RFID Access-Control System
My 2014 RFID access-control project connects serial reader data, UID processing, authorization, Arduino and a servo actuator in one end-to-end hardware/software path.
This project was the main RFID access-control implementation I developed during my 2014 internship in the software unit of Afyon Kocatepe University's IT Department. The objective was not simply to read a card number. The complete path had to work from the physical reader and serial stream through UID interpretation and authorization to a physical actuator.
System Path
The working path can be summarized as:
RFID card
→ reader
→ serial data
→ UID parsing
→ authorization decision
→ Arduino
→ servo
→ physical accessI first observed the raw reader output at terminal level. The serial parameters and framing had to be understood before a higher-level application could be trusted. This made RS232 behavior, frame boundaries and UID representation part of the software problem rather than external device details.
Connecting Software to a Physical Result
The physical prototype used an Arduino UNO, servo motor, LED and RFID reader. Serial data from the reader was processed, the resulting identifier was compared with the allowed value and the decision was converted into servo movement.
The important engineering difference from a normal desktop exercise was that an incorrect state decision became physical behavior. Input validation and explicit state handling therefore mattered beyond the user interface.
Working with Multiple Readers
I worked with several RFID readers during the internship. The same logical card identity could involve different protocol and representation details across devices. That reinforced the need to keep device-specific communication separate from the common application logic.
This page represents the end-to-end project, while the related pages document the serial, UID, database and alternative-control parts separately.
Related Work
- Serial-Port Monitoring and Control Software
- Access-Control UID Software
- Access-Control Database Manager
- Remote-Controlled Access System
- 2014 Afyon Kocatepe University IT internship
Looking back, the main value of the project is not the specific reader or microcontroller. It is the explicit data path from physical input to software decision and back to physical output.
