result in the one or more mobile devices losing its ability to at least one of: (i) mutually authenticate with a reader in the access control system and (ii) make an access control decision for itself within the access control system.   
     
     
         12 . The access control system of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to send at least some of the new credential information to the reader. 
     
     
         13 . The access control system of  claim 12 , wherein the reader receives the new credential information via a wireless communications network. 
     
     
         14 . The access control system of  claim 13 , wherein the wireless communications network comprises a cellular network, a Bluetooth network, and a ZigBee network. 
     
     
         15 . The access control system of  claim 11 , wherein the new credential information comprises at least one of a key and an identifier of readers in the access control system that the mobile device is allowed to access. 
     
     
         16 . The access control system of  claim 11 , wherein the credential information has a time to live. 
     
     
         17 . The access control system of  claim 11 , wherein the interval is specific to a particular user in the access control system. 
     
     
         18 . The access control system of  claim 11 , wherein the interval is specific to an entire facility. 
     
     
         19 . The access control system of  claim 11 , wherein the interval corresponds to a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         20 . The access control system of  claim 11 , wherein the interval corresponds to an event-based interval.