next topic »

[on:]

Hello everyone,

I would like to have your councils concerning a project that I wish carry out.
That consist in controlling the entry of an establishment (+-1500 badges) using a rfid reader. The management of the entries of the people will make by a software connected to the data base SQL Server, both installed on the same PC. I wish to use an arduino allowing to control the badge reader and return information towards my software.
Which installation would you advise me? the reader must continue to work and authorize or not the access in the event of unavailability of the PC or the application (in the event of expiry of the access for example)?

Would it be necessary to envisage a NAS between the PC and the arduino? Is it necessary to download the database in the arduino? How to make?

Thank you in advance for the people who will be able to light me or advise me.

[Reply #1 on:]

the reader must continue to work and authorize or not the access in the event of unavailability of the PC or the application

That bit is the one that makes it tricky.

I used to work for an access control company and you have just described a typical access control system. The development of which would take approximately 20 man years.

It's a bit much expecting it to be answered in a forum, even one as good as this.  

[Reply #2 on:]

Hello Grumpy_Mike

20 years !!!!
My teacher advised me to use arduino with my rfid reader et want that the system stay functionnal around-the-clock.

I must carry out this project for my study at university.

Perhaps, could you advise me a solution (the attainable solution)?

[Reply #3 on:]

So that's 20 man years, you could do it in a year with 20 men.

There is not enough memory in an arduino to store the ID from 1500 cards so you have to add external memory. How much delay between presenting the card and opening the door? Searching through 1500 codes retrieved from external memory is going to take a long time.

I must carry out this project for my study at university.

I used to work at a university, go back to your lecturer and get a better specification about what is acceptable.

[Reply #4 on:]

Thank you for your response. I think that the delay between presenting the card and opening the door musn't exceed 1 second.

I was disagreed with my lecturer about his solution and I agreed with you at 100%. Moreover, I have no knowledge in rfid. I am searching informations on internet and I making contact with different company. Notably HID Global who propose access control hardware solutions (edge reader for programming).

[Reply #5 on:]

I would be surprised if HID will talk to you. There is a lot of secrecy in the access control industry.

Are you going to buy an RFID reader or make one with the arduino, that is a much better project. There are lots of different standards as well.
Look at this project I made with some RFID readers:-
http://www.thebox.myzen.co.uk/Hardware/Crazy_People.html

One second is a long time to wait for a door to open, it sounds short but feels long. Better half or quarter of a second. You might want to consider "hash binning" (google it) the tokens to make look up quicker.

[Reply #6 on:]

To read/write so large database requires sd-card and/or wireless/cloud based data management.

SQL is mabie to big a project to fit in an Arduino so try using XML database on a sd-card and mabie tinyXML parser, anyways keep memory footprint down!

you could try 2 mode approach:
1: dissconnected from pc
  - read write from access list written in XML

2: connected to internet/pc
  - Data syncronising between fast pc-SQL database and xml database (perhaps only during bootup or at certain hours during low-load)
  - send access requests from RFID cards to PC via wireless or cable to receive direct access granted/access denied from a fast sql database.
  - Data management software forces database syncronisation when approriate command is given

Hey this is my post no 100!
Congrats to myself  
Ranting about things I do not know about, as I think they are true, confusing the readers of my posts et cetera...  ;D

David

[Reply #7 on:]

SQL is mabie to big a project to fit in an Arduino

Geez, are you sure about that?

[Reply #8 on:]

Are you going to buy an RFID reader or make one with the arduino, that is a much better project. There are lots of different standards as well.

Thanks a lot for the link Grumpy_Mike

I thought to buy a rfid reader
This is an idea : http://www.springcard.com/products/index.php and you can have the SDK with the reader and code example (open source). Often, companies don't give the SDK.

[Reply #9 on:]

Is it this one?



That is a 13.56MHz contactless card (standards ISO/IEC 14443 and 15693), otherwise called a myfair or smart card. These tend to be more expensive that the 125kHz EM type cards.

[Reply #10 on:]

Yes or this one : http://www.springcard.com/fr/products/k531-ant.html

[Reply #11 on:]

Yes that looks all right as well for a mifare reader. Now you have to consider what sort of interface it has. It could be a serial output in which case you would need another serial port or use software serial or use an arduino MEGA. Or it could be a Wegand output like I used.