SKU readers with bluetooth and nfc support. Publications

IN Lately idea of ​​use mobile phones in ACS not only received several implementation technologies, but also became the dominant trend in the development of access systems. As usual - “especially in Europe and developed countries of the world.” If Russia has not dropped out of this list, it is clearly lagging behind...

My European and American colleagues who visited the last MIPS exhibition in Moscow were very surprised by the modest number of stands at which they presented mobile solutions in ACS - and are even more surprised by the lack of serious interest in such technologies presented at our stand. Despite the fact that at any exhibition in Europe or the States over the past year or two, it is almost impossible to find a stand of a self-respecting company - an access control system developer, at which mobile solutions in an access control system would not be presented.

I won't go into analysis this fact, or better yet, I’ll try to kindle some interest in mobile technologies (in access control systems) among our readers - fortunately, this topic is really interesting, with far-reaching prospects and, along the way, new challenges.

SO: what kind of beast is this - “mobile technologies in access control systems”?

Quite primitively, this is understood as the ability to open a door (gate, barrier, turnstile - i.e. access point) using a mobile phone.

For what? For example, because we have already become so accustomed to the idea that “I carry everything I have in my mobile”, that for ordinary users the very idea of ​​parting with their gadget for even a few minutes is already unthinkable... They are trying to cram everything they can into a long-suffering mobile (from music player and a camera - to credit and discount cards). And at the same time - something that at first glance cannot be shoved in there. For example, a door key. And all because I can quite easily forget the card from the office at home without getting too upset - but I will check that I have a mobile phone in my pocket at least twice before leaving...

But let's move from psychology to technology - and technology.

Let's try to understand HOW to open the “door” using a smartphone?

There are several options (I won’t say many) - but they are VERY different:

1. GSM module

One of the very first (historically) options for using mobile phones in access control systems. To open a gate (for example), you just need to call a specific number: if your number is in the desired list, the gate will open. The solution, I think, is well known not only to specialists - but due to the specifics of the application, it takes quite narrow niche and is not applicable for high-traffic access points. Therefore, let me still leave it out of scope detailed description in this article...

2. Graphic (bar code or QR code) or audio files - keys sent to a mobile phone

I think many people have come across the first option - some visitor registration systems and ticket systems work in a similar way (the same “Aeroexpress”, for example). You can also add a mobile boarding pass here (i.e. this is not an access control system in its pure form).
But I think far fewer specialists (not to mention ordinary users) are familiar with audio files - they tried to use this technology in hotels, but it never went into production.
In any case, these technologies have one thing in common: the niche nature of the solution and very modest protection of the mobile key, which makes it almost impossible to use such solutions in “normal” access control systems.

3. Mobile applications for ACS management

This technology, with all its specificity, is used quite actively - so let’s consider it in more detail.

We are talking about special applications - clients that allow the user to control the system (including opening an access point), acting as an operator - and not as an ACS user. In most cases, these mobile applications are a client (Automated Workplace - AWS) of cloud ACS - hosting the database in the cloud, not a closed one local network, makes connecting “mobile workstations” to it more easily implemented.

On the one hand, this makes it possible to simplify the system (the reader becomes unnecessary - since the commands go directly to the controller), but on the other hand, with this option, communication between the controller and the cloud and, accordingly, communication between the smartphone and the Internet become mandatory. In addition, the vulnerability of the system from external attacks and viral infection the smartphone itself (this, of course, is rather a matter of competence of the developers of both the cloud access control system and the application).
In practice, such solutions have found a fairly comfortable niche in the SME sector - medium and small businesses, retail, plus private households. Those. where there is no high traffic of access points, and the sheer number of users and access points is also modest. SME users are not willing to pay for expensive ACS management software and maintain a staff of service personnel - it is easier for them to subscribe to cloud service, which will allow you to manage both users, their keys (and, of course, view events) and the access point itself directly from the application installed on your smartphone. Or through a web application (site). In both cases, the user will not be required to have special knowledge, since similar systems are designed with prerequisite"the most user-friendly interface."

And yet, this solution is also niche.

But the following 2 technologies really claim to be serious troublemakers even in the “adult” ACS sector. If only because they not only implement the idea of ​​“mobile as a key” - but also introduce truly new, previously unavailable opportunities in access control systems. Let's look at them in detail.

4. NFC - Near Field Communication

This technology is not so new - it is already more than 10 years old. And all these years they have been talking about it as a real revolution in the world of contactless payments, secure (and contactless) identification, etc. True, every year the enthusiasm fades away - because of the notorious Secure Element (Security Element is a separate NFC cryptoprocessor, which should be responsible for the RFID card emulation mode). In fact, the problem is not in Secure Element itself - but in the fact that interested market players simply cannot agree to develop an adequate mechanism for distributing access rights to it for various applications. As a result, politics defeated technology (not yet completely, but still the advantage is not in our favor).

The most interesting and promising mode of operation of a phone with NFC on board - contactless smart card emulation mode - was de facto blocked due to the lack of access mechanisms to Secure Element.

When applied to access control systems, it is worth mentioning one feature of NFC: despite the blocking of the card emulation mode, a phone with NFC can be detected by readers as a Mifare card with a UID. BUT even if the ACS can work with the UID of MiFare cards, most phones generate it randomly with each new communication session with the reader... We will return to this fact a little later - but for now we will continue.

Despite such a non-optimistic (seemingly) beginning of the description of NFC, recently there has been a chance to change the situation.

Some market players, having finally lost faith in the possibility of agreeing on access to a physical Secure Element, developed Host-based Card Emulation (HCE) technology, which, in fact, allows applications to use Secure Element in the cloud - i.e. a virtual rather than a physical cryptoprocessor is used. ACS developers, among others, jumped at this opportunity - but not everything is so simple.

Firstly, you need to clearly understand that the cloud-based Secure Element is available only if the phone is online (and what if the money in the account runs out? Or the reader is in the underground parking lot, where cellular networks basically don’t see the network?). And you will also have to pay separately for using the cloud service.
Secondly, the physical Secure Element was not invented just like that. According to the initial idea, he and only he could work with data stored in the protected memory of an emulated RFID card. And if it suddenly ends up in the cloud, you willy-nilly have to run all the data through CPU- where they may be vulnerable if the phone becomes infected.
Thirdly, HCE technology is currently supported only by Android OS 4.4 and higher - Apple in its iOS support does not yet fundamentally include this technology.

There is also “fourthly”... The fact is that theoretically, HCE technology can allow developers not only to generate a UID - but also to set it explicitly. Those. the developer can set any UID at his discretion. Now imagine that you have an access control system at your enterprise that uses an open and unencrypted UID as a user identifier (and, to put it mildly, there are many such systems...). And then a “well-wisher” appears with a smartphone, enters your “unique UID” directly from the keyboard - and calmly moves around the object under your name!!! Fortunately, this is only a theoretical danger for now, and I still want to believe that it won’t come to that.

However, the advantages of NFC in combination with HCE have already been appreciated by the market - and some developers have already presented ready-made solutions that allow a phone with NFC to act as a key in an access control system.

In conclusion, I will mention one more option for using NFC in access control systems. The fact is that with all the problems with Secure Element and the impossibility (in general case) use the phone in card emulation mode - there is also an encoder mode (when a phone with NFC can write data to a contactless RFID card). This mode has never been blocked - and for verification ACS, in which all user access rights are stored not in the controller’s memory, but in the card’s memory, it becomes very interesting.

Imagine a distributed (across the territory of a city, region, country...) system in which controllers store the parameters of only the access point - but not the list of users or their identifiers (since access rights are registered on the card). In such a system, the controller is not required to have online communication with a central real-time database. If some user needs to change access rights, I must get access not to the controller, but to the card (so that these rights can be written there).

Difficulties arise if the user for whom I have to change access rights does not often appear at the central office and therefore it is difficult to gain access to his card (this happens, for example, in cellular companies- where are the service engineers serving base stations, may not appear at the central office for months).

This is where it comes to the rescue cellular telephone with NFC in encoder emulation mode: the required update of access rights in the form of an encrypted container is sent from the central ACS server to the employee’s phone - the application on this phone notifies about the receipt of updates and asks to place the user’s card against the phone. The user updates his card - and after that he can open any access point allowed according to the updated access plan.

As we see, in in this case mobile app Although it is not used to directly open the door, it allows you to introduce completely new, previously unavailable possibilities into the system.

Well, in conclusion, let us mention the latest technology today, which is actively being implemented in the access control sector:

5.Bluetooth Low Energy

BLE technology has a number of characteristics that make it very interesting - including in the access control sector:

1. Extremely low energy consumption - which allows the technology to be used not only in readers with external power supply, but also in electronic locks and cylinders;
2. Encryption AES data 128, which makes the use of technology in access control systems truly safe;
3. No need to pre-pair devices, as in classic Bluetooth versions;
4. Unlike NFC, BLE is fully supported in both Android (from version 4.4) and iOS.

To some extent, the emergence of this technology is also due to the disappointment of market participants with the situation with NFC. Tired of waiting for the moment when it will be possible to finally special problems gain access to NFC in card emulation mode, application developers paid attention to new version Bluetooth 4.0 protocol - which included the BLE section.

One of the first areas of application of access control systems in which customers adopted BLE technology with great enthusiasm was hotel systems. Many hotel chains, just when the first implementations of the “guest key in a smartphone” appeared, began active work to create their own mobile applications promoting hotel services. It was quite logical to add another bookmark to this application - which will allow the guest not only to book a room and pay for his stay at the hotel, but also to open the door.

Developers of commercial (i.e., non-hotel) systems also quickly responded to user expectations: users considered the ability to open the office door from their smartphone not only convenient, but also fashionable...

However, it's not just about fashion trends. BLE technology allows you to manage user access rights quickly and efficiently - especially in the verification ACS mentioned above. Any changes to access rights can now be immediately sent to the employee’s phone - without worrying about whether he is currently in the building or on the other side of the earth...

Classic identification access control systems also received a number of advantages. One of them is the transition to secure identifiers (the BLE standard, by definition, implies the ability to transmit only encrypted data). In addition, the phone can store several identifiers for different systems at once - i.e. be the key to both the office and the apartment - and from country house. Online identity management is another major benefit.

As usual, BLE technology also has disadvantages.

These include the need to keep Bluetooth on the smartphone always turned on - and the application responsible for access always running (unlike NFC, which can work at the level operating system phone itself and can remain active even when the screen is turned off). To activate the mobile key, you may need to press a button in the application interface - or perform a special movement.

One more nuance online management mobile key in a smartphone (perhaps it would be incorrect to call it a pure disadvantage) is the cost of the cloud service. Indeed, to implement the online key management function, the service provider must deploy a special infrastructure that will take care of timely and reliable delivery data to the mobile application - i.e. create and maintain own cloud. This cloud service will not be available to users for free - but this is the price of comfort.

Well, one last thing: all the magical capabilities of a smartphone end with the charge of its battery... That is why in most systems using BLE, the ability to parallel use familiar access cards.

Sometimes the issue is not only a dead phone battery, but also a psychological factor. In the same hotel, for example, no one can force a guest to install a mobile application - he is free to use a “regular” guest card.

Conclusion

I deliberately did not go into the jungle of all the nuances of NFC and BLE technologies - given the novelty, there are, of course, a lot of them. My task was to try to help readers take a slightly broader look at mobile technologies in such a specific area as access control systems. Leaving aside factors such as “fashion trends,” it is necessary to recognize that these same mobile technologies are a very serious step in the development of access control systems, since they can really bring new capabilities and functionality. It seems to me that among professionals in Russia these opportunities have not yet been fully appreciated.

Currently there is rapid development mobile technologies. Laptops, tablet computers, smartphones are becoming more compact, lighter and more productive. At the same time, means are being developed wireless communication- new generations are coming mobile communications, providing increasing opportunities for high-speed and reliable data transfer. All this affects other areas, incl. security industry, bringing new features and convenience to it.

In the context of the security sector, mobile access can be understood as an infrastructure in which, in order to gain access to material or information resources used as identifier mobile devices eg mobile phones with wireless data interface NFC (near field communication) and/or Bluetooth Smart.

The key feature here is the use of mobile devices rather than traditional access cards. Mobile devices with NFC/Bluetooth can significantly expand the possibilities of physical and logical access. Thus, a mobile phone, having greater computing capabilities, a large amount of memory and a connection to data networks (including the Internet), can perform not only mobile communication functions, but also contain several virtual cards access, with the help of which the owner of the phone can have access to various places. Communication via the Internet allows you to implement means for remote, prompt issuance or recall such virtual cards or passes. At the same time, this allows you to get rid of the need to carry classic plastic cards with you. Those. a mobile phone can replace several contactless access cards at once, while remaining just as easy to use and safe.

In the fall of 2014, HID introduced first commercial solution mobile access ! A number of pilot projects have already been launched (including in Russia), where mobile phones are used for access.]

History of development

Since 2009, attempts have begun to implement mobile access using developing technology NFC. At the first stages of NFC development, it was supposed to use a secure element (Secure Element, SE) to store identification data, which could be located either in a mobile device or in SIM card. Due to different specifications NFC chips, features of phones and intersection with mobile operators (in the case of SE on SIM), it was difficult to find a universal and simple approach to solving the problem. Appeared various options intermediate solutions that ultimately were not developed. Great opportunities for solving the problem of mobile access appeared at the end of 2013, when support for Bluetooth Smart and HCE card emulation mode at the processor level (without the SE hardware chip) appeared. Two new technologies have eliminated the need for direct interaction with phone manufacturers and operators cellular communication, allowing us to build the most universal solution. This is what formed the basis for the developed mobile access system from HID. The result is an effective, convenient, safe, flexible, innovative solution.

Of course, the mobile access system is not offered as a replacement for classic cards. However, she can serve as a convenient addition to ACS, adding new features and benefits to it.

Features and benefits of the solution

An account is registered for the client in the HID Mobile Access web portal. And it is installed on users’ mobile devices special application.

The portal provides the ability to manage all mobile identifiers. The system administrator has the ability to remotely issue identifiers to users' phones, as well as revoke them as soon as the user no longer requires access to the facility. Digital delivery eliminates the need physical transmission, as happens when a regular card is issued at a pass office. Identifiers are issued/revoked from anywhere there is Internet access.

Using a mobile phone can reduce the incidence of forgetting your pass at home, because... Usually the phone is always near the owner. Moreover, the phone can store several passes at once. The risk of losing passes is reduced. And also cases of transferring passes to other persons are practically excluded, because Few people will be willing to “borrow” their phone, even for a short time.

Security, in addition to the inherent protection of mobile identifiers, is enhanced by the capabilities of the phones themselves - screen locking, etc.

The system supports various formats data for identifiers. iCLASS SE readers, prepared for use with a mobile system, allow you to simultaneously use both regular and mobile cards.

Using Bluetooth can be convenient in a number of tasks - when opening with long distance(for example, from a car) or when there is a need to place the reader in a place protected from vandals.

The system supports"smart watch" Apple Watch or a watch running an operating system Android Wear . In this case, the user interacts with the watch to open the doors, and the watch, paired with the phone, communicates with the reader.

Using NFC phone must be brought close to the reader. When using Bluetooth The reading principle is based on the patented Twist and Go technology - you need to turn the phone left and right in the air for the data reading process to occur. This eliminates accidental access when passing by.

Supported phones and OS

iOS7+ with Bluetooth 4.0
Apple Watch
iPhone: 4S, 5, 5C, 5S...
iPad: Air, Mini, 3rd & 4th gen...
iPOD Touch...

Android 4.3+ with Bluetooth 4.0
Android 4.4+ with NFC
and newer,
Android Wear
Google Nexus 5
Samsung Galaxy Note 3, S4, S4 Plus, S5...
Sony Xperia Z2

NFC (Near Field Communication) is a technology for high-frequency wireless identification and communication over extremely short distances (not exceeding 3-10 cm). Any process is carried out at a frequency of 13.56 MHz. Information exchange can only occur between two nearby objects. Identification and reading of data are carried out automatically; to perform them, it is enough for both devices to fall within the communication range.

NFC devices can exchange information, read it from RFID tags, and most importantly, they can be used as a card emulator. The latter option allows you to use all kinds of devices that support NFC as contactless bank cards. Also, a smartphone or tablet can serve as a ticket (travel card, to the theater).

In addition, the presented technology helps to identify a person, which makes it possible to use a smartphone instead of a pass. Moreover, this is already done in many Russian organizations, that is, NFC in ACS (this is an access control and management system) is not at all uncommon. Reason: This solution has a number of advantages.

NFC in ACS: capabilities and advantages

Any NFC device can be used in ACS as:

1. Identifier. That is, it is allowed to use the phone available to each employee as an access card;
2. NFC reader for access control systems - this means that using a smartphone it is possible to carry out access control.

What does using an NFC device in ACS give you:

• the ability to create efficient systems safety at work, in the office, etc.;
• the ability to create mobile control systems. For example, for access to corporate transport, control of employees working remotely (builders, geologists, etc.);
• the ability to create a mobile checkpoint, for example, access control with NFC devices can be conveniently performed at any remote site (warehouse, construction site), when employees enter the organization’s territory using corporate or personal transport;
• the ability to control access to specific premises;
• saving money - an NFC pass to work will allow you to save money on the purchase of access cards, since there will be no need to purchase or personalize them. An NFC reader for access control systems also makes it possible to save money, especially if several terminals are required.

A phone with NFC as an access card can be used simultaneously in several control systems. For example, for access to the territory of different organizations or remote branches and facilities.

In addition, using NFC technology in ACS is simply convenient. For example, when a scheduled or unscheduled change of passwords occurs, the presence of an employee along with his smartphone is an optional procedure. This is especially important when there is an urgent procedure or access is blocked.

For employee NFC emulator The pass is convenient because it can serve as a duplicate of the magnetic pass. This means that if the card is lost, there will be no problems with control. In addition, this solution is practical, the reason is: the smartphone is always at hand, it is more convenient to take it out, there is no need to look for it, unlike cards, which employees often treat carelessly after the end of the working day.

NFC Access Control: Management and Identification

The attractiveness of NFC is that using this technology, creating an access control system becomes a quick procedure that does not require additional labor resources. All you need to have:

• Control computer;
• A reading terminal designed to read information from identifiers, which can always be a smartphone or tablet;
• Identifiers. Their role can be played by both regular cards and personalized NFC devices of employees.

To integrate an NFC pass into your phone, you just need to install a special application on it and personalize it. After which the employee will have the right to freely access workplace. If necessary, NFC tag emulation can be performed any number of times.

NFC reader for access control system

Any phone of a responsible employee that supports the presented type of communication will be able to read data from the identifier after installation on it special program, that is, no special controllers are needed.

Also, during control, the reader must be connected to the Internet, this will give it the opportunity to transfer information to command computer, which verifies the authenticity of information received from an employee’s phone. (Rating: 5 Votes: 1)

IN last years there is a steady trend of introducing new developments aimed at obtaining practical benefits. Evidence of this is the creation of accounting systems and access control(Russia including) based on wireless communication technology high frequency NFS - Near Field Communication. Thanks to the latter, interaction between devices and data transfer are possible at a distance of 10 centimeters. The well-known research company Gartner highly appreciated the development potential of NFC technologies that are currently being tested. At the same time, world leaders in mobile communications are already considering options for introducing and launching services based on the new system.
Such intentions are partly due to the success of the experiments. One of them was implemented at the Clarion Hotel in Stockholm, where an access control system for hotels was tested. It was attended by large companies in the field of access control systems HID Global Corp., lock manufacturers ASSA ABLOY and VingCard Elsafe, telecom operator TeliaSonera, and software developer G&D.
The essence of the project was to evaluate telephone-based access control systems by hotel staff and visitors. All participants were given a phone with NFC technology support. After carrying out standard procedures for booking and paying for the room specialized system ASSA ABLOY Mobile Keys generated a key in digital format. Then using closed channel cellular communication, it was supplied to a third party, which was a trusted service provider. The already encrypted keys were loaded onto the visitor’s SIM card. As a result, there was no need to register and obtain a regular key. Staff and guests could easily enter certain rooms simply by touching their phone to the reader. The number was closed automatically upon exit.
The result of the study was positive assessment new system:
- 53% and 80% of guests would like to use an NFC key and an access control system adapted to it for home and office, respectively.
- 30% responded positively to the possibility of implementation new technology to protect the car.
- 80% of participants would not refuse to receive useful information to the phone (about hotel promotions, restaurant menus, city map), pay Additional services and services.
- 70% versus 4% of those dissatisfied felt that the overall level of service had improved significantly.

The above-mentioned pilot project is far from the only one with which NFC technology is being tested. The largest company Telecommunications Telefónica conducted an experiment to evaluate the functionality of systems with NFC technology. Using a SIM card, employees were asked to pay in shopping centers, food outlets, pharmacies, etc. In addition, a mobile phone was used for access control (a presentation of methods and scope of application was made in advance). During the project, the functionality of NFC technology was tested in different applications and services.

Despite practically limitless possibilities, the development of NFC technology is limited by several factors:
- unpreparedness of a number of chain participants (banks, hotels, restaurants, transport companies, system integrators, mobile operators etc.),
- lack of an NFC chip in phones from many manufacturers (the possibilities of replacing them with technological solutions using ultrasound or Bluetooth 4.0 are being considered).

NFC technologies in Russia are most common in public transport. This is a rather non-standard, but convenient embodiment of an access control system . It is very easy to buy (Moscow, St. Petersburg and other large cities) a metro ticket with its help thanks to the participation in the project of mobile operators MTS, Megafon, Beeline, Ambik Tech SPb, etc.

Time control and recording systems based on mobile phones - modern solution, which is just starting to gain popularity. Meanwhile, its implementation in many areas will significantly reduce labor and time costs and save money. The pace of development of modern technologies allows us to hope that the wait will not be long.

RusGuard ACS controllers. Comparative characteristics

Series	ACS-102	ACS-103(M)	ACS-105
Price	11,890 – 26,400 rub.	12,600 rub.	24,000 – 31,200 rub.
Options:
- WiFi	+	-	-
-PoE	+	-	-
Frame:
- plastic	+	+	+
- metal	+	-	+
- DIN rail mounting	-	+	-
Power unit:
- built-in	+	-	+
- external	+	+	-
Access point type
- door	+	+	+
- two doors	+	+	+
- turnstile	+	+	+
- gate/barrier	+	-	+
- additional connecting a card reader	+	-	+
- additional traffic light control	+	-	+
Server communication interface:
- Ethernet	+	+	+
- CAN	+	+	+
Non-volatile memory:
- keys	64 thousand	64 thousand	10 million
- events	60 thousand	60 thousand	10 million
Reader interfaces:
- TouchMemory	+	+	+
- Wiegand-26/37/44/52	+	+	+
- Wiegand-26/37/44/52 without control. amounts	+	+	+
- Wiegand-58	-	-	+
- Keyboard interface (PS\2, KBW)	+	-	+
- SALTO	-	-	+
Key code length	up to 6 bytes	up to 6 bytes	up to 7 bytes
Number of electronic output keys	8	2	8
Number of independent power channels with protection	4	0	4
Number of security loops	2	0	2
Monitoring the power supply and battery condition	+	-	+
Case tamper	+	-	+
Temperature	from 0 to +50	from 0 to +50	from -40 to +50
Guarantee	5 years	3 years	5 years
Certification

Today, smartphones are an integral part of the life of almost every person, combining the functions of a navigator, MP3 player, voice recorder, camera, e-book etc. And the built-in NFC chip expands the scope of use of the smartphone both when making electronic payments, and in access control systems.

A smartphone with an NFC chip can simultaneously serve as a key ring, pass, bank card and travel ticket, which provides undeniable convenience for regular user. In large cities of Russia, projects are already being implemented where a smartphone with NFC can be used for travel on public transport, personal identification when passing, for example educational institution, payment for purchases and other services.

Popular use of NFC in access control systems

Since NFC technology is an extension of the ISO 14443 standard that combines a smart card and reader interface in one device, a smartphone with an NFC chip can interact with:

• cards that support this standard;
• readers standard ISO 14443;
• other NFC devices.

Main Application NFC technology in modern access control systems is the use of a smartphone as an access identifier, i.e. one or more passes, for example, to an office, an educational institution, a car park or stadium, and other places with limited access.

This approach eliminates the need for the user to carry multiple cards and passes, and also reduces the risk of forgetting the pass at home or losing it.

The access control market already has several solutions from well-known global manufacturers that support NFC technology.

Gartner experts believe that by 2020, about 20% of organizations worldwide will use mobile credentials for physical access instead of traditional ID cards. However, this is not the only option for using this technology in access control systems.

Non-standard use of NFC in access control systems

Smartphone like multifunction device, having sufficient computing power, large memory capacity and the ability mobile transmission data, for example via the Internet, allows you to implement on its basis several convenient and effective solutions for use in access control systems.

The presence of a built-in NFC module in a smartphone or tablet allows them to be used as mobile readers. In this case, the role of identifiers can be either other smartphones with NFC, or cards that comply with the ISO 14443A standard, for example, the Mifare family, popular in access control systems, and bank cards supporting PayWave and PayPass technologies.

A smartphone with a built-in NFC module can be used to solve problems such as:

1. Patrol control.

2. Organization mobile point access.

3. Reconfiguration of various devices.

Let's take a closer look at each of these options.

Patrol control: smartphone instead of wand

Patrol control comes down to a guard walking around the territory along a given route ( a certain order passing checkpoints from at certain intervals). This problem is usually solved by installing RFID tags at control points, and data is read from them special device, made in the form of a baton worn by a security officer. Reading can occur by touching the rod or contactlessly, and all received data is transmitted offline or online to the system server. In general, it is recorded who, when, where, and what was inspected in the trusted zone.

A smartphone with an NFC chip and specialized software can successfully replace such a wand, and control points can be equipped with NFC tags. Such tags can be made not only in almost any form factor, but also be frost and moisture resistant, which allows them to be used in any climatic conditions.

Since a smartphone has a screen, a built-in camera, a microphone, and a GPS module, it can be used to significantly expand the functionality of such a solution by adding additional features, such as:

• image transfer, voice messages;
• using other types of tags, such as QR codes;
• exchange instant messages(using messenger);
• determining the location of the device in real time;
• setting various types notifications to responsible persons about recorded incidents.

The only question that can arise is the battery capacity of the device and its case, which is usually not suitable for use in difficult conditions(harsh climate, possibility of falling and other emergency situations). However, the answer to this could be smartphones with increased battery capacity and water- and shock-resistant housing. It is worth noting that some models may also be equipped with built-in multi-format readers, which will expand the range of identifier types used.

Similar solutions already exist on the market, and some of them can be used to automate similar tasks from other areas, for example:

• industry: a technician inspects the units before starting work shift;
• rail transportation and subway: bypassing railway tracks;
• retail chains: control of the time of delivery of goods by the forwarder to retail outlets;
• hotel sector: control of the work of service personnel, etc.

Organizing a mobile access point: a smartphone instead of a stationary ACS reader

The standard problem of access control systems – restricting physical access and recording employee passages – can be solved in a non-standard way using a smartphone with an NFC chip. With specialized software, such a smartphone can act as a reader and ACS controller simultaneously, reading data from identifiers applied by passing people. In this case, the functionality of the software can include both displaying information about the employee and buttons, the pressing of which leads to the recording of events of passage or access denial.

Solutions this kind of implemented by several ACS manufacturers and are in fairly high demand on the market. There can be several problems solved with the help of such solutions:

• Corporate transport – comfortable registration of employees when entering the territory of the enterprise. The convenience is that to register, no one needs to get off the bus and identify themselves on a stationary reader installed, for example, at a checkpoint, since using the terminal, employees can be registered directly on the bus.
• Remote checkpoint – registration of passages in places where it is impossible to install stationary access points.
• Off-site events are a convenient organization of temporary access points where installing stationary ones is unprofitable.
• Student/pupil attendance recording – one terminal can be used to record the presence of students in several classrooms of an educational institution.

At the same time, not only Mifare cards, bank and other smart cards that meet the ISO 14443 standard and use paywave or paypass technology can be used as identifiers, but also others, for example, EM Marine due to the ability to connect external RFID readers, implemented in some from solutions.

Recording of events and their subsequent transfer to the ACS server can also be done in offline mode (events are saved in internal memory devices are transmitted when connecting to the server) and in online mode (a constant connection with the server is required to check access rights and send events).

Reconfiguring devices without communication: smartphone instead of programming card

In the ACS market, a special place is occupied by electronic locks. They are installed in place of conventional mechanical ones and are activated if appropriate access rights are available. There are two types of such locks – online (access rights are stored on the server) and offline (access rights are stored in the identifier’s memory). Smartphone with NFC if available service program can be used to reconfigure offline locks that are not connected to the server, for example, to update personnel access rights or the operating mode of an access point.

In the same way, you can make changes not only to the configuration of electronic locks, but also to readers, storage devices, etc.

Despite the approximately ten-year existence of the technology itself, the use of NFC in access control systems is only just beginning to gain momentum. Although the use of NFC is not without its drawbacks, its use brings convenience and comfort to users, which is quite important in today's market.

Many experts attach particular importance to the development of this technology and believe that its use can have a fairly strong impact on the entire industry as a whole.