Integrated access system

Claim 2

An access system comprising: a sensor generating a sensor signal in response to a presentation of an access device by a presenter to the sensor; a video device capturing a series of images of the presenter immediately prior to the presentation; a storage device operatively coupled to the video device, the storage device storing the series of images of the presenter; a controller coupled to the sensor, the controller generating a control signal responsive to the sensor signal; and a locking mechanism coupled to the controller responsive to the control signal; wherein an identifying data is generated from the sensor signal, and wherein said identifying data is correlated to one or more of the images in the storage device.

Claim 3

The system according to claim 1 wherein the data is generated and correlated to at least one image by the controller.

Claim 4

The system according to claim 1 wherein the data is generated and correlated to at least one image by a remote computer.

Claim 5

The system according to claim 1 wherein the data includes information identifying the access device.

Claim 6

The system according to claim 4 wherein the data includes information identifying a time at which the access device is presented.

Claim 7

The system according to claim 1 wherein the video device captures the images periodically, such that one image is captured every first period of time, and wherein the storage device stores images for a second period of time.

Claim 8

The system according to claim 6 wherein the data includes information identifying the access device, and the data is correlated to the images such that at least one image is captured between a first predetermined time before the presentation of the access device and a second predetermined time before the presentation of the access device is associated with the information identifying the access device.

Claim 9

The system according to claim 1 wherein the storage device is proximately located to the video device.

Claim 10

The system according to claim 1 wherein the storage device is remotely located from the video device.

Claim 11

The system according to claim 1 further including a housing containing the video device, wherein the housing includes a translucent panel and the video device is behind the translucent panel.

Claim 12

The system according to claim 10 wherein the translucent panel is smoked.

Claim 13

The system according to claim 10 wherein the video device includes a wide angle lens.

Claim 14

The system according to claim 1 further including a housing containing the video device, wherein the housing includes a one way mirror and the video device is behind the one way mirror.

Claim 15

The system according to claim 1 further including a housing having an escutcheon of the locking mechanism and a handle of the locking mechanism, the handle extending through the escutcheon, and the controller is in the housing.

Claim 16

The system according to claim 1 further including a transmitter configured to transmit the data and at least one image to a remote location.

Claim 17

An access system comprising: a sensor generating a sensor signal in response to a presentation of an access device to the sensor by a presenter; a video device periodically capturing a series of images of the presenter of the access device immediately prior to the presentation, such that one image of the series is captured every first period of time; a storage device operatively coupled to the video device, the storage device storing each image of the series of images for a second period of time prior to the presentation of the access device; a controller coupled to the sensor, the controller generating a control signal responsive to the sensor signal; and a locking mechanism coupled to the controller responsive to the control signal; wherein data identifying the access device is generated from the sensor signal, and wherein the data is correlated to one or more of the images in the storage device.

Claim 18

An access system comprising: a sensor generating a sensor signal in response to a presentation of an access device to the sensor by a presenter; a video device periodically capturing a series of images of the presenter of the access device immediately prior to the presentation, such that one image of the series is captured every first period of time; a storage device operatively coupled to the video device, the storage device storing each image of the series of images for a second period of time prior to the presentation of the access device; a controller coupled to the sensor, the controller generating a control signal responsive to the sensor signal; and a locking mechanism coupled to the controller responsive to the control signal; wherein data identifying the access device is generated from the sensor signal, and wherein the data is correlated to one or more of the images in the storage device.

Claim 19

The system according to claim 16 further including a transmitter coupled to the storage device, the transmitter transmitting one or more of the images stored in the storage device to a remote location.

Claim 20

The system according to claim 17 wherein the remote location includes a second memory, and the images transmitted t o the remote location are stored in the second memory.

Claim 21

The system according to claim 18 wherein the transmitter further transmits the data to the remote location, and the data transmitted to the remote location is stored in the second memory.

Claim 22

The system according to claim 16 wherein the data further includes data identifying a time at which the access device is presented.

Claim 23

The system according to claim 16 further including a housing containing the video device, wherein the housing includes a translucent panel and the video device is behind the translucent panel.

Claim 24

The system according to claim 21 wherein the translucent panel is smoked.

Claim 25

The system according to claim 21 wherein the video device includes a wide angle lens.

Claim 26

The system according to claim 16 further including a housing containing the video device, wherein the housing includes a one way mirror and the video device is behind the one way mirror.

Claim 27

The system according to claim 16 wherein the housing includes an escutcheon of the locking mechanism and a handle of the locking mechanism extends through the escutcheon, and the controller is in the housing.

Claim 30

The method of claim 26 wherein the capturing step includes capturing an image approximately every second period of time using a video device and the second period time is less than the first period of time.

Claim 31

The method of claim 27 wherein the storing step includes using a memory operatively coupled to the video device to store the images.

Claim 32

The method of claim 28 wherein the generating step includes using a sensor responsive to the attempt to generate the signal.

Claim 33

The method of claim 29 wherein the sensor generates the signal in response to sensing a token.

Claim 34

The method of claim 29 wherein the sensor comprises a keypad containing keys, the keypad generating the signal in response to actuation of keys.

Claim 35

The method of claim 26 wherein the permitting step includes activating a locking mechanism operatively coupled to the sensor in response to the signal.

Claim 36

The method of claim 32 wherein the permitting step further includes using a controller operatively coupled between the sensor and the locking mechanism to determine whether the attempt is valid.

Claim 37

The method of claim 28 wherein the correlating step further includes using a controller operatively coupled to the sensor and to the memory.

Claim 38

The method of claim 30 wherein the correlating step further includes deriving data identifying the token from the signal, and correlating the data identifying the access device with at least one stored image.

Claim 39

The method of claim 30 wherein the correlating step further includes deriving from the signal data identifying a time at which the token is presented, and correlating the data identifying the time of presentation with at least one stored image.