Automatic physical access

Abstract

Physical access to secure areas is automatically performed based on presence or detection of a wireless device. A unique identifier of a wireless cellular device, for example, may be pre-authorized for occupants, employees, and tenants of a building. Contractors and vendors may also have their wireless cellular devices pre-approved for access. When the wireless cellular device is detected by a network serving the secure area, its unique identifier may be compared to databases or lists of approved cellular devices. Physical access may thus be automatically granted, based on possession of a recognized cellular device.

1 . A method, comprising:
 identifying, by a server, wireless waypoints along a group of authorized paths to be followed by a user of a wireless device to a destination within a secured area;   monitoring, by the server, communications of the wireless device; and   in response to any of the communications indicating that the wireless device is outside a distance threshold associated with the wireless waypoints along the group of authorized paths, generating, by the server, a security notification indicating the wireless device has strayed from the group of authorized paths.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the server, an access notification specifying at least one of the wireless waypoints. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the server, a user associated with the wireless device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the server, a date associated with a destination network. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the server, a time associated with a destination network. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining by the server, a calendar associated with the wireless device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending, by the server, a notification associated with a destination network. 
     
     
         8 . A system, comprising:
 a processing system including a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:   identifying wireless waypoints along a group of authorized paths to be followed by a user of a wireless device to a destination within a secured area, wherein the destination is served by a destination network;   monitoring communications of the wireless device; and   in response to any of the communications indicating that the wireless device is outside a distance threshold associated with the wireless waypoints along the group of authorized paths, generating a security notification indicating the wireless device has strayed from the group of authorized paths.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 identifying service set identifiers corresponding to the wireless waypoints; and   receiving a request to access a wireless network associated with one of the service set identifiers.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a user associated with the wireless device. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a date associated with the destination network. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a time associated with the destination network. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a calendar associated with the wireless device. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise sending an instruction to an electronic lock associated with the destination. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 identifying wireless waypoints along a group of authorized paths to be followed by a user of a wireless device to a destination within a secured area, wherein the destination is served by a destination network;   monitoring communications of the wireless device;   in response to any of the communications indicating that the wireless device is outside a distance threshold associated with the wireless waypoints along the group of authorized paths, generating a security notification indicating the wireless device has strayed from the group of authorized paths; and   providing an unlock instruction to an electronic lock associated with the destination network.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 identifying service set identifiers corresponding to the wireless waypoints; and   receiving a request to access a wireless network associated with one of the service set identifiers.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a user associated with the wireless device. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a date associated with the destination network. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a time associated with the destination network. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a calendar associated with the wireless device.