Abstract: An access control system comprising: a primary contactless read write device; at least one secondary contactless read write device; and a plurality of smart cards configured for use with the primary contactless read write device and the at least one secondary contactless read write device, the plurality of smart cards being further configured to exhibit a temporary storage space for use by one of the primary contactless read write device and the at least one secondary contactless read write device.

Abstract: A method of proximity access control comprising: defining a master proximity key exhibiting a particular visual encoding; defining at least one additional proximity key exhibiting a particular visual encoding different than the particular visual encoding exhibited by the master proximity key; detecting the master proximity key; detecting one of the at least one additional proximity key contemporaneously with the detected master proximity key; and enabling the detected additional proximity key, the enabling being associated with the particular visual encoding. An identifier of the visual encoding is preferably stored on each proximity key. Preferably, the visual encoding is constituted of color coding, and only a single proximity key of each color is thus authorized.

Abstract: An interphone panel for a multiple dwelling building operable to control access and encode replacement keys, the interphone panel comprising: a controller; a proximity key tag reader/encoder responsive to the controller; and an interphone voice path responsive to the controller, the interphone voice path creating a voice path between a user and a dweller of the multiple dwelling building, the controller being operative to encode a proximity key tag via the proximity key tag reader/encoder with at least one of building information, dwelling information and key code information.