Types of Access Controlled Portals

An Access Portal is a passageway through which a person must pass in order to go from one access zone to another. When an access control portal is confronted, one knows that he is moving from one access area into another. Depending on the security configuration of the portal, access authorization may be required to enter, to leave, or to enter and leave through the portal. In most cases, access can be granted to a single individual, but for some higher security zones, access may require the presence of two or more authorized people. Access portals can be configured to work on a schedule so that access is free during some hours and requires authorization during others, or may be limited to certain individuals during certain hours.

            Pedestrian portals include standard doors, automatic doors, revolving doors, turnstiles, Man-Traps, and automated walls. Vehicle portals may include standard barrier gates, high-security barrier gates, and sally ports.

When a person confronts an access controlled portal they must show authorization to pass. The most common form of portal design is one designed to allow entry only to authorized users but also allow anyone inside the access zone to exit freely. This is normally accommodated by using a card reader, keypad, or biometric reader (or some combination of these) to authorize the user to enter. Exit is possible without being an authorized user; that is, any visitor or non-authorized person who was escorted inside by an authorized user is free to exit at any time and without any impediment. A typical portal has a locking system that must be unlocked in order to exit. Various Request-to-Exit sensors may be used including an Exit Push Button, Panic Exit Touch-Bar, or a motion detector over the door.

The standard door is the basic unit of an electronic access control system. Simple to understand, commonplace, and inexpensive, wherever there is a room or department to secure in most cases you can bet that it already has a standard door enclosing it. Standard doors are intuitive (everyone knows how to use one) and can allow for the passage of one or more users at a time.

            A typical standard door access control portal comprises a door (single- or double-leaf) with hinges and door handle hardware; an electrified lock; a card reader, keypad, or biometric reader; one or two door position sensors to tell the system if the door is open or closed; and a request-to-exit sensor. These devices report to an access control panel that may be located near the door or centrally in a utility room.