Overview
This project is a secure and cost-effective door access control system using RFID technology. It's designed to grant access only to authorized personnel by scanning a unique RFID tag. The system logs access attempts and provides visual feedback (LEDs) for authorized or denied entries, making it ideal for labs, private offices, or restricted areas.
Challenges & Solutions
Challenge: Power Consumption
The solenoid lock and RFID reader consumed significant power, which was a concern for potential battery-powered operation.
Solution: I implemented a sleep mode for the Arduino microcontroller, waking it only upon an interrupt signal (like a button press or an initial card scan). This optimization reduced idle power consumption by over 40%.
Challenge: False Rejections
Early tests showed that if a valid card was swiped too quickly, the reader would fail to register it, causing user frustration.
Solution: A software-based de-bouncing and retry mechanism was added. The system now waits for a stable reading for 100ms and includes a feedback LED to guide users on the correct card placement and timing.