What is the role of a credential reader?

The role of a credential reader is to convert card information to data that can be understood by the access control system's control panel. When a user presents their access card or token to the reader, the device scans the card and extracts the information encoded on it, such as a unique identifier. This data is then transmitted to the control panel, which processes it to determine if the user has the appropriate permissions to enter a secured area.

This function is crucial because the control panel relies on accurate identification data to enforce security protocols and make access decisions. Without the credential reader performing this conversion, the system would not be able to interpret the information from the access cards and would fail to facilitate the proper authentication and access control processes.