Access Control Terms F

Fail-Safe Lockset: A lockset that is normally locked when the power is ON, and automatically unlocks when the power fails. See Fail-Safe Door.

Fail-Secure Door: A fail-secure door is one that if the power should fail at that door, the door will automatically lock and not allow entrance, but will continue to allow exit. A fail-secure door ensures a secure area remains secure regardless of the situation.

Fail-Secure Lockset:A lockset that is normally unlocked when the power is ON, and automatically locks when the power fails. See Fail-Secure Door.

False Alarm: An alarm signal generated without an existing alarm condition.

Fingerprint Pattern Area: The identifying characteristics of a fingerprint, consisting of the arches, loops, and whorls in the fingerprint.

Fingerprint Reader:A biometric reader that identifies a person based on the person's fingerprint pattern.

Facility Code: Coded data in access control cards that identify the location of the access control system. A numeric code programmed into a card reader and encoded on the access card/token which is unique to the one card access systems facility.  In a distributed or semi-distributed intelligent card reader system, the facility code will allow access to cardholders with the proper facility code when communications are lost with the CPU.

Fail-Safe Door: A fail-safe door is one that if the power should fail at that door, the door will automatically unlock allowing exit and entrance. A fail-safe door ensures people will be able to exit a secure area through that door in the case of an emergency.

Fail Safe: On loss of power, access points will automatically unlock allowing free access and signal the card access system of a device malfunction or loss of power.

Fail-Secure: An electric lock that requires power to unlock. Also called fail-locked.

Fail-Unlocked: An electric lock that automatically unlocks with any power interruption.  Also called fail-safe.