Wireless access credential system

Abstract

An access control system and methods according to at least one embodiment leverage wireless access credentials to allow a user to securely gain access to a secured area using his or her mobile device. As such, a credentialed mobile device may permit access to the secured area without requiring a real-time connection to a credential management system and/or an administrative system.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An access control system, comprising:
 an administrative system;   a mobile access hub;   an access control edge system comprising a lock mechanism and a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication circuitry; and   a credential management system to (i) issue a BLE access credential to a user in response to a request for issuance of the BLE access credential by the administrative system and (ii) transmit the BLE access credential to the mobile access hub;   wherein the mobile access hub is to transmit the BLE access credential to a mobile device associated with the user;   wherein the administrative system is to update an access control database to associate the BLE access credential with the mobile device; and   wherein the access control edge system is to (i) receive the BLE access credential from the mobile device via the BLE communication circuitry and (ii) unlock the lock mechanism in response to successful authentication of the BLE access credential.   
     
     
         22 . The access control system of  claim 21 , wherein to transmit the BLE access credential to the mobile access hub comprises to call the mobile access hub via a credential management application programming interface to transmit a message to the mobile device; and
 wherein to transmit the BLE access credential to the mobile device associated with the user comprises to transmit the message to the mobile device including a deep link that retrieves the BLE access credential from the mobile access hub via a mobile application.   
     
     
         23 . The access control system of  claim 22 , wherein to transmit the message comprises to transmit a Short Message Service (SMS) message to the mobile device. 
     
     
         24 . The access control system of  claim 21 , wherein the credential management system is further to receive the request for issuance of the BLE access credential via a web portal. 
     
     
         25 . The access control system of  claim 21 , wherein the credential management system is further to receive the request for issuance of the BLE access credential via an automated integrated application programming interface between the administrative system and the credential management system. 
     
     
         26 . The access control system of  claim 21 , wherein to issue the BLE access credential comprises to ensure that a credential value of the BLE access credential is unique to a site at which the access control edge system is located. 
     
     
         27 . The access control system of  claim 21 , wherein to issue the BLE access credential comprises to issue the BLE access credential in response to a determination that an entity associated with the administrative system has sufficient credential credits for issuance of a new BLE access credential. 
     
     
         28 . The access control system of  claim 21 , wherein the access control edge system is further to perform authentication of the BLE access credential. 
     
     
         29 . The access control system of  claim 21 , wherein the access control edge system comprises a peripheral controller to authenticate the BLE access credential. 
     
     
         30 . The access control system of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the credential management system or the mobile access hub is a cloud-based system. 
     
     
         31 . A method, comprising:
 issuing, by a credential management system, a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) access credential to a user in response to a request for issuance of the BLE access credential by an administrative system;   transmitting, by the credential management system, the BLE access credential to a mobile device associated with the user;   updating, by the administrative system, an access control database to associate the BLE access credential with the mobile device;   receiving, by an access control edge device, the BLE access credential from the mobile device via a BLE communication connection between the access control edge device and the mobile device; and   unlocking a lock mechanism of an electronic lock in response to successful authentication of the BLE access credential.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein transmitting the BLE access credential to the mobile device associated with the user comprises:
 transmitting, by the credential management system, the BLE access credential to a mobile access hub; and   transmitting, by the mobile access hub, the BLE access credential to the mobile device.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein transmitting the BLE access credential to the mobile device associated with the user comprises:
 calling, by the credential management system, the mobile access hub via a credential management application programming interface to transmit a message to the mobile device; and   transmitting, by the mobile access hub, the message to the mobile device including a deep link that retrieves the BLE access credential from the mobile access hub via a mobile application.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein transmitting the message comprises transmitting a Short Message Service (SMS) message to the mobile device. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising receiving, by the credential management system, the request for issuance of the BLE access credential via a web portal. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising receiving, by the credential management system, the request for issuance of the BLE access credential via an automated integrated application programming interface between the administrative system and the credential management system. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein issuing the BLE access credential comprises ensuring that a credential value of the BLE access credential is unique to a site at which the electronic lock is located. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein issuing the BLE access credential comprises issuing the BLE access credential in response to a determination that an entity associated with the administrative system has sufficient credential credits for issuance of a new BLE access credential. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising performing, by the access control edge device, authentication of the BLE access credential; and
 wherein the access control edge device comprises the electronic lock.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising transmitting, by the access control edge device, the BLE access credential to a peripheral controller for authentication. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising transmitting, by the mobile device, the BLE access credential to the mobile device via the BLE communication connection in response to a determination of a user intent to access a passageway secured by the electronic lock. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein unlocking the lock mechanism of the electronic lock comprises unlocking the lock mechanism in response to a determination of a user intent to access a passageway secured by the electronic lock.