Method and system for granting or denying access to a restricted area

• US 10,445,958 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2018
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Barbulescu, Corneliu
• Primary Examiner(s): Negron, Daniell L
• Application Number:
  US16/135,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20190088052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 391 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/589 measuring the velocity vector
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/52 Determining velocity
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/30 not involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/207 with respect to certain areas, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas with possible alerting when inside or outside boundaries
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]

Abstract

Access to a restricted area is granted or denied. An area outside the outer perimeter is monitored by determining an instant speed of the vehicle and interrogating the vehicle to check for access authorization and data identification. It is determined whether the instant speed of the vehicle is too high. Whether the vehicle is authorized to access the restricted area based on the interrogating is determined. Upon determination that the vehicle is authorized to access the restricted area, access to the adjacent area surrounding the restricted area is granted if the speed is not too high; otherwise the vehicle is instructed to slow down its speed. An instant speed of the vehicle in an area surrounding the restricted area is determined. If the determined speed is not dangerous for pedestrians, access is granted to the restricted area.

Claims

1. A method for granting access to a restricted area, the restricted area being confined by an inner perimeter and being surrounded by an adjacent area, the adjacent area being confined by the inner perimeter and an outer perimeter, the method comprising:

pairing a central processing unit with a mobile device comprised in a vehicle, wherein the central processing unit manages access to the restricted area;

monitoring, from the central processing unit, an area outside the outer perimeter by determining an instant speed of the vehicle and interrogating the vehicle to check for access authorization and data identification using a first electronic system;

determining, at the central processing unit, that the instant speed of the vehicle is too high if the instant speed exceeds a speed limit;

determining, at the central processing unit, whether the vehicle is authorized to access the restricted area based on the interrogating;

upon determination that the vehicle is authorized to access the restricted area, granting access to the adjacent area surrounding the restricted area if the speed is not too high;

otherwise instructing the vehicle to slow down its speed;

monitoring, from the central processing unit, the adjacent area surrounding the restricted area by determining an instant speed of the vehicle by using a second electronic system;

upon determination that the instant speed of the vehicle does not exceed a speed limit deemed dangerous for pedestrians, granting access to the restricted area;

sending, from the central processing unit, to the vehicle a GPS track a driver of the vehicle shall follow to drive to a place within the restricted area;

remotely engaging, by the central processing unit, the brakes of the vehicle upon determination that the vehicle has left an approved GPS track;

sending, by the central processing unit, an alarm to local authorities upon determination that the vehicle has left an approved GPS track;

monitoring the area outside the outer perimeter by using the first electronic system comprises applying long range radio communications; and

wherein interrogating the vehicle to check for access authorization and data identification using the first electronic system comprises applying short range radio communications and wherein monitoring the adjacent area surrounding the restricted area and the restricted area using the second electronic system comprises applying short range radio communications.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon determination that the instant speed of the vehicle is too high within the area outside the outer perimeter, broadcasting an alarm to local authorities from the central processing unit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein instructing the vehicle to slow down its speed comprises receiving an acknowledgement from the vehicle with respect to the instructing and granting access to the area surrounding the restricted area if the speed has been slowed down sufficiently.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the instant speed by using the first electronic system comprises measuring the instant speed of the vehicle by radar.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the instant speed of the vehicle by using the second electronic system comprises evaluating GPS signals received from the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring, from the central processing unit, the restricted area by determining an instant speed of the vehicle by using the first electronic system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the instant speed of the vehicle comprises evaluating GPS signals received from the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

interrogating the vehicle by an agent using short range communications.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

informing authorities upon determination that the authentication of the vehicle has expired.

10. A system for granting access to a restricted area, the restricted area being confined by an inner perimeter and being surrounded by an adjacent area, the adjacent area being confined by the inner perimeter and an outer perimeter, the system comprising:

a central processing unit configured to pair with a mobile device comprised in a vehicle and to manage access to the restricted area by;

monitoring an area outside the outer perimeter by determining an instant speed of the vehicle and interrogating the vehicle to check for access authorization and data identification using a first electronic system;

determining that the instant speed of the vehicle is too high if the instant speed exceeds a speed limit;

determining, at the central processing unit, whether the vehicle is authorized to access the restricted area;

upon determination that the vehicle is authorized to access the restricted area, granting access to the adjacent area surrounding the restricted area if the speed is not too high;

otherwise instructing the vehicle to slow down its speed;

monitoring the adjacent area surrounding the restricted area by determining an instant speed of the vehicle by using a second electronic system;

upon determination that the instant speed of the vehicle does not exceed a speed limit deemed dangerous for pedestrians, granting access to the restricted area;

sending, from the central processing unit, to the vehicle a GPS track a driver of the vehicle shall follow to drive to a place within the restricted area;

remotely engaging, by the central processing unit, the brakes of the vehicle upon determination that the vehicle has left an approved GPS track;

sending, by the central processing unit, an alarm to local authorities upon determination that the vehicle has left an approved GPS track;

monitoring the area outside the outer perimeter by using the first electronic system comprises applying long range radio communications; and

wherein interrogating the vehicle to check for access authorization and data identification using the first electronic system comprises applying short range radio communications and wherein monitoring the adjacent area surrounding the restricted area and the restricted area using the second electronic system comprises applying short range radio communications.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the central processing unit is further configured to manage access to the restricted area by:

upon determination that the instant speed of the vehicle is too high within the area outside the outer perimeter, broadcasting an alarm to local authorities from the central processing unit.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein instructing the vehicle to slow down its speed comprises receiving an acknowledgement from the vehicle with respect to the instructing and granting access to the area surrounding the restricted area if the speed has been slowed down sufficiently.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein determining the instant speed by using the first electronic system comprises measuring the instant speed of the vehicle by radar.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein determining the instant speed of the vehicle by using the second electronic system comprises evaluating GPS signals received from the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the central processing unit is further configured to manage access to the restricted area by:

monitoring, from the central processing unit, the restricted area by determining an instant speed of the vehicle by using the first electronic system.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein determining the instant speed of the vehicle comprises evaluating GPS signals received from the vehicle.