A comparison of indoor positioning systems for access control using virtual perimeters

Abstract

Integrated smart technologies are fast becoming the norm in modern work and home environments for providing interactivity and ease of use. Greater intercon-nectivity, however, enables greater risk of misuse. Logical assets in such environments are protected by logical access control. However, if a logical asset is given a physical form, it no longer has the same protection due to logical and physical access control not being well integrated into physical spaces. Great strides have been made to protect assets in physical spaces by geographically placing a security perimeter around them. Geo-fencing enables the demarcation of a virtual perimeter around locations to protect them from unwarranted access. A limitation of geo-fencing is that location cannot be determined accurately indoors as positioning technologies such as GPS are ineffective, and tag or active positioning systems are easily subverted. This research explores indoor positioning systems to define virtual perimeters in indoor spaces for access control to be performed even when topological changes may occur.