1. A PiFrame Home Automation in Action: Case Study on Distributed Access
Control Solution
Pasd Putthapipat1
, Thanwarin Pisanprechatam2
, Wanchat Chesdavanijikul3
Department of Computer Engineering
Vincent Mary School of Engineering
Assumption University, Bangkok, Thailand 10540
PasdPtt@au.edu1
, u5414924@au.edu2
, wanchatchs@au.edu3
Abstract
This work demonstrates an experiment implementation
of distributed access control solutions by using PiFrame
framework. With the full-feature OS framework, the
development process was shortening and the advanced
functionalities, such as distributive database, secure
communications, and friendly graphic user interface, are
possible. Also the system was able to extend and scalable
without redesign the architecture.
Keywords: Raspberry Pi, Framework, Home
Automation, Door Access Control, Distributed System
1. Introduction
Electronic Access Control Unit (EACU) is one of the
technologies that is able to improve the access control
security and to solve the limitations of the mechanical
locks and keys, such as a difficulty of key’s duplication,
difficulty to change the locks perhaps keys are not found
permanently and lack of access control management.
The objective of this work is to develop and implement
a distributed access control solution based on the
framework from Vincent Mary School of Engineering in-
house framework, PiFrame [1]. This framework was
developed under the concept that utilize the off-the-shelf
hardware platform which is inexpensive and high
availability, such as Raspberry Pi.
The solution is designed as an open source distributed
access control system which combines a centralized and
the originally standalone front-end services for improving
the overall limitations of the stand-alone system.
Such a hybrid system requires strong network
capability and full database management at the front-end
unit. Using the general purpose microcontroller, such as
dsPIC family, to deploy it would be very difficult because
of its limitations. PiFrame provides the strong advantages
in this scenario due to that fact that it is based on full
feature OS which is fully equipped on those needs.
The remaining part of this paper consists of the
following sections: section 2 Distributed Access Control
Solutions; section 3 Architecture; section 4
Implementation and deployment; section 5 Advantages
and Disadvantage of the System; section 6 conclusion.
2. Distributed Access Control Solutions
Electronic Access Control Unit (EACU) was one of the
technologies that could improve the access control
security and to solve the limitations of the mechanical
locks and keys, such as a difficulty of physical keys
management and lack of access control management. The
standard feature is to control the accessibility of the
authorized or unauthorized personnel. The new credential
verification techniques were also applied to the similar
system, such as fuzzy logic analysis [2], distributive face
recognition system [3-4] or wireless identity [5-6].
However, there are some limitations of the original
access control system which is each unit contains
independent access list.It is therefore inconvenient for the
administrator to manage access list and lack of scalability
in addition to insert new members and rooms into the
system. The cauterized model which the access control
Fig. 1 Service Architecture

2. units which governed by centralized server could have the
time of failure during the network downtime.
With the hybrid system, the system can be performed
on both with or without network connection. Even the
standalone front-end and the server is lost connection, the
access control units can perform normally without any
trouble
3. Architecture and designs
A. General architecture
Figure 1. showed the main architecture of this work
which consists of two major instances, the centralized
service and standalone front-end services. The server was
mainly implemented to provide its core database and web
service/application to manage authorization entry list and
do the data logging between the server and front-end units.
The core database was designed to categorize the visitors
into diverse groups, with useful and efficient attributes
and to leave the system flexible to extend and customize.
The standalone front-end unit controlled the
accessibility of the authorized or unauthorized personnel.
The front end RFID reader will retrieve the credential
from the RFID tag. It would compare credentials with its
internal access control list then either grant or deny access
of the user through the magnetic lock. This made the
system tolerate to the unstable infrastructure. The access
log of each unit would locally keep in the unit and would
be pulled by the centralized server every fifteen minutes.
Also the access control list was going to be updated, if
necessary during this pulling process.
B. Data distribution
Credential information of this system was distributed
into different locations. The centralized server held the
master data records of the system. Each front end unit
would hold only its owned access list with the credential
index and reference code. PiFrame provided the database
platform to collect these information and exchange with
the server through the web service. This credential
information was distributed in this structure due to the fact
that the front end unit was explode and easy to be
tampered, both physical and virtual. Standard security
policy was also deployed to the front end unit as first line
of defense. On the other hand, the server was fully
equipped with the security measures.
4. Implementation and deployment
A, Hardware configurations.
The cauterized server was deployed on the local virtual
machine Ubuntu server with standard LAMP stack to
serve as a web server and database server.
As shown in Figure 2, the standard PiFrame hardware
was used as a based framework to develop front-end unit,
1 x Raspberry Pi, 1 x in-house double layer shield board
with relays to control the current to the magnetic lock.
These hardware was powered using the PoE splitter which
draw the power from the PoE network. Two additional
Fig. 2 Door Access Control: Front-End Unit by
PiFrame

3. units which governed by centralized server could have the
time of failure during the network downtime.
With the hybrid system, the system can be performed
on both with or without network connection. Even the
standalone front-end and the server is lost connection, the
access control units can perform normally without any
trouble
3. Architecture and designs
A. General architecture
Figure 1. showed the main architecture of this work
which consists of two major instances, the centralized
service and standalone front-end services. The server was
mainly implemented to provide its core database and web
service/application to manage authorization entry list and
do the data logging between the server and front-end units.
The core database was designed to categorize the visitors
into diverse groups, with useful and efficient attributes
and to leave the system flexible to extend and customize.
The standalone front-end unit controlled the
accessibility of the authorized or unauthorized personnel.
The front end RFID reader will retrieve the credential
from the RFID tag. It would compare credentials with its
internal access control list then either grant or deny access
of the user through the magnetic lock. This made the
system tolerate to the unstable infrastructure. The access
log of each unit would locally keep in the unit and would
be pulled by the centralized server every fifteen minutes.
Also the access control list was going to be updated, if
necessary during this pulling process.
B. Data distribution
Credential information of this system was distributed
into different locations. The centralized server held the
master data records of the system. Each front end unit
would hold only its owned access list with the credential
index and reference code. PiFrame provided the database
platform to collect these information and exchange with
the server through the web service. This credential
information was distributed in this structure due to the fact
that the front end unit was explode and easy to be
tampered, both physical and virtual. Standard security
policy was also deployed to the front end unit as first line
of defense. On the other hand, the server was fully
equipped with the security measures.
4. Implementation and deployment
A, Hardware configurations.
The cauterized server was deployed on the local virtual
machine Ubuntu server with standard LAMP stack to
serve as a web server and database server.
As shown in Figure 2, the standard PiFrame hardware
was used as a based framework to develop front-end unit,
1 x Raspberry Pi, 1 x in-house double layer shield board
with relays to control the current to the magnetic lock.
These hardware was powered using the PoE splitter which
draw the power from the PoE network. Two additional
Fig. 2 Door Access Control: Front-End Unit by
PiFrame

4. 5. Advantage and disadvantage of platform
A. Advantage of platform
The strong advantage of this platform was that the
front-end access control units which were developed
based on the PiFrame framework. It had high
computational power with full feature Linux capability.
The complex functionalities such as HTTPS
authentication, web service, database management, could
be implement much easier over the full feature Linux
platform, compared to the non-OS microcontroller. Also,
this gave the opportunity to extend the platform in the
internet of things (IoT) directions.
Also the majority hardware in this platform was based
on the off-the-shelf products which much easier to
maintenance and replace in case of hardware failure.
The development cycle could be reduced due to the
framework flexibility.The agile model also can be used in
the development process without having too much
difficulty in case of changing software requirements
because of the framework. Distributive information
structure was implemented to overcome the limitations
which were lack of scalability and non-user-friendly
interface. Moreover, the overall database was capable to
categorize the useful information’s types, and make it
more flexible
B. Disadvantage of platform
The main disadvantage was the sizing of the system
which was not interior friendly at all. Also due to the fact
that the PiFrame was full feature OS which was rich
feature system. The learning curve was quite high
compare to standard microcontroller, and might take
longer time to develop simple feature too.
The cost of the system was higher compare to the off-
the-shelf fixed feature similar system.
6. Conclusion
The PiFrame shown the strong capability as a based
framework for developing a distributed access control
solution.It had a strong advantage in flexible to extend the
features and scalability. The test bench system had been
actual deployed and used in the school facility.
For future work, there are some additional hardware’s
scope that would also be improved the term of the
organization’s security, the biometrics such as the face
detection and voice commands that could be deploy with
the platform to be two-states credential verification or the
seamless verification could be deploy, such as the mobile
unit identification through wireless network.
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