Sigur allows you to use wireless locks of various manufacturers together with standard ACS controllers. You can easily and conveniently control them from Sigur interface as your usual access points.
Integrated wireless lock systems
Overview
A wireless lock is a locking device which consists of an actuator that locks /unlocks the door as well as of an ID reader, controller and power source. Wireless locks are generally installed instead of a cylinder mechanism or regular key-operated lock and do not require any additional wiring.
These locks can be installed on any doors but the most common applications are hotels, buildings with high interior design requirements or places where wiring is difficult or impracticable.
Types of locks, OSS standard
Wireless locks can be online or offline.
Online locks
When a card is tapped, the lock reads the ID and transmits it over the air (using a special energy-efficient protocol, not Wi-Fi) to the communication module. The communication module will then transmit the received data to the PACS server, which will decide on whether to grant access or not, then the server transmits the response and sends a command to unlock the lock (if the access has been granted). All events are saved to the PACS database.
Offline locks, OSS standard
If an offline wireless lock is used, all the information about access rights and events will be stored on a rewritable card. When a card is tapped, the lock reads this information stored on the card and the lock controller decides on whether to grant access. All events are synced with the PACS when an online checkpoint is passed.
To conveniently use offline locks of different manufacturers, OSS standard was developed. All offline OSS-compatible (Open Security Standard, previously known as SOAA) locks of any manufacturers can be used in a single system in any combination and operated using the same card for all the locks. Currently, this standard is used by many large security system manufacturers such as Nedap, Assa Abloy, Dorma+Kaba Group, Uhlmann & Zacher, Zugang GmbH to name just a few.
Features of wireless locks
Often, when people say “wireless locks” they mean electronic cylinders which are the easiest devices to install and basically replace a regular key-operated lock in the door. However, there are other locks too, such as various cover plates with handles for existing locks, mortise locks and even more ad hoc ones, e.g. for server racks or fitness center lockers.
These locks have some advantages, including:
- Quick and easy installation
- No need to lay additional wiring: the data are transferred over the air
- Independent power supply: locks have inbuilt replaceable power sources designed to sustain several years of continuous operation
To power the locks, lithium batteries are used, and depending on the lock design and manufacturer, they can sustain up to 70,000 opening cycles. The lock will inform you if the battery is running low and needs to be replaced.
Supported identifiers
Almost any identifiers can be used with online locks: Mifare Classic, Mifare Plus, Mifare DESFire, HID iClass as well as 125 kHz technology such as EM Marine and HID Prox. Which formats are supported depends on the model of the lock.
Offline locks support a shorter list of identifiers, including Mifare and Legic.
Some online and offline locks have an integrated keyboard to enter a PIN code or can be connected to an external keyboard, which enables two-factor authentication (PIN code + card).
Data protection
Wireless lock systems protect the transmitted data using standard cryptographic algorithms such as AES, etc. This means that it is almost impossible to intercept and decipher commands sent to a lock.
Integration with Assa Abloy and Simons Voss locks
Integration with Assa Abloy and SimonsVoss locks is software-based, therefore it requires continuous communication to Sigur server.
Locks communicate with Sigur server via a communication device (hub, base station) connected to the IP network of the site. Several locks can be connected to one device. To operate the locks, an uninterrupted connection to the communication device is required.
Communication modules vary depending on the manufacturer by:
- Number of locks that can be connected simultaneously
- Maximum distance between the lock and the module (approx. 15 to 25m, also the building can place some limitations)
- Power supply type: PoE or external power source
Communication devices are configured in the software provided by the lock manufacturer. Other settings such as creation of users, schedules and access rules, are configured in Sigur software.
The following functionality is available for Simons Voss locks:
- Office mode: when a card is tapped and held on the lock, the door will be unlocked for some period of time; in Sigur, you can choose which cards can be used to hold the door open
- White list: up to 250 cards. If the connection is lost, these cards will unlock the door
- View hub connection status
- View hub lost / restored connection events
The card ID is read by Simons Voss locks, depending on its length, via Wiegand-34 or Wiegand-58.
Integration with Salto locks
Data exchange between Sigur and Salto is implemented via SHIP protocol, which is a standard way to exchange data between Salto server module and third-party software. Salto server module can be installed on the same computer where Sigur server software is running or on any other workstation in the IP network of the site.
The integrated system can include in any combination both regular Sigur controllers and various Salto equipment such as online and offline locks or cylinders.
Salto ProAccess software allows the user to configure the equipment and create temporary sectors to be assigned to cardholders. All routine operations of the integrated system, including creation of cardholders (Unicode and Cyrillic symbols are supported) and assignment of temporary sectors are performed from Sigur interface and do not require any third-party software to run on your workstation.
Salto AutoKeyEdit functionality is supported, including import of card UIDs from an external database using Data Sync, which will be then automatically added to AutoKeyEdit field in Salto.
To handle cards, Salto encoder is used. It is connected to the IP network and configured in Salto software settings. Then it will be available in Sigur software and all cards will be initialized from Sigur interface.
To sync all events registered by offline locks with Sigur server, a cardholder should walk through Salto online checkpoint.
Integration with Dormakaba locks
Work with the Dormakaba locks in Sigur is implemented at the program level with the help of the interaction of the ACS server with the Matrix REST service via HTTP requests. In this case there is no need to install both servers on the same computer, but for the integration's work there must be a connection between the system's components.
As part of the integration functionality Sigur receives automatically a list of access points - locks, as well as access profiles pre-configured in Matrix. You can issue identifiers in Sigur (work with Mifare Classic and Mifare DESFire is supported) and assign profiles to employees. It allows to use only one program to control access to all points.
Integration of offline locks
Currently, Sigur uses Mifare Classic as identifiers for offline locks. Initially, the locks should be configured in the manufacturer’s software. Then you will be able to create users, schedules and assign access rules in Sigur software.
Events registration and handling
When online locks are used, all events are sent in real time to Sigur database and stored in the archive. When offline locks are used, all events are recorded in the internal memory of the card.
Events received from all checkpoints equipped with wireless locks are in no way different from any other events received from any regular Sigur checkpoints. The system can use them for analytics, including for time and attendance tracking, and export these data to 1С:Enterprise.