Surprisingly in today’s security-conscious world, the systems being used by many businesses to protect access to their property have not kept pace with changes in technology.
For example, the sight of a security guard checking vehicles through a gateway is almost as common today as it was 25 or even 50 years ago.
While there have been high-tech developments along the lines of swipe cards, PIN numbers and electronic remote control devices, these are all relatively slow and cumbersome, and often leave traffic backing up at peak times.
As security specialists are quick to point out, these entry methods are far from fail-safe when it comes to guarding against unauthorized entry , it’s easy enough to use someone else’s PIN number or borrow (or steal) their card or remote control.
Now a long-established San Diego-based electronics manufacturer may have come up with the answer to all those shortcomings by developing an access control system which it claims is fast, foolproof, flexible, convenient and cost-effective.
By combining the latest technology and software, HM Electronics (HME) has produced GateSentry, a system that allows speedy access for designated vehicles and maintains a record of all such vehicle movements.
– System Access Is Programmable
GateSentry is capable of handling thousands of vehicles and is sufficiently versatile that it can also be programmed to allow different combinations of restricted access, for instance to specific areas or only at certain times.
Tuyet Vu, marketing and communications specialist at HME headquarters in Mira Mesa, believes the company’s new security gate has almost unlimited potential in the business world.
She said it can provide security at office buildings, for highly trafficked, 24-hour operators such as hospitals, hotels and airports, at self-storage facilities and at the entrances to gated residential communities.
HME describes GateSentry as a radio frequency identification-based access control system which allows authorized drivers automatic entry without the hassle of cards, secret codes, remote controls, security guards, or long lines.
Vu explained that when a driver approaches the gate, a small tag mounted under the vehicle is verified by an in-ground, vandal-proof antenna working with a reader and computer.
She said each tag contains a “transponder,” a tiny, glass-encased radio frequency device with a unique 16-digit identification number. This identification code is instantly transmitted by the buried antenna to a reader and on to the computer which scans the database.
– Quick Entry For Registered Autos
If the vehicle has been registered with the system the gate will open automatically, allowing the driver to enter the facility without having to stop. In fact, Vu said, the system is so quick that approved vehicles can continue driving at normal speed.
She said there are three sizes of metal tags to suit vehicles from cars to large trucks. The tags are installed by HME in places they cannot be easily detected and removed, using either strong double-sided tape or magnets.
GateSentry’s makers said there is no need to worry about tags being stolen or passed on to unauthorized drivers since tags are tightly secured and hidden from view.
However, Vu said if a tag is lost or stolen it can be immediately canceled on the computer to prevent its illegal use and a new one would be issued. Similarly the system has anti-passback protection which means a tag passed out of the facility and attached to another incoming vehicle will not work.
She said the system is compatible with any existing entry gate, and since GateSentry does not emit harmful radiation or substances there is no need for a Federal Communications Commission license for operation.
GateSmart, the Windows-based operating software behind this new security gate, “can recognize an infinite number of codes from the tags and store them in the database” according to Vu.
– Hours Of Access Can Be Limited
Other features include the ability to tailor access to specific people in certain areas or at certain times. For example, an office cleaning service might have access to an office complex only between 8 a.m. and noon on Sundays.
The software can also generate a variety of activity reports on all vehicles entering the facility during a particular time frame, information managers can access either on-site or from remote locations.
This system is not designed to admit casual or occasional callers, but Vu said HME offers two complementary solutions, either of which can be installed with GateSentry for added security.
One is VisionTech, a digital surveillance system using cameras installed at the entrance; the other is an intercom system. Either one enables managers to recognize or establish the identification of casual visitors seeking admittance to the property.
GateSentry is so new that the first system has only been installed recently , at Fairbanks Ranch, the very upscale, 600-home gated community in Rancho Santa Fe where property values are said to average around $5 million.
Allen Ten Eyck is director of security for this community where residents enjoy facilities such as an equestrian center, a clubhouse with tennis courts and a private lake.
– Product Includes 2,000 Car Tags
Ten Eyck said the system costs $120,000 to install at four unmanned gates into the ranch. That cost includes provision of about 2,000 tags, which he estimates will take another two months to fit to all the authorized vehicles.
The enhanced security provided by GateSentry appeals to Ten Eyck who believes at the moment it’s too easy to gain unauthorized access to the complex. For example, he said, people can steal remotes, kids let visitors in and one vehicle can sneak in by tailgating another.
Ten Eyck, who heads a 20-man armed security force at the ranch, has officers patrolling 24 hours a day and said if they no longer have to worry about watching the gates they can concentrate on other security issues.
“It’s basically a much more secure system,” said Ten Eyck, who also sees advantages, if a security incident does occur, in being able to download daily records of vehicle movements.
Upgrading and maintaining security is among the top priorities for Ten Eyck and the residents.
“Fairbanks sets the standard for security,” he said. “One of the selling points of this community is the security we provide.”
Pearson is a freelance writer for the San Diego Business Journal.
