Method and System for Self-discovery and Management of Wireless Security Devices

Abstract

A system and method for automated discovery of wireless locks in a security system allows installers to assign each wireless lock to a slot on a wireless hub that provides wireless communications to the wireless locks. Device controllers poll the wireless hubs to discover the communications paths to each wireless lock. The device controllers store the information obtained from the polling, and present the information to a control system that manages the wireless locks. This eliminates the current practice of manually updating assignment information on the control system between wireless hub slots and the wireless locks in response to additions, deletions, or relocations of wireless locks within the security system. This is especially useful in installations that include hundreds or thousands of wireless locks within office buildings, hotels, or conference centers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A security system providing discovery of wireless security devices, comprising:
 a control system for managing the wireless security devices;   one or more wireless hubs for enabling wireless connections to the wireless security devices; and   device controllers that communicate with the control system over communications channels and poll the wireless security devices of the wireless hubs to discover changes to the wireless security devices.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless security devices are wireless door locks which include a user credential reader for reading a user's credentials from an access card. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the changes to the wireless security devices include:
 adding new wireless security devices to the wireless hubs;   removing the wireless security devices from the wireless hubs; and/or   changing the locations of the wireless security devices on the wireless hubs.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising channel controllers that provide the communications channels, and define a virtual controller ID (“VCID”) for the communications channels. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system assigns IDs of the wireless security devices to virtual controller IDs (“VCID”) of the communications channels for managing the wireless security devices. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the device controllers request the virtual controller IDs (“VCID”) associated with the assigned IDs of the wireless security devices from the control system. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 IDs of the wireless security devices are assigned to slots of the wireless hubs for enabling the wireless connections to the wireless security devices; and   the device controllers poll the wireless hubs to discover the slots assigned to the wireless security devices, and to discover the slots unassigned to the wireless security devices.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless hubs provide path information to the wireless security devices, the path information including an ID of the wireless hubs, and slots of the wireless hubs. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the device controllers poll path information of the wireless hubs to retrieve requests from the wireless security devices assigned to slots of the wireless hubs. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the device controllers poll path information of the wireless hubs for slots of the wireless hubs unassigned to the wireless security devices, to determine new, relocated, or deleted wireless security devices. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the device controllers further include a polling daemon for polling path information of the wireless hubs to the wireless security devices. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein in response to receiving the messages from the control system over the communications channels for communicating with the wireless security devices, the messages including requested IDs of the wireless security devices:
 the device controllers search path information of slots of the wireless hubs that includes IDs of the wireless security devices assigned to the slots, and upon finding a match between the requested IDs and the IDs of the wireless security devices assigned to the slots, return messages that include an acknowledgment of the match to the control system.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the device controllers:
 store path information for slots of the wireless hubs assigned to the wireless security devices, and for the slots of the wireless hubs unassigned to the wireless security devices, and   provide IDs of the wireless security devices for the assigned slots to the control system.   
     
     
         14 . A method for discovering wireless security devices in a security system including a control system, one or more wireless hubs, and device controllers, the method comprising:
 the control system managing the wireless security devices;   the wireless hubs enabling wireless connections to the wireless security devices; and   the device controllers communicating with the control system over communications channels and polling the wireless security devices via the wireless hubs to discover changes to the wireless security devices.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the changes to the wireless security devices including:
 adding new wireless security devices to the wireless hubs;   removing the wireless security devices from the wireless hubs; and/or   changing the locations of the wireless security devices on the wireless hubs.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the control system assigning IDs of the wireless security devices to virtual controller IDs (“VCID”) of the communications channels for managing the wireless security devices. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the device controllers requesting the virtual controller IDs (“VCID”) associated with the assigned IDs of the wireless security devices from the control system. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 assigning IDs of the wireless security devices to slots of the wireless hubs for enabling the wireless connections to the wireless security devices; and   the device controllers polling the wireless hubs to discover the slots assigned to the wireless security devices, and to discover the slots unassigned to the wireless security devices.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the wireless hubs providing path information to the wireless security devices, the path information including an ID of the wireless hubs, and slots of the wireless hubs. 
     
     
         20 . A method for discovering wireless security devices in a security system including a control system, one or more wireless hubs, and device controllers, the method comprising:
 the control system managing the wireless security devices;   the wireless hubs enabling wireless connections to the wireless security devices; and   the device controllers communicating with the control system and polling the wireless security devices via the wireless hubs to discover changes to the wireless security devices, including adding new wireless security devices to the wireless hubs, removing the wireless security devices from the wireless hubs, and/or changing the locations of the wireless security devices on the wireless hubs.