2009.01.29
NTT Comware's RFID Based Office Entry Control System for 30,000 Users
NTT Comware Corporation (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Michio Sugimoto; below, NTT Comware) decided to introduce the RFID-based entry control system (below, RFID Entry Control System) for all the company offices nationwide. The system will be applied to 3,000 users including the employees, partners and visitors for two locations in the metropolitan area as the initial phase in January 2009. It will be eventually applied to 30,000 users at 22 locations nationwide including the group companies by FY2010. This system would contribute to the improvement of usability and security for the office entry control as well as for its efficient operation.
NTT Comware aims to provide a total solution service combining this system with the flow planning of the offices, attendance control and employee welfare services in the future.
Background
NTT Comware uses an entry control system using ID cards to check authorized entries at the building entrance. On the other hand, the demand for more strict control system has been increasing for high precision office entry record management according to the current trend for highly secure offices. Usability of such systems was also an issue for smooth entry and exit to secured offices even at the peak times. Therefore, these opposite needs exist at the same time. Furthermore, some different authentication systems such as card authentication and biometric authentication were used at the offices, which needed to be integrated to use a common system for efficiency of office management.Under these circumstances, NTT Comware decided to apply RFID Entry Control System to all the offices for integrated control of the office entrance as well as for smooth and further high precision entrance data management.
Characteristics of RFID Entry Control System
1.Handsfree authentication and automatic collection of authorized entrance records using Semi-Active Tag (*1)The handsfree authentication system frees the users from placing their ID cards to the scan to unlock the door, which is effective for smooth entry to the secured room even at the peak times. The system also enables an automatic high precision entrance control and recording for both entry and exit directions, which monitors TOMOZURE (*2) or SURECHIGAI (multiple users passing each other).
Scanning precision 99.7%: NTT Comware unofficial experimental value in March 2008)
2.Efficient entrance control for multiple locations by the data center management
Even for the entry control for multiple locations at a remote area, the data center management is enabled by a small number of personnel thanks to the integrated management scheme for card issuance, entrance authentication and data management of the entry records. NTT Comware will further consider reducing their back-office tasks through maintenance of the entrance authentication linking the employee data of each location or paperless application/authentication.
3.RFID system development know-how to Entry Control System
NTT Comware's technologies and know-hows obtained through the RFID middleware development and solution development are applied to the system for a high volume data filtering, efficient record data management and center management of the systems at multiple locations.
4.Fail-safe against network failures
The authentication at each location remains active even in case of failure of the network to the central server. Upon recovery of the network communication, the entry records kept during the network failure would automatically be transmitted to the center server to prevent the records from missing.
5.Applicable to High Security Zones using other devices
The system enables a secure authentication by double-checking the entrance status in combination of biometric authentication or a device to count the number of people passing.
Terminology
*1 Semi-Active TagSemi-Active Tag is a RFID tag designed to sense Tag ID and Area ID by generating an electric wave when the user enters the trigger area, which is effective to save the battery compared to Active Tag. This tag is used not only for time measurement of marathon or bicycle racing but also for entrance control to factories and hospitals.
*2 TOMOZURE (entry of unauthorized visitors by following someone authorized)
Someone unauthorized follows authorized people for entry or exit to/from an area which the access is limited.
