2014 rfid development

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Sean OBryan

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Mar 28, 2014, 11:38:07 PM3/28/14
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There's been some talk of working with the rfid stuff, improving door access, linking memberships, etc.

The goal is to read our existing tags using an rfid reader (courtesy of Ray) and a raspberry pi, then check to see if that tag is on a list.  It is a simple process and works well.  All code is posted: https://github.com/area515/rfidreader .  While python is easy to use, I'm still learning (please forgive organizational skills and correct me).  The only thing left is to figure out how to operate one of those door solenoids and we would be ready to use it.      

References/links:
Our tags - uem4100


Ray Scheufler

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Mar 29, 2014, 11:15:57 PM3/29/14
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On Tuesday I can help you design and implement a circuit to allow the pi to control the striker.

Ray Scheufer

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Sean OBryan

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Apr 27, 2014, 5:23:47 PM4/27/14
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Got everything to work last open house, had been working on documentation.

For reference on this, all the work we have done lately has been posted to the site.

Project is on the first bench across from the cubicles, if anyone is interested.  Everything is there except the pi as I'm using mine for other stuff at the same time. 

Our next step is to implement this on one of the doors.

Sean OBryan

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Jun 3, 2014, 8:49:36 AM6/3/14
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Summary - There is an rfid reader in the space.  Use it or you won't be able to access the space when we implement the reader at our door.  Full description below.


We got the rfid reader going last Tuesday.  People used it.  Checked up on it Sunday, it was still working.  I would like to offer it others to use.   

The goal of the whole rfid reader and site change was to allow for self-managed membership.  The effort of getting the reader working is part of this effort.  

While we may know who has keys, we don't have the information on the rfid associated to people.  To make the rfid access work, we will create a list of people and their keys.  We should do this before we integrate the RFID reader with space access.  Otherwise, we would put our rfid reader in place at the door but everyone who has a key would be locked out.  

To solve that problem, the rfid reader has been setup with a raspberry pi for people to submit their information.  The raspberry pi is in the wooden case, with a full keyboard/mouse/monitor setup.  We will leave this up for a month before we attempt to put it on the door.

As part of the plan to connect space access to the site, we need to get the following info for members with keys:
Name
Email - email you use of the website
Key (the RFID reader will get this from)

Instructions to use:
1.  Enter your name, email, and put your tag on the reader.
2.  After all of the information is filled in, click submit.  
3.  You will see a popup window telling you the whole process worked.  
4.  Click the reset button to clear your information.  

Pictures attached are: x3 screenshots of gui and x1 of the raspberry pi with reader in wooden case


Thank you to:
Tim
Derek
Ross
Don

1.png
2.png
3.png
rfidpi.png

Matt Stanton

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Jun 3, 2014, 1:09:19 PM6/3/14
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Are the old "keys" you are talking about physical keys, or are you referring to the original RFID tags?  If you are implementing a system that uses the Adafruit solenoid, then the physical keys obviously won't work without a new tag.

Why not buy an electronic strike plate?  That way both the physical keys and the RFID tags would work, and if you needed to get into the space through that particular door when the power is out (or if the RFID system goes haywire) you would still be able to.

I know the current space has two doors, and the plan was probably meant to only affect the side entrance, meaning that the solenoid only blocks one entrance, but what about the future locations?

-- Matt (N0BOX)

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Sean OBryan

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Jun 3, 2014, 1:51:27 PM6/3/14
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The keys are the rfid ones we currently use to access the space. 

When we do implement it, I'm open to using whatever works.  The current working idea was to swap out the RFID reader that is on the door with the new one.  We would just leave everything else in place. 

If you have stuff or ideas you want to try, its fairly simple.  the pi will make a pin go high after authenticating a tag.  It reads tag tags from a text file.  Feel free to use the one setup at the space.

We did the mockup and documentation with adafruit stuff  because the materials are accessible (in the case that someone else wanted to do the same thing in the future).

Ray Scheufler

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Jun 3, 2014, 1:54:56 PM6/3/14
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When we move to another location we will reevaluate our choice of door security.  I imagine that we will take the stiker we have and transfer it to another door.  If the doors of the other space are incompatible we will evaluate something else.

I really like the electronic striker because we also avoid the need for a button to unlock the door when you want to leave.  You just use the door handle.

As for physical keys, the board and other Wittier partners have physical keys.  When we move to a future location the board members will continue to have physical keys.

Ray Scheufler
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