Fast access control technology solutions (FACTS)

Positive identification (ID) verification of a large number of people (possibly thousands) in a short time, such as when people enter the gates of a manufacturing plant in the morning, can be a daunting task for the security guards. Current methods that use a password, card swipe system, proximity card reader system, or combination are slow and vulnerable. For example a card can be stolen or a password forgotten, copied or given to an unauthorized person. Hence the need for biometric-based access control systems (ACS). Many biometric systems address the ID verification problem; however, none provide quick and convenient positive (reliable) ID. Fingerprinting is unreliable and requires too much cooperation, face recognition systems (FRS) are unacceptable in a one-to-many application, and iris scan is slow and cumbersome. In this paper, we describe a fast access control technology solution (FACTS) system we developed and demonstrated at Honeywell Labs that enables many motorists to enter a secured parking lot without coming to a complete stop. The FACTS solution combines radio frequency identification (RFID) tags with FRS, reducing the one-to-many FRS problem by using a one-to-one match for facial verification (FV). This solution is dynamic, secure, positive, and hands-free for fast gate access control. At the heart of the Honeywell FV system is a unique tri-band imaging (TBI) camera that reliably locates and records the face of an individual or driver in motion while entering a gate.