Control iD Integration
The integration with Control iD devices enables the use of facial recognition and biometric equipment in ACCELERO access control.
This feature requires the Control ID module enabled in the license. See Licensing.
Overviewβ
The Control iD integration offers advanced identification features:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Facial Recognition (IDFace) | Automatic synchronization of facial templates, with direct integration with the IDFace |
| Fingerprint Biometrics | Synchronization of fingerprints |
| Compatibility with IDBlock turnstiles | Support for the IDBlock turnstile line |
| QRCodes | Synchronization of QRCodes generated by ACCELERO (optional) |
| Administrators | Registration of users with administrative privileges on the devices |
| Photo Capture | Use of the devices to capture photos during registration |
The integration is done through ACCELERO/CONTROL ID communication gateways (IONGRADE product). The gateway bridges the ACCELERO servers and the Control iD devices.
Navigation path: Advanced > System > Integrations - ControlID
Homologated modelsβ
| Type | Model | Integration mode | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facial | IDFace, IDFace Max | Direct or Neon Controller | Does not have a passage confirmation interface |
| Biometrics (fingerprint) | iDFlex | Neon Controller | β |
| Turnstile | IDBlock Next | Direct | β |
| Controller | IDBox | Direct | β |
Explanation of the modes (Direct Γ Neon Controller) and the complete matrix in Homologated Equipment.
Architecture and Requirementsβ
The integration with Control iD devices uses:
- ACCELERO/CONTROL ID Gateways (IONGRADE product)
- Control iD Devices (biometric and/or facial)
- ACCELERO Server with the module enabled
Data flow:
ACCELERO β Gateway β Control iD Devices
β Status β
General Settingsβ
Path: Advanced > System > Integrations - ControlID > Settings
Main Parametersβ
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Categories that must have facial recognition | Defines which categories will have facial templates generated and distributed. Example: disable for temporary visitors |
| Automatically remove templates for the following categories | Categories whose templates are automatically deleted after passing through controllers with "Automatic visitor removal" |
| Except if the person has at least one of the following categories | Exception categories - people with these categories will never have their templates removed automatically |
| Synchronize QRCodes | Enables sending ACCELERO QRCodes to the Control iD devices |
| Categories to register as administrator | People with these categories will be registered as administrators on the Control iD devices |
| Always identify users | Critical operation mode - defines how the system applies access rules |
Include a screenshot of the general settings screen showing all the fields described above.
QRCode Synchronizationβ
When to enable:
- If you want to use QRCodes generated by ACCELERO on the Control iD readers
- QRCodes can be sent to the devices for offline reading
Requirements:
- QRCode format: Plain text
- Numbering suitable for physical connections with controllers (usually Wiegand)
Configuration:
- Enable the "Synchronize QRCodes" flag
- Configure the QRCode format in Global Settings
- Check the Wiegand connection between Control iD and the controllers
Useful for systems where visitors need to use QRCodes on the Control iD readers, keeping them working even in case of a network failure.
Categories as Administratorβ
People registered as administrators on the Control iD devices have:
- Access to special functions of the equipment
- The possibility of performing local configurations
- Effects on the equipment's operation mode
Usage example:
Categories as administrator: SECURITY, OPERATORS
Result:
- People with the SECURITY category: registered as admin
- People with the EMPLOYEES category: registered as normal users
Only configure as administrators the categories that really need privileged access to the devices. Avoid configuring overly broad categories.
"Always Identify Users" Modeβ
This is a critical parameter that defines the behavior of the access control system.
β Enabled (Recommended)β
Behavior:
- The person's ID is always transmitted to the controller via Wiegand
- Access rules are applied by ACCELERO (server)
- The person always sees "Access authorized" on the Control iD display
- Access control centralized on the server
Advantages:
- Centralized control of access policies
- Complete logs in ACCELERO
- Flexibility to change rules without reconfiguring devices
- Consistency with other types of identifiers
When to use:
- Whenever possible (recommended mode)
- Systems with complex access policies
- Need for centralized logs
β Disabledβ
Behavior:
- People are registered on the Control iD with their categories and time ranges
- If the person is outside the schedule:
- Control iD shows "Access denied"
- The information is NOT transmitted to the controller via Wiegand
- The event is NOT recorded in ACCELERO
- If the person is within the schedule:
- It works normally
Disadvantages:
- Loss of logs of access attempts outside the schedule
- Need to re-synchronize when changing time ranges
- Decentralized control
When to use:
- Only if a specific project requirement
- Very simple systems without the need for complete logs
Always use "Always identify users" enabled, unless there is a specific project requirement that justifies otherwise.
Disabled mode results in loss of auditing and makes troubleshooting harder.
Registering Gatewaysβ
Path: Settings > ControlID > Gateways
For each communication gateway, configure:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Serial number | Serial number of the gateway (obtain from the physical equipment). CRITICAL: The information must be correct or communication will fail |
| Description | Name/description of the gateway |
Monitoring:
- ACCELERO β Gateway communication status
- Gateway β subordinate devices communication status
Include a screenshot of the gateway registration screen showing fields and communication status.
Registering Devicesβ
Path: Settings > ControlID > Devices
For each Control iD device:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Description | Name/location of the device |
| Type | Control iD device model |
| Active | If disabled, the device will not receive registration/deletion commands |
| IP address | IP of the device on the network |
| Communication port | TCP port for communication |
| Gateway | Communication gateway to which the device is subordinate |
| User | User for authentication on the device |
| Password | Authentication password |
| Capture timeout | Maximum time (in seconds) that the registration screens will wait for the template to be returned after starting capture |
| Capture message | Message displayed on the Control iD display during the capture process |
| Enable photo capture | If enabled, the device will appear as an option in the capture camera lists |
| Area | Destination area controlled by the device |
| Synchronize only these categories | Additional filter of categories (in addition to the global filter) |
The category filter works on two levels:
- Global (Settings): Defines allowed categories in the system
- Per device: Further filters which categories go to that specific device
Only categories that pass both filters will be synchronized.
Photo/Template Captureβ
Control iD devices can be used to capture templates during person registration.
Configuration:
- Enable "Enable photo capture"
- Configure "Capture timeout" (recommended: 30-60 seconds)
- Configure a custom message (e.g., "Position your face")
Capture flow:
- The operator starts the capture on the person registration screen
- Selects the Control iD device from the list
- The system sends a command to the device
- The message is displayed on the display
- The person positions themselves for capture
- The template is captured and sent to ACCELERO
- The photo/template is saved to the registration
Configure a timeout suitable for the environment:
- 30 seconds: Experienced operators
- 60 seconds: General use
- 90+ seconds: Environments with slow traffic
Include a screenshot of the device registration screen showing all fields.
How Synchronization Worksβ
Automatic Synchronizationβ
After the settings, synchronization happens automatically:
-
When saving a person's registration:
- The system checks whether the person has a category configured for facial recognition
- If so, it generates a template from the first photo of the registration
- It distributes the template to all active devices
-
Visual indicators on the photo:
- π΄ Red icon: Templates not yet fully distributed
- π΅π΅ Two blue icons: Templates distributed successfully
The first photo of the registration is always used for synchronization. Make sure:
- β Good capture quality
- β Good lighting
- β Frontal framing of the person
- β Neutral background (if possible)
Manual Synchronization (Resend)β
Path: Advanced > System > Integrations - ControlID > Synchronize templates
When to use:
- Replacing a device in the field
- Restoring after a failure
- Bulk update
How to do it:
- Select the desired devices
- Click Resend templates
- Wait for completion (it can take considerable time)
The resend time depends on the number of photos and biometrics. For large systems, the process can take hours.
Include a screenshot of the template synchronization screen showing device selection and the resend button.
Automatic Visitor Removalβ
ACCELERO can automatically delete visitor templates after their exit.
When the deletion occurs:
-
When passing through a barrier with the "Remove visitors" flag:
- The system checks whether the person has a category from the "Automatically remove" list
- It checks whether the person does NOT have a category from the "Except if..." list
- If the conditions are met, it deletes the template from the devices
-
When closing/deleting an event:
- The same check above is performed
- Templates are removed automatically
Configuration example:
Automatically remove: VISITORS, CONTRACTORS
Except if the person has: EMPLOYEES, RESIDENTS
Result:
- Pure visitor: template will be deleted after exit β
- Visitor who is also an employee: template kept β
Automatic removal is essential to:
- Avoid exhausting device memory
- Keep only active registrations
- Ensure recognition performance
Best Practicesβ
Planningβ
-
Define categories before configuring:
- Which categories will have facial recognition/biometrics?
- Which categories will have automatic removal?
- Which categories will be administrators?
-
Choose the operation mode:
- Always use "Always identify users" = YES
- Only disable it if a specific project requirement
-
Plan template capture:
- Control iD devices for capture?
- Webcams? Dedicated cameras?
- Train operators on the process
-
QRCodes:
- Do you need to synchronize QRCodes?
- Configure the appropriate format
- Test the Wiegand connection
Operationβ
-
Photo quality:
- Train operators on the importance of the first photo
- Use adequate lighting
- Always frontal framing
-
Monitor synchronization:
- Check the status icons on the photos
- Investigate failures quickly
- Use resend only when necessary
-
Manage memory:
- Enable automatic removal for visitors
- Configure exception categories correctly
- Monitor device memory usage
-
Template capture:
- Use a timeout suitable for the environment
- Configure clear messages for users
- Test capture before production operation
Maintenanceβ
-
Check communication status:
- Gateway β ACCELERO
- Gateway β Devices
- Resolve network problems quickly
-
Back up before changes:
- Back up before reconfiguring gateways
- Document configuration changes
- Test after changes
-
Device replacement:
- Use the template resend function
- Verify complete synchronization
- Test recognition after replacement
-
Firmware updates:
- Consult IONGRADE before updating Control iD firmware
- Check compatibility
- Test in a controlled environment first
Troubleshootingβ
Templates do not synchronizeβ
Possible causes:
- Gateway without communication with ACCELERO
- Gateway without communication with the device
- Device marked as inactive
- Person without a category configured for facial recognition
- Network/credential problems
Solution:
- Check the communication status on the gateways screen
- Confirm that the device is active
- Check whether the person has the correct category
- Test the access credentials to the device
- Use manual resend if necessary
Template capture timeoutβ
Possible causes:
- Timeout configured too low
- Person not positioned correctly
- Lighting problems
- Communication failure
Solution:
- Increase the capture timeout
- Guide the person on correct positioning
- Improve lighting
- Check the gateway β device communication
- Try again
QRCodes do not workβ
Possible causes:
- "Synchronize QRCodes" not enabled
- Incorrect QRCode format
- Numbering incompatible with Wiegand
Solution:
- Enable "Synchronize QRCodes" in the settings
- Set the format to "Plain text"
- Check the Wiegand numbering
- Consult the configuration in Global Settings
- Resend templates after adjustments
Access denied even within the schedule (disabled mode)β
Cause:
- "Always identify users" mode is disabled
- Time ranges not synchronized on the devices
Solution:
- Recommended: Enable "Always identify users"
- Alternative: Resend templates to synchronize the time ranges
- Check the category's time range configuration
Device memory fullβ
Solution:
- Enable "Automatic template removal"
- Configure the correct categories
- Use resend to clear and re-synchronize
- Consider increasing memory capacity (hardware)
Integration with Controllersβ
Control iD devices usually connect to ACCELERO controllers via Wiegand.
Typical configuration:
[Person] β [Control iD] β Wiegand β [NEON Controller] β ACCELERO
Important points:
-
Identifier numbering:
- The Control iD's Wiegand output must use compatible numbering
- Configure it in Identifiers
-
Device area:
- Configure the "Area" field in the Control iD device registration
- It must match the physically controlled area
-
"Always identify users" mode:
- If enabled: ID always transmitted via Wiegand
- ACCELERO applies the access rules
- Recommended for consistency
Next Stepsβ
- Categories - Configure categories for recognition
- People - Register photos and biometrics
- Identifiers - Configure Wiegand numbering
- Controllers - Configure physical controllers
- Licensing - Check available modules
- Global Settings - Configure QRCodes